July 18, 2007
John Aebi-Magee

Sony expects to begin shipping the new VAIO® TZ Series Notebook PC on July 31, 2007. Customers may order online direct from Sony for August delivery. The lightest configuration of the TZ Series will weigh 2.6 pounds thanks to the optional ultra-quick flash memory that replaces the traditional hard drive.

Billed as a "Limited Edition" the TZ body is constructed from ultralight carbon-fiber. The carbon-fiber casing provides superior protection against impact shocks and torqued movements. Carbon fiber, the same material used on jets and sports cars to keep them lightweight yet sturdy, is much stronger than the magnesium used on standard notebooks.

Equiped with Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor U7600 (1.2GHz, 2MB L2 cache) and Windows Vista® Business, this UltraLight Notebook is nearly as powerful as heavy desktop replacement models. Standard battery life is expected to be 4 to 7.5 hours depending on use. The TZ includes an impressive list of features including Bluetooth® technology, 802.11 a/b/g/n wireless LAN, fingerprint security, 11.1" display, a DVD burner and Instant On Mode.

Premium Black Carbon

The VAIO® TZ notebook features an eye-catching Premium Black carbon-fiber casing with a special gel surface coating to showcase the crossing patterns of the individual fibers. The texture suggests a rustic sophistication while providing superior durability. This premium carbon-fiber casing is only available in limited quantity.

Flash Memory

The VAIO® TZ notebook utilizes flash memory in place of the typical spinning hard-disk drive memory found in most PCs. Faster and more reliable, flash memory provides a rapid boot-up and quicker access to applications while significantly reducing the risk of hard drive problems that result from its moving parts, an ideal feature for a travel notebook where knocks and sudden movements are par for the course.

Exceptional LCD

The VAIO® TZ notebook features an 11.1" WXGA widescreen display with Sony’s original XBRITE-HiColor™ LCD technology with white LED backlight. Sony’s backlight technology offers lower power consumption for improved battery life and provides high brightness levels, amplifying colors and creating clear, crisp pictures. The result is a 72% color saturation for deeper blacks, brighter whites, true-to-life color and razor-sharp detail. The anti-reflective coating helps minimize reflection while providing a wide viewing angle.

Keyboard Design

The VAIO® TZ notebook features a redesigned keyboard that demonstrates design intelligence and innovation. Designed for ease of use, the individual keys are slightly raised above an attractive piano-black bezel layer producing a user-friendly touch and feel and improved typing experience. In addition, an extra support layer has been added below the bezel to increase the structural integrity of the keyboard and add stability to the keys.

Wireless Wide Area Network

If you like to work from the car or on vacation, the VAIO® TZ notebook offers optional integrated wireless Wide Area Network (WAN) technology through Sprint® Mobile Broadband, the nation’s largest wireless broadband network. For an extra monthly fee, Sprint’s mobile network technology, EV-DO Revision A, boasts fast download speeds and broadband upload speeds, making high-speed tasks like video telephony, video messaging and large file uploads possible from nearly any location.

Finally, Instant On (almost)

Perfect for long flights where extended battery life is a necessity, the VAIO® TZ notebook’s Instant Mode allows you to go straight to watching a movie, playing music or viewing photos at the touch of a button, without having to boot-up the operating system. And with the convenient A/V control buttons located in the front of the unit for easy operation from a reclined viewing position, you can stop, play, fast forward, reverse and eject with one-touch.