Sony announced a new line of professional PCsā€” the VAIOĀ® BZ Series notebooks. The BZ notebook boasts a 15.4-inch widescreen display and full-size keyboard while weighing less than six pounds. An optional anti-glare screen featuring Sonyā€™s patented XBRITE-ECOā„¢ LCD technology provides a crystal-clear picture

.

The PC is housed in a durable magnesium alloy casing to endure the knocks, bumps and accidents common to frequent travel. It also incorporates G-Sensorā„¢ Shock Protection technology to counteract sudden movements helping to prevent damage and data loss.

A spill-resistant keyboard panel has been added to help protect the internal components of the computer against accidental spills.
The BZ notebook is powered by new IntelĀ® CentrinoĀ® 2 technology, the chipset designed for sizzling performance, unbelievable system responsiveness, and energy efficiency

Select models come with IntelĀ® vPro technology enabling IT managers to fix PC-related problems remotelyā€” without ever leaving their workstationā€” saving precious time and reducing support-related costs.The PC also features a stripped-down software load so that the notebook can be imaged faster greatly reducing set up time for the IT professional.

ā€œWhether running heavy applications back at the office or closing a deal on the road todayā€™s professional need their PC to performā€” wherever, whenever,ā€¯ said Mike Abary, senior vice president of VAIO product marketing at Sony Electronics. ā€œThis notebook delivers the robust performance they require.ā€¯
With the BZ notebookā€™s integrated 802.11n LAN technology wirelessly check e-mail and surf the web with greater range and reliability than ever before when connected to a compatible hotspot.The PC employs a biometric fingerprint sensor, a Trusted Platform Module compliant chip and proprietary hard disk drive password protection software to help protect data from unauthorized access.
It comes pre-installed with Windows VistaĀ® Business operating system. A WindowsĀ® XP Pro downgrade is also included for easy integration into existing platforms.
The PC is equipped with plenty of slots, ports and jacks, including a Memory StickĀ® media/SD card slot, three USB ports, i.LINKĀ® IEEE-1394 port, microphone and headphone jack and a PC Card (type-II) slot making it easy to transfer files from external devices.
The VAIO Professional BZ Series notebook line will be available, later this month, starting at about $1,000.