Sony Micro PC with SSD can be yours for $1299

Jenn drops the news and a direct link to Buy.com which has the Sony UX-390N available in limited quantities for $1,299. At this point in the small form-factor market, there are a number of competing choices at various price points, but if you've been lusting after Sony UX device, you've got an attractive deal waiting for you. This is the Core Solo unit running at 1.33 GHz and includes the 32 GB SDD drive for storage as well as the port replicator. It includes 1 GB of RAM and comes with Microsoft Windows Vista Business.

Sony VAIO UX390N for $1,299 at Woot!

If nothing at CES tickled your mobile fancy, then perhaps an old favorite at a killer price might be attractive. How about a Sony VAIO UX390N with Windows Vista Business for $1,299 today at Woot! You'll likely need to hurry because you know the drill: when they're gone, they're gone.

The UX390N is the 1.33 GHz, Intel Core Solo model with a 32 GB SSD drive. The 4.5-inch touchscreen shows an eye-straining 1024 x 600 res but I have bad eyes, so I'm biased. A gig of RAM and integrated 802.11 a/b/g, Bluetooth and EDGE are inside as well. Looks like the standard battery only; no extended battery, so you may want to consider that as a future accessory purchase. Oh, and don't forget the Sony VAIO UX series has the slide-up screen and 64 button keypad. That can come in handy if you don't want to use the Tablet PC support in Vista Business.

(via Micro PC Talk)

Sony VAIO UX line upgraded with new CPU, 64 GB SSD option

Recent Intel processor announcements all but guaranteed that this would happen: Sony is giving the UX-series an update in the form of new Core 2 Solo-driven models. Also available for those seeking to save some battery while gaining faster disk access speeds is a 64 GB SSD option. According to Akihabara News the new UX- models are -72, -92 and -92NS. Look for availability next month in Asia although I'd expect that the typical importing options will be available as well. No word on pricing, which I'm curious to see: how much does that 64 GB SSD drive add to the cost?

Sony VAIO UX1 video overview: The Digital Lifestyle

The Sony VAIO UX-series still amazes me in terms of performance; the original Sony UMPCs from a few years back still perform as good as (if not better than) current devices. Fellow MVP Ian Dixon tested a UX1 for a few weeks and put together a nice video overview of the unit. This is the Intel Core Solo device running at 1.33 GHz combined with a 32 GB SSD flash drive, which explains why Vista appears to run very smoothly in Ian's video. Ian's also a Samsung Q1 owner and provides a nice size comparison between the two devices early in the program. If you haven't seen a Sony VAIO UX1 in action, or if you just haven't seen a UX in a while and missed Vista running on one, now's your chance. Apple iPhone owners will particularly appreciate Ian's demo of the zoom functionality: it's the same zoom and screen panning approach that Apple uses for the mobile Safari browser. The only difference is that you don't have to hit a hardware zoom button...

I miss the Sony U, what's next?

The past couple of weeks I've been really missing the Sony U71 (don't worry Ron, I'm not going to ask for it back).  I have spent quite some time trying to figure out why, after all I have no shortage of cool gadgets to play with use productively.  I have come to the conclusion that there is nothing more useful for me than the ability to pick up a device in my hand, head out the door and still have a complete computer to do anything I might need to do while I am running around.  That need was filled very well by the Sony U and I miss that portability.  I find that even UMPCs are too big for that kind of mobility, I really need a handheld device.  Based on my thinking I have been looking around to see what device(s) are out there currently that might work.  Sadly, I haven't found any.

Coffee break- first Sony UX in the wild sighted

I know it's not a new device, in fact the guy in the coffee shop where I'm currently hanging my hat bought it six months ago but it is the first time I have seen a Sony UX in use in the trenches ever.  He's getting good battery life because when I asked him how long the battery lasts he honestly didn't know.  He carries the UX on his belt and uses it in the field daily and when he pops in a coffee shop he plugs it into the wall and tops off the battery.  Doing this he says means he never runs out during the day.  He was entering a lot of data into a spreadsheet using the integrated keyboard and tiny screen when I ran into him.  He was also using an iGo power adapter and that thing was really small, even smaller than the Sony adapter.  Too bad I don't have a camera with me or I would have taken a photo of it.

Mac OS X on the Sony UX: an Apple in one hand

Once we saw refurbished Sony UXs for around a grand, I thought I had seen it all for the UX. Nope, not by a long shot. One adventurous owner decided that he wanted Mac OS X on his handheld device and he was kind enough to document the entire process, step-by-step. sev7en as he goes by, has pages of documentation to get that little Sony running; he's even got the touchscreen working with ink and a third party on-screen keyboard! Bear in mind that if you plan to try an OS X install on non-Apple hardware, you might be skirting some legal issues, but allegedly, it's OK for an Apple developer to do so. You're on your own there....here's another shot:

Refurbished Sony UX make for affordable gadgets

jkOnTheRun reader Hector Gomez has pointed to some refurbished UMPCs at Clearance Club which might be just the ticket for those on a budget.  I just went to the web site and they have a lot of the Sony UX models with integrated WWAN for prices as low as $1099.  I don't know much about Clearance Club so if anyone has comments to share with the group that would be great.

Sony UX bundle...with a keyboard?

I found this semi-amusing but of value to someone shopping for a Sony UX handheld. So many folks touted the UX as a much better ultra-mobile computer solution than the Origami spec'd devices because it has an integrated keyboard. I ask those folks: how long have you used that keyboard? I tried it and it's as usable as the keyboard on my XV 6700 smartphone, meaning: it's a good thumb-board for minimal data entry. If I need to type anything longer than 4 or 5 sentences, I'm better off with a full size keyboard where I can touch-type and save time.

I wonder if Sony actually agrees with that: Micro PC Talk found a Sony UX bundle that gets you a Sony UX-280P and includes a fold-up Bluetooth keyboard for $1,799. The keyboard looks like a re-badged ThinkOutside keyboard, which is a solid piece of equipment.

Sony UX-380N available: how many UX's do we need?

Jenn from Pocketables shot me a note last night about an eleventh Sony UX model: the UX-380N. She says, "Other than the UX380N's 40GB hard drive and silver casing, it is identical to the UX390N". A quick trip to the SonyStyle store verifies Jenn's observations and you can order this handheld for $1999 direct.

My question is: when is enough essentially enough? Why have eleven or more models with different designations? Is that helping or hurting sales? Does it add confusion to a niche market that's already confused by the purpose of these devices? I'm no marketing genius, but I'd consider just a few products in the same line and allow for consumer customization. You know it's bad when you need this kind of comparison chart to tell the difference between all of these UX's!