Sony’s Vaio LS1 Combines TV and PC

By Geoff Duncan Published August 22, 2006

Sony has announced the latest addition to its Vaio line of sleek, stylish computers in the form of the Vaio LS1, a Core Duo-powered PC which combined traditional computing functions with DVR and home entertainment offerings sure to delight.

The Vaio LS1 offers a 19-inch WZXGA display (1680 by 1050 pixels) framed in a transparent border. The computer itself is hidden behind the display in a vaguely iMac-like fashion…and the computer ain’t too shabby, offering a 1.83 GHz Core Duo processor, Windows XP Media Center Edition, 802.11b/g wireless networking, 2 GB of RAM, and a 250 GB hard drive. Of course, the LS1 is Vista-capable and ready for Vista Premium. To keep things from getting unsightly, all cables are discretely routed out of side, with ports located on the sides of the unit, and wires connections minimized to maintain the unit’s sleek look when placed in living areas.

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The LS1 doubles as a flat-panel television by way of a built-in NTSC tuner, and a built-in double-layer DVD burner enables users not only to record favorite television programming but save it for posterity. An audio/video quick resume switch shuts down the display and audio output without having to power down the entire PC or put it into sleep mode, enabling users to keep full PC functionality without waiting for the system to start up (or wake up). An integrated microphone and Web cam lets LS1 users take advantage of video conferencing and video chat applications.

The LS1 should be available by mid-September at a suggested retail price of $2,100.

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