Offering a powerful HD experience for the users, Sony has introduced the VAIO FW notebook -- a multimedia PC that displays HD movies the way they were meant to be seen. The VAIO FW notebook comes in a premium and a standard model.

 

The display of the notebook is well suited for Blu-ray Disc movies. As many HD films are shot with a 16:9 aspect ratio, the unit's extra-wide LCD is constructed with the same dimensions. This facility allows you to view the movies in their intended format by eliminating black bars that typically appear. The display also provides razor-sharp details, bold colors and glare-free viewing as it is combined with Sony's patented XBRITE-HiColor LCD technology on select models.

 

The notebook is powered by new Intel (News - Alert) Centrino 2 technology, which provides instant system responsiveness and energy efficiency. The company has also decided to pre-install some select units with the Windows Vista Ultimate operating system. Combining the benefits of a slightly larger 17- inch widescreen with the smaller "footprint" of a 15.4-inch model, the FW notebook features the world's first 16.4-inch display and weighs a little over six pounds.

 

The series comes with three entertainment software applications. It includes VAIO Movie Story software, where you can produce your own high- quality home movies. It also provides VAIO MusicBox software, with which you can enjoy music based on your mood. The Disc/Editor software provided with the notebook helps you to create DVD/BD video and edit them easily.

 

Allowing you to wirelessly stream content stored on your PC throughout your home network, the model features VAIO Media software, a DLNA-enabled media sharing application. Movies, music and digital still images can be streamed from the notebook to a PLAYSTATION 3 or VAIO Home Theater PC that is connected to a TV for big-screen enjoyment.

 

If you are looking to plug in some of your own devices, the PC offers plenty of slots, ports and jacks, including a Memory Stick media/SD card slot, three USB ports, an i.LINK IEEE (News - Alert)-1394 port, microphone and headphone jack, and a 34mm ExpressCard slot making it easy to transfer files from external devices.

 

Most FW models are Energy Star 4.0 compliant and incorporate many eco (News - Alert)- conscious features as powder coating, which is a painting technique that is solvent-free. The FW standard model starts at about $1,000, while the FW premium will go for around $1,750.