Sony Corp.

Sony Ericsson Announces ‘Live with Walkman’ Android Smartphone, Targets Music Lovers. We Have Specs

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 22, 2011 | 3 comments

If you’ve been craving an iPod-Touch-like smartphone that runs on Android, instead of Apple’s iOS, then today’s announcement should give you something to look forward to. Sony Ericsson has announced a new Walkman phone, named “Live with Walkman.” Powered by Android 2.3, this 1GHz processor smartphone is aimed at music lovers by enabling features like a dedicated Walkman button that will automatically launch the new Walkman music interface (which is capable of taking music from your PC iTunes library). Continuing that theme, users will also find a handful of unique Facebook integrations, like sharing your current song to Facebook, and discovering new music. Qriocity, Sony’s music streaming service will also play a central role, giving owners the capability to streaming music. After the jump, you can find additional specs, including more details on Facebook integration, photos and an official press release.

Sony Alpha A65 and A77 Spec Differences

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 22, 2011 | 68 comments

Over the week, we revealed to you the full Sony Alpha A77 spec sheet, which detailed the nitty gritty of the upcoming flagship model from Sony. With the A77 now charted for its release date, our eyes turn towards the Sony Alpha A65, which we previously revealed to you as nearly identical to the A77, minus the magnesium alloy body that the A77 comes housed in. Now, with a little more digging, we can reveal further differences between the Alpha A65 and the A77. For some, these can make or break the deal while others might find solace that they can spend less while getting all the features that they want. After the jump, find the differences between Sony’s Alpha A65 and A77.

Ask Twisted Metal Creator David Jaffe YOUR Questions At PAX Prime

by Jan Hutchings | Aug 21, 2011 | 0 comments

PAX Prime, a yearly convention for gamers, by gamers, is going to be held in Seattle from August 26 to the 28th. During that time, SonyRumors staff writer Jan will be interviewing Eat-Sleep-Play-Studio-founder and Twisted-Metal- and God-of-War-creator David Jaffe

Jan will be talking with him about his studio’s upcoming Twisted Metal reboot, God of War, future plans, and other such topics.

And to make sure that the interview covers every important topic that YOU, the SonyRumors readers, care about, you will have the chance to ask him the questions that you deem important.

So on that note, we ask that you please write down your questions for David Jaffe in our comments section below.

We look forward to reading them, and we are sure David is looking forward to answering them at PAX Prime.

Sony Alpha A77 Specs Revealed

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 20, 2011 | 23 comments

Over the last several weeks, we’ve revealed quite a bit about Sony’s upcoming Alpha A77—like the incorporation of an ‘electronic shutter curtain,’ which is designed to shorten the release lag between shots while creating zero vibration. Now, we have a lot more of the nitty gritty details and specs of the Sony Alpha A77 to reveal to you. We’ve already discussed some of these before, but plenty of it will be knew to those who are keeping up with the weekly updates.

24.3 MP Exmor HD CMOS sensor
19 points AF sensor with 11 cross sensors
ISO 100-16000, with expandeable ISO 50 option
1920 x 1080 60p/24p AVCHD 2.0
P/A/S/M manual controls while recording video
1200 zone metering
Completely new developed Bionz processor
12 fps
1/8000 shutter speed

After the jump, you can find even more A77 specs.

Ninja Gaiden 3 To Feature Playstation Move Support

by Jan Hutchings | Aug 20, 2011 | 15 comments

Tecmo Koei recently announced that Ryu Hayabusa’s latest outing, Ninja Gaiden 3, will have PlayStation Move support as one of its key selling features when it releases next year. It’s the first Ninja Gaiden title that won’t be directed by series creator Tomonobu Itagaki and the first one to feature motion control for its deep combat system.

Itagaki’s replacement at Team NINJA, Yosuke Hayashi, had this to say about PS Move support for Ninja Gaiden 3:

“Ninja Gaiden 3 is all about slicing and chopping through flesh and bone, and PlayStation Move bring players even closer to the game’s protagonist, Ryu Hayabusa. The game will be compatible with all Move peripherals and it will feature full compatibility with this exciting new hardware.”

Ninja Gaiden 3 will also feature some new additions to gameplay; sneaking and stealth kills are now available and the heads-up-display (HUD) only shows itself when Ryu is in a fight and hides as he traverses the environments.

The game is set to release some time in 2012.

DISCUSS:

Would you prefer playing Ninja Gaiden with a traditional Dualshock 3 controller, or test your mettle using the new motion control scheme for the PS3 (Controller + PS Move)?

[Via EpicBattleAxe]

Sony Bloggie Firmware 1.17 Now Available

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 19, 2011 | 20 comments

Bloggie owners of the world, it’s time to fire up the Bloggie Software for the Mac or PC so that you can download the latest software update for your device. The new Bloggie firmware 1.17 adds:

Improved file compatibility
Improved HDMI connectivity
Improved user interface

This new firmware update is available for the following Bloggie models:

MHS-FS1
MHS-FS1K
MHS-FS2
MHS-FS2K
MHS-FS3
MHS-FS3K

Hit the jump to find out how you can determine which firmware your Bloggie is running.

Infamous 2: Festival Of Blood Coming In November

by Jan Hutchings | Aug 18, 2011 | 10 comments

It looks like Cole’s second Infamous adventure may not be finished quite yet. Just like Red Dead Redemption, Sucker Punch is hoping to supplement its seminal franchise with a (un)healthy dose of undead DLC. The company announced earlier this week that it will release Infamous 2: Festival of Blood to the PSN later this year. Hit the jump for more information on the Infamous 2: Festival of Blood DLC.

Elevator Action Deluxe Arriving On PSN

by Jan Hutchings | Aug 18, 2011 | 26 comments

Earlier today, Taito announced that they will be bringing an HD re-make of the original Elevator Action for the PSN. Basically every level, room, character, and design will be the same, but with reworked, HD visuals.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a re-make without some new features; and Elevator Action Deluxe will bring new weapons and new multiplayer modes.

Elevator Action Deluxe will cast players as a spy tasked to infiltrate a high-rise building filled with elevators. The object of the game is to collect secret documents while avoiding enemy fire. Elevator placements become more and more complex the further into the game a player gets.

Elevator Action Deluxe will be released on the PlayStation Network on August 30, 2011 in North America and August 31, 2011 worldwide.

[Via Joystiq]

Sony Ericsson Xperia arc Challenges the Sun’s Power, Helps Plants Grow

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 18, 2011 | 4 comments

LCD screens today, compared to a few years ago, are drastically brighter and yet more efficient then before. Even without new technology like Sony’s WhiteMagic LCD, new smartphones can be extremely bright and the Xperia arc is no exception. How bright though can be a matter of your definition. However, if your smartphone is powerful enough to do the job of the Sun, I think we can all agree that it’s got one major LCD backing behind it. Sony wanted to prove just that and so it created the following video which attempts to see if the Sony Ericsson Xperia arc is capable of helping flowers bloom in place of the Sun’s rays. Grab a cup of coffee or tea, sit back, and relax while the video unfolds after the jump.

Sony’s LA-EA2 Lens Adapter Leaked. Allows NEX Camera’s to Use Alpha Lenses

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 18, 2011 | 19 comments

Remember that massive leak of Sony cameras that are heading towards us like the NEX-7 and Alpha A77? Well, add one more hole to Sony’s ship (which is good for us!) with this latest leak that reveals Sony’s new LA-EA2 lens adapter. This new adapter allows you to use lenses which were originally created for Sony’s mirror-less Alpha lineup. As Wired puts it:

Sony’s smart take is to put a translucent mirror in there to skim a little bit of light from the image traveling to the camera. This is then sent to a phase-detection autofocus sensor in the base.

With the ability to use different Sony camera lines with different Sony lenses, Sony is bringing the family full circle with this latest adapter and giving buyers another reason to invest solely in the Sony camera world. Just as a reminder, NEX lenses can also be used on Sony NEX camcorders which again further strengthens Sony’s position.

[Via Wired]

Sony Announces PSP E-1000, Priced at $99

by Jan Hutchings | Aug 17, 2011 | 36 comments

Just when you thought it was out, they pull it right back in. At its Gamescom press event in Germany, Sony announced a new SKU that will be added to the PlayStation Portable family. What differentiates this SKU from the others?

It’s at a $99 price point.
It doesn’t have Wi-Fi
It features a cool, black, matte finish (reminiscent of the PS3 Slim)
It only supports UMD Games

Those who thought the PSP was already dead were surprised when they heard that the new $99 PSP E-1000 will be released later this year. The PSP E-1000 will release with a number of PSP Essential titles like Invizimals, Eyepet, FIFA ’12, and other games.

The PSP E-1000 ditches the Wi-Fi, therefore saving Sony money in production and lowering the SKU’s price point to a low $99. That means you won’t be able to play SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 3 online. You’re basically stuck with single-player modes.

However the new SKU looks like a great buy for RPG fans as they will be able to play their favorite RPG’s like the Persona series on-the-go for cheaper. Those who prefer to buy their PSP games from PSN will have to download the titles using the Media Go software that connects PCs to the PSP.

DISCUSS:

If you do not have a PSP as of yet, will the $99 price point entice you to finally purchase the system? Or will you wait for the PlayStation Vita to come out?

NFL Sunday Ticket Comes to the PS3 via DirecTV

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 17, 2011 | 1 comment

Just shortly after posting our take on the PlayStation 3 price drop, Sony and DirecTV announced a new partnership which will bring the popular NFL Sunday Ticket to the PS3. Those who subscribe to the DirecTV package will be able to add their PS3 for an additional $50 which, in turn, will turn your PS3 into an additional DVR for the house. The $50 charge, which is part of DirecTV’s Ticket To-Go, will also give you access to NFL Sunday Ticket on other mobile devices and is a DirecTV charge, not a Sony charge. This great package offers:

Up to 14 NFL games every Sunday
Full HD for every football game
DIRECTV’s Red Zone Channel

For those who don’t own DirecTV but would like access to this package, DirecTV has a deal for you as well. For $339.95, the entire NFL Sunday Ticket can be yours and accessed via your PS3 with no DirecTV subscription or DVR needed. This also means that you can now place your PlayStation 3 in any part of your house and access NFL Sunday Ticket with just a broadband connection. Expect a free app for download while a Fall release and pre-NFL start date is expected.

[Via PlayStation Blog]

Sony Alpha A35 Sensor Tests Put It Neck in Neck with Alpha A55

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 17, 2011 | 13 comments

If you’re all about sensor result tests and side by side charts, will this post put a smile on your face. A recent sensor test from the folks at DxOmark pitted the Sony Alpha A35, A55 and A580 against each other and revealed that the new A35 is capable of performing at the levels of the A55 though both models trail the older A580. If you thought that this was interesting, you can find additional results between the three models like ISO sensitivity and their exact specifications.

[Via DxOmark]

PlayStation Store Update (08-16-11)

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 17, 2011 | 60 comments

You might have noticed that Tuesday came by and even ended for you but a PlayStation Store update never came. It in fact did go live on Tuesday, depending on your time zone but nearly towards the end of the night. However, with all the exciting PlayStation announcements like Resistance: Burning Skies for PS Vita and a PlayStation 3 price drop to $249, you can excuse the folks at PlayStation for being a tad busy. So what do you have to look forward to this week? Here are some of our top picks:

Qore (Free for all)
LittleBigPlanet 2 Toy Story 2 Costume Pack ($5.99)
inFAMOUS 2 – Various add ons and packs (x15) ($0.99 – $2.99)
Driver: San Francisco – Multiplayer Demo
Section 8: Prejudice (Free PS3 Theme)
BREATH OF FIRE IV ($5.99)

Hit the jump as always to find the full PlayStation Store update listings.

Sony’s Alpha NEX-5N, NEX-7, A65 and A77 Availability Revealed

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 17, 2011 | 2 comments

For those of you who want to start planning your purchase of the NEX-7, Alpha A65 or Alpha A77, the following post should go a long way to help you set things in motion.. We’ve just discovered the shipping for these models and they are right around the corner, depending on what your patience level is.

For those of you in the US and Europe:

Alpha NEX-5N September 5th-10th
Alpha NEX-7 November 7th-10th
Alpha A65 October 17th-20th
Alpha A77 October 17th-20th

Considering the offering of these cameras and the many models that Sony is launching, this time frame isn’t too bad or far and should give you enough time to start saving away. Stay tuned for more news from Sony’s camera division as a handful of lenses are also expected to be announced.

[Via SonyAlphaRumors]