The First Blu-Ray Laptop
By SebA few days ago I came across an article talking about Sony’s new AR range of laptops, and when I saw the specification I was taken back. The Sony VAIO AR11S features (full specs available here):
- Intel Core Duo 2Ghz T2500 CPU
- 200GB (2×100GB HDDs in RAID 0)
- 1GB DDR2 667Mhz RAM
- Rewritable Blu-Ray Disc Drive
- TV Tuner (Freeview/Analog)
- Windows Media Centre 2005
- 256MB nVidia 7600GT
- 17″ X-Black TFT Screen
- HDMI Out (High Definition TV Cable)
- Media Centre Remote and Receiver
The Blu-Ray discs can store about 50GB of data 
(about 10x what a standard DVD can hold at the moment) and is the new format Sony is backing to store high-definition film and television media.
In my opinion, it looks really good and comes complete with a webcam in the lid! On the downside, it is big and heavy - but what do you expect from its RAW POWER!!! And this cool laptop will set you back £1,999 (although it’s on SavaStore for £1781 here). It’s coming out in the UK sometime in mid-June (a date hasn’t been confirmed by Sony yet) so get saving!!! 
May 25th, 2006 at 10:09 pm
That does have a nice spec, but lets compare it to the MacBook Pro just to be geekish.
For £1,899.00 (highest end macbook pro) you get:
17-inch widescreen display
1680 x 1050 resolution
2.16GHz Intel Core Duo (1)
1GB (single SODIMM) 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM
120GB 5400-rpm Serial ATA hard drive
8x double-layer SuperDrive
ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 with 256MB GDDR3 memory
One FireWire 400, one FireWire 800, and three USB 2.0 ports
I’d go for the sony
- I will say one thing though, I wouldn’t get too excited about this. It’s only a sign of things to come, and many of the features of this laptop already exist in others. Frankly there is nothing special about the brand Sony and I never really understood why people would do an Apple thing and go out spending extra money just because it’s Sony. I bet you when this comes out there will be a different brand with a cheaper price.
May 27th, 2006 at 10:24 pm
well i doubt that cheaper brand will have the blu ray Rewritable feature, well not for the moment
May 28th, 2006 at 11:20 am
By the way everyone - BOYCOTT BLU-RAY AND HD!!! Make sure you read everything before you come crying back with some stupid response.
May 29th, 2006 at 9:19 pm
nice… bit expensive tho
May 29th, 2006 at 10:46 pm
Remember, BlueRay comes from the company which installs root chips into music CD’s of the Sony BMG label. This means as soon as you insert it into your PC they are potentially watching you, what you listen to and your music habits. That is one reason why I don’t trust Sony. Saying that, I do have Sony MP3 Walkman, but this was before I found out
I can’t say much for HD since I know nothing about it, but it seems like just another fad.
One more thing, Sony’s PS3 will only allow you to play BR discs if you buy the better model (not the standard). Also a host of other letdowns in this department too. Summed up in two words- rip off.
May 29th, 2006 at 11:29 pm
Hense the Boycott Blu-Ray and HD link above
Qasim - you know that using a program like Zone Alarm (firewall app) you can physically block a programs access to the internet - I wouldn’t worry too much about Sony watching you, they have better things to do.
If you read into this new technology they’re working on introducing with the new Blu-Ray and possibly HD you will see that what you’re describing isn’t too far off at all.
The PS3 is a different matter, but yeah - they are way overpricing it - read this article that got slashdotted.
November 5th, 2006 at 1:04 pm
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