Earlier today we reported about Sony introducing its first Netbook in Japan with the Sony VAIO W Series. The Sony VAIO W is not a stunner and just a netbook offering the same old same old. For that reason I thought Sony might keep this one in Japan and go global with the next netbook series. I was wrong. Sony announced the VAIO W netbooks also for the U.S. and Europe now.

Sony actually calls the netbook VAIO mini.
The Sony VAIO W sports the typical Netbook specifications with Intel Atom N280 (1.66 GHz), 10.1 inch screen with 1366 × 768px, 1GB RAM, 160GB HDD, Intel GMA 950 Graphics, W-LAN b/g/n, Camera, Bluetooth, 3.5h battery and Windows XP Home Edition with Service Pack 3.

The VAIO W Series mini notebook will retail for about $500. It is available for pre-orders today online at www.sonystyle.com/pr/w (not live yet at time of posting).