Check out this new super small Sony computer (pics)
 

http://www.digitalworldtokyo.com/ent...60517_UX50.jpg

Sony took the wraps off its Vaio UX50 ultracompact PC at a news conference in Tokyo on Tuesday and our colleague Martyn Williams was blessed with the chance to try out the ever-so-cool looking device. Read on for his verdict.

? It's about the size of a paperback book, so it fits in a jacket pocket, but it runs the full Windows XP OS and is based on an Intel Centrino processor.

Dominating the front of the PC is the 4.5in LCD. This has a touch-screen so you can operate it like the previous Vaio U model as a tablet PC, but you can also slide up the display to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard underneath. The keyboard is backlit, which will be handy if you're using the machine in low light, but I found it a little difficult to use.

The keys are almost flush with the case and don't move much when pushed, so I never really got a good feel for them. They're also small ? the entire keyboard is only about 12 centimeters wide ? so I constantly worried that my fingers were hitting neighboring keys, although in the brief time I used the computer I didn't get any misspellings.

The position of the "Enter" key at the far right of the keyboard made it difficult to press. This was compounded by its slightly curved shape to match the case.

The screen is sharp and bright. It has 1,024 x 600 pixels resolution so full-screen web browsing is possible, but would be difficult for the poor of sight. Everything in the Windows menus and input boxes was readable ? nothing was so small that it became a mush ? but I did find myself squinting at some things.

There are a couple of handily located zoom buttons on the right hand side of the case. These helped, although the need to include zoom buttons shows how small everything on the screen is.

That may not be a huge problem because the UX50 seems to be more about fun, on-the-go computing than manipulating Excel files or writing novels. For many users the portability of the device will more than compensate for the small keys and small letters.

Because I had only a few minutes with the UX50 I wasn't able to test other features, although some of the more notable include a fingerprint sensor, built-in camera (just above the main display so you can video conference) and Bluetooth wireless. Sony is selling a companion Bluetooth GPS receiver that feeds global positioning data to the PC.

It's difficult to hold the UX50 in your hands and not be impressed with the amount of technology crammed into it. It compares favorably with Samsung's Q1 ultra mobile PC, which is based on the recently launched Origami platform, and will definitely draw looks when you use it in public.

At Tuesday's launch Sony said there's also a second version on the way. This will use flash memory in place of a hard-disk drive so it's likely to be a little lighter and more expensive. That should launch in the middle of this year.

The UX50 will go on sale in Japan on May 27 and in the U.S. in July. In Japan it will cost around ¥170,000 (US$1,547) and in the U.S. will cost about $1,800, Sony said.

I'd like to get one to use as my travel computer. What do you think?

My hand is way too big for that :(

All the better for a five finger discount! :321GFY

If you can use a Blackberry or Treo this will be no problem.

WOW Price?

WOW read:)

The UX50 will go on sale in Japan on May 27 and in the U.S. in July. In Japan it will cost around ¥170,000 (US$1,547) and in the U.S. will cost about $1,800, Sony said.

reading is not your strongest point, is it.

get one now here...
http://chaseandcompany.net/store/ind...ducts _id=153

I think Bill Gates calls them Handtops

i wonder if you can use it as a phone too

Kinda looks like My MDA phone

just add skype :)

That's the kind of gagets webmasters have no use for.

What are you talking aboot?

Awesome :) I wonder what they will be able to make in a 10 year period?

how much?

Damn that things pimp !! :pimp

Now that's small :D

that's sharp :thumbsup

i like Sony - great desighn.
but i don't think you can trust such small things.

I just can't imagine myself using that sweet-looking gadget as I post here in GFY. :winkwink:

you will hardly hit the buttons :)

I want one

What would you use that for ? You can't design, you can program a little but with the small keyboard it will be annoying. I don't see anybody that spend more then half of their worktime doing theses tasks using that on a daily basis.

This is good for business executive that want access to their numbers quickly, and that want to show stuff to other people.

Anyawys that's from my personal point of view.

sweet! I want one!

thats a sweet little laptop!

an awesome toy! :)

what the fuck!!!

i gotta get one of those :)

looks like my damn sidekick
niceee

thats awesome

very sweet but dunno how practical.. cant doo to much with it.. design for them will become annoying too I think..

but its still a very sweet system

i want one

kick ass gadget!

......that's cool!!!

broken image for me :(

does it run photoshop?

that is badass i will definitly be getting one :)

That's a nice one!!! :thumbsup

That's fucking awesome!
http://www.digitalworldtokyo.com/ent...60517_UX50.jpg

You are right from that point of view. Design is impossible. Actually running any Adobe or Macromedia products is kinds out of the question.

But, while I'm on the road I never use those products. Communications, spreadsheets/word processing, checking graphics, sites and apps from people I hire and such is what I need. This would be perfect. I do some of this on a Treo but there's only so far you can go with such a small screen.

wow, so nice! Good size for my handbag . :upsidedow

Oh, and boardwhoring would be so much easier than on the Treo. ;)

I got something else that would be a good size for your handbag. :pimp

Whaaaa? :uhoh

nice:thumbsup but I love my big VAIO:winkwink:

Damn that is uber sweet