Sony took the wraps off the world’s lightest 8-inch notebook - the new VAIO P Series Pocket Style PC. About the size of a business envelope and roughly as thin as a cell phone, the VAIO P Series weighs just 1.4 pounds and is small enough to slip into a jacket pocket or handbag while integrating full-PC features.

The model incorporates a high-resolution, 1600 x 768, LED backlit 8-inch ultra-wide display (diagonal), making it easy to view everything from entire spreadsheets to full web pages - no side-to-side scrolling necessary. It also incorporates Sony’s XBRITE(TM) LCD technology, producing images in brilliant detail for razor-sharp viewing on-the-go.

Stylish enough to take anywhere, the unit is available in an array of eye-catching colours, including garnet red, emerald green, onyx black, and crystal white. Matching carrying cases and Bluetooth(R) colour-coordinated mice are available to complete the look.

Engineered to provide the feel of a larger notebook, the VAIO Pocket Style PC provides a convenient typing experience by extending the keyboard to the perimeters of the chassis maximizing the typing area. The spacing between keys has also been engineered to help reduce typing mistakes; making it perfect for long fingernails.

The notebook incorporates built-in 802.11n wi-fi and Bluetooth technologies. Users can toggle among various wireless options for the most efficient connection - wi-fi for working at a coffee shop or Bluetooth for peripherals.

The unit features up to four hours of battery life with the included standard capacity battery and eight hours with the large capacity battery (sold separate).

It also incorporates real-time GPS functionality, making it easy to find restaurants, hotels or special sites of interest. Destinations can be found by simply typing in an address or keyword and then following the turn-by-turn directions. The Pocket Style PC even includes estimated drive times to let you know how far you are from a destination. No Internet connection is required in Canada or the United States.

The unit also has an instant-mode option that launches directly into Sony’s Xross Media Bar(TM) interface, so you can rapidly access music, video, photos and the Web. A built-in webcam lets you video chat with family, friends and colleagues. A third-party service is required.

The PC comes with the Windows Vista(R) operating system, supporting office applications and all the software programs routinely found in full-size notebooks. A windows arrangement utility has been added to easily organize all open documents or websites with one touch, positioning them neatly along side each other on a single screen.

The VAIO P Series Pocket Style PC will retail for about $1,000. It will be available for pre-orders later this month online at www.sonystyle.ca. It will also be sold at Sony Style(R) stores starting later this month.

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