I wonder
how much they had to pay Apple for the licence.
Examples of Windows 8 tablet plus detachable keyboard combo devices were all over IFA like a rash. However, Sony’s Vaio Duo 11 has a different approach that keeps the two components together. There are advantages and disadvantages to this arrangement, whichever way you look at it. Great, I’ll never lose that keyboard... mmmh, …
It has windows installed which appears to act as garlic towards Apple, there again Microsoft did bail out Apple in the past so there is some cross-love going on there. Apple needed to stay around to keep the moniply people from bashing Microsoft too much and in a year or two Microsoft will need to be around to stop the monoply mob bashing Apple, hence mutual love.
. . . what I meant was more in the way of Sony obviously copying Apple patented design. While this is, at this moment, not a big problem (Sony hasn't a market share* that interests Apples lawyers), it could be, if this form factor takes off. As Apple then wouldn't have a product to show that has this form factor as well, and, of course, had it before, it follows that other reasons would have to be found to stop it from being marketed.
One way of achieving this would be to just photographing it from the front, without unfolding the keyboard, removing the 'SONY' branding and then adjust the image so that it looks just like an iPad. This picture could then be shown to a jury of future proud Apple-product-of choice-owners who could then decide to ban it.
So, if Sony hasn't paid their 30% production tax, it would be prudent for Apple to start getting evidence and Photoshop ready to go...
;-)
* or the money.
This is after all a netbook in many ways, though tabletfied and yet still ticks all my wish's on a netbook - nice resolution, USB3, SSD. I can imagine if it had a seriel port many engineers would be changing there underwear about now, though I'm sure many still will thesedays with the inclusion of small factor and USB.
I just hope the batter life in use is good enough and upgradable and the price isn't too scary, though like most will probably have to wait a year for that to become palatable.
I just bought a Vaio Z for £1,500. For i7, 8gb ram, 256gb raid SSD, 13" 1080p, with all the modern ports you need, £1,500 is not an insane price. It's happens to be one of the most powerful *and* lightest laptops, and they make them in Japan, not China.
(It replaces my previous Sony Z, which put in 5 years service and is still going strong/looking sexy. If I get 5 years out of the new one, that's only £300/year)
It's not cheap, but you could argue you are getting value for money.