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In the coming months, the Vaio will have plenty of competition. Toshiba PABAS213 Till now, only the Microsoft Surface RT tablet and Dell XPS 12 convertible present a real threat, but all the popular manufacturers presented similar convertibles at the IFA 2012. In the wake of the Windows 8 launch, many clamshell laptops with a touch panel are coming out. In our opinion, these devices will not be able to make the most out of the Windows 8 touch interface (see Asus S400, Acer Aspire S7 and Vaio SV-T1312). Toshiba PA3757U-1BRS
If a potential buyer picks a convertible, s/he has to decide between various mechanisms. Toshiba PA3788U-1BRS The turn-and-tilt hinge of traditional convertibles has been thrown out by most manufacturers, in favor of lighter solutions, which would suit delicate Ultrabooks better and offer better sturdiness. HP (Envy X2) and Acer (Iconia W510P) have created tablets which dock into their keyboard, transforming into laptops. Advantages: low weight and measurements. Disadvantages: the hardware is rather weak, as it and the battery have to both find space in the tablet. In addition, such devices can have a problem with weight distribution as the base unit will not weight much (at best it will include a secondary battery). Toshiba PA3817U-1BRS
Dell (XPS 12), Toshiba (Satellite U920t) and Sony do not separate the two parts, and rather have decided on a hinge mechanism which pushes the panel into the desired position. Dell allows the TFT to be rotated in a sturdy metal border. Asus (Taichi) picks an easy, yet expensive solution: a standard clamshell notebook with two panels, one on the front and the other on the back (when closed, the panel outside transforms the device into a tablet). Lenovo's IdeaPad Yoga offers a greater degree of freedom in the form of a panel which can be turned 360 degrees. toshiba l645d-s4036 battery
Sony chooses a slider mechanism (first seen in the Asus Eee Pad Slider SL101 - end of 2011). Toshiba PA3819U-1BRS This makes the case thicker, but at 18 mm (~0.71 inches) it is still quite slim. The advantages: the Vaio has normal interfaces, like a full-size D-Sub VGA interface and, on the back, an Ethernet RJ-45 port. The feet were not included in the measurement of the thickness. They add between 3-6 mm (~0.12 to 0.24 inches) to the height of the Vaio (rear feet pulled out). This increase in the height presents the cooling system with more room for efficient cooling. Toshiba PA3928U-1BRS
The hinge is composed of a massive magnesium part. The large arm, which includes the back of the device, holds the panel in position. Toshiba PA3818U-1BRS The small support in front of it ensures that the user is presented with an ideal angle. Two metal hooks (base unit) click into place securely when the TFT is opened up. The opening and closing of the device does not require force: pull up the screen from behind part of the way (slack point) and then the hinge kicks in and pushes it into the final position with its springs. The user should not expect the firmness of an aluminum unibody - due to the hinge, the screen can wobble in the final position, but it does not swing or give way under pressure. Toshiba PA3816U-1BRS
We are surprised by the hardness of the base unit, as the bottom is made of pure synthetic material. The cool aluminum cover adds value to the device. The bottom has no maintenance flap and the area can be pressed in a little. Toshiba PA3635U-1BRM
In tablet mode, the panel is connected by four hooks and the hinge to the base unit. Although the base is a half centimeter thicker than the TFT, the user has the impression of handling a Slate PC, made of a single piece. The surface of the touch panel is resistant like other good tablets and does not give way under pressure. We believe that Sony has designed an excellent case, as in tablet mode, most users would not suspect the dual nature of the Duo 11. Toshiba PABAS111
While slim Ultrabooks, like the Aspire S7 and Samsung Series 9, cut back on ports or choose to install micro interfaces, Toshiba PA3594U-1BRS Sony has stuck to full size. No adapter is required for VGA, HDMI, Ethernet and USB. This is quite a big advantage in comparison to the high-end competition. Asus and Acer put USB-to-Ethernet adapters with their Ultrabooks (only 100 MB/s). Asus, Acer and Samsung have Mini-VGA and Micro-HDMI on-board. The XPS 12 convertible lacks Ethernet and instead offers a Mini-DisplayPort. Acer's S7 and the Duo 11 have one thing in common: a battery slice can increase the run time. The Vaio has a battery interface on the bottom. Acer uses a cable to transfer the energy from the battery (no battery interface). Toshiba PA3593U-1BRS
The Bluetooth 4.0+HS, like the WLAN-Draft-N module (Intel), uses a modern power-saving mechanism (BLE Bluetooth Low Energy). The Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller transfers files in gigabytes within the network. A 3G module would have been a great extra, but as most users carry their smartphones around, they can use the tethering function. That means that they only require a surf contract. The GPS module enables Google Maps to pinpoint the location of the user. Toshiba PA3638U-1BRS
Sometimes a TPM module is required to access the company network. The Trusted Module Platform is a security chip which is available for an additional 20 Euros (~$26) in the Sony Shop configuration menu. Toshiba PA3399U-1BRS
Sony does not offer any recovery DVDs, and the user will have to burn such a DVD for Windows 8 Pro (64-bit) themselves. S/he will have to press the Assist key to enter Vaio Care where all recovery options are provided under "additional tools". The Vaio Control Center is more important as it encompasses all settings (the display, performance, input devices/lighting, or network). Sadly, unlike the Vaio laptops, the Duo 11 does not have a hardware key for the Control Center. Toshiba PA3399U-2BRS
The manufacturer's warranty lasts 12 months - relatively short for this price class. Toshiba Satellite Pro L450 BatteryAs long as the user registers the Duo 11 soon after the purchase, s/he will receive the standard guarantee of 24 months. Sony cleverly forces buyers to register their product as this guarantee extension is essential. Those users, who are not satisfied with this warranty period, can purchase a one-year or two-year extension with pick-up and return service (5 workdays for pick-up and return service) for an additional 130/350 Euros (~$170/$457) respectively. The last option is expensive but it offers 3 months of product replacement service (only in Germany) and 4 years of complete protection in case of an accident. Toshiba PA3191U-5BRS
The Duo 11 has 2.0 megapixel cameras at both the front and at the back. Although the cameras are good, the user will be hard put to capture a photo outdoors in the sunlight due to the reflective display. However, once the user grabs a photo, the "Exmor" HD digital camera gets to work and processes a sharp and well-focused picture. Poor lighting (early evening, shadows, indoors) can result in blurring, strong distortions and excessive color saturation. These statements apply to both cameras equally. Toshiba PA3921U-1BRS
The use of keys and touchpad together is fun and fast. We did not wish for an external mouse at any point during our use, and rarely required the pointer. The keyboard base is secure and offers a solid, yet not hard, impact. The pressure point is soft and could have been crisper. Thankfully, the keys have a soft surface although they do not have any visible rubber coating. Toshiba PA3730U-1BRS
The 13 mm (~0.51 inches) wide keys (desktop - 19 mm/~0.75 inches) have a large gap (4 mm/~0.16 inches), which allows the user to type accurately. The keyboard does not use its entire width, but the manufacturer has good reason for this. The 25 mm (~0.98 inch) gap to the right and left of the keyboard is left free so that our hands can lift the Duo 11. Toshiba PA3733U-1BRS
Touchpad
Touchpad or pointstick? It turns out the touchpad can be replaced by the combination of three blunt keys that offer grip and a pointer. Even touchpad fans will soon get accustomed to using the pointstick of the Duo 11 as, in contrast to HP or Lenovo business notebooks; this device has a smooth surface. The cursor is moved by swiping over the top of the stick. Standard pointers have a slip-proof surface. The second plus: a double-click is possible on the pointer as well. Toshiba PA3780U-1BRS
The middle button puts the pointer in scroll mode and the device can now be used to scroll to the right/left and up/down. The keys click quietly, have a short stroke distance and a muffled impact. Toshiba PABAS228
A flood of Windows 8 convertibles is hitting the market. Sony wishes to distinguish its convertible by adding a stylus pen. This pen is active, which means it has a battery. A small dot will reveal the location of the cursor as soon as the pen is within 10 mm of the screen. The round button on the pen acts as a right mouse key. This allows the user to call up context menus faster than with the finger. Toshiba PABAS098
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