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Sony Rips off MacBook Design.

blogs.zdnet.com — Sony copied the MacBook design, even down to the chiclet keyboard. Sony Europe's site mentioned that the notebooks design was part of "Sony's Design Values" which must mean copy other company's better products. Oh well, can't blame them. Link to the Europe site: http://www.sony-europe.com/PageView.do?section=en_EU_Press& pressrelease=115815

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  • PerennialTears, on 10/12/2007, -8/+61LOL, they're creatively calling it the MockBook.
    • gxcdesign, on 10/12/2007, -36/+24lol that's how the British say it in the UK


      "kahn aye ohder an Opple MockBook"
    • i440, on 10/12/2007, -34/+10I really don't see why this is a bad thing at all. In fact, companies, please — if your competitors had a very good idea, please copy them to the fullest legal extent. Originality is all well and good, but quality is more important.
    • rejectpenguin, on 10/12/2007, -33/+49I guess apple now owns the licensing for anything white.
    • zybch, on 10/12/2007, -1/+50I wonder if they will be using Sony brand batteries...
    • shawnanigans, on 10/12/2007, -29/+10Not only does Apple own white they also now own matte black and square. Every company that uses white headphones are now copying Apple too.
    • satansbanjo, on 10/12/2007, -5/+31gxcdesign: I'd like to meet the British person who talks like that
    • shrewduser, on 10/12/2007, -18/+18sony: http://blogs.zdnet.com/images/Sony-VAIO-N10-Series-solo.jpg
      apple: http://nexus.design2.fh-aachen.de/seminare/wrede/WS05_1/wp-content/files/macbook.jpg

      yes they're simmilar, but almost all modern products are going with this style of styling, think psp, DS-lite , LCD monitors....

      its what consumers want....
    • mancat, on 10/12/2007, -5/+30"lol that's how the British say it in the UK"

      Do they say it differently when they're outside of the UK?
    • elroy, on 10/12/2007, -18/+10It appears to have two mouse buttons. Brilliant!
    • dkm201, on 10/12/2007, -17/+7So this is what digg has become...
    • notorious., on 10/12/2007, -0/+9@shrewduser

      You linked a MacBook Pro. What they're talking about in the article is a white MacBook.

      http://www.apple.com/macbook/macbook.html
    • returnofmalv, on 10/12/2007, -12/+12Good design is good design. You don't design a car with three wheels just because someone has already done four.
    • numptydumpty, on 10/12/2007, -45/+5Jesus ***** wept... can't you nerds find something important to discuss?

      Who gives a flying ***** if a new sony laptop looks a bit like a slightly less new apple laptop... design and product development is a cyclical process - one company innovates, others use and improve on that design because it's then popular with the customers, until another company innovates and then the others all follow their lead... it goes in circles. The sad part of all this is getting wound up by it. If you're a fan of Apple, take it as a compliment and be pleased that other companies are now thinking more about the design of their products. If you're pro-Sony, then who cares if some people are complaining that Sony have copied Apple - you've got a nice looking laptop that's made by a company you like, so everyone's a winner.

      Now move on and go read some proper news/opinion pieces fer christs sake.


    • FinishdLawSkool, on 10/12/2007, -4/+10Who is the fool that thought Sony is still being innovative?
    • vdxc, on 09/29/2008, -0/+16numptydumpty.. dude, this is Digg not MySpace
    • brstilson, on 10/12/2007, -5/+16"It appears to have two mouse buttons. Brilliant!"

      Jesus Christ, users have been able to use two-button mice with macs for at least a decade. Give it a rest already.
    • Qwfwq, on 10/12/2007, -16/+9Mac paranoids have finally gone over the edge - how is this a ripoff of the Macbook? The "chiclet" keyboard style, besides being completely different from the Macbook, has been used on the vaios for some time now: just look at any SZ. The screen hinges, another chareacteristic of the Macs, are completely different, it has 2 mouse buttons, something that has never been seen in any Mac, even the color is different, its more greyish that white.
      Someone hasn't been taking their medicine.
    • Crustibooga, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2Hey i440, can't see why you're minus 14 with your comment.

      I am a monster great Apple fan, Jonathon Ive's at the very top of his field with his classic designs, but one thing I'm sure of, is he will have taken design ideas from many sources, including Sony.

      I still won't buy one due to the fact that it doesn't run OS X, so who gives a ....! Designers get there influences from all over the place, every now and again something radical happens, next time maybe it'll be Sony and Apple will be playing catch-up (although I doubt it). One thing's for certain, it's not a bad thing! p.s. Oim frorm gud ol' blighty mate, ind oi ulwois tork like at... Innit! yeah right! LOL
    • modsuperstar, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2qwfwq: Apple's "Mighty Mouse" actually has 2 buttons, so your statement isn't entirely true. I don't understand why that hasn't translated into 2 button laptop control, but then again, who uses the laptop controls anyways?
    • oddmanout, on 10/12/2007, -6/+3i don't know, i mean, yes it looks like it, but i don't know i'd say they ripped it off... alot of laptops look the same.

      for comparison:

      this is the sony
      http://blogs.zdnet.com/images/Sony-VAIO-N10-Series-solo.jpg

      and this is the macbook http://nexus.design2.fh-aachen.de/seminare/wrede/WS05_1/wp-content/files/macbook.jpg

      now this is my laptop, its a compaq
      http://common.ziffdavisinternet.com/util_get_image/10/0,1425,i=106865,00.jpg

      this is an acer
      http://www.upg-freiburg.de/pic/w5a.jpg

      they all look the same to me. just subtle differences.
    • aznboi04k, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1this looks nothing like a macbook. it's a generic white laptop. simple as that.
    • stampy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0What a rip off. This is nothing like, say, every web 2.0 company ripping off Apple's website...oh wait.
    • 23r17i05o42n, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Marked as extremely accurate. Look at it! Digger kids can't handle the truth.
  • mateo60, on 10/12/2007, -9/+23At first, I was thinking, "It's not like Apple owns the white laptop. C'mon, lighten up and give Sony a break".... but then I saw the chiclet style keyboard and started to think that maybe they did rip off the Macbook.

    Sony usually makes nice looking computers, I don't see why they need to rip Apple off.... but it looks like they did rip them off. Oh well.
    • super_spyder, on 10/12/2007, -0/+23they are a little different the macbook has a small key floating in the middle of non key, the sony is all key. Besides this type of keyboard has been used by sony for quite a while (before the mac book) I believe the s360 was the first computer i saw them use this design on. Other than that it does look VERY similar..... but all and all they are missing the simplistic minimalistic design of a real apple (all the lights/slots on the front, and a damn cd tray waiting to get broken)

      http://media.arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/macbook.media/12-keys.jpg
    • trylleklovn, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Who can blame them? It's an awesome design :)
    • Kam3k, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4The ugly way the hinge sticks out on both sides bothers me. If they were going to copy the Macbook couldn't they at least do a decent job of it? This lacks the attention to detail of the real thing. If you look closely though, Its only really the colour that's the same, this has angles and sharper corners, rather than the simple iPod like rounded box of the Macbook. Also I think Sony have been making similar looking machines and with this type of keyboard for quite a while although some were only available in Japan.
    • bluemech, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Why would you want copy those ugly keys? I saw one for the frist time the other day and I thought it looked so cheesy and ugly.
    • willynilly, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0You didn't look carefully enough at the keyboard then. Sony's is far superior. Why? Because while Apple inexplicably still can't figure out how to provide a full keyboard on even their giant 17-inch laptops, Sony does.

      Yes, down the right side, see them? Delete, Home, End, Page Up, Page down. The Macs don't even have a Delete key, which makes them a huge pain in the ass to use. Not to mention the glaring defect of the missing right button.
  • boolean, on 10/12/2007, -2/+18I guess the supplier had too many keyboards...

    bigger photo:
    http://www.sony-europe.com/res/attachment/file/68/1158155174068.JPG
    • mozzep, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10They should consider the switch to slot-loading drives. The laptop looks nice, though.
    • dooraque, on 10/12/2007, -4/+4The Vaio N series keyboard doesn't even look like that of the MacBook. Stop whining around and compare yourself, some people posted photos, see above. The Sony machine derives the Vaio SZ series look. If you're not familiar with non-Apple products, it's your problem, but seeing "Apple ripoffs" everythere is just plain ridiculous.

      Reported as inaccurate.
    • Nicodascorpio, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5I agree. Upon closer examination the keyboard is NOT a "apple chiclet style" like the macbook. Its the same keyboard Sony has been using for years. Overall the design does resemble the macbook pro more than the macbook but I encourage it. Its the operating system its running that I care about. Really, how many ways can you design "sleek/minimal". Thats the whole point of the design, to reduce bulk and unnecessary embellishments that serve no purpose. Last check apple didn't hold the patent on the minimalist design. And the fact there are media card slots on the front? Hmmm maybe apple should think about copying..... bah what do I know ;).
  • nnonix, on 10/12/2007, -26/+10If that laptop had a black keyboard nobody would be saying anything and in fact it would look like just another Sony laptop. So, I guess white-keyboard means mac-copy. Um-OK.
    • DannySpace, on 10/12/2007, -15/+10Um-no. Take a second look. Unless you're blind (or stupid), you will see that the design of the whole laptop is a near-to-complete emulation of the macbook. And... I truly don't think you're blind.
    • DelMonte, on 10/12/2007, -13/+16The fact that it's white alone is not a problem, but the chiclet keyboard is just screaming "rip-off".

      (And please don't bring me a list of all 80's computers that had chiclet keyboards before. It doesn't mean anything in the current context)
    • Jacob, on 10/12/2007, -5/+14actually sony used chiclet keyboards for longer than apple has, granted now that the whole laptop is white and all it does look more like a mac but honestly it wasn't too far away from what sony already had. And I am the furthest from a sony fan as you can get don't just make stupid assumptions like that.
    • rosebot, on 10/12/2007, -4/+7Thats NOT a chiclet keyboard. Sony has been using that style BEFORE the Macbook even came out. My 13" SZ110 has that style key, its beveled on the edge, and is nothing like the Macbook keyboard.
    • DelMonte, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5Do a google search for: "chiclet keyboard" sony

      A whopping 698 results! And none of them shows any Sony model like the current full-size chiclet keyboard on this Sony laptop.

      Sony only used chiclet keyboards on sub-notebooks and portable keyboards for PDAs, and that until the MacBook...

      This is the first time Sony uses a full size chiclet keyboard on a normal size notebook aimed at the consumer market, and just by some random coincidence, it's also white and has a similar shape and very similar keyboard/trackpard placement.

      Once again, Apple had to take the risk that people wouldn't like it, and when it proved to be popular, Sony decided to push those keyboards at the forefront instead of only using them in specialized portable products like they did in the past.
    • DelMonte, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2"Thats NOT a chiclet keyboard."

      Ah well whatever I don't know what to think anymore...
    • Coffeedemon, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3"(And please don't bring me a list of all 80's computers that had chiclet keyboards before. It doesn't mean anything in the current context)"

      Why is that? Because it might be possible to imply that Apple - the great and glorious Apple - wasn't 100% original in their design and took something that was developed in the past that worked and incorporated it into their new machine to offer that to their customers. You know, much like what Sony seems to be doing here?

      Sorry guys - we don't want anything that takes the emphasis off Apple as the beginning of all great and original ideas. Any evidence that could possibly be brought up that could be to the contrary is irrelevant in this context.
  • bigvics, on 10/12/2007, -10/+9Looks like a nice laptop to me, besides there were laptops before the macbook that had the chiclet styled keyboard and obviously no one really owns the color white. It can be argued that all Apple products are basically ripping off 20-30 year old Braun design, but really who cares.
    • DelMonte, on 10/12/2007, -6/+7Which laptop in recent history had a chiclet keyboard? Care to show an example?
    • bigvics, on 10/12/2007, -4/+8asus, off the top of my head is one manufacturer whos had that style keyboard in the past. there are a couple others, have to look them up and find some pics, but they are out there.
    • nofxjunkee, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6This is the first non-Apple "smooth" laptop I've seen. Pretty much 4 outside faces when it's closed, which is not usual for PC notebooks.
    • evilspoons, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6My friend has a pre-Macbook (or Macbook Pro, for that matter) release Vaio with a carbon-fibre body and black "chiclet" style keys, so the keyboard isn't anything new.

      Come on guys, it's a silver minimalist laptop. There's not a lot you can DO with that sort of design.
    • DelMonte, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1Searching for: asus "chiclet keyboard" only returned 123 results, and I didn't find any Asus laptop that featured a chiclet keyboard.
  • neglesaks, on 10/12/2007, -10/+5""Sony's Design Values" "

    Yeah - like Microsoft Innovation Values... :p
  • artificialhero, on 10/12/2007, -8/+1[ill founded mac fanboy comment] / [ill founded mac hater comment]

    decisions decisions...

    you're all biased! doesn't matter which way. Sure, it looks a lot like a MacBook, but then the current Mac notebooks are all simple lines, so any simply designed notebook is gonna have an air of Mac.
  • locnguyen, on 10/12/2007, -9/+4I'm anxious to see the next round of Apple commercials clowning on Sony. This is really blatant and anyone who denies that isn't keeping it real. If it was just one thing, like a white finish, than I wouldn't say it's copying. But you have everything else on those Sony's that scream rip off.

    Just keeping it real folks.
  • justinvt, on 10/12/2007, -5/+12While they do look the same, that's just because Apple was the first to popularize this hyper-minimal design style. Apple doesn't own the patent for rectangles.
    • tensvb, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2...in computer industry, maybe they were first. Apple didn't invent minimal design.
    • vitriolix, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1macbooks always kind of reminded me of think pads with odd keyboards.
  • dw2005, on 10/12/2007, -2/+16LOL! the moto;

    "Sony Like No Other"
    http://www.sony-europe.com/PageView.do?section=en_EU_Press&pressrelease=1158155174078&site=odw_en_EU&page=PressReleaseDetail

    Classic!
  • flabby, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6It's could be ASUS's desgin. They are the ODM for many computer companies.

    "ASUS also produces components for other corporations, including Sony (PlayStation 2), Apple Computer (iPod, iPod Shuffle, MacBook), Alienware, Falcon Northwest, HP and Compaq." - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asustek

    ASUS also has an Apple like laptop of their own.
    http://www.asus.com/products2.aspx?l1=5&l2=75
    • DelMonte, on 10/12/2007, -7/+2The design of the MacBook is from Jonathan Ive and co. from Apple. The chiclet keyboard was produced according to specifications because Apple asked for it, not because ASUS was producing them before. Please find an ASUS laptop that has a similar keyboard and was released before the MacBook...
  • DelMonte, on 10/12/2007, -10/+3What would you guys say if Apple released a brown iPod? (not that I want them to...)

    Fortunately Apple fans would admit the obvious inspiration instead of just saying "there were other brown things before!"

    • LaughingMan11, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2While there are certain similarities, yes, the MacBook has features that this does not...

      This doesn't have a built in camera (which is odd... i thought Sony championed that), this probably doesn't have a magnetic latch like the MacBook, and it also doesn't have the MagSafe connector for power.

    • DelMonte, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3I think you got my comment the wrong way... I can't understand what you're trying to tell me...
    • TheReport, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4"What would you guys say if Apple released a brown iPod"

      Id lose all respect for Apple simple as that.
    • DelMonte, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1I was just saying that people like me (I'm a Apple fan) wouldn't try to deny the fact that MS was the inspiration by saying that "MS doesn't own the color brown".

      But this was a bad example...Because the brown color is not desirable for a portable media player.

      And no I don't want a brown iPod. But let's be careful here about bashing this color... I think that MS chose this color specifically to make us iPod fans look like "color bashers".
    • Coffeedemon, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3"But this was a bad example...Because the brown color is not desirable for a portable media player."

      Maybe for you but not for other people.... now ***** off AppleBoy - do you own patents on this goddamn keyboard design?
    • Reziarfg, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Isn't magsafe that unsafe exploding power cord thing? =o
    • DelMonte, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"now ***** off AppleBoy"

      Ok I will admit that most of my post in this thread were wrong and stupid (how often you see someone admitting this on digg?), but how about you lay down caffeine? You seem to have an anger management problem...
  • richiestang78, on 10/12/2007, -12/+14If you cant make something cool, Rip off Apple
    • DelMonte, on 10/12/2007, -5/+2Yeah and don't worry about Apple fans screaming "rip-off!" because there's is an army of Apple haters that will find a way to deny the obvious with empty circular arguments.
    • bigvics, on 10/12/2007, -6/+4dude, seriously apple (actually not apple but their design team who they pay to design for them: Jonathan Ive) has been continually ripping off classic design from the 70s-80s. all design companies do it, its called inspiration.
    • DelMonte, on 10/12/2007, -5/+3Yes this is inspiration, when you're talking about 20 year old designs that are now part of our history. Sony releases this 6 months after the MacBook, this is called a rip-off. And yes time makes a big difference in how you can qualify this.

      There's been millions of varied designs for consumer electronics that existed all through the 70's and 80's, Ive has the merit of picking (or being inspired by) the right ones amongst a multitude of ugly overdone designs (Like brown wood textures, yuck!).
  • lupinglade, on 10/12/2007, -8/+5sad, sony, sadder than sad.
  • iAlex, on 10/12/2007, -6/+3Decent Ripoff, Decent OS. :]
  • LaughingMan11, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Not an exact rip off... The screen hinge isn't the same as the MacBook.... and this thing has a bigger screen than the MacBook, but the same resolution heh.
  • cragga, on 10/12/2007, -8/+17you people think apple owns the sole right to produce mildly attractive minimalist white electronics.

    well they don't.
    sorry.

    laptop uses quasi-unique keyboard and colour white!
    give me a break.
    apple fanboys are the worst.

    buried for fanboy masturbation.
    • juanbobo808, on 10/12/2007, -10/+3Shut up, apparently your anti-fanboy presence gives you the "right" (as you so idiotically call it) to say that ripping off a design is a *good* thing.

      Whether Apple doesn't own the rights to minimalist white laptops or not, it doesn't give Sony the right to clearly rip off another company's design, regardless of whether Apple has it patented or not.
    • TheReport, on 10/12/2007, -9/+2"you people think apple owns the sole right to produce mildly attractive minimalist white electronics."

      Just like you own the sole right to *****
    • brstilson, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2By your logic it's absolutely acceptable for me to paint a painting very similar to Mona Lisa and call it my own original idea. After all, Leonardo Da Vinci never owned the rights to paintings of women!

      That being said, there are enough differences in the VAIO to not consider it a rip-off. Of course it doesn't score any brownie points with me having a VGA connector instead of DVI.
  • hangtown, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6As already mentioned, Apple's design is keys surrounded by the laptop cover... ie, the keys protrude up through the laptop case. Not so with the Sony design - yes, the keys are "chicklet" style but the keyboard is one piece in a large hole in the laptop case. So for those saying the keyboard is an exact copy, no, it isn't. Go to Apple's site, view the macbook gallery, and then view the jpg of the sony linked to above.
  • giveer, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Well.. hey, I mean, the *name's* different... How bout them apples?
  • zpjet, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1is it only me or that thing has only vga port?
    • zpjet, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1i've just seen hires photos and... it certainly is VGA!!! is that thing three years old? it's not certainly copy of macbook. maybe ibook.
  • juanbobo808, on 10/12/2007, -6/+2I clicked on the link expecting to see something doing a good job of ripping of Apple. But alas, they couldn't even rip off a Macbook design properly. Where's eyesight? The LCD isn't as good as Apple's either.

    At least if you're going to rip off another company's design, make it a good rip off. This one looks like *****.
  • SpoBo, on 10/12/2007, -4/+5OMFG it looks like a laptop!!! stop the presses. kill the Sony prezzes. Sjeezes .. grow up. yeah, it's white it has a MacBook style keybiard but it's NOT a MacBook. It's completely different in design. Even the color is different.

    And for those who say that Apple was first with the magnet screen guess again. A friend of mine had it in his Asus over a year ago.
  • chrisrosa, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3that's more titanium than macbook
  • iAlex, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Hi-res photos:
    http://www.sony-europe.com/res/attachment/file/64/1158155174064.JPG
    http://www.sony-europe.com/res/attachment/file/68/1158155174068.JPG
    http://www.sony-europe.com/res/attachment/file/72/1158155174072.JPG
  • cfarmer8, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1about time!
  • dreampilot, on 10/12/2007, -5/+1Brown ipod would look like the brown zune - an overpriced, wireless turd.
  • notauser, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Well yeah is a rip off. Its a clam-shell design has keyboard and oh my god it has a LCD too. Good lord is white. Give me a break will ya. now what I'm really interested in is whats under the hood will it run circles around the mac book, and if so who the hell cares if it looks like. All laptops are pretty much the same there's not a lot of room for improvement besides putting a different name on the case. And yeah that keyboard is not new. Just because apple made it popular it doesn't mean the invented it. Is like saying they invented the mp3 player because of the ipod. Damn apple fans
    • TheReport, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2" what I'm really interested in is whats under the hood will it run circles around the mac book"

      Do you really have to ask that question? XP didnt even get out the gate when compared to OSX, and Im aware that that linux could be an option but I highly doubt Sony would preinstall any Linux Distro into their hardware.
    • notauser, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I was thinking more along the lines of computing power. Macbooks seem to have gotten stuck on the 2.0 intel and only supports up to 2 GB of ram (512 off the shelf) Just basic hardware questions The OS we know what it is.
  • mancat, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9Umm, ok. I'm going go out on a limb and say that this is the first time any of you have ever seen a VAIO. Sony has been making VAIO laptops in this style since the days when Apple was still churning out candy-colored iBooks. This doesn't stray very far from the design style that Sony has used for years, and I don't see any evidence that Apple has a patent on using a silver finish and a recessed "chiclet" keyboard.

    I don't really give a crap about Sony. I'd never buy any of their overpriced gear, but I'm getting pretty tired of the mindless group bashing here.
  • pxa270, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8This is sensationalist bullcrap. The Sony keyboard looks much more like their own Vaio TX keyboards than the the MacBook's. See for yourself:

    MacBook:
    http://www.notebookreview.com/assets/14087.jpg

    Sony N10:
    http://www.sony-europe.com/res/attachment/file/68/1158155174068.JPG

    Sony TX series (out for almost a year):
    http://www.notebookreview.com/assets/11995.jpg
  • rockintom99, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4...I actually think the new Viao looks a bit better than the macbook. Not that i would buy either, anyway.
  • lotus22, on 10/12/2007, -5/+5apple fan boys are pissed.
    • TheReport, on 10/12/2007, -9/+4"apple fan boys are pissed"

      anti apple fan boys are pissed as well
  • buglord, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6Oh, come on! Sony has been using keyboards like this for years!
    • rosebot, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Exactly, mark this inaccurate and move on.
  • afaict, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2Well, it's clearly an influenced design. Doesnt really matter though: we're still boycotting Sony for that DRM thing anyway.
  • debuggercll, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3I've worked with these notebooks when I was working at Sony. I said the exact same thing when I saw them. This design is alien compared to the other series. They're really great to work with actually (in terms of opening them up to swap out modules). The hard drive, RAM, and optical are really easy to swap, they're just secured with one screw and slide out easily. As a technician I really appreciate it's design and simplicity whereas the older models (A, TX, T, AR, FJ, FS) were a huge pain in the ass to disassemble. It also comes in a few colors, three I think: white, brown, black. As a consumer, wouldn't buy this notebook for myself. I could see students being the target demographic for this line but that's about it . But as a technician, I would love it if other people bought it just because they're easy to service. I used to be a senior tech for Sony, working in the engineering department that had to build and test different configurations of a notebook series. They call this one the 'Raptor' series.
    • Elisha, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"I've worked with these notebooks when I was working at Sony. I said the exact same thing when I saw them. This design is alien compared to the other series. They're really great to work with actually (in terms of opening them up to swap out modules). The hard drive, RAM, and optical are really easy to swap, they're just secured with one screw and slide out easily. As a technician I really appreciate it's design and simplicity whereas the older models (A, TX, T, AR, FJ, FS) were a huge pain in the ass to disassemble. "

      i just got one of this and i have to disagree about disassembling it. the only part thats openable is for ram upgrade. i tried ripping it open for hard drive and cpu but no luck. even tried to rip the keyboard but seems like some high powered magnet holding it down.
      can you please shoe me how to get to the hard drive and cpu?
  • TheBigO, on 10/12/2007, -7/+4As with most imitations, it is a really bad one.

    There is no getting over the superior industrial product design of Apple products. I don't think apple will be shaking in their shoes over this one. So guys...don't get hung up on the details here. No one is ripping anyone off here. Sony are just making themselves look a bit foolish. I wonder if the batteries in this series also self destruct without warning?
  • dhan, on 10/12/2007, -4/+6Anybody who calls Vista as dressed up XP has to be dumb. This time it is MacDailyNews. God that site is crap.
    On topic. That does look very similar to iBook though....oops I meant MacBook. (I hate the new name. my iBook G4 sounds way cooler than MacBook)
  • Sixcolors, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2I think it's nice to see a PC laptop manufacturer simplifying their designs to match Apple's. Most PC laptops have so many buttons, lights, and general doo-dads on their surface it's rediculous.
  • ofenza, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1This is lame. That doesn't look like a Macbook at all. The hinge is a normal hinge, not like the Macbook's hinge that comes from the bottom, for example. And this Sony has that cheap feel.
  • richbradshaw, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1If Apple make things that are white boxes, then surely a lot of designs are going to look similar... If Apple are as good as you say they are though - it shouldn't make any difference. This is not a Mac, so why does it matter.
  • psdiao, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3"Apple Rips Off Sony Design"
    Exhibit A - Sony Design
    http://www.homecomputermuseum.de/comp/detail/89.jpg
    Exhibit B - Mac Book
    http://nexus.design2.fh-aachen.de/seminare/wrede/WS05_1/wp-content/files/macbook.jpg
    As you can see from the above photos, the form factor is a blatant copy of Sony's design. The use of 'keys' for data entry is also replicated.

    As for the keys on the N10 the recess on the keys are part of the keys unlike the Apple which is keys through a mesh. This key design are on all the T, TX, SZ series VAIOs long before the N10.
  • RiemannLebesgue, on 10/12/2007, -5/+0All Sony does is copy other companies. God, I hope it goes bankrupt.
  • mythicflux, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2And here is an interesting store from before the launch of the MacBooks.

    http://www.engadget.com/2005/07/30/apple-recruiting-sony-vaio-engineers-to-build-the-first-intel/

    Here is an interesting hypothetical, what if Sony created the design first shelved it due to lack of vision by management, the designer who worked on it left to go to Apple and suddenly following the success of the MacBook the design got "rediscovered" at Sony?

    I'm not actually say that I think this is what happened, but given all the posts that seem to want to proudly proclaim "OMG Sony totally stolzored that from Apple" figured I'd add my 2 cents.
    • allenb, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2Engineers engineer. Designers design.

      Jonathan Ive's team designed the MacBook, these Vaio engineers helped with the guts.
  • ZeroLogic, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Like you all don't know who foxconn is? Uhm.. hello?
  • becknell, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Still looks like it has a terribly small touchpad and I don't see a magnetic latch from what I can tell. Those little features are what I appreciate in my MacBook. I could care less that they look similar, I know mine is more comfortable and convenient for me.
  • wirah, on 10/12/2007, -5/+4Sony are *****
  • jellygraph, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4who cares... apple copies their designs and apps for many things
  • hiro, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I have a Macbook and it's design is not it's strong point. It has an abysmal keyboard, copied from a Sinclair Spectrum, that means you're forever going back along what you've written to add back missing letters. It also has sharp edges that irritate your wrists if you rest them on it. And don't get me started about the stupid single mouse button.

    My 2yr old Vaio on the other hand is an excellent design and very ergonomic.

    I don't get why they would want to copy?
    • Qwfwq, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3The first time I saw the new Macbook, it's keyboard also reminded me of the ZX Spectrum and my old Timex Sinclair 2068, but after trying it I must say that it feels even flimsier than those (and Spectrum's keyboard was very bad).
      And of course you don't get it why Sony would want to copy Apple's design - that´s why they didn't, silly Mac Paranoids.
  • luckyjonny, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5Bollocks. Sony make silver-coloured laptop. Apple fanboys scream that Apple invented silver.
  • thewebguy, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3i have a macbook and it doesn't look like this.. at all
  • MrViklund, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3Hahaha, Lame poor Sony. Sad sad sad...
    That looks just like a MacBook. Sony can't do anything right today. Root kits, PS3 pricing, Exploding batteries, ripoffs.
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