Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1999 13:48:17 -0600 From: Wes Peters <wes@softweyr.com> To: Nik Clayton <nclayton@lehman.com> Cc: mobile@freebsd.org Subject: VAIO laptops Message-ID: <37938101.2319FD30@softweyr.com>
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Nik,
I was just poking through the FreeBSD-mobile archives looking for information
about NeoMagic sound drivers and found your query about VAIO laptops. Since
it was dated 15-Jul, on 4 days ago, I thought I'd chime in.
I have a PCG-F160 I bought about 3 months ago running 3.1-R. I've been meaning
to update it to at least 3.2-R, but just haven't gotten a "round tuit" yet.
I'm very pleased with this machine; it has exceeded my expectations in every
way but one: the #$@@%$#ing NeoMagic sound chip, and their pedantic insistence
on not releasing their documentation to developers.
The internal 56K modem doesn't work, but that doesn't bother me (much). I
rarely need a modem, and when I do, I still have a 33.6 kicking around
somewhere. I bought a D-Link DE550 PCMCIA ethernet card, which is working
well but I hate the giant 10Base-T/10Base-2 dongle, and a no-name AmbiCom
ethernet card with a 6' cord with an RJ-45 connector on the end that works
beautifully unless I plug it into a Xylan switch. ;^)
The screen is incredible, the keyboard much better than I expected, and the
trackpad works so well I haven't even bought a mouse for this machine yet.
I planned on buying a Logitech USB mouse for it when I bought it and haven't
really felt the need.
I've been using this machine for email (about 600 messages/day), writing
columns for Daemon News, and writing software for FreeBSD (well, not much,
but some, OK?) as well as a few clients. I'm really bowled over by how
good these portables have gotten. I download a bunch of email and take it
to lunch with me a couple times a week, and wrote both of my last two
Daemons Advocate columns at Souper! Salad! across the street from my office.
Combined with a 140-watt power inverter plugged into either the 185 Amp-Hour
12v battery on my boat or into my wife's LandCruiser, this has turned into
the ultimate escape vehicle. Whereever I want to go, I don't have to worry
about leaving work behind, I can just take it with me, and work when I *want*
to.
But: (here's the catch). Sony cancelled the F100 series, and has just
introduced the F200 series. I guess they really want to push the DVD drive,
because the F160 has been replaced by the F270, which seems identical in
specs except for the DVD drive replacing the CD-ROM. Oh, and it costs more.
I'm told the F100 line was dumped because the price of the LCD screens was
going up and Sony didn't want to hike the prices, so they made a couple of
minor changes and renamed the line.
Best of luck. Call or write if you have any questions.
--
"Where am I, and what am I doing in this handbasket?"
Wes Peters Softweyr LLC
http://softweyr.com/ wes@softweyr.com
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