Sony unveils Macbook ...I mean VAIO N for the home ?!

[tkermit]

Look at that: http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20060914PR203.html -

I'll see if there are some more pictures but that white one sure looks similar to the Macbook :) . Actually sounds good though.

[Danksi]

Why has babysh*t brown suddenly become popular?

http://www.digitimes.com/NewsShow/20060914PR203_files/2_r.jpg

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2006/09/ms-zune-1.jpg

[Scarlet Fever]

There is a maximum of 128MB of DDR2-533 memory.wtf... that can't be right... there is no way that could run vista.

i don't care when products try to compete with Apple, i hate it when they make products or name products that look and sound like Apple (that VAIO N looks like a macbook, and iRiver couldn't have gotten their name without Apple influence)

[Danksi]

wtf... that can't be right... there is no way that could run vista

I assumed it were a typo - as that could hardly run XP!

[tkermit]

The mainstream mac media is drawing some attention to it now ,too:

Sony copies Apple Macbook with shockingly derivative VAIO N10 (http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/10993/)

At first sight I thought it looked cool, but now that I see up-close pictures it looks like a cheap imitation. Definitely seems like they at least tried to copy the Macbook design though :eek: :

http://www.macdailynews.com/gfx/article_gfx/060920_sony_knockoff.jpg

[Warbrain]

Cheap imitation until you see the disgusting layout of ports and vents on the sides.

[iMeowbot]

wtf... that can't be right... there is no way that could run vista.
It is a mistake. It comes with 1GB RAM, expandable to 2.

spec sheet (http://news.sel.sony.com/documents/consumer/computer_peripheral/notebooks/VGN-N130GWspec1.pdf) (PDF).

[tkermit]

Cheap imitation until you see the disgusting layout of ports and vents on the sides.

yeah, I didn't mean that in a positive way.
What I don't get is that other than Apple I have yet to see another maker of computer products that manages to achieve a look in their products that makes them seem to belong to the sphere of good "interior design" products - like really well designed chairs and tables (actually Sony in some cases comes close).
With other companies all they ever seem to be able to pull off is to design a good-looking tech product.
Most companies seem to design their (computer) products (only) for "geeks" (no negative connotation here) - that's fine, but the general population doesn't belong to that group.

Apple designs their products for (all) human beings first and foremost.

At least, that's what Apple's design means to me. It's not supposed to be seen as a "computer product" (in the original sense) but as a part of your natural living space.

edit: I just realized that I'm more or less reciting one of Sony's own press releases for this laptop ... irony ? In more than one way, probably

edit2 (I hope incessant editing isn't against the rules or something ... :) - All of this just started a larger train of thought regarding Apple's whole design philosophy that would really deserve its own thread (especially since this is more about the technical side of operating system design), but I just had to add the idea here: It feels like e.g. the Linux community approaches OS-design by putting available technical tools to use and seeing what results out of that, keeping the best results - e.g. Apple on the other hand thinks about what the results should be and then uses the technical tools to get there in a very efficient and clean way. I see the same thing happening in their hardware design: What kind of product do we want to achieve ? What are the best ways to get there. With some other products it seems like they put all kinds of hardware together and then started thinking about how they could make it look nice. Anyone still with me here ?

[rtdgoldfish]

Why has babysh*t brown suddenly become popular?

I had the same question when I saw that Zune picture. Maybe they are thinking "our product will be a peice of crap, might as well make it look like one too."

[iVersa]

I was just about to post this same topic

High res press images at the bottem...

http://www.sony-europe.com/PageView.do?section=en_EU_Press&pressrelease=1158155174078&site=odw_en_EU&page=PressReleaseDetail

[Sesshi]

I'll bet it'll work better than a Macbook and won't have anywhere near the issues on shipping, but man... what a rip-off. Mainstream media will have fun with this as they love kicking people when they're down :D

[sunfast]

That is crazy! Still, I guess imitation is flattery :)

[dcv]

Um, so it's a white or partly-white notebook. How does that make it a MacBook exactly? :confused: :rolleyes:

[emotion]

If you have to have a PC laptop (for work etc) then it's nice to see at least some care being taken wth the design. When you look around for a PC laptop 1) you realise how expensive PC laptops are and 2) how aweful most laptop designs are compared to Apple.

I think brown is nice. My new bike is brown with black parts, looks sleek :)

[Sesshi]

Um, so it's a white or partly-white notebook. How does that make it a MacBook exactly? :confused: :rolleyes:

Well it looks very similar in overall execution, and even Windows Fanboy here thinks that looks like they looked at a MBP and an MB and said "**** we're out of ideas, let's just mix these up". The keys look kind of similar too, although this is shared with the other Sony laptops which have a style of their own like my SZ2VP.

[shawnjooste]

So basically, Sony looked at Apple and thought, damn, everyone loves their stuff, so they thought they would make a laptop that looks the same, but basically they didn't pull it off.

When I got my PowerBook, the first thing that stuck me was the very neat way that all the ports are grouped on one side. Other laptops have ports all the way round and you spend your life trying to find the right port to use.

[MacBoobsPro]

The mainstream mac media is drawing some attention to it now ,too:

Sony copies Apple Macbook with shockingly derivative VAIO N10 (http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/10993/)

At first sight I thought it looked cool, but now that I see up-close pictures it looks like a cheap imitation. Definitely seems like they at least tried to copy the Macbook design though :eek: :

http://www.macdailynews.com/gfx/article_gfx/060920_sony_knockoff.jpg

How thin and flaky is that keyboard? :D I would be scared of pressing the buttons incase my finger bends the keys and I poke the CPU.

I think im gonna.... EEEEUUUUUURRRRRGGGGGHHHH.... burp! :D

Sorry, im bored!

[mdntcallr]

my god... what a blatant ripoff

[squirrelonfire]

it don't matter if it looks like an Apple or not, it is still a pC. and a Pc can and cannot do what apple does.
Apple is built for functionality and Windows was built for functionality too but apparently it seems like it has failed.
If I want functionality, I would buy an Apple. But if I want an apple look only, i might just waste some cash on that Sony, i get the look of the apple and the "hack box"

[Sesshi]

How thin and flaky is that keyboard? :D I would be scared of pressing the buttons incase my finger bends the keys and I poke the CPU.

I think im gonna.... EEEEUUUUUURRRRRGGGGGHHHH.... burp! :D

Sorry, im bored!


If it's anything like the SZ2 keyboard which looks remarkably familiar, it's a great-feeling, quiet keyboard. It looked odd to me at first but I really like the SZ2's keyboard - more than the Macbook Pro. It may not look like it but there's a decent amount of travel.

On closer examination, I do think it's the same keys as the SZ2 - which would be excellent.

[HecubusPro]

my god... what a blatant ripoff

And yet, it sill does not look as good as a mac.

[BrianSalts]

I dont think they ripped off the keyboard, because sony has been doing that long before apple started doin that.

however.. they are the only company that i've seen so far take design cues from apple and still make their laptops look archaic and ugly.

[PCMacUser]

So basically, Sony looked at Apple and thought, damn, everyone loves their stuff, so they thought they would make a laptop that looks the same, but basically they didn't pull it off.

When I got my PowerBook, the first thing that stuck me was the very neat way that all the ports are grouped on one side. Other laptops have ports all the way round and you spend your life trying to find the right port to use.
Sony have been making laptops that look like this LONG BEFORE Apple made the Macbook. Doesn't anybody remember? The Sony S Series for example. A 13" widescreen laptop...

Next when Apple make a carbon fibre laptop, everyone here will claim that they are the first...