Sony Bluetooth PCG-SR31K

Sony is the first manufacturer to produce a notebook featuring the supposedly revolutionary new short-range wireless communication system known as Bluetooth.

The PCG-SR31K is the first notebook to use it as an easy way of transferring information between computers.

This software box-sized notebook looks nice, and thanks to the lack of any parallel, serial and other legacy ports, the weight is kept at an amazingly light 1.36kg.

The 10.4in display isn't great for gamers or artistic types but its small size and sharp looks make it ideal for travelling business users and poseurs alike.

The 750MHz mobile Pentium III processor, 128Mb of memory, Memory Stick slot and 15Gb hard disk offer plenty of power and storage, while a FireWire port provides expansion options. The external CD-ROM connects via the PC Card slot.

The Bluetooth antenna is hidden in the screen surround and is activated through the button at the side. Once activated, the machine will search for other Bluetooth-enabled devices in the area using the special Blue-Space software. This has to be activated manually, which is a bit annoying.

It took more than a minute for our notebook to get itself hooked up to another Bluetooth device we had. Once connected, the software, which has a very clear and easy-to-use interface, kept the transfer of files, images and anything else between the two machines simple. Remote access to devices connected to another machine is possible, just as if connected by a cable.

The software is well designed with simple icons and straightforward diagrams, making control of the notebooks easy.

When tested in our labs, we found the two machines started to transfer information increasingly slowly when we moved them more than a couple of metres apart, eventually losing the connection at 12 metres.

This is a interesting attempt to integrate this new technology, but it remains to be seen whether it will catch on. Until it does, it's not worth splashing out for, even when it's built in to such a nice notebook.

Contact
Sony UK: 0870 542 4424 www.world.sony.com

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Reviewed in Computeractive, Issue 87