Sony has just officially announced (check out the press release on the next page) the new member of its VAIO series laptop, the VAIO AR. This is the first notebook PC in the world that comes with built-in support for High-Definition Blu-Ray media, thus allowing users to watch movies in full 1080p HD resolution. This wonderful capability is supported by the 17-inch WUXGA (1920×1200) widescreen display with Sony’s XBrite Hi-Color LCD technology and 256MB nVidia GeForce Go 7600 graphics engine. If not satisfied, users would also be able to display their movies on their own HDTV, thanks to the included HDMI connector.

Moreover, Sony VAIO AR laptop comes with a bunch of apps that lets users edit their high-definition footage and later burn it onto Blu-Ray disc (BD-R, BD-RE) or traditional DVD disc (DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/+RW). Other features include a built-in NTSC TV tuner with live recording capability, and pre-installed Windows Media Center Edition 2005 operating system.

Sony VAIO AR laptop is set to release on Summer with a price tag of $3,500 (base configuration). However, this is the price for the Premium Edition which contains the Blu-Ray capability. If you prefer a traditional DVD burner, you can keep your eye on the Standard version which will only set you back at $1,800.

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