Sony Korea unveils new hybrid laptop

Sony unveiled on Tuesday a laptop-tablet hybrid computer in the hopes of becoming a trend setter in the Korean market.

“The VAIO Fit multi-flip PC will become the new standard for premium laptop manufacturers, and we will allow customers to experience a whole new computing environment,” Sony Korea CEO Kenji Sakai said at an unveiling event in Seoul.

Featuring a hinge in the middle of the back cover, which enables the screen to flip over, the latest product switches between laptop, tablet and view modes.

“By incorporating the tablet mode into the laptop, especially in the 15-inch model often used as an alternative to a desktop, users can use functions available on a tablet such as a stylus pen,” said Nobuyasu Nozawa, deputy general manager of Sony’s VAIO planning department.

The hybrid models, available in black and silver with 13- and 15-inch touchscreens, will be available in Korea while a 14-inch model is currently on sale in global markets including Europe and some markets in Southeast Asia, according to Sony.

With a stylus pen and foldable screen, Sony’s model has a competitive edge over other competitors’ products like the low budget tablet IdeaPad Yoga 11S recently released by Chinese PC manufacturer Lenovo, Nozawa added.

Specifications differ slightly among the models unveiled on the day.

The black VAIO Fit 13A equipped with a 256GB solid-state drive runs on the Intel Core 7 processor, while the same-sized silver model has a 125 GB solid-state drive and runs on the Intel Core 5 processor.

The black and silver 13As, both boasting 1920x1080, Full HD display, are priced at 2.3 million won ($2,100) and 1.8 million won, respectively.

The Exmor RS for PC, a CMOS image sensor, installed on the 13As, generates crisp and clear images in low light conditions and even when photos are taken against bright light, according to the firm.

The larger models also come in black and silver to meet the various needs of Korean consumers.

The black VAIO Fit 15A is equipped with 2880x1620 Over Full HD display while the silver 15-inch model has a 1920x1080 display.

The black and silver models, which will retail at 2.4 million won and 1.9 million won, have a one terabyte hard disk drive and a 16 GB NAND flash memory.

Sony starts receiving orders for the convertible PCs from Wednesday.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)