Remember Sony decided to sell off its entire PC business? Well, VAIO prototypes first shown off last year are now a reality; say hello to the VAIO Z and VAIO Z Canvas, two hybrid laptops that resurrect the flagship range in the post-Sony world.
The first is the 13.3-inch VAIO Z (above). Its aluminium-carbon shell houses a second -generation high-speed SSD, fifth-generation Core i7 processor, and a battery that offers 15.5 hours of use — all weighing in at 1.34kg and measuring in at 16.8mm thick. The Z also features a ‘multiflip’ mode that allows you to switch between tablet, laptop, and ‘viewing mode’ — where the screen faces away from the laptop. Available for pre-order today, in Japan at least, it should cost around $US1600.
Elsewhere, the VAIO Z Canvas (below) features a 12.1-inch display and detachable keyboard. In fact, that display is pretty impressive, packing in 2560 x 1704 pixels and covering 95 per cent of the Adobe RGB colour gamut, which should make it fairly attractive for creatives. Indeed, there’s to be a digitiser stylus and up to 1TB of storage inside too. Other details are are scarce, but the device will be available from May. Early reports suggested it may cost up to $US1800 though, so it may not suit everyone’s pocket.
Engadget reports that, during a presentation to show off the new laptops, Sony were keen to point out that the ‘Z’ stands for zero. This is clearly a new start; all that remains to be seen is whether it’s a good one. [Engadget]