jkOnTheRun

Sony Micro PC with SSD can be yours for $1299

Jenn drops the news and a direct link to Buy.com which has the Sony UX-390N available in limited quantities for $1,299. At this point in the small form-factor market, there are a number of competing choices at various price points, but if you've been lusting after Sony UX device, you've got an attractive deal waiting for you. This is the Core Solo unit running at 1.33 GHz and includes the 32 GB SDD drive for storage as well as the port replicator. It includes 1 GB of RAM and comes with Microsoft Windows Vista Business.

Sony VAIO UX390N for $1,299 at Woot!

If nothing at CES tickled your mobile fancy, then perhaps an old favorite at a killer price might be attractive. How about a Sony VAIO UX390N with Windows Vista Business for $1,299 today at Woot! You'll likely need to hurry because you know the drill: when they're gone, they're gone.

The UX390N is the 1.33 GHz, Intel Core Solo model with a 32 GB SSD drive. The 4.5-inch touchscreen shows an eye-straining 1024 x 600 res but I have bad eyes, so I'm biased. A gig of RAM and integrated 802.11 a/b/g, Bluetooth and EDGE are inside as well. Looks like the standard battery only; no extended battery, so you may want to consider that as a future accessory purchase. Oh, and don't forget the Sony VAIO UX series has the slide-up screen and 64 button keypad. That can come in handy if you don't want to use the Tablet PC support in Vista Business.

(via Micro PC Talk)

Sony VAIO UX line upgraded with new CPU, 64 GB SSD option

Recent Intel processor announcements all but guaranteed that this would happen: Sony is giving the UX-series an update in the form of new Core 2 Solo-driven models. Also available for those seeking to save some battery while gaining faster disk access speeds is a 64 GB SSD option. According to Akihabara News the new UX- models are -72, -92 and -92NS. Look for availability next month in Asia although I'd expect that the typical importing options will be available as well. No word on pricing, which I'm curious to see: how much does that 64 GB SSD drive add to the cost?

Sony VAIO UX1 video overview: The Digital Lifestyle

The Sony VAIO UX-series still amazes me in terms of performance; the original Sony UMPCs from a few years back still perform as good as (if not better than) current devices. Fellow MVP Ian Dixon tested a UX1 for a few weeks and put together a nice video overview of the unit. This is the Intel Core Solo device running at 1.33 GHz combined with a 32 GB SSD flash drive, which explains why Vista appears to run very smoothly in Ian's video. Ian's also a Samsung Q1 owner and provides a nice size comparison between the two devices early in the program. If you haven't seen a Sony VAIO UX1 in action, or if you just haven't seen a UX in a while and missed Vista running on one, now's your chance. Apple iPhone owners will particularly appreciate Ian's demo of the zoom functionality: it's the same zoom and screen panning approach that Apple uses for the mobile Safari browser. The only difference is that you don't have to hit a hardware zoom button...

I miss the Sony U, what's next?

The past couple of weeks I've been really missing the Sony U71 (don't worry Ron, I'm not going to ask for it back).  I have spent quite some time trying to figure out why, after all I have no shortage of cool gadgets to play with use productively.  I have come to the conclusion that there is nothing more useful for me than the ability to pick up a device in my hand, head out the door and still have a complete computer to do anything I might need to do while I am running around.  That need was filled very well by the Sony U and I miss that portability.  I find that even UMPCs are too big for that kind of mobility, I really need a handheld device.  Based on my thinking I have been looking around to see what device(s) are out there currently that might work.  Sadly, I haven't found any.

Coffee break- first Sony UX in the wild sighted

I know it's not a new device, in fact the guy in the coffee shop where I'm currently hanging my hat bought it six months ago but it is the first time I have seen a Sony UX in use in the trenches ever.  He's getting good battery life because when I asked him how long the battery lasts he honestly didn't know.  He carries the UX on his belt and uses it in the field daily and when he pops in a coffee shop he plugs it into the wall and tops off the battery.  Doing this he says means he never runs out during the day.  He was entering a lot of data into a spreadsheet using the integrated keyboard and tiny screen when I ran into him.  He was also using an iGo power adapter and that thing was really small, even smaller than the Sony adapter.  Too bad I don't have a camera with me or I would have taken a photo of it.

Mac OS X on the Sony UX: an Apple in one hand

Once we saw refurbished Sony UXs for around a grand, I thought I had seen it all for the UX. Nope, not by a long shot. One adventurous owner decided that he wanted Mac OS X on his handheld device and he was kind enough to document the entire process, step-by-step. sev7en as he goes by, has pages of documentation to get that little Sony running; he's even got the touchscreen working with ink and a third party on-screen keyboard! Bear in mind that if you plan to try an OS X install on non-Apple hardware, you might be skirting some legal issues, but allegedly, it's OK for an Apple developer to do so. You're on your own there....here's another shot:

Refurbished Sony UX make for affordable gadgets

jkOnTheRun reader Hector Gomez has pointed to some refurbished UMPCs at Clearance Club which might be just the ticket for those on a budget.  I just went to the web site and they have a lot of the Sony UX models with integrated WWAN for prices as low as $1099.  I don't know much about Clearance Club so if anyone has comments to share with the group that would be great.

Sony UX bundle...with a keyboard?

I found this semi-amusing but of value to someone shopping for a Sony UX handheld. So many folks touted the UX as a much better ultra-mobile computer solution than the Origami spec'd devices because it has an integrated keyboard. I ask those folks: how long have you used that keyboard? I tried it and it's as usable as the keyboard on my XV 6700 smartphone, meaning: it's a good thumb-board for minimal data entry. If I need to type anything longer than 4 or 5 sentences, I'm better off with a full size keyboard where I can touch-type and save time.

I wonder if Sony actually agrees with that: Micro PC Talk found a Sony UX bundle that gets you a Sony UX-280P and includes a fold-up Bluetooth keyboard for $1,799. The keyboard looks like a re-badged ThinkOutside keyboard, which is a solid piece of equipment.

Sony UX-380N available: how many UX's do we need?

Jenn from Pocketables shot me a note last night about an eleventh Sony UX model: the UX-380N. She says, "Other than the UX380N's 40GB hard drive and silver casing, it is identical to the UX390N". A quick trip to the SonyStyle store verifies Jenn's observations and you can order this handheld for $1999 direct.

My question is: when is enough essentially enough? Why have eleven or more models with different designations? Is that helping or hurting sales? Does it add confusion to a niche market that's already confused by the purpose of these devices? I'm no marketing genius, but I'd consider just a few products in the same line and allow for consumer customization. You know it's bad when you need this kind of comparison chart to tell the difference between all of these UX's!

Sony UX-390N available at SonyStyle

jkOTR reader Gabriel tipped us off over the weekend: the SonyStyle store has the UX-390N handheld available for $2,499. This is the 32 GB flash drive version of the UX-series, running a 1.33 GHz Intel Core Solo processor and 1 GB of RAM. The 390N still offers the 4.5-inch 1024 x 600 touchscreen, integrated EDGE connectivity through Cingular and comes pre-installed with Microsoft Windows Vista Business. Who's buying?

Vista creates new Tablet PCs

If you're like me and you love the Tablet PC and UMPC genre of computers then you know that it is the Windows XP Tablet Edition that sets these devices apart from other, ho hum devices like notebooks.  It's the Tablet bits that provide the oomph that makes these devices so appealing and provides a uniqueness that other ultra-portables don't have.  As cool as they are, the Sony UX Micro PCs run Windows XP Pro so even though they have a touch screen they are not UMPCs because they lack the Tablet stuff which makes portable slate devices so much more productive.  There have been other devices that don't ship with the Tablet Edition like the FlyBook series of convertible touch screen devices with no Tablet Edition.

Vista is about to be released commercially and the new version of the operating system will change all of our thoughts about devices like those mentioned above.  When Vista is installed on a touch screen enabled device then the Tablet bits are installed and available just like on "real" Tablet PCS.  It is because of this that Vista will result in a lot of new Tablet PCs and UMPCS simply because these devices will work just like the bigger Tablet PCs, and we will be the better for it.  I never thought I'd see the day when Sony shipped the UX with the Tablet Edition but that's exactly what we'll get with Vista, the best mobile device operationg system anywhere.

Next version of Sony UX unveiled

Word of the next version of the Sony UX Micro PC comes not from the CES (at least not yet) but from Stuff Magazine.  Reader Jahan Kahn Rashid pointed me to the February issue of Stuff Magazine in the UK that features the Sony Vaio VGN-UX1XN that looks like the current model with some upgraded components.  According to Stuff Magazine the UX1XN will come with Vista, Intel Core Solo U1500 (1.33 GHz), 1 GB RAM, 32 GB Solid State Disk (SSD), CF, Memory Stick Duo, Bluetooth 2.0, 802.11g, USB 2.0, Firewire.  The new UX will have the same 4.5” screen running at 1024 x 600 and is reported to cost GBP 2,000.  I would think we’ll see this new Sony debut at the CES so I’ll keep an eye out for it.

How to put an 80 GB HDD into the Sony UX

Guest contributor Fernando Miralles showed us how to upgrade the Sony UX to a 60 GB hard drive and now Andy Broyles has posted step by step instructions with photos showing how to upgrade the UX to an 80 GB hard drive.  Andy has taken great pains to point out all the potential pitfalls and even points to compatible drives that will fit in the UX.  If you've been thinking about doubling your hard drive capacity then check out the article and give it a shot.

James Bond 007 UX Spy Gear Bundle from Sony- unleash the agent in you

Sony has created a novel marketing approach for selling the UX280P Micro PC.  They think the small size of the UX makes it appeal to the secret agent inside each of us and have created the James Bond 007 UX Spy Gear Bundle (VGN-UX007) consisting of a Sony UX280P7, a Cyber-shot digital camera (DSC-T50/JB) and a UX Bluetooth GPS receiver, all housed in a shiny black aluminum attache case that would make 007 proud.  The bundle isn’t cheap at $3199 but who said spy gear is cheap?

Honey, where did I put the Sony UX?

Oh I remember, I embedded it in the headrest of the Toyota.

(Autoblog via Steve French)

Sony UX280p sighting reported

Those of you jonesing for the Sony UX280p get yourself over to the Menlo Park Mall in Jersey (Edison to be exact) as Raphael Salgado has reported seeing 20 of them in stock.  The UX 280p is the latest model of the Sony UX Micro PC with the 4.5 inch screen (1024 x 600), integrated Cingular EDGE, 1 GB of RAM, WiFi, Bluetooth, and a 40 GB hard drive.  Here’s what 20 Sony UX 280p look like in a big stack:

Dynamism offers Tablet upgrade for the new Sony UX models

Dynamism is offering all the various models of the UX Micro PC line from Sony including taking pre-orders for the newest Japanese model with the 32 GB Flash Drive (SSD).  Eagle-eyed jkOTR reader Keith Heard spotted this interesting item in the software accessory list:

Dynamism must have some special arrangement with Microsoft as I have never seen any reseller nor OEM offer the Tablet Edition as an upgrade on any device.  The pricing of $200 is rather odd too.

Sony to release UX280P October 18

Sony employee Raphael Salgado let me know that Sony is internally stating the Vaio UX280P Micro PC will be available on October 18.  The VGN-280P is the next generation in the UX Micro PC line that has a 1.2 GHz Pentium M and ups the memory to 1 GB.  This new version retains the integrated EDGE capability and ships with a Cingular SIM card, and packs a 40 GB hard disk.  The UX280P is available now for pre-order on the SonyStyle site and will set you back $1999.99.  With all the trouble Sony is in over the flaming battery recall why don’t you just kick in the extra penny and give them an even $2,000 when you order yours.

Hugo's been assimilated

Hugo Ortega is a true neophiliac and his recent exposure to a Sony UX Micro PC has him all atwitter.

Note the “deer in the headlights” look on Hugo’s face as he grips the Sony UX50 as if to make sure no one takes it away from him. Take a look at his impressions of the Sony to see what he really thinks of it.  Of course, Hugo got his hands on an obsolete model now that Sony has already announced the successor.

Sony refreshes the UX-180P with a UX-280P

Here's hoping Sony has a trade-in or upgrade program for UX-180P owners! The UX-280P is now appearing on Sony's site at a price of $1999.99. Perhaps this is the "business class" UX handheld since it's featured on Sony's Business Solutions site, and not the consumer oriented SonyStyle site. The form factor is the same: 4.5-inch 1024 x 600 touchscreen that slides up to reveal a keyboard, EDGE, WiFi and Bluetooth support. Apparently the difference (other than a digit in the product code) is under the hood. The UX-280P has a 40 GB hard drive, which is slightly larger than than the ancient model, and the RAM is now doubled to 1 GB. No change to the CPU, which is an Intel Core Solo at 1.2 GHz.

Deja vu- where has the Sony UX Micro PC gone?

Reader Brian Schneeberg pointed out to me that the Sony UX180P Micro PC that was just released in the US last month has disappeared from the SonyStyle website. I have been searching high and low on the site and Brian's right, the UX180P is no longer there. There are a few peripherals that show up when you search for it but that's about it. I hope this is a temporary thing but if you recall this is EXACTLY what Sony did with the U750P, discontinued it right after launch in the US.

-jk

Sony UX180P for only $1599!

I received an email this morning from Raphael Salgado from SonyStyle detailing a sweet deal from Staples for the Sony UX180P.  The UX180P is the Sony with the integrated EDGE from Cingular.  Here’s what Raphael had to say about the Staples deal:

Staples is selling the Sony UX180P for $1599 after $200 in instant savings (no rebates!)  That’s a few dollars better than my Sony employee discount on these bad boys!

http://www.staples.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StaplesProductDisplay?prodCatType=1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&productId=151512&cmArea=SEARCH

 

Offer expires August 5, 2006.

 

Of course, Staples’ warranties are a little more expensive, so I suggest people get their Sony notebooks protected directly through the Sony…

 

Sony Extended Services Plans with Accidental Damage from Handling Protection (ADH):

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/EW_ViewExtendedWarranty-Detail?CategoryName=Notebooks

• $199 for 2 years, $299 for 3 years, $399 for 3 years
• Onsite service
• Accidental Damage from Handling Protection covers screen damage, liquid spills, and everything in between
• 24/7/365 access to service representatives
• Genuine Sony product and backing
• Available for any Sony item purchased in the last 60 days
• Cost reimbursement if product is discontinued, otherwise new replacement issued (not refurbished)

Tax-free purchase if you are a church or similar organization…

 

Thanks for the tip, Raphael!

 

-jk

 

Sony UX-17 & Ubuntu: get the touchscreen working

Earlier this week, those crazy kids down at Geekzone got the Ubuntu flavah of Linux on their Sony UX-17 handheld and today Brenda at Coffee.Geek.NZ shares the details on how to get the touchscreen working. There appears to be a little trial and error involved to see which "eventX" device actually produced visible output on the screen, but the best things in life are usually worth working for, right? Along the way Brenda shares the driver source used as well as some calibration tips. I'd expect this general approach to work on any of the various Sony UX models, but as always: you're on your own if something goes wrong. Is it just me or is New Zealand quietly becoming the Ubuntu capital of the world?

-kct

Sony UX coming to the UK?

Mobile enthusiasts in the UK have been waiting for word from Sony that they will sell the Sony UX Micro PC in that country, but so far that word has not come.  Today we offer confirmation (sort of) that SonyStyle will be selling the UX in the UK later this year in the form of an email to jkOnTheRun reader Jonathan Balkind:

Dear Sir,

The UX was released in the US on July 4th.

At this present moment I have no further information as to the release date of this product in the UK. (maybe 3 to 4 months but that is just a guess)

Sorry I am unable to inform you more.

For further information, please contact the UK Customer Information Centre on 44(0)870 5111999.  You will not need to choose any options from their automated phone system, simply hold the line and wait for the next available agent.

We trust the above information will be of use to you.

Kind regards,

Sony Style UK
www.sonystyle-europe.com

Thanks Jonathan!

Ubuntu for U on the Sony-UX

It feels like just last week we were discussing Linux on the Samsung Q1; oh, it was! This week's "Linux in your hand" feature comes courtesy of Kiwi-land and Geekzone. Looks like the Sony UX is marketed in New Zealand as the UX-17, but it's the same li'l squirt of a handheld we all know by its many other names. There aren't any detailed steps along the way of the installation, but there are plenty of pics to drool over for fans of the Sony UX and Linux alike!

One question I have for any ultra-mobile PC owners (current or prospective) out there: are you now or planning to run a multi-boot system? At one point, I had a Vista build on the Q1, but pulled it to reclaim some disk space. Then again, the newest build is pretty stable....I think I feel a W?BIC project coming on again.

-kct

Video review of Sony UX with Flash Memory

Akihabara News has produced a 14 minute video review of the new flash memory-based Sony UX90PS and they like what they see.  The UX90PS is Sony’s model of the Micro PC that uses a 16 GB flash drive instead of a physical hard drive, a move to provide faster speeds and better battery life.  Check out the video to see it for yourself.  I personally think 16 GB of principal storage is not enough but with 32 GB (if it becomes available) would be nice.

-jk

Sony UX90 with 16 GB flash drive: $2,625

GeekStuff4U is now taking pre-orders for the flash drive version of the Sony UX although there's no shipping date just yet. The base Sony VGN-UX90PS with a flash-based storage system in lieu of a standard hard drive starts at $2,154 but is lacking in some specs since besides the basics, it includes:

• 1.06 GHz Celeron M
• Linux as opposed to a Windows XP setup

I added Windows XP Pro and a 1.2 GHz Core Solo U1400 CPU to the spec and that bumped the price up to whopping $2,625, which is bit much. Although you're getting better battery life and faster "disk" throughput with the flash drive, you're also giving up a good chunk of storage capacity since Windows XP alone will take roughly half of your available storage. Sony, the idea is great and I'm sure we'll see the price drop along with a storage increase, but....where's the Tablet PC Edition?

(via Akihabara News)

-kct

pocketables- good Sony UX180 information for free

Jenn Lee recently picked up a Sony UX180P and is posting some good information about the little PC that includes a lot of pictures.  She has posts that discuss portrait mode vs. landscape, screen protectors and more.  It's not just Sony information that you'll find there, it seems Jenn is a neophiliac so there are posts about other gadgets too.  All of the articles are well written so pocketables has been added to my RSS subscriptions.

(via Mike Cane)

Sony VGN-UX180P manual is on-line

Eagle-eyed jkOTR reader Bob just passed along some nice words about our blog (thanks Bob!) and also spotted the Sony UX180P user manual on Sony's site. There are also pages for FAQs and driver downloads, but we figure you don't need those just yet (do you?!?) I haven't run through the whole manual just yet, but I'm already very impressed with Sony engineering. Just look at these two pictures that show how Sony designed the wrist strap. In showing how to rotate the device (because nobody outside of Japan actually rotates devices correctly), it appears that the wrist strap automatically moves from one corner of the device to another. How DO they do that? ;)

Anyway, you know your reading list is a little light and the American Idol season is long over, so hop on over and hit the books, would ya?

-kct

engadget reviews the Sony UX180P

Reviews are popping out all over of the Sony UX180P with integrated EDGE from Cingular and engadget jumped in with one too.  Normally I am not a big fan of engadget hardware reviews but this one is pretty good, if short on hands-on use description.  Check out the whole review (with all the photos) and here's a snippet for the curious:

Despite its flaws, the UX is likely still the best thing going for ultimately portable computing, leaving the UMPC crowd and the venerable OQO in its dust. For those looking to take the plunge, we recommend keeping a pulse on the user community to work through these driver issues and make it a worthwhile second or third computer -- and, of course, there's the ever-present prospect of dropping Linux on 'er.

Installing Linux on the Sony UX180P

It never fails that soon after a new ultra-portable PC is released that some enterprising individual will immediately try and put Linux on it.  Linux is a nice OS but these gadgets usually have special hardware that require specific drivers that only exist for the Windows XP OS that the device shipped with.  One such person has installed Linux on the Sony Vaio UX180P and has blogged about the process and included some photos of the Sony running Linux.  As expected there are quite a few pieces of the Sony 180P that don’t work under Linux:

The "VAIO Button", Fingerprint scanner, Intel WiFi card, zoom buttons, touchscreen (this might work if I look into it more..maybe later.), and finally... both the camera's DON'T work.

Other than that it works just fine. 

(via Handtops)

Excellent head to head comparison- Sony UX vs. OQO

Meansquare’s Miscellany has published a very thorough comparison of the Sony UX and the OQO.  A total benchmark comparison is in the article as are numerous photographs showing the size comparison between the two ultra-portables.  In the article you will find screen brightness and resolution comparisons, battery life comparisons, and even known problems that each device has such as the infamous OQO hibernation issues.  This is one of the better device comparisons I have ever seen so get on over and check it out.  One minor point I should make– the OQO actually has an active digitizer and not a touch screen as the author states.

(thanks to Raphael Salgado)

-jk

Guest article- How to put a 60 GB hard drive into the Sony UX50!

Owners of ultra-portable devices are often willing to push the envelope a bit when it comes to upgrading the hardware components to get more power/ performance/ speed/ storage space.  It was no surprise to me when Kevin gutted his Samsung Q1 to bring the memory up to 1 GB and it didn’t surprise me when a long-time reader of jkOnTheRun contacted me to let me know he had upgraded the hard drive in his Sony UX50 to 60 GB.

Fernando Miralles has probably owned every ultra-portable device that has ever been produced and his latest productivity tool (toy) is the Sony UX50.  Fernando is a power user so the 30 GB hard drive the Sony ships with was just not enough so he quickly decided to upgrade to a 60 GB drive and he has been kind enough to share the instructions for changing the stock drive for a double capacity drive.  After the jump you will find the guest article by Fernando (thanks for sharing!).  Full specs on the Toshiba MK6008GAH drive that Fernando put into the Sony UX can be found here.  NOTE– any upgrade like the one described here should only be undertaken at your own risk and if you know what you are doing, like Fernando!

Some thoughts on screen resolution and ultra-portables

I am a mobile type of guy and when I use an ultra-portable device I really use it, often for hours at a time.  I may use it held in my hands or I might use it with an external keyboard and mouse, whatever fits what I am trying to do at the time.  I have been giving screen resolution on handhelds a lot of thought recently since I had the awesome opportunity to use a TabletKiosk eo UMPC, Sony U71P, and a Sony UX50 Micro PC.  All three devices have totally different screen sizes and resolutions and observing the differences among them has been eye-opening (pun intended).  After you work with all three devices for a while you realize the screen resolutions are backwards.  The largest screen has the lowest resolution and the smallest screen the highest.  Using the devices for any length of time drives this point home.  Read on to see my impressions of working with each screen.

-jk

Sony UX comparison photos with OQO

A couple of members on Handtops have put their two devices together and posted a number of photos that demonstrate the size difference between the OQO and the Sony UX Micro PC.  It is surprising that the Sony UX is about the same size as the OQO.  Take a look at all of the photos to get a good feel for how the two devices compare.  Especially if you are a neophiliac.

-jk

Sony UX90 gets flash memory for lighter, faster, longer mobile computing

We knew it was comin', and according to Digital World Tokyo, the Sony Vaio UX90 handheld computer just got 16 GB of internal flash memory in lieu of a hard drive. As if that's not enough for folks, Sony also popped in one-seg mobile television functionality for folks in Japan which is semi-underwhelming since that DTV format is 320x160 at 15 fps; the Sony screen can handle so much more. It does make me wonder when we're really gonna get moving on our DVB-H standards over here. Anyway, the Japanese model will still retail for around $1,800, so no real movement on the price.

Utilizing speedy flash memory with no moving parts instead of the hard drive, Sony claims to have dropped the weight by 28g and boosted the operating speed by three to six times while increasing battery life by up to 13% as well; the battery life might be the more important spec increase since a mobile device is only as good for as long at its got juice.

-kct

The Gadgeteer reviews the Sony UX50 Micro PC

I am having a lot of fun playing with the Sony UX50 and will have a review covering the UX50 in use in the real world soon.  Meanwhile, you can get a good picture of the new Sony by checking out Julie's review on The Gadgeteer.  She didn't have much time with the Sony which is a shame because in my experience you don't really see the full impact of having a handheld computer until you use it in your everyday work for a while.  The review is very good even so and points out the ins and outs of the Sony in typical Gadgeteer style.

With all that said, I still think the UX50 would make a great travel companion for someone that doesn't want to lug a full-sized laptop with them on a trip. Using this device for picture offloading, websurfing and emailing would be perfect. Hardcore photoshop work, spreadsheet work, powerpoint presentation creations, etc, might present a problem. Unless you have bionic eyes or something ;o) I don't want to be too hard on Sony, because they seem to be the one of the few companies that continue to push the envelope and bring innovative feature rich products to the market for us consumers to drool over.

The review mentions the lack of the Tablet OS being a big drawback and while I agree with that statement she should have tried ritePen, which is bundled on the Sony.  I have always found the ability to write anywhere on a small screen like the UX50 to be particularly useful.

-jk

Sony UX180P available for pre-order at CompUSA

The US version of the Sony UX Micro PC that will have the Cingular EDGE integration is now available for pre-order on the CompUSA online store.  The UX180P will set you back $1799.99 and shows a ship date of July 10.  The UX180P has a 1.2 GHz Core Solo, 512 MB of memory, 30 GB hard drive and the 4.5” screen that I can attest is the brightest I have seen on any ultra-portable.  Dust off those credit cards and get cracking.

(via Fernando Miralles)

-jk

Video calling on the Sony UX50

One of the most innovative features of the Sony UX50 is the dual cameras that can be used to shoot photos and video clips, and can also be used as a web cam.  One of the cameras is on the top middle of the front of the screen and the other is behind the screen, so you can use the UX50 as a regular camera and watch what you are shooting on the screen.  Kevin and I just had to test the UX and earlier today we hooked up over Skype to make a video call.  The video performance was excellent and Kevin reports that the audio was better than my normal setup with a noise cancelling microphone.  Just to give you an idea how good the video quality is here are a couple of screen snaps that Kevin took to show what he saw on his end (bear in mind it was early today and I hadn’t showered yet   ):

The lighting in my office was not very good either.  Overall, I am happy with the video quality and have also snapped some nice photos with the UX.

-jk

Quick impressions of using the Sony UX50

I am slammed with work but wanted to post some quick and dirty first impressions of using the Sony UX50 “in the field”.  Here they are in no particular order:

Fingerprint reader:  I absolutely love it!  It makes entering passwords a breeze.

Keyboard:  The key spacing is good enough that even my big thumbs don’t hit the wrong key.  The keyboard is in Japanese although that is a minor change from an English one.  The backlight on the keys is wonderful and I already feel that all thumb keyboards should be backlit.

Cameras:  It is very innovative to have two different cameras so that you can use whichever is convenient.  The software that runs it is intuitive and makes capturing stills and videos very easy.  The Capture button on the upper right of the device triggers the software when pressed and snaps the photo when pressed a second time.  Cool.

Joystick:  The little nubbin joystick is very easy to use and the two mouse buttons make operating the UX50 simple to do with just two thumbs.

Screen:  Yes, everything is very small but I find it so resolute and bright that I rarely use the zoom buttons, which work flawlessly.

That’s it for now, I will be posting more soon.

-jk

Sony Vaio UX50 in da house!

A few hours ago Santa Claus the FedEx guy came to my door with a package I had been anxiously awaiting.  The good folks at Dynamism have graciously supplied me with a Sony Vaio UX50 to review and even though I was anxious to rip the box open to see this newest UPC I waited patiently and recorded the entire unboxing ceremony to video.  I am taking a break hard at work doing the editing and encoding and hope to have it posted in a few hours.  Until then, I offer this blurry lone photo of the updated ultra-portable desktop that is oh, so sweet:

Keep an eye out for the unboxing video or if you really want to live a little hop over to Dynamism and order your own Sony UX50.  If you do so then use special discount code JKORZ to get $40 off the purchase price (expires June 16th)!  Thanks Dynamism!

More HD Video of the Sony UX50

Akihabara News has posted another video in high definition, this one comparing the speed of the Sony UX50 with the UX90S.  Of course, they were running two different operating systems, two different languages and one of them had been customized by removing all the Sony junkware but hey, it’s a fair comparison.  I’m just kidding, any chance to see the new Sony is a good one in my book and their video quality is amazing.  I wish someone would shoot a video of a Sony UX50 unboxing….

-jk

UMPC News posts FCC pics of new Sony UX?

UMPC News has posted a picture of what they report is a new micro PC from Sony that they found on the FCC web site.  They report two new model numbers– PCG-1J1L and PCG-1K1L to go along with the photo.  Maybe my vision isn’t what it used to be but the device in this picture looks just like the just released UX Micro PC (UX50 & UX90S) with the battery removed.  Who knows what this really is but the fold-out antenna is just like the EDGE version of the UX Micro PC that will be on sale in the US in July.

-jk

How to spot a mobile device user

No, I don't mean by sight, where you can see the geek in a coffee house hunched over his mobile phone typing frantically on the thumb keyboard.  I mean how to spot a mobile device geek from a distance, even from across the globe.  It's easy to do if you know what to look for and to prove it I took a trip through my Sent Items folder in Outlook and some of my IM chat logs.  What I found is that I can tell what device I was using by the contents of my email replies.  Here's an example of an email reply I entered while at a full size keyboard:

Thanks for sending me the information I requested about your product.  It looks very innovative and I look forward to receiving additional information so I can keep informed of your progress.  I am always looking for new products and yours is very intriguing to say the least.  Please add me to your notification list for future product updates.

Best regards,

James Kendrick

I can tell from the email content that I was sitting at my desk using my Tablet PC in the dock with a full wireless keyboard and mouse available.  Here's an email I sent in a similar situation from my Palm Treo 700w using the integrated thumbboard:

Jason, Will do.  Thanks for the info.  Best,  James

The difference is obvious, isn't it?  The fact is that workaround keyboards which can include thumb keyboards and on-screen keyboards can affect the quality of the correspondence that mobile workers send to others.  I found that in almost every case my emails created on the Treo are short and terse as if my intent was to "get in and out" as quickly as possible (which it was).  This is no surprise because I find that keyboard uncomfortable and slow to use but even so, it was a bit of a shock to me to see how much worse my replies are compared to those created with a full keyboard.

Note that I include my ThinkOutside Bluetooth keyboard in the full keyboard category because it comes very close to duplicating a "real" keyboard, whether I am using it with the Treo or the Sony U71.  Emails that I know for a fact were created using the ThinkOutside keyboard are indistinguishable from those created at the desk.  I use the pen to create a lot of emails on the Tablet PC and it makes it easy to enter a fair bit of text quickly so those emails are harder to spot.  I can tell you for sure that any email that contains a lot of entered text almost certainly came from a full keyboard.  This is one reason why I think that early adopters of the Origami/ UMPC devices and other ultra-portables like the OQO need to get a portable keyboard if they don't want their device compromise (and they all do in one area or another) to show through to those they deal with.

So the next time you receive a terse email from someone you know is a mobile device user, you can bet they weren't sitting at their desk when they sent it.  You mobile device users, have a look at your sent emails and see if you can spot which ones you sent via a "virtual" keyboard.  I'm betting you can so think about what that says about you to the ones with whom you correspond.

-jk

HD Video of the Sony UX50

Those folks at Akihabara News always get to play with the latest and greatest Japanese gadgets, probably because they are in Tokyo.    They have their hands on a Sony Vaio UX50 Micro PC, a name that is larger than the device itself, and they have shot some out of box (OOB) footage of the tiny PC.  They spend a lot of the video waiting for the device to boot up and with it sitting in the dock but the rest of the footage is quite good and demonstrates how small the UX50 really is and how legible that high-res screen is, even at a distance.  The reviewer certainly dislikes the junk-ware that Sony has seen fit to pre-install on the UX but other than that he seems to like the device.  If you can’t get enough information about the newest Sony UPC then check it out.

-jk

Sony UX extended battery photo

The Sony UX should be shipping in Japan by now and a frequent question from those who have been viewing the photos of the UX is "how does the extended battery fit" the body of the UX.  Micro PC Talk found a page on the Sony UX web site that shows the extended battery attached to the UX from different angles:

Normally I am a fan of extended batteries and use one with my Sony U71 and love the extra battery life it provides. The way this battery sticks out on the side I'm not sure I will like it.  It's one of those things I would just have to try for myself to see if the extra battery life is worth the extra bulk and weight.

-jk