Christopher

Seaside is an unincorporated master-planned community on the Florida panhandle in Walton County, roughly midway between Destin and Panama City. It was founded by builder/developer Robert Davis in 1979 on land that he had inherited from his grandfather. The town plan was designed by architects/new urbanists Andr

Sony is about to change the public’s perception of 3D implementation in consumer products forever with the introduction of a prototype 360

Sony is about to change the public’s perception of 3D implementation in consumer products forever with the introduction of a prototype 360

So, I am pretty psyched about the new upcoming VAIO X series and like many of you guys who are in the market for a new toy, I am always interested to learn and know more about it before I get my hands on it. So I like to check out online forums, Google around and read the manual beforehand when it becomes available. It is just something about when you get a new toy, you wanna know all about it! I guess it sort of fuels your interest even more and of course helps one cope since the physical presence of whatever it is you want is not available. I am sure some readers are digging me here. I am sure pretty soon we will see a Sony Design website featuring a story told by the team who stood behind the VAIO X series development. Meantime, I came across a number of HD YouTube videos that already popped up (Big Thanks to Sony Europe for posting those), telling us a story about this super thin notebook. Personally, I cannot wait to compare my current VAIO X series X505SP that pretty much beat all notebook form factors and shocked the world with its beautiful carbon fiber body (top and bottom). With a new SSD inside of it, it gave a new life to this 4 year old beauty. So, if you are like me and want to learn more about this new VAIO, coming out at the end of the month, check out these really cool videos and see what designers had to tell about it (English subtitles are provided) : &hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca&border=1" />&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca&border=1" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"> &hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca&border=1" />&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca&border=1" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"> &hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca&border=1" />&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca&border=1" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"> &hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca&border=1" />&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca&border=1" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"> &hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca&border=1" />&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca&border=1" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"> &hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca&border=1" />&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca&border=1" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"> &hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca&border=1" />&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca&border=1" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"> View the full article

To better familiarize our readers, David Migdal is the Vice President of Communications at Sony Electronics Inc, handling all consumer and professional products including HDTV, Digital Imaging, Blu-ray, etc. as well as overseeing the company’s social media efforts. He is a results-oriented corporate communications executive with demonstrated strength in strategic planning and tactical execution, media relations and consensus-building skills. David also provides counsel to senior management and has clear understanding of how communications supports business objectives. SI: Why don’t you tell us how you got started at Sony, and eventually became a VP today? David: I was originally hired to help support the launch of DVD and the roll-out of our first HDTVs. There have been two constants in my career that have helped me advance: Working with a sense of urgency and being flexible. These traits were instilled in me while working in the newspaper business earlier in my career and have certainly helped me in the corporate world. SI: What is the average day like for you, from start to finish? David: The best part about working for Sony is there is no “average” day. In the environment we operate in (the consumer electronics industry) change is endemic and any routines we’ve had have evolved to meet the changing environment. For example, Sony’s communications department is now a part of our marketing group, and in order to make this integration work, the channels of communication had to be widened and enhanced. There are now daily conversations taking place between the two teams, and that’s a routine I embrace. Of course, my colleague who leads the corporate/employee communications side of the house (VP John Dolak) and I have daily, sometimes hourly, conversations and that’s something that I enjoy as well. Yes, there are some recurring weekly and monthly meetings, plenty of discussions involving social media, and some big trade shows and press events in certain months, but other than that, my schedule is wonderfully varied. SI: Tell us about a memorable conversation with a high ranking Sony official, such as Howard Stringer, etc. David: There have been many throughout my tenure here, but I’ve always appreciated those that bring a human element and sense of humor to light. Case in point: During the rehearsals for the launch of our OLED TV at CES, I had written some comments for Sir Howard Stringer and wanted to go over any edits he had before the press event. We were sitting together backstage, incorporating some of his edits onto the TelePrompter, and he mentioned with a laugh how OLED sounded like it was the name of a Viking warlord. Yes, a Viking warlord. He asked me what I thought (I thougkht it witty and on the mark) and we swiftly incorporated it into his comments. That was memorable. SI: How often do you have meetings with the rest of the corporate communications team? How do they usually go? David: We have a weekly all-hands meeting and also meet on an as-needed basis. I attempt to keep all meetings as brief as possible and make sure they have a purpose. Some times they are issue-oriented, other times they focus on basic information sharing and brainstorming. But the name of the game is communicating….we’re all professional communicators, after all. SI: Corporate communications as a role has become much more significant and professional in nature. Gone are the days when corporate communication merely meant ‘wining and dining the client’ – it has now emerged as a science and art of perception management. You started with Sony back in 1998. How has the company changed since then in that regard? For starters, when I started with Sony Electronics in 1998, standard issue gear was a pager and a laptop (not made by Sony, by the way). Now, from the way we interact with the media and distribute information, to managing trade shows and press events, as well as the social media revolution, everything we do has changed. Fundamentally, we are better listeners now than we’ve ever been. We hear what our customers are saying; and when the media has a gripe, we hear that, too, and engage accordingly. Public relations in 2009 is evolving and Sony is keeping its eyes WIDE open. Our social media efforts are, in my opinion, some of the best in class. Our outward facing events have also received praise from the media, especially those that embrace the “Sony United” concept, where two or more Sony companies combine forces to tell a compelling story. That wasn’t happening when I first started and it’s something my colleagues and I have worked hard at making commonplace. Without a doubt, making “Sony United” work has been one of the most gratifying—and enjoyable– aspects of my career at Sony. SI: What blogs do you read every day? David: I read the vast majority of the major (and some of the minor) CE and national media websites and blogs. The sad truth is I really don’t have the time to dig down as deeply as I would like. SI: What’s one thing you’d like to say to bloggers who unfairly criticize the company? David: Everyone has the right to their opinion and fairness is in the eye of the beholder. I understand it’s not in vogue to praise large corporations these days. Come to think of it, I’m not sure it’s ever been. But it’s our job to listen to what’s being said and choose to take some course of action or not. When you’re a company as large as Sony, criticism comes with the territory. We’re not perfect, but on balance, we’re still a strong, highly respected company and a powerful consumer brand. One of un-scientific tools I use to gauge the company? A personal, social barometer. When I meet someone for the first time and tell him/her that I work for Sony, I look for their reaction. Almost universally, the reactions have been favorable. SI: What’s your favorite Sony product (new or old)? David: I thought the SCD-1 (SACD/CD player) was nothing short of spectacular in terms of design and performance. In same vein, my current favorites are our ES series Blu-ray players and our Internet-enabled BRAVIA LCD TVs. I have my eye on the new X-series VAIO as well. I’m not that enamored with “bling” but the gold model is a beauty. SI: When Senior Vice President Rick Clancy retired from Sony earlier this year, you wrote a blog post on the Sony Community Blog entitled, “Sony’s Online Voice,” where you proclaimed that “Sony’s online voice is changing.” With promise of greater topic coverage, the Sony Community Blog is more diversified and stronger than ever. With the recent power play of hiring Sukhjit Ghag (Sony’s new social media evangelist), it seems that she has given new life to the blog and its direction. Her presence is unlike anything I’ve ever seen at Sony before. What was the process like to create her position? What is it like to work with Sukhjit? Do you think that we will see bigger, more dynamic changes in Sony’s online voice with her hire? David: “Power play” is right on the money, Chris. Hiring Sukhjit Ghag was an interesting endeavor and one that speaks to our penchant for being creative and innovative. Instead of following a traditional corporate path to identify, select and ultimately hire a new social media evangelist, John Dolak and I spoke to several well-respected members of the media and analyst community and asked them for suggestions. We returned to San Diego with a list of about a dozen names and began our due diligence. We ultimately hired Sukhjit and look to her as part of our larger social media team (managed by Marcy Cohen) to keep the blog and related activities moving forward. I like what I see so far; she has a lot of energy and passion for social media (especially vlogging) and it’s simply a matter of time before she masters Sony culture. I would continue to keep an eye on us in the social media space….we’re on a good roll that’s only going to get better. SI: Sony has been facing tough competition in their television line in the USA from companies such as Vizio and Samsung. Do you see Sony gaining market share in this area in 2010? Can we expect even more aggressive marketing campaigns? What will it take for Sony to become #1 again? David: I do see us gaining market share in the near term. We recently launched our new “panel of experts” advertising campaign and with a new TV line planned for the near term, as well as the promise of 3D, I like our chances. What you’ll see in 2010 is an energized Sony TV lineup; one with innovation, design and performance clearly in the forefront. SI: I’ve noticed something strange with Sony product releases. Sometimes Sony Europe releases a product that never leaves that region. Another example is when we exclusively covered the new 64GB NW-A847 OLED Walkman from Sony Japan, which hasn’t been announced elsewhere. When I contacted Jennifer Martin, Internet Communications Specialist at Sony, about the Walkman she said there “there are no plans to launch this model in the US.” What’s worse is that the interest in this new Walkman in the USA is very strong, and people are disappointed there is no further information about it ever coming here. Is it frustrating when there isn’t a simultaneous launch worldwide with such high-profile products? Can you tell us why Sony chooses to do this, especially with products that would make sense here? David: We are collaborating on global product introductions, but without sounding too pedantic, let’s just say the world is big place. Certain regions have certain needs and have to address certain demographic segments that don’t line up with others. We’re obviously not the only company that does this, but to your point, I’m all for a consumer getting what he/she needs from Sony, no matter where it is initially introduced. It’s just not as simple as it sounds. SI: Recently, Sony Electronics in the U.S. has had a few chances to show off products first then the other countries catch up, such as you did with the most recent VAIO X, L and CW series at Guastavino’s in NYC. Did you work with Sony Japan to secure that exclusive launch? What is that process like? David: The business units and other groups in the U.S., and other regions for that matter, are in constant contact with Japan and decisions are often made based on where the product introductions make the most sense in terms of impact. SI: Any hints about CES? David: Wear comfortable shoes. Thank you for taking the time to do an interview with Sony Insider, Dave! View the full article

As most of us here in the USA and Europe know, development within Sony on the SonicStage music application has generally ended at this point. All Sony portable music players are drag and drop. Most of us remember the entire Sonicstage/Connect successes and stumbles clearly. Regardless, because Sony loves to cater to their home country, Sonicstage and ATRAC was still going along in Japan and Sony supported the application to v5.2. It was made for Japanese consumers and wasn’t released elsewhere, but we figured out how to install it anyways. Sony Japan has officially announced that the successor to Sonicstage 5 is now called x-app. Sonicstage, after first appearing in 2001 installed on VAIO PC’s in Japan, and whose malfunctions sparked hundreds of thousands of forum topics across the Internet, is officially dead. Download the successor to Sonicstage 5, the Japanese-only x-app software here. Please leave a comment if you know how to circumvent the language problem and allow it to be installed. We are assuming you can use the same methods found here. If anyone is interested in making an English version let me know – we could even pay for it. x-app supports the same Walkman devices Sonicstage 5 did: NW-X1060/X1050 X-Series NW-A91x/A84x/A82x/A80x Series NW-S74x/S74xK/S64x/S64xK/S73xF/S73xFK/S63xF/S63xFK/S71x/S61x/S70x/S60x/S20x Series NW-E04x/E02x/E01x/E00x Series NWD-W202 W-Series COM-2, COM-1 ‘Mylo’ SEP-50BT/SEP-10BT ‘Rolly’ However, its feature set is far more advanced than any previous Sonicstage version. x-app is now a general multimedia management program, with the ability to handle and manage audio (including podcasts), photo, and video. It has access to Mora. It is compatible with Windows XP/Vista/7 and weighs in at a respectable 120MB. It is just like Sonicstage 5 in terms of appearance, but streamlined. New features include autodiscovery of cover photos, automatic software updates, and compatibility with x-Pict Story, x-ScrapBook, and x-Chronology. 12 tone analysis technology is back, which classifies music by melody and rhythm and provides automatic playlists such as “Emotional”, “Nostalgia”, “Electronic”, “Morning”, “Run” based on your music. Pita lyrics is included, which adds lyrics to your songs automatically, of course, if you live in Japan. This will work in conjunction with the new “NW-A840″ and NW-S640/S740 Series Walkman that have lyric support but are also exclusive to Japan. Amusingly enough, I’m reading that the Walkman lyric service is subscription based? Ouch. The great news for Sonicstage 5 owners is that your existing Sonicstage installation will be deleted and everything will be converted into x-app automatically. Nice. Here is the codec support: Sometimes I wonder why Sony doesn’t mirror this offering in the States and Europe. An optional music management program for those who want it. I understand the Walkman is drag and drop, but this looks slick. Bring x-app to those of us who speak English as soon as possible, Sony. Please! View the full article

The first new Michael Jackson song to emerge since the world mourned the loss of this musical icon has been released – a brand new single entitled “This Is It.” Sony Music Entertainment’s Columbia/Epic Label Group has also released the two-disc album This Is It (you can purchase at that link) featuring the music that inspired Sony Pictures’ forthcoming film of the same title. This two-disc album will be available internationally on October 26th and North America on October 27th to coincide with the worldwide release of the motion picture which arrives in theaters on October 28th and runs for a limited two-week engagement. Here is the song: “This song only defines, once again, what the world already knows – that Michael is one of God’s greatest gifts,” comments John McClain, co-producer of the album. Disc one will feature the original album masters of some of Michael’s biggest hits arranged in the same sequence as they appear in the film. The disc ends with two versions of the never-released “This Is It.” This song is featured in the film’s closing sequence and includes backing vocals by Michael’s brothers, the Jacksons. Disc two offers previously unreleased versions of some of the artist’s classic tracks. This disc also features a touching spoken word poem from Michael Jackson entitled “Planet Earth” that has never been heard before. The two-disc This is It is a stand-alone companion to the motion picture and includes a 36-page, commemorative booklet featuring exclusive photos of Michael from his last rehearsal. The motion picture Michael Jackson’s This Is It will offer Jackson fans and music lovers worldwide a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the performer as he developed, created and rehearsed for his sold-out concerts that would have taken place beginning this summer in London’s O2 Arena. Chronicling the months from April through June, 2009, the film is produced with the full support of the Estate of Michael Jackson and drawn from more than one hundred hours of behind-the-scenes footage, featuring Jackson rehearsing a number of his songs for the show. Audiences will be given a chance to discover the man they never knew through this privileged and private look at Jackson. In raw and candid detail, Michael Jackson’s This Is It captures the singer, dancer, filmmaker, architect, creative genius and great artist at work as he creates and perfects his final show. Kenny Ortega, who was both Michael Jackson’s creative partner and the director of the stage show is also directing the film, which is being produced by Randy Phillips, Kenny Ortega and Paul Gongaware. Executive producers are John Branca and John McClain. The film will be distributed worldwide by Sony Pictures Releasing. Tickets for the limited two-week engagement of the film go on sale beginning September 27. View the full article

Would it be a surprise if I told you about a display system that was coming so far advanced in color reproduction it would make a fool out of LCD’s and an OLED would blush? Throughout the last few decades we have gone from CRT, LCD, and are moving closer to OLED displays. There is something far more advanced coming in the next five to ten years – a laser projector. In 2008, Sony succeeded in developing the world’s brightest red laser diode array. Featuring 7.2W optical output power and a 635nm wavelength, this red laser diode array is ideal as a light source for projectors and so forth. Generally speaking, displays combine red, green and blue light to create full-color images. Displays based on laser technology, therefore, use a tri-laser combination (one laser for each of these three colors). Laser displays in general offer key advantages in that they ensure advanced definition and a wide color gamut of 150% – far beyond that of LCD (70-90%) and OLED (100%). Of these three lasers, red laser diode arrays must be able to deliver high brightness along with efficiency and the ability to operate at room temperature in order to be used in projection equipment. Lasers offer the following advantages in serving as display light sources. Excellent monochromaticity of laser light ensures excellent color reproduction. Imagine the most brilliant colors you’ve ever seen; a red so bright and crisp its comparable to a street light. Definition can be increased thanks to the excellent light-focusing characteristics of lasers. Because the light is polarized, excellent optical efficiency can be achieved without using optical elements to align polarity when lasers are used in conjunction with liquid crystal panels. Laser light sources last longer than lamps – about ten times as long, approaching 15,000 to 20,000 hours. Creating a laser light source requires the combining of red, green and blue lasers (capable of generating optical output as high as several watts). Sony has remained a leader in the development of laser displays, including the development of compact laser light sources capable of high optical output power. At Expo 2005 in Aichi, audiences were spellbound by the beautiful images displayed by Sony’s Laser Dream Theater, which was the biggest laser display system in the world – an 164 foot laser projection system using an 11-channel sound system, to screen short called “Voyage Around the Earth”. Sony has been very quiet about this technology until very recently, leading us to believe that it is still actively investing great resources into this method. A laser “array” is composed of multiple light-emitting laser elements arranged side-by-side to form a single element and the array approach increases the optical output capacity achievable with a single device. The diagram above shows the structure of the red laser diode array developed by Sony. To achieve a high optical output power from a single light-emitting unit, Sony increased the width of the laser stripes through which current flows to produce up to 60

The Sony Centre for the Performing Arts has confirmed renovation and restoration plans that will see a revitalized theater open in the fall of 2010 to celebrate the building’s 50th anniversary. The theater, designated a historical site by the City of Toronto, will undergo major renovations and restorations starting in October 2009. The project will eliminate a number of architectural interventions added to the theater over the years, thus restoring the elegance and grandeur of Peter Dickinson’s original O’Keefe Centre, which opened on October 1, 1960. Iconic features such as the theater marquee canopy and York Wilson’s lobby mural “The Seven Lively Arts” will be preserved. Restoration of the wood, brass and marble that were hallmarks of the original facility will be undertaken, along with audience seating and flooring upgrades, new washrooms, re-configured lobby spaces and significant mechanical and electrical system changes. The renovation will provide visiting entertainers and performers with a fresh and positive experience both backstage and onstage, and provide audiences with an upgraded and enhanced live entertainment experience. Sony of Canada Ltd., the naming sponsor of the Centre, will further enhance the theater environment by providing state-of-the-art Sony entertainment solutions throughout the venue. In addition to the latest Sony Bravia panels, visitors can expect to see cutting-edge multimedia technologies like the new Sony Ziris Canvas, a high end feature application where high definition digital content stretches across numerous Sony LCD panels creating a spectacular video wall. This Ziris Canvas will greet visitors as they enter the main foyer of the Sony Centre, and in the north-west corner of the renovated building visitors can explore more Sony technologies in a new Sony Style retail store. A complex real-estate transaction between the City of Toronto and Ferncastle Developments will provide the funding for the renovation project. Sony Centre C.E.O. Dan Brambilla, who has actively managed the negotiations and completion of the agreement with the developers says “I am very excited that the Sony Centre can benefit from these major improvements and I look forward to the opening of the venue next year, when we can delight our performers and audiences and further contribute to the cultural and commercial fabric of Toronto, Canada and the world. The Sony Centre has hosted many great performances and provided diverse and exciting programming over the past 49 years, and the breadth of these improvements will allow us to provide so much more in the years to come.” Lowe’s, Canada’s New Home Improvement Warehouse, Sony Centre Building Sponsor, will provide select materials for the construction, and Vanbots Construction will oversee the renovation project. Another interesting development is the addition of the L Tower to the building due for completion by 2011. The redevelopment of the 50-year-old Sony Centre for the Performing Arts boasts the new L Tower Condominiums and a new arts and cultural facility, which will be combined with the Centre’s existing theater. The entire development will offer a new strategy for 21st Century living, whereby inner city life is actively integrated with culture and the arts. SDL is working with Castlepoint Realty Partners Limited on this project. SDL’s design proposal for the cultural component of the L Tower and Sony Centre for the Performing Arts Redevelopment is conceptually engaged with the programmatic and experiential intentions of the ArtsLab. It achieves this via a formal and spatial strategy articulated through a central void in the building. This collective space, in the form of a semi-sphere, is a cultural hub, both symbolic and functional, evoking in form the global diversity of cultures present in Toronto and celebrated throughout the program. The residential tower component comprises the majority (428,000 sq.ft.) of the overall redesign. Situated atop the cultural facilities, it will contain approximately 470 units and rise to a height of 57 stories, providing stunning views over downtown Toronto and Ontario. The tower will assert the Sony Centre not only as an icon of the city skyline, but also of cultural institutions within the city. Here is a render of that vision: View the full article

Sony unveiled three new laptops yesterday in NYC, including the CW Series laptop, L Series touchscreen desktop PC, and the 13.9mm X Series notebook. The setting was perfect for high style, glamor and incomparable panache at New York’s architectural masterpiece, Guastavino’s. The sprawling 25,000 square foot private event space is a designated New York City interior landmark notably situated under the Queensboro Bridge (also known as the 59th Street Bridge). In Style, Page Six and New York Magazine heralds Guastavino’s as the “it spot” for the most prestigious private affairs catering to A-list celebrities, fashionistas, moguls and socialites. The decor is overwhelmingly impressive taking your breath away from the moment you step into the awe-inspiring cavernous space. Soaring granite arches, Catalan vaulted ceilings and expansive 40′ glass windows boasting city views accent the vast multi-level space. Sony has updated their flickr page with some photos from the event and they are really great. Check out these few I selected and the many more at the flickr page. The location was perfect for a VAIO debut, and had several celebrities including Mischa Barton, Star Jones, Jill Zarin and even a Cirque Berzerk performance. Tatoo artist Thomas Pendleton of A&E’s “Tattoo Highway” inked a VAIO-inspired design on someone. Zulu Kingz graffiti artist, Damet, also created a live mural alongside the new CW-Series notebooks inspired by the CW’s five bold new colors. View the full article

Sony has launched the new CW Series VAIO laptop with Windows 7 due on October 22nd, which is very similar to its existing CS series in terms of price and specifications. There are a few key differences though and I think that this offering will be a strong play for what is Sony’s largest PC lineup in years. The VAIO CW series boasts a lustrous, high-gloss exterior and opens up to a subtle gradient of matching color on the palm rests. The pricing schemes vary on what model you are looking at, but for the USA here is the plan according to SonyStyle: As you can see standard specifications start at an Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 (2.2GHz) on a Mobile Intel PM45 Express Chipset (there will be options for a 2.80GHz T9600), 4GB RAM (8GB maximum; PC3-8500), 320GB SATA HDD (500GB available, both at 5400rpm), and HDMI out (1920×1080). There’s also a built in Motion-eye camera and microphone. Pony up a little more and you can get a Blu-ray player/burner and more graphics power. Three USB ports are included, along with a VGA output (2048×1536), and firewire. Estimated Battery Life with Standard Battery (included) – Productivity: Up to 4 hours, DVD Playback: Up to 2.5 hours. Estimated Battery Life with Extended Battery (sold separately) – Productivity: Up to 6 hours, Max. Brightness: Up to 12 hours. The 14.1 inch display is a LED backlit LCD (16×9, 1366×768) powered by a NVIDIA GeForce GT230M GPU with 512MB VRAM or if you prefer to spend a little less a GT210M with 256MB VRAM. The GT230M is a pretty solid graphics card, with is a 40nm chip, DirectX 10.1 and has PhysX, CUDA support amongst other things. Connectivity is a breeze with 802.11a/b/g/n Wifi, Bluetooth (2.1, stereo A2DP), up to Gigabit Ethernet, and a HDMI output. There’s also support for Memory Stick DUO, ExpressCard/34, and a SD memory card. Here are some specifications courtesy of SonyStyle: Sony has also included one-touch access to the web without the need for the operating system to be on, a feature first found in the VAIO NW series. I’m glad to see Sony extending this feature to more of their laptops, and I think it will be a strong selling point for them.

Sony Computer Entertainment America and Amazon.com have announced that digital access codes for more than 200 PlayStation Network games and game-related content for PS3 and PSP entertainment systems are now available in the Amazon.com Video Game Store Playstation Network Hub. The new collaboration between PlayStation and Amazon broadens PlayStation’s reach and gives consumers another option to purchase digital access codes for download via PlayStation Network, with popular titles such as Flower, PAIN, PixelJunk Eden, Wipeout Pure and classics like Twisted Metal: Head-On. “We are excited to expand our current library of video game platform downloads,” said Paul Ryder, vice president of consumer electronics for Amazon.com. “PlayStation Network games are an important addition and we plan to continue making it easier for customers to instantly enjoy new content as well as their favorite games from the comfort of their living rooms.” Digital access to PlayStation Network games works on a code-redemption system. Amazon.com customers who wish to purchase a PlayStation Network game or game-related content are able to purchase a digital access code for downloading content on PS3 or PSP systems with their US PlayStation Network accounts. Amazon.com customers will receive the code immediately after purchase or they can choose to email the code to themselves or send the code as a gift. Additionally, this code will reside in the customer’s Your Games & Software Library so they can retrieve it at any time. “With more than 600 million pieces of content downloaded to date, consumers are turning to PlayStation Network more than ever for digitally distributed entertainment content,” said Peter Dille, senior vice president of Marketing and PlayStation Network. “We are excited to team with Amazon.com to expand our reach with Amazon’s market leading ability to target current and future PlayStation consumers.” View the full article

Rogers Plus and the Sony Canada Charitable Foundation have revitalized the Jolly Trolley program with the eager help of young patients in Canadian hospitals coast-to-coast. For the past 16 years, the Jolly Trolley program has brought colorful mobile entertainment units to young patients across the country in hopes of generating smiles and providing a welcome distraction during their hospital stay. The revitalized Jolly Trolley comes equipped with a 32” BRAVIA high definition LCD TV, the latest Sony PS3 game console and a vast library of exciting movies and games on Blu-ray Disc and DVD that will be updated on a monthly basis with new releases. “This new investment in the Jolly Trolley program affirms Rogers commitment to brightening the days of Canadian children,” said Linda Sanderson, Vice President, Human Resources, Rogers Plus. “By bringing the latest and greatest entertainment systems that Rogers and Sony have to offer directly into hospital rooms, we’re helping ensure young patients still have the opportunity to participate in a fun and engaging experience.” Ceremonial launches, featuring presentations by Rogers and Sony representatives, were held in five hospitals to introduce the new generation of Jolly Trolleys to young patients and their family and friends. After sitting patiently through a rundown of the Trolley’s exciting new features, children were given the opportunity to try out the Trolleys for the first time. This year, 40 Jolly Trolley units will be distributed to 35 children’s hospital wards from coast-to-coast in Canada. “The Sony Canada Charitable Foundation is happy to be partnering with Rogers Plus for this fantastic initiative,” said Tony Smith, VP Marketing Communications, Sony Canada. “It’s one way we can show the strong dedication we have to our communities.” View the full article

A beautiful match for any living space, VAIO L Series delivers all the power of a premium entertainment PC in a slim, stylish all-in-one design that saves on cables. Center stage is a big, beautiful 24” widescreen X-black LCD with Multiple Lamp Technology for a sumptuous view of your photos, camcorder clips, movies on Blu-ray Disc and more in Full HD. In a VAIO first, the stunning display is also an ultra-high resolution touchscreen that makes the most of touchpanel support that’s featured in Windows 7. The hardware specs for the new L series varies in the USA, with these configurations ranging from $1,299 all the way to $1,999 (from SonyStyle): Some of the various hardware difference include Single, Dual and Quad Core Intel processors, 4-6GB RAM, 320GB to 1TB hard drives, Blu-ray Player and Burners, improved graphics and HDMI/TV Tuner options. We were hoping to see Sony push forward and adopt Core i7 processors, but unfortunately they aren’t. This is still one fully loaded all in one desktop though with options that totally blow away the HP Touchsmart. This desktop has 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth (2.1 and A2DP stereo), Motion-eye camera and microphone for all of your connectivity needs. The VAIO L Series also delivers a premium audio experience to enhance enjoyment of movies, videos, games and music. Integrated 5.5W + 5.5W speakers and S Master Digital Amplifier technology deliver a richly-detailed soundstage without the clutter of additional cables. Analog video and HDMI inputs let you enjoy games on your PS3 and other consoles on the big, bright, high resolution 24” screen. You don’t even need to boot up the computer for a dazzling, detail-packed HD gaming experience. The big, photo-realistic touchpanel is also a brilliant showcase for Media Gallery, an easy-to-use new VAIO application that puts incredible HD entertainment experiences at your fingertips. This immersive graphical interface adds a new dimension to your digital life, offering exciting new ways to explore your media collection. With Media Gallery it’s a pleasure to browse through digital images, videos and music tracks with effortless touch, flick, drag and rotate gestures on the LCD touchscreen. It’s easy to find your favourite memories in an instant without hunting through confusing folders. Photos and videos can be viewed on a timeline, or as Events that cluster together all your images and clips from the same day – like a birthday or wedding.

Sony shocked everyone back at IFA 2009 with the introduction of the X series VAIO notebook, which is the direct successor to the TT series in the USA. It appeared super slim at the time and in its delicious teaser video courtesy of Sony Europe some people got extremely curious about its arrival. Well, in a special event (we were invited, but couldn’t make it) at Guastavino’s in NYC, Sony revealed the full details on the new VAIO X series and has called it the world’s lightest notebook – at 1.6 pounds with standard battery, measurements at its narrowest point: 10.95″ (W) x 0.55″ (H – about half an inch thin aka 13.9mm) x 7.29″ (D). Check out the VAIO X pre-order at SonyStyle. The VAIO X, due October 22nd, in black and champagne features a durable carbon fiber casing, seamless aluminum keyboard panel and a touch pad with multi-touch functionality. This allows you to easily zoom in and out, flip through pictures, rotate items and scroll vertically and horizontally without ever touching your mouse. There’s also a Motioneye web camera built-in. To compliment Windows 7 Home Premium, Sony has went with an Intel Atom Z550 2.0ghz with 2GB of DDR2/533Mhz RAM. That is pretty strong considering how tiny this laptop is, but some early critics wanted more power for the price. Some have pegged it simply as a bigger VAIO P, since the hardware specs are similar. Well let me say that this is definitely much more sleek. Men are from VAIO X, women are from VAIO P. Although, I could see a hot chick wielding this thing and winning my heart forever. If I ever run into you oh woman of my destiny with a VAIO X and a warm smile, be easy on me. What’s really nice is that it comes with a 64gb SSD standard. That’s the kind of power play that makes a person who is evaluating this compared to a Macbook Air say “Hey, wait a minute.” For a little more, the Signature Collection VAIO X (in Black or Champagne) comes with a 128gb SSD and is priced $200 more. The LED backlit 11.1 inch widescreen (1366×768) is powered by a Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 500. I believe Sony went with the GMA500 because it is low power consumption and fits accordingly with their overall implementation and design. Audio is covered with Intel HD Audio, which I have always found to be satisfactory. Wireless capabilities are abundant with 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth (2.1, Stereo A2DP), GPS, and Verizon Wireless Mobile Broadband Built-in (for the USA, other territories will have similiar WWAN offerings). An ethernet jack is also included, supporting up to Gigabit ethernet. Other I/O include Headphone, Microphone, and 2 USB ports. Sony has blown me away with the news that this notebook will have a standard battery and an extended battery (picture courtesy of engadget) included in the price. This is great news and really puts them ahead of anything else on the market. Who else offers you two batteries? If your trying to keep it nice and light with the Standard Capacity Battery the VAIO X can be used for 3 hours, or if you prefer pop on the Large Capacity Battery for a stunning 12 hours of run time. Great move Sony. I think that when you purchase a PC like this it will find most of its use in ultraportable situations. A business person would love to have something like this for a myriad of situations – plane, office, meeting, lunch. A college student could pull this off. The nice thing is that it doesn’t have an explosive price like the VAIO TT did. I think Sony will do well with the X Series because it’s $1,300 – not $2,000 – 3,000 like the TT. This is a direct competitor to the Macbook Air in my eyes and wins in several segments. Don’t try and tell me Snow Leopard is better than Windows 7, either. I’ve used both and they are both excellent operating systems. Sources: Engadget – Sony VAIO X announced, starts at $1,299, VAIO X spotted in champagne, propped up by extended battery, ripped apart; Sony USA – X Marks The Spot: Sony Delivers World’s Light Notebook; Sony Japan – Vaio X Announcement; VAIO Community Blog – VAIO Breaking News: New X and CW Series Notebooks Announced in NYC. Thanks to the Girls at @SonyElectronics, too. Oh yeah, we’ll be doing a hands-on with this beast soon at SonyStyle. View the full article

In a press release recently announced, Sony Ericsson has partnered with Comverse to bring visual voicemail to their line of handsets. Given the popularity of visual voicemail on the iPhone, offering this to the Ericsson line of phones will make customer’s extremely happy. No details yet on availability or on which devices this is set to launch. Press Release: Comverse Teams Up with Sony Ericsson on Visual Voicemail WAKEFIELD, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Comverse today announced that it is working with mobile handset manufacturer Sony Ericsson to provide visual voicemail on its handsets for residential and business users. Visual voicemail?s global popularity is growing because it enhances the traditional voicemail experience. All voicemail messages are displayed in an in-box, whose email-like interface provides such key information as date, time, length of message, caller number and identity, when available. Users can scan the messages, click to hear new and previously heard messages in any order, and then reply, forward, or save messages. ?Because of visual voicemail?s global appeal, it has become a high priority to make the service available on new handsets,? said Chief Marketing Officer John Bunyan at Comverse, the world’s leading supplier of software and systems enabling value-added messaging and content services, converged billing and active customer management, and IP communications. ?Our strategic cooperation with handset leaders like Sony Ericsson,? Bunyan said, ?helps ensure that new handsets can offer the most attractive and user-friendly visual voicemail experience to the broadest number of people.? Telecom operators of all sizes have launched visual voicemail to meet the fast-paced needs of their users, and Comverse is working hard with operators, handset vendors and the standards bodies to bring the best visual voicemail to market. ?Visual voicemail?s success comes from providing users a richer array of capabilities and choice,? said Bunyan. ?Its value to operators is underscored by solid global take-up figures showing that it can increase voicemail usage and penetration in key segments.? With more than two thirds of commercial launches worldwide, Comverse is the visual voicemail market leader. Comverse Visual Voicemail is part of the Comverse HUB Value-Added Services, spanning voice, messaging, mobile Internet and mobile advertising. Comverse HUB is a synergistic framework that enables service providers to maximize their business performance and augment their position in the market. About Comverse Comverse is the world?s leading provider of software and systems

In a press release recently announced, Sony Ericsson has partnered with Comverse to bring visual voicemail to their line of handsets. Given the popularity of visual voicemail on the iPhone, offering this to the Ericsson line of phones will make customer’s extremely happy. No details yet on availability or on which devices this is set to launch. Press Release: Comverse Teams Up with Sony Ericsson on Visual Voicemail WAKEFIELD, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Comverse today announced that it is working with mobile handset manufacturer Sony Ericsson to provide visual voicemail on its handsets for residential and business users. Visual voicemail’s global popularity is growing because it enhances the traditional voicemail experience. All voicemail messages are displayed in an in-box, whose email-like interface provides such key information as date, time, length of message, caller number and identity, when available. Users can scan the messages, click to hear new and previously heard messages in any order, and then reply, forward, or save messages. “Because of visual voicemail’s global appeal, it has become a high priority to make the service available on new handsets,” said Chief Marketing Officer John Bunyan at Comverse, the world’s leading supplier of software and systems enabling value-added messaging and content services, converged billing and active customer management, and IP communications. “Our strategic cooperation with handset leaders like Sony Ericsson,” Bunyan said, “helps ensure that new handsets can offer the most attractive and user-friendly visual voicemail experience to the broadest number of people.” Telecom operators of all sizes have launched visual voicemail to meet the fast-paced needs of their users, and Comverse is working hard with operators, handset vendors and the standards bodies to bring the best visual voicemail to market. “Visual voicemail’s success comes from providing users a richer array of capabilities and choice,” said Bunyan. “Its value to operators is underscored by solid global take-up figures showing that it can increase voicemail usage and penetration in key segments.” With more than two thirds of commercial launches worldwide, Comverse is the visual voicemail market leader. Comverse Visual Voicemail is part of the Comverse HUB Value-Added Services, spanning voice, messaging, mobile Internet and mobile advertising. Comverse HUB is a synergistic framework that enables service providers to maximize their business performance and augment their position in the market. About Comverse Comverse is the world’s leading provider of software and systems

The term “hi-fi,” short for high fidelity, became popular in the late fifties. In February 1958, a Hi-Fi Show was held in Los Angeles. Sony, through Superscope, exhibited the TC-555 home-use “Sterecorder,” the CP-13 three-channel deluxe recorder, and the C-37A condenser microphone. The tape recorders were hailed as the “Rolls Royces” of the trade, while the C-37A was considered to have overtaken Germany’s Neumann microphones, which until then had dominated the field of condenser microphones. Neumann’s previously unrivaled products had been coveted around the world. Their outstanding characteristics in term of sensitivity and frequency were proven, but they had one shortcoming. Over time they would give rise to noise. The first condenser microphone made by NHK’s Nakajima was a copy of the Neumann product. In 1951 Nakajima had attended a research conference in northwest Germany, and there he saw the Neumann microphone for the first time. He brought back the technology and worked hard on a prototype. Following that, world-famous conductor Herbert von Karajan was in Japan to conduct the NHK Symphony Orchestra. While Karajan rehearsed with the orchestra in NHK Studio 1, Nakajima’s sound engineers obtained an excellent recording with the prototype microphone. Director Shima of the NHK Science and Technical Research Laboratories suggested they tell Ibuka of their progress, and Nakajima was sure he would be astonished when he heard the sound quality. With this background, Ibuka and Nakatsuru were overjoyed at the news that the C-37A was considered to have surpassed the Neumann. “Never before have I seen such a wide frequency band or such a smooth response in the upper range.” This praise came from William Robinson, chief recording engineer for Capitol, America’s leading record company — a man recognized as one of the world’s foremost experts on recording technology. Many musicians and singers preferred the microphone, too. Here are a few examples: Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole both demonstrated the advantages of the C-37A. If Sinatra did not like what he heard played back, he would walk out of the studio leaving the record company to foot the bill for the session. This tended to happen two or three times before he was satisfied and re-recording was expensive. When studios introduced the C-37A, they would “get it in one take,” and Sinatra would go home happy. Capitol’s experiences led them to install the C-37A in all their studios. They were so proud of recording with the C-37A microphone that they even had it featured in photos on their album jackets. Singer Izumi Yukimura, after a series of appearances on U.S. television, had this to say: “When RCA Victor heard me sing Love Is a Many Splendored Thing on TV, they signed me to record. I sang fifteen numbers in all. The accompaniment and everything else was superb. The recording was 3-D stereo, and although the studio equipment was basically the same as we have in Japanese studios, there was one difference — the microphone. Over there they nearly always use the Sony C-37A from Japan. When the microphone descended in front of me I was surprised to find the name Sony before my eyes. In the U.S., Sony’s microphone is considered superior to the Neumann or the Telefunken, yet here in Japan we’re still using western-made products. We don’t really appreciate what our own manufacturers can do.” In another related note, one of the most famous conductors of the 20th century, Bruno Walter (September 15, 1876 – February 17, 1962) was in his eighties and had retired from his active career. But after hearing stereo recordings made with the C-37A, he took up the baton once again and actually re-recorded all of Beethoven’s Symphonies with the Columbia Philharmonic Orchestra. The picture above is Bruno standing at a podium and using baton during performance with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in 1930 a few decades before. Text from the story “The Day Sony Outold Neumann” from Sony History. View the full article

Scifiwire had a chance to talk with Paul Wernick about the status of the Venom movie spin-off.

Sony Electronics Inc. USA brought employees, government officials, community members, building partners and representatives of San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics, Inc. and HelioPower together to celebrate the opening of their new 455,000 square foot “green” headquarters in San Diego. The building, constructed in two years, was built with an emphasis on employee comfort and energy efficiency. A 160-kilowatt (kW) DC Mitsubishi Electric panel solar power system was collaborated under the SDG&E Sustainable Communities Program and was installed by California-based solar integration company, HelioPower. The solar power system was installed on the employee parking structure, utilizing an innovative and attractive design which averted the need for space allocation for a large central inverter. The Sony Electronics building will house 1,400 of the company’s 2,000 area employees. It was designed to exemplify the best in energy conservation technologies. Energy saving strategies include the solar power system on the parking structure, energy efficient air conditioning and heating and the use of recycled materials in the carpeting and furniture. Drought-resistant landscaping was also used and all the construction debris was recycled. The building’s design and construction process incorporated many environmental features according to the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification requirements. “Sony is committed to reducing our impact on the environment,” said Greg Aveni, facilities director for Sony Electronics. “We are doing this by implementing methods to reduce energy-use, such as installing solar panels for our new San Diego building and waste from our day-to-day operations, while at the same time finding ways to develop more energy-efficient products.” The Sony Electronics project is one of many San Diego-based energy-efficient projects on which SDG&E has collaborated. The utility supports energy- efficient and sustainable programs for commercial construction, and provides cash incentives and technical assistance to builders wanting to build energy-efficient buildings. In addition, SDG&E works with these builders to develop utility-owned solar panels for their projects that provide this renewable, solar energy back to the local community. “Sony Electronics’ forward-thinking approach to energy efficiency and renewable energy in their daily business practices is something their employees and our community can be proud of,” said Alex Kim, director of customer innovations for SDG&E. The 160kW DC installation consists of 867 Mitsubishi Electric 185-watt photovoltaic (PV) modules and is expected to produce 230,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. In addition to the clean energy created by the solar panels, Mitsubishi Electric’s eco-friendly modules use 100-percent lead-free solder and are manufactured according to strict environmental standards. “We’re proud to be a part of Sony Electronics’ new headquarters building and commend them for designing an innovative and low-impact facility for their employees. This is an excellent example of a building that can gain immediate benefits from solar power,” said Gina Heng, general manager of Mitsubishi Electric’s photovoltaic division. Designing and building the PV system on the Sony Electronics’ structure was a yearlong engineering project that involved electrical, structural and utility engineers. By working closely with all relevant parties, solar power system installer, HelioPower, was able to design a system that met Sony Electronics’ needs and SDG&E’s requirements for an aesthetic, highly productive and safe PV system. One of the innovations was to meet the requirements for a covered parking structure with the solar power system installation. HelioPower was also able to integrate the 160 kW DC array with 21 field-distributed SMA inverters; eliminating the need for a large central unit for which space was not available. “Connecting the output of a PV power plant to the utility side of the meter is a complex process. Rigorous utility interconnection standards must be followed as a separately derived service entrance is our point of connection to the SDG&E electrical grid,” explained Jonah Liebes, vice president of operations for HelioPower. “Unlike many installations, this is not a ‘Net Metered’ solar system. As such, the energy from the solar system by-passes the Sony Electronic meter and is funneled directly into the utility grid and distributed locally. Sony and their neighbors will certainly use the renewable energy collected by the system, but indirectly via the SDG&E grid.” Here is the current Google map satellite view for the building. View Larger Map The Sony Electronics building is located at 16530 Via Esprillo, San Diego, CA 92127. View the full article

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves continues to be a run away hit for Sony and Naughty Dog. In an interview with Game Trailers, Amy Hennig comments on many aspects of what makes the game so unique, notably the processing power and storage of the PS3. Along with revamping the games engine and the graphics engine the Blu-ray storage was one of the crucial factors allowing the game to have such a large scale. The storage capability (presumably a BD-25) allowed the designers to include more data than would have been possible otherwise (even though she states

Dr. Gaurav Khana is a brilliant Astrophysicist from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth who works on different problems in theoretical and computational astrophysics. To assist him on some of his processor intensive work, he has built a supercomputing cluster out of 16 PS3?s called the gravity PS3 Gravity Grid. He is a pioneer in the PS3 supercomputing field, and his shared his knowledge on building clusters at ps3cluster.org. I had a chance to interview Dr. Khana, and we talked about how this all got started, cluster speed and his thoughts on the lack of OtherOS support in the revamped PS3 line. Immense thanks to Dr. Khana for being extremely personable, easy to talk to and for answering all of our questions Being one of the pioneers in this PS3 cluster field, how do you think using the PS3 in this way has changed the landscape of research? The PS3 has definitely significantly impacted various areas of computation-based research. Perhaps the best example of this is Stanford’s Folding@Home project that is nearing 10 petaflops, of which PS3s contribute an important fraction. And then there are dozens of small clusters at various universities like mine. In my case in particular, I have been able to do calculations that I simply couldn’t do before. And that makes the whole approach invaluable to me, of course. But beyond what I have been able to do, the thought that one should seriously evaluate commodity gaming hardware (consoles and graphics cards) for high-performance scientific computing is leading towards a transformation of the supercomputing industry. Prior to being able to utilize the PS3, how you were able to accomplish your research? Academic researchers in the US have access to supercomputing facilities through various federal agencies (such as the NSF, NASA etc). To obtain supercomputing time, one submits a proposal to the federal agency, which is peer-reviewed and prioritized. Alternatively, one can rent supercomputers at the rate of $1 per CPU per hour. To give you an idea, a single black hole research simulation of interest to me, can take 5,000 — 10,000 CPU-hours. And to explore a problem in depth, one would want to do several dozen such simulations, at the very least! Yes, I have used such facilities before for my black hole astrophysics research and continue to do so. They are an awesome resource and are managed very well. But, since they are heavily shared facilities they often have long queues and strong restrictions on their usage. I realized that for a specific, computationally intensive, black hole research problem that I was working on, I simply did not have the supercomputing time available to me for a thorough study. It was mainly for this reason, I started looking into “creative”

Sony Pictures Entertainment today announced the launch of its completely re-designed museum web site offering a look at the studio’s storied lot and productions ranging from “On the Waterfront” to “Spider-Man.” In an effort to preserve the rich history of the company’s studio facilities, which span 44 acres in the “Heart of Screenland,” Sony Pictures established a web-based museum along with an annex in the lobby of the Sony Pictures Plaza building at its world headquarters in Culver City. The web museum maintains one of the most comprehensive collections of hundreds of early film photos and clips in its Theatrical Library. Hundreds of video clips of classic movies like “It Happened One Night,” “His Girl Friday,” “Lawrence of Arabia” and “Gandhi” as well as more recent hits like, “Hancock” are available to be streamed from the site. The site also features contemporary works including rare glimpses at the making of special effects from films such as “Hancock” and “Da Vinci Code.” The new design offers easier navigation to sections dedicated to Filmmaking, Visual Effects and Animation, Film Preservation, the studio’s history as well as Culver City. A public display dedicated to the museum is open in the Sony Pictures Plaza lobby building at 10000 West Washington Blvd. in Culver City, California. View the full article

Sony will be presenting its latest, industry leading digital AV products and technologies at “CEATEC JAPAN 2009“, to be held at Makuhari Messe convention center, Chiba city from October 6th to 10th. Sony’s booth will consist of four themes: “3D entertainment”, “Network Field”, “Display Technology”, and “Ecology”. Sony will be exhibiting a range of products and services that deliver new user experiences, in addition to advanced technologies that have both been adopted in products, and others with high potential for use in future products. Within “3D Entertainment”, there will be demonstrations highlighting Sony’s latest achievements in the development of 3D technologies. Visitors will be able to experience the full range of Sony’s strengths across both its electronics and content businesses, with the 3D compatible “BRAVIA” LCD TV (scheduled for commercial launch in 2010), forming the centerpiece of these demonstrations. The “Network Field” area will demonstrate the interoperability between Sony products such as TVs, Blu-ray disc, and VAIO, highlighting the enjoyment that this connectivity can deliver. At the “Display Technology” and “Ecology” areas, there will be reference exhibits of various future technologies, as well as the others that have already been incorporated in BRAVIA LCD TVs, such as Sony’s “Motionflow 240Hz” high frame rate technology, and the “presence sensor” energy-saving feature that automatically turns the screen on and off depending on the presence of viewers in the room. 3D Entertainment [ 3D compatible "BRAVIA"LCD TV, scheduled for commercial launch in 2010 (reference exhibit only) ] - Total of eight units to be exhibited, showcasing 3D movie, game and sports content. [ 240frame/sec high frame rate single lens 3D camera (reference exhibit only) ] - Demonstration of single lens 3D camera capable of filming 3D content at a frame rate of 240 frame/sec, considered the closest speed to the human eye. [ Digital cinema projector for professional use, optimized for 3D projection ] - Sony’s “SRX-R220″ incorporating US company RealD’s 3D digital cinema system to deliver both high resolution 4K 2D projection, and also 3D images in a single projection unit. Network Field [ Enjoying network connectivity of BRAVIA LCD TVs ] - Sony’s ZX5 series realizes slim-line design through the use of an edge-lit LED backlight, and also incorporates wireless transmission technology enabling it to be beautifully mounted on a wall. (52inch and 46inch) - Demonstration of the quick and easy purchase of content using “acTVila Video Full” feature, with remote control incorporating FeliCa port for electronic payment. - “Sony RoomLink” to seamlessly enjoy content stored on DLNA compatible products, connected via LAN network within the home. [ "TransferJet" (reference exhibit only) ] - Demonstration of Sony-developed interoperable wireless transfer technology, including transmission of pictures taken using digital still camera to digital photo frame, and the download of video content to mobile phones. [ Blu-ray disc recorders ] - Demonstration of functionality enabling content stored on Blu-ray recorder to be forwarded to mobile devices such as PSP

In the last few months Sony has made several negative references to the country of Nigeria, and many are criticizing the company for doing so. The references are indirectly related to each other and happened in two seperate divisions of Sony, but occurred so close to one another it became an odd coincidence. The first knock was found within a recent PS3 price cut commercial, where a blogger named Bernie confronts Sony over the $299 price cut. In response, the Sony actor replies, “$299? Bernie you can’t believe everything you read off the Internet. Otherwise I’d be a Nigerian millionaire by now.” Sony reworked the advertisement, which features no mention of Nigeria, but instead features this line: “You can’t believe everything you read on the internet. That’s how World War I got started.” Great Sony, now you’re going to piss off World War I. Another offensive portrayal was found in District 9, the summer science-fiction blockbuster about an alien refugee camp in South Africa. The movie is drawing protests from government officials in Nigeria over its portrayal of Nigerians, The Associated Press reported. Dora Akunyili, the country’s information minister, has asked movie houses in Abuja, the nation’s capital, to stop screening the film because it depicts Nigerians as gangsters and cannibals. “We are not happy about it because it portrays Nigeria in bad light.” Akunyili said she has asked Sony for an apology and wants them to edit out references to Nigeria and to the name of the main Nigerian gangster Obesandjo, whose name closely resembles that of former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo. “We have written to the producer and distributor of the film, Sony Entertainment, expressing our displeasure and demanded an apology,” she said. “We have asked that the areas where Nigeria and Obasanjo are mentioned should be edited from the film.” View the full article