Sony Revs the Engines of Its New Ultra-Light VAIO Notebooks

Nov. 2, 2000--Sony Electronics has integrated digital entertainment with the essentials of personal computing and the new mobile Intel Pentium III 750MHz processor to create both the lightest and the slimmest new VAIO PCs with Intel's SpeedStep technology.
Unique in not only form and weight, but in its versatility, the less-than-three-pound, one-inch-thin VAIO SR17 notebook gives those desiring stylish, ultra-portable notebooks the option of either a consumer-oriented Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition operating system or a more business-focused Windows 2000 Professional operating system. But with its 750 MHz processor, 20 GB hard drive and 128 MB of SDRAM (expandable to 256 MB maximum), the svelte SR is no performance lightweight.

"Our new SR notebooks are prime examples of Sony's continued ability to integrate innovation across both digital entertainment and business computing platforms," said Mark Hanson, Sony Electronics' vice president and general manager for VAIO PC products. "Everyone from the jet-setting CEO to the trend-setting traveler can enjoy the benefits of this sleek, highly-portable notebook. It's a perfect travel companion."

The PCG-SR17 notebook features an extended-life lithium-ion battery, Sony's JogDial control for easy application selection; an integrated v.90 56K modem; a Sony i.LINK (IEEE 1394) S400 interface to support high-speed digital video, audio and data transfer among compatible Sony products; and an S3 Savage/MX graphics chip with 8 MB Video SGRAM. To make the computing experience even more enjoyable, the SR17 touts a 10.4" XGA (1024 x 768) TFT screen with XBRITE polysilicon technology and built-in stereo speakers.

Flexibility in function is achieved via a type II PC card slot with CardBus support, one USB port, audio in, headphone out, an RJ-11 phone jack and VGA output (on supplied adapter). The PCG-SR17 also features a dedicated Memory Stick media slot to accommodate the quick storage of data, images and secure music downloads from the Internet (where connectivity is available). The removable Memory Stick media also enhance the new notebook's compatibility with compatible digital still and digital video cameras, including Sony's Cyber-shot and Digital Mavica and Sony DV Handycam camcorders. This convenient storage capability is a powerful resource for retrieving graphics, video and still photography to create interactive PowerPoint presentations, Web designs and video email.

The SR17 notebook computer, says Hanson, encourages individuals to embrace the notion of life after work, entertainment while traveling and legacy-free computing. "It's the portable entertainment solution for a wide variety of multi-media and computing aficionados," said Hanson.

Both PC and A/V enthusiasts can exploit the SR17's feature-rich resume by enjoying additional software options, like Sony's easy-to-use MovieShaker, which enables users to create their own digital home movies -- or video e-mail -- by organizing digital images and video clips, introducing customized text and audio and selecting fun transitions. The SR17 is now available to consumers. It has an estimated selling price of $2,500. Its sister system, the SR17K, featuring Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional, is priced at around $2,600. www.sony.com

Source: Sony