Sony
Sony's high-speed Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo HX
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Sony is releasing the Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo HX this October, in 4GB and 8GB capacity. The memory card has a reading speed of 20MB/s and a writing speed of 15MB/s - and when used with the supplied USB adaptor, it transfers data one third faster than the Memory Stick PRO Duo (Mark 2). Read More
Game Console Online Content set to boom
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It’s a wireless world we are living in, and the next decade will see countless changes in the way we access, consume and pay for what we want. Further evidence of this arrived today in the form of Parks Associates’ forecast revenue streams for online content and services for Internet-connected game consoles. The research company expects the three game console manufacturers (Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo) to be generating over US$8 billion in global revenue by 2013. The anticipated increase in revenue is expected to come from digital video distribution, downloadable games and content, virtual worlds and avatar-based microtransactions, multiplayer gaming services, and dynamic in-game advertising. Read More
Sony updates Walkman range with thinnest Walkman ever
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Thin is definitely in for the new S series Walkman Video MP3 players from Sony. At just 7.5mm thick the S series are the slimmest Walkmans, (or should that be Walkmen), ever. Read More
The Sountina sound fountain – 1.85 metre tall glass and leather column delivering 360 degree sound
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August 29, 2008 It’s taken us a few decades to fully wrap our brain cells around the fact that a loudspeaker doesn’t need to be box-shaped with an array of woofers and tweeters and equally, that remarkable sound quality can be produced from a single speaker. Taking it one step further is the new Sony Sountina: this single, elegant column, combining glass, leather and room-enhancing illumination, delivers music over 360 degrees, providing a sonic and visual focal-point for any room. The name comes from a fusion of the words ‘sound’ and ‘fountain’; just as people gather around a fountain, so the 1.85m tall Sountina will deliver amazing music to those all around it. Sony calls it a Circle Sound Stage, and it’s all made possible by brand-new Vertical Drive Technology. Check out the image library - beeeeautiful! Read More
Sony Cyber-shot T500 now with HD video
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August 29, 2008 In the ongoing quest for manufacturers to differentiate their product in the compact digital camera market, the feature sets keep growing and growing and the killer app at IFA this week was undoubtedly high def video in digital cameras. With mobile phones fast catching the compact camera market in basic functionality, the integration of HD video was a no brainer and Sony’s new Cyber-shot T500 is the first to deliver in this marketplace. In addition to producing MPEG4 HD (1280x720 ) movies at 30fps with stereo sound, the T500 produces a 10.1 megapixel still image and switches instantly between still and movie modes at the touch of a comfortably placed button on top of the camera. You can even grab crisp still images (1280x720 pixels) without interrupting video shooting and a new ring-type adjustment allows easy zooming of the Carl Zeiss lens throughout the 5x range while you’re shooting movies. Read More
Sony joins the in-car iPod wagon
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August 28, 2008 If you’re sick of fumbling with your iPod while hurtling down the freeway Sony have just the thing with the announcement of four new Xplod in-dash head units that are able to connect directly to compatible iPods and allow users to charge and control their iPod devices on the road. Each new unit supports HPF/LPF sound quality, feature 52 watts X 4 peak output enhancements and, if you’re one of the few holding out from joining the iPod brigade, there’s an auxiliary input on the faceplates, facilitating the use of other portable music players with a standard 1/8-inch mini jack cord, which is available separately. Read More
Sony announces 200 frame per second Bravia LCD TV
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August 28, 2008 Sony has announced a 200Hz LCD TV at IFA. The new Z4500 LCD TV uses Sony’s proprietary Motionflow 200Hz system to calculate three additional frames for every original, upping the frame rate from 50 to 200 frames per second. A complementary image enhancement technology called IB Reduction (Image Blur Reduction) boosts the sharpness of the final picture by improving the original, frame by frame, before it is processed by the Motionflow 200Hz. The result is the smoothest and clearest motion reproduction to be achieved by an LCD to date. Read More
Sony Bravia ZX1 – ultra-thin LCD TV with separate wireless Media Receiver
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August 28, 2008 Sony is showing an extraordinarily slim new 40-inch Bravia HD LCD TV at IFA this week that measures a barely believable 9.9mm at its slimmest section. The compelling elegance of this wafer-thin display is hugely enhanced by a super-fast wireless connection so there are no signal cables to spoil the elegant simplicity of the design. Instead, the screen uses what Sony has dubbed ‘Bravia 1080 Wireless’ to carry the audiovisual signal from the separate Media Receiver to the screen in real time. Read More
Sony to launch 160GB PS3 in October
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Sony is launching the 160GB Playstation 3 on October 31. The console is an early Christmas present for gamers in Europe and the US where it will retail for €449 and US$499 respectively. Features include Playstation Network content, a Blu-ray Disc player, DUALSHOCK3 wireless controllers, video chat and online play.
Sony's X4500 and W4500 HD TVs
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Sony has announced the BRAVIA X4500 and W4500 series wide screen LCD TVs with full HD 1080p resolution and DLNA connectivity. The X4500 is available in 40-inch, 46-inch, and and an 8-speaker 55-inch model, all of which feature the BRAVIA ENGINE 2 PRO for filtering, cleaning and optimizing image data before it’s displayed. Read More
Sony working to make Rock Band, Guitar Hero instruments compatible
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Sony has been working with rhythm based games developers to ensure compatibility between the various companies’ peripherals on the PS3 for Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero: World Tour and Rock Revolution titles. Read More
Criterion Collection's new reference Blu-ray player: a PlayStation 3
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The PS3’s credibility as a Blu-ray player has received another boost with the news that the folks at the Criterion Collection – the distributors of “important and classic and contemporary films” – use the PS3 as their reference Blu-ray player in their new HD home theater. The news might come as a surprise to those that would assume a stand-alone player would trump a game console/Blu-ray player in the picture quality department, but the PS3 has consistently received favorable reviews of its Blu-ray playback capabilities after overcoming some early teething problems... Read More
PlayStation 3 Greatest Hits launch today for $29.99
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July 30, 2008 Sony has launched the first ten PS3 games in their Greatest Hits range, including Warhawk, Assassin's Creed and Resistance: Fall of Man. Click through for the full list, and our recommendations. Read More
Sony’s new VAIO FW laptop is sexy in silver
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July 29, 2008 Sony’s upcoming VAIO range includes the FW laptop, which features a Macbook-style keyboard, built-in Blu-ray drive and a 16.4-inch display. Read More
Industry leaders back AMIMON's Wireless Home Digital Interface technology
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July 25, 2008 AMIMON, Hitachi, Motorola, Samsung, Sharp and Sony have formed an interest group to develop a standard for multi-room connectivity using AMIMON's Wireless Home Digital Interface (WHDI) technology. Read More
Sony’s HT-IS100 BRAVIA Theatre Micro System features golf ball size speakers
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July 22, 2008 No, that’s not a giant strawberry in the accompanying picture – it’s a mini speaker. The Sony HT-IS100 BRAVIA Theatre Micro System is a 5.1 channel system delivering 450 watts (RMS) of power through a subwoofer with integrated 32-bit S-Master digital amplifier and five incredibly small speakers roughly the size of a golf ball. Designing the system at people who don’t want their home theater system to overpower their décor Sony says the “HT-IS100 packs all the power of a conventional home theater system in five discrete speakers that practically disappear in your living room.” Read More
Yet another flat panel display technology from Sony
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July 14, 2008 Sony’s XEL-1 OLED television hasn’t yet had its first birthday and the company is already planning a successor. Digital World Tokyo is reporting Sony affiliate Field Emission Technologies (FET), which Sony currently owns just under 40 percent of after spinning the company off at the end of 2006, is planning to begin mass production of Field Emission Display (FED) panels by the end of 2009. Read More
Sony’s DVDirect DVD Recorder
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The Sony VRDMC3 DVDirect DVD Recorder does just what its name suggests – it records to DVDs directly from other sources, and it does so without the need for a PC. The VRDMC3 can record from just about any source such as camcorders, DVDs or VCRs, thanks to the provided USB, Firewire, S-Video and composite inputs. In addition to video, still images can be copied directly from memory card to DVD as a slideshow or for photo storage by using the built-in 5-in-1 card reader. PictBridge compatibility allows the unit to interface directly with a printer and images can be previewed using the 2.5-inch colour LCD that sits on top of the unit. Once selections have been made they can be copied to disc using the large "record" located just below the screen. Read More
Nyko PS3 Media Hub with USB ports
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July 7, 2008 When Sony cut the price of their PS3 console in late 2007 they also cut a few features including backwards compatibility with many PS2 titles, memory card reader, and a couple of USB ports. Gaming peripherals manufacturer, Nyko Technologies, has addressed two of these three losses with their Media Hub for the PlayStation 3. The Media Hub attaches to any available USB port and provides three additional USB connections as well as a media card reader that supports SD cards and Memory Sticks. The unit is designed to match the color and shape of the PS3, is compatible with all versions of the PS3 and snaps into position so it can be used with the PS3 in either the horizontal or vertical position. Now if only they could come up with a $20 USB device to give the PS3 back its backwards compatibility they’d be sure to make many a console owner happy. Read More
Sony HDR-CX12 Camcorder automatically snaps smiling faces
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Billed as the world's first high-definition camcorder with both "Smile Shutter" and face detection technologies, Sony's HDR-CX12 Memory Stick Handycam camcorder automatically takes a 10 megapixel still photo when it encounters a smiling face - even when in standby mode. Due for release in August at an estimated price point of USD$900, the compact 2.8" x 5.3" x 2.8" camera records full 1920 x 1080 HD video onto Memory Stick PRO Duo™ and Memory Stick PRO Duo (Mark2) media cards and boasts a Carl Zeiss 12x optical zoom lens, a built-in zoom microphone with Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround and image stabilization. Read More
Sony to release energy-saving 32-inch LCD
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Massive screens are not the answer for everyone in the flat screen TV market and energy conscious consumers might be persuaded to think small with this new 32-inch addition to Sony's Bravia range which is set for release in Japan. Read More
Sony announce Qore - an interactive HD gaming program for the PS3
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Sony has announced Qore, a monthly, interactive gaming program shot in HD and distributed via the PlayStation Network. Qore will feature exclusive news, interviews and previews along with bonuses like exclusive access to beta tests, demos, and downloadable content. Read More
IBM’s new BladeCenter QS22
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May 19, 2008 IBM has expanded its High Performance Computing (HPC) capabilities for businesses with the introduction their new BladeCenter QS22 - a new, economical supercomputing technology inspired by advanced scientific research facilities. The heart of the QS22 is the multi-core IBM PowerXCell 8i processor, a new generation processor based on the Cell Broadband Engine (Cell/B.E.) Architecture, which is compliant with the Cell Broadband Engine (Cell/B.E.) Architecture, originally developed by IBM, Sony and Toshiba to provide the computing power for cutting-edge gaming applications. For challenging arithmetic operations the IBM PowerXCell 8i offers five-times the speed of the original Cell/B.E. processor and, coupled with additions like 16-times more memory (up to 32GB) than its predecessors, the QS22 can handle workloads that previously required dozens of servers. Read More
Sony’s TP2 - the living room PC
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March 6, 2008 The Sony VAIO is a fully functioning PC that integrates HDMI connectivity, a bundled HD TV tuner and Blu-ray playback capability to turn a HD TV into a high definition PC monitor and form the hub of digital entertainment in the home. Read More
Sony launches 14 megapixel A350 digital SLR camera
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February 8, 2008 Sony has added the Alpha 350 to its digital SLR line-up. Even by today's lofty standards, the unit earns the tag of high-definition with its 14.2-megapixel CCD image sensor, a feature backed by in-built Super SteadyShot image stabilization, sensitivity up to ISO3200 for faster shutter speeds and Quick AF Live View technology, which delivers live image previews (a feature lacking in most digital SLRs up until recent times) with through-the-lens phase-detection autofocusing via the 2.7-inch variable angle LCD. The A350 also boasts an anti-dust protection system and batteries that last long enough for up to 730 shots on a single charge when using the optical viewfinder. Read More
Sony’s Vaio Home Theatre PC gets HD upgrade
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January 10, 2008 Sony’s VAIO Home Theatre PC has received a recent upgrade, creating a high definition version with added functionality. The unit's distinctive spherical chassis serves as an entire entertainment center so you can watch and record analog, digital and cable TV and access the Internet to play back online TV programming on a compatible big-screen television. Read More
Sony OLED XEL-1 television hits the U.S. market
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January 8, 2008 Following on from an appearance at CEATEC last year and a Japanese release in December, Sony has announced the availability of the industry’s first Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) television in the United States. Read More
PS3 gets DivX/XviD playback - we put it to the test
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The PlayStation 3 firmware update 2.10 arrived yesterday, adding Blu-ray Disc Profile 1.1 support, and more importantly, XviD and DivX playback. We recently brought you the low down on XviD/DivX playback on the Xbox 360, and now we've spent another strenuous morning watching videos - here's our report on Sony's implementation.
Pinpoint travel photos: Sony's GPS-CS1KA image tracker
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December 17, 2007 If you're the type of intrepid traveler that returns from a journey with a gigabytes of digital photographs but no idea where they were taken, this might prove a valuable addition to your kit. The Sony GPS-CS1KA image tracker records the time, date and - using satellite navigation - the location of every photo, and collates the information so that you can view your photographic history on an online map. Read More
Sony's wall-mountable VAIO series panel PC notebook
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November 2, 2007 Aiming to merge the PC with a home entertainment center, Sony has added to their VAIO notebook lineup with the release of the LM series notebooks. The LM series features an eye-catching panel PC design reminiscent of Sony’s BRAVIA LCD TV’s with its’ 19 inch screen framed by a transparent bezel to blend into the surrounding environment. For ultimate integration, the VAIO LM series can be wall-mounted and features wireless keyboard, mouse and remote control. Read More
3mm-thick Sony OLED screen: TV takes another giant leap forward
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Fresh from a recent showing at CEATEC 2007, Sony has announced that its 11” Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) display will be available in Japan from December. The Sony XEL-1 will be the world’s first commercially available OLED screen, promising a whole new category of low-cost, low-consumption TVs that will offer exceptional viewing characteristics including million-to-one contrast ratios, ultra-quick refresh rates, unparalleled viewing angles and a screen thickness of only 3mm at its thinnest point.
Fujitsu advances color e-paper technology
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October 10, 2007 Fujitsu has displayed the latest incarnation of its electronic paper products at CEATEC in Japan. Having previously unveiled flexible color e-paper, this year the company has changed the form factor into an "e-reader" - a prototype content browser the size of an A5 sheet of paper that’s lightweight, extremely portable and features a high-contrast, easy to read 4,096 color display with very long (up to 50 hours) battery life due to its ability to hold an image once it is displayed without drawing on any power. Read More
Upgraded Sony Reader continues the digital e-book push
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October 3, 2007 Many bibliophiles feel that paper is an irreplaceable medium, but the inexorable march of the digital age is bringing new products into the marketplace that bridge the gap between the traditional book and the sheer convenience of electronic storage. Sony has just released the upgraded second version of its Reader digital book - a compact, comfortable and lightweight viewing platform that allows you to carry up to 160 full novels around at any time. Read More
Sandisk launches new high-performance Flash memory cards
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September 18, 2007 The rise and rise of Flash memory continues with SanDisk, the original inventor of Flash storage cards, launching its Express line of high-performance Flash memory products. Aimed at professional videographers and photographers who demand speed, durability and reliability the new 8GB and 16GB flash memory cards record high-definition video at 35 megabits per second. Read More
Sony's new digital SLR-A700
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September 10, 2007 Sony has only been in the digital SLR space for just on twelve months but today announced an impressive new addition to the Alpha digital SLR system in the form of the DSLR-A700. The A700 packs a 12.2-megapixel CMOS sensor, shutter speeds of up to 1/8,000th of a second and HDMI output for connection to HDTV along with a fast, newly developed auto-focus system and an optional vertical camera grip. Read More
