Christopher

We have seen a number of game related PlayStation 3 bundles, however this one is different and if you are an MJ fan and have not got your PS3 – this is it, this PS3 bundle is for you and it’s bad. However you may have to travel to the country of the rising sun to get it, no release of this bundle has been confirmed for the US or Europe. We’ll ping our contacts at Sony to learn if it ever makes it here. We also wish the hardware itself had some kind of MJ graphic to distinguish it from all other PS3s, but alas… Read on the official press release below and check out a cool Rolly video too (oh and I almost forgot to say, I want an Avatar PS3 bundle with 3D, not a bad idea Sony?) Sony Computer Entertainment Japan (SCEJ), a division of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. responsible for business operation in Japan, today announced that a ?PlayStation

Three of the world’s leading media, technology and entertainment companies – Discovery Communications, Sony Corporation and IMAX Corporation – today announced a joint venture to be established to develop the first 24/7 dedicated 3D television network in the U.S. The partnership brings together three leaders with an extraordinary collection of award-winning 3D content, technology expertise, television distribution and operational strength to deliver a high-quality three-dimensional viewing experience to home television audiences. “Discovery’s business strategy has always focused on delivering groundbreaking content through new platforms, including the first suite of digital channels launched in 1996 and the first 24/7 basic cable HD channel in 2002,” said Discovery Founder and Chairman John Hendricks. “Now, as Discovery celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2010 as the world leader in satisfying curiosity and bringing audiences the most realistic viewing experience, we continue to change the face of television with the launch of the first-ever 24/7 dedicated 3D television network.” “Sony is the only company with expertise in every part of the 3D value chain,” said Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman, CEO and President, Sony Corporation. “We are delighted to be partnering with Discovery and IMAX, two premier companies also dedicated to leadership in 3D, in this groundbreaking new venture. It is clear to us that consumers will always migrate to a better and richer entertainment experience, and together we are determined to be the leader in providing that around the world.” “By partnering with Sony and IMAX on 3D, Discovery will lead the way in revolutionizing the next-generation home viewing experience in the U.S. and around the world,” said Discovery Communications President and CEO David Zaslav. “Today’s announcement is the next step in fulfilling Discovery’s mission of providing groundbreaking content for our affiliate partners and enlightening viewers with the most immersive and realistic viewing experience available anywhere.” “IMAX has been a pioneer and recognized leader in 3D technology for more than twenty-five years, delivering the premium in-theatre experience to audiences around the world. We’re reaching more and more consumers with the recent expansion of the IMAX

The ultra-slim point and shoot camera category has evolved significantly as Sony announced during CES 2010 that they are bringing the new silver, blue and red DSC-TX7 to the market in February. This stylish $400 ultra slim camera features a 10MP “Exmor R” CMOS sensor, a large 3.5” touchscreen (921K) LCD and 4x optical zoom with wide angle 25mm lens. The added Optical Steady Shot image stabilization system prevents blur from camera shaking. A new attractive feature this year being integrated into this Cyber-shot camera include the ability to record HD video (AVCHD) 1920 x 1080 at 60i and HDMI output capabilities. This makes it very easy to record and share HD video with your friends and family. Sony has also integrated Transfer Jet wireless technology into the camera, which allows you to send (at 560mbps) pictures and movies from your Cyber-shot camera to your Transfer Jet receiver, such as a computer. This allows for people to not worry about taking out the memory card or looking for the USB cord when they want to get the pictures off their camera. Other thoughtful prerequisites found in the TX7 and other Sony cameras include iAuto, which detects up to eight scenes and optimizes camera settings, and Smile Shutter. It will also be compatible with the Party-shot (model IPT-DS1) automatic photographer. Related Posts:Sony Adds DSC-HX5V To Its High Zoom Cyber-shot Digital Camera LineSony Updates Cyber-shot W-Series Compact Point & Shoot Digital Camera LineCyber-Shot T-Series Ranks Well Amongst CompetitorsSony Presents an Automatic Photographer IPT-DS1An 8.1 Megapixel Phone With Xenon Flash? Sony Says Yes! View the full article

Surprising attendees of CES 2010, Sony has dropped a $199 7″ color touchscreen device named “Dash” that is destined for the market in April. We originally spotted the Dash in a FCC filing referencing a HID-C10 model number in mid-December. It has built-in Wi-Fi, and an internal accelerometer which supports vertical flip, allowing for two optional viewing angles: upright, ideal for a table or nightstand; and tilted, perfect for a countertop. It also supports multiple user profiles and channels, allowing several members of the household to create and maintain their own customized view of the Internet. Did we mention free instant access to over 1,500 apps from chumby industries, inc, including popular social networking, news, weather, sports, live traffic feeds, and more? Sony has also integrated access to audio and video content from Sony?s Bravia Internet video platform, including YouTube, Pandora Internet radio, Epicurious, Crackle, Livestrong, Blip.tv, and many others. We’ve learned that the Dash was made in collaboration with Chumby – a highly respected company that has been offering products similar to the Dash for several years now that are completely open source, running on Linux. Chumby-based devices take your favorite parts of the internet and delivers them to you in a friendly, always-on, always-fresh format. It’s is a window into your internet life that lives outside your desktop, so content like weather, news, celebrity gossip, podcasts, music, and more has a place to play away from your world of documents and spreadsheets. Other content includes a NAVTEQ app for easily accessible traffic updates on a customized route, and a Cozi app for simple management and synching of family calendars. Sony Music Entertainment and Sony Pictures Entertainment will also be contributing exclusive dash apps for movie trailers, music videos, custom user themes and more, including an app from Dr. Oz offering daily health and exercise tips. The design is what we would expect for a product such as this from Sony in this kind of price range – black, monolithic design on an overall plastic construction and a gorgeous screen. The Dash also will satisfy most consumers with its USB port, headphone/audio input and built-in stereo speakers for outstanding sound. Sony dash can run multiple sources of content simultaneously, so for example, Internet radio can be enjoyed while browsing through online photo albums. Or, the alarm clock can be set to play selected online videos from music, sports and other news feeds. This is an interesting new direction from Sony, and at a surprisingly low price. It will be interesting to see how well this sells in retail channels, and what impact it could have in flood of tablet devices arriving in 2010. Related Posts:Sony Intros a New Line of In-Dash CD PlayersWhatever Happened To Sony & Chumby's Internet Alarm Clock?Sony Updates Blu-ray Players With Monolithic DesignSony's First Dedicated Blu-ray 3D Player - BDP-S770Vroom: New Budget Xplod Car Audio - CDX-GT630UI, CDX-GT430IP and CDX-GT330 View the full article

Sony has finally responded to the cries of consumers who wanted something different from the company then their usual CCFL or Edge-lit (LED) TV offerings with the introduction of the BRAVIA XBR HX900 series. This BRAVIA line is the first LED backlit BRAVIA since the XBR8, and will be available in 52″ (XBR-52HX900) or 46″ (XBR-52HX900) sizes. It’s also 3D-capable, and if you want to make the leap to 3D you’ll need to purchase the 3D (active shutter) glasses and emitter seperately. Consumers will enjoy silky smooth movement scenes with the integrated Motionflow PRO 240Hz Technology, which assures that no matter what scene that moving images are fluid and have crisp detail. BRAVIA Engine 3 ensures breathtaking picture quality with reduced visual noise, enhanced color and overall image detail. This is one of the first BRAVIA series to feature the Monolithic Design concept, which can be displayed at a six-degree upward slant, producing the most natural viewing experience, especially with lower TV stands. The new sets’ near-invisible bezel, concealed touch sensors, and combination of both glossy and matte finishes allow them to blend into any d

Just when you think you’ve read all the camera announcements from Sony, they debut yet another item – this time in their high zoom Cyber-shot range. The DSC-HX5V is an update to the popular DSC-HX1, and is upgraded slightly with the addition of a 10 megapixel “Exmor R” CMOS sensor, but still has the same 3” LCD and a slightly lesser 10x wide angle 25mm zoom lens (compared to last year’s 20x, 28mm). Like the HX1 of yesteryear, it also has the ability to record AVCHD, but this time in a higher quality 1920 x 1080 at 60i (full HD). Other useful specifications for image taking include Active/Optical Steady Shot, Intelligent Sweep Panorama (which allows you to take panoramic pictures in mere seconds), Backlight Correction HDR (High Dynamic Range), incredible low-light performance, and the ability to take 10 MP resolution images at up to 10 fps, helping to ensure you never miss the precise moment you’re intending to capture. A new feature this year is the addition of GPS and Compass capabilities, which adds location and direction information on photo files. Sony has also integrated Transfer Jet wireless technology into the camera, which allows you to send (at 560mbps) pictures and movies from your Cyber-shot camera to your Transfer Jet receiver, such as a computer. This allows for people to not worry about taking out the memory card or looking for the USB cord when they want to get the pictures off their camera. Some notable software additions include iAuto, which detects eight scenes and optimizes camera settings accordingly. Another nice surprise is the price – it will only cost about $350 and should be available in black this March. That’s not a bad deal considering the DSC-HX1 was nearly $500 when it debuted and has less features than this update. 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 LineSony Refreshes HDD Handycam Family Of HD Camcorders With 24Mbps AVCHDCyber-Shot T-Series Ranks Well Amongst CompetitorsSony's DSC-HX1 Incredible Sweep Panorama Sample Pictures View the full article

Sony announced during CES 2010 a refresh to their Flash Memory Handycam line of camcorders – similar to the HDR-CX models of 2009. The new models (HDR-CX550V, HDR-CX350V, HDR-CX300, HDR-CX150, and HDR-CX110) have some great additions inside and out compared to last year and range from $500 to $1300. All of these camcorders will be available in February and are compatible with PC and Mac. We’re really excited about these new models because it is the first time Sony has included the ability to HD video at 24Mbps, which other manufacturers have had in their AVCHD-based camcorders for a while. For those of you tired of limited options in the past, I’m also pleased to inform you that Sony put Memory Stick PRO Duo, Secure Digital (SD), and SDHC storage card slots on each model. We’re also seeing mention of the ability to down-convert from AVCHD to MPEG2, and are seeking clarification on this feature and if its built-in to the device or something external. The Sony HDR-CX550V High-Definition flash memory Handycam Camcorder will be the flagship model at $1300, and features full 1920×1080 high-definition video recording at up to 24Mbps and 12-megapixel still image capture. Sony has also included the 64GB embedded flash memory again this year, which is enormous and probably more than sufficient for most consumers. Within, you’ll have confidence in every shot as the lens is a masterful “Exmor-R” CMOS sensor with accelerated auto focus and is also a Wide Angle G-lens for a 2x larger shooting area. And speaking of shooting area, you will never miss a detail on the extremely large 3.5” touchscreen Xtra Fine TruBlack LCD (921K) with a newer, improved interface. Like other Handycams this year, the CX550V has Optical Steady Shot with Active Mode, from wide to telephoto end. The high-speed BIONZ imaging processor enables some new advanced features such as Golf Shot (renders two seconds of motion into sequence of up to 22 still images) and iAuto (11 optimized settings depending on the scene). Incredible face detection, Smile Shutter, and Face Touch recognizes up to eight faces to auto correct and prioritize a subject with one touch, while also taking photos. To ensure you remember where you took your video, the CX550V has a built-in GPS receiver with integrated Navteq maps technology that automatically geo-tags content for you. Aside from the mini HDMI port, USB, and excellent storage card compatibility the XR550V has mic and headphone inputs as well as an assignable dial for manual control (Iris/Shutter/Exposure/WB/Focus). For nearly four hundred dollars less, the HDR-CX350V High-Definition flash memory Handycam Camcorder is a good alternative that still packs solid features in comparison to the CX550V. It has full 1920×1080 high-definition video recording at up to 24Mbps and 7-megapixel still image capture. Sony has also included 32GB of embedded flash memory in this model, which is about 32GB less than the CX550V but I find it hard to believe that this will be considered a limitation by most people – its a lot of hard drive space. Within, you’ll have confidence in every shot as the lens is a masterful “Exmor-R” CMOS sensor with accelerated auto focus that also is a Wide Angle G-lens for a 2x larger shooting area. A powerful 12X optical zoom and higher digital zoom allow you to crop that perfect frame, or simply peer far off into the distance. And speaking of shooting area, it will be hard to miss a detail on the nice touchscreen 2.7” Clear Photo LCD Plus screen (230K) with a newer, improved interface. Like other Handycams this year, the CX350V has Optical Steady Shot with Active Mode, from wide to telephoto end. The high-speed BIONZ imaging processor enables some new advanced features such as Golf Shot (renders two seconds of motion into sequence of up to 22 still images) and iAuto (11 optimized settings depending on the scene). Incredible face detection, Smile Shutter, and Face Touch recognizes up to eight faces to auto correct and prioritize a subject with one touch, while also taking photos. It however does not have the GPS option like the CX550V. The $800 sibling to the CX350V is the Sony HDR-CX300 HD Flash Memory Handycam Camcorder, which differs by having only 16GB of included storage, but is virtually the same in all other aspects. Sony is also introducing a $550 HDR-CX150 High-Definition flash memory Handycam Camcorder that does an impressive full 1920×1080 high-definition video recording at up to 24Mbps, but is far lower than the other models with only the ability to do 3-megapixel still image capture. Unusually enough, Sony was coy to style this model a little as it also is available in two colors: black and red. Sony has also included 16GB embedded flash memory in this model and a 2.7-inch Clear Photo LCD Plus screen (230K). The high quality “Exmor-R” CMOS sensor with accelerated auto focus and Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 25X optical zoom lens will make this camcorder a strong contender in its price range. Like other Handycams this year, the CX150V has Optical Steady Shot with Active Mode, from wide to telephoto end. The high-speed BIONZ imaging processor enables some new advanced features such as Golf Shot (renders two seconds of motion into sequence of up to 22 still images) and iAuto (11 optimized settings depending on the scene). Incredible face detection, Smile Shutter, and Face Touch recognizes up to eight faces to auto correct and prioritize a subject with one touch, while also taking photos. It however does not have the GPS option like the CX550V. As if this list of new CX series camcorders wasn’t exhaustive enough, Sony also mentioned a $500 HDR-CX110 that costs $500. The key difference between it and the HDR-CX150 is that it has no embedded flash memory so you will need to purchase a memory card with this device. It is the same specifications wise in every other aspect, except for the fact that it comes in black, red, and blue. Nifty. Related Posts:Sony Refreshes HDD Handycam Family Of HD Camcorders With 24Mbps AVCHDNew Sony Camcorders Are Out: HDR-CX500V and HDR-CX550VSony Re-Embraces Social Media Aficionados With Bloggie Camera/CamcorderNew HDR-CX12 Memory Stick Handycam With Smile-Shutter TechnologySony Updates Cyber-shot W-Series Compact Point & Shoot Digital Camera Line View the full article

Aside from the introduction of a Blu-ray 3D player, Sony also is refreshing their regular Blu-ray player line with the introduction of the BDP-S570 (pictured above) and BDP-S370. Available this spring, both Blu-ray players feature full HD 1080p and can play Blu-ray disc, DVD, SA-CD, and CD’s. Both models have also been graced with Sony’s Monolithic Design concept, which is predominately black and the front face of the unit with a 6 degree slant will match several BRAVIA TV’s released this year quite nicely. I think these are the most attractive Sony Blu-ray players to date as I’m keen on concealed touch sensors, and the combination of both glossy and matte finishes that will make it easy to blend this into any decor. Both devices have access to Bravia Internet Video, which means this Blu-ray player gives you access to content from Netflix, Amazon Video On Demand, YouTube, Slacker Internet Radio, Pandora, NPR, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Music Entertainment, and more than 25 total content providers. We noticed an exciting new feature this year – the remote is bluetooth, and Sony will offer a free Blu-ray remote control application for iPhone and iPod Touch devices on the App Store. Sweet! We believe it does have an IR port for those of you who have existing remotes, however. DVD owners will enjoy a higher quality experience to 1080p with Precision Cinema HD Upscaling. You’ll have the best possible sound from any disc with integrated Dolby TrueHD and dts-HD Master Audio decoding, too. We also see mention of a Entertainment Database Browser with Gracenote technology and Photo/Music/Video Playback via USB and DLNA. There are several differences between the S570 and S370 (pictured above), which largely revolves around the fact that the S570 has built-in Wi-Fi and the S370 is Wi-Fi ready, meaning you will need to purchase a USB wireless LAN adapter separately. The S570 also has the thoughtful IP Content Noise Reduction feature, which ensures your streaming online video will appear in the best quality possible. Related Posts:Sony's First Dedicated Blu-ray 3D Player - BDP-S770Meet The BRAVIA XBR HX Series - Sony's New LED Backlit LCD HDTVSony's Total Package HD 3D TV Experience Coming Summer 2010 With The BRAVIA XBR LX SeriesSay Hello To Sony Bravia NX SeriesSony Delivers New BDP-N460 Blu-ray Player With Various Streaming Options To Satisfy Critics View the full article

It wasn’t much of a surprise to several of the press at CES 2010 that Sony also announced a Blu-ray 3D player, the BDP-S770, to compliment the large number of incoming 3D compatible BRAVIA TV’s. It is of course compatible with regular Blu-ray discs, as well as DVD’s, SA-CD’s, and regular CDs. Sony finally evolved past the akward ethernet-only Blu-ray players it offered in the past with the addition of built in Wi-Fi, making it easy to connect to your wireless network at home. Another new feature is the addition of a Bluetooth remote, and also the ability to control the S770 with a free iPhone/iPod touch remote control application. How awesome! However, we hope it has an IR reciever to ensure compatibility with standard multi-function remote controls. As you can see, Sony has also made this different than any other Blu-ray player its released in the past with its Monolithic Design styling. With access to Bravia Internet Video, this Blu-ray player gives you access to content from Netflix, Amazon Video On Demand, YouTube, Slacker Internet Radio, Pandora, NPR, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Music Entertainment, and more than 25 total content providers. Sony has also integrated IP Content Noise Reduction into the S770, which ensures that you are looking at the best quality image from whatever source your streaming. DVD owners will enjoy a higher quality experience to 1080p with Precision Cinema HD Upscaling. You’ll have the best possible sound from any disc with integrated Dolby TrueHD and dts-HD Master Audio decoding, too. We feel the S770 will compliment the horde of 3D TV’s coming out quite nicely, and offers several other interesting features to differentiate it from the competition. Related Posts:Sony Updates Blu-ray Players With Monolithic DesignSony Delivers New BDP-N460 Blu-ray Player With Various Streaming Options To Satisfy CriticsSony Europe Introduces NAS-Z200iR Wireless Audio System With USB, iPod CompatibilitySony's Total Package HD 3D TV Experience Coming Summer 2010 With The BRAVIA XBR LX SeriesSony's Entrance to the Home Wi-Fi Audio Realm - CPF-IX001 View the full article

Last year’s Webbie line of camera/camcorder hybrid devices has been reborn as the “Bloggie,” which are new devices and change in focus for Sony in the low-budget, yet above average quality personal imaging device category. This is a product aimed towards people who want to not form over a ton of money, but have a fun, high quality option to enrich the whole “share my life” process people do on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media avenues. The new MHS-PM5 ($170) and MHS-CM5 ($200) include many of the same features and shooting options found in more expensive cameras — such as an integrated CMOS sensor and image stabilization, but is easy to use with the ability to easily upload content to popular video sharing websites. Both devices have the capability to capture 1920

Sony Europe has stated that the latest A-Series Walkman, the NWZ-A845, will be coming to the continent in February. The new A845 is part of a larger NW-A840 series, which initially had a Japan-only debut in late 2009 and has been available there in black and brown and up to 64GB. Unfortunately, it seems that Sony Europe is going to offer only the 16GB model in black, which is odd because I thought they would surely hit the market with a large capacity player – at least 32GB. UPDATE: It appears that the Asia Pacific region is going to get the 16GB and 32GB Sony A840 series Walkman in February as well. We have some doubt that the A-Series will show up at CES 2010, but then again the S745 is selling unannounced by Sony Canada so anything is possible. The reason why I say this is according to one of my contacts, Sony had this set for a CES reveal but I think that the American MP3 player market is too volatile and Sony may not have wanted to make the gamble. This is why we might be seeing region-specific launches. The latest A-Series Walkman is absent from some more recent Sony CES documents I’ve witnessed. So my contact and I are literally betting a beer as to if it is going to launch at CES or not. If you have forgotten, this simply is the most brilliant Walkman offering from Sony to date – it has all of the features people have been asking for in previous Walkmans while shedding what it needed to. In my opinion, this is the most stylish appearance I’ve seen in a personal media player – and it has a jaw-dropping 2.8 inch WQVGA OLED screen. This is also the thinnest Walkman ever created at only 7.2mm. Sony has also finally come to the table with a better assortment of capacities – with the NW-A845 (16GB, Y24,000), NW-A846 (32GB, Y30,000), and NW-A847 (64GB, Y40,000) all due on October 31st. What’s also new for the first time is a TV-out function, that can output at 720

Sony announced during CES 2010 a refresh to their HDD Handycam line of camcorders – similar to the HDR-XR models of 2009. The new models (HDR-XR550V, HDR-XR350V and HDR-XR150) have some great additions inside and out compared to last year and range from $700 to $1400. All of these camcorders will be available in February and are compatible with PC and Mac. We’re really excited about these new models because it is the first time Sony has included the ability to HD video at 24Mbps, which other manufacturers have had in their AVCHD-based camcorders for a while. For those of you tired of limited options in the past, I’m also pleased to inform you that Sony put Memory Stick PRO Duo, Secure Digital (SD), and SDHC storage card slots on each model. We’re also seeing mention of the ability to down-convert from AVCHD to MPEG2, and are seeking clarification on this feature and if its built-in to the device or something external. The Sony HDR-XR550V High-Definition HDD Handycam Camcorder will be the flagship model at $1400, and features full 1920×1080 high-definition video recording at up to 24Mbps and 12-megapixel still image capture. Sony has also included the 240GB hard drive again this year, which is enormous and probably more than sufficient for most consumers. Within, you’ll have confidence in every shot as the lens is a masterful “Exmor-R” CMOS sensor with accelerated auto focus and is also a Wide Angle G-lens for a 2x larger shooting area. And speaking of shooting area, you will never miss a detail on the extremely large 3.5” touchscreen Xtra Fine TruBlack LCD (921K) with a newer, improved interface. Like other Handycams this year, the XR550V has Optical Steady Shot with Active Mode, from wide to telephoto end. The high-speed BIONZ imaging processor enables some new advanced features such as Golf Shot (renders two seconds of motion into sequence of up to 22 still images) and iAuto (11 optimized settings depending on the scene). Incredible face detection, Smile Shutter, and Face Touch recognizes up to eight faces to auto correct and prioritize a subject with one touch, while also taking photos. To ensure you remember where you took your video, the XR550V has a built-in GPS receiver with integrated Navteq maps technology that automatically geo-tags content for you. Aside from the mini HDMI port, USB, and excellent storage card compatibility the XR550V has mic and headphone inputs as well as an assignable dial for manual control (Iris/Shutter/Exposure/WB/Focus). For nearly four hundred dollars less, the

The era of 3D has finally come home as Sony announced at CES 2010 that they are releasing four complete Bravia HD 3D TV’s for those of you who want to be the first adopters of the 3D revolution. We consider this the all-in-one package because these XBR LX Series Bravia TV’s will come with two pairs of 3D (active shutter) glasses and a built-in emitter. Just about every screen size is covered, as there will be the XBR-60LX900 60-inch model, 52″ (XBR-52LX900), 46″ (XBR-46LX900), and 40-inch (XBR-40LX900) options.

Sony has announced during CES 2010 a refresh to their popular Cyber-shot W-Series line of compact point and shoot digital cameras. The new models are officially named DSC-W310, DSC-W330, DSC-W350, and DSC-W370. Every model features a large LCD and 14 megapixels, except for the W310 which will have 12. One of my first point and shoot cameras was a W-Series, and its good to see Sony has put some great features in each camera, which should satisfy most amateur photographers. Let’s take a look: The 14 megapixel Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W370 will be available in March for about $230. It has a large 3″ LCD,

For the first time ever, Sony is streaming their CES 2010 press conference in live video on the Internet. This is such a great move by Sony because it allows everyday consumers to tap in to the exciting revelations that the massive trade show usually brings. Sony is set to debut many new products during the show, and with these live feeds you will be right there with us enjoying the debut of these new items. Expect to see Sony all stars Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President Sir Howard Stringer, and Stan Glasgow, President and Chief Operating Officer of Sony Electronics USA amongst others enthusiastically show off their product line for 2010. The press conference will be streamed live by CNET as well as on UStream.TV and can be viewed at the following urls: CNET: http://ces.cnet.com/liveatces USTREAM: http://www.ustream.tv/sonyelectronics Related Posts:Sony's 2009 CES Press Conference In HDRED Alert: Be a Part of Live Sony Press Conference at IFA!View Sony's IFA Press ConferenceAre You Ready For Sony's E3 2009 Presentation? Here's How To Watch.Inside Shots Of Sony's CES Hardware View the full article

Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) is making it easy for players to support a good cause while playing one of their favorite online video games during the Child’s Play Winter Charity Drive. With new limited-time Child’s Play items available in EverQuest (EQ), EverQuest II (EQII) and Free Realms, participants can be charitable and receive fun in-game items in the process. The second annual fundraising effort is scheduled to run until January 17, 2010. Since 2003, over 100,000 gamers worldwide have banded together through Child’s Play, a community based charity grown and nurtured from the game culture and industry. Over 5 million dollars in donations of toys, games, books and cash for sick kids in children’s hospitals across North America and the world have been collected since its inception. This year, the charity has continued expanding across the country and the globe. With almost 70 partner hospitals and more arriving every month, you can be sure to find one near you in the continental USA and several other countries. You can choose to purchase requested items from their online retailer wish lists, or make a cash donation that helps out Child’s Play hospitals everywhere. Any items purchased through Amazon will be shipped directly to your hospital of choice, so please be sure to select their shipping address rather than your own. After last year’s successful campaign, SOE will continue its support of Child’s Play by donating $10 (up to $50,000 total) each time a player buys one of the Child’s Play items from the in-game Marketplace with Station Cash, SOE’s in-game currency. In addition, the EQ and EQII Child’s Play items are “giftable” this year, giving players the opportunity to purchase the EQ Child’s Play Anklebiter Doll or EQII Child’s Play Bouncing Baby Panda Cub for friends, family, and guildmates. “We were thrilled with the contributions our players allowed us to make to the previous Child’s Play campaign and with the addition of Free Realms this year, we are hoping to double our previous $21,000 donation,” said John Smedley, president of Sony Online Entertainment. “The support the video game industry has given Child’s Play over the years is fantastic, and we are humbled to be a part of it.” Child’s Play is a charity that is dedicated to providing children with toys and age-appropriate games at more than 70 hospitals worldwide. SOE’s players will be able to purchase the following items: EQ: Child’s Play Anklebiter Doll (500 Station Cash) EQII: Child’s Play Bouncing Baby Panda Cub (500 Station Cash) Free Realms: Child’s Play Triceratops (500 Station Cash) “With the help of industry initiatives such as this, Child’s Play is already over the million dollar mark and is looking to beat our record total of $1.3 million,” says Robert Khoo, Managing Director of Child’s Play. To participate in the SOE Child’s Play promotion, fund your SOE wallet with Station Cash or purchase Station Cash cards from participating retailers. Related Posts:SOE Hosting Fundraising Drive For Child's Play CharitySOE's Free Realms Has A Million Unique Registered UsersFree Realms Surpasses Two Million Unique Registered UsersEverquest Gamers Can Now Buy Special In-Game ItemsParents See Benefits of Children Playing Video Games View the full article

As we get close to CES 2010 (just a week ahead), I am sure manufactures are dreading if any of their products get leaked and unfortunately this happens every year – certain lil details get its way out of the tight lipped companies. The best place to spot any rumors or leaks are online notebook forums and behold the guys from notebookreview.com were able to discover certain retailers that already posted some info about new and refreshed VAIOs. The only new VAIO as of right now is an unannounced Y series, according to specs sport 1.3GHz Core 2 Duo SU7300

In response to the high demand for HD video conferencing in the Asia Pacific region, Sony announced that it is introducing its latest generation HD visual communication system, the PCS-XG55. Part of the IPELA family from Sony’s current HD PCS series systems lineup, the PCS-XG55 HD incorporates the functions and features of Sony’s existing high-end, PCS-XG80, developing an enhanced video communications platform that is flexible for the education, healthcare, government and corporate environments. According to Frost & Sullivan, Asia Pacific is expected to contribute $1.7 billion to the video conferencing market, which is poised to grow into a $4.7 billion-dollar industry by 2014 worldwide. In India alone, the video conferencing market is growing 23 percent year-on-year due to the growing demand from the government sector, which leans towards more affordable and lower bandwidth-compatible systems. As a result, India is becoming the fourth largest market for video conferencing equipment. “Despite the softening of the market elsewhere, there is great demand in the Asia Pacific region for HD video conferencing,” said Yoshikazu Hirano, General Manager, Business & Professional Products Asia Pacific (BPPA). “Currently, HD deployment in video conferencing has not matured and this presents a lucrative market opportunity for Sony. In response, we are making our PCS-XG55 available in March to provide customers a high-quality HD video conferencing experience.” Although the video conferencing industry is filled with SD endpoints, Sony expects to see a marked improvement in the HD visual communication system in the very near future, with estimated revenues projected to increase by more than four times in 2010 from 2007. To ride the changing trend, Sony’s PCS-XG55 is designed to be both HD and SD compatible. This enables enterprises’ to tailor their business needs with affordable price and lower investment in bandwidth compared to the high-bandwidth requirements for high-end (maximum 1080p) HD visual communication systems. However, the true experience of customers’ equipped with a HD video conferencing system (minimum 720p) will be largely affected by peers, who send poor quality video signals and low-resolution pictures from low-end endpoints. Sony IPELA PCS-XG55 HD visual communication system will be competitively priced and available for shipping in March 2010 in the Asia-Pacific region, and possibly other markets too. Related Posts:Sony Electronics Asia Pacific Confident In Maintaining Market ShareSony Ericsson Expands its Entertainment ServicesAnalyst: "Sony Has The Most To Lose" With Current Gaming SceneBlu-ray Movie Discs Could Outsell DVDs By 2011Sony NWZ-S740 Series Walkman Selling In Asia Pacific View the full article

The Sony Bravia XBR10/ZX5 was a rather interesting play that just couldn’t really gain any traction in the TV market. This unique Bravia was offered at 46″ and 52″ sizes at very high prices, but offered a super thin profile, wireless 1080P capability and a LED edge-lit LCD. The picture quality was great in my observations but I knew the price would turn people off. However, one cannot ignore that this was perhaps a product ahead of its time and a true marvel in Sony engineering. In these photos from Sony Japan, we can see the black and white ZX5 (that’s what they call the XBR10 in Japan) in various poses and settings. Check out all of the high resolution XBR10/ZX5 pictures at our Picasa Gallery – make once you’ve clicked on a picture that you hit the download link within to see the full resolution. View the full article

Sony Ericsson has announced two new phones in its Greenheart line of eco-friendly devices – the Elm and Hazel. Standard features of each phone include a 2+ inch screen, ergonomic key layout, 5.0 megapixel autofocus geo-tagging camera with video recording, and Facebook, myspace and Twitter integration. Sony has also included Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, MicroSD Support, Google search and Google Maps, Wisepilot, turn-by-turn navigation with AGPS and 10 days free weather forecast with Accuweather. A “noise shield,” clear voice and intelligent volume adaptation are also included for voice conversations. There are many more features we found interesting, including video calling, HD Voice compatibility, animated wallpaper support, a rich media player, and full exchange/regular email support. A shame about the Netfront Internet browser in each though, as we generally prefer the Webkit experience. One thing about the screens on each device; the Hazel has a 2.6 inch (16 million color) TFT screen, while the Elm has a 2.2 inch (65k color) TFT screen. Both have talk time of about 10 hours for GSM/GPRS and 3G/UMTS talk time of about 4 hours. Standby for either modes is more than an astonishing 430+ hours. Video calling will drain the battery in about three hours. How are these “green” phones? Well they both happen to share these characteristics: ? Recycled plastics ? E-manual in phone ? Free from hazardous chemicals ? Low power consumption charger (EP300 GreenHeart) ? Walk Mate eco application ? Green calculator ? Minimized packaging The Sony Ericsson Elm phone and the Sony Ericsson Hazel phone support GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 and HSPA 2100/900. The Elm will be available in the colours Metal Black and Pearly Rose from Q1 2010. The Hazel will be available in the colours Superior Black and Passionate Rouge from Q2 2010. View the full article

Late last month we found out that Sony is moving forward to offer a new tier of premium subscriptions for Playstation Network consumers. Kotaku has followed up with this information by detailing a new, credible looking survey outlining the details of this service, and if they are true it would be a huge boost to the Playstation experience. We’re talking about cloud storage for games and game saves, Hulu, music services, and so much more. The pricing would be very comparable to the industry standard at “$20 to $60 a year, or alternatively $6 to $9 a month.” I would pay that for some of these features (courtesy of Engadget): Customer Service Priority Access Priority access to PlayStation’s customer service both online and via phone should you need technical help or have questions about your products. This feature gives you support with little to no waiting. Exclusive Experiences with Sony Brands Get member-only access to attend exclusive Sony events and experiences throughout the year, including those offered by PlayStation, Sony Pictures, and Sony Music. Extended Console Warranty 3 Years Get your PS3 warranty extended to 3 years as part of your overall subscription (requires you to keep your subscription active). The standard warranty on your PS3 is 1 year. Access to Beta Games Get access to Betas of popular games not yet released at retail (Betas offer bigger experiences than typical game demos). You will have the ability to play these games before others do. Early Access to All Store Content Get early access to select free and purchasable game related content on the PlayStation Store before it’s available to everyone else. This includes games, add-ons, themes, avatars, as well as free game demos. Member Demo Sharing of Full Game Share a level of a game that you just purchased for your PS3 with a subscriber who doesn’t own the game. Your friends could do the same. This would be an exclusive demo not available otherwise to those who haven’t purchased the game. Cross-game Voice Chat Access Get exclusive member-only access to cross-game voice chat. This is the ability to use your headset to voice chat with friends on your PS3 regardless of what they are doing on the PS3. Full Title Trial – 1st Hour Is Free Download full versions of select Blu-ray and PSN game titles and have the chance to play the entire game (single or multiplayer) for free for the first hour. After that time you will have the option of purchasing the game to continue playing. Token Wagering Get a fixed number of tokens per month you can wager with other players in competitive online games. These tokens could then be built up and redeemed for free PlayStation Network games and other content. User-to-user Challenges Unlock developer-created challenges while playing games. Compete with your friends to see who can be the first to complete these challenges. The PS3 will automatically offer and track challenges and winners and would post results. An example of a challenge is ‘first to get 10 trophies’ in a particular game. Free Access to PSOne Classics, PSP Minis, and PS3/PSP Themes Get a fixed number of PSOne Classic games, PSP Minis (bite-sized games), and PS3/PSP themes per month to keep for free for as long as you are a subscriber. The PlayStation Store offers these types of content for $2-6 each. Discounts on Store Content Get weekly member-exclusive discounts on specific games, game add-ons and themes on the PlayStation Store. Discounts may range from 20-50% off regular retail prices. Member Only In-game Content Get exclusive member-only in-game content for your PS3 or PSP such as new game play options, unlocked in-game weapons or player slots, exclusive levels, costumes/skins, and PlayStation Home spaces. Trophy Alerts Get automated alerts on your PlayStation XrossMedia Bar, PlayStation.com, and via text message (if you so choose) that alert you when your friends get any trophy or a specific one. This feature is customizable – you can choose which friends to receive alerts from and what kinds of alerts. Cloud Storage Space for Games Store your game saves on a virtual secure saver. This would allow you to access your game saves at any point in time, and from any PlayStation 3 or PSP console you are logged in on. Online Music Service Get a streaming music service that allows you to choose your channel based on music style, artist type, etc. and listen to an unlimited number of tracks. This service would be for use outside of playing a game and similar to Pandora or a Last.fm. Online Music Video Service Get a streaming music video service on your PlayStation 3 that lets you stream music videos from a continuously growing catalog of music and allows you to create a custom playlist to play back. Automatic Downloads and Updates Customize the types of updates you want your PS3 to download automatically. These include game updates (patches) for games that you own, firmware updates, and game demos downloaded on your PS3 without manually having to select them and wait for them to finish downloading. Your PS3 can be set to automatically turn on for updates and turn off after completion. Loyalty Program Rewards Get rewards the longer you are a subscriber and also earn rewards by engaging with PlayStation such as buying games, downloading movies, and rating products. Rewards can include full versions of PlayStation Network games and digital movie rentals from the PlayStation Store. Facebook Connectivity Access to member-exclusive Facebook features on your PlayStation 3, such as viewing and linking your Facebook accounts with their PSN ID’s, updating your status, editing, uploading and sharing photos, and viewing photo albums of your friends on your TV. Catch-up TV Get access to popular TV shows and movies through service providers such as Hulu, simply by clicking an icon on your PS3 XrossMedia navigation bar. Netflix Access Without Disc Access the Netflix video streaming service on your PS3 without the need to insert a special disc into the drive each time to access the service. A separate Netflix subscription would also be needed to enjoy the service. Netflix offers over 17000 popular movies and TV shows for streaming on your laptop or a supported device such as a PS3. View the full article

I’m starting to get the impression that 2010 will be a very strong for the Playstation brand in the home console arena. The reason I state this is because I don’t see Nintendo and Microsoft hitting the market with another console until 2011. Microsoft has an “Ace Card” they showed off at E3 for the XBOX360 called Natal, which many of you have probably seen before. It’s a very exciting prospect from an established giant in tech, and is basically a camera system that can read your movements and allows you to play games with those movements instead of using a controller. The videos were so exciting that many thought they were witnessing the second coming of a great evolution in gaming. What could go wrong? Well, things can go wrong if Natal has lag – with one developer and now one of the largest technology blogs stating so. Gizmodo writes, “Jon Burton, director of Traveller’s Tales (makers of all those LEGO titles), has confirmed that “Lag on the input and lack of physical buttons is really going to restrict the kind of games that can be done [for Project Natal].” Gizmodo also went on to note that Natal was “accurate, but an ever-so-slight delay to the movement caused us to question whether it could be used for hardcore gaming apps.” Both consoles are starting to stagnate a little bit. The Wii has filled its niche very nicely, but hardcore gamers overlook it quickly. With explosive success of Modern Warfare 2 – which made $550 million in its first five days of retail -

Today I went to see Avatar in Digital 3D and simply sat there in awe watching a movie so beautifully done. Frankly I have not been mesmerized by a movie like that before, and Avatar indeed pushed the limits of digital effects. 2010 is going to be 3D rage for your home and if this movie is an example of it, I am jumping on this wagon and buying the technology that brings a totally amazing and unforgettable experience. Sony HD cameras were used to bring the magic of 3D appear so realistic in this new blockbuster movie.

The WSJ is reporting that Sony is implementing RealD’s technology in its desire to bring 3D to the mainstream consumer electronics industry in 2010. So as you read that you probably fret and think its going to be some proprietary system only owned by Sony. Fortunately, their agreement isn’t exclusive so other manufacturers can use RealD when they respond and bring competition to Sony’s 3D TV next year. Sony really surprised a lot of people with its bold words for a big 3D product line – they now have a beautifully designed website dedicated to it called “3D Home.” Don’t worry ladies and gentlemen – the glasses are actually decent looking (at least the ones I have used at trade shows), heavier than the movie theater version and in wraparound style, but I have heard that it won’t be long till designers start making 3D glasses too. Gucci 3D glasses? It’s not as far off as you think. 3D is really a bold gamble by Sony, a company that has been winding a curvy path these last few years, but it could pay off. We have been impressed with RealD’s efforts, and our general short sentence impression is “This is really something that could be incredible for the home.” I must reinforce there is a big difference between it and the plastic glasses most of you have used at the theaters – this is an active shutter system. To read more, check out our various RealD 3D impressions – or our direct, very informative review “Hands On With RealD’s CrystalEyes 4 Active Shutter 3D Glasses, And The Framework For Sony’s 3D Movement.” View the full article

Developed to help users take better photographs, image stabilization technology has become increasingly widespread in recent years. With single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras, image stabilization systems can be installed either within the interchangeable lenses or the camera body itself. Sony’s α series digital SLR cameras are equipped with image stabilization functions built into the camera body — referred to as “SteadyShot INSIDE.” With systems that rely on lens-based image stabilization, stabilization may not be supported for all lenses. A key advantage of Sony’s α series digital SLR cameras is that image stabilization is not dependent on the lens. In other words, camera-body based stabilization ensures stabilization for any lens (from wide-angle to telephoto) including previously purchased α lenses. In digital SLR cameras, image stabilization is based on the sensor-shift method or the lens-shift method (demonstrated in the picture below). α series cameras use the sensor-shift method which stabilizes the image by moving the image sensor inside the camera body. Because the amount of drive required to correct camera shake varies according to the lens, focal-distance data from the lens is required to control the adjustment. With the α series, data is exchanged via the contact points between the body and the lens, enabling the stabilization process to be controlled within the body. Sensor-shift Method: Image stabilization is achieved by shifting the image sensor in the direction required to cancel out camera-shake and eliminate the resulting blurring of the image on the sensor. Lens-shift Method: Image stabilization is achieved by shifting a corrective lens in the direction required to cancel out movement on the optical axis resulting from camera shake. The above image is a block diagram of the image stabilization system. The α series image stabilization system (SteadyShot INSIDE) is controlled by a microcomputer, which repeatedly carries out the digital servo processes (described in 1. through 3. below) at a specific frequency. Angular velocity signals from the shake detector (Gyroscope sensor) are amplified in an analog signal processing circuit and converted into digital signals by the control microcomputer. The resulting angular velocity signal input is then converted into shake angle data through signal processing. Information about the focal length of the interchangeable lens is then used to convert the shake angle into shake distances on the image sensor. Positioning signals from the position detector (a magnet that moves in unison with the image sensor and an opposing hall sensor) are amplified in an analog signal processing circuit and converted into digital signals by the control microcomputer. The amount of image sensor movement required is calculated from the amount of shake and the current position. The system then drives the actuators accordingly. As already stated, α series cameras provide image stabilization by moving the image sensor inside the camera body. Because stabilization performance becomes compromised if there is any motion within the image surface or along the optical axis during the stabilization process, Sony decided to use ultrasonic linear actuators to drive the stabilization system. These ensure that image sensor motion is smooth. An ultrasonic linear actuator consists of a piezoelectric element (which expands or contracts in response to voltage changes), a shift that fixes the actuator to the piezoelectric element, and a slider through which the image sensor is attached. Because the slider is linked to the telescopic shaft by friction, the movement can be driven without shaking. The piezoelectric element controls the sliding movement of the slider by applying appropriate velocity variations as the slider moves back and forth. In this way, the back and forth motion of the actuator is converted into linear motion by the slider. The photo shows the actuators actually used in the α700 with an APS-C size image sensor and the α900 with a 35mm full-frame image sensor. The actuator used to drive the full-sized image sensor in the α900 is capable of moving about 1.5 times more mass than the actuator in the APS-C. By developing this new device, Sony was able to create the world’s first 35mm full-frame digital camera with an image stabilization system built into the body. The image stabilization unit contains two actuators to correct camera-shake in two directions: pitch and yaw. Figure 3 shows the structure of the image stabilization mechanism for a full-sized image sensor. The image stabilization unit is comprised of various parts (as shown in Figure. 3). The base plate attaches to the camera body and to this base plate the yaw actuator is attached. The actuator is sandwiched between the slider and the cap. A single slider is used for both the yaw and pitch sides. The pitch actuator is incorporated into the image sensor holder and is fully integrated with the slider. This allows it to move freely relative to the camera. When the image stabilizer is activated, data output from the two hall sensors on the base plate is used to detect the position of the image sensor. Camera-shake detected by the angular velocity sensor is then cancelled out by controlling the direction of motion. In this basic drive structure, the small size of the drive unit relative to the image sensor supports extremely precise motion without shaking. Users want digital SLRs that are both highly compact and energy efficient. Sony aims to meet these needs by further enhancing its SteadyShot INSIDE image sensor shift image stabilization system. Key areas requiring improvement include reducing the power consumption of actuators and devices, the scaling down in size of mechanical components, and improving the image sensors. Sony has expertise in all of these areas, including mechanical components, control devices and image sensors and will continue to use its advanced knowledge to create exciting new digital SLRs. View the full article