Sony Unveils World's First 16.4-Inch Wide Multimedia Notebook

Sony today unveiled the VAIO® FW notebook -- a multimedia PC that displays HD movies the way they were meant to be seen.

Part of a series, the VAIO FW notebook comes in multiple configurations, including a premium and a standard model. The premium model plays Blu-ray Disc™ high-definition content like movies in full 1080 HD resolution when connected to a compatible HDTV. It can also record, store and play back personal content on high-capacity BD media.

Weighing a little over six pounds, the FW notebook features the world's first 16.4-inch display, which combines the benefits of a slightly larger 17- inch widescreen with the smaller "footprint" of a 15.4-inch model.

The display is ideal for Blu-ray Disc movies. Since many HD films are shot with a 16:9 aspect ratio, the unit's extra-wide LCD is constructed with the same dimensions. This minimizes the black bars that typically appear, letting you view movies in their intended format.

The extended workspace also lets you view two full websites at once or compare two documents side-by-side without tabbing back and forth.

Combined with Sony's patented XBRITE-HiColor™ LCD technology on select models, the display delivers razor-sharp details, bold colors and glare-free viewing.

For those who prefer to watch content on a big screen television, the unit also has an HDMI™ output connector so you can connect to a high-definition TV set for a larger viewing experience.

"This PC is a multimedia masterpiece thoughtfully crafted to help consumers enjoy the full excitement of HD," said Mike Abary, senior vice president of VAIO product marketing at Sony Electronics. "It's a shining example of how cutting-edge technologies can be brought together to unlock a world of high-definition entertainment."

The notebook is powered by new Intel® Centrino® 2 technology, the chipset designed for sizzling performance, instant system responsiveness and energy efficiency. Select units come pre-installed with the Windows Vista® Ultimate operating system.

The series comes with three entertainment software applications. Offerings include VAIO Movie Story software -- an easy way to produce your own high- quality home movies, VAIO MusicBox software -- a fun way to enjoy music based on your mood, and Click to Disc/Editor software -- for easy DVD/BD video- editing and creation.

The model also includes VAIO Media software, a DLNA-enabled media sharing application that lets you wirelessly stream content stored on your PC throughout your home network. Movies, music and digital still images can be streamed from the notebook to a PLAYSTATION® 3 or VAIO Home Theater PC that is connected to a TV for big-screen enjoyment.

The PC is equipped with plenty of slots, ports and jacks, including a Memory Stick® media/SD card slot, three USB ports, an i.LINK® IEEE-1394 port, microphone and headphone jack, and a 34mm ExpressCard® slot making it easy to transfer files from external devices.

With the notebook's integrated Wireless-N technology, also known as 802.11n, you can wirelessly surf the web, e-mail and stream HD content with greater range and reliability than ever before when connected to a compatible hotspot.

Most FW models are Energy Star 4.0 compliant and incorporate such eco- conscious features as powder coating, which is a painting technique that is solvent-free. Sony also recycles old PCs (http://www.sony.com/recycle).

Available in titanium gray and powder white, the FW standard model starts at about $1,000, while the FW premium will go for around $1,750. The VAIO FW series will be available online at http://www.sony.com/pr/fw. They will also be sold at Sony Style® stores and select retailers around the country starting later this month.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

SOURCE: Sony Electronics Inc.

CONTACT: Jon Piazza of Sony Electronics Inc., +1-310-498-5254,
jon.piazza@am.sony.com; or Caitlin McCabe of Ruder Finn, +1-646-220-2261,
mccabec@ruderfinn.com, for Sony Electronics Inc.

Web site: http://www.sony.com/news