Sony updates Vaio P to be more handheld

Sony's Vaio P still looks like a little netbook stretched wide, but a couple of tweaks aim to make the computer more of a handheld device than a laptop.

The Vaio P's major change is the addition of a trackpad and mouse buttons along the right side of the display, CNet reports. Sony hasn't removed the little trackpoint nub that protrudes from the center of the keyboard, or the mouse buttons at the front edge of the device, but the new inputs make it easier to hold the device with both hands and navigate with your thumbs, kind of like a smartphone.

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The trackpad also coincides with Sony's addition of an accelerometer. This lets users tip the computer onto its side for reading e-books or lengthy articles, and I imagine being able to control navigation from the same panel as the display would come in handy.

Aside from those new features, the Vaio P is the same not-quite-netbook that debuted last year. There's an Intel Atom Z540 processor inside, an 8-inch LCD screen with 1,600-by-768 resolution, 2 GB of DDR 2 memory and a 64 GB solid state drive. Also included are two USB ports, a webcam, Bluetooth, 802.11 b/g/n wireless, built-in 3G and GPS. The computer runs Windows 7 Home Premium, which alone is a step up from the Starter edition found in most netbooks.

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This quirky little notebook comes at a premium over most netbooks -- probably why Sony avoids the comparison in its press materials -- starting at $800. That's a $100 less than last year's model, but still expensive given the hardware. Sony's claims of just 5-hours of battery don't help, as this seems like the kind of device you'd want to carry around for extended periods without an AV cable.

I'd love to try out the Vaio P how a handheld Windows 7 laptop feels, but I don't quite fall into the niche Sony's going for.

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