In a bid to popularize its Blu-ray disc (BD) format among mainstream end-users, Sony Corp. has unveiled a thin and light laptop featuring BD optical disc drive (ODD). But while the notebook does boast ability to display high-definition video, the question is whether consumers actually need HD movies on a 11.1” screen.

“This engineering marvel packs the power of HD technology into an ultra-light, ultra-portable notebook,” said Mike Abary, senior vice president of Vaio product marketing at Sony Electronics.

The new Sony Vaio TT-series notebooks come with 11.1” LED-backlit display with 1366x768 resolution and weigh only about 1.3 kilograms (2.86 lbs), yet, they feature Blu-ray optical disc drive, an unprecedented feature of a laptop of that size. In fact, Asustek Computer also has a 11.1” notebook with an ODD, but that drive is only compatible with DVD, but not Blu-ray.

The world’s lightest mobile computer comes with Intel Core 2 Duo mobile processor and Intel GS45 core-logic with Intel Graphics and Media Accelerator 4500 (Intel GMA 4500). The system can be equipped with up to 4GB of DDR2 memory as well as 256GB solid-state drive, but there are more affordable options with less memory, hard disk drive and without Blu-ray disc drive. If demanded, the system can be equipped with a WiMAX controller as well.

The Sony Vaio TT model starts at $2000. The BD version will go for about $2700, while the SSD model (128GB) for around $2750. It is available in a premium carbon black, silk black, champagne gold and crimson red.

Tags: Sony, Vaio, Blu-ray