Following Samsung's and Intel's announcements for the first UMPC devices, Sony unveilled on Thusday its VAIO type U VGN-UX50 UMPC pocket PC, which will go on sale in Japan May 27 for 170,000 yen ($1,543).

The device runs Windows XP, its size is 150.2 x 95~100.5 x 32.2~38.2mm while its weigh is 520g. It is equipped with a 4.5" SVGA (1024x600) touch sensitive LCD with XBRITE technology, three USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet, VGA, Firewire, WiFi, Bluetooth and WWAN (compatible with Cingular's EDGE wireless network) and a 30GB HDD.

The device is powered by an Intel Core Solo U1300 (1.06GHz) processor, 512MB of memory and a 945GMS Express chip set.

The device also features a built-in camera, wireless LAN (a/b/g) and Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR ports, one Memory Stick Duo (Pro Duo) port, a CF card slot, a FeliCa IC card reader and a fingerprint reader.



Sony also said that the device boots up in just 5 seconds from standby, while its battery is rated at 3.5 hours.

Sony Japan offers a number of accessories for the new VGN-UX50 UMPC device.

In addition, Sony will next month unveil a paperback- sized computer that uses flash memory instead of a hard drive. The 16GB NAND flash memory PC will be introduced in late June, said Yoshihisa Ishida, head of Sony's Vaio PC business, at a news conference in Tokyo. The PC will look similar to the VAIO type U VGN-UX50 model the company unveiled today.

For additional information read Sony's press release (Japanese) .