With a hat-tip towards e-book reading and mobile video-over-3G and a huge step forward for ultra mobility fans with on-screen controls, the new fully-featured Sony Vaio P11 was launched in Japan today.
Looking similar to the previous Vaio P the new model (part of a ‘coming out’ marketing campaign which could see more models released tomorrow) includes a thumb-pointer, thumb pad and mouse button on the screen frame for standing-up and comes with an option 2.1Ghz Atom Z560 CPU. 
Other key features:
- Retains 600gm weight
- Grip Style Mobility
- Dual array Mic that can be used for noise cancellation through headphones.
- Accelerometer for auto-rotation
- Digital compass
- GPS
- Up to approximately 5.5 hours of battery
- Wimax / Foma (UMTS/HSPA but possibly locked/unusable outside Japan)
Genuine Windows ® 7 Home Premium 32-bit / Ultra Wide 8 (1600 × dot 768) VAIO Plus Display / 2GB (onboard) / SSD 64GB / Intel ® GMA 500/W-LAN ( abgn) / WiMAX / Camera / Bluetooth
The P11 ALJ includes a choice of Atom CPU from the new Z560 at 2.1Ghz, the Z550 at 2.0Ghz or the Z530 at 1.6Ghz and SSD choices up to a huge 256GB
All this technology doesn’t come cheap of course. Launch price is expected to be over $1000 (local, converted) but we expect high-end models to rise higher than this. We estimate $2k for a high-end version with exports costing even more.
Initial opinion: Great, great mobility features, super light weight. (Less than an iPad but including a keyboard) high-end mobile CPU, 2GB RAM, SSD, track pointer and easy portrait mode elevate the new P11 into ultra mobile territory. Arguably one of the most complete ultra mobile PC’s we’ve ever seen although as before, the width of the device prevents on-the-go thumb typing and any sort of pocketability. The cost will be extremely high and the device needs to be compared closely to the Viliv S7 and the upcoming Viliv N5. Imports are likely to be even more expensive. Thank goodness it’s also available in Black.
Update: Ben (UMPCPortal) puts forward the modded UX as something to think about in terms of ‘best UMPC’ Jenn (Pocketables) puts forward the high-end Fujitsu UH900. All great choices. It depends if you want to go for a touch-typing experience or a thumb-typing experience in my opinion.
Via JKK Mobile / Akihabara.
New article: New Sony Vaio P11. Is This The Best UMPC We've Ever Seen? http://bit.ly/934Y7j
New Sony Vaio P11. Is This The Best UMPC We’ve Ever Seen?: With a hat-tip towards e-book reading and mobile video-… http://bit.ly/cKuMkm
New Sony Vaio P11. Is This The Best UMPC We’ve Ever Seen? http://goo.gl/fb/Rh5XF http://j.mp/findmore
RT @umpcportal: New Sony Vaio P11. Is This The Best UMPC We've Ever Seen? http://bit.ly/934Y7j
RT @chippy RT @umpcportal: New Sony Vaio P11. Is This The Best UMPC We've Ever Seen? http://bit.ly/934Y7j <– ping @ozdj #GCPD
RT @umpcportal: New article: New Sony Vaio P11. Is This The Best UMPC We've Ever Seen? http://bit.ly/934Y7j
Cons: CPU, battery life, ultra resolution, no optical pointer
but still cool…
What sort of umpc battery life are you hoping for in 600gm? dropping to a 5 inch screen like on the n5 is only going to bring another hour. Ill have to get some uh900 figures together but i doubt its better than this per kilo.
while 4-5hrs may be good for a device this size, in the world of slightly bigger 2.5lb 10+hr netbooks it doesnt impress. it cant fit in a pocket & i dont carry a man-purse so i might as well go with a better CPU, better GPU, real touchpad
ive already made up my mind that my next device will be a dual-CPU D500, ION, WXGA, i dont care about $$$. personally i think the prices for the new Sony are quite good considering the engineering marvel that it is, i cant believe people are bitching about it.
I use a more “manly” backpack that I’ve been using for eons to carry day to day stuff. My main transportation used to be by motorbike, plus I had to row out to my boat where I once lived (I now live in the desert) and kinda got use to carrying the backpack throughout the years. It holds about everything I’d need in an emergency: extra cell phone, very small first aid kit, Dell Min9, iPod, camera, wallet and change purse, serrated pocket knive (for cutting seat-belt straps), compass, harmonica, small writing tablet with pen… stuff like that.I do not leave the house without it :)
There is an optical trackpad. lower right corner of the screen bezel.
Umm… I am disappointed with the new Vaio P11 coz I was expecting a smaller Vaio p type. So I can actually put it in my pocket. I think I will wait for Viliv N5 release for now which seems more like a mini Vaio P version.
Super disappointed at this reveal! Was praying for a new UX like some other people. Looks like I’ll still be sticking with my UH900 for a while, hoping that the HP Slate isn’t really dead yet.
This is the best ultraportable with a desktop OS IMO. The UX is a disaster and the Fujitsu has an unusable keyboard for everybody but the most dedicated. The impression I get however is that Sony has become a company that runs by its marketing department rather than common sense folks. Accelerometer for a clamshell with a huge width/height ratio? Seriously? What about this GPS module? Who fires up Win7 to use a navigation program especially nowdays where even the most basic smartphones have this ability? Oh and let’s not forget all this bloatware that every Sony machine comes with.
I would say get rid of all the useless features and bring the price down a bit. Optimize the OS instead of adding extra weight. Even so, this is the best ultraportable with desktop OS IMO.
It is not significantly smaller then my dell mini 9. Maybe a bit lighter, but I bet I get better battery life.
And my Dell cost $225.
Does Sony actually think the Vaio P is usable while standing up by just adding badly placed mouse pointer and buttons? You still can’t thumb type so when it’s time to type something it’s going to be awkward.
Also, I’m sure this thing is going to get super hot and thermal throttling will kick it. So you’ll end up with a sub 1 GHz Atom CPU like the old overheating Vaio P.
New Sony Vaio P11. Is This The Best UMPC We've Ever Seen …: With a hat-tip towards e-book reading and mobile vid… http://bit.ly/a5Gfn3
I like the look of this revised design much better than the first – somehow the ridiculously large bezel on the screen doesn’t seem so big. Perhaps it’s because they’ve made better use of the space with the trackpad/buttons. Subtle tweaks can make all the difference.
Having owned a C1VE (http://astewardson.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/bg_sonyvaio06.gif) from the fantastic Picturebook range, I’ve been waiting for ages for Sony to release a modern version.
They finally did this with the new P(icturebook)-Series, but the first edition just had too many flaws (and was too expensive).
When paired with the extended capacity battery, I think this new one might have nailed it.
Hopefully the large battery will offer at least 4 hours of ‘real world’ usage, which is probably a minimum for me.
Make it smaller and last longer and I would pay $1500 for it.
Make another Vaio UX :] and i’ll pay above 1000& without problems :] .
… hmm. Maybe it’s time to get this as a replacement for my aging Jornada 720 – if the price gets around 500 €.
Just keep your Jornada, or get a used mobilepro 790. The Jornada will run linux, the mobilepro will run the latest netbsd.
RT @aussienick New Sony Vaio P11 http://bit.ly/934Y7j <– OMFG! VERY nice. Methinks I won't get an upgrade past Dept Home Finances though
I just saw a video posted by Engadget on the new P series. What a disaster! The poor girl was trying to use this optical mouse over and over again without success and when she tried to use the useless accelerometer the whole thing kind of froze for several seconds… No wonder why they keep losing one market after another – from digital music to digital readers, from gaming consoles and mobile phones to hi-end laptops and ultra-portables. The list is just bigger and bigger…
Surely NOW would be a good time for the Viliv N5 to finally be released in the US/Europe as it should be a good bit cheaper than this
N5 was supposed to be with me by now. I suspect they’ll wait until Computex now. Another 2 weeks.
I love my vaio p11. But I only bought it when the price finally came down to 500€ last fall.
I`m the keyboard kind of guy and don`t really need a touchscreen. With the big battery the battery life is also ok. Only thing I would change is the display: resolution an colors are great but viewing angles disappointing.
So at the moment I`m not thinking about buying this new vaio p. But I will probably buy one if the price comes down. Especially love the orange version.
Viliv says the N5 will be released within end of Mai in Europe! Guess it’ll be mobilx and other distributors. Hope more German shops will take this into their portfolio.
(got an email from a employee) :)
As I sit here typing on my iPad (missing a keyboard), I find myself majorly disappointed. I have had a number of umpc’s over the last couple years and when I heard about the impending release I thought to myself this could be it…poised ready to put the ipad on ebay. Finally a p series revision with a touch screen. But no. I was very close to getting the s7 over the iPad as my next couch surfing device but couldn’t bring myself to do it after dealing with the same 1.3ghz processor on the t91.
Must haves…touch screen, soild state hard drive, decent non lagy processor, keyboard, and a 7-10″ screen. Where are you?
I realize after typing this, that the s10 does fit the bill but I could wait for it it to be released any longer. I also had a hard time facing the correctly spec’d price.
im looking for portable Emacs rig, for coding and bugfixing on the run, with no more than Atom CPU (ARM would be preferably for battery reasons) and trackpoint
unfortunately this has GMA500 :(
I like the pink Vaio. I think producing a pink Vaio is the best move that Sony has ever made since it started producing gadgets. Pink is a color universal to all girls, transcending culture, race and religion. No wonder it’s such a best seller among ladies. – Tanya Bayo