Reflections on the Sony Vaio UX and the OQO

Sunday, April 26, 2009


I've been thinking about the Sony Vaio UX series and the OQO. Both are very small computers. Both have slideout keyboards. Both run a full Windows operating system like XP or Vista. The Sony Vaio UX isn't made anymore and the OQO probably won't be made anymore. So what's the problem with these types of devices?

High price killed them. With small netbooks coming out at an average of $300, it's very difficult to justify the purchase of a small computer that's over $1500 or even $2000. Given the enconomic hardships that this country is experiencing, price is even more critical. Therefore, I can understand why companies like OQO are struggling and why Sony decided to end the UX series and come out with the Sony Vaio P super-tiny-laptop-that's-not-a-netbook.

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Anonymous said...

The problem is simple it is the lack of a touch type keyboard. That prevents them to be used the way full Windows is meant to be used and how everyone wants to use a computer. That makes them limited computers to be used only when standing and not laptop replacements so they are then percived to be expensive.

Price is not the issue if they were more of a clamshell design that provided a touch type keyboard and were still jacket pocket in size. What is needed is a Psion 5mx or HP Jornada 720 type shaped UMPC.

April 29, 2009 8:05 PM
Dr. Joe Kim said...

You must be loving the new Sony Vaio P series!

April 29, 2009 9:15 PM

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Dr. Joseph Kim is the founder of MobileHealthComputing.com, an independent website owned and operated by Dr. Kim. He is also the President of MCM Education, a professional medical education and publishing company that develops continuing medical education (CME) activities in joint sponsorship with medical universities, hospitals, and medical associations. Dr. Kim is a digital entrepreneur and technologist who has a passion for health information technology, mobile health, and social media. He frequently speaks at conferences about non-clinical careers for physicians, continuing medical education, mobile health technology, and social media in medicine. Dr. Kim holds a bachelor of science in engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a doctorate of medicine from the University of Arkansas College of Medicine, and a master of public health from the University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Public Health.
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