Christopher

Sony’s Contrast* Flex OLED VAIO laptop is a super-thin laptop product concept. We were able to catch footage of its introduction video at Sony’s exhibit during CES 2009. We believe that Sony is assuming OLED will be the preferable choice of display for future laptop devices instead of what we currently use today. The Contrast Vaio laptop uses a foldable seamless OLED for the display and the keyboard, but as the videos show the keyboard can fade away and the whole thing can display something else. This concept has no restrictions on layout and size, and is extremely durable and shock resistant. Like the other Contrast product concepts, it is made of high performance flexible bioplastic. This is a VAIO laptop that could happen in five to ten years, according to chatter overheard at CES. We have no idea if Sony is going to stay this course, but it is being prototyped in Sony labs so its a good indication that yes, we will have something very similar to this one day. We can assume that such a slim, almost paper thin design like this would be most certainly possible considering flash miniaturization and other component optimization. Enjoy. Contrast - A Sony OLED Laptop Concept from Sony Insider on Vimeo. * - A seldom discussed portion of Sony’s CES 2009 exhibit is a new series of products that is referred to as Contrast. This product line is the future of Sony, as it incorporates three main technologies: OLED, touch, and physical flexibility. There were three products displayed - a Flex OLED Walkman, Reader, and VAIO laptop. engadget had some real pictures, but they were just mockups. Now we’re bringing video to the table - video we were able to capture after CES was closed on day 2 that shows off the functionality of these new products. OLED display capabilities in terms of color reproduction are far beyond the average LCD, which means 100% color reproduction across a wider viewing angle. Want to learn more about Flex OLED? Watch this. This video is a Sony Insider exclusive, brought to you here first. Props to engadget for the IRL pics though. View the full article

AkihabaraNews were very lucky to get their mittens on VAIO P…. boxed! Yea, we know some of you are junkies for unboxing ceremonies, so check out the small box it comes in and very few contents that are included with it: Standard Capacity Battery (VGP-BPS15/B), AC Adapter(VGP-AC10V2), JP Warranty card and Manuals, as well as replacement rubber pointing stick caps. Just a note: the box you see in these pictures may not necessarily be the same when VAIO P hits US and EU shores. I noticed that sometimes Japanese packaging differs greatly from the rest of the world. US versions will be bundled with a Display/LAN adapter (VGP-DA10). Hit the Flickr link to see all the goodness… I am sure a YouTube unboxing video will show up soon as well… View the full article

Here’s some other footage of the NWZ-X1050/NWZ-X1060 touchscreen Walkman that I shot at Sony’s exhibit during CES 2009 that didn’t make it in our introduction post. I know that some of you out there will find this interesting, I think? Hopefully we can get a review X-Series unit soon - I am dying to try this thing out. Hey Sony, how about you make up for the whole under the glass thing by sending me one early? Sony’s NWZ-X1050/1060 Touchscreen Walkman from Sony Insider on Vimeo. View the full article

Here’s some cool pictures we took at CES 2009 of the popular VAIO P, which is featured fully dissembled in a glass bubble display. Around the display, a circular shelf featured several VAIO P computers for attendees to play with. Above the laptops were leather-bound cases, which Sony is set to offer in brown, red, etc. View the full article

The global recession is tarnishing the crown jewels of corporate Japan; Sony is likely on track to post its first full-year operating loss in its history. Already, the company has damaged its standing with investors by having failed to deliver on earnings promises for seven of the past eight years. Compounding the problem of collapsed electronics demand is the competitive environment: better-positioned, cash-rich rivals like Samsung are prepared to run Sony off the rails. Sony is likely to post an operating loss of 100 billion yen to 200 billion yen ($1.1 billion to $2.2 billion) for the fiscal year ending March, the Nikkei reported Tuesday. That would be the company’s first operating loss since it went public in 1958. It last posted a loss in 1995, on a one-time charge. The news report sent Japanese electronics stocks sliding, with Sony shares plunging more than 8%. A full-year operating loss would mean that Sony lost its way during the typically buoyant holiday season since it had posted a first-half operating profit. If the dismal second-half performance continues into the fiscal year ending March 2010, Sony is looking at an operating loss next year of 450 billion yen ($5.0 billion), estimates Tokyo-based CLSA analyst Atul Goyal. Hope for a second-quarter recovery in 2009 in the tech sector will be “met with disappointment,” according to a Jan. 7 report by Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Still, the industry slump is only half the picture. Whether Sony’s management is well equipped to face the global recession is open to question. Though the severity of last year’s second-half downturn caught many by surprise, Sony’s dismal history of failing to deliver on its promises signals a management problem. “Seven out of eight years, Sony has failed to meet its own initial operating profit forecast. This is probably the worst track record amongst most major exporters,” Goyal said. “That means that either management is not able to anticipate challenges … or they fail on execution almost every time. Either way, it does not reflect well on Sony’s management.” In October, Sony forecast a full-year operating profit of 200 billion yen ($2.2 billion). During the eight prior years, Sony missed its targets by an average of 40.0% to 50.0%. The company is further handicapped by the yen’s recent surge. Sony’s likely operating loss is based on the yen’s average of more than 100 to the dollar and 151 against the euro this past year. But if the yen continues to hover around 90 to the dollar and 120 to the euro, Sony faces additional losses of about 275 billion yen ($3.1 billion) next year. Each strengthening of 1 yen against the dollar costs Sony 4 billion yen ($44.7 million) in operating profit, and each time the currency strengthens by another yen unit versus the euro, the firm forgoes another 7.5 billion yen ($83.9 million), according to Goyal. Article courtesy of Forbes. View the full article

Sony’s Contrast* Flex OLED Walkman is bracelet style with other form factors possible. We were able to catch footage of its introduction video at Sony’s exhibit during CES 2009. Essentially, this product allows visualization of music while expressing the owner’s personality. The Walkman would be made of high performance flexible bioplastic, which enables the marriage of form and functionality. This is a music player that could happen in five to ten years, according to chatter overheard at CES. We have no idea if Sony is going to stay this course, but it is being prototyped in Sony labs so its a good indication that yes, we will have something very similar to this one day. We can assume that such a slim, almost paper thin design like this would be most certainly possible considering flash miniaturization and wireless headphones capability. Enjoy. Contrast - A Sony OLED Walkman Concept from Sony Insider on Vimeo. * - A seldom discussed portion of Sony’s CES 2009 exhibit is a new series of products that is referred to as Contrast. This product line is the future of Sony, as it incorporates three main technologies: OLED, touch, and physical flexibility. There were three products displayed - a Flex OLED Walkman, Reader, and VAIO laptop. engadget had some real pictures, but they were just mockups. Now we’re bringing video to the table - video we were able to capture after CES was closed on day 2 that shows off the functionality of these new products. Keep an eye out tomorrow afternoon and the day after for the Reader and the VAIO laptop. OLED display capabilities in terms of color reproduction are far beyond the average LCD, which means 100% color reproduction across a wider viewing angle. Want to learn more about Flex OLED? Watch this. This video is a Sony Insider exclusive, brought to you here first. Props to engadget for the IRL pics though. View the full article

Sony revealed the W-series Walkman MP3 player during CES 2009, confirming our leak, which boasts an industrial design that is simple and cord-free. Perfect for audiophiles who seek a second device for the gym and leisure use, the NWZ-W202 model eliminates the inconvenience of wires and makes it easier to listen to music virtually anywhere, anytime. Here’s a cool video Sony was showing at the Walkman booth about the NWZ-W202: NWZ-W202 Wearable Walkman Demonstration from Sony Insider on Vimeo. In addition to the sound quality provided by its 13.5mm EX headphones that are of similar quality to the EX51, the new W-series Walkman MP3 player also includes Sony’s ZAPPIN function, which offers an effortless way of browsing, searching and listening to music without a display. The ZAPPIN mode, operated with a Jog Dial, helps you find tunes easily by playing popular clips of each song in your device’s music library until a favorite is selected. Fitness fanatics or those who do anything active while listening to music are freed from headphone cords with the W-series Walkman MP3 player. With its compact, light weight body, this design fits comfortably behind-the-neck. The new player also offers a quick charge feature which allows the device to play back up to 90 minutes of music with only a three-minute charge and up to 12 hours of music with a full charge. With the supplied “Content Transfer” you can easily transfer non-DRM music files by “drag and drop” from online music services such as iTunes to the Walkman device. It also comes with accessories, including a holder and charging stand with a USB miniB plug. The NWZ-W202 will be offered in black and pink, has about 2GB of internal storage and will cost about $70. Other territorial colors include Violet and White. Of course, true Sony Insiders knew about the NWZ-W202, as we announced it the day before CES. View the full article

During the 2009 Sony CES Keynote, Sir Howard Stringer unveiled the slim and stylish 10.1 megapixel DSC-G3 Cyber-shot digital camera. With built-in Wi-Fi and an intuitive Easy Upload Home Page make it a snap to upload your photos and videos to popular sharing sites directly from your camera, and even send email notifications to friends and family. Packed with impressive features, this camera comes equipped with Digital Portable Photo Album, Optical SteadyShot™ image stabilization and Intelligent Scene Recognition. Plus, with 4GB of internal memory, you can save hundreds of images and view them on the dazzling 3.5″ touch screen LCD. A powerful 10.1 megapixel 1/2.3” Super HAD™ CCD image sensor helps you capture gorgeous images with superb contrast and clarity down to the finest detail. Featuring 921K pixels, the ultra-bright, high-contrast LCD screen with a wide viewing angle is among the highest resolution screens available on a compact digital camera, and displays your images with astonishing visual clarity. The newly developed Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens enables close-up shooting up to just under

Sony won more than twenty awards at the 2009 CES in nearly every product category they have major investments in. Sony really won big in the TV and digital imaging category. We think they would have done better in the personal audio related awards if they let the press actually play with the Touchscreen Walkman! The award givers include respected groups, such as the CEA, Home Theater Specialists of America, Popular Science, Popular Mechanics, Sound & Vision, CNET, and even a couple of Emmy’s. Great job to everyone at Sony! ENGINEERING/TECHNOLOGY Tech and Engineering Emmy

During CES 2009, Sony showed off Flex OLED which really opens the door for an entirely new range of products never thought possible. In our Flex OLED video, we showed you a mini display that was able of being squeezed together with no loss in image quality. Now imagine making that display touchscreen in a larger form factor. Sony is already doing just that - Flex OLED products are the wave of the future. Despite booth attendants requesting no pictures taken as well as signs saying so, engadget posted pictures today of Sony’s Flex OLED concept products (mostly plastic shell with OLED screens). While the pictures don’t really show much, what we haven’t seen yet is video of the video playing above these devices. Let me be the first to say the videos are absolutely incredible - they fully show the direction Sony is going towards with touchscreen Flex OLED. The product series is called ‘Contrast,’ and is a good indication of what Sony products will be like ten years from now. So, to get things really roaring we will be posting one video a day (at noon EST) taken from CES of these ‘Contrast’ products, and I promise you it will be worth the wait. We have three videos, one of a Walkman, Reader, and Vaio Laptop from the future and the functionality of each is shown off. Here are the pictures engadget posted today to tide you over.. If you can imagine it, Sony can make it real. View the full article

At CES we spotted a very interesting speaker hiding behind the plants, near Sony information desk at CES. Yes, you guessed it right - it was Sountina! Omni-directional speaker finally made it to the US shores to be shown off. However, I am pretty sure most of the attendees walked past by it and never paid any deserved attention to this pricey and at the same time one of a kind, Qualia spirited creation. I had a chance to speak to a few Sony employees about it and even surprised a few Sony execs who were at the time hanging around that speaker by asking them why Sountina was being neglected. One of the execs mentioned that I was the first one that actually knew the name of the speaker and inquired about it. Anywho, Sountina is available for purchase in the US, however will not be sold through its regular channels like Sonystyle stores and dealers. There is a cierge service available at Sony that sells high end products to rich and famous, Sountina will be sold through that service exclusively. Sony sees this speaker to be sitting in luxury hotels and mansions of Hollywood celebs outputting sonic joy to its listeners. As we mentioned before the cost of this one of a kind speaker is pretty high, around 12 grand. I should have asked if the speaker innards were made of diamonds and gold…. View the full article

During CES 2009, Sony showed off yet another bluetooth headset that they are scheduled to release sometime in 2009. The sound driver is a 9mm neodymium magnet. We don’t have much information on these, other than the fact that the model name is DR-BT100CX (in blue and white), and is a receiver with a built in mic with Volume +/-, Play/Stop/Rewind/Fast Forward. It also has useful rechargeable battery function, but we aren’t sure if the battery is removable or not. Profile support includes A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, and HSP. This should be available sometime around Spring of this year. This information is a Sony Insider exclusive, brought to you here first. View the full article

During CES 2009, Sony showed off some new Bluetooth stereo headphones with included mic. The DR-BT101 arrive sometime in 2009, most likely Spring, and will be available in white or black with price to be announced. You can conveniently charge these headphones through a standard mini USB connection, however, we didn’t see a removable battery latch. The headphone itself also includes a built-in subtle microphone for mobile phone use (Hands-Free) with clear voice technology for best human voice reception. Echo canceling technology is also included, which further enhances phone conversation. Remote control functions are also included on the headset (A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP). I think that Sony is going to introduce these for a semi-low price, at least under $100. Special thanks to our impromptu headphone model. This information is a Sony Insider exclusive, brought to you here first. View the full article

Record from afar. Through Bluetooth wireless technology for secure recordings, the ECM-HW2 (successor to last year’s ECM-HW1) wireless microphone introduced at CES 2009 communicates from distances up to approximately 100 feet. It also features two-way communication, and you can shoot while still talking to a friend up to 100 meters from the camcorder. The microphone and receiver unit are even equipped with earphone jacks that correspond to “5.1ch Center Mic” mode. The ECM-HW2 Wireless Microphone is compatible with almost every camcorder with Active Interface Shoe. Microphone and receiver are equipped with separate earphone jacks, and two separate low-quality earphones are provided for both the microphone and the receiver units. The ECM-HW2 is currently a pre-sale item available on or about 02/09/2009 for $229.99. They also made a new mic design for the HW2, which is somewhat better looking than the HW1’s mic. View the full article

Sony took the wraps off the world’s lightest 8-inch notebook— the new VAIO

After our stunning revelation last month announcing this product, Sony at CES announced the new X-Series Walkman Video MP3 player. This device focuses on enhancing audio/video playback with hardware that enables best of breed performance and an amazing portable experience. Incorporating a wide 3-inch OLED touch screen, the display delivers a picture with extremely high contrast, exceptional color reproduction and a rapid response time. Usability is also enhanced with this model as the device utilizes both touch panel operation and a hybrid button system to improve upon the navigation experience. Sony will release the NWZ-Z1050 (16GB)/1060 (32GB) Touchscreen Walkman in Early Summer 2009 - the price for the 16GB should run about $299USD, while the 32GB will cost $399. We also noticed that a part of the Walkman is made of some sort of strange material, like a brushed aluminum. It’s hard to explain, and if you click on the pictures you can see what I mean. The booth guys had no idea what material it was, and said that Sony is tight-lipped about it. Along with the superb video experience, the X-series Walkman Video MP3 player delivers incredible sound quality utilizing Sony’s Digital Clear Audio Technologies: Digital Amplifier ”S-Master,” Digital Noise Canceling and Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE). These digital clear audio technologies fill in the high tones that can be lost during file compression, enhance the bass, minimize distortion and maintain a consistent channel signal. Unfortunately, Sony made a huge mistake at CES by not letting people touch the touchscreen Walkman. It was under what seemed to be bulletproof glass. How can Sony release a touch-based product and not let people touch it? This was a major error, and after repeated requests they wouldn’t let me use the device. I was very disappointed, but it was good to see that Sony released this product. It will definitely change the game, as long as Sony keeps improving it through firmware updates. Here is a video showing off some of its capabilities - Sony’s CES 2009 Video Walkman Demonstration from Sony Insider on Vimeo. Digital Noise-Canceling Arrives To further enhance the listening experience, Sony’s X-series Walkman

We wanted to bring you an interesting tid bit we learned today at CES about Sony’s latest high end AV receiver STR-DA6400ES and PSP. Some of you might wonder what could possibly be done in this “marriage”? Well, Sony is working on developing an app that will run off the PSP and will allow you to use PlayStation Portable to share audio content drawn from your PC. So here is the scenario to make it more clearer: STR-DA6400Es receiver is the only receiver that is DLNA certified, therefore it can bring the goodies you store on your PC to your TV screen (audio, video, pictures). If you would like to let’s say stream some music you would have to power up your TV to use the embedded XMB menu and browse through the folders, and this is where PSP comes to play and eliminates the need to use your TV. All you have to do is just start the app on your PSP and browse for music you are looking for by using the XMB. So you can be anywhere in your house and in a way remote control your AV receiver with your PSP. View the full article

This upcoming W-series Walkman is a phenomenal offering from Sony, with incredible aesthetics, 2GB storage, and a low price point ($50-75). Here are some exclusive pictures of the Walkman, which should officially debut very soon. Read more about it here.. View the full article

We stunned the world with our previous exclusive story about an upcoming touchscreen Walkman, but what we didn’t tell you is that there is another. Sony is set to offer a completely different Walkman than ever before, this time aimed at the budget conscious consumer who wants something to match their active lifestyle. This upcoming W-series Walkman is a phenomenal offering from Sony, with incredible aesthetics, 2GB storage, and a low price point ($50-75). What’s most surprising is the design, which is a very sleek wrap around earphone that has magnetic connectors on each end to keep it bound together when not in use, forming a very distinctive heart shape. There is no seperate unit - what you see is the entire player. The earphones are 13.5mm EX quality, and currently supported codecs include MP3, AAC, WMA (w/ DRM) and PCM. The true selling point of this device, aside from the low cost, will be the incredible battery life and minimal charging requirement. Three minutes equals a ninety minute charge, while thirty minutes will enable you to listen to music for the suggested twelve hour continuous playback. Wow! Also, Sony’s included ZAPPIN technology continues to play a series of short music clips from your own music library until you can find your favorite song to match your mood. We believe this product will be announced soon at CES. View the full article

It seems like Sony has been listening to its community and us as they have launched a revamp of their Electronics blog. The redesign much better than the previous version, but is rather lackluster in its beta state. It’s still in beta testing so you can expect further developments, and will be a launchpad for all the posts and videos the Corporate Communications team will be doing at CES. In addition to the site’s new design, look for new features like the ability to comment on photos and videos; “Share This;” links to Facebook, YouTube, etc.; plus links to additional Sony neighborhood sites and downloads. Still to come they expect to add user profiles and community pollsand they’re still looking for a name. Also, don’t forget to check out Sony’s official pages on Twitter, YouTube and Flickr. We were disappointed to see that they did not port over our podcast with Rick Clancy. Why? View the full article

CES is in only a few days, and engadget was lucky enough to find a display screen at the Sony booth showing off the Vaio P(ocket). The pictures reveal some of the connectivity options, and I think I even see a HDMI port? It’s hard to tell from the pictures, but you can now say to yourself you’ve seen Sony’s exclusive new Netbook. Thanks engadget! View the full article

Sony really upped the ante with the color reproduction aspect of the Vaio TT compared to previous models. In this picture, we see the Vaio TZ on the left in comparison to the Vaio TT. Pretty damn noticeable, don’t you think? Reminds me of the difference between the PSP-3000 and previous versions. View the full article

Sony may miss its target for LCD television sales on lower-than-expected revenue in North America and Europe, the company’s president said. The company’s 16 million units target for the 12 months ending March is “tough to reach,” President Ryoji Chubachi said in an interview with Bloomberg Television today. “We characterize the environment for our year-end sales as severe.” Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd., Japan’s largest department store, and J. Front Retailing Co., operator of Daimaru and Matsuzakaya stores, said Jan. 3 revenue from New Year bargain sales at their main outlets fell as consumers curbed spending. View the full article

SonyStyle Japan’s Vaio Owner Made service, which allows customers to mix and match a number of components within selected Sony Vaio models, has indicated new models for January 10th. The biggest news is that 64-bit Windows Vista is now available. Sony Japan spoils the consumer further by offering incredible paint jobs on these computers, which seriously makes me envious as most Vaio displays at the local tech store are the usual silver, black, red or other standard color. While Sony does offer similiar customization services in the United States, the Japanese Vaio team have really done it right. There is just something about a few of these laptops that demonstrate how time and time again the sleek aesthetics of Sony hardware can blow away the competition. The Vaio TT is now available in a custom Cool Highlight, Vertical Stripe, and Platinum White. Japanese consumers will now have access to 64-bit Windows Vista Home Premium (32-bit only offered to USA). The expected price is 30 million yen for the Blu-ray Disc and 160GB HDD “VGN-TT71JB.” The DVD version with 120GB HDD “VGN-TT51JB” will sell for 23 million yen. Other specifications are most common; Core 2 Duo SU9300 (1.20GHz), Intel GS45 Express (built-in video), 4GB Memory, 1366

Sony has commited to the original reorganization it announced several weeks ago and expects no additional job cuts and plant closures on top of what it unveiled in December. Sony stocks have seen moderate gains as of late, and will eventually return to a better status as Apple has been swimming in a sea of mystery. The fate of Steve Jobs has been perplexing bloggers, analysts and other tech-savvy consumers as of late. A shift of power in the consumer electronics industry could signal better performance for Sony, especially with future products like the Walkman Touch. However, with the Apple iPhone and iTouch platform grabbing the interest of geeks everywhere, will Sony regain ground in its desired areas like personal audio? There is still opportunity for growth in the Playstation front, especially with games like MAG (256 player in one server warfare), and other massive multiplayer environments. Televisions have somewhat reached a temporary plateau for Sony as LCD has matured greatly, and OLED is starting to rear its head in with FED right around the corner. The latest improvements to LCD TV’s, like higher refresh rates (hz) and other picture optimizations and colorations, are grabbing the interest of consumers. However, are these things a necessary upgrade in the minds of most consumers? We could keep going on here. “We announced the restructuring of the electronics business last month,” Atsuo Omagari, a Tokyo-based spokesman at Sony, said by phone today. “We are not planning to announce further restructuring at this time.” View the full article