Sony has just unveiled the new “Ultra Mobile” VAIO that intrigued us like hell when they came out with a teaser ad on their Japanese site late last month. The paperclip on the teaser ad? When viewed from the side, the colored lines on the new netbook wraps around to look like a paperclip. So what’s new? Not much on the spec, but they did add new input methods to make the 8-inch wallet-sized netbook easier to use.
The improvements include a trackpad and a couple of buttons on each side of the screen that lets you use the mouse while standing up. The new 2010 VAIO P also comes with an accelerometer that turns the screen to the side in portrait mode like a book if you want to use it as some sort of one-sided book.
The specs don’t differ from the original models, although they differ depending on the market they’re being sold in. The US and Japanese versions come with a base model that runs on the 1.6GHz Atom Z530 but upscale versions that run on a 2.13GHz Z560 will be available, while the European model will come with a single 1.86 Z540. Regardless of the version, all models will come with the same 8-inch, 1600 x 768 screen, 2GBs of memory, a 64GB SSD, plus 3G and GPS connectivity.
But here’s the best part: this updated VAIO P will come with a significantly cheaper starting price than the original at $800–of course, that’s all still relative, since you really don’t need to shell out $800 if you just need a netbook, although a tiny 8-inch laptop does have its advantages if you’re constantly on the road. Sony’s new netbook is expected to be available around June.
Tags: Netbooks, Sony, Sony Vaio
