Sony VAIO J touchscreen all-in-one starts under $1,000

While still steering clear of the “budget” computer market, Sony has trimmed a few dollars off their entry-level touchscreen all-in-one desktop with the VAIO J starting at $900.

The unit features a 21.5″ 1920×1080 touchscreen and adjustable stand for switching between touchscreen control and viewing angles. Level of adjustability is not stated, but the design looks fairly flexible. Also featured is a button to turn off the display without turning off or sleeping the PC, you know, like a regular monitor. The baffling part is they might be right about this being a unique feature. I understand why Apple never bothered with one on the iMac (Shift-Control-Eject turns off Mac displays), but have Windows-based all-in-ones really gone this long without a hardware option to turn off the display? If so and you want a touchscreen all-in-one with a display off button, the Sony VAIO J is for you.

Via Engadget

SONY UNVEILS NEW ENTRY-LEVEL PRICED TOUCH-SCREEN PC

VAIO J All-In-One Puts Music, Photos and Blu-ray Disc Movies One-Touch Away

SAN DIEGO, June 8, 2010 – Sony today unveiled its new, affordable touch-enabled, multi-media machine— the VAIO® J Touch All-In-One PC.

With the VAIO J Series’ multi-touch screen, easy access to your PC, HD movies— your entire entertainment hub— is readily at your fingertips.

Equipped with a 21.5-inch (diagonal) 1920×1080 widescreen panel, the unit displays high-definition content in Full HD. Select models feature a Blu-ray Disc™ optical drive so you can enjoy movies in stunning 1080p high definition.

“The J Series changes the way consumers interact with their PC enabling them to tap, drag, zoom, rotate and engage with their content and entertainment like never before,” said Mike Lucas, senior vice president of the VAIO business at Sony. “And with its attractive price point, this cutting-edge technology will reach a whole new audience.”

The J Series comes with three unique hardware buttons—VAIO, ASSIST and DISPLAY OFF to get you to where you want to go with a touch of a button.

Launch directly into Sony’s own Media Gallery software by pushing the designated VAIO button and simplify your music library. With Media Gallery you can automatically create 21 unique channels of music based on beat, tone, rhythm and other elements. It also enables you to rediscover forgotten favorites by recommending content you already own based on your unique listening and viewing habits.

Facilitate simple do-it-yourself PC maintenance procedures by pressing the ASSIST button and launching the included VAIO Care™ software program. Finally a DISPLAY OFF button is included so you can turn off your screen for privacy or to perform nighttime applications without sending your PC into hibernation.

By utilizing built-in wireless 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi technology and your wireless router (required, sold separately), you can position the model virtually anywhere in your home and access the Internet, email or home network.

A built-in webcam with face-tracking technology and microphone let you video chat with colleagues. Included Webcam Message Board software makes it easy to create video messages or leave handwritten notes on the screen. A third-party internet service provider is required.

The unit packs a powerful 2010 Intel® Core™ processor (select models), loads of RAM, and an optional dedicated NVIDIA® GeForce ® series graphics for graphic-intense gaming and movies. It comes with Windows® 7 Home Premium or Professional 64-bit operating system.

Featuring a stylish, compact design the PC comes with an adjustable stand to help you adjust it to meet your desired viewing or touch angle or simply to decrease the slant for space-saving. A wireless keyboard and mouse that can easily be stored under the unit’s display are included.

The VAIO® J Touch All-in-one PC will start at about $900. It is available for pre-orders today online at www.sonystyle.com/pr/jseries. It will also be sold at Sony Style® stores and select retailers around the country starting next month.