Sony
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
Sony announce 200-disc, 500GB Home Entertainment Server
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September 6, 2007 Sony has unveiled a new Home Entertainment Server featuring a full HD 1080p 200-disc changer and a 500GB hard disc drive that stores up to 137 hours of video, 40,000 songs or 20,000 digital photos. The stand-alone HES-V1000 is Sony’s first Blu-ray Disc-capable component (other than a VAIO notebook or optical PC drive) that can burn content to Blu-ray Discs as well as DVDs. Read More
Sony's all-in-one High-Def PC/TV with Blu-Ray
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August 29, 2007 Sony has introduced a new high-definition PC/TV model with Blu-Ray Disc Technology. Featuring a floating glass design, the VAIO LT HD PC/TV is designed as a complete computer entertainment center where you can watch and record analog, digital and cable television programming, including premium HD channels. Read More
Sony accelerates PS3 and PSP convergence with PVR and GPS accessories
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August 23, 2007 In an ironic twist on the convergence theme, Sony has made some significant announcements at the Games Convention in Leipzig moving the PS3 and PSP towards becoming general entertainment and convenience platforms. Announcements included a TV Tuner and PVR software for PS3, a Video Download Service for PSP in conjunction with BSkyB, a voice chat, video chat and instant messaging service for PSP, and a satellite navigation accessory for PSP. On top of the recent release of the EUR50 Go!Cam which turns a PSP into a video and still camera, the “c” word (convergence) is very relevant. Read More
Sony’s DSC-H3: 10x zoom in a very compact body
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August 23, 2007 Five short years ago we ran a story on Sony’s then-amazing F707 digital camera, which delivered five whole megapixels of resolution and a whopping 10x optical zoom for a bargain price of around $2500. Compare that with Sony’s latest release, the DSC-H3, which takes eight megapixel shots at 5x zoom, sells for around $300, and is beginning to approach compact camera dimensions that make the F707’s lens look like a shoulder-mounted bazooka. It’s an astounding demonstration of the pace of technology. Read More
The Compact Disc turns 25
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August 17, 2007 In an event that marked the shift from analogue to the new digital era in the music industry, the world’s first compact disc rolled off the production line at a Philips factory in Langenhagen, Germany, twenty-five years ago today. Philips and Sony co-developed the CD (which was invented by American James T. Russell in the late 1960s) and an estimated 200 billion have been sold around the world in last quarter of a century - that’s enough to circle the earth six times. Read More
Canon's HG10 High definition HDD camcorder
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August 8, 2007 Canon’s new HG10 Hard Disk Drive Camcorder is the latest to use the Advanced Video Codec High Definition format which was introduced by Sony and Panasonic in 2006 and offers greater compression than HDV and MiniDV. The hard disk drive HG10 records up to 15 hours of HD footage and features a 10x HD Video lens, an HD CMOS image sensor, Canon’s proprietary DIGIC DV II Image Processor, SuperRange Optical Image Stabilization and Instant Auto Focus. Read More
Sony's wireless streaming boombox: the wi-fi hi-fi
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June 28, 2007 If your PC holds your master music collection, you've either got to listen directly to the speakers it's connected to, or transfer tunes onto a portable device. But what if you just want to head out to the front porch, or spend some time working in the garage? Sony's got an answer: the VAIO WA1 is a wireless boombox that streams music from your PC to anywhere around the house. The WA1 is compatible with SonicStage, iTunes, Windows Media Player and suitable for Internet radio... and it looks pretty sexy, too. Read More
Analysts: Nintendo DS will penetrate 89% of Japanese households by 2011
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June 26, 2007 A Nintendo in every pocket? The phenomenally successful Nintendo DS handheld gaming console is comprehensively trouncing the more powerful Sony Playstation Portable (PSP) around the world - but nowhere is Nintendo mania more alive than in Japan, where on current sales and penetration figures, a key industry analysis firm has forecast that 89% of Japanese households will have a Nintendo DS by the year 2011. What a stunning figure! Read More
High Definition camcorder breakthrough from Sony
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June 21, 2007 New benchmarks in portability and storage capacity mark the latest High-Definition (HD) camcorder line-up from Sony. The palm-sized CX7K is the world's lightest and most compact HD Handycam to date and the first to record high definition videos to Memory Stick media. The only slightly bulkier hard disk drive based Handycam SR Series now offers an unprecedented 100GB of storage space – enough to record 38 hours of 1080i HD content. Significant improvements have also been made to navigation via the on-board touch-screen including an impressive “Face Index” search feature that uses facial recognition technology to quickly pinpoint images of people within a scene without having to scroll through the entire recording. Read More
The Walkman is back - Sony announces A800 series with digital audio and video
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May 18, 2007 Consumer electronics giant Sony once ruled the world of portable audio - their Walkman and Discman brands became synonymous for hand held cassette and CD players around the world. Yet somehow, despite a solid reputation in personal audio, Sony missed the boat when portable entertainment went digital, letting Apple's iPod and a host of other devices snatch a massive market share that it has never been able to eat back into. Yesterday, the company announced the launch of its latest Walkman - the NW-A800 series - a digital personal audio/video player that Sony hopes will bring the company back into the contest. Will it stack up against the wildly popular iPod? Read More
Sony PCM-D1 portable recorder looks (and sounds) the part
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May 17, 2007 Sony's gorgeous PCM-D1 recorder allows effortless capture of stereo recordings with surprising spatial detail, thanks to its two built-in condenser microphones in an XY configuration. If you need to capture audio on the move, you'd be hard pressed to find a more exquisite tool than this. Read More
Sony’s New 15X Cybershot H9 and H7 Cameras
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March 12, 2007 Responding to the growing demand for super zoom digital cameras, Sony showed its new 8-megapixel DSC-H9 and DSC-H7 models at PMA, with both cameras featuring powerful Carl Zeiss 15x optical zoom lenses, Sony’s new advanced sports shooting mode and high-definition outputs so they easily connect to a HDTV for spectacular reproduction. The advanced sports shooting mode combines high shutter speed shooting and intelligent continuous auto-focusing. The cameras can quickly focus on fast-moving subjects by predicting where those subjects will be in the frame. This predictive technology also helps to reduce shutter lag, the time it takes for the camera to focus and shoot. Read More
Sony debuts its first wireless Digital Camera
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March 9, 2007 Sony today introduced a 6-megapixel Cyber-shot DSC-G1 digital camera with the ability to send photos wirelessly to other Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA)-enabled devices, such as another camera or a PC. Sony’s director of marketing for digital cameras Phil Lubell called the announcement "a step towards realizing a platform for networked photo communication. We will continue to explore the possibilities for networked digital imaging as broadband Internet becomes more pervasive in American homes." The new model’s camera-to-camera wireless capability makes it possible to send your friends a photo at the push of a button. It's also possible for up to four camera users to send each other photos in real time. With a DLNA-compatible PC, storing and sharing photos becomes simplified through wireless image transfer from the camera to the PC. Read More
Is Sony adding rumble to the SIXAXIS?
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March 2, 2007 - Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) and Immersion have agreed to conclude litigation at the U.S Court of Appeals, and have entered into a new agreement to explore the inclusion of Immersion's technology (read: rumble) in PlayStation products. This is in stark contrast to Phil Harrison's recent comments regarding rumble as a "last-generation feature", which were widely criticised as a desperate attempt to hide the fact that the lack of rumble in the SIXAXIS was a design decision based more on legal proceedings with Immersion, than last/current-generation feature sets. Read More
Sony VAIO L series all-in-one PC
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February 16, 2007 Presenting the iconic VAIO L series, a revolutionary new all-in-one PC concept from Sony. As much a design showcase as it is a functional unit, the L series has transformed a computing device into an integrated business and entertainment tool that combines the power of a PC with a quality LCD and stylish chassis. The VGC-LA38G features a floating design, which fits into any interior. The polycarbonate frame contributes not only to the sleek transparent look of the VAIO L series but also provides a chassis that is light, strong and durable. Providing a portable centre of entertainment for the home, Sony created the VAIO L series to double-up as a stereo. The sound from the unit is enhanced with a Sound Reality audio chip, 3Wx2 high quality speakers and Sony’s SoundFLOW software. This unique audio feature lets you play music and view artist information, the time and calendar even when the keyboard is folded up. Read More
Register for Playstation Network in Europe, get Casino Royale on Blu-ray
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February 13, 2007 - Even with the delayed launches of the Playstation 3 in PAL territories, Sony is still light on solid launch titles, with Resistance: Fall of Man and Motorstorm being the only exclusives receiving substantial acclaim from reviewers. To shift the focus back to their current strengths, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe have announced that the first 500,000 PS3 owners to register with Sony's free online service "PLAYSTATION Network" will receive a copy of the latest James Bond blockbuster "Casino Royale" on Blu-ray. Read More
Sony to enter personal transportation market?
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January 3, 2007 New Scientist’s patent-watcher Barry Fox unearthed a ripper this week when he came across a patent application from Sony dated November 23, 2006 that details a new motorized, balance-steered skateboard from the consumer electronics giant. The patent covers “a vehicle steerable by movement of center of gravity” but unlike the many conveyances which are steered by center of gravity movement, the Sony patent looks to have many applications and is pictured in the patent application as a two-, three- and four-wheeler and also as two two-wheeled devices akin to motorised rollerskates, with each wheel powered by its own electric motor. Though the article suggests that Sony hopes to compete with the Segway Human Transporter, we’re more inclined to see the Sony patent as being applicable to a more sporting variety of personal transportation with a definite emphasis on the youth market – unless Sony has found a way of overcoming basic Newtonian physics, riders of the new vehicles, however many wheels they might turn out to have, are likely to have to take a few tumbles in the process of learning to master the devices. There’s every likelihood that the research behind the patent emanates from Sony’s work in the area of partner robotics and personal transportation devices we reported here. Fascinating possibilities! Read More
Sony Ericsson ranks highest in mobile phone customer satisfaction
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November 20, 2006 Sony Ericsson ranks highest in satisfying customers who have owned their current mobile phone for less than two years, according to a J.D. Power and Associates 2006 U.S. Wireless Mobile Phone Evaluation Study released this week. The study measures customers' satisfaction with their wireless handsets based on five key performance factors. In order of importance, these are: physical design (24%); operation (22%); features (20%); handset durability (19%); and battery function (15%). Sony Ericsson received the highest ratings from customers in handset durability, and also performs particularly well in features and battery functionality. LG and Sanyo took out second and third place in the overall rankings, with global market leader Nokia, Samsung and Kyocera performing below the industry average. Read More
Sony's HVR-V1U HDV Pro Camcorder, 1080 Filmmakers Ogle Its 24p-ness
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September 22, 2006 Sony's HVR-V1U HDV camcorder was shown at a special event in New York earlier this week and reviewers are suggesting it will immediately be devoured by mid-level video production pros and filmmakers. This is the higher-end, CMOS-totin' big brother to Sony's HDR-FX7 with the 24p frame rate coveted by filmmakers because it's the same rate that film has used for decades. It gives footage that sought-after, special look, and now it's available in a 1080p resolution. There’s an optional hard disk that attaches where the shotgun mic usually resides. Sony calls this a "hybrid recording system," where you can shoot your master and archive at the same time. Full story here. Read More
Sony Ericsson's Z610 shimmering mirror clamshell
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August 24, 2006 - Sony Ericsson has announced the Z610, a 3G phone with gorgeous looks and a sleek mirror finish on the front cover that gives it a jewel-like quality that is complemented by a hidden ‘magic mirror’ display which can only be seen when in use. This striking phone delivers an advanced feature set including a 2.0 Megapixel camera and broadband-speed 3G connectivity. With such a distinctive design and a choice of three eye-catching colours – Luster Black, Rose Pink & Airy Blue – the Z610 looks a winner to us. Read More
Sony merges LCD TV with desktop PC
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August 23, 2006 Combining the power of a PC with a quality LCD and stylish design, Sony today unveiled the new VAIO LS1 TV/PC Combo. Featuring a framed display with a transparent border for a stunning, floating effect, the LS1 model packs the essentials for powerful computing into a slim chassis discreetly hidden behind the back of a flat-panel 19-inch WSXGA+ (1680 x 1050) LCD display. The new VAIO LS1 TV/PC model incorporates an Intel Core Duo processor, 2GB of RAM and a roomy 250 GB hard drive for running multiple, demanding applications simultaneously, such as watching and/or recording a TV show while downloading music in the background. Read More
A new product category begins with the Sony mylo Personal Communication Device
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August 8, 2006 Sony is launching its first WiFi broadband communication and entertainment device to capitalize on the growth of wireless Internet access. The new US$350 mylo personal communicator will be available in September and is capable of operating in any open 802.11b wireless network, often found on college campuses, in public spaces and within private homes around the country. This product is designed for people who use instant messaging as a primary form of communication and networking for their social life. The name mylo stands for "my life online" and the communicator lets you use instant messaging, browse the Internet, listen to music, send emails and view photos concurrently. Detailed images here. Read More
Sony enters the digital SLR camera market
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June 8, 2006 Sony has taken a long time to enter the digital single lens reflex (D-SLR) camera market but the somewhat belated release of the DSLR-A100 system has been both decisive and with enormous commitment. The system uses a 10.2-megapixel APS CCD image sensor and combines advanced SLR features with other Sony digital imaging innovations, most notably Super SteadyShot image stabilization, a new technology that shifts the image sensor to compensate for camera movement – the first time that image stabilisation has been done inside the camera rather than in the lens. It was introduced with 19 high-quality Sony lenses, and will be compatible with most of the former Konica-Minolta Maxxum mount lenses. Read More
World's First Blu-Ray Notebook Computer
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May 17, 2006 Sony yesterday showed off the first Blu-ray Disc enabled notebook computer - the VAIO AR which will be available next month. The Blu-ray drive will be available on the premium US$3,500 version of the AR, which has a17-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) widescreen display, uses Sony's XBRITE Hi-Color LCD technology and will play full 1080p HD resolution. In addition to supporting HD playback, the VAIO AR notebook is a multimedia powerhouse with the capability to record high-definition camcorder content to Blu-ray Discs. Now aspiring moviemakers can shoot, edit and burn their HD creation on a PC -- all in native 1080 resolution. Using an extensive suite of dedicated software applications, you can also edit high-definition footage and share it on Sony high-capacity BD-R and BD-RE Blu-ray Discs (up to 50 GB) or on traditional DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/+RW capitalizing on flexible storage, playback and recording. Read More
Sony Ericsson introduces first Cyber-shot camera phones
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March 1, 2006 Sony Ericsson takes digital imaging in camera phones to new heights today with the launch of the K800 and K790 phones, the first handsets to carry the Cyber-shot name known throughout the world as Sony’s digital still camera brand. Both are highly capable mobile phones with integrated 3.2 mpx digital cameras with autofocus, Xenon flash and BestPic, a completely new feature developed by Sony Ericsson which ensures that you never ‘miss’ an important picture. Press the shutter button once and the camera takes nine full quality 3.2 megapixel pictures in a time sequence – four pictures before and four pictures after the actual image you captured. Read More
Sony adds high zoom models to Cyber-shot range
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February 26, 2006 The high zoom prosumer digital camera marketplace continued to heat up at the PMA Show with Sony announcing two new Cyber-shot models in the category. Clad in black, the new DSC-H5 model has a 7.2-megapixel CCD imager and extra-large, three-inch LCD screen. It also shimmers in silver along with the stage-worthy DSC-H2 model, which has a six-megapixel imager and two-inch LCD. Both cameras flaunt Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 12x optical zoom lenses and focal length ranges of 36 to 432 millimeters (35 mm equivalence). "High-zoom cameras are one of the fastest-growing segments in the industry," said James Neal, director of digital imaging products at Sony Electronics. "They are powerful enough to get those hard-to-see distant shots, and have the easy-to-use functionality of point-and-shoot cameras. Read More
Skype mouse telephone by Sony
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January 13, 2006 Now here’s a good idea from Sony that doesn’t quite fit with the company’s normal fare. Sony will release a VOIP telephone crossed with a mouse onto the Japanese market next month. Dubbed MouseTalk, it looks and acts like a normal scroll wheel mouse, but when a call comes in on Skype, the mouse flashes its LED lights and emits a customisable sound. The mouse opens like a clamshell phone, becoming a Skype handset and it can also be used in hands-free mode. When used as a telephone, the mouse scroll-wheel adjusts the volume and clicking the wheel can mute the microphone. Read More
Sony's Latest CD Receiver Transfers Music Directly From a PC to a Car Stereo
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November 2, 2005 Sony showed an interesting new take on the car audio market at the SEMA show which opened yesterday in Las Vegas - an AM/FM CD/MP3 receiver capable of storing up to 500 tracks and receiving music directly from a computer. The new receiver has 1GB of flash memory and a USB port engineered into the faceplate. When the faceplate is removed from the receiver and connected to a Windows PC, it is recognised as an external drive. With the provided USB cable, users can quickly transfer and save MP3 and WMA files to the faceplate. Read More
Sony offering living room convergence from two angles
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We are all a sum of our experiences. So when Sony researched its product offerings for the living room of the early majority, it obviously decided that when the TV and PC merge, people arrive the convergence point from two main perspectives – people who are TV people first and PC people second, and vice verca. Both represent convergence at its simplest – Sony’s new VAIO VA TV-PC combines a fully-featured computer with an LCD TV running on a 20-inch display. Sony’s new VAIO XL1 DLS combines home theatre functionality with the brains of a PC. Read More
Sony Type X Video Station goes on sale in Japan
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October 15, 2005 Sony is moving ahead in leaps and bounds in its development of the Vaio range of computers in its domestic market. It now has multimedia computers specifically designed for handling music, video production and now home multimedia in an elegant and completely painless way. The diversity of the Vaio range through the Type R, Type H, Type V and Type M ranges is astounding. Last year we previewed the Type X after first writing about it here. In its specced-to-the-max form, the Type X will hold 2 terabytes and record eight simultaneous channels of television for three weeks. The Type X goes on sale in Japan later this month, so a new era of home media capability is coming. With thousands of hours of television to watch, you’ll also need assistance to watch it but the video server enables simultaneous playback in multiple locations. So the kids can watch Sesame Street archives in one room, while the Video Station sends Desperate Housewives wirelessly to the teev in another room and you can watch the baseball or a movie on your laptop via the wireless network.
Sony establishes a new class of High-End Digital Camera
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September 9, 2005 Sony intends to create a new benchmark in digital photography with the introduction of its high-end Cyber-shot DSC-R1 camera. Moving further in the direction it began with the popular 505, 707, 727 and 828 series of high end cameras, the integrated lens digital still camera progression has finally reached professional grade with a10.3-megapixel image sensor and the flexibility of live preview while shooting. With its ultra-wide (24mm - 120mm) Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T zoom lens and free-angle, two-inch LCD, the Cyber-shot R1 offers professional imaging performance to mainstream consumers. Read More
Sony's Latest Flash-Based Walkman 'Bean' Players
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August 19, 2005 Expanding on its line of Walkman digital music players, Sony Electronics has announced a new series of flash-based devices. Bright and colourful, the compact NW-E300 Beans sport a sassy design and are available in 512 MB and 1 GB capacities with a built-in FM tuner. They also feature the long battery life, quick-charge function and brilliant displays people have come to expect from Sony Walkman digital audio players. Read More
