Christopher

No problem. Thank you for your support.

All logins and profiles should remain the same, which is very very nice. I want the transition to be as easy and unobtrusive as possible to everyone here.

I understand that the transition seems a little confusing right now because I haven't specifically wrote where things will go. It is a big project, but it has been a long time coming. In the next week, as the transition begins, things will become more clear. I believe that yes, the Minidisc related discussions will have its own seperate forum, and then subforums within that. There will not just be a huge Minidisc forum with no organization, that would be insane.

Minidisc.org will continue operations as normal.

Greetings. I am very excited to announce today that all of the data (posts, topics, etc), members, and so forth from Minidisc Community Forums and its once-existing sister site ATRACLife will be converged into the Sony Insider forums. I feel that this is the best way to unify all of this important data and bring a fresh appearance (and new software) to our existing users. The forums.minidisc.org domain will forward to this new domain before the end of 2009. I understand that this is a big change, but it will be worth it moving forward. This will also create one of the largest forums ever dedicated to the Sony brand, as the Minidisc forum has more than 76,000 registered users and the ATRACLife forum had more than 30,000 if I recall correctly. Thanks for your continued support. View the full article

Greetings. I am very excited to announce today that all of the data (posts, topics, etc), members, and so forth from Minidisc Community Forums and its once-existing sister site ATRACLife will be converged into the Sony Insider forums. I feel that this is the best way to unify all of this important data and bring a fresh appearance (and new software) to our existing users. The forums.minidisc.org domain will forward to this new domain before the end of 2009. I understand that this is a big change, but it will be worth it moving forward. Thanks for your continued support.+++ Instead of responding to the items of interest presented by some of the members here, I would like to reinvite everyone to look at Sony Insider forums. I spent some time today to re-organize and establish the framework for the move. This is going to be a dramatic change to Minidisc Community Forums - it will no longer exist and will simply become a forum of Sony Insider with relevant subforums. Here is what is going to happen to the forums within MDCF: News goes to forum Minidisc > News (subforum) Announcements goes to forum Announcements Classifieds goes to Classifieds Trading Place (merge Minidisc Trades and Hi-MD trades) becomes a subforum of Classifieds Hi-MD goes to forum Minidisc > Hi-MD (subforum) MD, NetMD + MDLP goes to forum Minidisc > MD, NetMD + MDLP (subforum) Find your Minidisc goes to forum Minidisc Live Recording goes to forum Minidisc > Live Recording (subforum) Technical, Tips, and Tricks goes to forum Minidisc > Technical, Tips, and Tricks (subforum) Product Reviews/Pictorials goes to forum Product Reviews/Pictorials Software Discussion/FAQ's goes to forum Audio > Software (subforum) 'phones goes to forum Audio > 'phones (subforum) Hi-/MD Evaluations + Criticisms goes to forum Minidisc Off Topic [Music, Electronics + etc] goes to forum The Loft There is 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. That is 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. I have 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 alot 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 a great 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 seperate 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 100,000 members and 200,000+ posts. Centralizing all of this is a huge boost in resourcefulness to Sony Insider and makes alot 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. Thank you for your consideration.

Sony Malaysia has recently joined forces with UNICEF to launch the Sony-UNICEF Incredible Game website. The site’s main objective besides hosting an exciting virtual football challenge as part of Sony’s ongoing activities in the run up to the FIFA 2010 World Cup, is to reach out to members of the public, providing them with an interactive platform to learn more about UNICEF’s work in the areas of sports for development, young child survival and development, education, HIV and AIDS as well as child protection. The Sony-UNICEF Incredible Game website features special segments with emotional images and video clips as articles that focus on UNICEF’s interventions in the core areas of its work for children. “UNICEF is proud to be associated with Sony in such an innovative partnership. We hope that guests on the Incredible Game website will not only have fun but also be inspired by the content on this site and that they will join Sony and UNICEF in our efforts to change the lives of children in Malaysia and all around the world – especially those in the most disadvantaged communities,” said Mr. Youssouf Oomar, UNICEF Representative to Malaysia and Special Representative to Brunei. Through this partnership, Sony hopes to bring to the public’s eyes the various issues impacting children and to reach out to them and encourage them to support UNICEF’s programmes through their donations. “We at Sony are in a position to give something back to society and we firmly believe that we have a responsibility to do so. Sony looks forward to lending our support to UNICEF in order for us to help enhance and improve the lives of underprivileged children. Through the power of sport and the web, we hope to inspire people to help to deliver UNICEF’s goals for children,” said Mr. Taku Taguchi, General Manager Products Marketing Division. In addition to the launch of the Incredible Game website, this year long partnership will see Sony contribute USD50,000 (RM170,000) to enhance and aid UNICEF’s local and global programmes for children. “In this troubling time of the global economic crisis, Sony’s dedication is a welcome symbol of hope. UNICEF is extremely proud to be in partnership with such as esteemed corporate organisation like Sony who has a longstanding tradition of giving back to the communities that you operate in through direct charitable donations, environment preservation projects, fundraising or volunteerism, amongat other forms of outreach. This organisation and its people truly have a culture of compassion and integrity that is evident throughout your worldwide operations. I am humbled by your kindness,” Mr. Youssouf added. “What ever our role in life is, there is nothing that unites us and motivates us more than the welfare of children. Children are our future. It is only by investing in them and their well-being that we can hope to build the healthy, prosperous and peaceful world we all strive for, “concluded Mr. Youssouf. View the full article

I still receive e-mails from people from time to time about the sweat and moisture issues that caused many NWZ-W202 wearable Walkman music players to malfunction. We originally had a post up (1, 2, 3) that had called Sony out on the matter, to which they responded very quickly by issuing a replacement service to those that were affected. The page disappeared about a week later and we never heard what happened. I just looked again today and it looks like Sony has restored the eSupport article with new information about the NWZ-W202 moisture issue, which they will fix until 2011. Very nice, Sony! I must note though that no serial number ranges are given, so I truly think that this was a problem on a bigger scale than Sony initially realized. Here is the refreshed alert about the Sony NWZ-W202 wearable Walkman: It has come to our attention that a limited number of NWZ-W202 headphone-style Walkman players may experience performance issues following exposure to sweat due to sports or outdoor use. We take all customer feedback seriously. While the device is not designed to be splash proof or water resistant, we have implemented additional safeguards to reduce the effect of sweat on the players. We have determined that this only occurs in a limited number of NWZ-W202 players. Affected models: NWZ-W202BLK (black) and NWZ-W202PNK (pink) Headphone-style Walkman Players. We have determined that this issue only occurs in a limited number of NWZ-W202 players within a certain serial number range. Until June 30, 2011, if the service center confirms that the unit is experiencing symptoms related to this issue, Sony will replace, free of charge, the affected Walkman player within the applicable serial number range. If you have any questions or require assistance, please call Sony Support at 888-868-7393. View the full article

Sony has recently discovered that some DSC-W170 Cyber-shot digital still cameras, made in 2008, may exhibit peeling of the metal plating on the bezel surrounding the lens (the silver circular area), resulting in splinters. This is caused by thin metal plating combined with the bezel’s grooved surface. In its continuing effort to ensure customer satisfaction, Sony will offer free service to replace the front cabinet, including the bezel, on units that fall within the affected serial number range. This issue affects only DSC-W170 model Cyber-shot digital still cameras within certain serial number ranges, which can be found on the sticker on the bottom of the camera: DSC-W170 recall in the USA: Color Serial Number Range RED 6501781 – 6736570 GOLD 6530821 – 6757270 BLACK 6504371 – 6740170 SILVER Not Affected DSC-W170 recall in Europe: RED: 7460001 – 7863950 7470501 – 7864550 7477401 – 7832350 7480901 – 7863050 GOLD: 7464251 – 7890350 7464851 – 7891500 7479501 – 7890800 7484551 – 7895200 BLACK: 7450601 – 7868000 7453001 – 7857450 7477501 – 7786200 7479401 – 7861450 Note: Silver colored units are not affected. Other countries might be affected, so if you notice this problem please contact Sony customer support in your area. View the full article

Sony UK (and possibly other regions, soon) are running a Rock n’ Roll themed campaign where you can trade in your old TV for a discount on a new Sony Bravia. Its not a bad bit of compensation for those out there looking to upgrade. It reminds me of the “cash for clunkers” vehicle trade-in they are doing here in the USA. I’ve also read that have a similar program in the UK where you can get up to 2,000-pound discount on a vehicle there if you trade in one that is ten or more years old. Anyways, the promotion says, “Not so long ago, if you were really rock ‘n’ roll you threw your TV out the window. These days, you can trade it in and get up to

Just wanted to give everyone a heads up and note that Sony Insider will be present during CEDIA Expo 2009 (September 9th-13th) in my hometown Atlanta, Georgia at the Georgia World Congress Center. Sony will also be there at booth 1409, which we plan on covering extensively. We’ve heard rumors that there will be several announcements on the Bravia front, so it should be an interesting experience. CEDIA Expo is the #1 show in the residential electronic systems industry, which offers great networking, incredible special events and speakers, and the world’s leading education and certification. Only the best of the best residential home theater, multi-room audio or home automation installers are CEDIA certified. View the full article

Sony announced four new Xplod in-dash CD Receivers. Designed to offer drivers a simple and affordable after-market audio experience, the new models combine strong connectivity with high style. ?Consumers continue to look for inexpensive ways to expand their audio options in the car? said Mike Kahn, director of Sony?s mobile electronics business. ?With this new line of car stereos, Sony Xplod is building on our reputation for offering great sound and convenient technology, all at an affordable price.? New for the 2009 fall lineup, each of Sony?s head units features RDS (Radio Data System) technology.

Sony announced four new Xplod in-dash CD Receivers. Designed to offer drivers a simple and affordable after-market audio experience, the new models combine strong connectivity with high style. “Consumers continue to look for inexpensive ways to expand their audio options in the car” said Mike Kahn, director of Sony’s mobile electronics business. “With this new line of car stereos, Sony Xplod is building on our reputation for offering great sound and convenient technology, all at an affordable price.” New for the 2009 fall lineup, each of Sony’s head units features RDS (Radio Data System) technology.

Sony today announced its new integrated marketing campaign, which aims to reinforce Sony as a leader in quality and hopefully spur consumer demand for holiday shopping in the fourth quarter. The creative concept is an expansion of the company’s 2008 HDNA campaign, which featured a “panel” of celebrity experts who served as brand ambassadors. Situated in retail environments, celebrity panelists assist consumers in choosing Sony products by differentiating the brand from its competitors.

Sony and Best Buy have announced the new “ALTUS” audio product line, featuring wireless music systems, speakers, and home theater products set for release in September. The goal is to provide easy, yet effective solutions for enjoying premium home audio. Heading up the ALTUS product lineup are two iPod docking systems designed to enhance and expand your home listening experience. The premium ALT-SA31iR multi-room iPod package ($700) features three separate components: an iPod/iPhone docking station and two high-output wireless speakers. This multi-room package also features an AM/FM tuner and S-AIR remote control with an LCD display. On the display, users are able to see all metadata of the streaming audio, including album, artist, and track information. Those of you with other S-AIR compatible receivers will be pleased to know that the ALT-SA31iR can co-exist gracefully. Sony’s AIR-SW10Ti iPod dock ($400) consists of a compact docking station with two built-in speakers and a wireless subwoofer that can be easily concealed. This powerful new model has a maximum output of 60 watts RMS and includes both an infrared remote control and FM tuner capabilities. The AIR-SW10Ti system can also be used to transmit wireless audio to compatible ALTUS and S-AIR products. Sony is also introducing two PC audio multi-room packages as part of the ALTUS brand. The new ALT-SA32PC multi-room audio package ($500) features three components: an S-AIR transmitter that connects to your PC (via USB input) and two high-output wireless speakers. The USB transmitter streams audio wirelessly from the connected PC to the two included speakers for a simple multi-room solution. The ALT-A33PC package ($200) has an identical USB S-AIR transmitter, but includes a universal receiver that can connect to a variety of audio products with its RCA outputs. This enables users to stream music wirelessly from their computer to most existing music systems. Both packages include unique music management software that has the ability to tap into existing playlists on your computer in programs like iTunes and Windows Media Player. Additionally, this software facilitates the creation of new music “channels” using the digital music library of a connected PC. Each of these two PC systems is compatible with the entire ALTUS family of products as well as all of Sony’s S-AIR accessories. For those looking to expand their ALTUS audio system with small, compact and stylish speakers, Sony is introducing the sleek ALT-SA34R Socket Speaker Package ($350). This ALTUS product is compatible with all S-AIR enabled transmitters and features two small, unobtrusive S-AIR wireless speakers that plug directly into any power outlet in the home. The speaker system also includes an S-AIR remote control highlighted by an LCD display for viewing music metadata. View the full article

Sony’s XEL-1 OLED television has always been an oddity; while inherently beautiful and full to the brim of advanced technology, the small size and high cost is tough to chew on for the average consumer. Sony made a huge gamble launching the $2,000+ XEL-1 OLED TV as early as it did, but that is typical Sony style to bring something to the table far before anyone else. With OLED becoming much more prominent in today’s gadgets, it seemed likely that pricing would eventually become reasonable in the next few years and that things were somewhat on track. Sony was expected to release the bigger brother to the XEL-1 in a 20-27 inch model later this year, but the WSJ is now reporting that this move is most likely going to be delayed. It just doesn’t make sense for Sony to mass produce an expensive item that will most likely not penetrate the market in a significant way. WSJ is also speculating that it may give Samsung and LG more time to catch up and release a lower-priced competitor to the XEL-1, which is still the only OLED tv on the market. Some other interesting quotes from the recent WSJ article about Sony delaying the release of a larger OLED tv: The decision sends a message to Sony’s engineers that returning its TV business, which is on track to lose money for the sixth straight year, to profitability is a top priority. In the past, Sony’s influential engineers could push the company to roll out products that were technological marvels but struggled to turn a profit. Research firm DisplaySearch estimates Sony’s production yield for its 11-inch OLED panel is below 60%, meaning at least four of every 10 panels its factories produce aren’t up to par and can’t be sold. Larger panels would likely introduce more difficulties. Sony declined to comment on its production yields. View the full article

Sony Ericsson has announced that Bert Nordberg, currently Executive Vice President of the Ericsson Group and Head of Ericsson Silicon Valley, will join Sony Ericsson as Co-President effective 1st September. Mr. Nordberg will work closely with Sony Ericsson President Hideki (Dick) Komiyama and the entire senior management team to effect a smooth management transition. Mr. Nordberg, who will be based at Sony Ericsson’s global headquarters in London, will assume the role of President, Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications, on October 15th, and Mr. Komiyama will retire from the company at the end of the year. In addition, Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman, CEO and President, Sony Corporation, and a member of the Board of Sony Ericsson, will become Chairman of the Board of Sony Ericsson on October 15th. In his role as Chairman of the Board of Sony Ericsson, Mr. Stringer will succeed Carl-Henric Svanberg, President & CEO of Ericsson. Commenting on today’s announcement, Dick Komiyama said, “The Sony Ericsson transformation program I began over a year ago is more than half way completed, and I am pleased with what we have achieved so far. I believe it is the right time for me to begin transferring the leadership of the company to a person who is able to complete the transformation program and lead Sony Ericsson through its next phase of development. I will continue to be involved with Sony Ericsson’s business until the end of the year and look forward to working closely with Bert to ensure a smooth handover.” Carl-Henric Svanberg, President & CEO of Ericsson, and Chairman of the Board of Sony Ericsson, said, “In the two years he has been at Sony Ericsson Dick Komiyama has made some very important changes to their organisation and laid the foundation for the company’s turn-around. Although we are sorry to see him leave Sony Ericsson, we fully respect his decision.” He added, “Bert Nordberg has a strong track-record in the area of business realignment and was instrumental in the transformation of Ericsson in the years 2002 – 2003. I am confident he will be able to build upon the foundation Dick has created and lead the final stages of Sony Ericsson’s transformation. Bert also brings a wealth of experience in telecommunications network infrastructure and in sales, where he has been a key driver of Ericsson’s overall growth from 117 billion to more than 200 billion SEK today.” Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman, CEO and President, Sony Corporation, said, “We want to thank Dick Komiyama for his leadership in spearheading critical changes at Sony Ericsson over the past two years. The company is now well-positioned to capitalize on growth opportunities and return to profitability. Dick has made an enormous contribution to Sony Ericsson in a short time, as well as to Sony Corporation in the years before that. We wish him all the best in his retirement. We are delighted that Bert Nordberg is joining the company as a strong and worthy successor to Dick. Bert brings tremendous experience and enthusiasm to his new role, and with his strong telecommunications background he will lead Sony Ericsson into a very bright future.” Bert Nordberg said, “I am very pleased to be joining Sony Ericsson. With the growing importance of open source platforms, applications and content in the mobile handset industry, I believe the experiences I have gained in Silicon Valley will be very relevant to Sony Ericsson’s business going forward. I look forward to working with Dick Komiyama in the transition phase and getting to know the rest of the Sony Ericsson management team.” View the full article

The iconic music event, Woodstock, will be relived on television this weekend in time for the festival’s 40th anniversary. Both the VH1 and History networks will air the premiere of “Woodstock: Now and Then,” a new documentary shot with Sony HDV camcorders. The documentary merges film footage from the original Woodstock movie with new HD interview footage recorded on the Sony cameras. Academy Award® winning director/producer Barbara Kopple chose the Sony HVR-Z7U and S270U HDV camcorders for their high-quality imaging and versatility, especially in changing shooting conditions, from natural light to low light. “We’re documentary filmmakers; we shoot in every possible environment,” Kopple said. “In the span of minutes we’d be shooting a concert performance in the back of a large and well-lit club on tripod and then have to make adjustments for hand-held shots in low-light backstage corridors. The Z7U and S270U are so versatile, there isn’t much they can’t do.” The new documentary looks at Woodstock from various perspectives: fans who gathered for the three-day concert, the musicians who played, and the festival organizers and promoters who put it all together. “Woodstock: Now and Then” airs on VH1 on August 14 and History on August 17. The compact size of the handheld Sony Z7U created a comfortable environment for subjects being interviewed about their Woodstock experience. According to Kopple, “When it came to close-ups of Woodstock veterans reminiscing about how important the festival was to them, these cameras allowed us to capture warm and revealing footage.” The shoulder-mount 270U added a perfect complement for longer shooting times that would have been difficult with a compact, handheld camera. “When we knew we’d be shooting all day and night, we turned to the Sony 270U,” she said. “Being able to get the same great images and not force our shooters to hold the camera with their arms all day proved really helpful in conserving energy and being able to shoot for long periods of time.” Kopple had to integrate several different film formats of historic footage with the HDV content they shot, but she added that she was consistently happy with how the new footage looked side-by-side with the archival materials they received. “It was never a concern that playing both film and HDV would be jarring for the viewer because they look like the same movie,” she said. “These cameras give a wonderful ‘film’ look, that’s crisp but never cold.” The two cameras are Sony’s newest HDV camcorders, designed specifically for video production professionals and pro-sumers with features like interchangeable lens systems, native progressive recording, increased sensitivity for low-light conditions and hybrid solid-state recording (the ability to use both tape and/or flash media). “Being able to switch out lenses is a wonderful feature that gave us a tremendous amount of options when we were planning for multi-camera shoots during concert performances and wanted a range of different kinds of images.” View the full article

Sony is launching its most comprehensive range of Blu-ray home cinema systems, with a range of seven new models designed to suit the needs of everyone from the consumer wanting a fuss-free, compact set-up to those seeking the best possible performance in a package as simple to set-up as it is to use. Three all-in-one systems headline the new range with features such as Full 1080p HD video, 1080p DVD upscaling, Virtual 7.1-channel – filling the room with sound, not speakers – and wireless rear speaker capability. Meanwhile four more packages combine Sony’s feature rich BDP-S360 Blu-ray Disc player with surround sound systems combining style, simplicity and performance that will last any enthusiast for years to come. BDV-E300 and BDV-E800W: 1000W power and the latest Blu-ray Disc features The BDV-E300 and BDV-E800W both offer 1000W of Sony’s S-Master digital amplifier power. They also have the latest Blu-ray Disc features such as BD-Live for added content and features, 24p with x.v.Colour to let you see movies as the director intended, and Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA with Sony’s Digital Cinema Sound for the most immersive movie experience. The systems will also upscale your existing DVDs to near FullHD resolution, and have Sony’s Virtual 7.1-channel sound for a complete wraparound audio experience without filling the room with speakers. Moreover, a real 7.1 set-up is also possible with the wireless upgrade kit WAHT-SBP1 which comes with an amplifier and two additional speakers. The BDV-E300 from Sony uses five compact satellite speakers for the main channels and a powerful subwoofer, and offers wireless operation of the rear speakers with the addition of the WAHT-SA1 optional amplifier. The BDV-E800W steps up with four floorstanding main speakers for front and rear left and right channels, the same high-power subwoofer, and wireless rear speakers as standard.* And the systems are as simple to use as they are breathtaking in performance: Sony’s BRAVIA Sync gives seamless operation of a complete Sony system with one remote handset, Digital Cinema Auto Calibration means the systems set themselves up to suit your room and even your listening position, and Sony’s Digital Media Port allows the connection of iPod, Walkman

Jalou by Dolce&Gabbana is a special limited edition clamshell phone in an exclusive Sparkling Rose color with 24 carat gold plating and exclusive D&G content. The D&G version comes complete with exclusive packaging and accessories ? three silky rose satin bags to either protect the phone, store the charger, or to even carry jewelery. Even the content is special on Jalou by D&G; exclusive photography and video clips from Dolce&Gabbana?s women?s Autumn/Winter 2010 runway show are included, with sneak peek footage from all the backstage action pre-loaded on the handset. There is also a variety of stylish themes and wallpapers, as well as a Dolce & Gabbana blog that sends the latest trends, news and gossip directly to the mobile phone via an RSS feed. Learn more about the Jalou at our other blog posting. Keep your eyes peeled for the advertising campaign at the beginning of October which will support the launch of Jalou by D&G. View the full article

Sony Ericsson has released information about Jalou, a new clamshell cell phone aimed for those who prefer style and substance slated for debut early next year. At 73mm long, which is shorter than a tube of lipstick, it is easy to slip into the tiniest clutch or jacket pocket and is full of essential features. The screen is two inches (262,144 colour TFT) at 240×320 QVGA, while the exterior screen is a monochrome LCD. Sony Ericsson explored art, architecture and furniture trends whilst delving deep into the couture and fashion world to ensure Jalou encapsulates some of the hottest fashion trends which will emerge next year. Jalou will be available in a variety of gem inspired colours including Deep Amethyst, Aquamarine Blue and Onyx Black. ?Structured forms, intricate corners, hidden depths and jewel accents are set to be some of the hottest fashion trends in 2010. You can also expect to see deep and natural jewel colors on the runway next year. Jalou reflects these trends with its delicate facet-cut diamond shape design, clean and expressive lines and variety of different shine and matt finishes, that give depth to the handset,? comments Charles Hunt, Jalou head designer at Sony Ericsson. ?The design team wanted the handset to reflect beauty found in nature. They looked at structure, strength and form in various crystalline jewels, which resulted in the unique shape.? A cool chic feature is a one touch mirror button, offering a discreet way to check yourself out to make sure there’s nothing stuck in your teeth. My girlfriend does this often with her compact so this phone would be perfect for her. Also, the Jalou is the first Sony Ericsson to feature Walk Mate step counter, to help you stay in shape wherever you go. It also has an exclusive fashion interface which automatically updates with zodiac signs and special events throughout the year. Other features include the 3.2 megapixel camera (with geotagging, video recording), a music player, 3G, Bluetooth (stereo A2DP), built-in FM radio and Internet (with email), YouTube, Google services, and compatibility with social media sites. 100MB of memory is built into the phone, but it does have a MicroSD slot for further expansion. When this phone goes live in the US it will have A-GPS capabilities. Talk time GSM: Up to 7 hrs; Standby time GSM: Up to 350 hrs; Talk time UMTS: Up to 4 hrs 30 min; Standby time UMTS: Up to 250 hrs; Video call time: Up to 2 hrs. ?The new Jalou phone is all about looking great and sharing the good life,? said Linda Schori, Marketing Business Manager at Sony Ericsson. ?We wanted to create a beautiful handset without compromising on style or content. It?s perfect for anyone who is sociable, loves fashion and wants to stay one step ahead of trends, because it has a fashion forward design you will want to show off. And, for such a compact handset, it has an immense amount of detail both inside and out.? View the full article

Thanks for the encouraging words; I have alot of interest in building this forum up and making it very active, so this is just the first step!

It's ok, it doesn't really bother me much anymore these days. The only time it really annoys me is when the Chinese sites rip off my pictures with zero credit whatsoever. Sometimes they even hotlink the images and use our bandwidth! p.s. I wonder when Sony is going to announce this thing already. The projected announcement date I have is still a little while away.

This looks so much better than before - enjoy! I hope you like it. I will be adding some new moderators very soon.

For years people have relied on GPS equipment for generating positioning information. Unfortunately, GPS cannot be used indoors, and there is a significant time lag before positioning can begin. PlaceEngine technology offers a viable solution by taking advantage of the growing popularity of wireless LAN (Wi-Fi) systems. It determines a user’s location by using signals emitted by numerous Wi-Fi access points. This approach can be used to estimate positions even in indoor or underground locations, where GPS is not an option. Years ago, Sony Computer Science Laboratories initiated PlaceEngine research and development. The free PlaceEngine Service, which became mainstream in 2007, consists of the PlaceEngine server (where location estimation is performed), a device with a built-in Wi-Fi device, and the PlaceEngine client (which runs on the device to collect Wireless LAN signal information). You can download the PlaceEngine software for free – Windows, Mac, and Windows Mobile are supported. Aside from PetaMap/Vaio P (using X-Radar) PSP and Mylo integration, Sony decided that PlaceEngine should be developed as openly as possible as an ?ecosystem? in a network environment. This approach carried the potential to enhance the ultimate value of the technology more than closed development within a single company or product. Koozyt, Inc. was established under the ownership of So-net Entertainment Corporation to handle licensing and PlaceEngine technology-based solution proposals. Koozyt is currently developing PlaceEngine business through tie-ups with PlayStation Portable (PSP) game titles and major service sites. Currently PlaceEngine supports the major parts of the main cities in Japan, especially Tokyo. However with our Register Location function, you can register your area into our database. PlaceEngine technology is not limited to only Japan, and can be used anywhere just to regsiter location (latitude and longitude). Here’s how it works: After installation, the PlaceEngine client software monitors signals from nearby Wi-Fi access points and acquires Wi-Fi data, including MAC addresses, SSIDs and field strengths. The client software transmits the Wi-Fi information to the PlaceEngine server. The PlaceEngine server estimates the user’s position (including longitude, latitude and street addresses) by comparing this data with Wi-Fi information stored in its database. The results are sent back to the client software. If no estimation results are returned from the PlaceEngine server, or if the results are incorrect, the user can register the current location to correct PlaceEngine’s location estimation. The PlaceEngine client software also works in conjunction with websites configured to support the PlaceEngine API (click here for Japanese demo site). When visitors hit the ?current location? button on these websites, various web-based positioning services can be provided, including maps displaying the user’s current location, or downloads of local information, such as traffic data or locations of nearby restaurants. Additionally, users can obtain positioning information through PlaceEngine even when not connected to the network (offline). The PlaceEngine client determines latitude and longitude by referring to a locally stored database (PlaceEngine local database), and the resulting information is transmitted to the application. This method has been implemented on portable computer entertainment systems, such as PlayStation Portable (PSP). Users can periodically download the latest PlaceEngine local database and store it on their devices. Factors influencing the positioning accuracy of the PlaceEngine system include the quality of the Wi-Fi information (including access point density) in the area where the client software is located, and the amount of Wi-Fi information stored in the server’s database. While accuracy is therefore difficult to predict, the positioning information provided is estimated to be accurate within an approximate range of 5 to 100m. By using PlaceEngine to estimate location or explicitly register locations, users can help improve PlaceEngine coverage and positioning accuracy. The system is self-maintaining, and its performance as a positioning technology will improve as usage increases. Another important feature of the PlaceEngine system is its ability to acquire extremely accurate positioning data, especially in urban areas, from Wi-Fi terminals, access points and other devices, which have proliferated rapidly in recent years. As a result, PlaceEngine is becoming an extremely effective positioning tool for urbanites in their daily activities. The positioning results plotted on the map in the figure above were obtained using PlaceEngine on a portable game console carried on a train traveling along Tokyo’s Yamanote Line. Readouts were taken every 10 seconds. In addition to triangulation based on wireless LAN signals, PlaceEngine can also be configured to search for any text tag corresponding to such signals through the introduction of pattern matching. This technology is currently used with the PlaceEngine service in not only providing the absolute position of the user, (longitude and latitude), but also their level (floor) within a building. Unlike GPS, which cannot determine altitude indoors, the PlaceEngine system can use this pattern matching technology to indicate on which floor of a building the user happens to be located. Future enhancements may lead to a more diverse range of information to include not only the floor information, but also the name of the buildings and points of interests, such as the name of the nearest train station, shopping district or complex. View the full article