Sony Vaio Flip 13

Sony has launched the Vaio Flip 13 hybrid laptop in the country at Rs 99,990. The convertible laptop has a hinge mechanism that allows the touchscreen to be flipped over such that the model can be used as a tablet. 

This mechanism also enables the device to be used as a kickstand (which Sony calls Viewer mode). Sony Vaio Flip 13 has a 13-inch Triluminous Display with 1080p resolution and runs on Windows 8.1 operating system. 

The model has a 1.6GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB RAM, 128GB flash drive and Intel HD Graphics 4400 GPU under the hood. The model weighs 1.31kg, has an 8MP camera and offers battery life of 7.5hours. The company also launched a 14-inch and two 15-inch laptop-cum-tablets in the same series.

There's also a set of audio signal processing tweaks which include equalisation settings, a volume boost, and virtual surround sound. Sony's description of these features promises "soul-shaking clarity", "dynamic bass and soaring highs", and an "unmistakably rich audio experience". There are also a set of features with names such as Clear Audio Plus, xLoud, Clear Phase, VPT, Voice Zoom and S-FORCE. While these look great on Sony's marketing materials, we don't think ordinary users will be able to tell much of a difference between the Vaio Flip 13 and any other laptop, except perhaps when it comes to the Clear Audio Plus equalization settings.

On the software front, our Vaio Flip 13 review sample came running Windows 8, though of course you can update to 8.1 through the Windows App Store at no charge. Sony has included a number of applications both for the traditional desktop and the Modern Windows 8 environment. Vaio Control Center is a neat program that gives you quick access to settings concerning the battery, fan speed, keyboard backlight, external displays, sound effects, and others.

Vaio Clip is an image organisation app that lets you crop or select elements from larger images and save them for later reference. Vaio Paper is a simple note-taking app which supports stylus or finger input. Vaio Care gives you quick access to Sony's after-sales support team and shows tips about safety and ergonomics. Then there are a number of third-party apps including Arcsoft Camera, Reliance Big Flix, Gaana, Shufflr, and the Times of India.