Sony launches 'world's lightest' laptop in Japan

Sony has launched what it today claimed is the world's lightest 12.1in notebook, an 898g machine constructed out of carbon fibre, though the weight pushes past 1kg if you want a machine with a bigger battery capacity and an optical drive.

The Vaio G series comprises more than half a dozen models aimed at different segments of the Japanese market - consumers, build-to-order, big business, small business etc. - but common to them all is an Intel ultra-low voltage Core Solo processor, 512MB of memory, 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, motion-sensor protected hard drive, and a 12.1in, 1,024 x 768 display.

The VGN-G1LAP, which ships with a standard, six-hour battery pack and no optical drive is the 898g model, but the 12.5-hour battery, DVD multi-writer equipped VGN-G1KAP weighs in at just 1,116g. Both use the 1.06GHz Core Solo U1300, while three business-oriented VGN-G1KAP derivatives all ship with a 1.2GHz Core Solo U1400.

The standard models go on sale in Japan on 2 December, with the corporate-oriented models following two days later. Sony did not set a price for these five models, but two build-to-order versions, due to go on sale from 27 November, will start at ¥164,800 ($1,411/£739/€1,104). ®