VAIO P Developer Story

We wanted to bring you the story behind VAIO P development so that you as a reader and maybe already an owner of this VAIO could get a glimpse of what it took designers and a crew of other talented people bring this LifeStyle Notebook to life.

Things that surround us everyday like the movies, music, photos, and communications have all become more digitalized and have evolved to provide more convenience and more fun. It has been over ten years since the birth of VAIO which has particularly been a star model. We asked the developers about their perspectives.

You two are at the headwaters of the creative process. Can you two describe your views on VAIO?

Ito: VAIO has always been developed to become a computer that reflects the times. This applies not just to VAIO but probably to all Sony products. In retrospect, we always tried to grasp the essence of the particular era and what was ahead of us, and presented a new concept for PCs. This is true for mobile PCs launched after 1997 like VAIO 505, VAIO C, VAIO GT and VAIO UX. We make VAIO thinking it is a PC that can provide surprises, inspirations, and joy of ownership.

VAIO 505:

VAIO C1:

VAIO GT:

VAIO UX:

What kind of times are we in now?

Ito: Now the world of computing has spread outside the PCs. Cell phones and smartphones can be connected to the networks. E-mails and net surfing can be enjoyed anywhere. This is a completely different situation from 10 years ago. Everybody carries cell phones today. So we had to start from the scratch and think of a mobile PC that people want to carry around along with cell phones.

Takuma: Let’s look at it from another angle. PCs are indispensable in our times. So if the PCs are so exciting, our lives should become more fun. I believe VAIO has been just that and always will be. This is why I am always looking for things that can be offered with VAIO. Consequently, I hope when people look at VAIO, touch it and use it, they feel the excitement.

What are you doing specifically when you say you are looking for things you can offer with VAIO?

Takuma: “I love computers. I love using them or just trying out many prototypes. Thinking of the beautiful exterior is one thing, but I get totally carried away when I think about how to use them.
I get so happy when projects like The VAIO P-Series start. When I am out in the city in a café or when I am on a trip relaxing, I keep thinking “if its shape were like this, it can do this and that” and just expand my ideas. So, there’s no distinction between work and play (LOL). For me, work hours is not just some time I spend in the office – I keep thinking about these things even in my personal time.”

Like Mr. Ito said, it seems to me that VAIO always had been the forerunner in the field of mobile PCs with models such as VAIO C and VAIO UX. Given that kind of background, what is the essence of the VAIO P-Series?

Suzuki: I have strong feelings toward “small gadgets”. I once worked on “VAIO UX”, so being in charge of “small VAIO” has a special meaning for me. This is not just for VAIO, but I believe Sony itself has in its genes, or has a soul, to create small gadgets. People who are desperate to make things smaller somehow gather here (LOL). It seems to be their nature to see this “impossible to downsize” challenge, and somehow try to overcome it, including the design.

Hanazuka: I think it is true that since VAIO note 505, we keep trying to make the models smaller, thinner and lighter. People at Sony all want to make the products smaller.

Kawakami: The hurdles were set high for The VAIO P-Series in the first place. Initially, I didn’t think that all the parts could fit into this size, but as I listened to the designers and saw the mockups, the feeling that I wanted to make this a reality welled up in me. Then I began to feel I cannot mess up the project because of me. The challenge for me was containing all the circuitry inside, while not compromising the design. In addition, I could not give away the usability and specs either.

It is amazing to see your spirit, how you come up with an optimal solution rather than making an either-or choice when you hit a wall. What keeps you on trying to make it smaller instead of just giving up?

Hanazuka: Things are not always easy, but somehow we make it through by thinking about the people who would be using it. It makes us happy when the product becomes available to many more users.

Suzuki: VAIO was the smallest PC and it always seemed to be the only one making far-fetched attempts. But I guess that was also its edge. Now the mobile PC market is so lively, it actually feels more comfortable knowing that we can play game in the technology of making things smaller which we excel at. Up until recently, maybe the only option was VAIO UX but now the market environment is completely different. The VAIO P-Series is one answer from us saying “here is what it would look like when we make things small”. I know there are mobiles PCs with similar specs from our competitors, but we feel lucky in a way being able to throw in a product that is differentiated in its mobile features (thinness, lightness, battery life). When we look at the mobile equipment in general, cell phones and smartphones’ connectivity to the Internet has definitely improved and the PCs are no longer the only choice. We want to deliver the full-spec experience to those young people who have used the Internet only through cell phones. The VAIO P-Series is the culmination of such a desire.

The entry barrier to the PC market is low because of the frequent technological innovations and the advancement of the horizontal division of labor. What are some of the things you keep in mind given VAIO has established a special positioning in this kind of competitive environment?

Ito: That is a matter of how much passion we can put into the product. I believe our work is like giving birth to a new life. We went through so much debate to decide on even the smallest details, and I believe that has given a character to VAIO like no other.

Suzuki: We work believing that when we developers embed our passion into a product, even the customers we don’t know in person can feel the enthusiasm oozing out of the product. We house our passion into the stylish mockup that designers create. We have to put our souls into it, otherwise the product somehow becomes flat.

Kawakami: Physical appearance is important for sure. Otherwise we don’t get turned on, or motivated.

Ono: I also believe the creators’ passion will definitely be felt. If you are conservative, that is what they will feel, and if you put your heart into it to create something great no matter how hard, your passion seems to get across. This may sound like an old-fashioned mentality, but I think that kind of feeling plays a big part in turning the impossible into possible and moving people beyond reason. VAIO was created with that kind of spirit. Personally, I wanted to make something that I can show off, something that makes you grin knowing that it’s in your bag. Otherwise, I didn’t think we’d ever get to the level where people would be proud to buy something with VAIO logo on it and be happy.

Due to the advanced wireless network, cheaper connection fee, and the corresponding evolution of the products, the Internet environment is better than it has ever been giving people online access anytime, anywhere. The developers gave a thought to what people want in VAIO and what VAIO can provide given such a background. What do people expect from VAIO when the Internet is getting ever more accessible?

Takuma: Whether if it’s work or private, I want to type on a keyboard when I have something come up in my mind. Of course, I can key in the buttons on the cell phone and send it, but that takes too much time and I feel like I’ll lose the ideas. So, I really want to save my ideas when I go “ah!” in a café, drinking tea or something, and the keyboard is the fastest way to do that. It doesn’t have to be related to work: it could be a sentence, or word, or poem. Nowadays PCs are so close to us in our daily lives, and I think many users can identify with that.

Kawakami: Some day, I want to make a PC that I can use like a personal planner. Instead of sitting down and saying “OK, now I’m going to use the PC”, I want to carry it around, jot down memos, send e-mails, and take some photos really casually. I was looking for that kind of PC.

Takuma: Typing with the keyboard has become such a normal thing now. Using the keyboard is just as indispensable as handwriting. But instead of using a pencil, we want to use a fountain pen because it’s more comfortable to write and it’s cool to carry around. That is why I wanted to make sure you can type like this on the keyboard (gesturing to type with both hands).

Portability was the key concept in the development of the VAIO P-Series. What are some of the ways of usage that you had in mind when designing it?

Ito: I like to visit new places on the weekends. For example, I would look for new destinations or events to go to near the town I’m visiting. Today, you can go to the Internet and find information of the surrounding area on the map website. If we can develop a VAIO which can help you do that easily when you go out, then the Internet becomes more fun and life gets richer. I believe the VAIO P-Series can be the answer.

Suzuki: For example, if you look something up on the search engine, lots of results show up. You want to choose the information you want instantly out of what you get. To do that, a large-scale, high-resolution display is necessary. After thinking about the necessary characteristics of the VAIO P-Series, we installed a display that is horizontally long and big, and the liquid display of 1600 x 768 pixels.

Ito: When you see a map online, you can see two maps next to each other simultaneously without compromising the visibility of either. Usability is diminished if either the vertical or horizontal scale were too small. Looking at an online map away from home is one situation of usage we strongly focused on.

Ono: Speaking from the standpoint of a software developer, PC’s specs and the functionality of OS have advanced so much that it should make our lives so much more convenient. This may be only the first step of a big dream, but when I thought “what do we need?”, I thought GPS that can locate your position, even in a building, will be great. Sometimes you get lost in huge terminal stations or commercial facilities. What if we can make something people can use there? With the VAIO P-Series, we made practical applications and came up with creative ways to use them.

PC originally stands for “personal computer”, but not many people feel this way. What are the features of the VAIO P-Series that is more fun and makes people feel like expressing themselves?

Ito: At the early stage of planning the VAIO P-Series, we called it “Web Palette”. It looks like a palette for painting and that’s why it became the motif. You put paint on the palette and (with that paint) you paint on the canvas. So we want the users to use the palette called “VAIO P-Series” and express themselves more on a canvas called the web. We want people to carry them anywhere, anytime to send out messages. The reason we created “instant mode”, where you can connect to the Internet instantly from the power-off status, is that we wanted the users to take advantage of the extra 5 minutes they have in between things. This is another area VAIO is a pioneer in.

Ono: Maybe we had other options if we thought of only seeing the web. But what we wanted to create was not a pencil but a fountain pen. From that perspective we chose Windows Vista as our OS. I was surprised that the VAIO P-Series can play WMV 1080p full HD images normally. Even when we play it on the huge screen of Bravia, the images are clear on the full screen. This was comparable to a regular PC and was made possible only through the combination of Windows Vista and Intel Atom Processor (Z500 Series). But we asked ourselves if should be happy with just that. One of the great things about a portable electronics is that it can be used right away outside. The solution to such need was the “instant mode”. You can take it out really easily and connect to the Internet through wireless LAN. I thought can support the active lifestyle of a user by having the option to choose light footwork over full-functionality, running efficiently at the same time it is full-spec.

Always the shining star among the crowd of PCs, VAIO introduces its new platform appropriate for the Internet-driven century: the VAIO P-Series. The design focus was on its portability– something that can be “held and carried around”–the concept which has been long anticipated. It is a PC made to fit in human hand.

What procedures were taken to decide on the VAIO P-Series’s size, roundness, color selection and texture, with the distinctness of VAIO?

Takuma: Our challenge this time was to create a PC that can be effortlessly gripped on with a single hand. I thought it would be wonderful if people can just take it out of their travel bag or go “wow I can just grab it” when they are moving to a different floor at work. Like cell phones, people feel more intimate with the things that can be held with a single hand. We believed it had to be something that could be grabbed casually, rather than gently carried around. We think these concepts of size and shape are really important and they were the culprit in many of our heated discussions.

Hanazuka: Heated, huh? (LOL)

Kawakami: That’s right. (LOL)

Takuma: For example, even a few millimeters difference in length would make you go “hmm, something does not feel right”. In an extreme case, a change in your physical condition would make you perceive the size of the same thing differently, like “hey, isn’t this too big?”

Ito: These are all what people feel so they are all relative values. Each person is different. It was not like a set of numeric values existed as a correct answer, so coming to a consensus with everyone and narrowing down to one resolution was very challenging. Also, the PC design process doesn’t end just by settling its width; the next step is to finalize the shape such as deciding whether or not to round the edges, and the decisions made along the way would make the final picture come out completely different.

Have you had discussions this extensive before, about how a PC should be held?

Takuma: Well, PCs are definitely bigger than mobile phones. We have, in the past, rendered thinness, but I think making them “easy to hold” is a whole new approach. Instead of shrinking the conventional laptops, we designed the size and shape in accordance with the size of human hands, then picked and chose which functions and features to incorporate, making bold decisions along the way. When I speak with the design team, I say “the VAIO we’re making is not like a mini-vehicle made by shrinking a regular-sized passenger car. Rather, it is more like you open a driver or passenger door and you get a full-size seat, but without the extra storage space. It should be a premium product that makes you feel as if you’re driving a regular-size passenger car, so we should aggressively simplify things to make it possible.”

Were you concerned with any other aspects besides the width?

Takuma: We focused on the length as much as making it easy to grip on. The design team and I were talking about how we wanted to use the VAIO P-Series at cafés. A café table is small to begin with, and it’s cluttered with a glass of water, coffee cup and menu, etc., making the work space extremely limited. You can’t place a lengthy laptop on it.

Hanazuka: In terms of portability and functionality, The VAIO P-Series can fit in anywhere and is realistic in size for actual use. I’ve always felt that this is the maximum size when you consider the practicality.

Takuma: Further more, opening on the back of your computer, such as the battery cover, screws and heat release vents, would make you think twice before putting it on the café table. You wouldn’t want to put it on a surface where water droplets from a glass trickled. Although it’s not waterproof even if we covered all the openings, we reviewed everything possible to minimize vents and bumps.

The selection of four colors have precious stone motifs. With the concept of being a portable personal tool, what is the story behind this color selection?

Suzuki: We repeated discussions on this issue. I’m actually surprised the final product turned out to be almost identical to the mock model.

Hanazuka: Well, it’s our job to materialize the vision of our design team! (LOL)

Takuma: In the early stages of development, I remember discussing with Mr. Ito that “VAIO P-Series is for grown-ups who understand all they need is this laptop and carry it along as such. But something that is not a gadget and does not feel too mechanical”. It wouldn’t stick out like a sore thumb on a businessperson in a fine suit, and would also fit right in with people in jeans with a leather jacket on weekends. With such vision in mind, one of the themes the Color & Material Team from the Creative Center came up with is “semiprecious stones”. The theme conveys a clean and pure feeling, inherent texture and an image of laminated layers. The Team could have opted to go with a more pop selection with pastel colors, but instead chose colors that express nuances of mature austere elegance. What I mean by nuances is, for example, that the color green wouldn’t be just plain green but a green that turns from blue to yellow-green hue depending on the angle. For red, we picked a red with the bordeaux base tone, which changes slightly at times. We selected colors that give off different nuances.

Ito: The color names are inspired from semiprecious stones: Onyx Black, Peridot Green, Garnet Red and Crystal White. Each of the color models has different wallpapers included, which are all designed with semiprecious stone motifs. Users can enjoy sharp and detailed images through the high-definition LCD.

Takuma: The VAIO P-Series is a laptop that expresses your personal style. This is one of the reasons why semiprecious stones used in jewelry are its motifs. We made four color themes, which aren’t pop or too soothing, more like jewelry and high-end fountain pen, for example. It should be a fine piece of stationery, but perceived as something like precious metal at the same time. We also have the multifaceted functions, features and roles expected in digital equipments, particularly laptops. When expressing these technologies, instead of a single color, we wanted the color to have multiple interpretations. With this in mind, we chose these colors with many nuances. A user can feel what he or she wants to feel from the color, according to his or her personal taste. We chose colors with nuances to express such idea. Hopefully, users can feel the vitality this product has to offer.

Hanazuka: To substantiate this color texture, we go through multiple coating processes before applying one last finish. This model has the most paint layers in the history of VAIO.

The VAIO P-Series can be used to express oneself freely, at the same time it is a premium mobile PC chosen by mature grown-ups. After the design team handed over this concept, the engineers specializing in mechanics, electronics and software took part in making it a commercial reality. The VAIO P-Series is a result of a dauntless craftsmanship.

What problems did you face in terms of fitting the necessary parts in this size when considering mass production?

Hanazuka: The width will practically be settled once the key pitch is decided. Then, we usually start seeking additional space in the length, but we couldn’t make it any bigger this time, because it was requested that it should be the size to be held in your hand and to be used on a café table. To make things worse, the basic parts alone took up the whole space inside at first.

Kawakami: We first start with deciding on the number of circuits to be included in the motherboard; then actually set them up on CAD through simulations. But I had this gut feeling from the beginning that they wouldn’t fit. For example, the clearance for the base was 6mm but the part was 7mm. (LOL)

Suzuki: When reducing size, we modified by, say, taking out the display output terminal to the external adapter. But we continued to challenge ourselves to not impair the basic functions and user-friendliness. For me, the most electrifying thing was that we decided to stack the memory card on top of the motherboard in the electrical circuit designing process. I believe that played a huge role in reducing size.

Kawakami: As I said earlier, the parts won’t all fit using the conventional method. Amid such situations, we considered taking out the memory card and placing other parts on the motherboard, at some point, so that it wouldn’t interfere with other high speed signals. The parts did indeed fit as a result, but the memory card remained outside, so we decided to place it under the motherboard in conclusion.

Shock resistant properties and toughness in mobile PCs are attracting attention. What new ideas were incorporated in the VAIO P-Series for outdoor usage?

Kawakami: Common circuit boards have only the green rigid part, but this flexible brown part here is generally called FPC (Flexible Printed Circuits). Normally, the FPC and rigid circuit are connected via a connector, but we layered the two circuits from the beginning and made it into one flex-rigid circuit board. Its biggest advantage is that the connector that links the rigid part and flexible circuit becomes unnecessary. With this, not only the connector space will become unneeded, but it will also prevent troubles caused by connectors disconnecting or going out of alignment when dropped. Also, because there is less contact area, adverse effect to the high-speed signals will decrease, improving the quality of the signals.

Suzuki: This laptop is probably the first PC to employ a flex-rigid board. The VAIO P-Series would have been a completely different product without it.

Kawakami: Flex-rigid boards themselves are often used in cell phones and digital cameras. Because these devices are much smaller and their boards are smaller too, it was challenging from both the electronic and cost standpoints. We had started assessments in 2007, and it finally became feasible for actual use, right when the VAIO P-Series project was about to start.

So the market demand, product planning, and technological advancement all came just at the right time. Do things always go this well?

Kawakami: Rarely. The technology may advance before demands for the product arise, or it may be that a product needs certain technology not yet available for a few more years. And there’s often the issue with costs. So I guess the technology and demand met just in time.

Hanazuka: In addition, slimming down the body this much weakens the durability, so we used carbon-mixed material in the chassis as we did with other models. This is how we successfully achieved the thinness without compromising the strength.

Suzuki: In the owner-made VAIO models, customers are granted the option to choose SSD for storage. Attributes such as its resistance to vibration and high-speed access make SSD a device advantageous to mobile PCs. I believe that having such an advanced device as an option is one of very attractive features The VAIO P-Series has to offer.

What approaches do you take in terms of battery life? Suzuki: Battery life plays a critical part in this mobile PC. The lifetime of the battery with the limited capacity has to be improved through modifying the electronic circuit and software. To accomplish this, we held a Battery Life Review Committee. In the meeting, we listed up ideas that were definitely feasible, somewhat feasible, and challenging but to be tried, then, conquered each one of them. Every little bit helps, so we are tenaciously working on this project.

What have you been doing specifically?

Ono: For example, we shut off the electric circuits for VGA port and Ethernet that the main body does not use when the adapter for external equipments is removed. We extend the overall operation time by adding up all the battery life saved from processes like this.

Suzuki: An even more specific example, let’s say that there’s an IC component equipped with a power-saving mode. But, such component is barely used in reality. It’s just too much of a hassle to design a practical system because even a slight mistake causes malfunctioning. However, these small things add up to prolong battery life, so we keep on trying.

Ono: I admit that we’re working behind the scenes and it’s uncertain whether our customers purchase the product because of this feature, but we’re taking on this challenge as engineers.

The VAIO P-Series comes with a keyboard with approximately 16.5mm pitch, 1600×768 pixel high-definition screen and a battery life of up to 9 hours. The developers’ quest for a more comfortable mobile PC continued until the very end.

How was the keyboard developed?

Takuma: If it was a product with existing form/factor, we would just use the empirical values and skip examinations. But it was a new series this time, and we weren’t able to draw deciding factors from the past. For example, there was nothing to compare with in terms of the comfortable height for the keys. Nevertheless, we had to approach in a three-dimensional manner to solve the problem. So, we materialized every conceivable idea into a mockup and decided on the best one with every person in the development team examining and touching them.

Hanazuka: The key stroke for keyboards with about 16.5mm pitch is very shallow. The depth is about 1.2mm, compared to the standard 2.5mm. Simply filing down keys makes the keyboard awkward to use, so we adopted a keyboard with new architecture. You’ll see what I mean when you actually type on it, but it delivers a quiet typing experience, and you probably can’t believe that it sinks only 1.2mm.

Suzuki: Speaking of quietness, we also took on a challenge to get rid of fans in the VAIO P-Series. Especially in the SSD model, there will be no fans, hence no spindle motors. We were talking that this will be the real “zero spindle” model come true.

Hanazuka: The laptop is designed to scatter heat throughout the computer using a magnesium body. It’s just that laptop computers are conventionally used on a desk, but the VAIO P-Series might not always be. It may vary where it gets placed depending on a situation, so we designed it with the temperatures of surfaces, the front and back, in mind.

Ono: Since it’s fan-less, you could probably feel its true quietness when using it late in the night at home. There would be neither humming of fans nor clicking sound of the hard disk.

Could you tell us about the VAIO P-Series accessories ?

Hanazuka: We are offering a display/LAN adapter that can be attached to the AC adapter, to be used as a single accessory. Many mobile PCs have external display adapters, but they are so easy to forget. You either forget to bring it with you or leave it behind away from your office/home. To avoid such situations, we designed it to be attachable to the AC adapter.

Ono: Users will also notice how small the AC adapter is. Carrying it along the laptop would still be very small and lightweight, so you can use the computer without worrying about the limited battery life.

Could you tell us how wireless device was employed in the accessories?

Suzuki: VAIO has been actively employing Bluetooth in its computers for quite some time. The extensibility made possible by Bluetooth is especially important for the VAIO P-Series as some of the external connection terminals have been eliminated. In addition to mouse, Sony offers other accessories such as GPS units and audio controllers.

Ito: In terms of wireless environment, we offer models with and without WAN capability. The WAN capable model in this series will be offered in stores for the first time. We want to have more people enjoy their PC experience anywhere, anytime.

(…)

Suzuki: We always want to surprise our customers. You can listen to the customers’ requests and make something passively, but we want to bring our visions as engineers and trend into our products and stimulate the users in an unexpected way.

Ito: There’s a phrase “the conscious in unconsciousness”. I believe that it’s our responsibility to have our customers be aware of the possibility. It’s our role to create products that seem to have come into existence through a mutation, and share the experience with everyone. The VAIO P-Series is such a product. Sony’s developing team is one of the best at creating products that customers have been “unconsciously” waiting for. We would like for you to expect nothing less from us in the future as well.

Information provided above was a courtesy of VAIO Singapore.

VAIO GS Launch Imminent

Previously spotted VAIO GS on FCC just recently popped up on Sony Support USA site which leads us to believe we will see the launch of this business oriented notebook pretty soon with a new refreshed VAIO line up for the spring. No spec sheet is available however you may check out the User Guide already posted (which is usually pretty generic anyways). It looks like Windows XP and Vista Business will be offered; the following models will be marketed in the US: VGC-GS199, VGC-GS199N and 199P.

It’s interesting to note that VAIO G series really resembles VAIO VX series introduced back in 2000, especially its hinges design.

If you would like to know to learn about rigorous testing this notebook went through in Japan, check out the videos here.

Sony Insider Interviews Rick Clancy, Part 1

Late last year we had the opportunity to talk to Rick Clancy, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications of Sony, and ask him several questions you guys submitted to us via our “What Do You Want To Ask Sony?” post. The dialog lasted a while, and we are very gracious for Sony and the Corporate Communications team for giving this opportunity to sit down and talk to them. Read on for the interview, or read part 2 when you’re done.

Sony Insider [Christopher]: Thanks for giving us the opportunity to interview you, Rick. I know that you’re very busy. One of the first questions we received (from user Jim Esco) “I would like to ask how Sonyinsider.com could use its incredible fan base to help better Sony products and services. They must have an idea how you could help benefit one another.”

Rick Clancy: That’s an interesting question. On one level, for starters, we’ve begun this dialog with you. I think that’s where you have to begin, with some constructive communication. My aim would be to develop a mutually beneficial relationship; one that allows for Sony Insider to maintain its independence, and credibility. From the Sony Electronics point of view, it does give us an opportunity to tap into the insights and perspectives and opinions and suggestions that Sony Insider and its following would like to share with us. Not only share mechanically, but we’re also open to suggestions in terms of building upon this dialog and finding ways to have more interactions. As we go here, we’ll be opening more windows of discussion for Sony Insider and for the public in general. We’ve started some things recently like ratings and reviews, and Frontline. Which are two vehicles that allow consumers and the public to offer suggestions and opinion and criticism, which obviously we take it on the Sony blog which we host as well. We’re very open to getting the dialog going and building upon the relationship that we’ve started in the past year.

Sony Insider [Christopher]: We certainly appreciate the relationship – it’s definitely been an exciting experience.

Sony Insider [Christopher]: When you guys announced a new Sony community site on your blog, did you consider an overlap in format, style and necessity of this new site and Sony Insider?

Rick Clancy: First of all, I give you and Stan a lot of credit with what you’ve done and what you’ve built with Sony Insider. I think one of the things that make it so special is your unique perspective as someone that is tracking and following Sony from all sorts of perspectives and from all corners of the world. That level of independence and separation is very important. There is no way we could be duplicative in that regard – the orientation is very different. I have to be totally transparent in terms of who I am and who I represent. On the other hand, I try to put as much personal perspective into this as I can and not just report or reprint press releases or advertisement. I am a Sony manager, and I have been with Sony for 18 years and that’s part of who I am and who I represent. I certainly think there is a place for both our initiatives and I welcome more, both from inside of Sony (in terms of my fellow Sony employees), but also from the outside of Sony.

Sony Insider [Christopher]: At first It took me back (making a new Community blog), but then I realized some of the things we cover you may never be able to touch upon, like leaks or what have you, or some of the more negative things (which we try not to feature all the time, but do to make sure there is no sense of bias.)

Rick Clancy: No, no, I think that’s reasonable. On the other hand, my focus is on the US electronics business and Sony. I comment on other things beyond that, but I do that in a way that relates back to the Electronics business almost all the time since that’s who I represent and who I am and where most of my knowledge lies. Sony Insider certainly has windows of opportunity that revolves around the globe, which is another dimension you bring.

Sony Insider [Christopher]: When we saw that community posting, we were a bit jealous. A project like that would seem like a dream job to Stan and I.

Rick Clancy: Hopefully if we get into the mode of hiring rather than cutting back, then we will see more of those jobs around. With the community site, Jen is very involved with this as well. We are looking to have our blog be the cornerstone of the community so it’s the first thing you see. We will have interesting neighborhoods or all sorts of specialized communities, whether it’s about the environment, bio, engineering, or customer service. We want to bring in some of these existing sites that are out there and have them all become part of this broader community. That is the vision.

The folks at Playstation in some ways have it a little easier, because they can be a bit more focused than I am. The passion of gamers is very singular, and very intense.

Sony Insider [Christopher]: Are you guys bringing, or having anyone from the Playstation blog bring their influence on your new Electronics blog?

Rick Clancy: We are certainly consulting with them -

Sony Insider [Christopher]: ..they seem so successful..

Rick Clancy: We’ve actually talked to some of the others they’ve worked with – like I said we’ve taken a different approach because of the diversity and breadth of Sony I represent versus the singular Playstation focus that these people have. I am in frequent contact with my counterpart there, and I know that Jen and Marcy Cohn are also working on the site with me – they have talked to their team quite a bit.

Sony Insider [Christopher]: Let’s shift – I don’t want to dabble too long. Another question we received – I cannot emphasize how popular it was as many people asked about Sonicstage and ATRAC – was surprising because the market has shifted away from such; Sony’s focus has shifted away from that because of cost-cutting measures, and popularity of course.

“Why the lack of support for SonicStage & ATRAC outside Japan these days.” (from bogon07)

The Minidisc format and ATRAC, while efficient in their time, had difficulty in the digital age because of high capacity flash Walkman, but not only that – the iPod, Samsung players, Creative and so on. What a lot of consumers noticed, and left a bad taste in their mouths when Sony shifted away from Minidisc, and shifted away from Sonicstage after the Connect store and how that went. Consumers noticed quickly that there wasn’t much legacy or lack of support for Sonicstage and ATRAC outside of Japan.

Rick Clancy: By and large, that came down to market decision. In Japan, the Walkman built around that ATRAC compression scheme has done reasonably well. There’s no reason not to continue there. In many regards, it’s a better system than many out there, at least from a pure audio quality standpoint. After a couple of years of working it here in the US, Canada, and Europe – especially in the US – it was very apparent what the market demanded, except for one company, was an open platform and providing a service a consumer could utilize regardless whether they subscribed to Napster, or Rhapsody, or what have you. It really came down to a market decision, and it was very apparent that the US market was not receptive to another closed music service.

Sony Insider [Christopher]: I can almost sense a hint of if ATRAC was more open when it debuted that it could have fared better..

Rick Clancy: Perhaps, perhaps at least in this market place.

Sony Insider [Christopher]: Are you guys looking to apply any of those technologies in further products, such as a resurgence of ATRAC in any way?

Rick Clancy: I’m not aware of any initiative in that regard.

Sony Insider [Christopher]: ..it pretty much seems to be faded out..

Rick Clancy: Well, you can never say never about something like that, but I’m not aware of anything. Obviously, it was very fundamental to our Minidisc initiatives, and later with the Network Walkman. At this point in time we’re not aware of any initiatives where it’s central to the development.

Sony Insider [Christopher]: That is a shame. I can also understand, given the reasons that you described. There was so much development that went into that codec, software and everything else – I can see how as time progressed you guys said it’s time to pack up and move on.

Sony Insider [Christopher]: The next question we received is from pudsey456. “The hi-end Vaio products have always commanded a premium for their engineering and material, but the new products for 2008 (the Z and the TT in particular) are pushing the price envelope even higher. Personally I’m a fan who sees value in these laptops, but I have never ever purchased a new Vaio, because the pricing is really out of my reach. I’m hoping Sony wouldn’t just keep pushing for the $5000 mark with the Vaios. I don’t want to say the N word (okay, netbook) but I think netbook or not, Sony can do a lot more at the lower end than the current CS. What could we expect to see at the lower end of the Vaio range?”

Sony Insider [Stan]: I could speak to that as well. The pricing of the new Vaio’s seems to be more expensive these days and not a lot of people can afford it. Of course, they are marketed to the executive, like the TT series, and not many students can afford it.

Rick Clancy: There are a few levels to address this question, let’s step back for a minute. With the development of Vaio and its evolution over the years from its introduction in 1996, the product has always been focused to a market that appreciates something special that Sony can bring to PC’s in terms of functionality – some cases software, many cases design. We have not aggressively pursued the low-end market that the major companies in the PC area like HP and Dell for example go after. Certainly some of the most amazing Vaio products include some of the ones mentioned here in this question. I love the TT, for example, and have its predecessor TZ myself that is terrific. My desktop here at home is the LT, a very cool all in one that others have tried to emulate in some way. That said, we have taken some initiatives in the more popular price ranges that we have in the past and there will be more to come.

One of the things about Vaio and Sony is that we’ve managed it in a reasonably successful manner. It’s very difficult for companies to make a profit on PC’s, especially on the hardware anyways. The approach Sony has taken is to slowly address the market share, but really focus on products, market segments that appreciate what Sony can do with the Vaio. You will see some exciting Vaio products that not only address the business and work style needs, but entertainment and lifestyle. We’ve had a lot of fun with the design things, like Graphic Splash notebooks. We also did the Bond 007 notebooks, in conjunction with the latest release of Quantum of Solace. Our Vaio group is willing to take risks and try new things, so you never know. Even our “U” series has been interesting.

It’s interesting to see how others have followed us; it’s common to see a pink notebook from Dell, for example. We’ve tried some things that others have picked up on, like the engraving as another example.

Sony Insider [Christopher]: I find it very interesting that the struggling worldwide economy, the interest seems to be with this revelation of the Netbook – a low cost machine capable of satisfying the needs of most consumers, like Internet and e-mail. It will be very interesting to see how Sony adjusts to not only the demand for a low price, but also quality and expected features.

Rick Clancy: We always try and do something above and beyond what is currently available, and putting a different twist on them.

Sony Insider [Christopher]: The TT is proof of that.

Sony Insider [Christopher]: The next question we received from Houman is about creating not necessarily a music service, but a universal media service for people to access Sony media. As I use the Playstation Video Store I can see how quickly that’s matured and become a serious contender alongside larger services that have had longer time to saturate the market. When I see a model like the Playstation Video store, I wonder why something like this isn’t called the Sony Video store, and not available on all their networked products. The question – “Sony should use its competitive advantages. I am really surprised while Sony has such a great music and movie sections, why it does not combine them and launch a “Connect” thing again. I believe having some great products in MP3 & MP4 players, E-Book readers, Mobile phones (Sony Ericsson), laptops, and game consoles (PS3, PS2, PSP) range, as well as the second music archive in the world and also the first movie archive in the world (MGM is considered) make a great opportunity for Sony to combine and merge its parallel websites (Playnow, Playnow arena, Connect, myplay and…) and services in to the one most powerful website providing contents such as Music (for MP3 and MP3 players, mobile phones, Game consoles and …), Movie , E-books, Games (for game consoles, PCs and mobile phones.) and … in one place. It will boost the sale of electronics as well as music and movie providers and presents Sony an unreachable position in the market.”

Rick Clancy: Well, directionally, as Sir Howard said, I believe that in a relatively short period of time – I don’t have it with me right now, but I think in 2010, 2011, we are looking to have 90% of our product categories in a position where they can be network enabled, or wireless. Part of that vision also includes a platform for content services, and distributing content across a variety of our products, and actually a linchpin of that begins with the Playstation network, which largely provides games through a Playstation 3 and therefore to other devices. A vision for the Playstation Network is that it will be something that is platform, and harmonious with a variety of consumer devices.

More to come in part two of this interview – stay tuned!

Cnet Takes a Look at VAIO P Lifestyle PC

For all of you who pre-ordered VAIO P, saw some lucky dudes unbox the baby and just can’t wait to get your FedEx tracking number, here is a piece of info that came from Cnet to wet your tech appetite even more. You know you are getting a really slick, light weight VAIO and Cnet agrees with you all that it is not a bad purchase you made. OK, we won’t hold you any longer here, check out the pros and cons below and hit the link for more.

The good: Elegant, thin design; large keyboard; multiple networking and connectivity options; high-resolution screen; less expensive than Sony’s UMPC experiments.

The bad: Stuck with Windows Vista (for now); trackpoint navigation isn’t ideal.

The bottom line: Sony’s upscale Atom-powered Lifestyle PC has the components of a cheaper machine but the design of a more expensive one. The end result will be a useful travel PC for some and a conversation piece for others.

Oh and by the way, VAIO P is coming without any crapware preinstalled on it! Yes, you heard it right. Sony listens, you know.

Contrast – The Flex OLED VAIO Laptop Of Our Dreams?

Sony’s Contrast* Flex OLED VAIO laptop is a super-thin laptop product concept. We were able to catch footage of its introduction video at Sony’s exhibit during CES 2009. We believe that Sony is assuming OLED will be the preferable choice of display for future laptop devices instead of what we currently use today. The Contrast Vaio laptop uses a foldable seamless OLED for the display and the keyboard, but as the videos show the keyboard can fade away and the whole thing can display something else. This concept has no restrictions on layout and size, and is extremely durable and shock resistant. Like the other Contrast product concepts, it is made of high performance flexible bioplastic.

This is a VAIO laptop that could happen in five to ten years, according to chatter overheard at CES. We have no idea if Sony is going to stay this course, but it is being prototyped in Sony labs so its a good indication that yes, we will have something very similar to this one day. We can assume that such a slim, almost paper thin design like this would be most certainly possible considering flash miniaturization and other component optimization. Enjoy.

* – A seldom discussed portion of Sony’s CES 2009 exhibit is a new series of products that is referred to as Contrast. This product line is the future of Sony, as it incorporates three main technologies: OLED, touch, and physical flexibility. There were three products displayed – a Flex OLED Walkman, Reader, and VAIO laptop. engadget had some real pictures, but they were just mockups. Now we’re bringing video to the table – video we were able to capture after CES was closed on day 2 that shows off the functionality of these new products.

OLED display capabilities in terms of color reproduction are far beyond the average LCD, which means 100% color reproduction across a wider viewing angle. Want to learn more about Flex OLED? Watch this.

This video is a Sony Insider exclusive, brought to you here first. Props to engadget for the IRL pics though.

VAIO P Gets Handled

AkihabaraNews were very lucky to get their mittens on VAIO P…. boxed! Yea, we know some of you are junkies for unboxing ceremonies, so check out the small box it comes in and very few contents that are included with it: Standard Capacity Battery (VGP-BPS15/B), AC Adapter(VGP-AC10V2), JP Warranty card and Manuals, as well as replacement rubber pointing stick caps. Just a note: the box you see in these pictures may not necessarily be the same when VAIO P hits US and EU shores. I noticed that sometimes Japanese packaging differs greatly from the rest of the world. US versions will be bundled with a Display/LAN adapter (VGP-DA10).
Hit the Flickr link to see all the goodness… I am sure a YouTube unboxing video will show up soon as well…

VAIO Movie Story, MusicBox And MediaPlus Show That Integrated Software Can Be Useful

During CES 2009, we found a VAIO setup that was showing off some of the various integrated software that comes with most modern VAIO desktops and laptops. The three main softwares included VAIO Movie Story, MusicBox, and MediaPlus. We had a Sony booth attendant at CES 2009 go over some of the functionality of each, so check it out!

VAIO Movie Story/MusicBox/Media Plus from Sony Insider on Vimeo.

Sony’s smart VAIO Movie Story distills complex movie production into three simple steps, freeing you from tedious hours spent mastering difficult and expensive video editing software. Simply import your video and photo data, choose a theme and soundtrack, and click Finish. VAIO Movie Story does the rest, generating a finished movie complete with smooth cinematic transitions, special effects and perfectly timed soundtrack. With support for a wide variety of video formats, VAIO Movie Story makes it easy to share your precious moments with others. You can even save movies in HD video for the ultimate viewing experience.

The intelligent VAIO MusicBox lets you listen only to music that fits (or changes) your mood. Simply select your desired mood from the 24 music channels and VAIO MusicBox automatically plays back the appropriate songs from your collection. VAIO MusicBox integrates with Sony’s SonicStage Mastering Studio Audio Filters, which automatically applies a preset sound enhancer to each song to deliver studio quality sound.

VAIO Media Plus is a software that emulates the XMB found on many Playstation products.

Sony is Auctioning its 007 Limited Edition VAIO

Sony is usually involved in a few charities and this time they came up with an idea to auction off one of its flagship VAIO TT series, i.e. the limited edtion VAIO TT with 007 logo. With only 100 in production, if you are a lucky bidder, you will get the seventh notebook in the series complete with an engraved 007 gun logo and matching leather carrying case. Sony will donate all proceeds from the auction to 1% For the Planet (www.onepercentfortheplanet.org/ ) — an alliance of businesses committed to creating a healthier environment. This special edition VAIO is outfitted with 64 GB of Solid State drive, so you know like Mr. Bond, you could quickly power it up and get access to your classified info.

Check it out on Ebay and if you just want to buy that notebook, head on to SonyStyle.com/Vaio007

Sony Japan Debuts VAIO TT series

It is interesting to learn that over the last year we learn about some new product being released first outside of Japan, and it used to be that Japan would be the first one to announce that something really tasty is coming out and will or will not be available in other territories. I can remember back when Sony USA released Locationfree products and one particular model LF-X11 has not appeared at Sony Japan doors at least 6 months after it’s been marketed here. Some products never see the light of being released in Japan at all, like Sony’s Entertainment Server HES-V1000 which is really well done aesthetically but lacks some really major technicalities you would expect from a $3500 Blu-ray server.

Not to digress too much, Sony Japan announced its new T series and as always their web design that promotes it and any other kind of VAIOs really shines and stands out! The most striking about this new series is its amazing designs offered on the lids of VAIO TT. I guess VAIO Japan reserves that type of exclusivity as you will not be able to get it anywhere else in the world. Not only it offers three variations like you might see in your area where this VAIO is sold: Premium Carbon, Burgundy Red, Grace Gold and Silky Black, but also following the TZ fashion you will be amazed with the following offerings: Royal Ornament, Fragrant Flower and Noble Textile.

Simple awesomeness!

I also noticed a few other differences you might be interested to learn: Japanese version of these series will offer Sound Reality chip instead of Intel HD Audio, and this VAIO also comes with OneSeg TV tuner conveniently built-in.

Interesting addition is Sony is marketing this VAIO with noise canceling headphones, I am sure could be pretty handy when you travel especially by plane.

VAIO TT Gets Reviewed

Laptop Magazine was lucky enough to get their hands on the latest Sony’s souped-up notebook VAIO VGN-TT198UBX. Overall upon their review this notebook earned 4 stars out of 5 as well as Editor’s Choice.

The notebook’s strengths were its LED backlit screen that produced nice blacks, solid performance due to dual 128 GB of Solid State Drives set in RAID 0 as well as long battery life and 4 Gigs of RAM. Laptop Magazine noted however its graphics card being not up to par on certain 3D renderings, “the integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics card was predictably weak when it came to rendering 3D titles. It maintained a relatively smooth 37 frames per second when running F.E.A.R. in autodetect mode (640 x 480-pixel resolution), but plummeted to just 4 frames per second at native resolution (1366 x 768)”.

Head over to the article and learn more about it if you are interested in getting one, however you will most likely will have to get a loan from a bank to own one of these babies.