SONY'S POWER-PACKED NOTEBOOK PCS TO FEATURE INTEL 850 MHZ PENTIUM III PROCESSORS WITH SPEEDSTEP TECHNOLOGY.

Sony's two most powerful notebook PC lines -- the F series and the robust XG series, a favorite among digital video editing enthusiasts -- are among the first to offer super-fast Intel(R) 850 MHz(1) Pentium(R) III processors with SpeedStep technology(2). The PCG-F690 and PCG-XG39 are the first VAIO(R) notebooks to feature this processor.

Both the VAIO F690 and XG39 models come standard with a 30 GB hard drive(3), 128 MB SDRAM (expandable to 256 MB maximum) and integrated 8X maximum DVD-ROM drive with fully integrated movie playback capabilities. Both systems offer either Windows(R) Millennium Edition or Windows(R) 2000 Professional operating system.

Designed for executives with a penchant for multimedia features and large, crisp displays, the PCG-F690 is loaded with a healthy complement of business and digital video editing software.

Included in the mix are Sony's MovieShaker, a simple application for producing digital home movies, and Sony's PictureGear software, designed to help manage such digital content as panoramic photography. The PCG-F690 also includes Sony's DVgate software, yet another tool to challenge a user's creativity. DVgate software helps capture full motion digital video and still photography for impressive multimedia presentations -- or video emails. The PCG-F690 is powered by a high-capacity lithium-ion battery with dual battery capability. It is 2.1 inches thin and weighs 7.1 pounds.

The PCG-F690 offers the digital video editing enthusiast speed, power and the ultimate in display technology. The F690 comes with a dazzling 15-inch SXGA+ (1400 x 1050) TFT display, featuring screen resolution improvements 87% better than standard XGA screens. The higher pixel count of the SXGA+ technology provides improved clarity and ease of use, resulting in a larger working desktop for users executing detailed business applications.

The new unit's all-in-one design features a floppy drive, hard drive and DVD-ROM drive. It includes an i.LINK(R) (IEEE 1394) interface(4) to support high-speed digital video, audio and data transfer capabilities among equipped Sony and other products.

It also features an ATI RAGE Mobility graphics chip with 8 MB of SDRAM, built-in stereo speakers, NTSC video out and an integrated V.90 56K(5) modem.

The PCG-F690 arrives in stores this week and has an estimated selling price of $4,000(6). The PCG-F690K, which features Windows 2000 Professional, retails for approximately $4,100(6).

Many sophisticated technology users find the ultimate in computing versatility is achieved through the hot-swappable multi-drive bays (including removable CD-RW and DVD-ROM drives), optional second 10 GB hard drive(3), floppy drive and an optional battery bay with the Sony VAIO PCG-XG Series. The newest models in the XG Series, the XG38 and XG39, both sport power and functionality in an eye-catching form. They weigh only 6 pounds and are 1.77 inches thin.

In addition to a hefty 30 GB hard drive(3), Intel 850 MHz Pentium III processor with SpeedStep technology and 128 MB of SDRAM, the PCG-XG39 features a 14.1" XGA (1024 x 768) TFT screen, an S3 Savage/MX graphics chip with 8 MB of video SGRAM, Sony's original programmable Jog Dial control and an integrated V.90 56K(5) modem.

Designed for notebook users who value modular convenience and high-end desktop performance, the XG39 comes with state-of-the-art digital video editing features, including such bundled applications as Adobe Premiere(R) LE and Sony's DVgate, which, when coupled with the XG's AGP-enabled 256-bit graphics chip and built-in stereo speakers, provides optimum audio and high-resolution image transfer and manipulation.

Both XG models feature the i.LINK (IEEE 1394) digital interface(4) for quick and easy video and photography transfer from a Sony DV Handycam(R) camcorder or other compatible 1394-equipped device. Coupled with Sony's Smart Connect software systems, one can easily be networked for sharing printers, files, CD/DVD/CD-RW drives and Internet connections with another VAIO notebook or desktop PC-compatible device.