Hi all!
        I’m new here…. and new to everything imaginable. This will be my first PC ever… I’ve always had Macs and now that I’ve got all the Mac I could need I decided I need a PC, specifically a laptop. You can probably expect me to be asking a lot of questions because I really don’t know much about [removed]emoticon(’:D’)them and all those A, C etc. drives.

        So when I decided I wanted a laptop.. I focused on Sony because I really liked the name Vaio [removed]emoticon(’:D’), sad I know, but they sounded fun and looked good. I knew it had to be small and have exceptional performance with a relatively good performance record. I finally found the TR to be the one for me. But I had my doubts… So those of you who are lucky owners can you clarify a few things for me.

So lets get on with those questions!

1) I may look like an idiot for asking this question but what are these A and C drives?

2) For the larger handed people do you hands cramp up fast? I’m not worried about if they do.. I just want to prepare myself mentally.

3) What’s this deal with the right shift key? Exactly what is it that people don’t like…. I don’t get it.

4) Is the wi-fi good? I’ve never done wifi but I am going to be with this laptop by taking my DSL modem and attaching it to the Apple Airport Express, will they just link up? I just have to plug it in and the laptop will recognize it (802.11g to 802.11g) right? Or is there more?

5) What’s better WordPerfect or Microsoft Word? I’m used to word on all my Macs…. so should I buy Office for PC (I do need something like Excel and Powerpoint). What other options are there?

6) Does it heat up a lot? Not that I’m scared I’m going to burn my hands or anything.. I just want to prepare myself again.

7) For those of you who have tried the CD burner…. is it good? The one on my Mac broke down after the first 4 burns… it started to record only the first 12 songs of 30 or so on CDs? I don’t want a bad experience like that again..

8) If I get this I will most certainly buy the Extended Battery? I know it does stick out a bit.. but does it make the laptop look ugly or will people still turn their heads around? [removed]emoticon(’:drool:’)

9) Another wireless question.. what about printing? At my high school I know they say all you need is the card and the school has the routers set up everywhere? Do I just click FIle > Print and it will detect the schools printers or do I install drivers for those or something?

        Thanks so much for all of your help! I know… I’m new…. but if you want me to like PC’s and keep buying them, you have to pursuade me into how great they are… but don’t dis Mac’s because they are just as great and asthetically pleasing.

I guess Im first in on this topic…voted no because I bought my TR to carry around with me everywhere and use it all the time. Reports of finish wearing off, worn mouse buttons, mysteriously cracked screens and cracked casings indicate that this is a very fragile notebook.
My son just bought a new powerbook…I wish I had done the same.

[quote author=“jetguy”]I guess Im first in on this topic…voted no because I bought my TR to carry around with me everywhere and use it all the time. Reports of finish wearing off, worn mouse buttons, mysteriously cracked screens and cracked casings indicate that this is a very fragile notebook.
My son just bought a new powerbook…I wish I had done the same.

Its all in the user. I’ve had mine since December, use it almost everyday (carry it everywhere) and not a scratch, ding, dent, or crack.

Erik

I would dare say for everyone here that “we don’t want to persuade you to like or buy PCs”. Rather, you should get something that works for you and can get your tasks done. The bottom line is productivity. If a PC works out then that’s great…if a Mac is better suited then it’s equally great.

With that said…let’s go over your questions.

1. The concept of drives is similar to those used in the Macintosh. It’s equivalent to volumes. So, typically, most Macs use a single large drive…My Macintosh. PCs are generally the same way now. In Windows XP, the concept of A…C…etc. isn’t a big deal. XP emphasizes volume names more.

2. Can’t say…I have medium sized hands. If you’re a loose typer then it may not be an issue. One can always train their hands to get used to it. If it is too small then you can move up to the Type S series that’s coming out this summer. It’s a 13.3” model that’s 4lbs and a larger keyboard.

3. The right shift key is small…however, it’s a one or two day retraining to find it with your pinky. I miss it like maybe 1% of the time. I think the right shift placement is actually a lot better than some other brands.

4. The Wi-Fi is great! In fact it’s better than many notebooks I’ve seen. I’m mostly referring to the strength of the signal. My sister has a 15” TiPowerBook with airport card and she can’t get a signal at my parent’s place. My TR gets at least a good signal in the same part of the house. Apple claims the Airport Express is PC compatible so it should “just work” once both devices are configured correctly.

5. Well, nobody really uses WordPerfect anymore…there are some other open source Office equivalents but after its all said and done, Microsoft Office 2003 is still the best. If you’re a student then you can get it cheap.

6. You definitely must be used to Apple notebooks and their heat issues. Comparatively, the TR is much cooler. You can’t get burned by it. The Pentium M processor is a much cooler processor and the TR uses a smaller and cooler 1.8” hard disk that generates less heat.

7. The CD burner is good…so far, it’s as good as any other burner I’ve owned. Mine is still going strong even after 9 months of constant use. Enough said.

8. That depends on your usage. I’d say the average battery life with the standard battery is roughly 3.5-4 hours. I would try that out first and see if its enough. If you find that you need to be away from a power source more than that then yes, you should consider the extended battery or just another standard battery. If you want to see what it looks like then go here .

9. It depends. If printers are shared on the network properly on their end then yes, it can automatically show up in your system. You’ll have to refer to your school’s computer staff on how to do this. Windows XP typically has a lot of drivers out of the box so you may or may not have to install drivers. It’s no different than on Macs.

[quote author=“tifosiv122”]
Its all in the user. I’ve had mine since December, use it almost everyday (carry it everywhere) and not a scratch, ding, dent, or crack.

Erik

ditto :wink:

As a mac guy myself I have to say I love my TR. It is my first pc and it is a cracker. Wi fi is so much better than on my alu powerbook, I would say double the range. I love the size of the keyboard. It took a little getting used to as it is really spongy comaired to the powerbook. At the end of the day you will get used to the windows OS quicker than you think. They both do the same things, just in slightly different ways. I am still strugling to get my mac and my TR to see each other but that is my only head scratcher.
I would not worry about the thing that most mac people moan about with pc’s, the OS is robust and does not crash all the time. 1 crash in over a month. I think that has more to do with how tidy you keep the machine and the amount of crap that is loaded onto it.
Heat is not a problem if you are coming from powerbooks.
The TR is a thing of beauty. You can not say that about many pc’s. :drool:

I voted “no” and that’s not because I don’t like my TR. In fact, I love it. It’s my only computer and I use it everyday. 

I do a lot of travelling and thus explains why I bought the TR for its size and battery life. So if I am going to buy another computer, it’s probably going to an upgrade for my PC. I will use the TR for travelling and my PC when I am at my desk. Of course, I am assuming that my current set of applications on windows XP is going to last me a looooooong time. 

I do a fair amount of traveling and recently shelved my Z1 in favor of my TR.  I am thrilled with the portability and functionality.  It is great to stay connected while on the road and being able to do it with such a compact unit is invaluable.  I have been pleasantly surprised by the unexpected upgrades (thanks to this forum) that I have been able to do so far.  I will be watching how things develop with the Vaio line over the next year or two and decide which way I want my next notebook to evolve.  It is looking like a lot of changes and a lot of options headed our way.  I will be very happy with my TR until (if) the dust settles.

VAIO Jet, did you ever get your BT working 100%?

I never did get the Jabra BT 200 to work with the internal BT module.  Even with the Widcom software, no luck.  Oh well.  I still use the BT for other uses.  And it looks cool when that blue light illuminates.

I’m thinking about taking the BT plunge.  The dongle is cumbersome.  It is very encouraging for me because the BT thread is over 11 pages long.  I will have the benefit of other peoples mishaps. :wink:

Is the Jabra issue the only one you had?  I will not be using a headset

**sorry this got a little off topic**

[quote author=“TruthSeeker”]I’m thinking about taking the BT plunge.  The dongle is cumbersome.  It is very encouraging for me because the BT thread is over 11 pages long.  I will have the benefit of other peoples mishaps. :wink:

Is the Jabra issue the only one you had?  I will not be using a headset

**sorry this got a little off topic**

So far the only problem is the headset.  Otherwise it is great.  I use it to sync my Clie and I use the BT mouse all the time.  I am very happy with the upgrade.  Good luck with yours.

I chose TR because its size and design. oh also the motion eye which others dont have one. do you think other brand will offer webcam or something like this soon?