[VAIO AR plays Blu-ray Disc high-def content for enjoying movies in 1080p on its 17" WUXGA XBRITE widescreen display.]

San Diego -- Sony today took the wraps off the world's first Blu-ray Disc enabled notebook computer -- the VAIO AR which will be available this summer.

Part of a series, the VAIO AR comes in two different configurations: Premium and Standard. The AR Premium version plays Blu-ray Disc high-definition content, so you can enjoy movies in full 1080p HD resolution. The notebook has a17-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) widescreen display and uses Sony's XBRITE Hi-Color(TM) LCD technology.

For those who prefer to watch content on a larger screen, the AR model also has an HDMI(TM) connector and included cable that connects to high-definition televisions for a larger viewing experience.

In addition to supporting HD playback, the VAIO AR notebook is a multimedia powerhouse with the capability to record high-definition camcorder content to Blu-ray Discs. Now aspiring moviemakers can shoot, edit and burn their HD creation on a PC all in native 1080 resolution.

Using an extensive suite of dedicated software applications, you can also edit high-definition footage and share it on Sony high-capacity BD-R and BD-RE Blu-ray Discs (up to 50 GB) or on traditional DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/+RW capitalizing on flexible storage, playback and recording.

"The VAIO AR has the ability to capture, edit and record in HD on a notebook PC right out of the gate," said Mike Abary, vice president of VAIO product marketing at Sony Electronics in the U.S. "Combined with unsurpassed storage capability our new Blu-ray Disc enabled notebook computer offers users with limitless creative possibilities."

Luxuriously designed and powerfully equipped, the AR Premium is available in a high gloss, piano-black finish with silver trim and an illuminated VAIO logo. It also has the latest Intel Centrino Duo mobile technology for processor-heavy multi-tasking and high-definition video editing.

Let Me Entertain You

Packed with a host of entertainment features, the AR will ship with Microsoft Windows Media Center Edition 2005 and includes a built-in standard-definition NTSC TV tuner (select models) and onboard TV controls, so you can watch and record live television.

The AR Premium also incorporates an NVIDIA GeForce Go 7600 graphics card featuring 256MB dedicated video memory. It is ideal for handling high-definition content, television broadcast and DVD playback and bringing gamers closer to the action. The AR series also incorporates a camera and microphone allowing users to chat online with friends and family.

The AR Standard model will start at about $1,800, while the AR Premium Blu-ray Disc enabled model will go for about $3,500. The Premium model will be shipped with the Sony Pictures Entertainment Blu-ray Disc release, "House of Flying Daggers," providing a high-definition experience on the PC right out of the box.

The VAIO AR series will be available online at www.sonystyle.com and at Sony Style stores or select retailers around the country.

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