Notebook News: New Sony Notebook, Paul Allen's Notebook Vision, Free Wi-Fi with Room

New Sony VAIO K Series Notebooks

Sony just can't help itself from running on a constant treadmill of new product releases. Blink once and Sony will have a new notebook or PDA out replacing the one released just yesterday. Or at least it seems that way sometimes. Anyway, the latest new notebook from Sony is the VAIO K Series.The K series comprises three models: the PCG-K13, 15 and 17. All of them provide integrated 802.11b/g WLAN connectivity. Designed as desktop replacements, the Ks are based on Mobile Pentium 4 processors - 2.8GHz for the K15 and 3.06GHz for the K17 - running a 533MHz effective bit rate frontside bus.
The pricing ranges from $1399 to $1899. The top of the line K17 notebook carries the following description: on SonyStyle.com

Sony VAIO PCG-K17 Notebook:
This full-value notebook is the top of the line in our Sony VAIO® K-Series. Built for optimum performance and affordability, its multimedia features will easily take you from work to play. With XBrite™ LCD technology, DVD+-RW and exclusive VAIO® software, your music, photos, and movies are sure to get the attention they deserve. And, with integrated wireless you can stay connected anywhere.

Microsoft's Paul Allen and his company Vulcanannounce a Notebook/PDA/Blackberry device

Above is a picture of what Paul Allen, original founder of Microsoft with Bill Gates,is calling a "FlipStart Handheld PC". Whatever. Really it's a notebook that crashed into a PDA and camera and this is the end wreck. As the line blurs between PDAs, phones, and notebooks companies are continually trying to guess what mobile devices consumers might gobble up next. Vulcan is hoping we all end up getting sick of carrying multiple devices and are willing to just buy one device that combines a camera, notebook, PDA and Blackberry like functionality all in one. That's a pie in the sky goal if you ask me. I'd never be willing to use the thumbpad on this FlipStart as my main mobile computer for doing work on, my thumbs don't type very fast thank you. Still, the fact they've created a device that runs Windows XP, contains a 30-Gigabyte hard drive (same as the one in the Apple iPod) and has a 1,024 x 600 screen and can fit in a large pocket or in your briefcase is commendable. Paul Allen wants to release this by Christmas 2004. A great stocking stuffer then maybe? If you can afford to put a $1,200 device in a sock then go for it.

Doubletree Hotels to offer free high-speed internet and Wi-Fi at all Locations

Doubletree Hotels today announced that all of the brand's 160 locations will offer high-speed Internet access in every guestroom and meeting room by year-end 2004. Doubletree is poised to implement this technology across its brand with nearly half of the brand's 41,000 hotel guestrooms already offering high-speed Internet service.

Doubletree also announced that they have selected PrinterOn(R) as their preferred hotel remote guest printing service and will provide this unique technology in every hotel guestroom by year-end 2004, through the brand's high-speed Internet access infrastructure.

Many Doubletree hotels in major metropolitan areas also are offering wireless high-speed Internet access in hotel lobbies, lounges, restaurants and public areas for guest use. Signage is located in public areas to designate zones where guests can connect with their 802.11b mobile devices -- including wireless LAN-capable laptop computers, tablet PCs and PDAs that operate on Microsoft Windows, Macintosh, Unix and Linux operating systems.

For a list of Doubletree locations currently offering high-speed Internet access and/or PrinterOn remote in-room printing services visit www.doubletree.com