With Sony Ericssons Q4 results in, it turned out to be a case of good news bad news for the struggling partnership that has been having high hopes on their new phones. In the last year, Sony Ericsson has been looking to turn their fortunes around, especially with the rise of popular devices like the iPhone and Android has been their savior like almost all other phone makers. During this time, Sony has released the Xperia X10, X10 Mini, X10 Mini Pro which have now surpassed 9 million shipped. This is the good news for Sony and this achievement is that much more impressive when you consider that the Xperia X10 is the only one of the series that was released in the US and it was a product that was never advertised. Other sites have noted that this is equally impressive because most of this fleet was running around during 2010 with the outdated Android 1.6 and only recently saw an upgrade path to 2.1. Still the bad news is that this comes as profits dip with the company reporting a moderate €35 million pre-tax profit for Q4. Though this is below what the company had hoped for and lower then previous quarters, this is still a large turnaround for a division that was losing money left and right just a little over a year ago.
Sony Corp.
There is just nothing to stop Sony and their latest groove (see what I did there, another Austin Powers reference) when it comes to the NEX series. Hot on the heels of updating the series with a new firmware, giving them 3D capabilities and Autofocus for A Mount lenses, Sony has just announced that the NEX-5 will also come in Gold. Sony is no stranger to offering products in different colors as the NEX-3 got a taste of pink in months prior and the company has shown off the NEX lineup is a series of different colors, though they have yet to be released. Sadly, this new offering is only for Japan though depending on demand, that could change.
Hit the jump for a better picture of this unit.
One thing should be apparent about the NGP, that it’s crazy powerful. It has Quad Core ARM Cortex-A9 core with a SGX543MP4+ graphics card. All that should really mean nothing to the average person but what should mean something to you is Uncharted and Killzone which are synonymous with crazy graphics and thats exactly what the NGP is going to deliver. As shown with Hideo Kojima onstage, he was able to port over MGS4 from the PlayStation 3 and have it run on the NGP with no problem. What kind of game franchises are already being developed for the NGP and by who? Besides the obvious being Sony and it’s first party studios who have brought you games like God of War, Killzone and Uncharted, some third party studios include:
- Capcom
- Sega
- Tecmo Koei
- Konami
- Epic
- Activision
- Square-Enix
All of these companies have announced games in development for the system. Hit the jump to see a full list of the currently announced titles that are in development, as well as a full publisher breakdown.
Want to look at some pictures of the NGP aka PSP2? We got all of them in full HD galore for your viewing pleasure.
Checkout the full gallery below and if you’re looking for NGP specs, we have those too!
The PSP2 which is actually called the NGP (Next Generation Portable) although we are not sure if this will be the official name when it launches this Holiday season or not was finally shown off last night in Tokyo and we have both specs and official pictures to show you. First, the device is crazy powerful and packs a lot of up to date technology, something that the PSP and PSPgo both lack. In comparison to the Nintendo 3DS, there really isn’t one. The NGP is for people who take gaming, media and the connected life serious. But more on that later. Lets get some specs out first like the fact that this thing has a Quad Core processor inside.
CPU: ARM Cortex -9 core (4 core)
GPU: SGX543MP4+
Multi-touch 5-inch organic light emitting display (OLED) as the front display ( Resolution 960 x 544)
Read touch pad
Two cameras (front and rear)
Sound: Built in stereo speakers
Dual analog sticks
Built in Microphone
Sensors: Six-Axis motion sensor with accelerometer. Same internals of the PlayStation Move
PlayStation Network access, including ““LiveArea™”, “Near” and “Activity” log features Trophy Support
NGP will be able to play PSP titles, minis, PS one classics, video and comics from the PlayStation Store.
3G
Wifi (802.11 b/g/n)
Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR
Now how a full spec breakdown.
You’ll find our report of the event in Tokyo, written live, below. But the following is a reflection on and summary of, the PlayStation NGP / PSP2 device.
The PSP2 has been announced, and it embodies what one would imagine to be the logical successor to the PSP. It’s solved the long-fraught ‘dual analogue stick’ fps problem, it’s incorporated the popular touch screen functionality featured in most modern phones, it’s integrated front and back-facing cameras, Wifi and cellular 3G connectivity and its raw power is exponentially greater than its predecessor’s.
Although ‘NGP’ (Next Generation Portable entertainment system) is simply a codename, it stands out as relatively dry and odd. A variety of other devices could be described as NGPs. And despite the fact that a device’s codename is certainly not indicative of its resultant quality, assigning an ideal handle is an important part of selling a product / informing consumers.
Commentators have observed the slightly curious hardware and target audience choices by Sony, relative to the first PSP. Whilst selling a commendable amount of units, the PSP ultimately lost out against the Nintendo DS. Furthermore, the software ‘attach rate’ for the PSP was less than ideal, yet this is arguably partly attributable to piracy. The original PSP was designed as a technically advanced system, offering console-quality performance, whereas the DS was designed and marketed as a redefinition of various human inputs for games, featuring compelling innovations.
Bearing this in mind, some argue that it is odd that Sony appears to have chosen the same strategy as before. The PSP definitely succeeded in many respects. Yet, the logic in this observation is undeniable. Ultimately, when considering Sony as a company, the details of the PSP2 are relatively unsurprising. This is also the case with Nintendo and its 3DS. Seemingly, these companies are simply conforming to their predefined nature, and internal culture.
Personally, I welcome the sophisticated technology offered to consumers in the NGP. Whether or not it’ll mean Sony’s device outsells / outperforms Nintendo’s, it is certain that we can all look forward to a redefining chapter in portable gaming.
Check out the official release information and images at the PlayStation Blog.
You’ll find our report of the event in Tokyo, written live, below. But the following is a reflection on and summary of, the PlayStation NGP / PSP2 device.
The PSP2 has been announced, and it embodies what one would imagine to be the logical successor to the PSP. It’s solved the long-fraught ‘dual analogue stick’ fps problem, it’s incorporated the popular touch screen functionality featured in most modern phones, it’s integrated front and back-facing cameras, Wifi and cellular 3G connectivity and its raw power is exponentially greater than its predecessor’s.
Although ‘NGP’ (Next Generation Portable entertainment system) is simply a codename, it stands out as relatively dry and odd. A variety of other devices could be described as NGPs. And despite the fact that a device’s codename is certainly not indicative of its resultant quality, assigning an ideal handle is an important part of selling a product / informing consumers.
Commentators have observed the slightly curious hardware and target audience choices by Sony, relative to the first PSP. Whilst selling a commendable amount of units, the PSP ultimately lost out against the Nintendo DS. Furthermore, the software ‘attach rate’ for the PSP was less than ideal, yet this is arguably partly attributable to piracy. The original PSP was designed as a technically advanced system, offering console-quality performance, whereas the DS was designed and marketed as a redefinition of various human inputs for games, featuring compelling innovations.
Bearing this in mind, some argue that it is odd that Sony appears to have chosen the same strategy as before. The PSP definitely succeeded in many respects. Yet, the logic in this observation is undeniable. Ultimately, when considering Sony as a company, the details of the PSP2 are relatively unsurprising. This is also the case with Nintendo and its 3DS. Seemingly, these companies are simply conforming to their predefined nature, and internal culture.
Personally, I welcome the sophisticated technology offered to consumers in the NGP. Whether or not it’ll mean Sony’s device outsells / outperforms Nintendo’s, it is certain that we can all look forward to a redefining chapter in portable gaming.
Check out the official release information and images at the PlayStation Blog.
Live Blogging the PlayStation Teams "Live From Japan: PlayStation Meeting 2011" (Pictures and Specs)
Well, I can’t say that our site was magically able to afford a ticket to Tokyo and attend the PlayStation meet so instead, I’ll be going through all the news provided by Sony and other media sites and will be reporting them here. So check back now and especially in the following day and we gather all the bits of information that is likely to be the PlayStation Portable 2 (PSP2) or the PlayStation Phone.
10:10: Video montage of the PlayStation vision that was shown at the 2005 E3 is being shown. This is to show what their vision was then and where they are now, almost 6 years later.
“Let me start off by showing you video footage. It is the same clip we showed at E3 5 1/2 years ago, because we want to revisit the image of the future we revealed in 2005”
10:12 Kaz Hirai: “I believe a lot of what we envisioned back then has materialized for our users.”
10:13 Kaz is setting the audience up for the new device they are looking to introduce.
“Today, I’d like to speak about a whole new world that PlayStation is about to bring to reality”
Kaz believes that the PlayStation 3 “has won its place as the center of the living room” and that the next challenge for Sony will be to win what device is in peoples hand.
10:15 A whopping 80% of PS3’s are connected to the internet.
10:16 As of January 25th, there is over 69 million PSN accounts. This includes PS3, PSP and accounts created to access PlayStation content online like the PlayStation Blog.
“When we released PSP, cell phone providers were unable to deliver PlayStation quality content. After 6 years, these multi-function handheld devices are ready for PlayStation-like experiences”
10:20 Sony wants to deliver the PlayStation experience to a wider audiences, something that was not possible in 2005, especially with phone technology.
10:21 Sony has announced the PlayStation Suit. It is a cross endeavor platform.
“PS Suite will make PS content available on Android smartphones and tablets”
Hit the jump for our continuing live coverage and additional photos.
NGP: With Front/Rear Camera and Front/Back Touchscreen
Live Blogging the PlayStation Teams “Live From Japan: PlayStation Meeting 2011” (Pictures and Specs)
Well, I can’t say that our site was magically able to afford a ticket to Tokyo and attend the PlayStation meet so instead, I’ll be going through all the news provided by Sony and other media sites and will be reporting them here. So check back now and especially in the following day and we gather all the bits of information that is likely to be the PlayStation Portable 2 (PSP2) or the PlayStation Phone.
10:10: Video montage of the PlayStation vision that was shown at the 2005 E3 is being shown. This is to show what their vision was then and where they are now, almost 6 years later.
“Let me start off by showing you video footage. It is the same clip we showed at E3 5 1/2 years ago, because we want to revisit the image of the future we revealed in 2005”
10:12 Kaz Hirai: “I believe a lot of what we envisioned back then has materialized for our users.”
10:13 Kaz is setting the audience up for the new device they are looking to introduce.
“Today, I’d like to speak about a whole new world that PlayStation is about to bring to reality”
Kaz believes that the PlayStation 3 “has won its place as the center of the living room” and that the next challenge for Sony will be to win what device is in peoples hand.
10:15 A whopping 80% of PS3’s are connected to the internet.
10:16 As of January 25th, there is over 69 million PSN accounts. This includes PS3, PSP and accounts created to access PlayStation content online like the PlayStation Blog.
“When we released PSP, cell phone providers were unable to deliver PlayStation quality content. After 6 years, these multi-function handheld devices are ready for PlayStation-like experiences”
10:20 Sony wants to deliver the PlayStation experience to a wider audiences, something that was not possible in 2005, especially with phone technology.
10:21 Sony has announced the PlayStation Suit. It is a cross endeavor platform.
“PS Suite will make PS content available on Android smartphones and tablets”
Hit the jump for our continuing live coverage and additional photos.
NGP: With Front/Rear Camera and Front/Back Touchscreen
It’s been a long time coming, but Sony has finally released their eReader app for the Android Market with an iOS version soon to follow. Sony has told Engadget that “the iOS version is still pending Apple’s approval, but it should be available soon.” The eReader app is what you would expect from such an app and follows closely Amazon’s Kindle App and Apple’s iBooks app which allows users to start reading content on one device and have their books and places synchronized over the air across onto another device. This free app also supports ePub and PDF formats, allowing users to import content outside of Sonys on digital bookstore. Other functionality’s include the ease of highlight text and adjust font and brightness settings right from the page you’re reading. As mentioned in the title, this app requires Android 2.2 to function, ironically leaving Sony’s older fleet of Xperia X10 phones dry of these functionalities, though their upcoming and highly anticipated Sony Ericsson Arc will have no problem meeting the minimum OS requirements.
Hit the jump for some more pictures.
[Images via Engadget]
If Nikkei, the Japanese news giant, is to be believed, not only will the PSP2 be announced this week on the 27th, but that this hotly anticipated and better kept secret from Sony will come with an OLED Touchscreen and 3G cellular connectivity. First, let’s talk about the announcement date. Although nobody is expecting to unit to actually go on sale soon, the announcement time does make sense if Sony wants to take some steam out of the recently-announced and soon-to-launch Nintendo 3DS. If Sony can really offer consumers something different and comparable in price, many might deice to skip out on the 3DS and wait for the Sony handheld. Now, when it comes to a OLED touchscreen, I think this one is a no brainer. Sony recently launched a new Cybershot model during CES which also happens to come with an OLED screen. This is a clear indication though it doesn’t prove that Sony is now producing these in smaller sizes, something that will be perfect for the PSP2. As for a touchscreen, after the iPhone and iPod Touch craze, that is as good as a requirement, especially if Sony wants to draw in more independent developers like those seen on the Apple App store. In respect to the 3G, this again seems like the obvious evolution of the handheld. So many of today’s devices have internet connectivity and the brilliance of an iPod Touch as an example wouldn’t be seen if it didn’t have access to the internet. Now of course, the iPod Touch only has Wifi and not 3G like the original PSP. The difference is with the original PSP and PSPgo, internet connectivity was never a convenient thing, unlike the iPod Touch. Also, Sony needs to offer users something different and the ability to have a 3G data plan in order to play online and download new content at any time will truly set aside the PSP2. If all this holds up though, I’m curious as to which carriers will have access to the PSP2.
[Via Nikkei]
Though by now we all know what the inevitable PlayStation Phone will look like, the PSP2 has been guarded more closely by Sony. We’ve received bits and pieces of information here and there with a supposed spec sheet and rumors of the unit losing its UMD drive (a no brainer really) and being as powerful as the Xbox 360. Starting last week, new rumors started to go around that Sony is planning on announcing and showing off the PSP2 for the first time on the 27th of this month. That puts it at just 2 days away by the time you read this and it might lead some to believe that the above picture is indeed legitimate. I for one am not buying into the rumor. If it’s indeed a scan of the press photo that will be handed out on the 27th, and that is what those behind this leak claim, then why it it at such a low resolution? Better yet, why do some parts of the image appear more crisp then others? Also, a stylus? I just don’t see Sony releasing a gaming device that is meant to go toe to toe with the iPod Touch being released with a stylus. Still, we are only 2 days away and we will find out soon enough.
It was just a little over a year ago when a little movie, one which audiences and critics alike were unsure if it was going to flop or not due to its reported $300-$500 million budget, came into theaters in 3D. Now, with nearly $3 billion in the bank from just the tickets, Avatar is the highest-grossing movie of all time and will probably be for a decade to come. But Avatar’s effect was not just limited to the film industry where we can just write it off as a Hollywood blockbuster. Instead, Avatar has affected the way we watch movies, the kind of televisions we buy, and the technology that will be in your next camera, camcorder and handheld portable. Just a little over a year after the film’s release, manufacturers like LG, Toshiba, Samsung, and Sony are out in full arsenal with their 3D televisions, so you can watch a movie like Avatar or Despicable Me in 3D at home. In 2011, 16 out of Sony’s 27 Bravia televisions will feature built-in 3D with no 3D transmitter bar needed. In two months’ time, Nintendo is releasing the 3DS, their next handheld portable gaming machine that will display games in 3D. Just in case you get pulled into a 3D event, you can now look good and not need to borrow a pair of glasses as Oakley and other high end companies will be releasing their own stylish 3D glasses. Sure 2010 might have had some sour points with films like Clash of the Titan (though I enjoyed the movie myself) and The Last Airbender with their horrible last minute rush job of up converting a movie that was not made in 3D to be in 3D. Still look how far we have come already. Tron was a smash hit with it’s 3D and Alice in Wonderland, another post converted movie hit the $1 billion mark as well and animated films like Pixars Toy Story 3 and How to Train a Dragon which were all also released in 3D. Now we are seeing more and more movies being filmed in 3D from the beginning like the up coming Transformers: Dark of the Moon, the Sony Pictures Spider-man reboot and we are seeing some of Hollywoods top directors like Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg plan their upcoming projects with 3D in mind.
Of course as I pointed out, 3D is not going to be limited to just the movie experience. Nintendo will indeed be pushing out their Nintendo 3DS in two months and that will introduce 3D to a large audience, who will grow up with 3D as just the standard just like how kids in the last 7-10 years might view HD as nothing new. Remember how much flack HD got when it was first introduced and many wrote it and Blu-ray off as just a gimmick and a fad. Fast forward a few years and both are the industry and consumer accepted standard. Lets also not forget Sony when it comes to gaming and 3D, Sony is making sure that their AAA games like Gran Turismo 5, LittleBigPlanet 2, Killzone 3 and Uncharted 3, along with their new gaming attachment, the PlayStation Move are offered to consumers in 3D. If you haven’t had a chance to view these games in 3D, I highly recommend you visit your nearest Sony Style store as they will blow you away with how crisp, deep and beautiful they are. Still, when all is said and done, gaming is just another avenue of 3D that is being catered to the audiences by those who have the power to create them; big companies and it was apparent during CES that Sony understood, that in order for 3D to succeed, they needed to bring the technology down to the consumer level and give the public the capability to create 3D for themselves for cheap. After watching and playing with their 2011 arsenal of products, I now believe.
You see, for any real product to catch on, it cannot be something that is just controlled by the elite. Sure all products come to market higher priced than what consumers might want, but like all technologies, it will eventually get cheaper as consumers adapt and newer and better versions of them are released. Years ago, you couldn’t get a 3D TV for under $5,000, and now you cannot find a TV that is not HD. Even the $500 television you find at Wal-mart is in fact HD (now this isn’t insinuating that all HD is the same, but rather the fact that anybody can have access to it). But that’s really only one avenue to view HD in; how about recording? Every single camera on the market now has some form of HD recording in it. From the thinnest smart phone on the market, the iPhone 4, which can record 720p video, to pocket camcorders, like the Flip HD, which can be bought for $150 with 8GB of memory, consumers can record HD in all sorts of ways without really thinking about them. If you own a Mac, you can open iMovie and start editing your HD video in minutes and soon after that be posting it to sites like YouTube and Facebook. Through the consumer, HD has become the norm and the standard, due to its ease of handling and low entry price point. I’m here to tell you that 3D will be the same and Sony is leading the way.
Playing exactly to the cue, No Strings Attached was the number movie at the box office, being the sole new release of the week. Still, compared to the year prior, the box office attendance was down 26 percent, thanks to a little movie called Avatar still dominating at the theaters. The $20 million comedy starring Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman pulled in $20.3 million on its first weekend, making sure that the rated R comedy will be a profitable film for Paramount. The movie which opened on 3,500 screens at 3,018 locations makes it Natalie Portman’s second highest opening grossing open, behind V for Vendetta and matched Ashton Kutcher’s What Happened in Vegas.
The Green Hornet continued its fantastic run, now in theaters for two weeks and was able to pull in another $18.1 million, putting the $120 million action comedy at $63.4 million for its current US gross. Though not an exact apples for apples, Green Hornet has already surpassed Kick Ass‘s final tally for a superhero comedy.
Another film on its second weekend run is The Dilemma, starring Vince Vaughn and Kevin James, which took a 45 percent dip to an estimated $9.7 million for a $33.4 million 10 day gross. It’s doubtful if the $70 million comedy by director Ron Howard will ever make its money back during its theatrical release.
A complete 180 from The Dilemma results was The King’s Speech which dipped only .2 percent and tallied another $9.1 million, putting the film on part with last weeks earning of $9.2 million. The ever slow expanding movie has grabbed $58.6 million during its current 59 day run. The film had a $15 million budget. Other holdovers include True Grit, down only 27 percent. This weekend’s $8 million draw helped the $38 million Coen Brothers’ western cross into $138 million territory making it the number 2 western, only behind the 1990 Dances with Wolves which sits at $184.2 million.
Box Office Results:
- No Strings Attached – $20.3 ($20.3 million total worldwide)
- The Green Hornet – $18.1 million ($100.8 million total worldwide)
- The Dilemma – $9.7 million ($38.8 million total worldwide)
- The King’s Speech– $9.1 million ($91.8 million total worldwide)
- True Grit – $6.2 million ($138 million total worldwide)
Though the naming scheme might have changed from the previous XBR6-7-8 and 9 style, Sony realizes that the XBR name is not only still strong in the home theater world, but that consumers know that it stands for something: quality. The XBR has been the pinnacle of Sony televisions for well over a decade. Only the biggest, thinnest, and most feature-packed of Sony’s televisions get branded as an XBR. And oh yea, they have the best damn picture quality available too. The XBR-HX929 is no different.
In April, consumers can get their hands on this beefy new TV, starting with 46, 55 and 65-inches, though the latter will be available in August due to the new glassing used on them across the XBR lineup and the more difficult process of producing it in the 65-inch variation. What new glassing? Corning’s Gorilla Glass, of course, which allows for a thinner, lighter, and stronger screen material than anything else on the market, setting itself apart from other available televisions.
First let’s cover some of the specs and features you would expect from this 1080p Bravia. Internet functionality, a feature that Sony has been pushing for the last two years, is front and center on this unit with services like Sony Music Unlimited Streaming Service and Video on Demand ; Qriocity, as well as Netflix, Pandora, HuluPlus, Amazon Video on Demand, YouTube, Slacker Internet Radio, Crackle, and Blip.tv. So although it might not have Google TV built into it like some of other Sony’s offering, it’s damn close. Of course, all of those services can be enabled via the integrated Wi-Fi (802.11n). 3D of course is fully enabled in this flagship Bravia with a built in transmitter bar, something that is now standard on all Sony Bravia’s.
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