Sony VAIO VGN-FW139E/H 16.4-inch Laptop (2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 Processor, 3 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, Vista Premium) Grey
Broaden your entertainment horizons with the VAIO(R) FW notebook featuring an extra-wide 16.4" XBRITE-ECO LCD display. Great for watching widescreen movies or viewing two websites side-by-side, this entertainment-rich notebook minimizes those annoying black bars you see when playing widescreen movies. Watch and record DVDs and get the most out of your games with the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processor. An entertainment powerhouse, the VAIO(R) FW notebook is inspired by theater screens. Born from Sony HD expertise and powered by the energy-efficient and super-powerful Centrino 2 processor technology - the latest and greatest from Intel. Store you favorite multimedia, important documents, and cherished family photos on the large 250GB Serial ATA(TM) hard drive. 16.4 (1600 x 900) XBRITE-ECO Display Built-in 1.3 Megapixel Webcamera and Microphone ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3470 with 256 Dedicated Video Memory with up to 1530MB Shared DVD+-R/RW Drive with Double Layer Atheros 802.11b/g/n Wireless Integrated Stereo Bluetooth A2DP 10/100/1000Base-T Ethernet Built-in Memory Stick(R) Duo with MagicGate(TM) Card Reader Built-in Secure Digital (SD) media slot ExpressCard 34 Slot 3 x USB 2.0, Headphone; Microphone, VGA, HDMI, IEEE 1394, RJ-11 (Modem), RJ-45 Approximate Unit Dimensions - 15.1 (W) x 10.3 (D) x 1.46(H) Approximate Unit Weight - 6.4 PoundsProduct Details
Features
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Product Description
Inspired by theater screens, the Sony VAIO VGN-FW139E/H broadens your entertainment horizons with a brilliantly colorful 16.4-inch high-definition LCD, dedicated AV controls, HDMI output to your HDTV, and more. Great for watching widescreen movies or viewing two web sites side-by-side, the 16.4-inch screen also minimizes the annoying black bars you see when playing widescreen movies. You'll also enjoy the Dolby Sound Room suite of audio technologies for immersive surround sound pumped through a home theater speaker system or just a pair of headphones. And making your own movies is easy with the included Sony Movie Story software--just choose the supplied template and professional-looking cutaways, cross-fades and soundtrack syncing are automatically done for you
 The VAIO FW notebook has an extra-wide 16.4-inch screen in a chassis with the footprint of a 15.4-inch notebook. |
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This multimedia powerhouse features the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processor--with Centrino 2 technology--which boosts speed, reduces power requirements, and saves on battery life. The 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 includes a quick 1066 MHz front-side bus and 3 MB of L2 cache, providing an optimized, multithreaded architecture for improved multimedia and multitasking performance. Other features include a 250 GB hard drive, 3 GB of installed RAM (4 GB maximum), ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3470 graphics with up to 1530 MB of available memory, a dual-layer DVD±RW drive (which also burns CDs), ExpressCard 34 slot, quad-mode Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth connectivity (including stereo music streaming), a 1.3-megapixel webcam built into the bezel, both Memory Stick and SD card readers, and pre-installed Windows Vista Home Premium (SP1).
This Sony notebook is Energy Star 4.0 certified, and has received a Silver EPEAT designation for meeting standards to help reduce its environmental impact. Additionally, it is RoHS-compliant, effectively reducing the environmental impact by restricting the use of lead, mercury and certain other hazardous substances.
The Basics
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Screen, Video & Audio
This Sony VAIO has a 16.4-inch TFT display with a resolution of 1600 x 900 pixels (native 720p for high-definition viewing). The 16:9 aspect ratio ensures that you won’t miss an inch of the original picture from your favorite movie while also providing valuable extra workspace. The XBRITE-ECO technology delivers brilliant colors and stunning clarity with efficient power usage, and it features an anti-reflective coating to minimize reflection and ensure a beautifully clear image from any viewing angle. Video is powered by the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3470, which provides 256 MB of discrete graphics memory (for 1530 MB of total available graphics memory). ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3400 Series graphics processors have breakthrough efficiency, with phenomenal performance-per-watt and energy-saving features. Advance to the power of discrete graphics for HD gaming with best-in-class performance, amazing effects, and lifelike worlds and characters delivering a compelling gaming experience.
This laptop also has an integrated audio card with Dolby Sound Room suite of technologies, which delivers virtual surround sound from stereo speakers or any pair of headphones and is designed for environments where multiple surround speakers are neither practical nor possible. It includes Dolby Digital (for 5.1 discrete channels of surround sound), Dolby Headphone (delivering the experience of a 5.1-channel soundtrack from any set of headphones), and Dolby Virtual Speaker (providing 5.1-channel surround sound from any pair of speakers).
Networking, Connectivity & Expansion
Be ready for the next platform in wireless connectivity with the integrated quad-mode Intel Wireless 4965AGN Wi-Fi chip. Based on the draft 802.11n Wi-Fi specification, it offers up to five times the performance and twice the wireless range as existing 802.11g wireless. It's also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found in home routers and wi-fi hotspots) as well as 802.11a networks (which has a higher throughput, but more limited range--great for closed office environments). With the Bluetooth connectivity, you can communicate and synchronize with Bluetooth-enabled peripherals such as PDAs and cell phones as well as enjoy wireless stereo music streaming (thanks to its embedded A2DP profile).
This notebook also includes a next-generation ExpressCard 34 card slot (though no PCMCIA slot), which lets you take advantage of thinner, faster, and lighter expansion cards for even more advanced wireless, networking, storage, and security features. Here's the full list of connectivity options:
Operating System
Windows Vista Home Premium (with SP1) is the operating system for users with advanced computer needs, and it includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center for watching DVD movies and accessing your digital audio library. You can also use Windows Media Center to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV) and to access new kinds of online entertainment content. Computers that include Windows Vista Home Premium and an auxiliary Windows SideShow display will also allow you to access key data even when your computer is off. It is also easier than ever to share files between other PCs in your household and to manage your laptop computer settings to more securely connect via Wi-Fi.
Every edition of Windows Vista provides the essential tools and technologies to help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting to a wireless network, or just reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal data. And, all Windows Vista editions include parental control features that allow you to manage and monitor your family's use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, and other activities.
Preloaded Software
Microsoft Windows Live OneCare anti-virus and recovery (trial version), Microsoft Works SE 9.0, Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student (60-day trial), Sony Click to Disk Editor (CD and DVD burning), VAIO Movie Story (video editing), VAIO MusicBox, VAIO Media plus (multimedia streaming)
Dimensions & Weight
This notebook measures 15.1 x 10.3 x 1.46 inches (WxDxH) and weighs 6.4 pounds.
Power
It's powered by the VGP-BPS13/S rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which has a battery life of between 2.0 and 4 hours (depending on usage). This laptop is compliant with Energy Star 4.0 specifications, meaning that it uses less power and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by meeting very strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy.
What's in the Box
This package contains the VGN-FW139E/H notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions. It is backed by a one-year limited hardware warranty, and Sony offers 1-year of toll-free telephone technical assistance.
Customer Reviews
Big Disappointment
I bought a Sony Viao FW computer from the Palm Beach Gardens, Fl, SonyStyle store in January. The sound worked intermittently; the computer stayed in shut down mode for 12 hours; and it stalled during a boot. All this happened within the first 40 days of ownership. I returned the computer and requested my money back, explaining that I had lost confidence in the product.
After two hours of stressful "discussion" with the store manager, the technician, and, finally, the store owner, 85% of my money was refunded. The 15% was kept as a restocking fee for the faulty machine.
Please think twice before you invest in this product. I was burned and I have little confidence in Sony or its representatives.
Disappointing WiFi, Service
This is a handsome, sturdy product, serviceable in many ways but with an unstable Wifi connection. A bit of Googling suggests this issue may endemic with this and similar products. So surely Sony has heard of it before, but the online help is perfunctory and routine. The first online techie (are they all named "Scott?") ran me through some drills, then directed me to a troubleshooting memo which didn't seem designed for this product (refs to stuff that wasn't there). On an email contact, I was told I'd better phone in. Through my own in attention, I misplaced the phone number, so I logged in again: I did have some prior service ID's, but the new Scott didn't seem the least interested. He was setting me up to do a system restore to "where I was before the problem started"--but the problem didn't "start;" it has been here all along. I asked him if system restore would wipe out stuff I had added; he said well yes, I should back up. I said look, can you just send me a driver? He said sure; he was walking me through driver install (not too helpfully, I must say) when the connection broke and I haven't had contact with them again.
FWIW, replacing the driver did not help. I'm just as sure as I can be that Sony has some in-house knowledge of this general issue, and some proactive means for solving it. But they don't seem interested in providing it to me.
I suspect my best alternatives are (a) suck it up; or (b) pay some big money to Geek Squad. Not what I want out of a computer company.
All you need and probably ever need for the next 4 or 5 years
This machine is great. even though it came with in vista 32 bit. which is not a bad deal, but i feel im not using the full potential of the computer. anyways it's beautiful 16.4 inch screen can only be describe by the word awesome and yo can play, read and BURN blu ray on the computer, which is something not very common on computers this price. I enjoy everything on this computer it's a good price, a good deal and it please me, everybody told me to get a mac but i get a better computer for a better price so you should think about it.. oh one thing i don't like is the color gray, but it's ok im a graphic designer so i made a cool vynil sticker on it.
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