Can Sony save the UMPC?
Throwing its hat into–or at least nearby–the UMPC ring, Sony has announced the VAIO UX180P Micro PC. Taking some of the most innovative elements of the T-Mobile Sidekick and the OQO Model 01, the VAIO UX180P features a a 4.5-inch (diagonal) wide-screen display, which slides up to reveal a QWERTY keypad. We got a sneak preview of this thing a few weeks ago, and our early impression was that it’s friggin’ cool. But this is Sony, after all, and the VAIO UX180P is also friggin’ expensive. Weighing 1.2 pounds, the little rapscallion has a 1,024×600 native resolution and is equipped with components that will make a Treo user quiver. You get a low-voltage Intel Core Solo U1400 processor, 512MB of RAM, and a 30GB hard drive, as well as a full version of Windows XP Professional. Networking connections include 802.11a/b/g wireless, Bluetooth, and Cingular EDGE WWAN. Remarkably, for such a small device, the UX180P makes room for two cameras–a 1.3 megapixel one that faces out from the back and
