Sony Corp.

Sony to Release New X-Reality PRO Engine Bravia 3D HDTVs in Japan

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 18, 2011 | 14 comments

Sony is set to release six new 1080p 3D Bravia models for Japan, which all feature Sony’s new X-Reality PRO engine. The three series include the HX920, HX820 and the HX720 and all will come in both a 46-inch and a 55-inch size format. Starting with the flagship model HX920, this 3D Bravia will include:

Motion Flow XR960 Panel
LED Backlight
WIFi
Monolithic Design
Web Apps (Facebook Connect, VOD, YouTube, Skype)

The series is then followed by the HX820:

Motion Flow XR480 Panel
LED Backlight
WiFi
Monolithic Design
Web Apps (Facebook Connect, VOD, YouTube, Skype)

The series will then finish off with the HX720:

Motion Flow XR480 Panel
LED Backlight
Web Apps (Facebook Connect, VOD, YouTube, Skype)

If some of these specs seem familiar, that’s because we actually got to see all of these new 3D models during CES 2011. For US fans, don’t feel left out as these new series will be making it state side during the Spring.

Sony To Release 3 New Speakers to its European Line-up

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 18, 2011 | 64 comments

After beefing up the current VAIO lineup, Sony is looking to conquer the PC home speaker market by introducing three new speakers, designed to help fill the audio gap that laptops tend to offer. The series kicks things off with the compact SRS-A3–a 2 channel 5W speaker with 57mm driver. The series then follows with the SRS-D4 a 2.1 channel system with a total output of 27W (a large bump compared) and 46mm driver unit on the satellite speakers and 95mm on the subwoofer to help add depth to your music, games and movies. Finally, the series finishes off with the SRS-D5, which again increases the 2.1 channel system, offered with a 40W output and 60mm driver units on its pair of satellite speakers and 115mm on its subwoofer. As always, hit the jump for an official press release as well as additional pictures.

Sony Buys Hawk-Eye, a Ball-Tracking Firm

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 18, 2011 | 18 comments

Sony Electronics has purchased the British firm Hawk-Eye for an undisclosed sum. The company provides ball-tracking technology used in tennis and cricket. FIFA is said to be considering using such technology in the future to rule on goal-line decisions. Sony has been a long time sponsor of FIFA and the World Cup.

Paul Hawkins, inventor of Hawk-Eye, said Monday the takeover by Sony would create “immense opportunities for the sports industry.”

[Hawk-Eye]

Sony NGP to Cost $250 for Wifi, $350 for 3G?

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 17, 2011 | 4 comments

When Sony Electronics finally took the wraps off of the PSP successor, previously called by the public the PSP2 and currently codenamed NGP; both the press and consumers were blown away by what the system had to offer. We encourage to read our previous post where we dive into the NGP specs but for those who are playing at game, you will know that there is not one singular feature that stands out. Instead, Sony has created a cutting edge machine, much like the PS3 when it launched that offers power unparalleled by any currently and probably for some time to come. But the hardware is only part of the story, this time around, Sony has learned a good deal from both the PS3 and the PSP and has an extremely excited 3rd party presence that will sure help the NGP reach a success that the PSP was not to. Two questions were shortly discussed after the unveil; Is NGP really the products name and how much will this handheld cost.

The first question is the easier of the two. NGP stands for Next Generation Portable which is an internal codename that Sony used, during the products inception. The final product name has yet to be announced but think of it like when the original AppleTV was called iTV till an actual name (AppleTV) was given to the product. Although I would say that nearly two months after the product announcement and the word NGP sits quite nicely. After all, everybody thought Nintendo was crazy to call their next generation console the Wii and 80+ million units later, I don’t believe that the name hurt them one bit. Still, the product name was the least of Sony’s worries or the perception that soon would follow the press release. Instead, question two began to set in. How much would the NGP cost?

Sony Ericsson Supplies to be Affected by Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 17, 2011 | 12 comments

There isn’t a whole lot of details about this but Sony Ericsson has issued a statement, indicating that the companies supply chain will be affected by the recent natural disasters that have struck the people of Japan. Sony has also shut down another 6 plants in Japan, due to damage. We don’t know how immediate of an disruption this will have on the companies new set of Android handsets that will be launching in the Spring.

“Although the full impact of the current situation on our business will take additional time to assess, Sony Ericsson anticipates disruption to its supply chain operations,” the company, owned by Ericsson and Sony Corp., said in a statement. “As part of our business continuity plan, we are in contact with all our key suppliers in the region and we are identifying the possible relocation of certain component manufacturing, and looking at secondary sources of supply.”

[Via Reuters]

Sony Would Like Developers to Consider PlayStation Move and 3D Support

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 17, 2011 | 0 comments

Sony has been on the forefront of cutting edge with the PlayStation 3, creating a device that, unlike previous PlayStation units and other consoles on the market, can be expanded upon and offer new features that even those who bought the PlayStation during its launch can enjoy. Over the last 9 months, the PlayStation 3 has been updated via software to allow for 3D games and movies. Shortly after that, Sony also released the PlayStation Move, which continues to be the most advanced and precise motion sensor gaming attachment on the market. In order to show consumers and other developers the capability of these new technologies, Sony has taken it upon itself to offer these advacements in some of the hottest games of 2010 and 2011. Titles such as Gran Turismo 5, LittleBigPlanet 2, Killzone 3, MotorStorm Apocalypse and the upcoming Uncharted 3, Socom 4 and Infamous 2, will all support native 3D. Current titles on the market such as LittleBigPlanet 2, Killzone 3 and again the upcoming Socom 4 and soon to be released Move Heroes game, featuring some of PlayStation most well known characters, like Jak & Dexter, Ratchet and Clank, and Sly, will support PlayStation Move on top of native 3D.

Now, Sony wants developers outside of the Sony family to leverage these PlayStation 3 features and incorporate them into their games to offer a more unique and rich environment for the players.

“Whenever we come out with new technology, whether it’s Move or 3D, there is always the request that goes out to the [development] teams that says, ‘Hey it would be great if you could implement it.’ We know that adds to the layer of not only the marketing message we have access to but it also adds to the availability of different Sony channels that we can broadcast our message out to,”

Sony has gone on record and states that in no way or shape is it requiring developers to offer these. Instead, it wants them to look at games like Killzone 3 which has been said to be one of the best looking games ever created on the PlayStation 3 which also offers the most native and natural Move experience while still implementing 3D. The point here is that developers can add these features to their game without worrying about tapping out the PlayStation 3 or the need to sacrifice quality.

Hit the jump for a full list of PlayStation Move and 3D-supported games.

Full Sony Ericsson Xperia Play ‘The Donor’ Commercial

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 17, 2011 | 10 comments

Remember that Sony Ericsson commercial during the Super Bowl? The creepy one with the Android robot getting a human thumb so it could play better games? Well, there is more to it than that. We can now bring you the full commercial which will put a little more context to the entire premise. Still, we hope Sony will go with something less gritty when the product launches, though this does beckon your attention. Then again, if anybody remembers the crying baby commercials during the PS3 launch year…yea, that didn’t go over too well.

3G Cell Connectivity Coming to Sony Cybershot Camera’s?

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 16, 2011 | 10 comments

The point and shoot cameras have been at an odd crossroads in the last few years. As the smartphone continues to grow in sales volume and photo features like publishing to Facebook and sending emails, the point-and-shoot cameras have been slow to offer anything new. In fact, the only major feature I can think of was the addition of GPS and out of all of Sony’s current cameras, only one offers this. For me, geo-tagging photos is a big feature, something that every iPhone has done since their launch almost 4 years ago. This has also been one of my personal reasons for skipping out the current NEX-5, in hopes of future GPS integration. Now comes news, from an anonymous friend from Engadget, that Sony is working on a Cybershot camera with a”built-in 3G modem” which would enable the device to publish photos to cloud services on the go. Those who are familiar with the Cybershot family will remember that Sony has once tried a similar approach, releasing the Cybershot DSC-G3 over a year ago with Wifi 802.11 b/g connectivity. The problem with that camera though was the fact that the UI made it hard to connect to Wi-Fi connections and there was no compression done on the camera, meaning that depending on the connection, you could enjoy a nice cup of tea while each 10.1 megapixel photo published. So with this news, I welcome some more advancements to the point-and-shoot cameras out there, but please offer more GPS functionality, Sony.

[Via Engadget]

Vudu Streaming Comes to All 2011 Sony Blu-ray Players

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 16, 2011 | 2 comments

Following in the footsteps of the PlayStation 3, which received Vudu streaming early this year, Sony and Vudu are teaming up to bring this video streaming to all 2011 Sony Blu-ray players. Via a system update, not only will owners of the 8 Blu-ray players get access to 1080p footage in 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound, but they will also have access to Vudu’s growing library of 3D movies. Hit the jump for an official press release.

Sony Discontinues A33? A35 Just Around the Corner for an April 4th Release?

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 15, 2011 | 11 comments

Our friends over at SonyAlphaRumors always have the juicy rumors when it comes to Sony and their Alpha lineup, and today is no different. They report that Sony is discontinuing the Alpha A33 in addition to the A290, A390, and NEX-3. The latter three do not come as a surprise as they are aged units and we have had plenty of heads-up time, especially when it comes to the NEX-3. The fact that the A33 might be going away in favor of an April 4th release of a successor, the A35, does however come as a surprise, seeing how that camera is not that old. However, with the NAB show in Las Vegas right around the corner and plenty of refreshes coming from Sony, the timing does make sense if the company wants to grab some additional attention.

[Via SonyAlphaRumors]

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Priced and Dated for Spain

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 14, 2011 | 2 comments

Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Play is a hot and leading phone for Sony. Combining the latest from Android (Gingerbread 2.3) and giving the users a taste of PlayStation on the go, this soon-to-be-released phone has many things going for it. Sony Ericsson also has high hopes for the device. Though the company sold over 9 million Android phones last year, the company was hardly able to make a dent or appearance in the US market. One of the ways Sony is looking to change this is with the Xperia Play, targeting smartphone users with the need for more gaming. Now we have learned that the Xperia Play will launch in the UK on March 31st and follow into Spain on April 1st. The only piece of the puzzle remaining is the price of the device, which Sony Ericsson has announced is €649 for Spain, which translates to roughly a little over $900. Now, before we all freak out, we have to take into consideration that this is the price for an unlocked Xperia Play with no contract. We should also take note that there is a big difference between the value of Euro and the dollar so an exact conversion does not give the whole picture. To put things into context, the iPhone 4 with no contract is over $600 in the US which we imagine is even higher in Europe. It will be interesting to see what price the Xperia Play gets tagged with, once carrier subsidies are factored in which helps drive the price of the iPhone 4 down to $200 with a two-year contract.

[Via Engadget Spanish]

Sony Helps With Japan Recovery, Donates Money and Radios

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 14, 2011 | 19 comments

Despite being affected by the current natural disasters in Japan which caused the company to close some of its Japanese factories, Sony has gone on the offensive to help the people of Japan. After announcing that the company will be canceling MotorStorm Apocalypse for Japan, the company has now pledged 300 million yen and 30,000 radios in order to help with recovery efforts. Hit the jump for a translated press release.

Sony Puts Country Before Profits, Cancels MotorStorm Apocalypse for Japan

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 14, 2011 | 7 comments

By now, we have all have seen the countless images and videos on CNN and other places from the recent natural disasters that took place in Japan. With cities destroyed and the country’s spirits and energies going towards their people and the much needed recovery that is taking place as each day passes, it’s nice to see a company set aside its profits and instead focus on the people. In an alternative universe where a 8.9 earthquake and tsunami had not rocked the country of Japan, this week Sony’s PlayStation division would be releasing MotorStorm Apocalypse for the PlayStation 3. This genre-defining racing game has always been centered around all forms of jaw-dropping environments where the player can race, crash and taunt away the opponents in all forms of manors. Prior to this installment, the series had raced into the deserts and tropical landscapes for the game’s backdrop. For MotorStorm Apocalypse, the developers wanted to instead focus on an old abandoned city where the environment itself played like an opponent. With falling buildings and destroyed streets, the game was a spectacle to look at and play through, if you had not recently been exposed to a trauma of the same magnitude. Sony instead believes that the game will hit too close to home and will not be appropriate for the people of Japan and through an email issued out to the press, has stated that the game will be postponed (indefinitely) for Japan. From a capitalistic standpoint, this might not be a good move. After all, millions are/were spent on making this game, let alone localizing it for Japan, but from a humanity standpoint, it’s nice to see a company forgo profits and instead focus on the people.

Sony Introduces 2 New IC Recorder, the AX412F and BX312

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 12, 2011 | 9 comments

Sony Electronics of Japan has announced two new IC Recorders for the home territory, the AX412F and BX312. The higher end model of the two, the AX412F, comes with:

Stereo Mic
FM Radio
FM Radio Tuner
Radio Recorder Mode
Mp3 Player
2Gb Internal Memory
MicroSD and M2 Support

The lower version, the BX312 only lacks the capability to listen and record FM Radio and only has a mono mic. Still, depending on the price, it might be the better of the two if all you need is voice-recording functionality.

Sony NGP to Release on November 11th in Europe?

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 11, 2011 | 2 comments

The NGP is a hot tech topic. Announced a little over two months ago, the PSP successor, previously dubbed as the PSP2 and currently codenamed the NGP which is an internal codename and not the products actual name was met with great reactions from all over. The latest handheld from Sony packs some of the most state of the art technology in any device with many components of it not yet released into the market, like a quad core CPU and graphics card. Originally Sony’s Kaz Hirai had indicated that the NGP would launch during the 2011 Holiday season. We now know, thanks to clarification from SCEA Jack Tetton that Sony is looking to launch the NGP in at least one territory in 2011 with others to follow through. Part of this is the limitation in resources which make building large quantities of a unit like this extremely hard.

it’s very difficult to have the quantities to be able to launch on a worldwide basis on the same date” and that “our goal is get at least one territory out by the end of holiday 2011”.

When it comes to product launches, Sony users are no doubt accustomed to Japan, Sony’s home territory to receive a product with Europe and US to follow a few months after. This is especially true in the PlayStation division where all unites, including the PSone, PS2, PS3 and PSP launched in Japan and were eventually followed with a US release date. With such a track record, many assumed that the NGP would fall in line and Japan would receive the product sometime during the 2011 Holiday with Europe and US receiving shipments in the Spring. Now an online leak is pointing towards Europe receiving the honors and being the first territory to receive the NGP. This should partially come to as no surprise as Europe is one of Sony’s strong holds where the company sold over 9 million Sony Ericsson Android devices and the PlayStation 3 has continued to stay ahead of the Xbox 360. Still, this early on, it’s hard to take any leaks seriously as I’m sure final configuration and logistics of the NGP are still being sorted out.

[Via MCVUK]