The good folks at Dynamism are all over the soon to be released Sony UX Micro PC and in typical Dynamism fashion have several different configurations available for pre-order.  There are three different models offered, two Japanese models and one American model.  The Japanese models are converted to English by Dynamism, a solid process they have employed on many different Japanese products they sell in the US.  The three models break down like this:

UX90S– 1.2 GHz Intel Core Solo, 512 MB RAM, 30 GB HDD, Intel Graphics 128 MB shared memory, 4.5” screen @ 1024×600, external resolution up to 1600 x 1200, Memorystick Duo slot, CF slot, 1 USB port, dock, 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth 2.0, integrated keyboard, battery life 4.5 hours, AC Adapter, dock, soft carrying case, stylus, VGA/LAN adapter, strap, Windows XP Pro Home

UX50– same as above except with a 1.06 GHz Intel Core Solo

UX180P– same as above except native English with 1.2 GHz Intel Core Solo, integrated EDGE via Cingular SIM, no CF slot.

The two Japanese models (UX50, UX90S) have a Sony release date of May 27th and the American model (UX180P) has a Sony US release date of mid July.  Dynamism has a number of packages some of which include a DVD+RW portable drive.  If you just can’t wait until mid July to grab a Sony UX in the US you don’t have to wait, just get one from Dynamism.  I have dealt with them for years and their customer service and support is top notch.

-jk

All together now, repeat after me:

The Sony UX Micro PC is not an Origami/ UMPC as defined by Microsoft and the OEMs.  It does not come with the Tablet Edition nor the Touch Pack software.  I intend to call the UX what I have always called the Sony U devices– ultra-portable PCs (UPCs).  This may confuse some but I didn’t name the Origami the UMPC, which is not really a name to begin with but a genre of computer.

OK, I feel better now. 

-jk

Looking for a virtual hands-on 360-degree tour of the new Sony VAIO UX-series? I did some digging on Sony’s Japanese UX pages and found quite a dandy here.

The video is interactive and allows you manipulate the device via moving the hand with the stylus. Some of the takeaways I got from playing with the video demo:

• The device supports screen rotation, which will make it great for reading digital eBook and magazine content.
• The device does NOT have any HDMI ports as some folks are claiming. There’s no mention of HDMI in the official specs from Sony and why would you want HDMI anyway? You won’t be pumping any 1080p video or 7.1 digital audio out of this.
• There is a single USB port as well as a CF slot. These appear for non-U.S. models; the Sony specs indicate 3 USB ports and do not mention a CF slot. – Thanks Jeff!
• It appears that this device is well vented; there are grille slots on the top, bottom, back and one side.
• Some stylus or pen-gestures are included: swiping the pen from right to left activates a "back" command in the browser; likewise, a right to left swipe is a "forward". Up and down swipes control the device volume.
• The Sony UX works with an optional GPS receiver (shown); in the video demo, you can see a web browser open to a map that is tracking the device in what looks to be real time.
• The camera on the back of the device will capture full motion video. (You have to see this in the demo as a person in a bear costume walks behind the camera and waves. Quite funny!)

You probably won’t make out most of the text in the video, (unless your Japanese reading skills are up to par), however, the interactive video is intuitive enough to easily navigate around.

- kct

Sharp eyed Kevin Tofel noted:

Now that the details of the new Sony UX Micro PC have been released two things are clear.  First this device is NOT an Origami/ UMPC device since it doesn’t meet the requirements of that device and it does not have the Tablet Edition nor the Microsoft Touch Pack installed.  It runs Windows XP Pro and comes bundled with ritePen, just like the U750P.  Of course, it won’t be long until the early adopters install the Tablet Edition on the device and others will just wait for the release of Vista which will include the Tablet bits.

The second thing that is clear to me is that the UX Micro PC (UXMPC?) is a total OQO killer.  If I worked at OQO I would be shaking in my boots right about now.  Why do I say that?  Genuine Intel Core Solo processor.  Backlit keyboard.  Dual camera, one for web camming and the other for taking photos.  Integrated stand on the back of the Sony for easier use with an external keyboard.  WiFi, Bluetooth and EDGE.  While EDGE is not as fast as EVDO having it integrated right into the device will make up for the speed difference.  Totally connected anywhere.  Vaio launcher, Sony’s answer to the UMPC Touch Pack.  Fingerprint reader to make corporate security types happy.  Real dock with ports and everything.  Joystick and mouse buttons on the front of the device.  Super scroll button.  $1800.  Almost the same size as the OQO.  SVGA.  See ya, OQO.  We hardly knew ya.

-jk

Sony has the official press release available and a bunch of videos of the Vaio UX Micro PC in action. previous reports of a 7 inch screen running at 1024 x 600 were totally incorrect as the UX sports a 4.5 XBRITE running at 800 x 600. It works on the Cingular EDGE network and also has WiFi and Bluetooth. The slide-out keyboard is backlit making this a real OQO killer.  The official UX website is on Sony Japan.

-jk

CNET has published a preview of the Sony UX180P and surprisingly there is not much information that hasn’t already leaked.  They claim it has a 4.5 inch screen running natively at 1024 x 600 which we have heard before but that is going to be too small to use for any length of time I’m afraid.  Text is going to be extremely tiny on this screen so I will have to see it for myself to see how usable it will be.  The CNET article also says the screen is 3.5 inches in one place so who knows what the final dimension will actually be.  There is a stylus as I figured there must be even though some have reported there is no stylus which makes no sense for a touchscreen.  All in all this device looks really sweet, although the EDGE integration is not going to be fast enough for true power users.  Other than that the specs are very impressive and match what has already been reported.  I should point out though that contrary to what CNET is reporting with Windows XP Professional this is NOT an Origami/ UMPC.  This is going to get confusing very quickly.

A jkOnTheRun reader who wishes to remain anonymous just sent me these photos of the secret Sony Vaio ultra-portable.  When I blow up the first photo I see that this baby has Bluetooth, WiFi and WWAN!

The second photo reveals that Sony just won’t give up on the Memory Stick media that everyone hates.  It also has an interesting "Capture" button.

The next photo shows the new Vaio with the QWERTY keyboard extended and a couple of zoom buttons on the right side of the screen.

This last photo shows the device from the front. Notice what appears to be a square joystick nubbin on the upper right side. The slider switch on the lower left is a wireless on/ off switch.  This device is getting more interesting by the minute.:)

This last photo shows the docking station which appears very similar to the Sony U dock with VGA, Firewire, and USB slots.

UPDATE:  Sony has just updated the teaser site and it now ends with a question "is it red, green, or blu?"  Could this be implying Blu-Ray support of some kind?  It says all will be revealed on 5/16.

-jk

Sony has borrowed a page from the Origami marketing campaign and has been running a teaser video for the past few days.  They are adding a little bit of information each day and it has certain segments all a-twitter at the possibility of a new Sony ultra-portable device.  The teaser URL indicates the campaign is a “AR_UX teaser” which is interesting as the UX model designation was the same as the now defunct Sony Clie PDA line.  The flash video states “New from Sony VAIO” so whatever this device is will be from the Vaio product line and a lot of people are buzzing about a new Sony UX device.  The device in the video snippets has a fingerprint reader and Motion Eye and looks to be a small slate device of some sort.  I will keep an eye out on this campaign and let you know how it unfolds.  Interestingly, the teaser is in English and the teaser is running on the Sony US web site so this is aimed at the US I would think.  Here are some screen captures from the video but you need to watch it to see the image of the fingerprint reader and front of the screen.  Someone posted on a user’s group that the UX has motion eye, a flash hard drive, slide-out keyboard in addition to the biometric fingerprint reader.  A flash HDD indicates a PDA rather than a full ultra-portable PC but I guess we will soon know.  The sketch below shows the sliding keyboard.

-jk

jkOnTheRun will be coming up on its two year anniversary in just a few weeks and it has been a wild ride.  The readership has grown astronomically during that time and it never ceases to amaze me how many people come to the site each day for a mobile tech fix.  Since there are new visitors almost every day I thought I’d publish a list of the 10 11 most popular articles (based on page views) on jkOnTheRun in case anyone missed them.  These articles run the gamut from mobile tech (of course) to some more personal ones that I have written.  I think all of them are just as pertinent today as they were when published.  Enjoy them as much as I enjoy writing for jkOTR. 

UPDATE:  I don’t know how I missed one of the articles that got Slashdotted so I’ve added it and changed it to the top 11.  The added article is the second on this list.

Sony U-70 review- is that a PC in your pocket?

FCC pics of the IBM Thinkpad Tablet PC- First look at the Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet PC

A typical day for jkOnTheRun– a glimpse in a work day with a VGA Pocket PC as the main tool

A typical day with the Sony U70– updated look at a work day with an ultra-portable PC

From the Heart– my chronicle of emergency open heart surgery from the patient’s view

The Untapped Tablet PC Market– call to OEMs and Microsoft for a mini-Tablet PC

How to easily copy music from your iPod to your Windows iTunes music library– just what it says

Windows XP Recovery Console- the ultra-portables best friend– recovering from OS problems without an optical drive

Triple jkOTR Review- Complete desktop in your pocket– not the smallest desktop anymore but pretty darn close

Sitting down with DualCor Technologies at the CES– still not released yet but a nice machine

jkOTR review- Sharp Zaurus SL-C3000– Linux-based PDA with a hard drive