Gizmo Coded Name

The VAIO Z-Series offers executives and professionals the ultimate in uncompromised mobility. The design was evolved directly from user experience, ensuring rigorous practicality behind the matchless visual appeal. Sony’s engineering and craftsmanship deliver superlative functionality from a remarkably portable platform based on a uniquely compact 12-layer motherboard. The provision of VAIO “everywair” WWAN technology on selected models means that ultra-fast mobile broadband speeds of up to 7.2Mbps are possible using HSDPA mobile data networks. So on the move, there really is no compromise.

“This is the culmination of ten years of VAIO innovation,” said Hidetoshi Takigawa, Marketing Director for VAIO of Europe. “Incorporating feedback from our discerning and highly demanding customers, the VAIO Z embodies everything the brand stands for – cutting edge excellence in technology, exceptional ergonomics and bold, iconic design. This is a notebook everyone would be proud to own.”

Every aspect of the physical design of the VAIO Z has been refined to a perfect blend of form and function. Internally, the unique, custom-designed 12-layer motherboard means a smaller footprint, still further reduced by additional component miniaturization. The case is constructed from advanced carbon fiber materials typically associated with the world of F1 racing and the aerospace industry. This means tremendous strength yet remarkable portability: the VAIO Z weighs less than 1.5kg but is tested to withstand a drop of up to 72cm while operational and up to 90cm when powered down.

The keyboard looks outstanding thanks to a single, beautifully brush-finished aluminum panel through which the keys rise, and which also forms the palm rest. The precision engineered ‘isolation’ key spacing and delicately concave key surfaces mean typing is fast, accurate and comfortable. A positive but silent action places the final seal of quality on this vital aspect of the notebook.

The unique look of the VAIO Z owes much to the cylindrical hinge between the body and the screen. This provides an ergonomic and secure grip for carrying, while internally it serves as the holding space for the battery. With impeccable design logic, the end caps house the power cable input and power button respectively. The button itself glows elegantly in emerald green when the system is active and pulses gently orange when in standby, artfully complementing the overall styling.

The range features an advanced display that combines LED illumination for extended battery life with a true 16:9 wide screen formats that eliminates the letterbox effect when viewing wide screen movies. The screen has a super-slim bezel so it delivers a generous 13.1-inch viewable diagonal and lots of workspace thanks to its native WXGA++ (1600 x 900) resolution.

Sony’s X-black LCD display enhancement technology boosts brightness and contrast and ensures vivid colors, and the panel delivers 100% colour fidelity – equivalent to 100% of the NTSC format color space – so colors really are true to life. Even the surface finish has been improved to better resist scratching and reduce reflection, ensuring durability and maximum viewing comfort.

In order to boost battery life as much as possible, the VAIO Z has a special Stamina Mode switch which allows the user to select between two graphics chipsets. You can choose between lightning fast 3D performance delivered by the NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS GPU or high stamina using integrated Intel graphics. When performance graphics are not required, extended battery life of over 5 hours is possible. This can be all done while the machine is turned on.

General performance is assured thanks to the combination of potent Intel Core 2 Duo processors and the new Intel Centrino 2 platform. This boosts everything from multitasking and memory speed to battery life, and assures extremely reliable wireless networking.

To ensure seamless wireless operation, VAIO Smart Network technology allows you to switch between WWAN (3G) networks and WLAN wireless hot spots (802.11 a/b/g/Draft n) – without turning the computer off.

A special model, designated VGN-Z11VN/X, will be available exclusively online from the Sony Style Store. To find out more about this and many other Sony Style Store exclusives, please go to the website at www.sonystyle-europe.com.