Christopher

Play.me – the newest music platform where users can stream ad-free music on demand from virtually anywhere at any time – has officially launched. Play.me’s browser-based service gives users instant access to over 2.5 million songs to create playlists and customize radio stations to share and stream through social networks like Facebook and Twitter. Play.me enables music fans to quickly find and play all the songs they love from a comprehensive, continually updated catalog and find new artists with Play.me’s discovery tools, including similar artist suggestions, new releases, and dynamic commercial-free radio stations which can be instantly created based on genre, artist, and decade. For the music listener on-the-go, Play.me’s pioneering Android app — the first of its kind in the US market — allows users to temporarily save playlists directly to their phone. This new feature enables users without a signal to enjoy uninterrupted listening while “off the grid,” such as being on a plane or in a subway tunnel where you don’t have cell phone reception or wi-fi access. Play.me offers consumers both a premium monthly subscription service ($9.99) and a free trial version with limited streaming capabilities and complimentary downloads. Play.me has licensing deals with major music companies including Sony Music Entertainment, EMI Music, IODA, The Orchard and Beggars Group. In addition, Play.me is actively working to add more content providers, and is in the latter stages of negotiations with the other major labels. From mainstream hits to buzz-worthy indies and everything in between, Play.me provides over 10 million minutes of non-stop music. “We believe that our easy-to-use navigation and extensive catalog — combined with the trial and paid offerings — makes Play.me the ultimate destination for music enthusiasts to hear and discover music the way they want, when they want,” said Massimiliano Pellegrini (Chairman, Play.me Inc.). “We are pleased to make our unparalleled roster of music available through the Play.me platform. We think well-built, easy-to-use services that provide a compelling consumer experience to fans have a huge opportunity to meet consumer demand for legitimate digital solutions,” said Michael Paull, Executive Vice President, Global Digital Business, Sony Music Entertainment. In the coming weeks, Play.me will launch new features, including the release of its mobile application for iPhone and Blackberry; and Play.me News featuring artist interviews, special promotions, and the latest music news. Developers are also encourage to check out Play.me Labs, and be sure to check out Play.me blog for the latest updates and company news. Related Posts:Sony Music And Project Playlist Hook UpSony Ericsson Gets Real With Play Now PlusConnect Music Store - New UISony Music Catalog Included In Google China Free Music ServiceSony Selling DRM-free Songs On Dada.net for 66 Cents View the full article

Sony Computer Entertainment Japan announced that it would introduce ?torne? for PlayStation 3 (PS3) computer entertainment system, a set of digital terrestrial tuner and application in Blu-ray Disc (BD) for viewing and recording digital terrestrial broadcasting on the PS3 system. ?torne? will become available in Japan in March, 2010, at a recommended retail price (RRP) of 9,980 yen (including tax). Users can enjoy watching digital terrestrial broadcasting and record them on the hard disk drive (HDD) of the PS3 system by simply connecting the digital terrestrial tuner to the PS3 system using the attached USB cable and installing the application from the BD. This product is the Japanese version of the European PlayTV, but with enhanced functionality – of course, we will probably never see something like this in the USA. To accommodate those users who wish to record TV programs in high-definition on PS3 and store many high quality entertainment content already available on PlayStation Store including games, anime, movies, TV dramas, music videos and many other various content and services, SCEJ will also introduce a ?PlayStation 3 Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting Recorder Pack,? that comprises the PS3 system with 250GB HDD, the largest HDD capacity of the existing model, and ?torne.? The special bundle pack will become available in March, 2010, concurrently with the release of ?torne,? and will be a limited offer at a RRP of 42,800 yen (including tax). Features of ?torne?: Easy to use interface Applying the expertise acquired from game development, ?torne? offers user friendly interface, allowing users to swiftly and intuitively operate the application using DUALSHOCK 3 wireless controller. Users will be able to search through the electronic TV program guides or play back recorded content comfortably as if they were playing games. The colorfully designed 24 hour TV program guide can be zoomed in or out by pressing L1/R1 buttons, allowing users to easily find and select their favorite TV programs by a simple touch of a button. Recording and playing back TV program search function on ?torne? application can sort the TV programs by genre or by keywords and will instantly list up the corresponding TV programs for users to simply select and record out of the list. Additionally, ?torne? will automatically start recording pre-programmed content even when the PS3 system is in Stand-by mode or when users are playing games or using the application on the XMB (XrossMediaBar) such as the Blu-ray/DVD player. Users can also connect external HDD via USB cable to record TV programs directly on to the external storage instead of on the HDD of the PS3 system. Additional useful features include quick playback and scene search for viewing recorded TV programs. Connectivity with PSP Seamless connectivity with PSP (PlayStation Portable) allows users to transfer recorded TV programs to its Memory Stick PRO Duo (Mark2)/Memory Stick Micro for high quality viewing on the go. By using the Remote Play feature of the PS3 system, users at home can connect on to their PS3 system using their PSP and remotely access the application to view or record TV programs. Various Online features ?torne? also offers online functionalities, such as the Internet browser which can be used simultaneously with the application, and unique ?Toru-Miru feature? which can display the number of users who have pre-programmed the TV programs through ?torne? as well as the user trend of which program is being most watched. Related Posts:Sony Officially Starts Selling Playstation Products In VietnamHands-on With BD Remote - The Sony iPhone/iPod Touch Remote AppA September To Remember - PlayTV Arrives on the 19thSony's Unannounced iPod/iPhone, DVD, USB, SD/MS Card Video Shelf System WHG-SLK1Sony Fits Transfer Jet, 1080/60i HD Video Recording Into Ultra-Slim DSC-TX7 Point & Shoot View the full article

Sony Computer Entertainment Asia announced that the company has formally started PlayStation business in Socialist Republic of Vietnam, making the one of the world?s popular computer entertainment systems and services available to the PlayStation fans and consumers in the country. Vietnam will be the 8th country and region in the SCE Asia territories. Along with the initiation of the PlayStation business in Vietnam, SCE Asia will introduce to the market the PlayStation 3 (CECH-2006A) computer entertainment system featuring an extremely streamlined form factor with a 120GB Hard Disk Drive (HDD), PlayStation 2 (SCPH-90006CB) computer entertainment system, the world?s most selling computer entertainment system and PSP (PlayStation Portable) (PSP-3006) handheld entertainment system. The PS3, PlayStation 2 and PSP system are available now at very attractive suggested retail prices of VND 9,990,000, VND 4,490,000 and VND 5,990,000 respectively (including tax). With the launch of the PlayStation platforms, users in Vietnam will be able to enjoy a wide variety of entertainment content including games, music and movies on the favorite entertainment systems. Related Posts:Sony Computer Entertainment To Expand "Official Licensing Program" For PlaystationThree New SingStar Titles Coming SoonSony Embracing Software Developers And Wireless Operators In TaiwanPS3 Motion Controller set for Spring 2010Playstation Network Comes To Amazon View the full article

So after hearing about some amazing specifications that appeared not long ago on SonyStyle Japan website for VAIO Z model, Europe followed suit and presented its spec’ed out version – which pretty much blows our minds. We have handled VAIO Z at the CES and were pretty pleased with its build and of course the backlit keyboard was an awesome addition to it. However we were not able to get any details about available configurations for the US market. Current US offering still listed on SonyStyle.com (customized) is: 512GB (256GBx2) SATA Solid State Drive with RAID technology 8GB (4GBx2) DDR3-SDRAM-1066 Intel

Graceful, perfectly flat surfaces show you just how marvelously thin the VAIO X is, at about 13.9 mm. Attention to design is evident in every detail. Many pleasant surprises await you in this new VAIO. What’s behind this Sony success story? Read on for some insight from the people behind the magic, courtesy of Sony Design. Tsuge:I’ve supervised development of many different notebooks, coordinating VAIO design, but this project stands out from the rest. Unlike other projects, before any plans for commercialization, some of our engineers took the initiative and explored the kind of VAIO they truly wanted to make. They even created a mock-up. By the time we first saw the mock-up in the design group, it had already persuaded project planning to go ahead with commercialization. The model was about 13.9 mm thin. At that stage, the engineers knew the general approach for the main components, and they were confident about somehow working out the details later. Now I’ve been involved in VAIO design for many years, and I could tell right away that development wouldn’t be easy. I knew that without hard work, we would never turn this model into a real product. But once commercialization had been decided, based on the mock-up, we couldn’t very well go back and request to make it thicker for a little leeway. Our success would depend on designers capable of in-depth discussions with the engineers who had developed the blueprints for this notebook. Fortunately, just the right person stepped forward: Yujin Morisawa, a contributor in VAIO 505 Extreme design (seen above) a few years ago. Morisawa:When designing the 2003 VAIO 505 Extreme, we faced technical limitations and a tight development schedule, and we had to resort to external network and display adapters. I regretted this and wished we could have offered built-in interfaces. I saw the new VAIO X as a good opportunity to overcome the limitations we faced last time. First, we focused on the Ethernet and VGA ports. In both interfaces, we could not use standard components, which were thicker than the body itself. Should we make the body thicker at these positions? Or should we require adapters, as we did for the VAIO 505 Extreme? Both options were unacceptable to me. The only real solution was to develop new parts. Working with our engineers, we incorporated an Ethernet port that opens and closes. It’s noteworthy that the cover itself forms part of the interface. When closed, the cover conceals the gap that would otherwise be exposed, and when open, it reveals the port so you can connect a cable. I was concerned about the strength of the cover, but we avoided problems by having the cover detach before the breaking point (a tip from our engineers). And with that, we had redesigned the Ethernet port. The VGA port was also difficult to design. These components are normally encircled by metal bands that are crimped, which sometimes leaves ugly wrinkles or warped edges. Because we insisted on a perfectly flat surface, there was no room to conceal the VGA port in the body. So we decided to develop a port that’s beautiful and sleek despite being exposed. We took a cue from HDMI port design and studied how to wrap a metal band around the interface. As for the result, I invite you to see for yourself. Only Sony would see it as a second chance to develop an older but still important legacy interface. Tsuge:By notebook standards, 13.9 mm is quite thin. But if we left the edges looking crude and boxy, the unit wouldn’t look as thin as this measurement tells us it is. It would lack impact. We needed to make the thinness apparent, somehow, but with no leeway in the length and width headquarters expected, we seemed to have no recourse. At this point, we created two mock-ups for a meeting with management to evaluate the design. One was as compact as possible, with boxy profile. The other was slightly longer and wider to demonstrate what we wanted to try—rigid arc design. Morisawa:We can make products look thinner with tapering, metallic edges. This is effective, but it’s so common that it has become rather stale. Above all, the style would be uninspiring if the surfaces you see most often when opening the lid are all flat. There’s also an opposite approach, which involves carving out the sides, so to speak. Lids designed this way resemble the capital Greek letter sigma (S) when closed. Viewed from an angle, the lids seem to float in space, which can emphasize thinness. It’s a good idea, but ultimately we were unsatisfied with the appearance when open. Light reflected from the part carved away, along the edge, even makes the body look thicker. We needed to find a new approach. After a series of attempts, we found the answer in curved edges. As with S-shaped edges, we “carve out” the sides, but the difference is that these surfaces are not simply beveled but curved. Light reflecting off flat, beveled surfaces looks rectangular, but reflections from curved surfaces look linear. This accentuates the slim body more than regular edge shapes do and subtly updates the style. We call this new edge shape “rigid arc” design. “Rigid” because this element of design also makes the body tougher. It has higher torsional rigidity than plain, flat edges. When the body is 13.9 mm thin, you do all you can to ensure structural rigidity, because you can’t add any reinforcements inside. In this sense, rigid arc design also fulfills a key structural role in this model. But I must admit, the engineers weren’t very happy about this edge shape. Special care is required to prevent the aluminum panel from warping when fabricated this way. It would take time to verify that the design was sound. Which should we prioritize—the development schedule or our ideal design? In the end, Sony management and engineers supported the rigid arc approach, and we were prepared to invest the time required to make it happen. Morisawa: We had just reached the final stage of development when we were suddenly requested to design the extended “X battery.” Everyone in design and engineering was taken by surprise, and normally, we would have declined this kind of request. Nevertheless I knew that a maximum runtime of nearly 20.5 hours would appeal to people, and we decided to take on battery design. Battery life is affected by thermal diffusion, and the structure we chose to dissipate heat was partly inspired by high heels. Ultimately, it was given a more massive appearance, like aerodynamic sports car parts. We thought people might like how the notebook gives a different impression depending on the battery used—light or heavy-duty. It’s also easier to type with the notebook propped up in back, after the X battery is attached. The notebook is supported at five positions on the bottom to prevent it from being bent by forceful typing. We originally considered having the battery attached by means of a latch, but that would require drilling large holes on the bottom. But for owners who don’t use the X battery, the holes would have been meaningless. That was unacceptable to me, so I suggested screws instead. Installation of the X battery involves two small parts, already used on the notebook for other purposes. I think it was the logical decision, based on cost, ease of implementation, and design. Morisawa: The rose gold VAIO logo also distinguishes this as special model, and we hoped the gold body color option would tempt more women to pick one up. It’s harder than you might imagine to ensure a smooth, even finish in rose gold coloring of the metal logo. And it’s not easy matching the gold of the aluminum body to that of the carbon fiber lid. Achieving exactly the right color was a painstaking experience. Redeveloping interface ports, incorporating our rigid arc design, and signing our work with a rose gold VAIO logo. All of this is costly development. But to make up for it, we carefully studied the production line in advance and tried to reduce the quantity and types of parts to streamline production. We also investigated paints that would bring out rich hues in fewer steps. Countless close collaborations of this kind, between designers and engineers, helped keep the total cost under control. Our parts and paint suppliers also supported us and accepted our exacting needs. It took the coordinated effort of everyone in development to make the VAIO X a reality. Tsuge: Over the course of this project, we encountered many difficulties, and frankly, I wondered several times if we had reached a dead end. What helped us overcome the challenges was a shared awareness that this project was very important for Sony. Ultraportables still don’t dominate the computer market. But as an opportunity to demonstrate what sets Sony apart, this is the most critical category for us. The VAIO X is as thin and light as a paper notebook, and anyone can easily take it with them. We haven’t compromised on performance, either; it will stand up to rigorous business use. The same Atom processors, yet Sony models are different. I know you’ll see what I mean when you pick one up yourself. Related Posts:Interview With The Designers Of The Ultra Thin KDL-40ZX1Interview With The Designers Of Sony's Sustainable PackageConversation With The Designers Of The Sony "Cyber-shot" DSC-TX1Interview With The Designers Of The Sony Vaio PInterview With The Designers Of The Sony DSC-G3 View the full article

Congratulations to Ryan Palmer on winning the 2010 Sony Open in Hawaii. Ryan won his third career PGA Tour title Sunday January 17, 2010 on the 72nd and final hole of the tournament outlasting Robert Allenby in an exciting back-and-forth day-long duel on the Seth Raynor designed Waialae Country Club. Ryan’s dreams became a reality on the final green when his approach chip struck the pin and settled inches away from the cup, leaving a tap in birdie to secure his 1-shot victory. Sunday’s exciting conclusion marks another great beginning to the PGA TOUR season the Sony Open in Hawaii has been delivering for the past 12 years. Here are some clips from Ryan’s win courtesy of OttawaGolfBlog.com/Golf Channel: Don’t miss the action at the 2011 Sony Open in Hawaii, the first PGA TOUR event planned to be shot in 3D. Related Posts:The Hottest Sony Playstation 3 Games Of E3 2009Sony At CEDIA 2009 Round UpMichael Jackson's Thriller Costume For The "This Is It" TourPS3's New Ad Campaign - "It Does Everything"How To Properly And Improperly Demonstrate The Sony VAIO L Touchscreen PC View the full article

This year the overall Sony corporation moves up from 8th place to 7th in the annual Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics, tying with Motorola and Samsung with the same overall score of 5.1. It gains a point for reporting absolute cuts in greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, down 17 percent over the 8 year period of 2000-2008. Renewable energy now accounts for 8 percent of the total amount of energy purchased globally each year, up from 2.5 percent a year ago. Sony also scores points for disclosing externally verified greenhouse gas emissions from its own operations. On the energy efficiency of its products, Sony reports that 75 percent of VAIO PCs released between April and August 2009 meet the latest ES requirements. The AC adapter released in FY2009 meets Energy Star v2.0 standards. All new models of TV’s released in the US comply with the latest Energy Star standards, and 78 percent exceed it by 15 percent or more. Sony does relatively well on chemicals, but loses points on the stricter C1 criterion, which now requires companies to not only have a chemicals policy informed by the precautionary principle, but also to show support for bans on PVC vinyl plastic and brominated/chlorinated flame retardants (BFRs/CFRs) during the revision of the EU’s RoHS Directive (Restriction of Hazardous Substances in electronics), Sony’s chemicals score is boosted by having models on the market that are partially free of PVC and BFRs, including many models of the VAIO PC, video recorders, Walkman, camcorders and digital camera models. It still needs to set a timeline for eliminating all phthalates, beryllium copper and antimony and its compounds. On waste issues, Sony’s score is boosted for reporting use of some 17,000 tons recycled plastics annually in various products, representing 10 percent of all plastics used in the 2008 financial year. Almost 90 percent of the recycled plastic was post-consumer, and not the less challenging post-industrial (factory scraps). It reports a recycling rate of 58 percent based on past sales of TVs and PCs, but this information is only for Japan and separate data need to be reported for TVs and PCs. Sony scores relatively poorly for its voluntary take-back and recycling of the e-waste generated by its branded products, as there is little voluntary take-back and recycling in non-OECD countries. Greenpeace offered a really great PDF with this information and graphs, which you can see below in a handy image (click to enlarge) or download the PDF for click able links and more information. We will be covering Sony Ericsson in a separate post, which scored a much higher rating of 6.9. Related Posts:Sony Ranks 4.7 out of 10 on Greenpeace’s Green Electronics GuideSony Is Green - Reduces 100,000 Tons Of CO2 & Other InitiativesSony Ericsson Drops 2,000 JobsSony to Host Free Electronics Recycling Event in Mountain View, CaliforniaSony Ericsson Issues Profit Warning For 2Q View the full article

Sony has stated December 2009 PlayStation 3 sales in the U.S. rose nearly 90 percent shattering the existing monthly record after a 25 percent price cut attracted holiday shoppers to the rapidly evolving console. PlayStation 3 game sales also advanced 60 percent from a year earlier, Sony said in an e-mailed statement. Software numbers were obviously incredible with massive hits like Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Assassin’s Creed II, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Final Fantasy XIII smashing sales charts. In the USA, Sony sold 726,000 PS3 players last December, according to NPD Group Inc. and Sony stated that in the five weeks following

Lee Kun-Hee was a former chairman of Samsung Electronics until he resigned in Spring of 2008 due to involvement with a Samsung funds scandal (which we was later pardoned for). Here are some pictures of him at CES 2010 checking out Sony’s 3D TV experience. He of course also checked out the other manufacturers booths extensively. Interestingly enough, CES 2010 was one of Lee Kun-hee’s first real public appearances since the whole embarrassing debacle in 2008. Lee Kun-Hee was quite outspoken at CES, stating that “Japan will not catch up to Samsung Electronics.” He also went on to say that “..he

The Associated Press is running a real hootenanny about Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez calling the PlayStation console and its games ‘poison’ to children. Chavez made the shocking statements during his weekly TV/Radio show “Alo Presidente,” and called on local manufacturers to make educational toys, and also dolls with faces and features like native Venezuelan people as “capitalistic” alternatives, such as a Barbie doll “have nothing to do with our culture.” However, the heat was really turned up when he directly stated that, “Those games they call ‘PlayStation’ are poison. Some games teach you to kill. They once put my face on a game, ‘you’ve got to find Chavez to kill him.’” I could only imagine the reaction of PR for Sony Venezuela. However, things took a really strange turn when Chavez turned that into a dynamic of international arms sales. Apparently, if a game has the ability to “bomb cities or just throw bombs,” then they are sold by capitalist countries to sow violence so they can “later sell weapons.” Furthermore, apparently PlayStation games “promote the need for cigarettes, drugs and alcohol so they can sell them. That’s capitalism, the road to hell,” he added. The AP also wrote that Venezuelan lawmakers in October passed a law outlawing the sale of “bellicose” games and videogames that can be punished with up to five years imprisonment. However, we’re not really sure if Sony is selling the PS3 there or not anymore. We checked out Sony Venezuela’s website and the link to the PS3 page is broken on the main site, but searching yields plenty of results. From a business standpoint, it does hurt Sony when the leader of a country specifically calls out your brand and deems it in such a negative manner. It will be interesting to see if this has a financial impact on Sony’s PlayStation brand in this area over the next quarter or two. Related Posts:PlayStation Website HackedParents See Benefits of Children Playing Video GamesSony's Playstation 3 No Longer Being Sold At A LossStringer On PS3 Price Cut: "I would lose money on every PlayStation I make"SOE Calls On Industry To Bring More Women Into Video Game Business View the full article

Last week at CES Sony finally brought a couple of products embedded with TransferJet technology that are ready for the market and for you to play with. TransferJet is a new Close Proximity Wireless Transfer Technology enabling the high speed transfer of large data files (photos, HD images, etc.) between electronic devices such as mobile phones, digital cameras, digital video cameras, computers and TVs. Using this technology, data can be sent at speeds of 560Mbps. Here is a little recap for some of you who are not familiar with this amazing way of wirelessly transferring content from one device to another. ">" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"> TransferJet is an extremely simple wireless technology which eliminates the need for complex setup and operation. For example, just touching a TV with a digital camera enables photos to be instantaneously displayed on the TV screen. Alternatively, downloaded music content can be easily enjoyed by touching a mobile phone to a portable audio player. TransferJet can be used as a Universal Interface among a wide variety of consumer electronics devices. At CES we have only witnessed wireless photo and video transfer between two devices. Currently Sony will be pushing two digital cameras to the market that are TransferJet compatible: DSC-TX7 and DSC-HX5V. To enable those cameras you will need to purchase TransferJet Memory Stick (MSJ-X8G) that we have unearthed earlier from FCC. If you are going to own two of those cameras, you will be able to easily swap images between the two or share it with a digital photo frame. I remember I was able to do so before with my Sony CyberShot DSC-G1 cameras however it utilized Wi-Fi between the two and involved a bit more complex but doable process of sharing and exchanging pictures. Sony also came up with a TransferJet Station (TJS-1) – an external solution in the form of a USB dock that you can connect to your device (notebook, digital frame, TV, etc) and make it TransferJet ready! So with this TransferJet Station it is pretty easy to store, view and share content. Viewing content on a PC or HDTV is a snap, eliminating the need for extra cables. Just set your camera on the TransferJet Station and it will display your photos for you.Also saving photos to your PC or hard drive is going to be easier, simply place your camera on the TransferJet station and it will move the files to your PC or hard drive. I was thinking of getting one and pair it with my VAIO Server VGF-HS1. As far as I remember last year Sony showed it off embedded within this circular looking server as well as VAIO TP1. The last product that we checked out was a VAIO F series notebook with this techy embedded on its left-hand palm rest area (it so reminded me of Felica use on Japanese notebooks). It will work the same way, if you need to quickly transfer pics to

We have seen a couple of new mice on the floor at CES, however these two have not made it there. Sony has a steady history of making new accessories to complement your new and your older VAIOs and these two are not an exception. This wireless laser mouse (VGP-WMS30) comes in 2 flavors: black and white. It pretty much packs the same tech of all previous VAIO mice released in 2009, however the little USB transmitter that connects your wireless mouse is quite unobtrusive.

Merely two hours after I got off a plane and arrived at CES 2010, I sat down in a private meeting room with Stan Glasgow, COO/President of Sony Electronics USA. The interview took place about a hour before the CES 2010 press conference. It was the first time I’d ever interviewed someone on this level, and while mainstream press enjoy such exclusives, these types of interactions are still relatively new for bloggers. It didn’t take long for Stan’s warm demeanor, infectious smile and cool personality to make things comfortable and soon enough we were laughing together during some of his answers – it had turned from an interview into a simple conversation. It became quickly apparent to me how this is one of the best businessmen and speakers I’d ever encountered, and why he is perfect for the title he currently holds. Read on and you’ll learn some interesting things about Stan’s path to his current position, his daily routine, predictions for 2010, his favorite Sony product, and how the BRAVIA Internet Video Link service is coming to the PS3. SI: Why don’t you tell us how you got started at Sony, and eventually became the Chief Operating Officer and President today? Stan: I had built a company, Capetronic Computer Products Holdings Ltd., a global display manufacturing company primarily centered in Asia with factories in Taiwan, China, Thailand, and in California. I started that company in the beginning of computers with the original Apple Macintosh, the original PS1, and worked with Steve Jobs, Rod Canion and other beginning people (in computing). I helped design and and build power supplies, deflection technology, and other products for them. Eventually I took Capetronic public when it was close to a billion dollars. I had worked with Capetronic for close to 20 years, and was 46 at the time; I hadn’t spent much time with my family. I said, “Now is the time to truly retire.” I got bored in about three months – the retirement lasted about two and a half years. I wasn’t good at retirement. I started doing some consulting work with several Asian companies, and said to myself, “At this point in my life, I am not motivated by money anymore, but I am motivated to work with great people, and to make a significant contribution that would excite me personally.” With this in mind, I thought about all of the companies I had worked with in my career, and Sony came to the top of my list since they have great people. I had the fortune of having meetings with Akio Morita and other people on that level over the years. I called up people I knew inside Sony, and asked “Can I help you guys? Consulting? Anything?” So they gave me a consulting deal in display marketing, and I did that for about six months and after that they wanted me to formally join, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to work again. I said, “Let me think about it,” and we negotiated for several months. The salary they offered was about a tenth of what I used to make. It wasn’t a money thing – so we negotiated a little more and I finally joined Sony and took over as VP of Display Marketing in June 2001; it was in the transition phase between CRT and LCD. I was very happy doing that. I did that for about a year – meanwhile, Hideki (Dick) Komiyama (seen above accepting the Best Mobile Handset Award at the 2008 Global Mobile Awards) came over from Japan to take over the President and COO role at Sony Electronics USA. Dick and I worked together at my prior company; I bought products from Sony, and negotiated some deals with them. He took a look at me and I took a look at him, and it was like old friends of course. He said, “What are you doing for the company?” I said, “I am running display marketing for you.” He responded, “That’s ALL your doing at this company?” I said, “I don’t need a senior position anymore in my life.” The next thing I knew I was SVP of Information Technology Division, running VAIO and several other products at the time. Less than a year after that, the move took place from Park Ridge, NJ to San Diego, CA and Dick asked me to take over consumer sales. It was typical – I get a call on a Friday, and on Monday I take over the new job. I got a call from Dick again on a Friday in 2006 and said he was, “leaving back to Japan and take another position, and everyone wants you to take over.” I said to him, “Dick, I don’t really know this time if I really want that in my life right now.” He said, “Just do it and help us out.” So I did, and that’s how it happened. What is the average day for you like at Sony, from start to finish? I understand it varies greatly, but if you can, something detailed for our readers. Every day is very different. I have a program – every night, I plan out what I want to accomplish the next day – it takes me ten minutes, and is not a huge exercise – I know the tasks, certain e-mails I haven’t responded to, or projects I need to check on and follow-up. I build all of that into it, and then I get interrupted constantly; emergencies, phone calls, and whatever else goes on – Sir Howard will call.. The day usually starts very early, I get up at five and take a walk; I used to run most of my life, but at my age I don’t run anymore – the knees don’t hold up to well, so I walk for about 45 minutes to a hour. At 6 o clock, I get ready, and I’m in the office from 7:00 to 7:15. I start my day – I originally try to get through e-mails very quickly (several hundred per day). Joan, my main assistant helps me as well as Debbie in Park Ridge, who starts earlier. They sort out the junk, and things they can take care of. I dig into my e-mails, and get that going – I speak to the East Coast initially, because no one is in our office that early. And then the office starts coming in at 8:30 to 9:00, people start rolling in. Generally, meetings are heavily booked; 50% of my schedule is already in meetings. Some of that is due to SOX, and the new rules we have where I have to be involved on at least a monthly basis, in all major activities of the company. It has to be formal and documented and in meetings – every step of the way. I get the complaints about so many meetings, but a large portion of them today are not done because we want to do them, or because we think they’re 100% necessary..they’re done because there is compliance issues now. We’re going to be changing accounting systems in the future to a new worldwide system, rather than the US system we have today. That will also make us do some further changes. I think they’ll be better though – those changes. So the day is interesting – it usually ends somewhere between 6 and 8 PM, half the nights I probably have dinner with somebody, such as guests in town, or some customers, or something. Then the phone calls from Japan will start – because they’re waking up. So that’s a typical kind of day. How often do you travel to Japan for Sony in an average year? Tell us about your most recent trip there. Because of the economic meltdown, it was more over the last year. About a year and a half ago they made me group executive of the Sony Corporation. That gets me involved in a little more activity in Japan than I was previously. I probably go about 6-7 times a year, for about a week to ten days. Maximum is two weeks. Usually in a week I can get everything accomplished. Tell us about your most recent meeting with Sir Howard Stringer, or the Sony Board of Directors in Japan. Let me tell you a funny thing that just happened – we had CES all programmed for this press conference, and there’s always timing issues of people, etc. We have Taylor Swift performing – she’s on a deadline because she has to get to LA tonight for the People’s Choice Awards. She was sorta at the end of the program, but the program was running long and we were trying to figure it out, so we had to turn the whole program on its ears. Sir Howard was working on it out there, and we ended up changing everything instantly – they’re all rewriting it right now. Poor Dave (Migdal), he’s going crazy. Howard is very engaging, decisive – he really understands the world of entertainment, PR, and communications better than anybody I’ve ever seen or worked with in my life. It’s very cool. The interactions with the Senior Japanese Executives – they’re good. These are a whole different group than we’ve ever had before, they’re younger, they’re a lot more aggressive. Good backgrounds – it’s much more fun now than it was, quite honestly. They’re willing to try new things, and really be open to ideas. It’s a lot of fun. The other thing I do that’s really interesting is we have an advisory council, where we look at the future of Sony. For some reason they’ve asked me to be a part of that, I don’t know why I was selected – I don’t ask questions anymore. I go to the meeting, and there’s some interesting people – Louis Gerstner (the Ex-CEO of IBM), Nobuyuki Idei (the past chairman of Sony), past chairman of IKEA, Peter Peterson and some of the outside directors of the board are on this advisory board – we look at future business opportunities, what major things we could do, we have people come in and present to us, and it’s fun being a part of that. In November 2009, Sony held an investors/analyst meeting in Japan that outlined a new Sony Online Service, where any Internet connected Sony product could access a vast library of applications, music/video content, services and the ability to buy products. Sony labeled this as a new business model, and said that it would create TV’s that would “evolve even after point of sale.” Can you please tell us your thoughts on this evolution, and what your impressions were of it so far? I think we’re making good progress – to date, I believe we have 33 million users of the Playstation Network. We’re beginning to port that network to other Sony products. We’re doing BRAVIA Internet Video Link – which is more of a streaming service than a downloading service. We’ve got that growing at a fantastic rate in our televisions right now, we added it to Blu-ray players, and we’re adding it to the PS3. We have two different delivery systems of content now ongoing. I think consumers will make the choice what’s easier for them, and then we have to also understand the business models of each of them and decided which is better for the company also. That is ongoing and going very well. What does make.believe mean to you? To me, it has a couple of meanings – the main meaning is that we have not had a worldwide project, a worldwide branding effort inside Sony in probably decades. Every region does its own advertising promotion, we’ve had a few things certain regions have done, other regions have not done. It was time to unite the company, from a branding perspective. Make.believe is an interesting way to do it because it gives our engineers the ability to look at creating consumer experiences that are very unique. It gives us the ability to rally our people around something new, a tag line that’s simple, yet very inspiring. The more we can personalize that for consumers in addition to our own people, I see that being a huge win for Sony around the world. It’s got multifacets that people inside the company to rally together, getting our technical community a little more active – they’re a good community, and I’m not putting them down, but activating them because that’s a core resource of Sony. What are your major consumer electronic predictions for the second half of 2010? I think the adoption of 3D may be a surprise in the second half. I think the excitement of Avatar, it’s success, and the 13 other 3D films slated over the balance of the year. I believe that 3D is going to take off possibly more quickly than we’re all thinking. That could be a surprise. I think a product like Dash could be a surprise product. The Reader and our strategy of being totally open, and not having a proprietary type of software system and the fact that we’ve got a broad line moving forward positively being strong in the second half. I believe Blu-ray, now that it’s got a 3D spec, now that the prices have calmed down, I see that potentially surprising us in the second half. I like some of our digital imaging projects, I like Transfer Jet technology, I like being able to proximity – just by putting two cameras together and move pictures from one to another. And eventually move that technology to Televisions, VAIO’s, and other products. There could be a hope that the US economy is a little better than we think in the second half. How many 3D channels do you predict there will be by the end of 2010? I’m aware of one network slated for 2011, one slated for 2010 – this is not easy stuff. This is complex, we don’t have it all figured out yet. I think ESPN’s going to be a pioneer in the world of sports in figuring out camera placement and what to do there. I think it’s going to take some time. I don’t think we’re going to have a lot of broadcasting of 3D in 2010; I think it will start heavily in 2011. We’ll have some that begins, but I don’t think it’s going to be pervasive. The theatrical side is moving well, but now we’re working on the TV side of this, broadcasting, and the personalized content, getting camcorders that work in 3D, getting digital still cameras that can take a 3D picture. There’s a lot of work to be done there. What is your favorite Sony product of all time (perhaps one you used when you were younger)? I would have to say only because of my interest and engineering background in TV, I think the 55″ BRAVIA XBR8 that we introduced about 18-24 months ago was the best LCD TV in the world at that point, and remains the best LCD TV in the world. We did a very special type of back-lighting technology in that product that was super expensive – it was Triluminos, 3 color back-lights, directly into the back of the screen’s back-lighting. A lot of the LED back-lighting today, nearly all of it is Edge-lit, so you’re using LED’s, but you’re firing across the back of the screen and you’ve got some uniformity issues, hot spots, and cold spots. That 55″ XBR8 sits in my main family room, it’s the TV I watch most of the time, and I still gawk at how good that picture is. It was a strong seller; we’re running out of it right now, and we didn’t anticipate the final demand as well as should have because it’s a really expensive product. Sony is releasing several 3D capable televisions featuring a new Monolithic design – what would you say to the consumer who is skeptical about this new line of 3D display products? We’re offering consumers an option, I’m not sure how companies many are doing what we’re doing – we’re fully integrating 3D TV’s to 60″ that we’ll sell. We’re also selling a line of 3D capable TV’s, with basically no increase in price. You can add the emitter later on, and the glasses later on. So we give the consumer the option of buying a capable set that they can then make the investment later on to bring it up to full 3D. Many television manufacturers added support for SkypeHD, and Toshiba promised some sort of video communication for its TV’s. Can we expect Sony to offer this capability as a BRAVIA add-on in 2010? No comment. Can we expect to see 3D Cameras (point and shoot or DSLR) from Sony in 2010? I can’t answer that. You can see them, but when, I don’t know. Can we expect any new OLED televisions from Sony in 2010? We’re working on all sorts of prototypes, but I don’t see production of product in 2010. There’s a wonderful 3D OLED prototype here at CES; that’s the real way to do 3D and TV – because you’ve got direct transmission, rather than back lighting and all the other reflective ways of doing it. But getting it to be commercially reasonable in price, we’ve got a long way to go. That’s the whole problem in OLED, great technology, great feature set, but it’s really hard to get the costs down. Smaller form-factors are easy to do. Thanks to COO/President Stan Glasgow for sitting down with us and entertaining our questions, and a special thanks to the Sony Corporate Communications team. Related Posts:Pictorial: Scenes From Sony's CES 2010 Press ConferenceSony Insider Interviews Rick Clancy, Part 2Sony To Have Strong Showing At IFA 2009 - Here's What To ExpectSony Insider Interviews Rick Clancy, Part 1CNET Interviews Head of Sony Electronics' U.S Stan Glasgow View the full article

Honestly, one of my absolute favorite products for Sony at CES 2010 was the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10. It’s a powerful device with a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon QSD8250 processor, complete with a 4 inch capacitive touch display, 8.1 megapixel camera with LED flash and 8GB included MicroSD removable storage. However, the thing that truly stands out to me with the phone is display. It’s the type you just can’t stop looking at because it’s so lush and at four inches you can see so much. The who experience is pretty fluid 95% of the time, with occasional jitters here and there. Still, very impressive for an Android 1.6 build. We hope that it has an upgrade path to 2.1 sooner than later. Regardless, there is no doubt in my mind that if you pulled this thing out in public it would get some attention. People were all over it at CES. Here is a little extra review video showing off a little bit of Time Scape, Media Scape, and the dialing interface. We also briefly compare it to the iPhone 3G: " />" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"> I have to reiterate the phone felt very natural in my hand, and even holding it up to my head wasn’t absurd. It’s really not that larger than an iPhone, but somehow has a larger screen and looks just bloody futuristic. I’ve owned an iPhone for quite a long time and I can honestly say this is the first device that makes me want to try something different. Designs like these totally blow away what Apple is doing right now. And Sony Ericsson is not the only person doing that now. I think a lot of the CE manufacturers are going to hurt Apple in 2010 because they are using advanced functionality such we found in the XPERIA X10, as it has Android, such a striking appearance, and embraces open standards (MicroSD, Mini USB, removable battery). Sony Ericsson could potentially ignite a turnaround if they continue to offer devices of this caliber. It’s just simply gorgeous. I have a hard time believing many of you will resist this, if you have the opportunity to get it. Don’t mind the cord/attachment to the back of the phone in the pics, it was part of the booth. Related Posts:Sony Ericsson To Reveal Android XPERIA Phone On November 3rdPhone Arena Shows Off Sony Ericsson's SatioSony Ericsson's Mighty XPERIA X10 Coming In 2010 - Full Specs And PicsSony Ericsson's Twist On Google Android Looks StunningMichael Jackson's Thriller Costume For The "This Is It" Tour View the full article

Sony’s presence at CES 2010 was quite memorable and they demonstrated a wide variety of new strategies for their product lines. Stan and I had a really good time covering some of the products, meeting with old Sony friends and meeting new ones. I cannot express to you enough how well we were treated by Sony, and I hope that through this pictorial and video you will feel like you were right there with us. I do want to express that these pictures and the video do not do the entire booth justice, as it was simply massive and had many more products than what you see here. Nonetheless, I still think you’ll enjoy some of the extra pictures that we couldn’t really fit in with any other entries. And don’t worry, we still have a lot more to post. Here’s a video showing off Sony’s booth a little more: " />" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"> I thought it was really neat how Sony had these looming displays of their latest 2010 Television line overlooking the entire booth. Sony also had an interactive EyePet display, where one could sit down with a Playstation rep and learn about the augmented reality experience. The game should be coming to the USA very soon, which is long overdue as it has been available elsewhere (such as the UK, Asia Pacific) for a little while now. Here’s the Alpha area, where two specialists helped visitors with their queries. They didn’t have the A450 on display and said that it would most likely never come to the USA. A general area nearby - I couldn’t resist.. Sony also had some props from District 9 in a glass case, such as this enormous gun and one of the alien hands and canister that started the whole mess in the colony. Here is the NX series BRAVIA that sat in front of a couch – they had three separate couches with configurations like this in front of them. Sometimes you could catch people sleeping on the couch at various times, or simply taking a break from the stresses of a convention. Here is the inside of a Ford Taurus SHO that had special Sony custom lettering and one of their latest head units. This is the exploded view of a DSC-HX5V – I love it when Sony Japan puts something like this together for conventions. I’d love watch the whole process sometime. This is the exploded view of the latest Wide Angle G Lens found in many 2010 Sony Camcorders. This is a luggage tag being made for myself by a machine they had near some VAIO’s. It was pretty random, but attracted attention and was thoughtful. On the other side it mentioned VAIO, CES 2010 and Sony. I just love everything about Hot Shots and had to take this picture, plus, the PSP Go won an Innovations award (amongst many other Sony products as well). Stan had no problem working the desk. One of the most amusing pictures I’ve ever taken. An outtake from the video above – there were many outtakes. Sony’s Social Media Evangelist Sukhjit Ghag and I right before I left the show floor for good. Related Posts:Pictorial: Scenes From Sony's CES 2010 Press ConferenceMichael Jackson's Thriller Costume For The "This Is It" TourThe Final Version of Sony's Active Shutter 3D GlassesHands-on With BD Remote - The Sony iPhone/iPod Touch Remote AppVideo: Taylor Swift Performs "Love Story" At Sony's CES 2010 Press Conference View the full article

Sony showed off a pretty interesting shelf system during CES 2010 called the WHG-SLK1. It’s a slim and stylish shelf system with a 9″ LCD that has touch sensor buttons to the right side of the screen. I was surprised to read that it has 100W of audio power in the speakers, as the device isn’t that large. Some of the main features include the ability to play video content from DVD’s, a USB source, Memory Sticks and SD cards. It also can charge, play or control content from an iPod or iPhone. I also noticed a cool calendar and clock feature that really could make this a cool item for the living room, a guest room, or even the kitchen. The possibilities are really endless. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get more information on a release date or price, but I imagine it will be around $200. Related Posts:Sony Adds Another iPhone/iPod Dock, This Time With A Subwoofer and USBSony Silently Releases Muteki/MHC-GZR33i Shelf Stereo With 7 Inch LCD, DVD Playback, iPod DockHands-on With BD Remote - The Sony iPhone/iPod Touch Remote AppSony's ICF-CD3iP iPod/iPhone Dock, CD, and Alarm ClockSony's ICF-CL75iP Multi-function Clock Radio for iPod + iPhone Now Available For Pre-Order View the full article

One of the most overlooked announcements by Sony at CES 2010 was the new iPhone/iPod Touch application called “BD Remote” that will be compatible with all 2010 Sony Networked Blu-ray Players. Sony mixed things up by making their Blu-ray remotes Bluetooth, and Sony will also offer an additional Wi-Fi Blu-ray remote control application for iPhone and iPod Touch devices on the App Store. It should be available very soon – Sony wants the app to be available before the Blu-ray players so people who stumble upon it will be enticed to learn more. We’re very excited that Sony is going in this direction by offering consumers multiple choices for controlling their Blu-ray players. However, it seems that most of their 2010 Blu-ray players will not have a IR sensor for older multifunction remotes, which could be a big bummer for some home theater enthusiasts. I inquired about the application receiving updates, and they said if the feedback was good enough that they would follow that path. Let’s take a look at the interface: Upon opening the application you’ll see Simple Remote, a new simplistic remote interface concept by Sony that allows you to quickly and easily move around in the menus and select options accordingly. Response was perfect. As you can see there are also dedicated options to Return, access the Options, or go Home. We were really impressed with this section of the application. The Full Remote interface is just as advanced and feature-rich as the dedicated remotes that come with their 2010 Blu-ray players. As you can see in this one section, we have all of the normal video control options in one easy to use interface. Another section of the Full Remote interface is multi-colored buttons, Eject, Subtitle, Favorites, and Audio options. In this part of Full Remote, we can also see a more simple layout that is essentially the same as the Simple Remote tab – back, forward, up, down, select, Top Menu, Pop/Up Menu, Return, Home and Options. Another great feature within the BD Remote application is the ability to see Disc Info, where it will pull up a great deal of information about the content you are watching, all figured out by Gracenote. The amount of information within somewhat reminds me of IMDB. Here’s what you’ll see first (If you were watching Surf’s Up Blu-ray, for example): It also has a listing of the cast in the movie you are watching, and you can also learn more about each additional actor: The settings are fairly basic, but we did notice that you can control multiple devices with this application: There is also the whole registration process, which is extremely easy: Related Posts:Sony's First Dedicated Blu-ray 3D Player - BDP-S770Sony Updates Blu-ray Players With Monolithic DesignSony's Unannounced iPod/iPhone, DVD, USB, SD/MS Card Video Shelf System WHG-SLK1Pictures Of The Final Version of Sony's Active Shutter 3D GlassesPictorial: Scenes From Sony's CES 2010 Press Conference View the full article

CES 2010 is nearly over but lucky for you I’m just starting to post some of the amazing content captured during our time at the show. CES was far different this year for Sony Insider than last year, as the site has matured dramatically since then and the level of respect and treatment we receive from Sony reflects that. We were allowed to use a 24.6 megapixel Alpha A900 DSLR and other tools to ensure that Sony Insider’s content stays at the high level in which you’ve become accustomed to. Sony’s CES 2010 press conference was quite impressive this year, and here are some pictures I took that I think you’ll enjoy. I wanted to make sure that you, the fan, could feel like they were right there with me. Before you get to sit down at the press conference though, you usually check in with the Press Relations desk first. As we can see, Sony’s Social Media Evangelist Sukhjit Ghag and crew were busy making sure that the press were taken care of and that there was substantial updates on the various Sony social media pages for the online fans. The anticipation was building amongst the crowd. Things were similar to the setup they have had in years past, and basically they slide the door open right before things start and you try to take any open seats within. Somehow, fortunately, there was one special seat wide open just for me right in front of the main stage. I looked over to my left and saw most of the Sony Corporation Executives (not USA, the overall Sony), and Chairman/CEO of Sony Pictures Michael Lynton. It was pretty amazing to be sitting amongst these people who run various aspects of Sony. Sir Howard Stringer came out to kick things off.. ..and it wasn’t long until Taylor Swift came out and played to the press and to the fans watching online. After Taylor’s performance, COO/President of Sony Electronics USA Stan Glasgow came out and whisked everyone through the various products that Sony was debuting at CES. Stan is an excellent public speaker. I remember that when the Dash was revealed that many people seemed surprised. Sony really hasn’t done anything like this before, but my appetite rests on a VAIO tablet. Sir Howard Stringer would come back into the presentation at various points, and somehow I captured this unique angle of him while he was speaking. I promise you it was not a prolonged pose on his part by any means. Professional Photographer Nigel Barker also came out on stage to demonstrate Transfer Jet with COO/President Stan Glasgow. I liked Sony’s VAIO line-up announced at CES for the most part. The W Series Eco is a truly revolutionary “green” offering, hopefully it will start a trend amongst other manufacturers. I also am so thankful Sony put a Core i7 processor in one of their PC’s, as they did with the F Series. To the right of the stage there was also a nice 2010 Sony BRAVIA setup. Glitter was strewn about all over the floor from Taylor Swift’s performance. Unfortunately, the glitter reflected heavily on the mainand also made lighting rather odd on the speaker’s faces at times. I really enjoyed COO/President Stan Glasgow’s face on this picture when he announced Sony’s most advanced TV’s to date. Sir Howard Stringer always has such a warm, friendly demeanor that really invites you to listen, plus he simply knows how to have fun – he reminds me of Akio Morita at times. It was interesting to observe the photographers on the floor - Here is the moment right after the press conference, one of my favorite things in the world for some reason. Related Posts:Watch Sony's CES 2010 Press Conference LiveVideo: Taylor Swift Performs "Love Story" At Sony's CES 2010 Press ConferenceSony Fits Transfer Jet, 1080/60i HD Video Recording Into Ultra-Slim DSC-TX7 Point & ShootNEW Sony VAIO Notebooks Emerge at CES 2010Sony To Have Strong Showing At IFA 2009 - Here's What To Expect View the full article

We shot exclusive video footage during CES 2010 of a new Sony service called Qriocity, starting in February, and it is the basically the beginning of the Sony Online Service. Sony is going to bring streaming SD and HD to the consumer, but we’re not sure on pricing and I’m starting to believe there might be a subscription model. It’s significance is so strong that it will be added as a main icon on the XMB and as a button on many 2010 Sony remote controls that belong to networked TV’s and Blu-ray players. You can see it in the picture of the BRAVIA LX900’s remote above in the middle right. You can see the movie titles when you enter the store through a great looking interface with rich album art. At the main menu is the option to go to Media Library, Choose Account, Search, New Releases, Genre, and Most Popular. You can log in with your PSN account, and have multiple accounts for parents and children. There will be the ability for master accounts to control sub accounts so your children dont access the content you don’t want them to. Upon debut, Qriocity will have “hundreds” of HD and SD movies initially available, with titles from 20th Century Fox, Paramount, Walt Disney Pictures, Lionsgate, Warner Brothers, Universal, MGM, and of course Sony Pictures. I was able to watch the HD version of The Taking Of Pelham 1 2 3 for an extended version of time and felt that it was similiar to 720p/1080i quality with the 6mbps connection they had, and was certainly no Blu-ray. However, I liked how the software judges your Internet connection and plays a bandwidth optimized version. With higher bandwidth connections (very easy in many markets), it could be that kind of solid 720p/1080i that leaves you satisfied, however – especially for a streaming situation. The whole scene looks so much better than the Comcast On Demand I have at home. It was better than anything I’ve seen on a computer too, including Hulu. I noticed some artifacts on certain darker shades of colors, but I think that was because of the connection. A minor detail in comparison to the overall quality, however. ">" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"> I would say this is a big power play for Sony and allows them to cater an On Demand experience to nearly everyone with the latest 2010 Sony networked home entertainment devices such as the LX900, BDP-S370 and so forth. I’m pretty sure that Qriocity will also be coming to VAIO PC’s, and Windows users overall in 2010 and perhaps eventually the PS3. Related Posts:The Evolution Of The Playstation Network - Sony Network Entertainment, Inc.Sony At CEDIA 2009 Round UpThe Hottest Sony Playstation 3 Games Of E3 2009Michael Jackson's Thriller Costume For The "This Is It" TourVideo: Twitter And Netflix On Sony Bravia Internet Widgets View the full article

Sony CEO, EVP, and President of Networked Products & Services Group Kazou Hirai spoke to during Sony’s CES 2010 press conference about the current state of the video content available on the Playstation Network, and how similiar services will be integrated into nearly all Sony network devices in the future. This sounds very much like the promises we heard from Sony during their late 2009 Investor/Analyst meeting, where they outlined the “Sony Online Service.” If you don’t remember, the Sony Online Service will be a personal and premium digital ecosystem – the vast majority of Sony?s entertainment offerings, including music, movies, games, and books. They are also going to offer applications. Sony will also embrace many 3rd party content providers to bolster their initial offering ? something they have proven themselves capable of with their current partners in the Playstation Store and streaming partners in their latest networked Blu-ray products. Sony plans to bring this premium service to BRAVIA TV’s, VAIO Laptops and Blu-ray players. They will leverage the existing Playstation Network interface and deliver a more advanced infrastructure, one that can cater across all product lines. Fortunately, those of you with existing Playstation Network ID’s will be able to log in with the same username and password, and those of you who sign up to this new service will be able to log into the Playstation Network. Hundreds of movies from all major studios will be able be streamed in standard and high definition, with support from such studios as 20th Century Fox, Paramount, Walt Disney Pictures, Lionsgate, Warner Brothers, Universal, MGM, and of course Sony Pictures. Kaz mentioned this will start next month for VAIOs, Blu-ray players and networked BRAVIAs – as well as any Windows PC. This venture inspired a new company called Sony Network Entertainment, Inc., with Tim Schaaf as President who will report to Kaz. ">" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"> Kaz has also mentioned that more European countries will have access to the Playstation Store’s multimedia content by the end of 2010. More than 780 million pieces of content have been downloaded so far, and monthly downloads exceed 25 petabytes, which is equivalent to about 5 million single layer DVD’s. Related Posts:The Hottest Sony Playstation 3 Games Of E3 2009PS3's New Ad Campaign - "It Does Everything"Sony At CEDIA 2009 Round UpThe Sony Online Service Is Not An iTunes Competitor - It Aspires To Be Far BiggerHow To Properly And Improperly Demonstrate The Sony VAIO L Touchscreen PC View the full article

Sony CEO, EVP, and President of Networked Products & Services Group Kazou Hirai spoke to during Sony’s CES 2010 press conference about the current state of the video content available on the Playstation Network, and how similiar services will be integrated into nearly all Sony network devices in the future. This sounds very much like the promises we heard from Sony during their late 2009 Investor/Analyst meeting, where they outlined the “Sony Online Service.” If you don’t remember, the Sony Online Service will be a personal and premium digital ecosystem – the vast majority of Sony’s entertainment offerings, including music, movies, games, and books. They are also going to offer applications. Sony will also embrace many 3rd party content providers to bolster their initial offering – something they have proven themselves capable of with their current partners in the Playstation Store and streaming partners in their latest networked Blu-ray products. Sony plans to bring this premium service to BRAVIA TV’s, VAIO Laptops and Blu-ray players. They will leverage the existing Playstation Network interface and deliver a more advanced infrastructure, one that can cater across all product lines. Fortunately, those of you with existing Playstation Network ID’s will be able to log in with the same username and password, and those of you who sign up to this new service will be able to log into the Playstation Network. Hundreds of movies from all major studios will be able be streamed in standard and high definition, with support from such studios as 20th Century Fox, Paramount, Walt Disney Pictures, Lionsgate, Warner Brothers, Universal, MGM, and of course Sony Pictures. Kaz mentioned this will start next month for VAIOs, Blu-ray players and networked BRAVIAs – as well as any Windows PC. This venture inspired a new company called Sony Network Entertainment, Inc., with Tim Schaaf as President who will report to Kaz. ">" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"> Kaz has also mentioned that more European countries will have access to the Playstation Store’s multimedia content by the end of 2010. More than 780 million pieces of content have been downloaded so far, and monthly downloads exceed 25 petabytes, which is equivalent to about 5 million single layer DVD’s. Related Posts:The Hottest Sony Playstation 3 Games Of E3 2009PS3's New Ad Campaign - "It Does Everything"Sony At CEDIA 2009 Round UpThe Sony Online Service Is Not An iTunes Competitor - It Aspires To Be Far BiggerHow To Properly And Improperly Demonstrate The Sony VAIO L Touchscreen PC View the full article

For the first time ever, Sony is expanding its line of consumer media with the addition of five new SD/SDHC memory cards for digital imaging products, and three new microSD/microSDHC memory cards for mobile phones. The new SD/SDHC and microSD/microSDHC memory cards, which ? except for the microSD 2GB card – are all class-4-speed for high-definition recording, include unique benefits for consumers. Easy-to-use animated picture sharing software (x-Pict Story) is available via free download and allows consumers to create animated slide shows of their pictures set to the music of their choice. File Rescue software is also free via download, and helps consumers recover accidentally deleted files. Sony also announced that the majority of their Handycam and Cyber-shot cameras would have dual compatibility with MemoryStick Duo and SD. “The new cards will complement Sony?s existing Memory Stick line, satisfying the needs of a broader range of users, and strengthening Sony?s position as a full line media supplier,” said Shane Higby, director of the consumer media business at Sony Electronics. Sony will continue offering a full range of Memory Stick media for consumer and professional products, to support and enhance features such as stable recording or high-definition video, high-speed burst shooting and high-speed data transfer. Memory Stick is the recommended media for Sony products, offering a range of unique benefits. For example, the high-speed ?HX? Series? capabilities are optimized when using the burst shooting mode in Sony?s ? (alpha) DSLR cameras, as well as high-speed archiving of high definition movies shot with Handycam

Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American country pop singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. At one point in 2009, Taylor had 8 songs on the Billboard Top 100 chart along with CMA wins for Album of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Video of the Year, and Entertainer of the Year. Not only did Taylor sell out her 52-city tour in 2009, but her 2010 tour dates sold out within minutes of being onsale. Her multi-platinum album, Fearless, is nominated for Album of the Year at the 2010 Grammy Awards, along with 7 other nominations. Forbes ranked Swift 2009’s 69th-most powerful celebrity, earning $18 million. Taylor’s rise to superstardom might seem at times to have happened in the blink of an eye, but in reality it has taken a decade of hard work. Her family recognized Taylor’s talent and determination at an early age, and they started taking regular trips to Nashville to shop her music around. She began writing with local songwriters, and after a few years, during which the family made the decision to move to nearby Hendersonville, Tenn., a showcase at the Bluebird Cafe caught the eye of music-industry veteran Scott Borchetta, who was planning to launch a new label. What he saw on that stage was a young girl with an innate ability to entertain and a true gift for writing great songs. Taylor Swift surprised onlookers with her unannounced performance of “Love Story” at Sony’s CES 2010 press conference (starts at 1:40). Briefly before that she spoke to Sony’s Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President Sir Howard Stringer about how she will use Sony products in 2010 to share her “beautiful experiences” online and also mentions her upcoming tour. The screen behind her was showing the performance live in 3D, too. I think we both can agree that 3D isn’t necessary to enjoy this, though. ">" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"> Related Posts:Sony At CEDIA 2009 Round UpThe Hottest Sony Playstation 3 Games Of E3 2009Usher Performs 'Here I Stand' Live At Sony's 2009 CES KeynoteHow To Properly And Improperly Demonstrate The Sony VAIO L Touchscreen PCPS3's New Ad Campaign - "It Does Everything" View the full article

Today Sony showed off a few new VAIOs and finally some of the users prayers were answered – a backlit keyboard is featured in certain VAIO models. Let’s start with a power-house VAIO F series. This one is great for HD enthusiasts. The F Series brings PC functionality solidly into the multi-media entertainment and gaming arena.

Well, well, well, what we’ve got here! Just look at this beauty! This is all new Sony Bravia NX. Quiet a stunning design, won’t you agree? Let’s see what we got here. The NX sets come in 2 flavors: NX800 and NX700 models. The heart of the new line is the NX800 model, featuring Edge LED Backlit technology and integrated Wi-Fi capability. Available screen sizes include: 60, 52 and 46 inch models. BRAVIA