OK, you get your new VAIO and when browsing around you come across a number of software titles installed. Some of it could be crapolla and some of it pretty useful stuff. Sony VAIOs have always included a suite of their unique collection of software that will help you organize your pictures, edit and burn your home made movies and enjoy your music at the same time sharing it with others on your home network.
There were some really interesting titles published and installed on a VAIO if you bought it back in late 90s. Engineers and software developers always tried their best to match the meaning of VAIO as in Video Audio Integrated Operation (which recently in Europe has been marketed as Video Audio Intelligent Organizer). For some reason those titles were overlooked a lot, some of them were pretty buggy too.
Here is an overview of VAIO Software:
For movie creation and editing, there was a MovieShaker, then it got replaced with Click to DVD and the most recent one is Click to Disc. VAIO Movie Story will easily compile your video clips and For TV viewing there was a GigaPocket software, which was pretty useful as a PVR (personal video recorder) for your programs. I remember using PicoPlayer that enabled me to watch live TV on my notebook while my VAIO desktop (PCV-MXS20, ever heard of it, the one with MD drive in it) streamed it over the network. It was pretty awesome!
VAIO Zone (Do VAIO in Japan) was a revolutionary make over of GigaPocket and sorta used similar to XMB interface, that title was only available on VAIO V520G/V620G model, so it never really took off here, however was a huge success in Japan. At that time Microsoft introduced its first Media Center PC which also boasted some nice GUI and Sony in the US decided to drop any VAIO related TV software. However in Japan, GigaPocket came back in the form of GigaPocket Digital (replacing StationTV Digital for VAIO software), and it’s been frankly kind of shaky and has been patched a number of times. For sharing your audio/video over the network, Sony came up with VAIO Media and recently updated to VAIO Media Plus that used XMB user interface.
Last but not least, for music management Sony used MusicShaker and Musicmatch Jukebox. SonicStage came by and stayed around for 4 generations…the road was not all straight path for it unfortunately, as eventually it got killed like an AIBO project (though as we all know SonicStage is still alive and is on its 5th version of life cycle in Japan). SonicStage Mastering Studio will do its magic to bring your music back to life from vinyl and tapes as well as burn disc with DSD goodness. VAIO Music Box however got into the swing of things and will serve your tunes according to your mood patterns.
If you are not too bored at this point, check out these videos that will introduce you to the latest software bundled in your VAIO.
Click to Disc/Click to Disc Editor:
VAIO Media Plus:
VAIO Movie Story:
VAIO Music Box:
Videos are courtesy of Sony Canada.
