Sony Vaio X505

So I’m sitting on a long flight while writing this, and I’m rolling dices with myself about which ultraportable to feature next. But after a good meal and a few soothing drinks (compliments of Thai Airways), the choice suddenly seems easy. Since the last post was about the Sony Vaio TZ, I thought I might as well continue the Sony saga. Hence, today’s guest of honor is the very light and extremely slim Sony Vaio X505. Much like the previously featured IBM ThinkPad S30, the X505 is quite a rare sight today and equally an attention grabber.

The X505 was quite the pioneer when introduced in 2004. In particular it came to serve as inspiration for the current Vaio TZ. First of all it featured carbon fiber in its construction just as its younger sibling does today. As you might know this expensive material is well known for its combination of strength and low weight. Another TZ design feature which was first introduced on the X505, is the untraditional but stylish side-placement of the illuminated power button. Coupled with the cylinder-shaped battery, it is elegant and contemporary at the same time. Worth mentioning also, is the distinct keyboard style which was later also found on the Apple MacBook and, you guessed it… the Sony Vaio TZ. Even users of the mainstream type Sony Vaio CR will enjoy this floating style keyboard.

However, the X505 attribute which created the most stir, was the extremely slim design. Even today you will probably not find a notebook as thin as this soon to be 4 year old ultraportable. So thin in fact that it was often compared to a regular paper notebook.

The design and slim construction of this 10.4” notebook were not without sacrifices however. For instance the location of the keyboard is quite unconventional and awkward. This vital component is placed at the front edge facing the user - eliminating the possibility of a palm rest. This also means that the touchpad buttons are to be found right at the edge as well. All this translates into a rather ergonomically incorrect writing and navigating experience. Fear not too much though. I had the chance to try it out for a few hours and whilst not being the best experience, I could definitely live with it. In general one can get used to a lot when it comes to ultraportables and as some might say: “beauty does not come without pain”.

When I first saw this showcase of visual avant-gardeness, my immediate reaction was “what a cool and extraordinary looking notebook, but couldn’t they have made the screen fit the size of the notebook better?”. It may just be me, but as you will find while browsing through this blog, I am not a fan of fat bezels surrounding the screen. Or as I might also bluntly put it: It makes an otherwise nice looking notebook look a bit “old school Atari video game computer like”. It is my main grip with the X505.

Moreover, for those who are into specifications and numbers, the biggest compromise would probably be the performance, which is far from impressive. Let me rephrase that. Considering the ultraslim form factor it was very impressive. But setting this aside, its power is less than favorable for more than simple web surfing and light applications. And yes, don’t even think about running Vista and its smooth GUI on this ubersleek anorexic runway model.

A lot of woes you might think. However, at the end of the day, cat walk modeling is what the X505 is all about. A design extraordinaire pushing the physical boundaries of what was previously known as impossible. And for those who appreciate this, who cares about boring performance talk and ergonomically misplaced components?

Don’t take my words for it though. Read the following and be further enlightened:
Notebookreview review
MobileTechReview review
ZDNet review
Cnet review

IBM ThinkPad S30

Staying in the spirit of the last post, today's featured guest is the soon to be 7 years old, IBM ThinkPad S30.

It was first introduced in Japan in 2001 - many years before Lenovo acquired the ThinkPad division from IBM. If you've never heard of it, don't worry - you are not the only one. It was only available in a few Asian markets, such as Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan. One of the rarest and most exclusive ThinkPads, the S-series is more or less a collector's item today.

With a screen size of only 10.4 inches and a weight of just over 3 lbs, it is very sleek and nimble, even by today’s standard. In fact, if placed next to my Lenovo ThinkPad X61, I have no doubt that it would make it seem a bit big and masculine.
Needless to say, with an Intel Mobile Pentium III 600 MHz processor, 128 MB RAM and 20GB hard drive, it is however no performer anymore. But at the time it was introduced, it was no slouch – especially considering its size. You could even get it with built-in Wireless LAN which made it truly portable.

Should you be lucky enough to get a hold of one today, upgrade it to its maximum 256 MB RAM for more smooth operation in Windows 2000 or even XP, if so desired. That is if you are going to use it. I’d probably just carry it around with me, so it could make me look cool.

You might ask why one would get this outdated grandfather of a ThinkPad. Well for starters, it is very pretty. So pretty in fact, that quite a few people to this day are trying to source them from Japan. Secondly, for simple tasks such as a bit of web surfing and office applications, it is still quite capable. Just don’t try and install Vista on it. And third, it is very rare.

If you ask me, it is by far the coolest ultraportable to wear the ThinkPad badge. Heck, I would go so far as to call it the all time coolest ThinkPad, period. So Lenovo if you are reading this, please revive the S-series. And this time, make sure to sell it worldwide. It would probably be your new bestseller.

Panasonic Let's Note R7

The Panasonic Let's Note R-series notebooks are very popular in Japan. In the past, whenever I went on a business trip to Tokyo, I would see lots of business people with their Panasonic R3s, R4s and R5s. Not strange considering the fact that Japanese people embrace small and nimble things.

Not long ago the R6 was introduced and recently the R7 was announced. Both are offered in a special Jet Black edition, as shown in the picture. Since the beginning the Let's Note notebooks were always offered in a silver design. Hence, the Jet Black color was a welcomed change for many.

So what is so special about the R7? Nothing much. At least, not if you compare it to the previous models. It has essentially the same form factor. And battery life, which is still great, has not changed much. But the R-series is all about evolution, rather than revolution. Much like the ThinkPads. And much like ThinkPads they are sturdy due to their magnesium casing and spill proof keyboards. In addition, the stress tests these notebooks are put through are quite impressive.

What I like about the R7 is it's size and weight. It's comes with a 10.4" standard XGA screen and only weighs 2.05 lbs. While thicker, the footprint is so small that it make my ThinkPad X61 (even with the small battery) seem a bit bloated. The latest hardware includes a Core 2 Duo U7600 1.2 GHz CPU, up to 2GB 533 MHz RAM, Intel 965 Express chipset and up to 250GB of HDD capacity. Dimensions are 9.0" x 7.2" x 0.9-1.6" or 229 x 183.5 x 24.2-41.6mm. Only the thickness is above average in the ultraportable category - the rest is tiny.

Apart from Japan, the R-series notebooks are still quite unknown in most parts of the world, including Europe and the US. Hopefully this will change with time. A business ultraportable like this, deserves a larger crowd.

In closing, here's an interesting video giving a good impression of the size and sturdiness of the R6 (more or less the same as the R7):

Lenovo ThinkPad X61

I figured my first post should be about my current ultraportable, which I absolutely love.

It is one of the smallest and most powerful 12.1" standard form factor notebooks out there. Lightweight too. Alongside the Panasonic Let's Note W and T-series, it is also one of the most sturdy and well built 12 inch notebooks you will find.

As you probably know, ThinkPads are well known for their ruggedness and the no frills professional build and look, which have gathered a following unrivaled by any other notebook manufacturer. With the ThinkPad X61 it is no different. From the rubber matte coating to the excellent and legendary (spill proof) keyboard, it is all there.

Yet this little ThinkPad comes in a very small factor (10.5" x 8.3" x .80-1.39"; 268mm x 211mm x 20-35mm) and with a starting weight of 3.11 lbs or 1.41kg. There's even a minimally thinner and slightly lighter version called the X61s, but in essence it is the same form factor. More on that in a different post.

While we are at it, I should also mention that there is a tablet version available in the X-series lineup. It is one of the best tablet notebooks I have experienced, but unfortunately it is noticeably heavier and larger than the regular X61 - which the following size comparison picture also clearly shows.











To better assess the size, here is a short video of the X61 compared to the mainstream sized ThinkPad R61 15.4" notebook.




In any event, if you are looking for a great, sturdy business ultraportable, there really is no excuse not to get the Lenovo ThinkPad X61 - especially considering the ridiculously low prices in the US.

And with that, here are a few reviews about my favorite ThinkPad:
Notebookreview review
TechLoop review
PC World review