The Sony PCG-TR3A may very well be what everyone wants when they think about what we call a netbook.  People can argue about it all they want but there is no denying that when you look at the PCG-TR3A you will see something eerily similar to what is selling today and a few key differences.

First, the similarities:

- The TR3A came with a 10.6″ screen.  Intel has defined netbook as being 10 inches in size so this lines up almost perfectly.  If it was available today it would sit right in between the 10.1″ screens used and the 11.6″ screen which were very popular in 2009.

- This computer came with Windows XP.  Even though the TR3A came out in 2004 it used Windows XP as the operating system.

- 1GB of RAM.  The base model only came with 512MB but many of the units came with the maximum of 1GB.

- Built in wifi, webcam, and speaker

- Weighing at just about 3lbs

Now, the differences

- The biggest difference is the presence of a CDRW/DVD drive.  While it’s almost impossible to find one on a netbook today it just shows how the TR3A was ahead of it’s time.

- Many other netbooks have poor sound from their speakers because they are located on the bottom of the netbook’s case.  The TR3A has speakers at the top of it’s casing which would make the speakers much more audible.  This is one innovation I hope to see on future netbook models.

- Tons of slots and ports.  When you find some USB ports on a netbook today you get excited.  The TR3A not only came with USB, but it also came with Firewire, and a PC Card slot.

There’s no denying that small portable computers have been around for decades but few have provided a combination of specifications and form factor with such a close resemblance to the netbooks advertised today.

You can check out the spec sheet for the PCG-TR3A here.

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