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Sony unveils VAIO Duo 11 slide-out tablet, Tap 20 portable touchscreen all-in-one

Sony just threw itself fully into the touchscreen Windows 8 arena -- it's introducing the VAIO Duo 11 slider tablet and the Tap 20 combination desktop and tablet design at its IFA 2012 press conference. The Duo 11 is a noticeably amped-up realization of the Hybrid concept we saw at CES. Its 11.6-inch, 1080p touchscreen is joined by a proper digitizer stylus for low-lag handwriting as well as some seriously powerful innards for a convertible PC its size: we're talking an Ultrabook-level Core i3, i5 or i7 as well as a 128GB or 256GB SSD, NFC wireless, GPS, and HD-capable cameras at the front and back. Sony is hoping for a late October release for this beast of a slate, although we haven't been given that all-important price.

The VAIO Tap 20, meanwhile, is more than just a tilting all-in-one desktop in the vein of Lenovo's IdeaCentre A720. Despite carrying a 20-inch, 1,600 x 900 touchscreen, it's still very much battery-powered -- you can lug the 11.4-pound PC into the living room and treat it like a tiny multi-touch table, if that's your inclination. It's sharing the same processor picks as the Duo 11, but it turns to more conventional 750GB or 1TB hard drives and puts the emphasis on shareable apps like Family Paint and the Fingertapps Organizer calendar. Not surprisingly, there's only one, front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera here, although NFC does make the cut. The Tap 20 is due to arrive at about the same time as its smaller Duo 11 sibling, although we're once again without details of how much it will cost. %Gallery-163639%

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Touch, write and go with slim new VAIO Duo 11 29 August 2012

Slider hybrid Ultrabook from Sony combines fully-featured PC productivity with tablet convenience

- Surf Slider™ design transforms full-function Ultrabook™ PC into tablet operating mode for on-the-go computing
- Slim and light: weighs approximately 1.3kg and 17.85mm thin
- 29.4cm (11.6") wide view Full HD touchscreen
- Comfortable and precise hand-writing experience with a digitizer stylus pen
- Made in Japan with quality craftsmanship that only Sony can deliver

Boost your productivity and creativity with VAIOTM Duo 11, the PC from Sony that also turns into a smart, intuitive touchscreen tablet.

With its premium Surf Slider™ design, the powerful VAIOTM Duo 11 PC switches smoothly between keyboard and tablet modes to give the best computing experience - wherever you are and whatever you're doing.

Pick up VAIOTM Duo 11 in one hand and use in tablet mode to browse the web or enjoy music and videos while you're travelling. In the office, slide out the keyboard and maximise your productivity with a fully-featured PC powered by latest-generation Intel® Core™ processors.

VAIOTM Duo 11 puts touch and handwriting right at the heart of your Windows 8 computing experience. Write, sketch and interact with media and applications on the responsive, touch capable, super-bright Full HD OptiContrast™ Panel. A unique pressure-sensitive digitizer stylus gives the satisfying, expressive feel of handwriting directly on the touchscreen. Make notes, sketch diagrams or ring key points on your presentation with supple responses and imperceptible latency. Smart text recognition even lets you quickly convert handwritten notes to text for easy archiving and searches.

A choice of swappable pen tips lets you select between a firm or softer writing feel. With selected apps VAIOTM Duo 11 even recognises when you're writing, cleverly ignoring the pressure of your palm on the touchscreen.

Sharing photos and videos is a pleasure on the super-bright 29.4cm (11.6") Full HD OptiContrast™ Panel*. Friends and family will enjoy detail-packed, high contrast pictures with a wide viewing angle – even if you're outdoors in bright daylight.

Don't let your PC slow things down when you're in a hurry. Quick Boot gets you up and running in seconds. When you need a break, VAIO powers down into a deep energy-saving Sleep mode, keeping your documents safe. With RapidWake + Eco, everything's ready for instant wake-up, just as you left off.

Optional Sheet-type battery extends battery life, and also incorporates a handy digitizer stylus holder.

Despite its slim size, VAIOTM Duo 11 is ready for business with a full complement of ports and interfaces including Bluetooth® Smart Ready, USB 3.0, HDMI, Ethernet and VGA video ports. You don't need extra dongles or adapters to hook up a projector or secondary screen: everything's on board.

There's a generous choice of apps to make the most of the unique touch experience offered by VAIOTM Duo 11.

Active Clip™ makes it easy to crop photos and graphics with no special image editing skills. Just draw roughly around the edge of your chosen picture with the digitizer stylus. Active Clip™ uses technology developed by Sony that automatically detects edges and cuts out the background. Then drop the cleanly-bordered image straight into documents or presentations.

'Note Anytime for VAIO' lets you make handwritten notes any time... just like using a real notebook. (NB: this application will be available by download after VAIOTM Duo 11 on-sale date).

There's also an add-in for PowerPoint that brings extra impact and interaction to your presentations. Use the digitizer stylus to highlight points as you talk and capture audience feedback.

VAIOTM Duo 11 also provides rich networked entertainment experiences.

Through Sony's One-touch* function, you can easily and instantaneously enjoy music and photos across an array of NFC (Near Field Communication) enabled Sony devices. Simply touch one device against another, and instantly establishing a wireless connection without the need for any Bluetooth or Wi-Fi set up. For example, it's easy to continue listening to music stored on your VAIO through Bluetooth® headphones or speakers with One-touch function.

* One-touch by Sony incorporates Near Field Communication (NFC) technology.

You can also enjoy full access to millions of songs and themed radio channels at any time via Sony Entertainment Network's Music Unlimited service (in selected countries).

Expand your entertainment experience even further with three new apps by Sony that are available for free download.

The 'Music' application lets you enjoy your music collection with superb quality thanks to xLoud and ClearPhase.

The 'Album' application makes viewing, sorting or sharing pictures and videos fun and intuitive.

Both applications let you 'throw' or stream personal photos, video and music content to enjoy on DLNA compatible large screen TV and audio systems.

'Socialife' is a unique application that organizes your social and information world. View, sort and manage all your SNS and news feeds through one stylish user interface, alongside your friends' feeds and posts. Mark interesting articles for later reading when you're not so busy. Based on what your friends are reading, Socialife also points you to other popular topics and even suggests content that you might like.

Find out more about Socialife:

http://app.sel.sony.com/socialife/en/index.html

Optional accessories include a screen protection cover and carrying case that protects VAIOTM Duo 11 while you're travelling.

The new VAIOTM Duo 11 hybrid Ultrabook PC will be available from the end of October 2012 (depending on country).

* Viewable area measured diagonally.

Key specifications


Model

VAIOTM Duo

Processor

Intel® Core™ i7-3517U, Intel® Core™ i5-3317U or Intel® Core™ i3-3217U Processor

Operating System

Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro

Memory

4GB or 8GB DDR3L 1600MHz SDRAM

Drive

128GB or 256GB SSD

Screen

29.4cm (11.6") OptiContrast™ Panel;

Full HD (1920x1080) with wide (16:9) aspect ratio; capacitive touchscreen

*"OptiContrast" is a trademark of Sony Corporation

Graphics

Intel® HD Graphics 4000

Others

WLAN 802.11a/b/g/n; Bluetooth® Ver. 4.0 + HS; Ethernet (1000BASE-T/100BASE-TX/10BASE-T x 1); USB 3.0 (x1), USB 3.0 with USB charge (x1); VGA out; HDMI out; Memory Stick Duo / SD memory card combined slot; stereo speakers with xLOUD™ ; Full HD Web Cameras (x2, front and rear facing) powered by 'Exmor for PC' (2.07 megapixels); Sensors (NFC, GPS, Accelerometer, Gyro, Digital Compass); Windows button; rotation lock button; digitizer stylus; optional extended battery pack

Dimensions (DxHxW)

Approx. 320 mm x 17.85 mm x 199 mm

Weight

Approx. 1.3kg (with standard supplied battery)

VAIO Tap 20, the new Family Touch PC

29 August 2012

Entertainment-centric touch PC brings everyone together

- New-style PC for the entire family with multi-touch panel

- Unique adjustable stand for comfortable computing in any position: lay-flat, tilting or desktop-style

- Built-in battery gives portability around the home

- Unique multi-user apps including Family Paint and Fingertapps Organizer

Now everyone can share exciting media experiences with VAIOTM Tap 20 from Sony. It's the fresh concept in home computing that's a tabletop PC and so much more.

Versatile VAIOTM Tap 20 is designed to leverage the intuitive ease of Windows 8, opening up exciting new possibilities to interact with apps and your media collection.

Portable, battery-powered VAIOTM Tap 20 fits right into any living space – from bedrooms and kids' play areas to the kitchen or garden. Lay it on a coffee table and let everyone join in games on the large multi-touch screen. Flip out the in-built stand and tilt VAIOTM Tap 20 at a comfortable angle for 'lean back' photo/movie editing by touch operation, browsing and entertainment. Or stand it upright and use as a fully-functioning desktop PC: it's easy to work on documents, surf or check emails with the supplied wireless keyboard and mouse.

The 50.8 cm (20") panel offers clear, bright images with a wide angle of view. Responsive 10-point multi-touch operation lets all the family join in simultaneously with multi-player games. Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2 by Sony ensures crisp, natural movie viewing with fine details and fluid on-screen movement.

Step up to rich, powerful audio that's a revelation after the small, weak speakers of ordinary laptops. Generously-sized stereo speakers are partnered by an on-board subwoofer that boosts low frequencies for solid, thumping bass. S-Force Front Surround 3D technologies by Sony ensure a vibrant, room-filling soundtrack – whether you're playing games together or watching movies.

Incorporating several of Sony's own signal processing technologies, ClearAudio+ mode lets you effortlessly enjoy audio quality that's distinctly Sony. With one simple operation, you'll experience sound with ultimate clarity and presence across a wide audio spectrum, from deep lows to crisp highs.

VAIOTM Tap 20 comes with a choice of apps that are optimised for the powerful multi-touch capabilities.

Family Paint lets two people draw, paint, sketch and daub simultaneously from opposite sides of the large multi-touch screen. Share the results at a touch on Facebook or Twitter. Fingertapps Organizer makes child's play of keeping everyone's agenda up to date. The friendly calendar view lets family members add sticky notes, scribble notes and see at a glance what everyone else is up to.

VAIOTM Tap 20 makes it easier than ever to connect with other home devices and share your content.

Through Sony's One-touch* function, you can easily and instantaneously enjoy music and photos across an array of NFC (Near Field Communication) enabled Sony devices. Simply touch one device against another, and instantly establishing a wireless connection without the need for any Bluetooth or Wi-Fi set up. For example, it's easy to continue listening to music stored on your VAIO through Bluetooth® headphones or speakers with One-touch function.

* One-touch by Sony incorporates Near Field Communication (NFC) technology.

You can also enjoy full access to millions of songs and themed radio channels at any time via Sony Entertainment Network's Music Unlimited service (in selected countries).

Expand your entertainment experience even further with three new apps by Sony that are available for free download.

The 'Music' application lets you enjoy your music collection with superb quality thanks to ClearAudio+ mode.

The 'Album' application makes viewing, sorting or sharing pictures and videos fun and intuitive.

Both applications let you 'throw' or stream personal photos, video and music content to enjoy on DLNA compatible large screen TV and audio systems.

'Socialife' is a unique application that organizes your social and information world. View, sort and manage all your SNS and news feeds through one stylish user interface, alongside your friends' feeds and posts. Mark interesting articles for later reading when you're not so busy. Based on what your friends are reading, Socialife also points you to other popular topics and even suggests content that you might like.

Find out more about Socialife: http://app.sel.sony.com/socialife/en/index.html

Optional accessories for VAIOTM Tap 20 include a LCD protection sheet that safeguards the large touch screen against fingerprints and occasional scratches. It's easy to apply without causing unwanted trapped air bubbles.

The family-friendly VAIOTM Tap 20 touch PC from Sony is available from the end of October 2012 (in selected countries only).


Notes to editors

Key specifications


Model

VAIOTM Tap

Processor

Intel® Core™ i7-3517U, Intel® Core™ i5-3317U or Intel® Core™ i3-3217U Processor

Operating system

Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro

Memory

4GB to 8GB DDR3L 1600MHz SDRAM

Drive

750GB or 1TB HDD 5400rpm

Screen

50.8cm (20") VAIO Display Plus (1600x900) with wide (16:9) aspect ratio;

10-point multi-touch screen

Picture enhancement feature

Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2

Graphics

Intel® HD Graphics 4000

Others

WLAN 802.11 a/b/g/n; Bluetooth® Ver. 4.0 + HS; Ethernet (1000BASE-T/100BASE-TX/10BASE-T x 1); USB 3.0 (x1), USB 3.0 with USB charge (x1); Memory Stick Duo / SD memory card combined slot; 2.1ch speakers with S-Force Front Surround 3D; HD Web Camera powered by 'Exmor for PC' (1.31 megapixels); Web and Assist buttons

Dimensions (DxHxW)

Approx.

504 mm x 187 mm x 304 mm(Minimum tilt angle)
504 mm x 312mm x 45 mm(Maximum tilt angle)

Weight

Approx. 5.2 kg (including battery)