SONY VAIO U-50

Sony, known for its innovation, is now turning its attention to the business user with a unique design set to cause a stir. WL looks at the simplicity of the U-Type palm-sized laptop

If you have ever been on a business trip to the Far East, then you will be well aware of the IT equipment, both for business and leisure, that is released there but never seen in the West. With the announcement earlier this year that Sony would only be releasing future Clié handhelds in Japan, it was taken in some quarters as a sign the company had overreached itself. Thankfully, this is not the case, as the Sony VAIO U-50 is set to prove. One look at the U-50 and you know that Sony still wants to dominate the handheld market. However, its latest take on the format is quite different. Rather than opting for a handheld OS, the U-50 runs Windows XP Professional. The prototype we were allowed to test was still predominately in Japanese, but the familiar layout of Windows allowed for us to use the device with ease.

The appearance of the unit is unmistakably Sony, but the actual build quality is far more industrial. The company is not intending the U-Type for the consumer market, rather it is looking to send it into vertical markets, where a fully operable OS is needed. Without an Anglicised version of the OS, we were unable to run our test software. However, we did find it a very usable device. The 5-inch screen is extremely bright and boots up in exactly the same way as your laptop. As the display is touch-sensitive, it can be used like a handheld, or a Tablet PC, but without the need to learn a new way of working. The screen has a standard 800 x 600-pixel resolution, with a zoom button on the front, which enables the user to pan the screen in, up to a 1280 x 1024-pixel mode.

Powered by an Intel 1GHz Pentium M (ULV) processor, the prototype we saw came with 256MB DDR SDRAM. In many ways, it can be used in exactly the same way as your laptop, but with the added dimension of a touch-sensitive screen. In order to fit in with the size limitations of this device, Sony has had to use smaller 1.8- inch hard drive technology from Toshiba. Due to the limitations of this technology, the drive is only 20GB. The back of the unit is made up of the battery. With little in the way of connectivity it is essential that the U-50 be wirelessly enabled. Fitted with an 802.11g module, the device will readily connect to office networks. A docking station offers greater flexibility in the form of iLink, external monitor and three USB 2.0 ports. For those who are thinking this all sounds a little too limited in terms of usability, an external keyboard can be connected using a USB port, allowing the U-50 to be used like a desktop PC.

For many, the fact that the U-Type doesn't run Tablet PC software will be enough to convince them. While it is initially difficult to see which vertical markets the Sony VAIO U-50 will be applicable to, it is bound to appeal to those who need a handheld terminal, but are looking for something a little more flexible than even the most ultraportable laptop. With no release date finalised, we can only hope that the Sony VAIO U-50 makes it to these shores sometime soon.

RATING 8
PRICE £TBC
PROCESSOR 1GHz Pentium M (ULV)
MEMORY 256MB DDR SDRAM
HARD DRIVE Toshiba 20GB
SCREEN SIZE AND TYPE 5-inch touchscreen
DISPLAY RESOLUTION 800 x 600 pixels
GRAPHICS CARD Intel 855
DIMENSIONS 167 x 108 x 22mm
WEIGHT 550g
PC CARDS (TYPE I) Yes
WIRELESS LAN 802.11b
ETHERNET on dock
MODEM on dock
USB PORTS 1
FIREWIRE No
CONTACT 08705 424424 www.sony.co.uk