The Return of SONY Vaio...to the US

The iconic VAIO PC brand has been resurrected today, following Sony's sale of the struggling business to investment fund Japan Industrial Partners. At the time, Sony said it planned to concentrate on smartphones and tablets due to the PC market's plunging fortunes. The deal was set to close in July, and now the new VAIO Corporation is selling the VAIO Fit and VAIO Pro computers in Japan. The PCs come without Sony branding, but at least for now are being offered at Sony's own online store.

A message in Japanese posted on thevaio.com website implies that the brand will be a smaller affair than when it was part of Sony's sprawling empire. The new company will have no more than 240 employees, the message says, but will retain VAIO's DNA. VAIO Corporation was officially founded today, with Sony taking a 5 percent investment. The company hasn't indicated when or whether it will expand operations outside Japan.