Sony
Sony to launch 160GB PS3 in October
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Sony is launching the 160GB Playstation 3 on October 31. The console is an early Christmas present for gamers in Europe and the US where it will retail for €449 and US$499 respectively. Features include Playstation Network content, a Blu-ray Disc player, DUALSHOCK3 wireless controllers, video chat and online play.
Sony's X4500 and W4500 HD TVs
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Sony has announced the BRAVIA X4500 and W4500 series wide screen LCD TVs with full HD 1080p resolution and DLNA connectivity. The X4500 is available in 40-inch, 46-inch, and and an 8-speaker 55-inch model, all of which feature the BRAVIA ENGINE 2 PRO for filtering, cleaning and optimizing image data before it’s displayed.
Sony working to make Rock Band, Guitar Hero instruments compatible
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Sony has been working with rhythm based games developers to ensure compatibility between the various companies’ peripherals on the PS3 for Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero: World Tour and Rock Revolution titles.
Criterion Collection's new reference Blu-ray player: a PlayStation 3
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The PS3’s credibility as a Blu-ray player has received another boost with the news that the folks at the Criterion Collection – the distributors of “important and classic and contemporary films” – use the PS3 as their reference Blu-ray player in their new HD home theater. The news might come as a surprise to those that would assume a stand-alone player would trump a game console/Blu-ray player in the picture quality department, but the PS3 has consistently received favorable reviews of its Blu-ray playback capabilities after overcoming some early teething problems...
PlayStation 3 Greatest Hits launch today for $29.99
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July 30, 2008 Sony has launched the first ten PS3 games in their Greatest Hits range, including Warhawk, Assassin's Creed and Resistance: Fall of Man. Click through for the full list, and our recommendations.
Sony’s new VAIO FW laptop is sexy in silver
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July 29, 2008 Sony’s upcoming VAIO range includes the FW laptop, which features a Macbook-style keyboard, built-in Blu-ray drive and a 16.4-inch display.
Industry leaders back AMIMON's Wireless Home Digital Interface technology
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July 25, 2008 AMIMON, Hitachi, Motorola, Samsung, Sharp and Sony have formed an interest group to develop a standard for multi-room connectivity using AMIMON's Wireless Home Digital Interface (WHDI) technology.
Sony’s HT-IS100 BRAVIA Theatre Micro System features golf ball size speakers
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July 22, 2008 No, that’s not a giant strawberry in the accompanying picture – it’s a mini speaker. The Sony HT-IS100 BRAVIA Theatre Micro System is a 5.1 channel system delivering 450 watts (RMS) of power through a subwoofer with integrated 32-bit S-Master digital amplifier and five incredibly small speakers roughly the size of a golf ball. Designing the system at people who don’t want their home theater system to overpower their décor Sony says the “HT-IS100 packs all the power of a conventional home theater system in five discrete speakers that practically disappear in your living room.”
Yet another flat panel display technology from Sony
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July 14, 2008 Sony’s XEL-1 OLED television hasn’t yet had its first birthday and the company is already planning a successor. Digital World Tokyo is reporting Sony affiliate Field Emission Technologies (FET), which Sony currently owns just under 40 percent of after spinning the company off at the end of 2006, is planning to begin mass production of Field Emission Display (FED) panels by the end of 2009.
Sony’s DVDirect DVD Recorder
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The Sony VRDMC3 DVDirect DVD Recorder does just what its name suggests – it records to DVDs directly from other sources, and it does so without the need for a PC. The VRDMC3 can record from just about any source such as camcorders, DVDs or VCRs, thanks to the provided USB, Firewire, S-Video and composite inputs. In addition to video, still images can be copied directly from memory card to DVD as a slideshow or for photo storage by using the built-in 5-in-1 card reader. PictBridge compatibility allows the unit to interface directly with a printer and images can be previewed using the 2.5-inch colour LCD that sits on top of the unit. Once selections have been made they can be copied to disc using the large "record" located just below the screen.
Nyko PS3 Media Hub with USB ports
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July 7, 2008 When Sony cut the price of their PS3 console in late 2007 they also cut a few features including backwards compatibility with many PS2 titles, memory card reader, and a couple of USB ports. Gaming peripherals manufacturer, Nyko Technologies, has addressed two of these three losses with their Media Hub for the PlayStation 3. The Media Hub attaches to any available USB port and provides three additional USB connections as well as a media card reader that supports SD cards and Memory Sticks. The unit is designed to match the color and shape of the PS3, is compatible with all versions of the PS3 and snaps into position so it can be used with the PS3 in either the horizontal or vertical position. Now if only they could come up with a $20 USB device to give the PS3 back its backwards compatibility they’d be sure to make many a console owner happy.
Sony HDR-CX12 Camcorder automatically snaps smiling faces
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Billed as the world's first high-definition camcorder with both "Smile Shutter" and face detection technologies, Sony's HDR-CX12 Memory Stick Handycam camcorder automatically takes a 10 megapixel still photo when it encounters a smiling face - even when in standby mode. Due for release in August at an estimated price point of USD$900, the compact 2.8" x 5.3" x 2.8" camera records full 1920 x 1080 HD video onto Memory Stick PRO Duo™ and Memory Stick PRO Duo (Mark2) media cards and boasts a Carl Zeiss 12x optical zoom lens, a built-in zoom microphone with Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround and image stabilization.
Sony to release energy-saving 32-inch LCD
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Massive screens are not the answer for everyone in the flat screen TV market and energy conscious consumers might be persuaded to think small with this new 32-inch addition to Sony's Bravia range which is set for release in Japan.
Sony announce Qore - an interactive HD gaming program for the PS3
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Sony has announced Qore, a monthly, interactive gaming program shot in HD and distributed via the PlayStation Network. Qore will feature exclusive news, interviews and previews along with bonuses like exclusive access to beta tests, demos, and downloadable content.
IBM’s new BladeCenter QS22
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May 19, 2008 IBM has expanded its High Performance Computing (HPC) capabilities for businesses with the introduction their new BladeCenter QS22 - a new, economical supercomputing technology inspired by advanced scientific research facilities. The heart of the QS22 is the multi-core IBM PowerXCell 8i processor, a new generation processor based on the Cell Broadband Engine (Cell/B.E.) Architecture, which is compliant with the Cell Broadband Engine (Cell/B.E.) Architecture, originally developed by IBM, Sony and Toshiba to provide the computing power for cutting-edge gaming applications. For challenging arithmetic operations the IBM PowerXCell 8i offers five-times the speed of the original Cell/B.E. processor and, coupled with additions like 16-times more memory (up to 32GB) than its predecessors, the QS22 can handle workloads that previously required dozens of servers.
Sony’s TP2 - the living room PC
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March 6, 2008 The Sony VAIO is a fully functioning PC that integrates HDMI connectivity, a bundled HD TV tuner and Blu-ray playback capability to turn a HD TV into a high definition PC monitor and form the hub of digital entertainment in the home.
Sony launches 14 megapixel A350 digital SLR camera
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February 8, 2008 Sony has added the Alpha 350 to its digital SLR line-up. Even by today's lofty standards, the unit earns the tag of high-definition with its 14.2-megapixel CCD image sensor, a feature backed by in-built Super SteadyShot image stabilization, sensitivity up to ISO3200 for faster shutter speeds and Quick AF Live View technology, which delivers live image previews (a feature lacking in most digital SLRs up until recent times) with through-the-lens phase-detection autofocusing via the 2.7-inch variable angle LCD. The A350 also boasts an anti-dust protection system and batteries that last long enough for up to 730 shots on a single charge when using the optical viewfinder.
Sony’s Vaio Home Theatre PC gets HD upgrade
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January 10, 2008 Sony’s VAIO Home Theatre PC has received a recent upgrade, creating a high definition version with added functionality. The unit's distinctive spherical chassis serves as an entire entertainment center so you can watch and record analog, digital and cable TV and access the Internet to play back online TV programming on a compatible big-screen television.
Sony OLED XEL-1 television hits the U.S. market
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January 8, 2008 Following on from an appearance at CEATEC last year and a Japanese release in December, Sony has announced the availability of the industry’s first Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) television in the United States.
PS3 gets DivX/XviD playback - we put it to the test
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The PlayStation 3 firmware update 2.10 arrived yesterday, adding Blu-ray Disc Profile 1.1 support, and more importantly, XviD and DivX playback. We recently brought you the low down on XviD/DivX playback on the Xbox 360, and now we've spent another strenuous morning watching videos - here's our report on Sony's implementation.
Pinpoint travel photos: Sony's GPS-CS1KA image tracker
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December 17, 2007 If you're the type of intrepid traveler that returns from a journey with a gigabytes of digital photographs but no idea where they were taken, this might prove a valuable addition to your kit. The Sony GPS-CS1KA image tracker records the time, date and - using satellite navigation - the location of every photo, and collates the information so that you can view your photographic history on an online map.
Sony's wall-mountable VAIO series panel PC notebook
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November 2, 2007 Aiming to merge the PC with a home entertainment center, Sony has added to their VAIO notebook lineup with the release of the LM series notebooks. The LM series features an eye-catching panel PC design reminiscent of Sony’s BRAVIA LCD TV’s with its’ 19 inch screen framed by a transparent bezel to blend into the surrounding environment. For ultimate integration, the VAIO LM series can be wall-mounted and features wireless keyboard, mouse and remote control.
3mm-thick Sony OLED screen: TV takes another giant leap forward
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Fresh from a recent showing at CEATEC 2007, Sony has announced that its 11” Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) display will be available in Japan from December. The Sony XEL-1 will be the world’s first commercially available OLED screen, promising a whole new category of low-cost, low-consumption TVs that will offer exceptional viewing characteristics including million-to-one contrast ratios, ultra-quick refresh rates, unparalleled viewing angles and a screen thickness of only 3mm at its thinnest point.
Fujitsu advances color e-paper technology
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October 10, 2007 Fujitsu has displayed the latest incarnation of its electronic paper products at CEATEC in Japan. Having previously unveiled flexible color e-paper, this year the company has changed the form factor into an "e-reader" - a prototype content browser the size of an A5 sheet of paper that’s lightweight, extremely portable and features a high-contrast, easy to read 4,096 color display with very long (up to 50 hours) battery life due to its ability to hold an image once it is displayed without drawing on any power.
Upgraded Sony Reader continues the digital e-book push
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October 3, 2007 Many bibliophiles feel that paper is an irreplaceable medium, but the inexorable march of the digital age is bringing new products into the marketplace that bridge the gap between the traditional book and the sheer convenience of electronic storage. Sony has just released the upgraded second version of its Reader digital book - a compact, comfortable and lightweight viewing platform that allows you to carry up to 160 full novels around at any time.
Sandisk launches new high-performance Flash memory cards
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September 18, 2007 The rise and rise of Flash memory continues with SanDisk, the original inventor of Flash storage cards, launching its Express line of high-performance Flash memory products. Aimed at professional videographers and photographers who demand speed, durability and reliability the new 8GB and 16GB flash memory cards record high-definition video at 35 megabits per second.
Sony's new digital SLR-A700
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September 10, 2007 Sony has only been in the digital SLR space for just on twelve months but today announced an impressive new addition to the Alpha digital SLR system in the form of the DSLR-A700. The A700 packs a 12.2-megapixel CMOS sensor, shutter speeds of up to 1/8,000th of a second and HDMI output for connection to HDTV along with a fast, newly developed auto-focus system and an optional vertical camera grip.
Sony announce 200-disc, 500GB Home Entertainment Server
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September 6, 2007 Sony has unveiled a new Home Entertainment Server featuring a full HD 1080p 200-disc changer and a 500GB hard disc drive that stores up to 137 hours of video, 40,000 songs or 20,000 digital photos. The stand-alone HES-V1000 is Sony’s first Blu-ray Disc-capable component (other than a VAIO notebook or optical PC drive) that can burn content to Blu-ray Discs as well as DVDs.
Sony's all-in-one High-Def PC/TV with Blu-Ray
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August 29, 2007 Sony has introduced a new high-definition PC/TV model with Blu-Ray Disc Technology. Featuring a floating glass design, the VAIO LT HD PC/TV is designed as a complete computer entertainment center where you can watch and record analog, digital and cable television programming, including premium HD channels.
Sony accelerates PS3 and PSP convergence with PVR and GPS accessories
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August 23, 2007 In an ironic twist on the convergence theme, Sony has made some significant announcements at the Games Convention in Leipzig moving the PS3 and PSP towards becoming general entertainment and convenience platforms. Announcements included a TV Tuner and PVR software for PS3, a Video Download Service for PSP in conjunction with BSkyB, a voice chat, video chat and instant messaging service for PSP, and a satellite navigation accessory for PSP. On top of the recent release of the EUR50 Go!Cam which turns a PSP into a video and still camera, the “c” word (convergence) is very relevant.
Sony’s DSC-H3: 10x zoom in a very compact body
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August 23, 2007 Five short years ago we ran a story on Sony’s then-amazing F707 digital camera, which delivered five whole megapixels of resolution and a whopping 10x optical zoom for a bargain price of around $2500. Compare that with Sony’s latest release, the DSC-H3, which takes eight megapixel shots at 5x zoom, sells for around $300, and is beginning to approach compact camera dimensions that make the F707’s lens look like a shoulder-mounted bazooka. It’s an astounding demonstration of the pace of technology.
The Compact Disc turns 25
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August 17, 2007 In an event that marked the shift from analogue to the new digital era in the music industry, the world’s first compact disc rolled off the production line at a Philips factory in Langenhagen, Germany, twenty-five years ago today. Philips and Sony co-developed the CD (which was invented by American James T. Russell in the late 1960s) and an estimated 200 billion have been sold around the world in last quarter of a century - that’s enough to circle the earth six times.
Canon's HG10 High definition HDD camcorder
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August 8, 2007 Canon’s new HG10 Hard Disk Drive Camcorder is the latest to use the Advanced Video Codec High Definition format which was introduced by Sony and Panasonic in 2006 and offers greater compression than HDV and MiniDV. The hard disk drive HG10 records up to 15 hours of HD footage and features a 10x HD Video lens, an HD CMOS image sensor, Canon’s proprietary DIGIC DV II Image Processor, SuperRange Optical Image Stabilization and Instant Auto Focus.
Sony's wireless streaming boombox: the wi-fi hi-fi
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June 28, 2007 If your PC holds your master music collection, you've either got to listen directly to the speakers it's connected to, or transfer tunes onto a portable device. But what if you just want to head out to the front porch, or spend some time working in the garage? Sony's got an answer: the VAIO WA1 is a wireless boombox that streams music from your PC to anywhere around the house. The WA1 is compatible with SonicStage, iTunes, Windows Media Player and suitable for Internet radio... and it looks pretty sexy, too.
Analysts: Nintendo DS will penetrate 89% of Japanese households by 2011
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June 26, 2007 A Nintendo in every pocket? The phenomenally successful Nintendo DS handheld gaming console is comprehensively trouncing the more powerful Sony Playstation Portable (PSP) around the world - but nowhere is Nintendo mania more alive than in Japan, where on current sales and penetration figures, a key industry analysis firm has forecast that 89% of Japanese households will have a Nintendo DS by the year 2011. What a stunning figure!
