• Stylishly designed notebook in indigo blue with 14.1-inch screen and multimedia playback control buttons
• 2.0 Intel Core 2 Duo T7250 processor, 200 GB hard drive, 2 GB RAM (4 GB max), 8x multi-format/dual-layer DVD drive
• Quad-mode Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n), 10/100 Ethernet, Intel X3100 video card with up to 358 MB of shared memory
• Connectivity: 3 USB, 1 FireWire, ExpressCard 34 slot, Memory Stick & SD readers
• Pre-installed with Windows Vista Home Premium (with Media Center capabilities)

Add a zesty style to your mobile computing with the stunning good looks of the indigo blue Sony VAIO VGN-CR220E/L notebook PC, which offers unique eye-catching features, impressive attention-to-detail, and an amazingly thin and light profile. Aside from its jaw-dropping good looks, it's also an entertainment powerhouse. The instant AV Mode feature enables you to start watching a DVD or listening to music with the push of a single button--without having to boot up the system--and the convenient, built-in multimedia control buttons also let you control all playback functions.

This notebook is powered by the 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7250 processor, which offers a top-of-the-line 800 MHz front-side bus speed and 2 MB L2 cache. The Core 2 Duo processor provides an optimized, multithreaded architecture for improved gaming and multitasking performance, as well as excellent battery management. It also includes Intel's 4965 AGN wireless LAN, which will connect to draft 802.11n routers and offers compatibility with 802.11a/b/g networks as well. A built-in 1.3 megapixel digital web camera lets you quickly snap photos and participate in live video chats. Other features include a bright 14.1-inch XBRITE-ECO screen, 200 GB hard drive, 2 GB of installed RAM (4 GB maximum capacity), multi-format/dual-layer DVD+/-RW drive (which also burns CDs), ExpressCard 34 slot, and both Memory Stick and SD memory cart slots.

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center. In addition to easily playing your DVD movies and managing your digital audio library, you'll be able to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV). Vista also integrates new search tools throughout the operating system, includes new parental control features, and offers new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures.

The Basics

• Processor: The Intel Core 2 Duo T7250 processor has a 2.0 GHz processor speed, super-fast 800 MHz front-side bus (FSB), and a large 2 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)

  The Intel Core 2 Duo processor has two computational execution cores in a single processor, providing greater system response when running multi-threaded applications simultaneously with no significant increase in power consumption. It's optimized for multitasking and is ready to support the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. It can simultaneously run multiple demanding applications--such as graphics-intensive games or serious number-crunching business productivity applications--while downloading music or running virus-scanning security programs in the background. Some of the advanced Intel innovations of the Core 2 Duo processor include:

  • Smart Memory Access: Improves system performance by hiding memory latency, thus optimizing the use of available computer data bandwidth to provide data to the processor when and where it is needed.
  • Advanced Digital Media Boost: Effectively doubles the execution speed for instructions used widely in multimedia and graphics applications.
  • Dynamic Power Coordination: Coordinates Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology and idle power-management state (C-states) transitions independently per core to help save power.
  • Deeper Sleep with Dynamic Cache Sizing: Saves power by flushing cache data to system memory during periods of inactivity to lower CPU voltage.

• Hard Drive: The 200 GB Serial ATA hard drive provides more than enough capacity for storing a large audio and video library, as well as extra space required for video editing. However its 4200 RPM speed is a bit slower than current standard hard drives. This SATA hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to FireWire and USB 2.0.

• Memory: The 2 GB of installed RAM (2 x 1024 MB DDR2) will satisfy many users, but this notebook's two DIMM slots have a maximum 4 GB RAM capacity--perfect for high-end video editing and 3-D gaming. It also offers a top-of-class 667 MHz speed. To receive the faster data transfer benefits of the dual-channel DDR2 RAM, any RAM additions require memory modules of same capacity and clockspeed.

• DVD/CD Drive: The dual-layer DVD drive is compatible with a wide range of formats, including both DVD+RW and DVD-RW discs, CD-RW discs, and dual-layer (DL) DVD+/-R discs, which can hold up to 8.5 GB of data--great for backing up your MP3 collection or your most important documents. It features the following speeds: 4x for DVD+R DL, 4x for DVD-R DL, 8x for both single layer DVD+R/-R, 8x for single layer DVD+RW, 6x for single layer DVD-RW, 5x for DVD-RAM, and 24x for CD-R/RW. It reads DVD-ROM discs at 8x and CD-ROMs at 24x.

• Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a standard 82-key keyboard (2mm stroke and 19.05mm pitch) and electro-static two-button touchpad. Playback controls include play/pause, stop, forward, rewind, AV mode, mute, volume +/-, capture, and display off.

Video is powered by the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100, which uses shared video memory (up to 358 MB allocated from the system memory) and provides Windows Vista Aero interface support and enhanced 3-D graphics performance--delivering over 2x scores on 3-DMark 06. Intel Clear Video Technology provides outstanding video playback with sharper image quality, increased clarity, and customizable color controls. It also enables enhanced visual quality of interlaced content on progressive displays.

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).

This notebook also includes a next-generation ExpressCard 34 card slot (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:

• 3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
• 1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) port for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
• Video output: 1 VGA, 1 S-Video
• 1 ExpressCard/34 slot
• Memory Stick/Memory Stick DUO slot (with MagicGate functionality)
• Secure Digital memory card slot (compatible with MMC cards)
• 1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack

Operating System
Windows Vista Home Premium 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
Includes Sony Click to DVD (for easy DVD creation), Microsoft Works SE 9.0, Microsoft Office 2007 (60-day trial), Symantec Norton 360 All-In-One Security (with 60 days of Live Update).

Dimensions & Weight
This notebook measures 13.2 x 9.8 x 1.67 inches (WxDxH) and weighs 5.5 pounds.

Power
It's powered by the VGP-BPS9A/S rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which has a battery life of between 2 and 4.5 hours (depending on usage).

What's in the Box
This package contains the VGN-CR220E/L 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.

Step out and be seen with the with the portable, powerful and colorful VAIO CR notebook, a notebook with XBRITE-ECO LCD technology. This thin-and-light mobile masterpiece features an array of entertainment and design extras, including a built-in web cam, AV controls, powerful, cutting-edge technologies and a comfortable, easy-to-clean keyboard.

Purchased Sony VAIO Dec. 2007 as a present. I bought it not only because of the SONY name but because it was in the style and color that my wife liked. Had I known how fragile the screen was, and the fact that SONY knew about it and it still continued selling the units with a warranty that specifically excluded LCD "damage" I would not have bought it. A rarely used notebook, still in an "as new" like condition and Sony claims LCD damage and refuses to fix.

I've had this laptop for 7 months now and would not exchange it for any other model. Looks beautiful, specs are good. The first thing I did when I bought this was reinstall Vista, minus all the Sony bloatware. Somebody else said that they only got 174 GB out of the 200 that they should have got. That is because there is a hidden partition containing the recovery data. You can burn recovery DVDs and claim that space again safely.

PROS: Size, light weight, fast (if you install a new operating system)

CONS: Battery doesn't last more than an hour if you're using the computer for anything other than typing a paper. Not sure what the light is for... Comes with Vista. Keyboard is hard to use. My thumbs hit the touchpad while typing and it causes the cursor to jump. VERY annoying. XP drivers are incomplete and no support for Vista 64bit or XP 64bit. Speakers are crap.

THOUGHTS: I've had this laptop for 6months now. I started to get the blue screen of death with Vista every time the computer would come of hibernation. This prompted me to install XP. I now have no sound and none of my keyboard function keys work.

It has a great feel when you're at the store trying to size it up against other laptops, but when it comes to getting work done and using it daily, it doesn't cut it.

I have owned this computer for less than 6 months and in the past 6 months three things have broken. First the left click broke, I sent the computer into Sony and they replaced it. A few months later my computer turned off and would not power on. I sent the computer to Sony and they replaced my motherboard. A week after receiving the computer back my screen started to malfunction. There was a dotted line that would appear and blink then go away for a few seconds only to return again. I called up Sony support and as I was on the phone with them my screen began to fade completely to white then flash back to normal than fade to white again. Now I have sent it back to them again for another repair. Two major repairs in less than 6 months is ridiculous.

Contains unnecessary software, or bloatware, that slows up startup and consumes memory. "Spy Sweeper" is the most annoying.