CES

Meet the 2016 Sony 4K HDR XBR-X930D & X940D

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 5, 2016 | 8 comments

Earlier today during his annual CES keynote, Kaz Hirai, Sony CEO and President unveiled the company’s latest 4K HDR televisions. Dubbed the XBR-X930D and XBR-X940D, the newest Android TVs build on their predecessors with an even thinner design, due to a lack of Magnetic Fluid Speakers with full HDR compatibility from day one.

Mike Fasulo (pictured above), President and COO of Sony Electronics:

Sony knows HDR from the lens to the living room – we were among the first to use cameras that film in 4K and HDR and have been on the forefront of offering consumers technology that can bring the stunning experience of 4K and HDR into their homes. Our new lineup of 4K HDR televisions is proof of our continuing efforts to bring the latest and greatest technologies to market that will provide the best home entertainment experience.

After the jump, a whole lot of details on the Sony 4K HDR X930D and X940D TVs.

We’re Headed to CES 2016 – Here’s Our Gear List

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 5, 2016 | 2 comments

Each year as we head to CES, I try to share with you our journey to the tech mecca and how we plan to cover things. As most long time readers will note, SRN is not a large funded site like Engadget or backed by Sony so not only is the entire show costs upon my own shoulders, but so are the equipments used to cover.

That tends to then make for an interesting dynamic as the equipment I use and purchase needs to versatile enough to cover CES and other similar events while also hopefully being useful in other arenas as well. In addition to the site, make sure you connect with us on all of our social feeds as a lot of times it’s easier to upload pics and videos there versus publishing a full length article around it on here.

After the jump, my CES equipment pile.

Sony CES 2016 – What We Can Expect (4K HDR, PS VR, SmartWatches)

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 4, 2016 | 2 comments

In a little over 24 hours, Sony CEO and President, Kaz Hirai will take to stage in Las Vegas to set the tone and plan for the company in 2016. Lasting generally an hour, the Sony CES 2016 keynote will mainly comprise of the company’s electronics division though don’t be surprised if PlayStation VR pops up. After all, like drones and wearables in previous years, expect VR to be the buzz word from CES, even if most VR products have yet to get into consumer hands.

You’ve already been telling us what you’d like to see or think will see from Sony. After the jump, my Sony CES 2016 predictions.

Sony CES 2016 – What Would You Like to See Announced?

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 3, 2016 | 11 comments

Every year, I try to take out my magic 8 ball and predict what we’ll see from Sony when Kaz Hirai (CEO and President) takes to the stage at CES. But before I get to my predictions (which will come tomorrow), I’m curious as to what you’d like to see Sony announce or what you think the recovering giant will announce come CES.

For those playing at home, Sony will kick off their CES 2016 keynote on Tuesday, January 5th at 5:00pm which I’ll be attending. Meet me after the jump and share your thoughts.

Would You Like Us to Review Non-Sony Products?

by Sohrab Osati | Dec 29, 2015 | 7 comments

CES is the holy destination when it comes to all things tech. Obviously SRN is focused on Sony and PlayStation, meaning everything that’s covered somehow related to Sony. However, as many of you know, I’m a huge techie outside of just what Sony offers and the reality is that as a company, they aren’t always the most giving when it comes to review units and early access. Ironically for me, a lot of other companies are, especially accessory makers which can say make a USB battery pack that’s just as useful to Xperia owners as it is to those with an iPhone.

So this begs the question, when we head to CES in just a week’s time, would you like to see coverage, especially post-show when review units arrive, of non-Sony products? Keep in mind this doesn’t mean that the site will be shifting focus to a more general purpose tech site. There are plenty of sites with far better resources than I who are better suited for covering all of tech.

My passion and love continues to be Sony. However, I think it might also be fun to give you guys some thoughts on how other companies are positioning and producing their products. In fact, by better studying the products of rivals, it could help us all better formulate a position on what Sony must do going forward in order to achieve greater success.

After the jump, I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments section.

Sony CES 2016 Splash Page & Live Stream Go Live

by Sohrab Osati | Dec 7, 2015 | 0 comments

It’s hard to believe that CES 2016 is nearly upon us. With just a month to go, everybody including myself are beginning to make preparations for the mega show which takes place annually at Las Vegas. Last week, Sony revealed their keynote date and time and now has taken the next step by creating a dedicated page on their website where you can find information about their latest reveals as they happen during the show. Though empty, other than the teaser which you can see after the jump, that page has finally gone live.

Sony has even launched a live stream channel via UStream which is a bit odd. You’d think that a company so heavily invested in the Google ecosystem would at least choose YouTube. Still, at least for those who are unable to attend, there will be some form of live stream option and who knows, they may also opt to use YouTube as well. Links can be found after the jump.

Sony CES 2016 Press Conference Date and Time Revealed

by Sohrab Osati | Dec 2, 2015 | 5 comments

CES, the perpetual tech mecca which takes place sometime during the first week of January, is once again upon us. Like every year, thousands of journalists, industry insiders, and others will make their pilgrimage to Las Vegas (including yours truly) to see what the tech year ahead of us will look like. Now we finally know the date and time for the Sony CES 2016 press conference which also translates to the fact that I can finally make my plans for the event.

Sony 4K TV with Android TV UI Preview (video)

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 22, 2015 | 0 comments

One of the biggest reveals from CES 2015 was the embrace of Android TV by Sony. Offered on every 2015 4K television a majority of their HD televisions as well, Android TV will be the core user interface consumers will be faced with. This will hopefully result in not only a smart TV that’s actually smart, but one that has updated apps that can continue to grow and expand our experience with TVs. Traditionally, televisions have either been plagued by poorly written and sluggish apps that are never updated or are purely dumb boxes where apps and network functionality are brought to it via other setup boxes like Apple TV and gaming consoles like the PS4.

More details after the jump.

‘PlayStation Now’ Heads To Samsung TVs

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 20, 2015 | 4 comments

One of the oddest things to see at CES 2015 was PlayStation Now running on Samsung televisions. For those unfamiliar, PlayStation Now is the gaming streaming app from Sony where you can play PS3 games without needing a console by either renting or subscribing to the service. Already available on PS3, PS4, and PS Vita, PlayStation Now continues to grow on the variety of platforms it’s offered on. Just at CES, Sony announced their new lineup of Blu-ray players which support PlayStation Now. Think about it, a Blu-ray player that not only plays your physical media like DVD/Blu-ray, but one that can stream from many services including Netflix, Hulu, and now game via PlayStation Now.

While bringing the service to the 2015 line of Sony 4K and HD televisions seems like a no brainer and one that Sony has done, coming to Samsung televisions is an entirely different thing.

2015 Sony HDTV Screen Size & Feature Guide

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 15, 2015 | 20 comments

Thanks to the positive reaction we received for our 2015 Sony 4K TV screen size and feature guide, I decided to put together a similar piece for Sony’s non-4K TVs. While at CES 2015 most of the talk and glory went to Sony’s 4K lineup which also gained some of the most cutting edge features and enhancements, Sony didn’t forget about those who wish to stick with HD 1080p – offering units like the 75-inch W850C with Android TV.

After the jump, we have the US and European 2015 Sony HDTV screen size and features breakdown to give you a better idea about this year’s lineup.

Why the 2015 Sony Blu-ray Players Are A Big Deal

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 14, 2015 | 17 comments

At this point, we take Blu-ray players for granted. While 10 years ago when they launched (which is crazy to think about), they were all the craze and came with some hefty price tags, the market is now all but saturated with units starting around $30. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t models with considerably more features which equally command a larger price tag. Instead, it’s that we take the technology and what it offers for granted. Because of that, we tend not to cover them, as nothing exciting has happened with Blu-ray players other than the addition of 3D playback and 3D conversion a few years back.

CES 2015 changed all that when Sony introduced a series of new Blu-ray players that are not only worthy of your attention, but potentially your hard earned dollars as well. After the jump, we reveal what these new Sony Blu-ray players are kind of a big deal.

2015 Sony 4K TV Screen Size & Feature Guide

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 13, 2015 | 23 comments

CES 2015 proved to be a very interesting year for Sony’s 4K television line. With the company announcing a heavier focus on PlayStation with less reliance on mobile and its TV business, it was unclear what we could expect from Sony. With the show now over, we have a clear picture of Sony’s 4K ambitions for 2015. Though the company has done a much better job at simplifying its TV lineup, there still remains many choices for consumers, including screen size options. With each line that Sony offers, say X900C vs. X930C, Sony not only offers different features like Magnetic Fluid Speakers versus onboard speakers, but different screen sizes as well.

After the jump, we have a 2015 Sony 4K TV screen size and features breakdown to hopefully help remove some of the confusion.

Meet the Sony 4K Action Cam (FDR-X1000V)

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 12, 2015 | 2 comments

At CES 2015, Sony continued to show their commitment to 4K by making the ultra high resolution format more affordable and available on a larger variety of devices. Ironically, in this article, we’ll be introducing to you one of the smallest ways to record 4K content. Enter the Sony 4K Action Cam FDR-X100V. As the name suggests, this small POV camera is capable of recording native 4K while still fitting in the palm of your hand. Best of all, the camera is jam packed with features that will help you get the best footage possible, no matter if it’s shot in 4K or 1080p.

Details after the jump.

2015 Sony 4K TVs Shrink Slightly In Screen Size (X940C)

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 12, 2015 | 5 comments

One of the big surprises from Sony at CES 2015 was the X900C and X910C 4K televisions, which offer an exceptionally thin profile. In fact, the TVs, which come in a 55-, 65-, and 75-inch sizes, are just .2-inches thick. You can check out our short video from the CES show floor showing just how incredibly thin they are. While it was all but certain that Sony would bring new 4K televisions to market, we hadn’t considered that the company could shrink down their design by as much as they did. One expectation that we did have for CES 2015 was larger televisions from Sony.

Good thing we’re not betters over here as Sony interestingly enough has gone in the other direction for their 2015 fleet of 4K TVs. While their televisions are thinner than ever, screen size seems to have taken a hit as well. Details after the jump.

The Sony Smartphone Cradle Receiver With NFC

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 9, 2015 | 3 comments

Sony’s looking for a ride – in your ride! Compatible with iOS and Android, the Sony Smartphone Cradle allows you to place your smartphone in your dash and use it as your car’s navigation system. Sony Xperia Z3 owners get extra features like easy connectivity via NFC and easily locking in, thanks to the phone’s built-in magnetic charger.