Sony Announces Vaio Ultraportable Netbooks

 A few moments ago Sony announced the Vaio X at IFA 2009. This netbook is a half inch thick, an 11.1 inch display and a battery life that "will set the new standard for stamina." The computer just weighs 1 and a half pounds, and is made out of carbon fibre. We have no word on the specs of the machine, but I’ll keep digging.

Update: I have just found the first photos of the Vaio X, which are below:

Update 2: We now know why this netbook has such a long battery life, it has a weak Atom processor. I would not take these specs too seriously, considering that Sony still has to confirm them.

Intel Simplifies it Core Structure With i7 i5 and i3

Intel has wisely chosen to simplify its overley complicated brand structure by creating only three main categories of chips: i7(high level) i5(mid level) and i3(entry level).

...we are focusing our strategy around a primary 'hero' client brand which is Intel® Core™. Today the Intel Core brand has a mind boggling array of derivatives (such as Core™2 Duo and Core 2 Quad, etc). Over time those will go away and in its place will be a simplified family of Core processors spanning multiple levels: Intel® Core™ i3 processor, Intel® Core™ i5 processor, and Intel® Core™ i7 processors. Core i3 and Core i5 are new modifiers and join the previously announced Intel Core i7 to round out the family structure. It is important to note that these are not brands but modifiers to the Intel Core brand that signal different features and benefits. For example, upcoming processors such as Lynnfield (desktop) will carry the Intel Core brand, but will be available as either Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i7 depending upon the feature set and capability. Clarksfield (mobile) will have the Intel Core i7 name. - Intel spokesman Bill Calder

Celeron, Pentium and Atom are staying put, but the famous core brands will be broken into the ones above. Intel said that the transition will take time, and will most likely be done in 2010.