Ramp-worthy glamour, bleeding edge performance, and wallet scorching prices — no, I’m not referring to the latest from Apple’s stables. Sony VAIOs have for long enjoyed an ardent fan following in the Windows laptop space for the very same attributes, and the latest VAIO, the VGN-Z13GN/B is a powerful addition to the ultra-portable family.

Like its predecessors, the new Z Series is clearly targeted at well-heeled buyers who require a highly portable machine that doesn’t sacrifice any performance over a regular laptop. It’s lost some flab, and how! Claimed to be much smaller than “conventional” 13-in models, the VAIO Z weighs in at a mere 1.48kg, with its carbon-fibre body playing a major part in reducing the weight.

And with the latest update, Sony has kitted the 13.1-in displays with a roomy 1,600 x 900 native resolution, far greater than its peers, and a welcome addition in terms of screen estate. Features such as freefall hard drive protection, a Trusted Platform Module and fingerprint reader for added security are about par for a laptop in this price segment, but we’re glad to see they haven’t been overlooked.

Performance-wise, the Z13 has been given the full treatment, with the Rs 124,900 price getting you a speedy 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P9500 processor, matched by 4GBs of extremely fast 1,066MHz DDR3 RAM. Here’s the real clincher — a 256MB nVidia 9300M GS discrete graphics card, plus Intel GMA X4500M HD integrated graphics, which means you benefit from the processing power of one and frugalness of the other.

So, when battery life is more crucial than graphical grunt, simply flick the switch above the keyboard’s left edge from Speed to Stamina and without a restart, the system switches onto the integrated graphics card, cuts back on the processor, cuts power to non-essential items such as the Firewire port and the modem, and can even deactivate the DVD drive, should you wish. Ah, the things we do for that extra battery life!

Storage wise, the VAIO Z has a roomy 320 GB hard drive, though I’d personally have preferred a faster 7,200rpm drive in there rather than the 5,400rpm one offered. And while we’re at it, for its price, I’d start thinking about a Blu-ray drive as well, wouldn’t you? A one-up on the new MacBook Pros wouldn't be bad for sales, right?

Now while the focus clearly is under the hood, one shouldn’t gloss over one of the more important aspects of the Z Series: its design. Sony’s usual visual flair notwithstanding, the Z series features an LED backlit display, which allows the screen to be incredibly thin, approximately 5mm.

The screen is of the non-reflective (non-glossy) variety, and when you combine it with the notebook’s powerful specifications, it makes the VAIO Z a good option for anyone who wants to perform image editing on the move. Inside, the VAIO Z continues to impress, with the now VAIO-standard tubular hinge section, finished in silver with the power button on one end and the power input at the other. The keyboard is much like the new MacBook keyboards with its isolated style keys, and has an amazingly responsive and springy feel to it. The touchpad too is well-sized, and the two-button placement is sensible.

Connectivity is a mixed bag. While you do get an HDMI output for your LCD TV, you only get two USB ports (one on either side) and no e-SATA/USB port. Still, you do get abundant wireless features — Draft-N Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, along with Gigabit Ethernet. You can achieve well over four hours of battery life using the ‘Stamina’ mode, and these results should be viewed in light of the Sony’s significantly lower overall weight, gains that are obviously through a slightly lower capacity 6-cell battery.

As a portable Windows notebook for the power user, one would have to dig deep to find one better than new Sony VAIO Z series. Sony has managed to create such a powerful machine, while keeping the weight under 1.5kg, and the result is an exceedingly portable laptop that’s rather useable too thanks to its luxurious high resolution display and wonderfully tactile keyboard. Like most VAIO machines it is pricey, but if you’re a demanding user (and a frequent traveller) then the price is well worth it.

Quick Specs:

Sony VAIO VGN-Z13GN/B

• Operating System: Genuine Windows Vista Business

• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P9500 (2.53 GHz), Mobile Intel GM45 Express Chipset

• Memory: Pre-installed 4 GB DDR3 SDRAM (Max)

• Display: 13.1-in wide (1600 x 900pixels) TFT colour display (Clear Tough LCD [Rich Colour])

• Hard Disk: 320 GB (Serial ATA, 5400 rpm)

• Optical Drive: DVD+-RW/+-R DL/RAM Drive

• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS notebook GPU with 256MB (SPEED MODE) / Mobile Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD (STAMINA MODE)

• Interface: 2 x USB 2.0, Firewire, LAN, modem, HDMI output, Memory Stick slot, SD card slot, PC Card Slot ExpressCard /34, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, Fingerprint Sensor, VGA webcam

• Audio: Intel High Definition Audio compatible , 3D audio (Direct Sound 3D support), Built-in stereo speakers, Microphone and monaural microphone

• Dimensions (WxHxD): 314mm x 24.5-33.0mm x 210mm

• Weight: 1.48kg (including the supplied battery)

• Rating: 8/10

• Price: Rs 124,900 (inclusive of all taxes)

• URL: http://www.sony.co.in/microsite/vaio/ products/vaio_z/index.html

A smarter cap

In my childhood, we had caps with bottles and an assortment of straws to drink from. Kids these days have caps that play MP3s. Yes, you read that right, the iCap packs a 1GB MP3 player, an FM tuner, a voice recorder and a microSD slot for carrying around some more pop trash. It also touts

external speakers, though I’d advise against blaring

these in public unless you’re the sort who thrives on

embarrassment!

• URL: http://www.icapmp3.com

• Price: $119.95

Sunny side up

Our favourite drum-toting bunny has something green up his sleeve. The Energizer Rechargeable Solar Charger can charge a pair of AA/AAA batteries using solar energy alone, and it boasts of a USB port to power an assortment of devices, and it also has the provision to charge off an AC outlet if you just can’t seem to locate the sun. Better still, it is weatherproof, so that should make it tempting for all you adventure lovers who can’t leave their gadgets behind at home.

• URL: http://www.energizer.com/

• Price: $49.99