Sony has launched what it today claimed is the world's lightest 12.1in notebook, an 898g machine constructed out of carbon fibre, though the weight pushes past 1kg if you want a machine with a bigger battery capacity and an optical drive.

The Vaio G series comprises more than half a dozen models aimed at different segments of the Japanese market - consumers, build-to-order, big business, small business etc. - but common to them all is an Intel ultra-low voltage Core Solo processor, 512MB of memory, 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, motion-sensor protected hard drive, and a 12.1in, 1,024 x 768 display.

The VGN-G1LAP, which ships with a standard, six-hour battery pack and no optical drive is the 898g model, but the 12.5-hour battery, DVD multi-writer equipped VGN-G1KAP weighs in at just 1,116g. Both use the 1.06GHz Core Solo U1300, while three business-oriented VGN-G1KAP derivatives all ship with a 1.2GHz Core Solo U1400.

The standard models go on sale in Japan on 2 December, with the corporate-oriented models following two days later. Sony did not set a price for these five models, but two build-to-order versions, due to go on sale from 27 November, will start at ¥164,800 ($1,411/£739/€1,104). ®

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