According to AVING USA, Sony will be launching twelve Vista-capable/certified VAIO laptops in the Korea market in time for the back-to-school season.
No word on when/if these will be available elsewhere or how they compare to existing models. For ultraportable users in Korea, they are going to be offering the SZ/C series with a 13.3-inch widescreen display and using Sony’s hybrid graphics system. This is expected to be similar to the current SZ11 series.
Sony’s hybrid graphics system, such as that present on the SZ11NP/Bs basically allows you to physically switch from an internal to an external graphics chipset or back depending on usage and battery life. External meaning non-Intel – the SZ11 uses an NVidia GeForce Go 7400 with TurboCache as the external graphics accelerator. It does require rebooting, but the savings in battery life is impressive.
Sony is also offering the TX55L/B in Korea, as well as the UX27LN which is powered by an Intel Core Solo (U1500) with, according to AVING, “improved memory and HDD” (could be more or faster memory, and/or a switch to a 2.5-inch Serial ATA drive.