14 DAY TRIAL // Sony announced today that it will launch the world?s first Blu-ray Disc enabled notebook computer - the VAIO AR, which will be available this summer.
Part of a series, the VAIO AR comes in two different configurations - Premium and Standard. The AR Premium version plays Blu-ray Disc high-definition content, so you can enjoy movies in full 1080p HD resolution. The notebook has a17-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) widescreen display and uses Sony's XBRITE Hi-Color LCD technology.
?The VAIO AR has the ability to capture, edit and record in HD on a notebook PC right out of the gate,? said Mike Abary, vice president of VAIO product marketing at Sony Electronics in the U.S.
?Combined with unsurpassed storage capability our new Blu-ray Disc enabled notebook computer offers users with limitless creative possibilities.?
In addition to supporting HD playback, the VAIO AR notebook presents several multimedia features with the capability to record high-definition camcorder content to Blu-ray Discs in a native 1080 resolution.
Using an extensive series of dedicated software applications, you can also edit high-definition footage and share it on Sony high-capacity BD-R and BD-RE Blu-ray Discs (up to 50 GB) or on traditional DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/+RW capitalizing on flexible storage, playback and recording.
VAIO also has the latest Intel Centrino Duo mobile technology for processor-heavy multi-tasking and high-definition video editing, Microsoft Windows Media Center Edition 2005, a built-in standard-definition NTSC, TV tuner and onboard TV controls, so you can watch and record live television.
The AR Premium also incorporates an NVIDIA GeForce Go 7600 graphics card featuring 256MB dedicated video memory, which is perfect for handling high-definition content, television broadcast and DVD playback and bringing gamers closer to the action. The AR series furthermore carries a camera and a microphone, allowing users to chat online with friends and family.
The AR Standard model will start at about $1,800, while the AR Premium Blu-ray Disc enabled model will go for about $3,500. The Premium model will be shipped with the Sony Pictures Entertainment Blu-ray Disc release, ?House of Flying Daggers,? providing a high-definition experience on the PC right out of the box.