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10 Nov 2000
Sony Vaio Picturebook Review
by theVooner
The new Sony C1VMT (also called C1VJ or C1VN depending on where you live) Picturebook
is one of the first computers to utilize the Transmeta Crusoe chip. With all
the hype about extended battery life, which is one of my main issues with laptops,
I decided I would buy a C1VMT and try it out.
I'm the kind of guy that needs computing power all the time. Whether on vacation
in Tokyo or relaxing in a resort in Phuket, Thailand, I'm still checking my
e-mail and reading the news online. Plus, these days, I need a laptop just to
download all of my digital pictures, transfer files to my Music Clip, and work
on my research reports (my job!). I thought the C1 would also be a useful computing
tool on my many company visits and presentations.
Form
 As
far as the size of the C1 goes, I love things compact. I knew the portability
issue was a key criterion for me, especially when I've been lugging around various
"giant" laptops for the past 4 years. Small, sleek - the C1VMT has all the inklings
of a great electronic wonder. The machine feels surprisingly sturdy despite
its small size. Everything is encased in that typical Vaio shell.
 The
C1 is also remarkably light. It's portable enough that I will be more than happy
to carry it around with me, in lieu of my Palm. Because I've got relatively
small hands, the keyboard works well for me. It feels functional and all the
buttons are in the right place. It always impresses me that you could squeeze
so much into something so small. Living in Asia, you get used to confine spaces
and cramped living, so the small screen size is not a complaint for me. Instead,
given the size, it works extremely well. I manage to squeeze enough text onto
the screen that I can easily read and edit several paragraphs of a Word document.
Mini-laptops (what I like to call them) are not new products, but they do get
a lot of attention. Because of its size, you can use it on the train, in a coffee
shop, during meetings, and no matter where you are, people will look, ask you
what it is, and try to play with it. (Hands off buddy!) When it's all done and
said, aesthetics makes this a big winner.
Function
I've owned a Toshiba Libretto in the past, so I know what a mini-laptop can
and cannot do. This is not a replacement for a true laptop. As you can see from
the pictures, I also own a Vaio Z505 SuperSlim Pro. That laptop handles most
of my workload at home. I got the C1 primarily because it's small and is supposed
to have a prolonged battery life.
 The
Transmeta chip worked well. Processing power was quick and I had no issues with
the computer's performance. The processing power is adequate enough for me to
do my spreadsheets, word documents, and PowerPoint presentations. I'll try loading
a game or two in the next few days just to see how it does. I could hear the
computer powering up and down (is that a fan?) as I played with it. The bottom
of the laptop does get quite warm after using it for some time. But I could
still hold it in my hand and put in on my lap (unlike the Z505).
 As
I said above, the screen works well for its size, but more than that, it's also
remarkably crisp and sharp. The C1 also has a Motion Eye Camera, which has been
really fun to play with. You get to take pictures of yourself, others, and even
small videos. The software included is really good and easy to use, not to mention
that it has really cool animation. But, this is no substitute for a Digital
Camera, and is more of a companion than a replacement to my Nikon 880.
 Windows
ME seems almost the same as Windows 98SE. I had to get a few drivers for some
of the programs I've been trying to install, but generally, its been a positive
experience. When I plugged in my USB Zip Drive, the software automatically detected
it without needing to load any drivers. You also get a bunch of software pre-installed
with the Vaio. I have to admit, it's highly unlikely that I will use a lot of
these programs, and I wonder if I should just uninstall them. For example, there
is a neat program called Visual Flow, which seems to "visually" represent your
desktop. What exactly is the use of such a program I have yet to figure out.
Also, I wonder if I really need both Real Player and Windows Media.
The C1 has all the usual buttons and add-ons that come with many new Sony laptops.
I connected the C1 so it would output on a TV, which was kind of neat. The Memory
Stick slot, and modem did their jobs as expected. I'm not a big fan of stick-type
pointing devices (found mostly on Toshiba and IBM laptops), but it's a necessity
for the C1 because of size constraints. The jog dial though is a great add-on.
I love using it and once you configure a few things, it performs many different
shortcuts.
 Battery
life was one of the main reasons I bought the C1. In this respect, the C1 falters.
The included battery is light and compact. But that probably worked against
it as I managed to run down the batteries in just over 2 hours and 15 minutes.
I had expected the C1 to last longer. Although, I should add that I ran the
machine at maximum performance and screen resolution while it was on batteries
so that probably depleted some of its performance. In fairness the battery life
is considerably better than my VAIO Z505, which dies in less than an hour and
15 minutes. The advertised battery life is "up to 5.5 hours". I wish it could
last 3, but I guess if I want it to last that long, I'll have to buy the bigger
battery (which kind of defeats the purpose of buying a mini-laptop).
Factor
 In
the end, the C1 is a beautiful machine that I will have lots of fun playing
with. I just got it a few days ago so I'm still working out all of the functions.
However, as far as computing goes, I think the Transmeta chip didn't live up
to its ability to extend battery life profoundly. Yes, it's better than an Intel
chip, but it just wasn't a quantum leap in terms of battery performance. For
this factor, I would only recommend this as a supplementary machine to an existing
laptop for those of you with MONEY TO BURN.
danchan's Second Opinion
The Sony Vaio Picturebook is very cool. It is a marvel that Sony can
fit a true Windows ME (not CE) machine into such a small package. But
it is not that much smaller than other ultra-portables and is in fact,
thicker than most. You will find very few uses for the Motion Eye Camera.
The screen packs a lot of pixels into its wide-screen format (1024x480)
but 480 pixels of vertical resolution is still too little when you're
working with documents, HTML files, digital photographs or computer code.
There is no room for the wrist-rest area that most laptops have and because
of this, instead of a trackpad, the Picturebook uses that nub-like pointing
thingy. I hate those things.
One thing to realize about laptops is that the screen consumes about
half the power. Which means even if the CPU were to take no energy,
the laptop would only last twice as long. So the promise of super-long
battery life with the Crusoe is greatly exaggerated. The greatest ultra-portable
design ever was the sleek, magnesium Sony N505 series which just
recently was replaced with the ungainly SR series. Until they bring back
the glory of the N505, the only ultra-portable for me is the Sony Z505,
which shares the sleek look of the N505 but is slightly bigger. As for
the Picturebook, I think it's a WASTE OF
TIME.
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posted by theVooner on 18 Apr 2001 |
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0
out of 0 members found this comment interesting. |
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Customer Support?
My apologies for your mishap.
In Asia, we have never known much about "customer support" so we don't actually put too much demands on the company. If something is broken, we are usually forced to buy a new one. Unfortunately, we've grown accustomed to that. But the US way of doing business has changed that, showing us that there can be such a thing as "customer support".
Sony is still a great company, but I've always been under the suspicion that they built things to break. My personal track record with MD players, laptops, CD discmans, walkmans, etc. would have told me to quit buying Sony by now. But nope, I keep coming back time and time again.
Customer service though is important, especially if it was promised to you up front (hence my displeasure with Leica). I hope Sony didn't try to sell you on their "customer service". If you bought it directly from Sony (as they are trying hard to get more people to do) then you are unfortunately at their mercy. I don't know if it would have helped, but if you bought it from a chain store like Fry's you might have another choice of action. I too have been spoiled these days by the promise of customer support -- I sometimes have to remind myself that I'm in HK.
I fully expect my Vaio's to die, which is why I believe they have never done exceptionally well in the US and why they will never be a "corporate" PC. IBM and Dell though have superb customer service and as such enjoy their premier status.
I advise all future purchases of Sony products including Vaio's that it is still 'Caveat Emptor'. Though in my opinion, it's true for every electronic goods you buy ESPECIALLY in Asia.
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