SINGAPORE — Japanese giants Sony recently unveiled their summer Vaio line-up with the introduction of the Vaio Duo 13 and a two new Vaio Pro ultrabooks to complement the existing entertainment-centred Vaio Fit 15 series.

The Vaio Duo 13 is a hybrid Ultrabook which comes with a unique Surf Slider design which allows users to switch between slate and keyboard modes just by sliding the screen.

Sony also claims that it has the longest battery life compared to other ultrabooks in the market. The device can run for up to 15 hours on a single charge — according to MobileMark tests — despite being constantly connected to the internet, even while in sleep mode.

And, for the very first time, it will be able to recognise and scan text off documents with its 8-megapixelrear camera, which features the very clever “Exmor RS for PC” image sensor. There’s also a CamScanner application that has the ability to straighten images taken at odd angles, allowing users to focus on taking photos quickly instead of lining up the perfect shot.

The ultrabook also comes equipped with Sony’s own stylus solution, which works in very similar fashion to Samsung’s S Pen technology. It provides users with a pen-to-paper feel when they are writing on any memo application whether the device is in slate or keyboard mode. The Note Anytime application also allows them to create their own works from scratch.

WORLD’S LIGHTEST ULTRABOOKS

Sony also unveiled what they claim to be the world’s lightest ultrabooks of their class at their Vaio summer line-up launch: The 11-inch Vaio Pro weighs only 870g and its 13-inch cousin tips the scales at 1.06kg.

This is made possible by their carbon fibre body and hexa-shell design which makes the device extremely durable despite its light weight. Furthermore, the ultrabook’s keyboard will be raised at an angle when the device is in use, providing users with a more natural typing experience.

All of Sony’s summer Vaio models are equipped with One-touch listening, which utilises Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to let users seamlessly transfer their music to a range of NFC-compatible devices.

The Sony Vaio Duo 13 will be available from mid July at a price that has yet to be confirmed.

The Vaio Pro 11 will be available from mid July for S$1,899 (i5) and S$2,399 (i7) respectively. The Vaio Pro 13 will hit stores from the end of the month, its i5 and i7 version will cost S$1,999 and S$2,499 respectively.