Sony Corp.

Sony’s 2011-2012 Division and Territory Sales Chart

by Sohrab Osati | May 10, 2012 | 19 comments

We’ve already reported on Sony’s less than stellar which saw the company lose 255 billion yen ($3.2 billion) for the January-March time period alone. With its biggest ever annual loss, Sony still expects to turn things around in 2013, the year the company predicts it will return to profit. Despite a healthy array of products on the market, Sony lost more money last year than in any other year. With increased competition from rivals Apple and Samsung and the devastating Thailand floods and Japanese earthquakes, Sony was unable to connect to consumers and deliver products on time, resulting in lower sales, down 18.8% across the entire company.

Sony’s annual division sales (pictured above) broke down as:

Televisions -30.0%
Home Audio and Video -15.2%
Digital Imaging -22.5%
Personal and Mobile Products -12.8%
Games -6.8%
Other -12.4%

After the jump, Sony’s sales numbers via territories.

Sony Reports Record $5.7 Billion Annual Loss

by Sohrab Osati | May 10, 2012 | 13 comments

For the forth year in a row, Sony Corp. has recorded an annual loss, amounting to 457 billion yen ($5.7 billion) for the May 2011-2012 period. The company lost 255 billion yen ($3.2 billion) for the January-March time period alone, resulting in the fifth straight quarter of losses for the electronic maker. In anticipation of huge losses, Sony’s stocks hit a 25 year low this week.

Not all is doom and gloom for the PlayStation and Bravia television maker as quarterly sales inched up 1.2 percent on-year to 1.6 trillion yen ($20 billion). However, for the year, sales plunged nearly 10 percent to 6.5 trillion yen ($81 billion), as unit sales slipped in virtually all departments, including flat-panel TVs, video and digital cameras, PlayStation, and VAIO. However with quarter sales up, this might be a sign of a turnaround as the Japanese giant continues to do everything it can to cut costs, including shedding off 10,000 jobs under new CEO, Kaz Hirai. Even more bullish is Sony who expects 2013 as the first year the company returns to black (profits). Those details, after the jump.

Sony Bloggie Live vs. Bloggie Touch Review (video)

by Sohrab Osati | May 9, 2012 | 9 comments

Last year, we put together a video that pitted the Sony Bloggie Touch against the now defunct Flip UltraHD that became quite popular. In our video overview of the two devices, we offered our viewers the traditional spec by spec comparison as you would expect. However, what proved truly valuable was our side by side comparison of video footage from the two devices where we shot simultaneously and played the video next to each other. With Sony introducing the Bloggie Live at this years CES, we thought that once again, it would be a good time to revisit our review and put together a similar video. With no other big name competitor in the market, we instead decided to pit the Bloggie Live against last years champion and our battled test Bloggie Touch. Has a years worth of technological enhancements helped the Bloggie Live or does the Bloggie Touch still reign supreme? Find out in our video below and expect a full product review at a later date.

Sony Stocks Now Hit 25 Year Low

by Sohrab Osati | May 8, 2012 | 15 comments

With the Euro debt crises continuing to rage on as Greece throws new curve balls to the market, many investors and companies have toned down their expectations of a short recovery in the European market. With consumer confidence down, many European companies have taken a beating in their stock prices while companies with a heavy presence have also seen their stock prices decline. With Europe representing Sony’s last strong territory where many there still see Sony as a contender and strong brand in the face of Apple and Samsung, Sony has seen a rapid selloff of their stocks in the past month. After hitting a 10 year low just last week, the companies stock price now sits at $14.94, a new 25 year low for the Japanese electronic giant.

Sony Confirms Plans for IPTV

by Sohrab Osati | May 3, 2012 | 19 comments

Many have always claimed that despite Sony owning a music label and a movie studio, that it has never been able to leverage the two entities for its electronic business and create synergy, the beloved corporate word. With Sony’s Music Unlimited and Video Unlimited offering similar content to iTunes from Apple though to be fair, they do release movies sooner than Netflix, which must wait longer for Sony titles, its easy to see why Sony Pictures hasn’t been too helpful to their electronics business till now. Sony Network Entertainment VP Michael Aragon has confirmed that the company has flirted with the idea of offering TV over the internet. With Sony Pictures in their back pocket which owns movies like Spider-Man, James Bond, Bad Boys, and The Social Network while Sony Pictures Television houses classics like Seinfeld, Wheel of Fortune, and Community, its easy to image that Sony would step into this situation with leverage on their end, something that Netflix, Apple, and Amazon don’t have with their services though Apple does have share market share going for it. So what’s the hold up? Lets talk about it, after the jump.

Sony Stocks Hit 10 Year Low

by Sohrab Osati | May 2, 2012 | 23 comments

Despite Sony planning to lay off 10,000 employees with further cuts coming to their newly acquired EMI (will be absorbed with Sony Music) division, Sony stocks as of late have been taking a beating. Like most companies, Sony hit its high in late 2007 with a $58 a share and began to decline as the housing bubble burst and the world economy began to slow down. With an $18 low in 2009, Sony like other tech companies began to build value again as consumer started to spend again with major governments passing different spending packages to help their own individual economies. Sony like others would ride the wave, hitting a $40 high in 2010 and a slightly lower $36 high in early 2011. Since then, the companies stock price has been plummeting, hitting a 10 year low today at $15.61.

While Sony’s PlayStation 3 has continued to prosper, analysts have been weary of the PlayStation Vita while no help has been given from Sony’s troubled television business which has failed to make a profit in 8 years. Under new CEO Kaz Hirai, Sony has introduced the ‘One Sony’ strategy which will focus on Sony’s core business. The three pillars include digital imaging, games, and mobile. Arguably the most healthy parts of Sony, these three departments will see continued support and resources invested to further strenghten and expand them.

Sony’s 4K NEX-FS700 Gets Priced Well Below $10,000

by Sohrab Osati | May 2, 2012 | 16 comments

Do you remember the Sony NEX-FS700 that got announced last month? Yea, the one capable of recording 4K footage with Super Slow Motion (120-240 fps Full HD or 480 up to 960 fps with reduced resolution) and was rumored to be priced under $10k? While many ran around in a frenzy, saying that Sony couldn’t offer a low price and that the RED Scarlet is already priced near $10k, they seem to forget that with that price, RED only offers you a camera body. In actuality, most RED cameras since they require propitiatory cables, batteries and accessories start near the $16k price range. Delighting us today, its been revealed that the NEX-FS700 price tag will be well below $10,000 for a body and still under $10k with body and lens. We talk price, after the jump.

PlayMemories Online, Sony’s Take on iCloud Goes Live

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 25, 2012 | 20 comments

The idea behind iCloud is simple, to have your content automatically uploaded between devices. You took a photo on your iPhone? No problem, it’s also waiting for you on your iPad and MacBook Air. Considering the number of devices that people use on a daily bases, to be able to start work from one machine and continue it on another machine without having to do much work is not only a blessing, but almost necessity. With Sony ramping up its take on iTunes with Music and Video Unlimited, it was only a matter of time before the company also took aim at Apple’s photo sharing offerings. PlayMemories Online not only takes on iCloud, but it also isn’t limited to iOS devices and offers a few cool tricks. Details, after the jump.

Sony to Buy OLED Screens from Samsung?

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 24, 2012 | 22 comments

Just what is happening to Sony’s TV business is truly up in the air with different reports emerging on what seems like a weekly basis. It’s no secret that Sony’s TV business has been sagging the company for many years and has been largely to blame for the company’s continued annual losses. In fact, Sony’s television division has been unprofitable for eight years now! For its part, Sony seems to be doing everything it can to shed the weight of the business and start from a leaner base, which saw the company reduce its television line to 8 models down from the 20 that it held in the previous years. Sony has also sold its S-LCD business to Samsung who was its equal share partner in small LCD production. Sony even followed in the footsteps of Toshiba and Hitachi, who all jointly sold off their medium to large LCD plants to Japan’s government which formed a new entity called Japan Display with Sony holding a 10 percent stake. While many saw this as Sony throwing in the towel and beginning to transition away from the TV business, Sony’s new CEO and President, Kaz Hirai, has said that under the ‘One Sony’ strategy, that he will personal oversee the division’s operations in an attempt to restore it to profitability.

With Samsung now taking all the credit for entering the OLED business with larger sized television displays, despite Sony being the first to the market with an OLED TV, rumors began to circulate that Sony was getting back into the OLED TV business as well by partnering with Taiwan-based LCD display company, AU Optronics. Now, a new report further indicates Sony’s desire to enter the OLED business but instead points to Samsung as the OLED panel provider.

Wait, what?

Sony Patent Would Send Medical Information to Your Television

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 20, 2012 | 13 comments

A Sony medical patent from 2010 would have Sony’s wireless wristbands monitoring your heart rate, vitals and blood glucose levels which could then be sent to your Bravia television via infrared. With internet options available on most Sony televisions, the build in television app would then be able to communicate with a user’s health care provider and send the information by them. This might be especially important for those who are looking to load up on the junk food prior to the Avengers release by watching all past Marvel movies in order.

Playstation Store Update (04-17-2012)

by Chris Quibol | Apr 18, 2012 | 22 comments

This week’s Playstation Store update has a couple of huge titles for everyone to enjoy, particularly the first home release of arcade shooter House of the Dead 4 on Playstation 3 and the release of Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention on the Playstation Vita. Short on cash this week? You can download a demo for physics-based pinball game Stardrone Extreme for PS Vita or free Vita app Paint Park, which lets players create and share sketches and drawings.

Playstation Plus members are also treated to exclusive early access to the beta for Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, as well as a free download of Frogger Returns and 30 percent off House of the Dead 4.

Also available this week are downloadable content for Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception and a full download of Dead Rising 2: Off the Record for PS3.

Hit the jump to see the rest of this week’s Playstation Store update.

Sony’s Music Unlimited Arrives in Belgium and the Netherlands

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 13, 2012 | 9 comments

Sony’s ever expanding music streaming service, dubbed Music Unlimited continues to expand as Sony builds up its digital ecosystem. Available on the PSP, PS3, Sony’s 2011 and beyond Bravia TV and Blu-ray, Sony smartphones, tablets and other Android phones, Music Unlimited can now be accessed by hundreds of millions of people. That is of course, if you live in a country that the Pandora is available in. Luckily, Belgium and the Netherlands have joined the prestiges list, giving the barely two year old service freedom to please listeners in 16 countries. After the jump, the full list of countries await you.

New Trailers for ‘Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch’ and ‘Resistance: Burning Skies’

by Chris Quibol | Apr 12, 2012 | 0 comments

Sony released trailers earlier today for a couple of highly anticipated titles, Playstation 3 JRPG Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch and Playstation Vita first-person shooter Resistance: Burning Skies. The Ni No Kuni trailer provides us with our first look at the game’s English voice acting, as well as a better understanding of the game’s story. The two minute trailer features a few of the game’s beautiful cutscenes from Studio Ghibli, popular for their work in films like “Spirited Away” and “Howl’s Moving Castle.”

The latest Resistance: Burning Skies trailer shows off a ton of the online multiplayer features available on the Vita-exclusive shooter, including weapon upgrades and customization. The trailer also features a ton of in-game multiplayer footage on each of the game’s six maps. Look for Burning Skies to release late next month, on May 29.

Check out both trailers for yourself after the break.

Confirmed, Sony Will Cut 10,000 Jobs

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 12, 2012 | 19 comments

It was rumored that when Kaz Hirai would take the stage at Sony’s April 12th announcement, the new CEO would announce a cut of 10,000 jobs. The ailing Japanese electronic giant whose in need of a big turn around just recently revealed a bigger than expected loss for their 2011 fiscal year of $6.4 billion, up from an expected $2.7 billion. As to the dismay of those whose jobs will be cut, like clock work, Kaz has confirmed the cut, with many coming from businesses that Sony plans to sell or reorganize.

Meet the Sony PMW-100 Camcorder. We Have Specs

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 11, 2012 | 1 comment

If you thought the only new professional grade camera from Sony was their 4k recording, sub $10,000 NEX-FS700, it’s time to think again. Not designed to cater to the same professional crowd, the Sony PMW-100 still packs a punch by offering true 1080p (1920 x 1280) recording with 50Mbps which meets the National Broadcasting Associations seal of approval for real HD. Despite a few other handheld camcorders being capable of offering the same specs, the Sony is the only one of the bunch which can do it all internally versus others needs for third party add-ons.