Click to View

Sony's first foray into handhelds since the demise of its beloved Clie line is, in fact, a pocket-sized PC (not a Pocket PC); built in the mode of OQO's Model 01+. The VAIO UX Micro PC is a full-fledged Windows XP computer with a no-you-see-it-now-you-don't QWERTY thumb-keyboard that's a bit larger (and far more powerful) than a typical handheld, but much smaller than the new ultra-mobile PC tablets recently introduced to great fanfare - and some disappointment - by Microsoft and its hardware partners.

It'll also be a lot more expensive, like the OQO, when it ships in July, at $1,800.

The UX Micro PC measures 5.91 x 3.74 x 1.27 inches and weighs 1.2 pounds. By comparison, the Model 01+'s dimensions are a little smaller at 4.9 x 3.4 x 0.9 inches and lighter at 14 ounces. It runs on a 1.20 GHz Low Voltage CPU, 512 MB of RAM, 30 GB hard disk drive, a graphics accelerator with 128MB of VRAM, and lithium-ion battery for 2.5 to 4.5 hours of power, according to Sony.

The UX Micro PC also features a 4.5-inch wide SVGA touch screen (1024 x 600 pixels) that slides up to expose the integrated keyboard. Sony says its XBRITE LCD technology delivers a clean, crisp viewing surface. Like with the OQO, there's a stylus for pen input.

While the UX Micro PC integrates an Ethernet port, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, what really sets it apart from the Model 01+ is built-in Wide Area Network access to Cingular's national EDGE network. EDGE is a 2.5 G cellular technology that delivers data transfer speeds of 70 to 135 kbps. Sony says its SmartWi technology enables you to toggle between wireless WAN, WLAN Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for accessing Internet and e-mail.

The UX Micro PC model also incorporates two built-in cameras: a VGA in front for video conferencing and a 1.3 megapixel type located on the back for taking photos. A VGA adapter is included to connect the PC to a projector. There's also a built-in microphone and jack, headphone jack, speakers and a Memory Stick slot.

An integrated biometrics fingerprint sensor makes it so you don't have to remember passwords, while incorporated G-Sensor shock protection protects the unit's hard drive from data loss should it be dropped.

A docking station with three 2.0 USB ports, Ethernet, VGA, iLink IEEE-1394 interface and an AV output comes with the UX Micro PC. This enables you to connect to peripherals like a full-sized keyboard, display and speakers.