Christopher

Sony has really started some buzz in the camera world at the PMA 2010 conference with the introduction of an interesting concept camera. It’s an ultra-compact interchangeable lens digital camera system that Sony says “packs the quality of a DSLR camera in an extraordinarily small body.” The concept primarily revolves around the introduction of a new Exmor APS HD MOS sensor, which is a general APS-C sized sensor (24mm x 16mm) that is larger than the usual Micro Four Thirds system. It also will have the ability to take 1080P AVCHD video and should come with three types of new compact lenses to match the small form factor of the new system. So when is this beauty arriving? Sony stated at PMA that it will come this year. Many were wondering if Sony would respond to Samsung’s NX10, which is very similar in specifications but still had the same formfactor as a DSLR. The concept Sony showing off is nearly all metal and has Sony’s rich design characteristics and “alpha” branding. Red, blue and silver colors indicate Sony has no reservations offering a model in the future with such options. As you can see, Sony’s design concept is far smaller, stylish, and will really make an impact on how these types of products are designed in the future. Here is a photo and more information on the concept camera at PMA by Digital Camera Review. Here’s another shot of one of the interchangeable lenses for the concept camera and further information courtesy of DPreview: Related Posts:Sony Fits Transfer Jet, 1080/60i HD Video Recording Into Ultra-Slim DSC-TX7 Point & ShootSony Updates Cyber-shot W-Series Compact Point & Shoot Digital Camera LineUltra-slim Waterproof Sony Point And Shoot Camera DSC-TX5 Coming Soon?Sony Launching New Digital Photo Frames With Stylish OptionsSony Adds DSC-HX5V To Its High Zoom Cyber-shot Digital Camera Line View the full article

The little brother to the HX5V is the new H55, which has some pretty solid features for the price of $250. With 14.1 megapixels and a 3.0 inch LCD (230k pixels), this workhorse should satisfy someone for quite a long time with its 720p HD movie recording capabilities (30fps, MP4) and our favorite Sweep Panorama Mode, which makes wide shots as easy as a sweeping motion with your hand. Automatic mode (which is really helpful when you need to grab a quick picture is greatly enhanced with iAuto, and you’ll feel comfortable even shooting in low light situations with Sony’s advanced G lens. We have noticed an improvement in overall picture quality and contrast with that type of lens. Self-Portrait Timer helps take the guesswork out of self portraits by using Face Detection technology to recognize when your face enters the frame. Once the camera detects your face, it triggers a 2-second timer, and then snaps a picture. The DSC-H55 features 11 convenient scene modes: High Sensitivity / Twilight / Twilight Portrait / Portrait / Landscape / Beach / Snow / Fireworks / Advanced Sports /Gourmet / Pet. In addition to High Sensitivity Mode (ISO), you can select up to eight ISO settings (Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200) when shooting in Program Auto Mode to adjust sensitivity to your shooting conditions. For convenient storage and sharing of your images, the DSC-H55 accepts Memory Stick Duo/Memory Stick PRO Duo/Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo media (sold separately) or SD/SDHC media (sold separately). Related Posts:Sony Re-Embraces Social Media Aficionados With Bloggie Camera/CamcorderSony Refreshes Flash Memory Handycam Family Of HD Camcorders With 24Mbps AVCHDIs The World Ready For A Modern Wi-Fi Camera? Sony Thinks The DSC-G3 Is ItSony Introduces Waterproof, Freeze-proof, Dust-proof DSC-TX5 CameraSony Refreshes HDD Handycam Family Of HD Camcorders With 24Mbps AVCHD View the full article

Sony’s recent DSC-TX5 announcement also came with an exclusive accessory – a soft, fashionable case (LCS-THQ) in a choice of colors that uses water repellent materials to dry the camera while carrying it. Not that it really matters if the TX5 is dry or not since its water resistant up to 10 feet, but most certainly not invulnerable to scratches. This is the perfect case for bringing the camera to the beach, while your swimming, or the great outdoors. We think the camera is going to big hit in the market and this will definitely be the perfect accessory. No word on MSRP yet but I imagine it will be somewhere around $30. Here are some of the color options, starting with green: Pink: Red: Black: White: Related Posts:Sony Introduces Waterproof, Freeze-proof, Dust-proof DSC-TX5 CameraSony Fits Transfer Jet, 1080/60i HD Video Recording Into Ultra-Slim DSC-TX7 Point & ShootHands-on With BD Remote – The Sony iPhone/iPod Touch Remote AppSony Japan’s Little DRC-BT60P Bluetooth Audio ReceiverThe Final Version of Sony’s Active Shutter 3D Glasses View the full article

Escaping with 10 outstanding awards, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves for the PS3 by Naughty Dog and Sony Computer Entertainment ran over the competition at the 13th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards. Hosted by stand-up comedian and video game enthusiast Jay Mohr at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas, the evening brought together renowned leaders from the gaming industry to recognize their outstanding achievements and contributions to the space. The 13th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards honored successful game designer and Activision co-founder, David Crane with the AIAS’ first Pioneer Award. Entertainment Software Association (ESA) founder, Douglas Lowenstein was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Gaming legend behind successful titles, Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon, Mark Cerny, was inducted into the Hall of Fame, one of the organization’s highest honors. “The interactive world continues to grow and move forward every day. While we have seen tremendous advances in the community, I believe this is only the beginning,” said Joseph Olin, president, AIAS. “With the help of the tremendously talented men and women here tonight, we will continue to create games that inspire each other to continue pushing the envelope.” These peer-based awards recognize the outstanding products, talented individuals and development teams that have contributed to the advancement of the multi-billion dollar worldwide entertainment software industry. Here are the awards Uncharted 2 won: Game of the Year: – Producer: Sam Thompson – Creative Director: Amy Hennig – Game Director: Bruce Straley Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction – Producer: Sam Thompson – Creative Director: Amy Hennig – Game Director: Bruce Straley Adventure Game of the Year – Producer: Sam Thompson – Creative Director: Amy Hennig – Game Director: Bruce Straley Outstanding Achievement in Story – Original – Writers: Amy Hennig, Neil Druckmann, Josh Scherr Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition – Composer: Greg Edmonson Outstanding Achievement in Animation – Lead Animators: Josh Scherr, Jeremy Lai-Yates, Mike Yosh Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering – Technology Director: Pal-Kristian Engstad Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction: – Art Directors: Erick Pangilinan, Robh Ruppel Outstanding Achievement in Game Play Engineering – Lead Game Play Programmer: Travis McIntosh Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design – Sound Designer/Audio Lead: Bruce Swanson Related Posts:The PSP? January 2007 Content PackLocoRoco ??????Demo DownloadSony Music Artists Win Big At 52nd Grammy AwardsUnchartered 2 Sneak Peak EventSOE Awards $10,000 Scholarship for Winner of First-Ever G.I.R.L. Game Design Competition View the full article

So you all heard of 3D like a dozen times by now (OK, maybe more than that), and you are pretty much aware that one has to have a 3D TV and 3D Blu-ray player in order to be able to engulf yourself into this new three dimensional viewing experience. However, if you would like to enjoy some 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound you gotta have an AV receiver, right? Well, for that matter I learned that my current high end receiver (STR-DA6400ES) will not pass through 3D because its HDMI spec is not at 1.4 version. Yup, that simple! So Sony today would like to put a smiley face on you and let you know that its new AV receivers coming out in summer will be happy to serve 3D to your home theater set up. One of its four receivers STR-DN1010 will do just that and will be around 5 Benjamins. Read on the press release below for more details and meanwhile can anyone answer this question for me: how come my mighty and ever updatable PS3 can get a sweet 3D firmware upgrade and be able to play and pass 3D content while my other Sony equipment cannot get such royal treatment? SONY INTRODUCES ITS FIRST 3D COMPATIBLE AUDIO/VIDEO RECEIVER Three Powerful Models with Expanded Connectivity Also Join Line-up SAN DIEGO, Feb. 18, 2010 – Sony today announced its first A/V receiver capable of supporting 3D audio and video. Featuring HDMI™ 1.4 3D pass-through technology, ample high definition connectivity and compatibility with all of the latest Blu-ray Disc™ audio formats, the new STR-DN1010 A/V receiver is designed to create a simple solution for controlling any high definition or 3D capable home theater. “It’s important for consumers to understand the role that audio plays in the in-home 3D experience,” said Neal Manowitz, director of Sony’s Home Audio and Video division. “By streamlining connectivity and supporting 3D hardware and software, the STR-DN1010 receiver will provide a simplified approach to 3D home theater control and performance, ensuring the best possible user experience.” The 7.1 channel STR-DN1010 A/V receiver (110 watts power per channel @8-Ohms, 1kHz, 1% THD) features full high definition 1080/24p support and seven HD inputs in total (four HDMI and three component) allowing for connection to a wide variety of HD devices. The receiver’s HDMI 3D pass-through technology supports 3D video from connected devices and passes them through to a 3D compatible high definition television, while decoding high-resolution audio codecs. The receiver also features an icon-driven menu system for simple device and content navigation and has the ability to upscale analog video sources to 1080p resolution via HDMI. The model also boasts a sleek piano black gloss design that matches Sony’s line of Blu-ray Disc players and televisions. The STR-DN1010 is compatible with all advanced audio codecs, including Dolby

‘The Tester’ is now available for download from PlayStation Network. The exclusive original series features 11 avid gamers competing in a series of physical and mental elimination challenges to win an actual job as an official PlayStation game tester along with a $5000 signing bonus. Join host Meredith Molinari, celebrity panelist Hal Sparks, Sony Computer Entertainment Release Manager Brent Gocke, and this week?s guest panelist, Sony Computer Entertainment Managing Producer Petro Piaseckyj, to see who has game and who will go home. Read more about the panelists at the official Tester site. Unsure of how to watch The Tester? Check out these helpful instructions – the HD preview episode clocked in at about 356mb. I’m watching the little eight minute preview episode now, and its mildly entertaining. The production value is high, and Hal Sparks is guiding the audience through the selection process. They are showing many clips from the thousands of people who submitted their applications. It is similar to the initial few episodes you see at the beginning of an American Idol season. Some cool people, but many are just absolutely ridiculous. I think the show will be successful for Sony – while many will think its lame its definitely a unique offering and has several compelling aspects – especially when game designers give their input. As far as I know there isn’t anything like this on XBOX Live. " />" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"> Related Posts:Sony Computer Entertainment Putting Out Open Casting Call For Game TesterSony Ericsson To Reveal Android XPERIA Phone On November 3rdThe Hottest Sony Playstation 3 Games Of E3 2009Phone Arena Shows Off Sony Ericsson’s SatioSony At CEDIA 2009 Round Up View the full article

Several days ago, Reuters (via engadget) reported that Sony is no longer selling the XEL-1 OLED TV in Japan, a product that many consider to be the future of television display. Let’s be realistic though about the XEL-1; the price was astronomical, and the screen was very small at 11″. It offered an extremely stylish appearance and stunning image quality, as well as a HDMI and a cool remote. However, it has been out since 2007 (however it didn’t hit Europe until 2009), and at one time Sony believed it would lead the way to recovery. In the end, perhaps OLED did spark the imagination of consumers. I don’t believe it was a driving force that shattered profit expectations, which is exactly what Sony really needed at the time it launched. This was another classic example of Sony pushing a product out that is way ahead of its time but is limited in practical usage. “I want this world’s first OLED TV to be the symbol of the revival of Sony’s technological prowess. I want this to be the flag under which we charge forwards to turn the fortunes around,” then president Ryoji Chubachi told a briefing in October 2007. Things sure are better for Sony these days, but aside from demonstrating a 3D OLED TV at CES 2010, you can’t really say that OLED is relevant in Sony’s product strategy for the rest of the year. I asked President of Sony USA Stan Glasgow during CES 2010 if there would be any more OLED product this year and he said no. So when I read this XEL-1 announcement it was obvious from my understanding of Sony’s upcoming TV strategy that they aren’t just cutting sales in Japan – it is no longer available for sale on SonyStyle USA’s website, nor online through SonyStyle Europe’s website. Only in stores at this time. I will work to confirm what exactly inventory is like but I honestly believe Sony is going to let the product sell itself out. My easiest prediction to make is that we may see an OLED refresh with 3D integration from Sony in the first half of 2011, perhaps even being announced at CES 2011. Sony’s 24.5 inch 3D OLED TV demonstration at CES 2010 was rather impressive, and had a more practical screen size. I could see Sony releasing the same screen size in the market. If you read that and think its too much of a gamble, I would consider that it is not any larger of a gamble than the $4,000+ dollar wireless HD XBR10 series was. OLED TV solves many of the problems some have had with 3D display, since the combination of active shutter glasses and LCD panels (even those that are LED backlit) may not appear as smooth (in motion), colorful, or bright enough for some people. In my observations, 3D feels truly polished and is much brighter and crisper on an OLED. Even Stan Glasgow admitted that OLED was the best way to do 3D, as OLED was direct transmission and didn’t rely on back lighting and all the other reflective methods. Related Posts:Engadget Reviews Touchscreen WalkmanSony Hits The Pause Button On A Larger OLED TVCEATEC: Sony Showing Off 27-Inch OLED Display…AgainContrast – Sony Shows Off Their Products 10 Years From NowSony OLED TV Showcased View the full article

Confirming our initial leak, Sony has introduced a stunning new addition to their popular T Series of point and shoot digital cameras. Available this April, the DSC-TX5 is far different than its

I recently flew out to beautiful San Diego, California to take part in an Executive Roundtable session hosted by President Stan Glasgow and EVP/CMO Mike Fasulo at the Sony headquarters. It was great to finally visit Sony’s new building and participate in discussion about the current state of the company. The building was very impressive architecturally, with incredible landscaping and various “green” features such as solar panels on the parking deck and a fountain that cascades recycled water collected from the air conditioner system. Upon arrival, I encountered a spacious lobby with quotes from Sony’s co-founder Akio Morita dressed upon the walls. I felt like I was in heaven – this was my dream world, and a place I would love to eventually work at one day. After being whisked away into a green room slathered with lavish pastries, Starbucks coffee and other confectioneries, I met up with other major players in the press, including representatives from Bloomberg, NBC, LA Times, TWICE, Dealerscope, NPD, and other analyst/media outlets. It was quite surreal to be amongst these individuals – Sony Insider is a small site, and I’m rather young (most of these people had at least ten years of age on me or more). Regardless, I encountered a few familiar faces and felt quite comfortable in the various conversations that were taking place during breakfast. Before the Roundtable, several of us embarked on a tour of Sony headquarters – there are eleven floors in total and each one has a large picture of Akio Morita near the elevator. It was very inspirational to see Sony making sure that employees had constant reminders of the company’s past – a subject that I find incredibly important to preserve. One of the first areas of the building we visited was the large Sony Caf

Just a quick note for Walkman X series users in the US – it finally gets a long-awaited firmware upgrade ver. 1.10 that was initially released a few months ago in Europe and Asia. Here are the new features to look forward to if you wish to upgrade: This utility updates the Walkman

Sony Music Entertainment has arranged a comprehensive long-term music and media agreement with internationally celebrated pianist Lang Lang. Lang Lang’s first album on Sony Classical will feature a live recording of Lang Lang’s upcoming recital at Vienna’s legendary Musikverein. The performance will also be made available in high definition video on the Blu-ray format. This deal expands Sony’s existing relationship with the artist whereby Lang Lang serves as a worldwide brand ambassador to Sony Group. In addition to music albums, Sony will collaborate with Lang Lang on a number of other projects showcasing cutting edge technologies, exploring opportunities for 3D video and web-based music education initiatives. “I enjoy the innovative and creative energy of Sony,” says Lang Lang. “They are not just looking into the future, they are shaping it, and I am thrilled to be a part of this exciting process. We share a vision. This is why our relationship is not just about making great recordings; it’s also about technology and its future.” Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman, CEO and President, Sony Corporation, said: “Lang Lang is one of the most passionate, dynamic and gifted artists in the world today. We are thrilled to welcome his enormous talent and global appeal not only to Sony Music, but to the entire Sony family. We look forward to collaborating with Lang Lang to create innovative and unique entertainment experiences utilizing his musical genius and technical savvy.” " />" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"> Lang Lang performing an encore (Chopin Etude No. 3, Op. 10 in E major) during his appearance with the Berliner Philharmoniker on January 31st, 2009 in Berlin. Rolf Schmidt-Holtz, CEO of Sony Music Entertainment, said: “It gives me great pleasure to welcome Lang Lang to our distinguished roster of classical artists. We are committed to working closely with him on many aspects of his outstanding career, which we are proud to say includes educational and philanthropic activities. Signing an artist as important and multi-dimensional as Lang Lang is exciting for me as a fan. For Sony Music, it is another significant step as we continue to focus on growing our Classical business.” Bogdan Roscic, President of Sony Classical, said: “I have had the pleasure of working with Lang Lang in the past, and already from the very beginning of his career, he showed a level of passion for recordings, media and new technology that’s quite unusual in our business. That open-mindedness has made him one of the most important ambassadors for the art form itself, bringing classical music to audiences which musical gifts alone, even as prodigious as his, could not reach in today’s culture. We are all very excited about writing the next chapter of this story with him.” The synergy between Sony and Lang Lang is also apparent in their immediate response to the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Both the artist and the company have announced their decisions to donate much-needed funds towards UNICEF’s long-term relief effort. On Sunday, March 21, Lang Lang, who has been a UNICEF Global Goodwill Ambassador since 2006, will perform at Carnegie Hall with Maestro Christoph Eschenbach and the Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra in a UNICEF benefit concert. In support of this initiative, Sony Classical will release a recording of Frederic Chopin: Polonaise in A-flat Major No. 6 Op. 53 “Heroic,” as an exclusive iTunes download, in tribute to the heroes working to alleviate the devastation of the earthquake in Haiti. All proceeds from the recording and concert, as well as Lang Lang’s fee, will be donated to the US Fund for UNICEF. Related Posts:Masao Morita To Head Sony Pictures and Music Entertainment JapanBravia Gets DromedThe Final Version of Sony’s Active Shutter 3D GlassesSony Set To Launch World’s First Digital Noise Cancelling Earphone MDR-NC300DNew Video Surfaces Showing A Silky Smooth Touchscreen Walkman Interface View the full article

Sony Ericsson wants to change the way you share and experience content on your phone with the announcement of Creations. The new Creations platform enables mobile phone users to create and publish their own content such as video, audio and imaging to be shared, explored and remixed using content-creating mobile applications and tools. Content will no longer be static as Creations allows content creators to produce content on the move from their mobile phone. It is an open platform accessible using a range of mobile handsets, as well as on the desktop. Sony Ericsson is engaging with application developers to deliver content tools and applications. Developers are also invited to join the Creations network and play a vital role in enabling co-creation and co-innovation on the mobile web, as the service prepares to support applications in the coming months. When you sign up your storage capacity starts with 1 GB. If that’s not enough your storage capacity will automatically increase as you need it! You can keep your content private, allow other users to view, download or co-create with it. Themes available in the Creations gallery can be edited and shared back to the community, whilst giving the original creator credit. It appears that Creations will likely be the successor to Wallpaper and Theme creator that Sony Ericsson has provided in the past. Be sure to also check out the Sony Ericsson Creations blog. Related Posts:LittleBigPlanet Trickling To Retailers; Servers Now LiveSony Ericsson Content Awards 2008Sony’s European PlayNow Arena Set To Eventually Take On Apple’s App Store WorldwideNever Get Lost Again: Wayfinder + Sony EricssonIs The Valentines Day LittleBigPlanet Theme Pack A Possible Swagger Gift? View the full article

Sony Ericsson’s Mobile World Conference announcements are quite interesting – they’ve already announced a sidekick to the recently released Vivaz, aptly named the Vivaz Pro. If you don’t recall, the Vivaz is a Symbian (S60, 5th Edition) OS phone and one of their first phones with 720P HD video recording capability. So what’s the difference between the Pro and regular version? From what we can tell, the only differences is that the Pro has a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard and a lesser camera at 5.1 megapixels compared to the 8 in the regular version. The Vivaz Pro will also only be available in black or white, which indicates Sony Ericsson will be aiming this towards business professionals. Sony Ericsson posted a great gallery of the Vivaz Pro on Picasa, and also posted a cute promotional video: " />" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"> Related Posts:Sony Ericsson Reveals Vivaz Cell Phone With 720P HD Video RecordingPhone Arena Shows Off Sony Ericsson’s SatioSony Ericsson To Reveal Android XPERIA Phone On November 3rdSony At CEDIA 2009 Round UpThe Hottest Sony Playstation 3 Games Of E3 2009 View the full article

Sony Ericsson has surprised many with the announcement of the touchscreen XPERIA X10 Mini (and Pro version with slide-out QWERTY keyboard), which is basically a miniature version of the upcoming XPERIA X10 smartphone. This is quite an interesting product – it’s like Apple releasing an iPhone Nano. Click here to view Sony Ericsson’s X10 Mini gallery, and the X10 Mini Pro gallery on Picasa. The XPERIA X10 Mini differs from the bigger version in several ways. One of the most obvious differences is the form factor; the Mini (83 x 50 x 16 mm) and Mini Pro (90 x 52 x 17 mm) are far smaller than the regular XPERIA X10 (119 x 63 x 13 mm). Also, the Mini (and Pro) has a 2.55 inch scratch resistant screen (240×320 QVGA, 16m color) compared the larger 4 inch screen on the XPERIA X10. Oddly enough, this phone will ship with Android 1.6 (instead of the current 2.# version) – something we’re not really fond of but Sony Ericsson has promised that an upgrade path will be available in due time. We’re curious if this device will cost far less then the XPERIA X10 so no one is left out in the new XPERIA experience. Both phones will be available in the second quarter of this year. The X10 Mini will be available in Pearl White, Black, Pink, Lime, Red and Silver while the X10 Mini Pro will be available in Black and Red. Great to see a plethora of color choices here for the Mini. Sony Ericsson is also touting the inclusion of the signature application Timescape which brings all communication together in one place so users can see at a glance text messages, missed calls, and Facebook and Twitter updates, without having to open lots of different applications. We had some hands on experience with Timescape at CES 2010 and it was simply outstanding. As an avid iPhone user, it made me want to switch. The interactive music player also uses the ?infinite button? to pull together all music content from the music store and YouTube. The processor within the X10 Mini and Mini Pro is a 600MHz Qualcomm MSM7227, which is very impressive and should be more than sufficient for Android. We love the added 2GB microSD card. The included camera is equally impressive at 5 megapixels with auto focus, geotagging, video recording, and other features. Connectivity is also very solid with the inclusion of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, FM radio, A-GPS, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. We noticed there is a Micro USB connector, which seems to be the new standard in these little tiny devices. I miss the days of Mini USB. Other notable software features include Google Maps, Google search, Google Talk, Google Voice Search, YouTube, Android Market, PlayNow, and a WebKit-based web browser (excellent). Business people will appreciate the Exchange ActiveSync support. Battery life is about what we would expect for a Sony Ericsson device of this size, with 4 hours of talk time for EDGE (GSM/GPRS), 285 hours standby. 3G (UMTS) talk time clocks in at 3.5 hours, while its standby time is quite impressive at 360 hours. The X10 mini and X10 Mini Pro supports HSPA 900/2100 and EDGE 850/900/1800/1900, HSPA 850/1900/2100 and EDGE 850/900/1800/1900. Related Posts:Sony Ericsson Vivaz Plus Keyboard Equals Vivaz ProSony Ericsson Reveals Vivaz Cell Phone With 720P HD Video RecordingSony Ericsson’s Aspen Windows Mobile Cell Phone ArrivesHands-on With the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10Sony Ericsson’s Mighty XPERIA X10 Coming In 2010 – Full Specs And Pics View the full article

Sony showed off a pretty cool app at CES that you can get for free and install on your iPhone or Touch iPod – a very easy way to navigate through XMB menus, access Gracenote database for movie info. However, I would not hurry to get it from the App Store unless you own one of the 2010 Blu-ray player line up. Yes, frankly I was pretty disappointed that I am unable to take advantage of it on my pricey flagship BD player BDP-S5000ES. One would think, Sony would release a revamped firmware upgrade for 2009 BD players and let a customer enjoy new features (internet video) as well as this simple BD Remote registration add on in your XMB menu. Alas, the engineers at Sony are not capable of it or more likely Sony’s marketing team would like you to jump on a new BD player. Enjoy the video footage below and see if that’s something you’d want to play with if you had that opportunity. Oh yea, it won’t work with your PS3 either, even though PS3 has a BD Remote registration tool. <object width=”580″ height=”360″><param name=”movie” value=” name=”allowFullScreen” value=”true”></param><param name=”allowscriptaccess” value=”always”></param><embed src=” type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” allowscriptaccess=”always” allowfullscreen=”true” width=”580″ height=”360″></embed></object> Related Posts:Sony At CEDIA 2009 Round UpSony VAIO X Gets a Hot Promo VideoThe Hottest Sony Playstation 3 Games Of E3 2009Sony VAIO X Series Designer Interview (Video)Ultra Powerful VAIO Z Coming Soon View the full article

Hey ya’ll, if you have not bought Sony’s Exclusive flOw game that will translucently take you through different levels and calm down your nerves from a busy week, there is no better time to get it for free while the offer is out there on PlayStation Network. If you like it, get Flower too, very chill game as well. Happy Valentine’s everyone! Related Posts:Want to Play the PS3 With Your Girlfriend? Try fl0wSony Acquires iCyt And Officially Enters Flow Cytometry BusinessFlower is About to Rock Your HDTVSony Bringing Fee-based Subscription To Playstation NetworkSony To Offer Official Keyboard Attachment For PS3 Controllers View the full article

Sony has acquired iCyt Mission Technology, Inc. (iCyt), a leading producer of high-performance cell sorters used for stem cell and disease research, through its U.S. subsidiary, Sony Corporation of America (SCA). With this acquisition, Sony is using its expertise and technologies to enter the flow cytometry business in life science field. iCyt, founded in 1995 and headquartered in Champaign, Illinois, designs, manufactures and sells flow cytometers, associated reagents and services. Flow cytometry is a technique for counting and examining microscopic particles, such as cells and chromosomes, by suspending them in a stream of fluid and passing them by an electronic detection apparatus. It allows simultaneous multiparametric analysis of the physical and/or chemical characteristics of up to thousands of particles per second. Flow cytometry is routinely used in the diagnosis of health disorders, especially blood cancers, but has many other applications in both research and clinical practice. “Sony brings an amazing level of technology and engineering capability to the field of cytometry,” said Gary Durack, founder, President and CEO of iCyt. “As a Sony company, iCyt will be able to leverage Sony’s global resources to deliver a variety of innovative solutions to the cell analysis market. This is truly a win for iCyt, its customers, and all who will benefit from these advances.” “We are very pleased to welcome Gary Durack, who has extensive experience in the flow cytometry industry, and iCyt to the Sony family,” said Keiji Kimura, EVP of Sony. “iCyt’s experience and technologies will be valuable assets for Sony as it expands into this new business domain. We are confident that this acquisition will accelerate the development of Sony’s flow cytometry business by combining Sony’s expertise in the manufacturing of consumer products with the technological assets of iCyt.” As a wholly-owned subsidiary of SCA, iCyt plans to develop advanced technologies and deliver new products in collaboration with Sony. Gary Durack will continue to lead the company through this period of growth and expansion. New products and advancements will be announced at CYTO 2010, the upcoming Congress of the International Society for Advancement of Cytometry (ISAC), in Seattle in May 2010. Sony has been exploring healthcare applications for its consumer-based optic technologies, such as those used for Blu-ray discs and its advanced data transmission technologies. Recent progress in regenerative medicine has highlighted the importance of cell analysis and, specifically, flow cytometry, an indispensable tool for research. Sony plans to realize unique technological advances in flow cytometry through the application of its core technologies. As part of this effort, Sony and iCyt have been jointly developing new flow cytometry devices since April 2009. Through this acquisition, Sony expects to accelerate its development of next-generation cell analysis systems and deliver innovative products to research and clinical laboratories around the world. Related Posts:Sony Acquires Convergent Media SystemsWant to Play the PS3 With Your Girlfriend? Try fl0wSony & Epson Now Working Together On Small/Medium-Sized LCD’sMajor Senior Management Shakeup At SonyamBX Coming To Playstation 3 View the full article

The Spider-Man film series are superhero films based on the fictional Marvel Comics character of the same name, and unless you’re living in cave you’ve probably seen one of the movies. The rights to a motion picture based on Spider-Man were purchased in 1985 and moved through various production companies and studios, at one point having James Cameron to direct, before being secured by Sony Pictures Entertainment. The three films, produced on a total budget of US $597 million, grossed nearly $2.5 billion worldwide. Each film set several box office records, with all three included in the top 20 highest-grossing domestic films as well as the top 25 highest-grossing worldwide films. Sony Pictures just announced the release date for the next movie in the Spider Man series, but first, lets take a look as this huge franchise is going to be very different. In 2007, Spider-Man 4 entered development, with Raimi attached to direct and Maguire, Dunst and other cast members set to reprise their roles. Both a fourth and a fifth movie were planned, and at one time the idea of shooting the two sequels concurrently was under consideration. However, Raimi stated in March 2009 that only the fourth film was currently in development and that if there were fifth and sixth films, the two films would actually be a continuation of each other. James Vanderbilt was hired in October 2007 to pen the screenplay, after initial reports in early 2007 that Sony Pictures was in contact with David Koepp, who wrote the first Spider-Man film. The script was subsequently rewritten by Pulitzer-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire, and rewritten again by Gary Ross in October 2009. Sony also engaged Vanderbilt to write scripts for Spider-Man 5 and Spider-Man 6. In 2007, Raimi expressed interest in portraying the transformation of Dr. Curt Connors into his villainous alter-ego, the Lizard; the character’s actor Dylan Baker and producer Grant Curtis have also been enthusiastic about the idea. It was reported in December 2009 that John Malkovich was in negotiations to play Vulture, and that Anne Hathaway would play Felicia Hardy, though she would not have transformed into the Black Cat, as in the comics. Instead, Raimi’s Felicia was expected to become a brand-new superpowered figure called the Vulturess. Sony Pictures announced in January 2010 that plans for Spider-Man 4 had been canceled due to Raimi’s withdrawal from the project. Raimi reportedly ended his participation due to doubt that he could meet the planned May 2011 release date while upholding the film creatively. Simultaneous with the cancellation of Spider-Man 4, Sony announced that the franchise would be rebooted with a new director and new cast. The reboot film is scheduled to be released in summer 2012 and will focus on Peter Parker developing his abilities in high school. Sony also confirmed that James Vanderbilt will write the script for the new film and Marc Webb will direct the next Spider-Man film. Now things have finally come together, with Sony Pictures tweeting that the next Spider Man movie will come to theaters in 3D on July 3rd, 2012. Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Matt Tolmach, president of Columbia Pictures, said, “At its core, Spider-Man is a small, intimate human story about an everyday teenager that takes place in an epic super-human world. The key for us as we sought a new director was to identify filmmakers who could give sharp focus to Peter Parker’s life. We wanted someone who could capture the awe of being in Peter’s shoes so the audience could experience his sense of discovery while giving real heart to the emotion, anxiety, and recklessness of that age and coupling all of that with the adrenaline of Spider-Man’s adventure. We believe Marc Webb is the perfect choice to bring us on that journey.” Arad and Ziskin added jointly, “Over the years, the Spider-Man comics have been told with bold and creative new writers and artists who have re-calibrated the way audiences see Peter Parker. Marc Webb will do for the new direction of the films what so many visionary storytellers have done with the comic books. He is an incredibly talented filmmaker and we look forward to working closely with him on this new adventure.” Webb said, “This is a dream come true and I couldn’t be more aware of the challenge, responsibility, or opportunity. Sam Raimi’s virtuoso rendering of Spider-Man is a humbling precedent to follow and build upon. The first three films are beloved for good reason. But I think the Spider-Man mythology transcends not only generations but directors as well. I am signing on not to ‘take over’ from Sam. That would be impossible. Not to mention arrogant. I’m here because there’s an opportunity for ideas, stories, and histories that will add a new dimension, canvas, and creative voice to Spider-Man.” Stan Lee, co-creator of Spider-Man, added, “I’m excited that Sony has chosen a director with a real penchant and understanding for the character. This is a brave, bold direction for the franchise, and I can’t wait to see what Marc comes up with next.” Related Posts:Two More Spider Man MoviesSpiderman 4 on IMAX May 5, 2011Sony Pictures Working On ‘Venom’ Spin-OffSony Pictures Entertainment Shuffles Marketing TeamNew Playstation 3 Bundles Showing Up In USA View the full article

Wyclef Jean kicks off “Live Sets,” a series of live online concerts brought to you by Sony’s new global brand message, make.believe (pronounced “make-dot-believe”). “Live Sets” will feature the live performances of three popular artists streamed in a digital environment, providing an intimate, authentic experience for an on-site and online audience. The Wyclef Jean performance is scheduled for Wednesday, February 10, from the Canal Room in New York City, and will be streamed live to online audiences at Sony’s Facebook, Wyclef.com, Crackle.com, myplay.com. Wyclef will perform songs from his body of work as a solo artist as well as hits from his former group, the Fugees. Two more Sony make.believe “Live Sets” are anticipated for spring 2010 with artists to be named. In addition to the concerts, each artist will provide exclusive interview footage and share his or her own make.believe story to inspire fans across the country with the idea that “anything you can imagine, you can make real.” Footage will be available on Sony’s Facebook, Crackle.com, myplay.com and the artists’ websites. Related Posts:Sony Struggling To Make Crackle RelevantBloomingdales Launches Massive Music Campaign with Sony, InfinitiWatch Sony’s CES 2010 Press Conference LiveSony Music Artists Win Big At 52nd Grammy AwardsSony on Facebook View the full article

More than 50 Sony high-definition cameras will cover every angle of the National Football League’s championship game, Super Bowl XLIV (New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts), to be broadcast Feb. 7 (at 6:25pm ET) on the CBS from Miami’s Sun Life Stadium. NEP Broadcasting will provide several trailers for pre- and post-game, main game and the half-time show. The Sony gear used by NEP for the main broadcast in the United States includes HDC-1500 multi-format cameras and HDC-3300 super-motion camera systems, which will be positioned throughout the stadium. In addition, a Sony MVS-8000A production switcher, HD videotape recorders, displays and supporting production equipment will also be used to deliver the game. According to George Hoover, senior vice president of engineering for NEP, the Sony cameras and switchers have continuously proven themselves in high-profile live event productions, and he’s confident in their ability to perform flawlessly again during the game. “These technologies deliver a range of functions that are critical to delivering quality live football coverage,” Hoover said. “The cameras work extremely well, they have fast response and very good sensitivity, and the switchers give us the flexibility we need.” “The technology used to cover a game of this magnitude needs to have the power to fully integrate the level of graphics that NFL fans have grown accustomed to while still producing as clean a feed as possible,” said Ken Aagaard, senior vice president, operations and production services at CBS Sports. “The Sony HD equipment offers a significant level of production flexibility and the image quality is extremely high. This all translates into delivering an enhanced viewing experience for the consumer at home.” This is the fifth consecutive year that Sony has provided its professional HD equipment for the NFL’s big game, and its technology has evolved to meet the game’s increasing production requirements and more complex camera angles. “This is the biggest stage for television broadcast production,” said Rob Willox, director of Sony Electronics’ content creation group. “Our multi-format live production technology is the perfect fit, and will help to add an extra layer of excitement and reality for viewers.” Want to read more about Sony’s predictions for who will win the Super Bowl? Check out a fun Super Bowl post by Social Media Evangalist Sukhjit Ghag on the Sony Electronics blog. I also found great interest in some of the most recent Super Bowl posts on DVICE. Related Posts:Sony To Deliver 2009 BCS In Gorgeous 3DDallas Cowboys New Stadium Chock Full Of Sony HDSony Provides XDCAM® HD Technology To NBC For 2008 OlympicsSony To Nearly Double Lithium Ion Production By 2010Sony And Daktronics Pitch Ultimate HD Experience At Cincinnati Reds Great American Ball Park View the full article

Despite another profitable quarter, Sony Pictures is preparing to lay off nearly 450 employees (6.5% of its total work force) in the coming weeks, according to an recent internal e-mail sent to staff. Most of the layoffs be in the USA, and will come in the home-entertainment and IT departments; the impact should be evident in every division, including motion pictures, TV production, and corporate. The memo indicated that affected employees haven’t yet been notified. Co-chairmen Michael Lynton and Amy Pascal said that certain challenges face their business, such as digital piracy, and social media undermining the studios’ marketing efforts. Here is the full memo from Michael and Amy to employees: Dear Colleagues, In our article in The SPE Reel in December, we spoke about the shifting landscape of entertainment and its impact on the economic model at the heart of this industry. Despite the records our studio set at the box office, we’re not immune from these forces, and we said then that costs needed to be controlled as part of a sustained and strategic effort to remake Sony Pictures for the future. Since that time, in all-hands meetings and small groups, our division heads and executive team have been in touch with many of you to talk in more detail about the transformation of the studio and the kinds of changes being considered. Last week, the first steps towards the creation of a new operating model for our studio were taken in our home entertainment division and the IT department. Today, we want to let you know, in a timely manner, what will be involved in the crucial – and difficult — next phase of this process. In several stages, we will have a workforce reduction, with most of the notifications taking place by the first week in March. It will affect each of the studio’s divisions, with the majority occurring in home entertainment and IT, and in the United States. We do not have final numbers or specific dates for all reductions now, because decisions regarding proposals for certain international offices are pending. Local laws will be governing a consultation process with employees in those locations. The decision to take this step was difficult. But it’s being done in the context of a strategy designed to help us safeguard our competitiveness and chart our own course through these troubled waters. The need is clear: from the growth of online piracy, to the social media effect on the performance of films, to the way people have changed how they watch television and acquire DVDs. The business is going through a rough period of trial and transition, and we have an obligation to take the steps necessary to get through it. As we said in December, we are grateful to everyone at Sony Pictures for helping us meet the challenges of this time in our history from a position of strength. And we are confident that the changes we’re making, as difficult as they are, will keep us on a path toward greater success in the future. Michael and Amy Related Posts:Jim Kennedy Promoted To Executive Vice President At SPESteve Mosko Makes New Deal to Lead Sony Pictures Television300 Jobs Cut At Sony Pictures EntertainmentSony 3D Technology Center Opens At Sony Pictures StudiosMarch 16th Is Sony Online Entertainment Day In San Diego View the full article

Here is another Sony product that has not gotten any attention…just yet. Sony introduced a Bravia TV with an integrated Blu-ray player something similar to what Sharp has been doing for a while now. It’s a pretty good size and solution for small areas and not at a bad price point as well. There are two models available in 32 and 40 inch sizes (KDL-32EX40B and KDL-40EX40B). Being a Bravia TV it offers all the regular features like Internet widgets, DLNA, Wi-Fi ready with an optional USB dongle, USB media player (plug in a USB device and enjoy movies, photos and music on your TV using USB playback). Not sure if this Bravia will make it to the US, but will definitely be sold in Europe. Check for all the specs here at Sony Latvia site, where we spotted it. Now, if they made a similar awesome TV slider I own like TAV-L1 (DVD/SACD integrated within a speaker panel) only with a few design changes like: make it slimmer, offer bigger LCD panel, I’d be all over it. Related Posts:Say Hello To Sony Bravia NX SeriesSony's First Dedicated Blu-ray 3D Player - BDP-S770Internet Capable Bravia XBR9 Will Blow You AwayMeet The BRAVIA XBR HX Series - Sony's New LED Backlit LCD HDTVSony Updates Blu-ray Players With Monolithic Design View the full article

Sony Computer Entertainment Japan (SCEJ) announced that a PSP JILL STUART Sweet Limited Package will be available on March 4, 2010. Produced in collaboration with Jill Stuart, a highly popular women?s fashion brand from Sanei-International Co. Ltd., the special package will be a limited offer at a recommended retail price of 21,000 yen (including tax). PSP Jill Stuart Sweet Limited Package comprises the PSP handheld entertainment system (PSP-3000) in an elegant Blossom Pink color, a special pouch and a cleaning cloth both designed specifically for the bundle pack by Jill Stuart and a 4GB Memory Stick PRO Duo (Mark2). The special PSP pouch comes in a champagne-gold color with crystal embedded shoulder chain strap, allowing users to coordinate with their outfit and carry around their PSP more fashionably. The glittering silver Jill Stuart logo is printed on the cleaning cloth as well as on the package with pink crystal motif design. Related Posts:PSP goes for Gold!SCEJ Declares Party Time With PSP Carnival Colors Value PackLimited Edition PS3 Bundle Featuring Michael Jackson "This is It"Sony Brings New PSP Value Packs To JapanHike! Madden NFL 09 PSP Entertainment Pack View the full article

According to dozens of forum users at Notebookreview.com, owners of the new Sony VAIO F Series VPCF112FX/B, VPCF11JFX/B, VPCF11MFX/B and VPCF1190X CTO were experiencing an odd high pitched whine or buzzing sound (aka whining) while using the laptop. The issue caused several consumers to call Sony for support, but they were unable to provide a fix over the phone – this led to several of the laptops being returned, exchanged, and so forth. Things got even more confusing when the VAIO F was no longer available to purchase on SonyStyle around the world. Then the CTO model disappeared, leaving many to speculate that there was issues with the i7 processor, manufacturing issues, and every other conspiracy theory under the sun. We initially wrote a story about the whole situation, providing a temporary fix for those annoyed by the sound. We spoke to Sony and they cleared up the confusion – a Sony representative has informed us that they “received reports from the market that some F series end users were experiencing a pitched noise under certain conditions. As a result, we decided to halt shipments momentarily while we conducted in-depth investigations. The matter has now been resolved, corrective measures have been applied to our manufacturing process and the F series is shipping again. For those end users who are experiencing this pitched noise level, a on-site solution will be deployed in the coming days.” I’m personally very happy to hear this news that it wasn’t a larger issue, as I think this is one of the best laptops Sony has offered to date – the price and features (especially that i7 processor) is very hard to beat. We also noticed that the VAIO F is back on sale at SonyStyle USA. Related Posts:New Sony VAIO F Series Encountering Buzzing Or High Pitched Whine Issue?VAIO E Brings More Color to Your LifeVAIO P Gets a Spec Bump. 600 Series Ready for Pre-ordersSony NWZ-S745 16GB Walkman For Sale In Canada - Is USA Next?New VAIOs Leak View the full article

After a seemingly endless string of quarters with profit loss, job cuts, plant closings and the prescription of “restructuring,” Sony has finally posted its first quarterly profit in a year and slashed losses in its full-year projections. Sony was very candid in their Q3 FY2009 Earnings Announcement, as Sony Chief Financial Officer Nobuyuki Oneda stated, “We think we’ve bottomed out and we can do fairly well going forward.” We have full coverage below, but please check out WSJ’s analysis, and the official Sony Q3 FY09 Earnings Announcement (slides). Sony also stated it can expand its LCD TV sales by at least 33% to 20 million units in the next FY while maintaining profitability. It’s no secret that the electronics arm of Sony has faced five straight years of losing money in its TV segment, putting it in 4th place in the USA while Vizio, Samsung, LG and Toshiba steal precious market share. Sony says it expects to see significant growth potential in the e-reader market. The company expects to sell more than one million units in the current fiscal year and sees that figure doubling or tripling in the next few years. One of the biggest concerns for Sony is restoring profitability to its overall core electronics line and Playstation division, as both nearly account for two-thirds of Sony’s revenue. The WSJ reports that over the last year, “Sony has closed 20% of its plants, eliminated 20,000 jobs and overhauled its supply chain to reduce its costs by 330 billion yen ($3.63 billion).” Sony’s re-alignment of manufacturing sites (57 total as of December 2008) will face a 10% reduction, and the company is ahead of target with the number of sites to be at 46 by March, and 45 by May. Sony revealed the plant closing in March will be the Sony Precision Engineering Center (makes lenses and other products) in Singapore, as well as the plan to transfer the Sony Manufacturing Systems Corporation’s Isehara Plant (which deals with measuring systems) in Japan to Mori Seiki Co., LTD. The plant closing in May will be the Sony Precision Engineering (makes components used in digital single lens reflex cameras) in Malaysia . Here are the Q3 FY09 consolidated results: Quite amazing to see the contrast in operating income compared to last quarter. Nearly every segment of this quarertly reports have dramatically improved. ..and the adjusted year to date FY09 consolidated results: As we can see Sony’s sales are down for the year compared to last year, but operating income has risen sharply. So the revised forecast for FY09 should look like this now: As you can see operating income losses and income before taxes have been cut in half. Operating income as a whole is up 27%, with capitial expenditures down nearly 12%. R&D costs are also down very slightly at 2%. Here is a segment by segment breakdown of what went right and what went wrong last quarter, starting with Consumer Products & Services. As we can see, BRAVIA, optical pickups, stereo components and System LSI’s for the game business all saw a decrease in sales. However, as Sony’s range of LCD’s in that quarter were usually quite expensive, lower sales didn’t affect operating income in the TV division as operating income in that segment was stronger. Cyber-shot cameras also saw good return for Sony, which traditionally does very well during the Holidays. Here’s the Networked Products & Services information: VAIO PC sales rose considerably in nearly all regions. However, Playstation sales were down with less consumers purchasing PS2 systems and games. PSP hardware sales were also down – this doesn’t surprise me much as Sony has been facing increased competition from Nintendo, Apple, and other companies getting into handheld gaming. PSP Go sales have been slow – there needs to be a price-cut and some sort of innovative promotion soon. Despite the decrease in sales, profitability was relatively unchanged due to an improvement in the cost of PS3 hardware. Sony expects to lower production costs of the PlayStation 3 by 15% in the fiscal year ending March 2011, resulting in a benefit of “tens of billions” of yen. Currently, Sony loses about six cents for every dollar of PS3 hardware sales. PS3 sales rose 44% in its fiscal third quarter. Sales got a bump after Sony dropped the price by 25% to $299 in September for its model with an 80-gigabyte hard drive. B2B & Disc manufacturing did pretty well last quarter, despite a 0.5% decrease in sales. Disc manufacturing increased due to higher Blu-ray disc sales. B2B lagged slightly due to a decrease in sales of broadcast and professional use products brought on by the continuing difficulties in the business environment of developed countries. Sony Pictures once again had another stellar quarter with a 16% increase in sales worldwide and a 25% increase in the USA. Blockbuster movies such as 2012 and Michael Jackson’s This Is It led the way to higher theatrical revenues. Home Entertainment sales were up due to Angels & Demons and Terminator Salvation sales, and TV revenues rose from the new Dr. Oz Show. Sony Ericsson in comparison to all other segments didn’t do well at all – sales are down by nearly 40% to 14.6 million units! Sony states that this was due to a downturn in the global handset market, and a faster than anticipated shift to touch screen phones in the mid-priced sector of the market. We can only hope the fantastic XPERIA X10 and other devices planned for 2010 will usher a return to profitability and higher sales. Here are Sony’s FY08 and FY09 unit sales of key consumer electronics and game products by quarter: Related Posts:Sony Posts Q2 FY09 Results - Sales Down, Forecasts ImproveSony Reports Another Quarterly Loss; Analysts Tired Of Restructuring Talk, Want To See Increased SalesSony's Q1 FY08 Profit 50% Less Than Previous YearSony Q3 FY08 Results Absolutely DevastatingSony's 2Q Operating Profit Drops A Staggering 90% View the full article