Sony Vaio Picturebook CF1

Certainly one of the most attractive gadgets we've ever seen, Sony's Vaio Picturebook CF1 caused something of a stir when it arrived in the What PC? office. Not only does it pack Pentium power into a truly portable PC, but it includes a horde of nifty features - including a digital video camera.

Part of the expanding Vaio (Video Audio Integrated Operation) series, the CF1 runs Windows 98 and is based around a 266MHz Pentium MMX processor, twinned with 64Mb of RAM and 256Kb of Level 2 cache in its standard configuration. It's hardly a speed demon compared with the latest fully-sized notebooks, but there's more than enough power for general day-to-day applications. For those who need more RAM, the memory can be expanded to a maximum of 128Mb via a single SIMM slot.

At 4.3Gb the hard disk is a good size for such a small machine, and a NeoMagic 2Mb graphics subsystem delivers displays up to 1024x768 pixels in 24-bit colour with acceleration for MPEG-1 video files.

A built-in 8.9in widescreen display supports a maximum of 1024x480 pixels, but you can use an external monitor to achieve the highest resolution. The external monitor connector is also ideal for showing those presentations put together on the move. The built-in screen itself is pin sharp, with one of the crispest images we've seen, putting many other notebook displays to shame. It also houses the Motion Eye CCD digital camera at the top, which can rotate through 180 degrees.

Using supplied software the camera can capture still images and video at up to 320x240 pixels. The quality of the captured images is very good and the idea is that you can then get all creative with them. Sony's applications allow you to apply all manner of special effects to your footage - with the right option we managed to make even the Labs guys look human.

Alternatively you can email videos to your long-lost aunt on with other side of the world. Unfortunately, no modem is supplied so you'll have to add one to get those files off. Typically, the US version of the CF1 is bundled with a 56Kbit/s model. In theory, the camera could be used for video-conference over a network - although no software to do this is supplied by Sony.

In tests our Labs managed to eke 1.5 hours out of the unit's single Lithium Ion battery, so Sony's claim of 2 isn't that far off. An extended life battery can provide up to 4 hours continuous use, but we were unable to test this claim.

The machine's nipple mouse controller takes some getting used to, though, and it took us a few hours to get to grips with it fully. That said, the keyboard has a good feel to it and typing at speed on the move is no problem. The Vaio also managed to get us quite a few envious looks on the way into Victoria station.

Other important features include 16-bit Sound Blaster Pro compatible audio, USB, IrDA infrared and Sony's iLink serial interface (otherwise known as Firewire or IEEE 1394) for communicating with compatible Digital Video camcorders. This opens up huge possibilites with regard to editing material, and camcorders that support iLink include Sony's DCR-PC1E and the high-end DCR-TRV900E. Unfortunately, only the latter allows both input and output via iLink in Europe.

A USB floppy is also supplied as standard with the machine, and there's an optional CD-ROM drive which is connected via a single PC Card Type II slot. However, obviously the more you connect to the Picturebook CF1 the less portable it becomes.

Expandability is limited, but this slim and sexy sub-notebook PC is one of the most downright desirable machines we've seen, if a little expensive. A built-in modem as standard may well have won it a Recommended award.

SPECIFICATIONS

266MHz Pentium MMX processor

64Mb of RAM

4.3Gb hard disk

Built-in digital video camera

MPEG-1 video acceleration

8.9in Ultra Wide XGA TFT screen (1024x480 pixels) Dimensions 240x37x140mm

Weight 1.1kg £1,399 (inc VAT); £1,599 (inc VAT) with 4-in-1 modem card from Sony Vaio Direct at: http://www.vaioc1.sony-europe.com/

Sony: 0990 424424; www.sony.co.uk

SONY VAIO PICTUREBOOK CF1

Build quality: *****

Features: ****

Performance: ***

Value for money: ***

Overall: ***.

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