Christopher

I added a link to the Classifieds section of this site in the Minidisc forum.

We have merged the forums with Sony Insider Forums. The merger is complete. Your same login from Minidisc Community Forums will work here. Please e-mail me at christopher ( at ) sonyinsider ( dot ) com if your login isn't working. ----------- Let me explain why I am doing this: Thereis obviously need for me to explain myself and the reasoning behind this move. First off, I want to say that I am NOT an agent of Sony, I am not on their payroll (although they do advertise on the site through Google Adsense, and we have run contests with their help). I do communicate often with Sony, we are on good terms, and I have many contacts there now. They have treated me very well in the past at trade shows, and accommodate any question or request I submit to them. Thatis the extent of our relationship. While one day I would love to work for a company such as Sony, that is not what I am doing right now. Sony Insider is not a pro-Sony site. We are simply covering Sony news. Ihave written news posts on Sony Insider that heavily criticize Sony,and praise them. I am not trying to merge MDCF with Sony Insider forums and make it pro-Sony. I want the Minidisc forums at Sony Insider to talk about all Minidisc products. I, like many others, am still disappointed to this day how Sony handled the Minidisc format and I wish that it was still as popular today as it was ten years ago.However, we must face the facts and realize that it is 2009, and that the format is fading into obscurity because Sony (and other companies)are not investing themselves into it anymore. I don't need to explain why, but that is an undeniable fact. I, like many others, have spent thousands of hours making MDCF what it is today. I wish you could have seen how this place looked when I took over in 2002. I knew nothing about websites, nothing about html, php, SQL, and all the other stuff that makes a forum experience work. I had to teach myself, which I did because of people like you supporting me, and things improved greatly (visually/content wise). It has come so far from then, and has exceeded any expectations I ever had. At one time it was one of the most important things in my life. We were guiding the format, and we accomplished a lot of things together. The MZ-RH1 is proof of that. All of the Sonicstage updates are proof of that. However, it has grown old to me because of the format not being supported anymore and the only thing really left here for me to do is discuss things with the rest of you. That is difficult for me to do right now because I am investing agreat deal of time into Sony Insider, school, another job, and a girlfriend. MDCF went to the bottom of that list very quickly. It also doesn't make sense for me to pay for two Invision Power Board licenses, nor have separate hosting, and continue to be invisible here as I've been for quite a while now. When we move, logins, profiles,post count, posts, topics, and anything else you can think of will remain the same. You won't have to re-register. This is about as seamless as it can get. I want to reconnect with all of you - I miss talking to some of you and I want you to join me in this new venture I'm a part of. It's the most exciting thing I've ever created,and it is taking off far faster than you would believe. Sony Insider is a visually attractive site that is rich in functionality, has relevant and interesting content, and has the opportunity to grow much larger and impact more people than MDCF. Minidisc is a Sony technology. The forum software at Sony Insider forums is much more advanced than the already advanced software here. It became clear to me as I was crafting the Sony Insider forums that there was an opportunity for me to bring all the years incredible discussions, content, and people from MDCF and ATRACLife to Sony Insider forums and create a place that has 100,000members and 200,000+ posts. Centralizing all of this is a huge boost in resourcefulness to Sony Insider and makes a lot more sense looking ahead long term. Centralizing all of the research and help we've done for one another will be much more beneficial to people who need it. I asked myself when I made this decision - do I want MDCF to be the same right now five years from now? Ten years from now? Do I want to sit on all of that data from ATRACLife and have nothing to do with it? It just makes more sense to bring this all together guys. I understand that when its all said and done things won't look the same and feel the same. I understand that I am going to lose some of you, which really saddens me. I don't want to lose anyone that still goes here when I complete the move. I am begging you to come with me. I really think that all of us could get along very well, and help people just as much as some of you are doing now and have done in the past. It will not be a pro-Sony experience, and I will encourage discussion of all Minidisc products, just as we do today. There will be no change in attitude.

Oh, I see you are looking for the BCR-NWU3. It was of course discontinued and after some light google searching it seems to be hard to find..

It seems hard to believe that it?s been 3 years since I purchased my first PS3. I still remember camping outside for 3 days at Best Buy in the cold (yeah I am a geek), having pizza delivered, playing Monopoly, and then being dead tired when I get home. Thankfully this time around, I didn?t have to do that. With the announcement of the PS3 Slim, I told myself it was time for an upgrade and I headed out to track one down. Being familiar with the store budgets of the Best Buy?s in my area, I headed out to one of the one?s with the smallest budget (less traffic) to pick one up. I headed back to the media department and was greeted with a nice display of PS3 Slim?s. I grabbed one and immediately noticed the difference in weight. I asked about stand?s and they didn?t even have the SKU in their system yet. That gave me the needed motivation to reorganize my AV rack which was long overdue anyway. So I setup a spot in the living room prior to installation to open and categorize everything. Quite a small box in comparison to the original. I didn?t notice until the review I left my VMware VCP books in the background, sorry about that A standard set of accessories were included: A DualShock 3, Composite Cable, Power Cable, USB Charging Cable, Instruction Manuals, Quick Start Guide, and PS3 Blu-Ray welcome disc. After hearing so many varying reports about the aesthetics of the new system, after removing the styrofoam covering, my fears were to put to rest. While the look of the console is different, it still has some style to it. Silver trim near the buttons, glossy finish on the left and right sides of the console, and I dig the return of the PS3 logo on top. I wasn?t sure how I would feel about the physical eject and power

I understand that things feel different. It's like visiting your old town after moving away for a long time, for me at least. That's how I felt whenever I visited MDCF. I merged your account with your old one, so hopefully that will help you feel a little more comfortable. I am willing to do whatever it takes to make MDCF members content, so if you need anything I am a PM or email away.

I have been using 3.5 regularly now for a while without any issues whatsoever on Vista and Windows 7. Chrome is ok but i didn't like how many processes it was using in task manager..

This Walkman is fully drag and drop compatible and appears as a mass storage device to Windows and Mac computers. So, to load music on the player all you have to do is drag and drop. It's nice.

For those of you who prefer a darker forum theme, you will be pleased to see a new choice in the skin drop down menu at the bottom left of the forum called Cethin-SI. Let me know what you think.

Sony Europe just had to tease us more with a video that so compliments

Hello, I just wanted to welcome everyone to the new Sony Insider forums, now with 166,000+ posts and more than a 111,000+ members. This is without a doubt the largest 3rd party forum that consists of mostly Sony content. There were several problems with the merger, but things ended up working out for the most part in the end. I would estimate that at least 10,000 topics are still due to be imported in the forums. The Pictorials and Reviews from the Minidisc forum are a part of that. The rest of the Hi-MD forum is a part of that. We have all the data, though, so don't worry about it. Many forums may not be displaying all of their topics correctly right now. We have to rebuild the indexes and this will be fixed in time. Things are going to be quirky for a few weeks. It is great to have all of the content from ATRACLife back. We will be adding more themes to the forum and languages. If you had an account with us at Minidisc Community Forums, ATRACLife or Sony Insider forums, your login should work normally. We can merge your accounts, so please tell us all of your usernames in a reply.

Since autumn of 2008, the CREAS HD video chip has been implemented in all Blu-ray Disc (BD) recorder models, promoted as a technology that will enhance all HDTV images. Sony leveraged its rich storehouse of advanced digital video processing technology in creating a new chip capable of reproducing video images with their original rich color gradation and detail to reverse the degenerating effects of digitization and compression. The result is CREAS, the world’s first technology with the capacity to recreate incomparably realistic video images with 14-bit processing and 16,384 levels of gradation. Measuring just 1cm x 1cm, this tiny chip is packed with the technology needed to upscale the image quality of BD recorders and players to a new level. In this article courtesy of Sony technology highlights, we finally learn what CREAS truly means. Digital broadcasting and BD have already become mainstream technologies, and high-definition (HD) content is, by definition, content offering highly-advanced quality and clarity, but will it still seem so attractive once HD is the everyday standard? Because of limitations imposed by the compression format, BD-ROM is recorded in 8-bit.While terrestrial digital broadcasts are classed as HD, they have only 1,440 horizontal pixels, compared with 1,920 pixels for full HD. Even if the original video content has been recorded at a higher bit density, it needs to be compressed for broadcasting. This means the original video content cannot be reproduced perfectly. CREAS is based on the concept that image quality can be enhanced by recovering and reconstructing HD video data lost during compression and other processes. Another concept that is built into the CREAS system is the ability to reproduce video with color gradation equivalent to 14 bits even on a TV with an 8-bit or 10-bit panel. Sony has used two technologies to realize these two concepts in the CREAS system: HD Reality Enhancer, and Super Bit Mapping for Video. The HD Reality Enhancer analyzes the feature points of individual pixels in video input and automatically optimizes each pixel according to the feature points detected. Data lost through compression and other processes is recovered, allowing the image to be reconstructed with 14-bit precision. The video analysis block has multiple feature point analysis modules and can detect flat areas, detailed areas, edges, noise, subtitles and other aspects at the pixel level. This data is used to select the optimal process, and to control the intensity of processing. The video analysis block uses video analysis to control the following two factors – enhance–reconstruction of lost details, and smoothing–restoration of natural color gradation. The system detects detailed areas in the image and restores the sense of detail existing in the original video data. It enhances the image by subtly modifying detail at the individual pixel level to restore data lost during data compression. Earlier enhancement systems, which uniformly increase sharpness across the entire image, are not practical, since they cause outlines to become unnaturally conspicuous and also enhance noise. By analyzing images at the individual pixel level, HD Reality Enhancer is able to restore natural depth and clarity through a process that enhances only those elements needed to restore the original sense of detail. Even if the original video has excellent color gradation, subtle variations are lost during 8-bit quantization. This can result in color banding in areas that should have smooth gradation. The smoothing system accurately detects color banding and restores the original smooth gradation at 14-bit quality. Smoothing is not applied to areas where there is no banding, so there is no unintentional loss of precision in textured areas. HDMI, which transmits digital signals unmodified, is becoming the standard interface for linking video equipment to TVs. Deep Color is a new HDMI standard that supports 12-bit, high-gradation output. CREAS was designed to extract the full potential of the Deep Color specification by adding 14-bit precision. Sony BD systems equipped with HD Reality Enhancer have the power needed to support Deep Color output. This gradation conversion technology reproduces images generated by HD Reality Enhancer with the equivalent of 14-bit gradation, even with HDTVs featuring 8-bit and10-bit panels. Low sensitivity at high frequencies is a characteristic of human vision with high-frequency signals appearing, to the human eye, visually averaged. This means that it is possible to achieve visually smooth gradation, even with a limited number of bits, by superposing minute quantization errors in high-frequency areas where sensitivity is low (noise shaping). Also, since this system always uses high-frequency areas, perceived noise is far lower than with conventional gradation conversion processes. Compressed 8-bit output without this technology causes the smooth gradation to be lost, allowing color banding to reappear. Sony’s exclusive SBM-V gradation conversion technology brings out the full potential of superb image quality produced by HD Reality Enhancer. Now it is possible to enjoy this superior image quality on any HDTV set. View the full article

Are you at the top of your game? Now you have a chance to prove it in the new reality competition series for PlayStation Network called “The Tester.” This original program will challenge a select group of gamers in a series of tests to determine if they have what it takes to make it as an official Game Tester. The elimination competitions throughout the series will not only test the contestants’ video game knowledge, but they will also challenge the gamers’ memory, stamina, dexterity, and overall mental prowess. The lucky winner will earn a contract position at Sony Computer Entertainment’s Quality Assurance department in San Diego, CA, where he or she will get hands on time with the most highly anticipated games in the industry on consoles such as the PS3 and PSP. You must be at least 21 years of age and legally eligible to work in and a current resident of the United States for consideration. Submit your entry by filling out the online submission form and upload a short video telling Sony about yourself and why you think you’re a perfect contestant for “The Tester.” View the full article

Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) announced today a new and exclusive PS3 offering called the God of War Collection. Scheduled for release this holiday season, God of War Collection will feature reworked versions of both God of War and God of War II on a single Blu-ray Disc at full 1280 x 720 resolution. Both critically acclaimed games, which were originally developed for PlayStation 2, have been remastered with anti-aliased graphics running at 60 frames per second for a smooth gameplay experience on the PS3 system. Additionally, the Blu-ray Disc compilation will bring PlayStation Network trophy support to the franchise for the first time (included for both games). God of War Collection offers substantial value to PS3 users, the compilation of both best-selling games costing just $39.99 MSRP. Developed by Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios, Santa Monica Studio, the God of War series brings epic mythological battles to life with stunning graphics and an elaborate plot that puts Kratos, the trilogy’s main character, at the center of carnage and destruction as he seeks revenge against the Gods who have betrayed him. God of War III is scheduled for release exclusively on the PS3 system in March 2010. “We are excited today to announce God of War Collection,” said Scott Rohde, vice president, Worldwide Studios America. “Our fans spoke and we listened; thanks to our partnership with Bluepoint Games, fans and newcomers to the series can experience the epic God of War and God of War II saga in stunning 720p on PS3. This Blu-ray Disc compilation brings Kratos to PS3 even earlier than expected.” View the full article

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. (SCEA) has announced the availability of the upcoming Limited Edition Gran Turismo PSP Entertainment Pack on October 20 for $199.99 at participating retailers in the United States and Canada. Developed by Polyphony Digital, Inc. specifically for the PSP system, the launch of Gran Turismo marks the first time the famed racing series is available on PSP. Blending the high-speed racing action of Gran Turismo with the high caliber entertainment experience of the PSP system, the new entertainment pack features an exclusive PlayStation Network downloadable voucher for a white Chevrolet Corvette ZR1–a color not available in the game and only offered in this hardware package. The limited edition entertainment pack also includes a “Mystic Silver” PSP-3000 system; Gran Turismo game on UMD; PlayStation Network downloadable movie voucher (title to be announced); a 2GB Memory Stick PRO Duo; and a music voucher good for 10 downloadable songs from Sony Music Pass. A stand-alone version of Gran Turismo will be available on UMD and as a digital download on the PlayStation Network on October 1 for $39.99. Be sure to check out 40+ screenshots from the upcoming Gran Turismo game for PSP at vgchartz. The award-winning Gran Turismo franchise has shipped more than 52 million units worldwide. With its true-to-life graphics and authentic physics technology and design, Gran Turismo features more than 800 vehicle models from the world’s top manufacturers and 35 tracks – all this is only possible on the PSP system. “Gran Turismo is one of the most successful gaming franchises in history, so what better way to mark Gran Turismo’s premiere on the PSP system than by offering it with the only portable device that can deliver its rich, true-to-life graphics and unrivaled driving experience,” said John Koller, Director, Hardware Marketing, SCEA. “Featuring Polyphony Digital’s famed graphical prowess, tons of fun automotive content–including the ability to trade and share vehicles–and an exhilarating racing experience created for the PSP system, Gran Turismo is again poised to take racing games to new heights.” The Limited Edition Gran Turismo Entertainment Pack features a “Mystic Silver” PSP-3000 system, along with the following: Gran Turismo – Developed exclusively for the PSP system by the internal team of designers and engineers at Polyphony Digital, Gran Turismo features more than 800 vehicle models from the world’s top manufacturers (over 4,500 total paint variations) and 35 tracks (60+ total layouts)–including famous world circuits, city courses and other environments. Seasoned Gran Turismo fans will recognize the depth of content and unparalleled visuals the series is known for, including graphics running at a stunning 60 frames per second. Additionally, a first in the Gran Turismo series is the ability to trade and share unlocked vehicles with others online via ad hoc mode, a feature that is not available in any other racing game on the PSP system. Rated “E” for everyone. Exclusive car download – Includes an exclusive PlayStation Network voucher to download a white version of the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 for Gran Turismo, the same car featured on the cover of the game. PlayStation Network movie voucher – Consumers can easily download a movie from the PlayStation Network to their PSP system. Title to be announced. 2GB Memory Stick PRO Duo – Leverages the PSP system’s multimedia functionality by storing photos, music, videos, and game saves. Music voucher – Consumers can download 10 free songs onto their PC or Mac using Sony Music Pass. Available to U.S. residents only. View the full article

Modern Warfare 2 (packaged as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2) is an upcoming first-person shooter video game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision for PlayStation 3, Windows, and Xbox 360. The highly anticipated game is due for worldwide release on November 10, 2009. It is the sixth installment of the Call of Duty series, and the direct sequel to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, continuing along the same storyline. Modern Warfare 2 is set several years after the conclusion of Call of Duty 4. The radical Russian Ultranationalist organization has returned to prominence under the leadership of Vladimir Makarov, a former associate of Imran Zakhaev with his own ambitions. Makarov has publicized Zakhaev’s death as an act of martyrdom to garner support for his cause, enabling him to build a strong power base in Russia over the years. Fearful of Makarov’s growing influence, the global community established Task Force 141 to counter the threat posed by the resurgent Ultranationalists. Mission settings in the game will include Russia, a military base in Kazakhstan, a desert area in Afghanistan, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Here’s a video from the creators of the game playing the online multiplayer capture the flag game, which is absolutely exhilarating: " />" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"> The online multiplayer mode of Modern Warfare 2 retains the same experience points and unlockable reward system of Call of Duty 4, but also introduces several new features. Aside from new weapons and equipment, 15 different kill streak rewards can be unlocked and selected by the player. Among these is the ability to call in a strike by an AC-130 gunship after achieving 11 enemy kills in a row. It is also now possible to upgrade perks to a “pro version”. Another new addition to online multiplayer is in-game host migration, which means that if the match host leaves the game, players will remain (instead of being reset to the game lobby like in Call of Duty 4) while a new host is selected and the game resumes. View the full article

The Boondock Saints: All Saints Day, a Sony Pictures film, is the highly-anticipated sequel to indie cult classic, The Boondock Saints. The film is the continuation of writer & director Troy Duffy’s tough, stylized cutting edge saga of fraternal twins, the MacManus brothers (Norman Reedus, Sean Patrick Flanery). The two have been in deep hiding in the quiet valleys of Ireland, far removed from their former lives or modern technologies. When word comes that a priest has been killed by sinister forces in the tough underworld of Boston, they return to mount a violent and bloody crusade to bring justice to those who must now suffer the consequences, with a new partner in crime (Clifton Collins, Star Trek) and a sexy FBI operative (Julie Benz, TV’s “Dexter”) hot on their trail. The film is set to hit theaters October 30, 2009. View the full article

Previously Will Smith told JoBlo that a sequel was “definitely” happening. A few month’s later, Peter Berg spoke with Sci Fi wire and shared his thoughts on a potential sequel stating “There might be another god out there”. Now things appear to be getting fleshed out. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Sony/Columbia has hired Adam Fierro and Glen Mazzara to write the sequel. Fierro wrote for Showtime’s “Dexter” and served as Consulting Producer on several episodes.

Alarm clocks, digital photo frames, and iPod/iPhone docks are usually bland and simple. Only very recently have we seen style truly grace these products. However, when one of my contacts forwarded me information about the upcoming ICF-CL75iP, I couldn’t believe what I was looking at. This is probably the greatest looking fusion of all of the aforementioned devices that I’ve ever seen. This is the most advanced Dream Machine ever produced by Sony to date – it has a crisp 7 inch color WVGA (800 x 480) LCD, 1GB of built-in storage, and a retractable iPod/iPhone dock. What’s truly outstanding is that the photos on the screen can either be pulled from your iPod/iPhone, or loaded onto the unit via USB. You can also store and play music (mp3, WMA), and movies (MP4, Motion JPEG and AVI) on the device. And in true Billy Mays fashion, wait, there’s more – a FM/AM radio (with 39 total presets), and the option to either wake up via radio, iPod/iPhone, nature sounds (Sea Waves, Birds, Rain, Brook, Under the Sea), or through a 10 second voice recording. Sony has truly gone all out with this multi-function alarm clock/digital photo frame/iPod+iPhone dock and I honestly believe that this is going to be a huge hit. No release date or a price is to be found, but a cached SonyStyle page did have it listed for $150, which is absolutely delicious. Here’s hoping it stays that way. This information is a Sony Insider exclusive, brought to you here first. View the full article

Sony Europe has launched several new BRAVIA TVs with a built-in HD triple tuner. This next generation of Integrated Digital Television (IDTV) has a 3-in-1 integrated DVB-S2, DVB-T and DVB-C tuner which means you can watch terrestrial, cable and free-to-air broadcasts from satellite services (such as ASTRA) without the need for set-top boxes or cables cluttering the room. Unlike some other multi-tuner TVs, the new BRAVIA V5800, W5800 and Z5800 TVs are CI+ ready so you can easily slot in a smartcard with CI+ CAM to access pay TV and subscription channels. The new BRAVIA V5800. • BRAVIA ENGINE 3 and Live Color for impressive depth, clarity and optimal color purity • DLNA home networking technology to stream video, music and photo from other devices • Easy connection to High Definition sources such as Blu-ray Disc Players and PS3 via four HDMI inputs • Beautifully slim and elegant with a sleek piano black finish The BRAVIA V5800 has stunning high definition detail and impressive picture quality thanks to BRAVIA ENGINE 3, Live Color and Advanced Contrast Enhancer. Your TV programs, movies or games will have never looked so good. The new BRAVIA W5800. • Motionflow 100Hz technology with Image Blur Reduction for sharper, smoother images with fast-moving action • Superb High Definition detail with a 1920 x 1080 pixel screen resolution • BRAVIA ENGINE 3 and Live Color for impressive depth, clarity and optimal colour purity • View movies exactly the way the director intended with 24p True Cinema™ • Up to 100,000:1 Dynamic Contrast ratio for impressive deep blacks and pure whites Motionflow 100Hz technology with Image Blur Reduction means sharper, smoother images for fast-moving live action while BRAVIA ENGINE 3 and Live Colour will ensure HD programs are shown in incredible visual detail. And it isn’t only the picture that looks stunning on a BRAVIA W5800, as the design features a deep piano black finish and understated transparent detailing to flatter any interior. We covered the Z5800 in a separate post entitled, “Sony Europe To Launch Two New Bravia HDTV’s With Integrated freesat For The UK.” The Z5800 in that announcement is the same as the one mentioned here, but it won’t have freesat outside of the UK. View the full article

Enjoy free HD programs from the BBC and ITV with the new W5810 and Z5800 BRAVIA TVs, which have freesat built-in – enabling access to over 140 free TV and radio channels, including over 70 hours a week of free HD TV, with no subscription costs. The new freesat BRAVIA TVs have an integrated DVB-S2 tuner so there’s no need for a set-top box or cables cluttering your living room. The BRAVIA W5810 and Z5800 series also have Full HD 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution and are packed with the latest picture and motion technology from Sony. Now, for the first time you can really watch free satellite HD TV as it’s meant to be. freesat gives you quick and easy access to a whole range of TV channels, and there’s a handy Electronic Programming Guide, too. As freesat is a satellite based service there’s capacity for any future expansion of HD services, meaning you’ll be able to get more HD channels as they become available. freesat covers virtually all homes in the UK (98% of households) so it’s an easy way to switch to digital TV and radio, especially in out-of-coverage areas. “The BRAVIA W5810 and Z5800 TVs provide an amazing immersive HD viewing experience for TV, sports, movies and games,” says Hiroshi Sakamoto, Vice President, TV Marketing Europe. “And now with an integrated freesat receiver, viewers can easily access a huge choice of free HD content to watch in incredible HD detail only found on a BRAVIA TV.” The new BRAVIA W5810. • Motionflow 100Hz technology with Image Blur Reduction for sharper, smoother images with fast-moving action • Superb High Definition detail with a 1920 x 1080 pixel screen resolution • BRAVIA ENGINE 3 and Live Color for impressive depth, clarity and optimal colour purity • View movies exactly the way the director intended with 24p True Cinema™ • Up to 100,000:1 Dynamic Contrast ratio for impressive deep blacks and pure whites Enjoy a Full HD cinematic experience with the new BRAVIA W5810. Motionflow 100Hz technology with Image Blur Reduction means sharper, smoother images for fast-moving live action while BRAVIA ENGINE 3 and Live Colour will ensure your freesat HD programs are shown in incredible visual detail. And it isn’t only the picture that looks stunning on a BRAVIA W5810, as this device features a deep piano black finish and understated transparent detailing to flatter any interior. The new BRAVIA Z5800. • Motionflow 200Hz with Image Blur Reduction for the smoothest, sharpest fast-action scenes • BRAVIA ENGINE 3 brings detailed and colour-rich pictures to life • Impressive 100,000:1 Dynamic Contrast ratio ensures the deepest blacks and purest whites • Minimalistic frame design to lose yourself in the stunning Full HD picture • Eco features such as ‘Idle TV’ mode so your TV consumes 25-30% less energy than previous comparable models Take in smoother, sharper fast-action scenes with Motionflow 200Hz with Image Blur Reduction – the latest pioneering technology from Sony which quadruples the number of unique images per second to smooth gaps in the action and deliver judder-free pictures. Combined with BRAVIA ENGINE 3 and an incredible Dynamic Contrast ratio of 100,000:1, it will make it feel as though fast-moving action on your freesat HD channels is happening in the middle of your living room. View the full article

At IFA 2009, Sony announced ‘make.believe’ (pronounced: make dot believe), as its new Group-wide brand message, replacing ‘like.no.other’. Symbolizing Sony’s spirit of creativity and innovation, it is the first time Sony has introduced a single overarching brand message for all of its entertainment and electronics businesses around the globe. ‘make.believe’ unites Sony’s communication efforts across electronics, games, movies, music, mobile phones and network services. Sony has stated that ‘Believe’ is the power of inspiration, while ‘make’ is about crafting inspiration into products and experiences for our consumers. The ‘dot’ is the place where they meet. Last week, CEO/President Howard Stringer announced the ‘make.believe’ slogan and campaigned it internally with a supplementary video, and the reaction has been positive. I feel that this is a good marketing transformation for Sony as they move forward into 2010 with exciting new products and technologies. It’s easy for me to say that Sony’s current offerings are light years beyond what they sold in the past five years, with many products embracing open standards and network connectivity is finally taking center stage. Consumers are now able to believe that they can make anything with Sony products, and not be restricted by closed formats and restrictive DRM. “As we move to transform Sony and integrate the very best in electronics, entertainment and technology into the homes of our customers, the importance of an all-encompassing and unified brand image is more important than ever,” said Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman, CEO and President, Sony Corporation. “In addition to reigniting the innovative spirit of our employees and our products, make.believe will differentiate us from countless competitors and inspire consumers around the world to embrace all that is Sony. It’s a symbol of the new Sony, a truly united Sony.” View the full article

At IFA 2009, Sony Europe announced its launch plan of BRAVIA Internet Video for new BRAVIA TVs, Blu-ray Disc players and Blu-ray home cinema systems. This new service will enable viewers to experience on-line TV programs available in early 2010, directly through the XMB. Sony is working with broadcast partners across Europe [ARD in Germany, M6 in France, Mediaset in Italy, RTVE, Antena3 and LaSexta in Spain and Five in UK] to build an advanced TV viewing experiences on a trial basis. BRAVIA Internet Video will also offer a wide variety of free on-demand video content from internet sites such as YouTube and Dailymotion. Some of these features are already available on higher-end BRAVIA televisions, such as the XBR9. “This trend continues to grow, fuelled by broadcasters’ TV programming available on-line”, said Fujio Nishida, President of Sony Europe. “However, Sony will enhance the experience of watching full length TV programmes on a PC, by bringing that content to the TV in the Living Room.” View the full article

After a groundbreaking introduction of VAIO X505 back in 2003, when a beautifully engineered slim carbon fiber with chicklet keyboard was unveiled to the world, Sony took its sweet time before announcing another model in its X series and it happened today at IFA in Berlin. This new ultra portable, dubbed Vaio X, will feature a LED backlit 11.1 LCD, possibly a Atom processor (Sony is not confirming that, yet), 120GB HDD, 2GB memory and supposedly a long-lasting battery. Usual I/O includes USB ports, VGA, MS/SD card reader, WiFi We will update you on full specs soon! But the notebook does look sweet, let’s just hope its performance will be as sweet! Sony is quoted as saying that it will cost less than “two thousand.” Image and information on the Vaio X courtesy of Engadget; check out their hands-on with more pictures. View the full article

Sony has announced the SRS-GD50iP, a 2.1-channel USB speaker system with an integrated iPhone/iPod docking station. The stylish speaker system for computers conveniently synchronizes content on any iPhone or iPod with iTunes directly through USB transfer. Additionally with the True Dock feature on SRS-GD50iP, the docking cradle of the SRS-GD50iP allows users to charge, play music or sync their iPhone or iPod with iTunes. Through a simple USB connection from the speakers to the computer, consumers can easily play music from their computers with up to 60W (40W sub, 10+10W speakers) of output power. As a plus, the system includes a subwoofer. For convenient access, the remote control allows users to play or pause music as well as control volume levels wirelessly. Compatible with selected iPod and iPhone models listed below, the new SRS-GD50iP will be available from end August 2009 for what appears to be a $150-199 price range in the USA. Compatible with: iPhone 3GS iPod nano, 4th generation (video) iPod touch, 2nd generation iPhone 3G iPod touch, 1st generation iPod nano, 3rd generation (video) iPod classic iPhone iPod nano, 2nd generation (aluminum) iPod, 5th generation (video) iPod nano, 1st generation iPod, 4th generation (color display) iPod, 4th generation iPod mini View the full article

Fall is arriving once again and that means one thing: its officially the start of the new product season. And with this new season, Sony is holding a press conference before IFA 2009 (one of the largest electronic trade shows in the world) to announce some of those new products. Today, at 5PM CEST (11AM EST/8AM PST), Sony at Hall 4.2/ Booth 101 will reveal its intentions for the rest of 2009 and most certainly some prospects for 2010. One can most certainly say that this is the last time Sony will be like.no.other, but in a good way. We’ve been told some things from various sources (many of which have been completely trustworthy in the past) and our final speculations for IFA 2009 include: The next OLED TV from Sony in its final form (although we don’t think it will arrive until 2010) A new Walkman, similiar to the recent S-Series but without speakers and has interesting features New Vaio laptops with new chassis, possible Vaio P refresh (FCC filings) A new Bravia LED-backlit LCD TV range Total embrace of 3D technology for late 2010 and beyond, 3D Bravia HDTV announcements Further IPTV services detailed More talk about Sony Ericsson’s strong portfolio of upcoming phones, such as Aino, Satio, and Yari View the full article