Walter Hutchens’ Blog

Today I got a new computer. I bought it on eBay. It is a used Sony Vaio PictureBook, model PCG-C1VPK. I’m writing this blog entry on it.

It was not a rash purchase. Before winning the auction for it, I had bid in more than a dozen PictureBook auctions on eBay. I never got caught up in a bidding frenzy, and I think I finally got a good deal. On average this model sells for about $700 on eBay (the spread last month was $500 to $900). I paid $500–not a give-away, but towards the lowest end of the range.

These computers do seem to sell reliably in the secondary market. I imagine this owes to several factors. First, the Sony brand name helps (overrated now in terms of quality I think, but that just shows you the power of a brand). Second, the distinctively small size is a draw for some people (me included). Third, I think a good number of computer geeks want to buy one of these and put Linux on it (as I do).

I don’t need another laptop. But I’ve been wanting to try out Linux, and I’ve been reluctant to install it on either of my new laptops (a Toshiba M45-351 and a Sony Vaio T 250P). I am willing, however, to experiment with this cheaper, older unit. If I cannot get Linux to work, I’ll just re-install Windows and then probably re-sell the unit on eBay (in fact, I’ll probably re-sell it on eBay even if I get Linux working on it).

This PictureBook is about three years old. It was one of the last models in the PictureBook series. The PictureBook series was the smallest laptop series Sony sold before the current “T” series (the U series is even smaller than the T series, but I don’t think you’d call a Sony U a laptop–it belongs to another category, more like a handheld).

My used Vaio PictureBook lacks many things in comparison to my newer Vaio T. The PictureBook doesn’t have built-in wireless, Ethernet or Bluetooth. It doesn’t have a built-in CD or DVD drive (or come with an external one for that matter). Its specs are not overwhelming: 666 MHz, 172 MB RAM, 15 GB hard drive. (The T in contrast has 1.2 Ghz, 512 MB of RAM, 60 GB hard drive).

The PictureBook has a Transmeta Crusoe 5600 chip, which is supposed to be power-efficient. However, on my PictureBook someone installed Windows XP, “upgrading” the original OS from Windows 2000. XP runs on the PictureBook, but slowly. Maybe Linux will be faster.

I don’t have a wireless card for it (I had one for the Sony laptop I bought in 2000, but I sold that computer and its wireless card on eBay last month). But I did find an old Netgear PCMCIA card in a drawer full of technology junk. I didn’t have to install a driver to make the Netgear card work. I just put the card in the PictureBook and voila, it was recognized. Thus I was immediately able to connect the PictureBook to the internet through my WI-FI router (connected to my cable modem). I presume this is one upside of having XP installed–driver installations are really simple!

Because the PictureBook is so light it is very comfortable on my lap, but the keyboard does not seem quite as ergonomic as the one on the T (both are reduced in size in comparison with standard keyboards). I may get accustomed to it, but right now I find myself making more errors than usual. I peck at the places where I expect certain things to be, but I often land on some other key. This seems most common when I am aiming for a shift key or something like that. But the keyboard is certainly functional–I am talking about levels of accuracy and comfort, not basic usability. The PictureBook lacks a wrist rest. They didn’t need to extend the body to support one since there’s no optical drive. For me, the lack of a wrist rest is surprisingly awkward. At some angles it quickly becomes uncomfortable.

I’ve got to test the battery on the PictureBook. It arrived utterly depleted, and often older batteries won’t hold a charge. But it does appear to be recharging, so I’ll have to see how it performs.

The PictureBook has a novel camera mounted above the screen. It captures still images or video. It swivels around so that you can capture images of yourself or things you are facing (or above you, I suppose). I used it today to take a few random shots.

My idea, besides trying out Linux and maybe making a little money by reselling this unit on eBay, is of course to try out this device out as a writing tool. That’s been my thought for every computer I’ve bought in the last 8 months (NEC Versa LitePad Tablet PC, HP iPAQ 4700 PocketPC, Sony U 750P, Toshiba M45-351, Sony T 250P and finally this Sony PictureBook). Because it runs a bit slow and doesn’t have several functions built-in, I doubt the PictureBook will displace the Sony T in my affections, but I do like its compact size. It may be the better computer to tote around Shanghai. I can leave the T safely back in the hotel and use the even lighter PictureBook for excursions. I still have a GPRS card, so if I re-up its SIM card (pay China Mobile some more money), I should be able to get online in China with this PictureBook, even when away from the hotel or another WI-FI “hotspot.”

It occurs to me that MindManger probably will not be available for Linux. That’s a problem. I suppose I can set the computer up to boot in either Linux or Windows, but if I have to reboot every time I want to use MindManger that will diminish my enthusiasm for Linux.

Another note: it’s amazing what people leave on computer hard drives. I can tell there were at least two previous owners (or users) of this computer. One was a guy named Lee. He worked as a pharmaceutical salesman. Among other things, an offer letter from an employer was left on the hard drive–nice salary, Mr. Lee! The other owner/user was a devout church member. I have a Visio chart detailing the process for approval within the church of certain items for publication, plus various religious clip art images. That’s just the stuff visible without running any recovery tools on the hard drive.