Sony loves to go against the current; that much is certain. While many other netbook manufacturers are currently churning out models in the $300-500 range and promoting new 12-inch units, they decided to enter the game in their own style. Their new Sony VAIO P may be standing alone, but you can be sure that everybody else is looking. It currently stands on the high-end, scheduled to come out at $900-1200, depending on the specifications. Also, it stands out by emphasizing design and fashion over efficiency; the result is an incredibly compact, light supermodel of a netbook that weighs 1.4 pounds. (Sony insists that it isn’t a netbook, but it qualifies as one according to my definition of the term)
The VAIO P also makes itself stand out in the netbook field by having features that none of its competitors have; features like the mobile broadband, GPS, and an instant-on module. Also, the keyboard is easy enough to use, adding up to deliver a premium netbook that holds its own in terms of uniqueness. The worst criticism that I have for the VAIO P is that it just doesn’t provide the best performance under a resource-intensive OS such as Vista; you may find the price difficult to justify because of that. Still, if you have the cash to spare, the VAIO P has a lot to show.
Sexy miniaturization is something that Sony just does well, and the VAIO P is the perfect proof of that. You may be surprised at how considerably longer but thinner it is compared to the others, measuring in at 9.7″x4.7″x.08″. To give you a feel for these numbers, the unit slides in perfectly in a jacket pocket, even if I could feel the weight by doing so. This gives the VAIO its own unique class in terms of portability. I should say, though, that putting it in you skinny jeans like what is shown in the picture could be misleading.
Do get that VAIO out of the pocket, because it is one machine that you’ll be proud to show off to people. The pre-production unit that I got to try out had a a glassy black lid with just a bit of chrome specks, and I got a silver deck for the keyboard. Once it’s out, you can also get it in standard black, as well as green, red, or the increasingly popular white.
Finally, Sony plans to sell a few accessories beside the VAIO P; a protective leather case at around 90 bucks, and a bluetooth mouse at 70. Both are really good-looking, although your budget might already be affected after you’ve gotten this pricey unit. One thing’s for sure; this unit will compete with the Asus Eee S101 for the sexiest amongst all the netbooks.
