Sony Says Vaio W Is a Mini-Notebook, Not a Netbook

Sony on Tuesday unveiled the Vaio W PC. Many observers are pegging it as a late-to-the-game netbook.

Sony describes the Vaio W as a mini-notebook ideal as a secondary PC to surf the Web, check e-mail, and interact with friends and family on social-networking sites. The W comes in three colors — berry pink, sugar white, and cocoa brown. It will be available in August in time for back-to-school sales.

“The W Series lets you quickly look something up online, whether searching for a recipe in the kitchen or relaxing on your recliner — there’s no need to trudge upstairs to your office,” said Mike Abary, senior vice president of the Vaio business group at Sony. “And it’s sturdy enough for the kids to use, making it perfect for every member of the family.”

Not a Netbook

The Vaio W is heavy on features. It offers a high-resolution, 1366×768, LED backlit 10.1-inch ultrawide display that allows users to view two full Web pages side by side without having to scroll back and forth.

The PC comes with a 160GB hard drive and Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition. It also features an isolated keyboard with what Sony describes as “springy” keys that aim to make it comfortable and easy to use.

Although many observers see the Vaio W as a netbook, Roger Kay, principal analyst at Endpoint Technologies Associates, said netbooks are much cheaper and more simplified. The Vaio W, he said, is somewhere below a standard ultraportable and priced as such at $500.

“Sony has always tried to offer premium products in all categories. That strategy has worked very well in recent years,” Kay said. “Sony’s market share in the U.S. has dwindled. They still show up in the U.S. ranked seven out of the top 10, but their market share was down to 3.6 percent in…