What happened to the Sony Vaio P, the pocket laptops that proposed a new concept of portable computing

Laptops have changed significantly since their inception. Osborne 1 in 1981 He weighed about 11 kg, had a 5-inch CRT monitor and ran a command-line operating system called CP/M 2.2. It is no secret that the computer was very small and portable, and moving around with it was like carrying a small sewing machine.

If we jump back in time a decade and land in 1991, we find the Apple PowerBook 100, one of the Cupertino company’s first laptops. At that time, the popular IBM ThinkPad line also appeared, distinguished by its “compact” design, power and, above all, by running the Microsoft Windows operating system.

Over time, the concept of what a laptop should be has become well defined. Play each plant with items like Design and featuresAlthough it is on the fringes of this category. And of course we find products for all tastes. From professional equipment to gaming. do you remember Alienware area-51 m9750?

Sony, pocket laptop concept and Sony Vaio P series

There was a time when Sony, which had been around in the computing world for quite some time, thought it could bring a new concept of portable computing to the computer market. It wasn’t a laptop per se, but rather a “pocket” laptop. It was essentially a “lifestyle PC” product centered around extreme portability and attractive design.

The Japanese company called its new series of computers the Sony Vaio P and launched the first generation in 2009, the same year laptops started taking off. So we can buy those dates Small laptopwhich was actually much larger than any standard pocketbook, for €999, with very modest hardware features.

8-inch screen, Intel Atom processor, 2GB RAM, storage space between 60GB HDD and 128GB SSD (there were mid-range versions), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G connectivity via SIM card. There was also a top-of-the-line TrackPoint center button for the Lenovo ThinkPad. Personality, as we say, was key, so the range came in four colours: black, white, red, or green.

At the operating system level, some devices were running Windows 7, while others were running Windows Vista. Remember that the latest operating system from Microsoft is outdated Many resourcesforcing many users to choose to install previous versions and even consider switching to Linux to get better performance from the Sony Vaio P. Something very similar was happening with laptops with limited hardware.

In 2010, Sony renewed its pocket laptop proposal with a renewed design that debuted with more vibrant colors, which extended throughout the device until it reached the keyboard. The Sony Vaio P More style than everBut it’s also been updated on the inside. In addition to having a more powerful Atom processor, it came with an accelerometer and GPS.

Despite all these improvements, the device carried over some aspects of the first generation, which may have hurt its commercial success. It was much more expensive than a laptop and, by comparison, provided similar or less good performance. Likewise, its small dimensions greatly limit usage scenarios.

When the pocket laptop was still trying to find its place in the crowd, the world was embracing it more tightly Smartphone concept. Devices like the iPhone 4, HTC Desire, and Samsung Galaxy S are powerful and versatile. The original iPad, for its part, was crowned as the ideal device for content consumption.

It was precisely in 2010 when Sony decided to discontinue the Vaio P series once and for all. Time has changed. Laptops are still laptops, and smartphones are still smartphones, even though they look a lot like computers. For years, with more or less freedom, We can turn our Android phones into a ‘PC’.

Images: Sony

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