I got my TR (TR3AP) in 2003. It has been great for me, there is still not a single computer I have seen on the market (except a better TR perhaps) which I would prefer, that includes the T and TX computers I have seen. And I am not opposed to spending the money for a new computer, I have actively searched for something better given how much use I have gotten out of my ultra-portable TR.
Why do I prefer the TR to the newer Sony ultra-portables, you might ask.
#1 The wrist rest is too small on the newer models that I have seen. I can type indefinately on my TR, but my wrists start to ache after just a few minutes when I demo the new models in stores. This is basically a dispositive design reason why I wouldn’t switch.
#2 The keyboard itself if better on the TR (in my opinion) because it has a “Fn” key right next to the “pg up,” “pg dn,” “home,” and “end” keys. This is tremendously useful to me because I use the keyboard to navigate webpages and documents all of the time, and I can do it all effortlessly with one hand on the TR. The newer models inexplicably put two blank spaces under the enter key that could be used for something, anything! This is another design difference that is almost dispositive of a decision to stick with the TR.
#3 I use the camera on top of the screen; it has come in handy many, many times. I could maybe start carrying a small dedicated camera instead in order to justify a newer model, but the motion eye has never given me any of the problems I have read about from others, and it is not a trivial feature for me.
That said, I have noticed some significant advantages in some of the newer models, and I imagine there may be many of which I am not aware. The higher screen resolution is a huge plus. The faster bus speed is probably nice. The edge network cellular antenna could be cool. I wonder about which processor/motherboard combo gets the best battery life, as battery life is one of the most important aspects of an ultra-portable for me. Is the core duo or the core solo or the processor I already have the best choice? It would be nice if the microphone was not located inside the chassis where the sound of keystrokes, the fan, and the hard drive all muddy the intended recording, I think it is the S type that has the microphone at the top of the screen next to the (immobile) camera.
What I want to know is, what improvements from the newer Sony’s can I incorporate into the form factor and design of my current TR? Can I simply swap some/many of the components?
