Sony’s first VAIO P was a was quite a disappointment considering how poorly it performed and the huge price tag it carried, but Sony seems to be confident that its second-gen VAIO P will right the wrongs of the past. Shipping one week ahead of schedule, the “Lifestyle PC” comes pre-loaded with Windows 7 Home Premium and has an Intel Atom Z530 processor and 2GB of RAM to help keep things flowing. Apart from that, the $900 rig has a 8″ 1600×768 display that’s straddled by optical trackpads, Everywair 3G, GPS, digital compass and an accelerometer. Of course if you lived elsewhere you’d have a lot more options than that to chose from, but who needs that much stress in their life?

[Via Pocketables]

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Some might argue it’s a case of too little, too late, but Sony looks to have a pretty darn good “don’t call it a netbook” netbook on its hands with its much-needed and long-rumored upgrade to the VAIO P. Featuring a “new design for two-handed operation while standing or walking”, the refreshed VAIO P has a built in optical trackpad to the right of the 8″ 1600×768 display which neighbors the left/right mouse click buttons on the left. Thrown in for good measure is an an accelerometer which allows you to shake and flick your way around the internet, Everywair 3G, GPS, digital compass and support for PS3 Remote Play (provided you’re running firmware 3.30 and up). Running Windows 7 Home Premium with an optional upgrade to Professional, the entry-level model features an Intel Atom Z530 clocking in at 1.6 GHz while the top-of-the-line model packs an Atom Z560 at 2.13 GHz. RAM tops out at 2GB, and you have your choice of either a 64, 128, or 256GB SSD. The new VAIO P starts at $799.

Catch the PR after the break.

Sony delivers a smarter on-the-move computing experience: Ultra-portable, easy to carry new VAIO P Series
10 May 2010

• Colourful ultra-portable PC weighs just over 600g
• New design for two-handed operation while standing or walking
• GPS and Digital Compass
• Accelerometer sensor
• Built-in Everywair 3G
• Clear, bright, widescreen VAIO Display Plus
• Easy to use with Quick Web Access

It’s smaller than a notebook and smarter than a smartphone: the colourful VAIO P Series from Sony is your perfect partner for on-the-move computing.

Weighing just over 600g and slipping effortlessly into a bag or jacket pocket, new VAIO P Series gives you all the power of a fully-featured Windows computing experience… and so much more.

Ideal for busy people who can’t sit still, it’s the first VAIO designed for simple operation if you’re standing or walking. The central trackball is complemented by an additional touchpad and mouse buttons. Duplicating the main controls, they’re located at either edge of the screen for comfortable operation with both thumbs while you’re holding the computer in two hands.

VAIO P Series is the first notebook computer from Sony with built-in GPS and a new Digital Compass. Perfect for telling you where you are and what’s happening around you, they can help you find your hotel or a nearby restaurant if you’re standing on the street corner in an unfamiliar city.

A brand-new VAIO Location Search software offers a real-time map view without tying up your web browser. Your map position and orientation are displayed along with nearby Points of Interest and even local weather conditions.

The ultra-light notebook’s ‘on-the-go’ credentials for travellers are boosted with Everywair 3G on-board, giving high-speed connectivity to mobile networks (where available).

New VAIO P is the first notebook from Sony with a built-in accelerometer that responds to physical movements. Just give VAIO a gentle shake to ‘flick’ through pictures or the pages of a PDF document, or navigate back and forth through your web browsing history.

The sensor also recognises when VAIO P Series is turned on its side, automatically ‘flipping’ the screen for easy reading of documents or web pages in portrait mode. The notebook’s additional mouse buttons are perfectly placed for comfortable page-turning when you’re reading in portrait position – just like a paperback book or magazine.

New VAIO P Series is beautifully designed for easy operation, with a comfortable full-pitch keyboard for easy typing, plus a bright, extra-wide VAIO Display Plus that’s ideally proportioned for viewing movies or two web pages side-by-side. There’s also an ambient light sensor that dims screen illumination for comfortable viewing while saving power.

For extra convenience, dedicated buttons are provided for Quick Web Access and one-touch access to VAIO Care. There’s also a handy new Change Resolution button: instantly select a larger font size for easy on-screen reading, or choose maximum detail for HD movie viewing.

Available in five vibrant colours (black, white, pink, green and orange), the new VAIO P Series is complemented by a choice of stylish accessories that includes a distinctively perforated silicone slip case and carry strap.

The new VAIO P Series ultra-portable notebook computer is available from June 2010.

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If “ifs” and “buts” were candy and nuts, Sony would have actually taken its time and put more effort into the conception and development of its VAIO P netbook before it was announced and released some six months ago. Alas it didn’t, and the sales figures for the preposterously priced “don’t call it a netbook netbook” are proof enough of this. For those who dislike it merely for its sluggish performance however, perhaps you need only way a few months to upgrade to the newer model — TechRadar UK is reporting that a “mark 2″ version of the VAIO P will be released this October. At this point in time nothing is know about the mark 2 other than the report that it boots up a lot faster. This isn’t exactly surprising of course, considering the old rumor that Sony will be refreshing the VAIO P to coincide with the release of Windows 7.

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There it is, folks, in all its glory – the Sony VAIO P picturebook or netbook. Whatever you want to call it is fine. Of course, it’s not a live shot of the actual computer, but a picture of the netbook on a display at CES. Still, you get the idea. The VAIO P has a chicklet keyboard sans-trackpad which makes extra room for the keyboard, and instead uses a little pointing-nub. If you aren’t a big fan of those little nubs (we know we aren’t), it’s nothing a USB mouse can’t fix. So, if you’ve been awaiting the VAIO P because you need a netbook but don’t feel justified unless you spend over a grand, we’ll know all the details by week’s end.

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