Christopher

Dang! Look at this camcorder, I never thought I would attribute the word “sexy” to a camcorder, but technological semantics would be the right choice in this case. And I thought my old gen network camcorder (yea, it has bluetooth and can connect to the Internet) DCR-IP220 was a looker. From NEXlens We have heard of interchangeable lens cameras in its NEX line up (I believe the first camera to sport the interchangeable lens would be my Sony Qualia 016 model) and now Sony pushed this idea into camcorder realm and hooked up this little guy to be compatible with Sony’s already established G Lens and Carl Zeiss

The Green Hornet is an upcoming 2011 superhero action/adventure film directed by Michel Gondry. The film is scheduled to be released on January 14th, 2011 and will be released in both in RealD 3D and IMAX 3D, as well as in 2D. Hornet has a $130 million budget and will be distributed by Columbia Pictures. Britt Reid (Seth Rogen), son and heir to Los Angeles’ largest newspaper fortune, is a rich, spoiled playboy who has been happy to maintain a direction-less existence. ">" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="700" height="418"> When his father James Reid (Tom Wilkinson) dies, Britt meets an impressive and resourceful company employee, Kato (Jay Chou). They realize that they have the resources to do something worthwhile with their lives and finally step out of James Reid’s shadow. Kato builds the ultimate weapon, The Black Beauty, an indestructible car with every weapon imaginable and Britt decides that in order to be heroes, they will pose as villains. With the help of Britt’s new secretary, Lenore Case (Cameron Diaz), they learn that the chief criminal in the city is named Benjamin Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz). He has united all the gangs under his power, and he quickly sees that the Green Hornet is a direct threat to the prosperous criminal underworld he controls. Rogen, along with everyone else officially attached to the project at that point, appeared at San Diego Comic-Con International 2009 and unveiled the Black Beauty, the Green Hornet’s car, as it will appear in the film. According to The New York Times, the production modified 29 cars to portray the Green Hornet’s luxurious supercar. The 29 cars were a mix of 1964, 1965 and 1966 Chrysler Imperials modified to resemble (but not exactly duplicate) the two 1966 Imperials used to portray the Black Beauty in the 1966 television series. The producers turned down product placement deals with both BMW and General Motors in favor of using the classic Chrysler. View the full article

The “Sonyverse” as I describe it touches so much in the electronic, film and tech world. But what you mind find surprising is just how green a corporation Sony truly is. For over 50 years, Sony has been developing cutting edge products and services that enrich and bring excitement to consumers around the world. As committed to innovation as Sony is, they are also committed to building a sustainable future. Sony’s goal is to create a cradle-to-cradle product life cycle. By using recycled materials in production, building products that are energy efficient, and being a herald of product recycling, Sony recognizes the importance of showing consideration for our environment. To achieve this, Sony has what it defines as Eco-Pillars. The three Eco-Pillars their environmental commitment is built on are as follows: Products: Energy efficiency is the key element to Sony’s product line with eco-innovative features found in our products from televisions all the way to our mobile phones. Process: How we make products is just as important as the products themselves. Sony is a strong participant in the EPEAT program™ and RoHS. We even use recycled material in both our packaging and printed marketing communications. People: We are making it easier than ever for people to recycle their electronic devices with national initiatives such as the Rechargeable battery recycling program, Take Back Recycling program, and GreenFill. Technological advancement is important to consumers. Newer technology at cheaper prices, that provides more functionality is a major consideration of the dollar conscious shopper. Consumers also challenge companies to be more aware of

Shigenobu Matsuyama spoke with Game Trailers and gave some details on his new entry in to the Metal Gear Solid Universe. The game centers on Raiden, and takes place between Metal Gear Solid 2 and 4 and it won?t explore what happens beyond Metal GearlSolid 4.The story begins with Raiden has already have assumed his cyborg form and should provide details on exactly how he arrived at the point he is in. This is only the first step in his evolution as Matsuyama-san stated the Raiden we see in Rising will completely different than the one we saw in Metal Gear Solid 4. This is an ambitious project but something we can look forward to as a series over time.

Sony is showing off four new camera cases for 2010 that are quite stylish. Numerous color options will be available in the various models, and Sony has once again demonstrated they are one of the leaders in camera case design. We have found these items to be one of the best inexpensive gifts to give to someone for any occasion and look better than the other camera cases out there that we’ve seen. Meet the LCS-CSY – a light, wallet-style case with textured nylon finish. Like the other cases, it protects your camera against dust, scratches and rain splashes and has an easy-open velcro flap. An internal pocket stores spare Memory Stick or SD Cards (not included) and it also has a belt loop attachment. It comes in one color, black, and has a red trim. Made for the DSC-TX9 (but could possibly fit other cameras), the LCM-THC semi-hard carry case protects your camera against dust and scratches. The case has a premium finish in soft-touch, “velvet feel” polyurethane and the slim design takes up less space in pocket or bag. A sharp metal-look embossed trim compliments the color coordinated hand strap. We also had to give a special heads up for these two special edition Cyber-shot cases made exclusively for the two Japanese exclusive DSC-T99 models announced late last week. The LCS-THR camera case will be a true collectors item available in brown or gold. The brown version replicates the faux leather feel of brown T99 precisely, while the metal-look trim in brown with amber gem compliments the color coordinated hand strap. The gold version of this case continues on with the gold T99 floral pattern on the metal trim and also has a color coordinated hand strap. Both models also have a pocket for spare Memory Stick/SD cards. View the full article

Yup, it is about time we get to see some still images in 3D, however it is going to be presented to you in a Sony way. Today company has released their first generation of Cybershot cameras supporting 3D technology if you use their Sweep Panorama mode: DSC-T9 and DSC-WX5 models will come equipped with 12.2 megapixels sensor polished under Carl Zeiss

Sony’s new DSC-T99 camera is a beautifully designed update to their popular T-series Cyber-shot cameras. Its appearance is rather interesting – the overall form is much more rounded than previous models, presumably making it much easier and more comfortable to hold. The buttons normally found on top of a Sony camera, such as the On/Off, take picture and W/T zoom buttons do not protrude from this device like they have in past models, and it looks quite good. We also noticed that the W/T zoom slider is once again at the far right top corner of the camera, which is an awkward placement that we weren’t too fond of in the TX7, which was another camera by Sony that had the same design. Did we also mention there are special engraving options for the T99 in Japan as well? Three designs, available for all five colors. The designs are shown above. Sony has also outfitted the camera with several interesting software features, including the popular 243-degree Sweep Panorama Mode, which allows you to take wide panoramic shots with the touch of one button. iAuto mode also returns in the T99, ensuring that the camera produces good results regardless of the scene or lighting situation – very helpful for the quick shot or those who rather not have to fuss with confusing settings. The DSC-T99 features 13 convenient scene modes: High Sensitivity / Twilight / Twilight Portrait / Soft Snap / Landscape / Beach / Snow / Fireworks / High Speed Shutter / Underwater / Gourmet / Pet / Soft Skin. According to the Sonystyle listing, the new “Soft Skin” mode Skin mode “recognizes skin tones and reduces the appearance of blemishes and wrinkles without affecting the rest of the shot.” The T99 also allows you to select up to seven ISO settings (Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200). We couldn’t mention the debut of this camera without hitting on the HD MP4 movie mode, which records 1280×720 (720p) HD movies at 30fps, perfect for YouTube, Facebook, etc. It’s always nice to see Sony continuing to use the MP4 format, as the files are good quality and easy to upload just about anywhere. There are many more cool software features in the T99 that you can learn about at the SonyStyle page. View the full article

The combination of Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan, Taraji P. Henson and Harold Zwart proves to be a winner for Sony. With the The Karate Kid having made it’s way through the theaters, initial estimates show the film doing exceptionally well at the box office. According to reports the overall production budget for the film was in the neighborhood of $40 million dollars. Compare that to the total gross for the film, combining both foreign and domestic receipts, and the grand total is a little over $188 million dollars. Not bad considering additional revenue will still arrive from disc sales, and various digital distribution channels. Given those numbers, it’s no wonder that thoughts of a sequel are already floating around. MTV talked with Harold Zwart about the possibility of a sequel and where he saw things going and he had this to say: I personally think it’s now so much on its own two feet, given the success, that it would be interesting to see where we could take it without ever thinking about the old ones He also commented on his dealings with Sony, thoughts on Will Smith’s production company Overbrook, and his desire to return: I think Sony has been fantastic for me. They’re the best studio to work for. They’re such a filmmaker-friendly studio. And] Overbrook, in my opinion, is by far the coolest company. So, yes, I would love to work with them again He may be busy with his next film Rollercoaster Tycoon in the coming months, but let’s hope he can indeed return for another film. View the full article

Sony Japan has revealed the SRS-V500IP portable audio speaker accessory for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. It is probably the strangest Sony product I have seen in recent memory. The V500IP is identical to the previously released RDP-NWV500 (full specifications, pictures and video) – but the real question, what is it? It’s basically a portable tumbler-shaped audio speaker that has the 30-pin iPod cable compatibility, and plays powerful sound despite its small size. Apparently the device has a digital amplifier, heavy bass and a 360-degree speaker integrated at the top. They prescribe it for the car as it should fit perfectly in your drink holder, but could be good for outdoor situations like at the beach. Sony says that this is also a better alternative than FM transmitters which often are a nuisance more than anything. Pink, orange, and black colors will be available and it comes with a dock to play audio at home, and also a power cord to operate the device with your 12V vehicle power source. Unfortunately, there is no battery slot in the V500IP. View the full article

Patrick Seybold, Sony?s Senior Director, Corporate Communications & Social Media was kind enough to allow me to chat with him after Sony?s excellent showing at E3. Mr. Seybold and I discuss PlayStation Move, PSP, the impact of social media, and Kevin Butler. Sony had an excellent showing at E3 and redefined what the PlayStation brand is all about. What are your thoughts on the incredible reaction those in attendance at the Shrine Auditorium had to those announcements? We saw an incredibly strong reaction from attendees at the PlayStation Press Conference and I think it?s in large part due to the diverse and new content that we were able to share with the audience. Topping the charts was the upcoming PlayStation Move motion controller and an in-depth look into how we are leading the 3D race, with demos on the show floor that ranged from Killzone 3 in 3D to Gran Turismo 5 in 3D. And on the PS3 platform we started the year with huge releases such as MAG, Heavy Rain, God of War III, MLB 10: The Show, and ModNation Racers. The momentum will carry through as we have an extremely strong back half of the year line-up from both our first party studios and our publishing partners. Our digital entertainment offerings, which comes packed today with premium original content from HBO, and 23,000 movies and TV shows from all of the major networks and studios, was met with more good news with the announcement of PlayStation Network?s new subscription based offering, PlayStation Plus. All in all, it was a great show and I think everyone was really excited by the volume and quality of great new games and hardware brought to the forefront at E3. The PlayStation Move could almost be likened to t he launch of an entirely new console, and so many more A list titles will be coming out before the holiday season across the product line. What are some of the challenges in gearing up for what is going to be quite a busy year in the coming months? Yes, exciting times are ahead of us as we look towards the arrival of the PlayStation Move. When PlayStation Move launches on September 19th in the US, consumers will have access to a compelling line-up of motion-control titles that will appeal to both the casual and core gamers. We also have an incredibly deep line-up coming to PS3 and PSP, so the PlayStation brand will be broadly represented at retail and in consumer?s homes this holiday season. As E3 demonstrated, the media and fans really identify with Kevin Butler, and those ad campaigns have really reached a whole new audience. What were your thoughts when you saw Kevin Butler make his appearance? It was a great reaction and the crowd went wild when Kevin Butler appeared. Since launching the ?It Only Does Everything? campaign last September, the public has really resonated with the messaging. The next few months it will be interesting to see how our core gamers take to the new advertising campaign ?Step Your Game Up? for PSP and PSPgo. The focus is all about providing a deeper look into what makes a PlayStation Portable gaming experience more complete and enjoyable than anything else you?ll find on the market. I couldn’t attend E3 this year due to scheduling issues, and a lot of people could not either, yet when you visit the E3 site in PS Home, you really get the sense of being there. Do you think this is something we can see moving forward? Might we see more virtual spaces in PS Home, like FEVA Stadium that really leverages the power of the PS3 against its competitors? I am glad you liked the experience in PlayStation Home. It was very well received and with 250,000 visitors to the booth, it proved that people really utilize the PlayStation Home 3D virtual environment to connect with their fellow PS3 owners. You can expect us to do more of this in the future and while I can?t provide specifics on new spaces to be introduced in Home, you should keep watch because there will be more exciting spaces revealed throughout the remainder of this year. Early on there was a lot of criticism against the PS3 for being too expensive, and for including technology that, at the time, appeared over-specced. Now all those early decisions are allowing the PS3 to offer experiences that aren’t possible on other consoles. Can you talk about what riding that wave was like, and how it feels to be where Sony is now? We?ve always said that we are building a product that is future proof. We?ve been able to impress upon both our fan base and potential new customers that we not only have a serious gaming device, but we also have a powerful and unparalleled entertainment device that offers a wide variety of options for everyone ? downloading content, photo storage, streaming music, sports, Blu-ray player, and now 3D. Consumers are responding and the PS3 has just surpassed ten consecutive months of double-digit year over year growth. There were rumors swirling around about a PSP 2, yet Sony showed just how viable the current PSP is by having it take center stage and highlighting excellent titles on the way with a whole new ad campaign. Do you think this deep into the PSP life cycle it’s time for a refresh or does it have a few years left? PSP is still going strong and has an incredibly deep pipeline of products in development. We already covered a bit about our new advertising campaign ?Step Your Game Up? which shows our commitment to the product and to those fans that crave real full-length games. With big franchises like Metal Gear Solid, God of War coming to the platform this year, and new IP such as Invisimals showing off new augmented reality, PSP is still the best portable gaming device on the market. Social media is a big part of how this generation gets its news and communicates. Your team has done an excellent job with this type of communication by having such an active community on the blog, the forums, twitter and is head and shoulders above what others are doing in the same space. What are the challenges in balancing so many different forms of communication and getting so many different people within Sony to participate? Our PlayStation blog, the forums and Twitter have all helped us to get closer to our fans/customers. We have a constant interest to be able to utilize these social media tools to engage with the core user base, solicit opinions, provide intel and to course correct as needed based upon their input and feedback. Another good example of this is the PlayStation Share. We want to engage with those that use our products and know their likes/dislikes because that can only help us make a more targeted product. When you arrive at the homepage for Share it says: Share is a place to formally submit your best ideas on how we can improve all PlayStation products. It?s also a place where you can discover and vote on other people?s ideas, as well as communicate with us and other PlayStation fans about how to bring great ideas to life. We want to create the best products available and our customers and fans are a great source of ensuring we continue to have the best in class products available. I want to give a humble thanks to Mr. Seybold

Patrick Seybold, Sony’s Senior Director, Corporate Communications & Social Media was kind enough to allow me to chat with him after Sony’s excellent showing at E3. Mr. Seybold and I discuss PlayStation Move, PSP, the impact of social media, and Kevin Butler. Sony had an excellent showing at E3 and redefined what the PlayStation brand is all about. What are your thoughts on the incredible reaction those in attendance at the Shrine Auditorium had to those announcements? We saw an incredibly strong reaction from attendees at the PlayStation Press Conference and I think it’s in large part due to the diverse and new content that we were able to share with the audience. Topping the charts was the upcoming PlayStation Move motion controller and an in-depth look into how we are leading the 3D race, with demos on the show floor that ranged from Killzone 3 in 3D to Gran Turismo 5 in 3D. And on the PS3 platform we started the year with huge releases such as MAG, Heavy Rain, God of War III, MLB 10: The Show, and ModNation Racers. The momentum will carry through as we have an extremely strong back half of the year line-up from both our first party studios and our publishing partners. Our digital entertainment offerings, which comes packed today with premium original content from HBO, and 23,000 movies and TV shows from all of the major networks and studios, was met with more good news with the announcement of PlayStation Network’s new subscription based offering, PlayStation Plus. All in all, it was a great show and I think everyone was really excited by the volume and quality of great new games and hardware brought to the forefront at E3. The PlayStation Move could almost be likened to t he launch of an entirely new console, and so many more A list titles will be coming out before the holiday season across the product line. What are some of the challenges in gearing up for what is going to be quite a busy year in the coming months? Yes, exciting times are ahead of us as we look towards the arrival of the PlayStation Move. When PlayStation Move launches on September 19th in the US, consumers will have access to a compelling line-up of motion-control titles that will appeal to both the casual and core gamers. We also have an incredibly deep line-up coming to PS3 and PSP, so the PlayStation brand will be broadly represented at retail and in consumer’s homes this holiday season. As E3 demonstrated, the media and fans really identify with Kevin Butler, and those ad campaigns have really reached a whole new audience. What were your thoughts when you saw Kevin Butler make his appearance? It was a great reaction and the crowd went wild when Kevin Butler appeared. Since launching the “It Only Does Everything” campaign last September, the public has really resonated with the messaging. The next few months it will be interesting to see how our core gamers take to the new advertising campaign “Step Your Game Up” for PSP and PSPgo. The focus is all about providing a deeper look into what makes a PlayStation Portable gaming experience more complete and enjoyable than anything else you’ll find on the market. I couldn’t attend E3 this year due to scheduling issues, and a lot of people could not either, yet when you visit the E3 site in PS Home, you really get the sense of being there. Do you think this is something we can see moving forward? Might we see more virtual spaces in PS Home, like FEVA Stadium that really leverages the power of the PS3 against its competitors? I am glad you liked the experience in PlayStation Home. It was very well received and with 250,000 visitors to the booth, it proved that people really utilize the PlayStation Home 3D virtual environment to connect with their fellow PS3 owners. You can expect us to do more of this in the future and while I can’t provide specifics on new spaces to be introduced in Home, you should keep watch because there will be more exciting spaces revealed throughout the remainder of this year. Early on there was a lot of criticism against the PS3 for being too expensive, and for including technology that, at the time, appeared over-specced. Now all those early decisions are allowing the PS3 to offer experiences that aren’t possible on other consoles. Can you talk about what riding that wave was like, and how it feels to be where Sony is now? We’ve always said that we are building a product that is future proof. We’ve been able to impress upon both our fan base and potential new customers that we not only have a serious gaming device, but we also have a powerful and unparalleled entertainment device that offers a wide variety of options for everyone – downloading content, photo storage, streaming music, sports, Blu-ray player, and now 3D. Consumers are responding and the PS3 has just surpassed ten consecutive months of double-digit year over year growth. There were rumors swirling around about a PSP 2, yet Sony showed just how viable the current PSP is by having it take center stage and highlighting excellent titles on the way with a whole new ad campaign. Do you think this deep into the PSP life cycle it’s time for a refresh or does it have a few years left? PSP is still going strong and has an incredibly deep pipeline of products in development. We already covered a bit about our new advertising campaign “Step Your Game Up” which shows our commitment to the product and to those fans that crave real full-length games. With big franchises like Metal Gear Solid, God of War coming to the platform this year, and new IP such as Invisimals showing off new augmented reality, PSP is still the best portable gaming device on the market. Social media is a big part of how this generation gets its news and communicates. Your team has done an excellent job with this type of communication by having such an active community on the blog, the forums, twitter and is head and shoulders above what others are doing in the same space. What are the challenges in balancing so many different forms of communication and getting so many different people within Sony to participate? Our PlayStation blog, the forums and Twitter have all helped us to get closer to our fans/customers. We have a constant interest to be able to utilize these social media tools to engage with the core user base, solicit opinions, provide intel and to course correct as needed based upon their input and feedback. Another good example of this is the PlayStation Share. We want to engage with those that use our products and know their likes/dislikes because that can only help us make a more targeted product. When you arrive at the homepage for Share it says: Share is a place to formally submit your best ideas on how we can improve all PlayStation products. It’s also a place where you can discover and vote on other people’s ideas, as well as communicate with us and other PlayStation fans about how to bring great ideas to life. We want to create the best products available and our customers and fans are a great source of ensuring we continue to have the best in class products available. I want to give a humble thanks to Mr. Seybold

The inhabitants of the Churaumi Sea are back again at Sony’s annual event that runs from July 19 – August 31 in Ginza. The Sony themed event takes place at the OPUS Communication Zone

God of War: Ghost of Sparta receives awarded Best Handheld game of E3 2010. Game Critics has announced it?s awards for E3 2010. The group made up of 21 independent media outlets ranging USA Today, to MTV awarded God of War: Ghost of Sparta the best handheld title of E3 2010. Other notable mentions available for PS3 were: Best Console Game, Best Action Game, and Special Commendation for Graphics Rage Best Action Adventure Game Portal 2 Best Fighting Game Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds Best Racing Game Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Best Social/Casual Game Rock Band 3 Best Online Multiplayer Assassin?s Creed: Brotherhood No matter your genre of choice, this holiday season is going to keep you busy. View the full article

Hulu Plus is finally that Hulu solution integrated into consumer electronics products that many of you have been waiting for with great interest. The situation was a little confusing for Playstation 3 (PS3) owners, though. At first, there was word you would need Playstation Plus to use Hulu Plus, meaning a double subscription. That would have been bad news for the consumer. Thankfully, that’s not true. Word has come forth that you will only need a Playstation Plus subscription for the Hulu Plus trial viewing period, aka beta mode. Officially, Hulu Plus is not going to launch out of beta for quite a while – in fact, it will probably be several months. So, at this point consumers are able to watch it for free. The Hulu Plus preview application is not available yet to Playstation Plus members and the Hulu Plus website indicates that the software is “Coming Soon.” for PS3. I don’t think it will take much longer to arrive. At this time, the Hulu Plus preview experience is on Apple and Samsung devices, and is plagued with bad reviews on the App Store. Hard to tell how it will go for the PS3 if they think people will want to pay two subscriptions judging by the comments I have seen. It may be a wise move for Sony to take a loss and throw in Hulu Plus with Playstation Plus. Sony really hit a home run by scoring Hulu Plus before Microsoft will have its chance with the XBOX360, which is simply stated as a mysterious “Early 2011″ status that indicates it is at least six or more months away.. Now take the home run Sony just hit, and reflect on how to make it a grand slam – wait, I got it, how about Sony gets the Hulu preview client out quick for the PS3 and then build momentum by including Hulu Plus with Playstation Plus. It’s a no brainer, and needs to happen now. Let’s look at the bigger picture, though. This is only one situation out of a few others that are on deck. Our recommendation is that Sony needs to enable Qriocity for PS3 and the promised BRAVIA Internet Video Link software for PS3 as quickly as possible. Sony is a company that has the opportunity to launch 3 new separate services of video for the PS3 at nearly the same time that are ready to go and full of content. I would have my people working on this as fast as they built the second Death Star. It’s time for Sony to launch the superlaser of content already. View the full article

Sony has released a slew of new and updated audio video receivers in its ES (elevated standard) line.

After previously being mentioned for a fall release, the PS3 sound system gets a firm date. On September 30th in Japan, The PS3 Soundbar CECH-ZVS1 will be released.

After previously being mentioned for a fall release, the PS3 sound system gets a firm date. On September 30th in Japan, The PS3 Soundbar CECH-ZVS1 will be released.

Sony has released a new slim (7cm deep) portable CD player and radio in Japan, model name ZS-E70 (Y10,000), which will be available in white and pink. Aside from the standard CD player functions and FM/AM radio, the ZS-E70 also has a seven stage speed control adjustment that can be dynamically altered during playback. You can also fast forward ten seconds or go three seconds backwards during playback with the touch of one button. There is also a feature that allows you directly choose what track you want to listen to on a CD, which is helpful for 99 track CD’s. The model also includes a helpful backlit LCD display on the front, and a remote control is also included with keypad buttons for the aforementioned features. Thankfully, Sony also made this model battery-powered, and it can run for about eight hours on continuous CD playback, or 20 hours of FM radio playback. The audio characteristics of this device are pretty simple – the ZS-E70 has 50mm speakers equipped with two full range drivers, and the amplifier output 1.7W

Sony Computer Entertainment has released information on several new versions of the Playstation 3 (PS3) slim console exclusively in Japan due at the end of July. The new bundles are a generous boost in storage capacity and one model will even be available in white with matching accessories. No other hardware aspects of the console have been upgraded in this mid-life product refresh, and no official details for these models have been announced outside of Japan. We noticed that the new boxes for these consoles have a 3D label informing the consumer it’s 3D-capable, which is great. Sony also notified consumers that retailers in Japan were free to set whatever price they choose for the existing 120GB PS3 slim model, which indicates that 160GB is the new default and some interesting discounts should be available soon for the first slim version of the console. However, it seems odd that the make.believe logo is not on the upper left of the front of the new boxes. All models will also include one DUALSHOCK 3 wireless controller, AC power cord, AV cable and USB cable. No HDMI love, Sony? Boo. Little things like that make a difference. Let’s take a look at what’s new: Meet new PS3 slim in classic white with 160GB hard drive (CECH-2500A, Y29,980). We must admit the PS3 slim, clad in white, is much more aesthetically pleasing than the existing black version. Unfortunately the white version will not have a 320GB option. Here is a shot of the top of the console: There are also several accessories available for the new color, including a classic white DUALSHOCK 3 controller (CECH-ZC2JLW, Y5,500): ..and also a classic white Vertical Stand (CECH-ZS1JLW): Here is a new default PS3 slim with a 160GB hard drive (charcoal black, CECH-2500A, Y29,980): Then the behemoth of them all – the largest capacity console ever released by a major manufacturer – a PS3 slim with 320GB of storage built-in (charcoal black, CECH-2500B, Y34,980). This is 70GB more than the closest competitor, which is the redesigned XBOX360 with 250GB of storage. There is also the Playstation 3 Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting Recorder Pack (CECH-10011, Y36,980), which includes a PS3 slim with 160GB hard drive and torne adapter to recorder over the air broadcasts in Japan. View the full article

DC Comics goes digital and the Digital Comics Service for PlayStation is one of it?s destinations. Marvel, Image, and Darkhorse to name a few all offer digital comics in some form and for the longest time, it didn’t seem like DC had any plans to move in that to space. But suddenly all that changed. DC announced that, not only were they getting into digital comics, but they would launch across multiple platforms including the PSP. And they did so in grand fashion with wide range of comics being made available on day one.

Andrew Garfield (born in 1983) is an actor who has appeared in radio, theater, film, and television, including the 2007 movies Lions for Lambs and Boy A, and 2009′s The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. Sony Pictures official twitter has just updated with the breaking news that Andrew Garfield will be Peter Parker in the next Spider Man movie. Sony is definitely gambling a lot on this fresh new face in Hollywood. Spider-Man is one Sony’s biggest movie franchises of all time, but it did need a reboot. Can Garfield do it? He has a very strong British accent (hence the US/UK dual citizenship), so we may have to prepare ourselves for a fancy Englishman shooting webs all over NYC. Or maybe the next Spider-Man will be in the UK? Oh boy. Garfield will probably be more of a catch with the ladies than Tobey Maguire was – he made a modeling debut and appeared in a Vogue December 2009 issue alongside Lily Cole as Hansel in the photographed retelling of Hansel and Gretel. Garfield also appears in the forthcoming British sci-fi thriller Never Let Me Go and is filming The Social Network, alongside actors Justin Timberlake and Jesse Eisenberg. Spider-Man swings back onto the screen in 3D on July 3, 2012. The new film will begin production in early December directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt. Laura Ziskin and Avi Arad will produce the film from Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios. On selecting Garfield, director Marc Webb said, “Though his name may be new to many, those who know this young actor’s work understand his extraordinary talents. He has a rare combination of intelligence, wit, and humanity. Mark my words, you will love Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker.” Commenting on the announcement, Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Matt Tolmach, President of Columbia Pictures said, “Spider-Man is a classic superhero — a young man who balances his responsibility to serve humanity and crush evil with the shyness and normalcy of someone struggling to find himself. The role demands an extraordinary actor. You need someone who can magically transform himself from Peter Parker into Spider-Man. An actor who will depict the vulnerability of youth and the strength and confidence of a legendary figure at the same moment. We have found that actor in Andrew Garfield. From the first time we saw him in the upcoming film The Social Network, to his glorious screen test, which floored all of us, we knew that we had found our new Peter Parker.” View the full article

Sony has updated the firmware for their lightweight interchangeable lens NEX cameras and added several features, such as enabling the 3D Sweep Panorama function. 3D Panoramic pictures are still very new to consumer digital imaging, and the NEX series is one of the only cameras in the world that can even take such pictures right out of the box without additional hassle. However, to view the amazing panoramic photos in 3D, you will need a 3DTV or a 3D-capable laptop that Sony is sure to launch sometime in the next six months. It can ultimately become a very expensive proposition to view 3D photos if you consider all the things necessary for that configuration, but have seen these 3D photos on a 3DTV in person and they are quite amazing. Sony has also included an improvement to the ‘normal’ 2D Sweep Panorama shooting function, decreased power drain when the camera is switched off, and enabled quicker start-up in low-light conditions. NEX-3 owners grab your Version .02 firmware update here. NEX-5 owners grab your Version .02 firmware update here. View the full article

Lebanon is an Israeli war film directed by Samuel Maoz. It won the Leone d’Oro at the 66th Venice International Film Festival, becoming the first Israeli-produced film to have won that honor. The film has not yet had a wide release, but shall debut in American theaters courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics on August 6th. The First Lebanon War – June, 1982. A lone tank is dispatched to search a hostile town that has already been bombarded by the Israeli Air Force. What seems to be a simple mission gradually spins out of control. Shmuel the gunner, Assi the commander, Herzl the loader and Yigal the driver are the tank’s crew, four 20-something boys who have never fought in a war and are now operating a killing machine. Though trying to remain brave, the boys are pushed to their mental limits as they struggle to survive in a situation they cannot contain, and try not to lose their humanity in the chaos of war. Writer-director Samuel Maoz’s raw and visceral film is based on his own experiences as a twenty year old novice soldier serving in the Israeli army during the 1982 Lebanon war. Using his own vivid recollections to bring us inside an Israeli tank during the first 24 hours of the invasion, Maoz restricts the film’s action entirely to the tank’s interior and shows us the outside world only—as the four young soldiers themselves see it—through the lens of a periscopic gun sight. The cathartic process of writing and directing Lebanon allowed Maoz to finally free himself of the events that he had experienced twenty-five years earlier. The New York Times described Lebanon as “an astonishing piece of cinema.” View the full article

The high end Sony XBR, 3D enabled KDLXBR-52HX909 (still perplexed here why Sony USA decided to rename its prefix from KDL to XBR, while other regions still refer to KDL) is finally showing as being available to be shipped to your houses; Sony sort of beat themselves to delivery promises quoting middle of July, so it’s nice to see certain high end products to be available sooner. There was a lot of talk whether or not this TV will beat in PQ (picture quality) its older brother KDL-55XBR8 that utilizes backlit full array of local dimming LEDs. Did Sony get it right this time around? Cnet gave this TV a spin and was very pleased with its deep black levels and new monolithic design. However, let’s get to the nitty gritty as everyone wants to hear whether or not this TV suffers any of the blooming issues that pretty much have plagued majority of localized LEDs. Unfortunately, the answer to this is yes, Cnet has reported that they did noticed certain issues with color accuracy and blooming is still something that has not been ironed out yet by Sony engineers. I’d say we will most likely see those kind of issues until a commercially available OLED TV will be out. 3D performance of the set was good and that’s of course if you get the accessories that will enable that feature. Frankly, this is a pretty expensive set and it would have been nice if Sony threw in or bundled the 3D kit with it. Here is a quick summery from the source: The good: Produces extremely deep black levels; video processing properly handles 1080p/24 material; relatively accurate color with linear grayscale; 3D compatible; 2D-to-3D conversion system works better than expected; numerous streaming video services; Excellent design with stylish monolithic exterior; energy-efficient. The bad: Extremely expensive; exhibits more blooming than competing local dimming LED models; black areas tinged bluer; sub par off-angle viewing; 3D exhibited ghost images along edges (crosstalk); does not include 3D glasses or IR emitter. The bottom line: Although its black levels challenge the best ever, some other picture-related aspects of the Sony XBR-HX909 series don’t live up to the high price. Slightly disappointed to learn about its issues, however it makes me feel good that my KDL-55XBR8 still rocks and does not need a replacement. I am sure Stan Glasgow will agree with me on that one. Check the video below and read a full review here. View the full article

Hello everyone, I am working with my host and Invision to fix some of the current problems here, including the "My Settings" issue. I will also be fixing the cosmetic appearance of the forum in due time to at least have it reflect it is the Sony Insider Forum..the default skin is obviously not what it used to be after we did a recent upgrade. My sincere apologies for taking so long to attend to this issue, it was an extremely poor move on my part and quite disrespectful to the fine folks who have spent time helping others here.