Sony VAIO UX180P
Thursday, July 6th 2006 | Ismael Ghalimi
A couple of months ago, I wrote about the OQO model 01+ and explained why I preferred its form factor to the UMPC. Recently, Sony released the truly amazing VAIO UX180P Micro PC, which is a direct competitor to OQO’s yet-to-be-announced replacement for the model 01+. I think Sony has a winner.
The Sony VAIO UX180P Micro PC is essentially a full-blown PC running the Microsoft Windows XP operating system (and ready for Vista), weighting just 1.2lbs, and measuring a mere 5.91”(W) x 3.74”(H) x 1.27-1.50”(D). It’s slightly bigger than OQO’s Model 01+, but it includes a faster CPU, two cameras, and an EDGE-compatible WWAN modem. Russ Smith at MeanSquare’s Miscellany wrote a great review of the VAIO UX90s (UK version, without EDGE), as well as a very detailed comparison to the OQO model 01+.
The reason why I am interested by this device is that I fundamentally believe that a laptop computer is too big, and its clamshell design too clumsy, for many scenarios. For example, forget about using a laptop computer while standing up or walking down the street. And while Sony’s Micro PC does not really fit into your pocket — unless you’re wearing really big baggy pants that is — it is less obstrusive than a laptop when laid on the table at a restaurant.
Similarly, watching movies on a laptop in a plane makes it very difficult to eat a meal at the same time, or even get a drink, for the laptop usually takes most of the real estate offered by ever-shrinking tray tables. The 4.5” Wide SVGA LCD display sported by the VAIO UX180P is no smaller than most in-flight screens, and its resolution and color range are an order of magnitude better.
It’s too early to tell if Sony’s latest gadget will be truly useful on a day to day basis, or will remain just that, a gadget. Nevertheless, at 1.2lbs, I could carry it alongside my Sony VAIO TX790P/L (2.8lbs), share the same power adapter, and the two combined would weight 40% less than a Dell Inspiron B130.
UPDATE 7/10/2006: Good reviews from CNET and MobileTechReview.
Entry filed under: Office 2.0
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Too expensive!
Fairly expensive indeed… But great nevertheless.
[…] In my quest for the best Office 2.0 mobile device, I recently came across the upcoming HTC Advantage. It’s a funny little device that is slightly larger than a smartphone or a PDA, but smaller and lighter than the Sony VAIO UX180P or the OQO Model 01+ we reviewed in past articles. […]
[…] The device itself is small, a lot smaller than you might think, especially if you are familiar with the Sony UX180P, which I also reviewed last year. While the Sony UX180P is kinda bulky, the OQO model 02 is slim, a lot lighter, and just plain sleek. But the real difference becomes evident when you start using the keyboard. While the keyboard on the Sony UX180P is virtually unusable, the one on the OQO model 02 is amazingly well designed. Typing is fast, and having digits laid out on a separate keypad makes them a lot easier to reach. This is the kind of thing that you would not really think about until you actually try to use any of these devices, and the OQO folks must have played with a lot of them, while taking a bunch of notes along the way. […]
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