Sony Vaio TZ series shipping in Japan

(Credit: Dynamism.com)

The rumored Vaio TZ that we previously reported on has arrived! Importer Dynamism.com has begun selling the Sony Vaio TZ90, the latest T series laptop currently shipping in Japan.

The TZ90 commemorates the launch of Sony's first ultraslim notebook, the Vaio 505, almost 10 years ago. That laptop sired a long line of tiny ultraportables , including the X505, T series, and TX series.

Back in the day, $2,000 would get you a 200MHz Pentium processor, 32MB of RAM, a 2.1GB hard drive, integrated modem, and external floppy. With the Vaio TZ90, you get considerably more, though the starting price has increased to $2,299: a 1.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo U7600 ultralow voltage processor (which means the TZ90 is not yet a Santa Rosa system), an integrated DVD burner, and your choice of a 160GB hard drive or a 32GB solid-state drive--or both, if you're willing to sacrifice the optical drive. The Vaio TZ90's 11.1-inch display incorporates LED backlights, which have helped extend battery life on previous Vaio models. The backlights also allow for thinner screens, which contribute to the TZ90's scant 2.3-pound weight.

As mentioned earlier, the TZ90 is available only in Japan and through Dynamism for the time being; we can't wait to see it on our shores.