Sony Wants to Take Wearable Technology to Different Heights
When it comes to wearable technology, we think glasses and smartwatches. Maybe in the future there will be necklaces and clothing that have some sort of technology built inside them, but Sony wants to take it a step further. Introducing the Smartwig. Yes, you see this correctly. Sony submitted…
How the internet ruined game consoles
The time it took for my brother to get our new Super Nintendo out of the box and connected to our television couldn’t have been more than five minutes. I’m pretty sure we used the same coaxial cable connector that the NES before it used, though it…
Sony’s SmartWig patent is a real head-scratcher
Most large tech companies are either making wearable devices, or at least showing an interest in them. Sony’s got a smartwatch, sure, but it’s bored of such “in-the-box” thinking. Either that, or someone at Sony’s been hitting the pipe, as the com…
Sony Cyber-shot TX55 packs 16.2-megapixel sensor, promises ‘extremely low’ noise in dim light
With point and shoot cameras apparently now up against a megapixel wall, manufacturers are focusing on adding quirky new features to keep you hooked on the upgrade cycle. Sony’s new Cyber-shot TX55 includes several such additions, such as ‘amazing’ 3D image capture, ‘extremely low’ noise, and a new digital zoom technology called By Pixel Super Resolution, which promises to double the camera’s 5x optical zoom range while still capturing 16.2-megapixel images at full quality. We’re a bit skeptical about that last one, but if the $350 camera really can deliver on its promise, then we may just have a winner. Sony says there’s also high-speed autofocus that can lock onto subjects in 0.1 seconds, optical image stabilization, a 3.3-inch OLED touch-screen, and 1080i AVCHD video. It also includes some features found on the higher-end NEX-C3, such as Picture Effects, and a 42.9-megapixel Sweep Panorama mode. Sony has yet to completely nix the Memory Stick slot, including one with the TX55, though there’s also MicroSD support for those who prefer to take advantage of that more affordable memory card standard. We’re not yet convinced that all of the point-and-shoot cam’s new features perform as well as Sony suggests, but if they do, the TX55 may even be worth its $350 price tag when it hits stores in September.
More Sony Ericsson Xperia Duo details leaked
The rumoured Sony Ericsson Xperia Duo has been blazing a serious trail amongst speedy Android smartphone fans. The Duo’s spec sheet reads more like a laptop than a mobile, incorporating no less than a 1.4GHz dual core processor and a whopping 1.5 GB of RAM.
The Duo will likely be Sony Ericsson’s first foray into the dual-core market, using a lot of the tech that made the Arc so good. That means a juicy 4.5-inch qHD screen, the Bravia engine found on the arc and a 12 megapixel Exmor r CMOS sensor.
Also included in the rumoured Duo package is of course Android 2.3, ensuring that Sony Ericsson’s flagship carries the latest version of Google’s OS. One more outlandish and less likely feature is the inclusion of a 2500mAh battery – perhaps the rumour mill is getting a bit carried away with itself.
So when can all this Sony Ericsson powered goodness be expected? Well according to reports, the Duo could be hitting shop shelves as early as September.
via More Sony Ericsson Xperia Duo details leaked – Pocket-lint.
Sony’s S2 tablet coming to AT&T, price and availability remain a mystery
It’s been a few months since Sony made its (tardy) entrance into the tablet market, and since then it hasn’t been sharing details so much as teasing them in whimsical, perplexing ads. Finally, the outfit’s ready to take specifics. We’re sitting at a roundtable with Sony executives, and just learned that its clamshell S2 tablet is headed to AT&T’s “4G” (read: HSPA+) network, confirming what we already suspected after peeping a tell-tale FCC report. Sony’s is quick to remind us that “S2” is just a codename, so don’t be surprised if it surfaces with a completely different moniker. Otherwise, the company didn’t get too chatty: we still don’t know how when AT&T will begin selling it nor how much it will cost on contract. Also still MIA: details on when, where, and for how much you’ll be able to nab that folded magazine-inspired S1. Check out the press release below.
via Sony’s S2 tablet coming to AT&T, price and availability remain a mystery — Engadget.
Sony NEX-C3 hands-on and exclusive photos
Sony has now officially announced its small form factor interchangeable lens camera, the Sony NEX-C3, and Pocket-Lint got a chance to have a quick play earlier today at a press event in Taipei, Taiwan of all places.
The new design looks great compared to the NEX-3 and NEX-3, mostly due to its more rounded shape, but Sony has somehow managed to shed both weight and a few millimetres here and there on the camera.
It isn’t immensely smaller – it’s just as thick as the NEX-3 – but the body is over 8mm narrower and 2mm shorter. In the grand scheme of things, this is unlikely to matter in actual usage. However, for Sony, it’s all about being able to say that this is the smallest model yet. That said, the rounded shape has improved the grip and with a larger textured surface it’s also less prone to slipping out of your hand.
via Sony NEX-C3 hands-on and exclusive photos – Pocket-lint.
Sony’s PlayStation Vita: first hands-on impressions
We’ve seen Sony’s PlayStation Vita, and more importantly, what it can do — but this evening, we touched that Next Generation Portable for the very first time. How does it compare to its single-sticked predecessor? And will we make another Madonna joke? Find out after the break.
The first thing that struck us is just how light the Vita feels in the hand. It’s got a gorgeous five-inch OLED panel, monstrous for a portable system, but the plastics used in its construction make it seem lighter than the PSP or even some of our weightier smartphones. You’re looking at firm glossy and matte plastic surfaces here, with the Start, Select and Power buttons flush in the glossy front. The face buttons feel small compared to the PSP or a DualShock 3, but they’re firm and comfortable to press, and there’s a nice floating D-pad on the left side which feels like it could handle a Street Fighter shoryuken or three. The transparent shoulder buttons don’t feel much different than the ones on the PlayStation Portable, though perhaps a tad springier in their action, and between them there are a pair of iPod nano-like volume buttons and a pair of thin plastic covers. One hides the flash card slot, while another reveals a mysterious port of some sort — none of the Sony representatives could tell us what it does, though there’s also a larger port on the bottom of the system which apparently connects proprietary USB and / or networking cables.
via Sony’s PlayStation Vita: first hands-on impressions — Engadget.
Sony Pictures hacked by Lulz Security, 1,000,000 passwords claimed stolen
Oh, Sony — not again. Weve just received numerous tips that Lulz Security has broken into SonyPictures.com, where it claims to have stolen the personal information of over 1,000,000 users — all stored disgracefully in plain text format. Lulz claims the heist was performed with a simple SQL injection — just like we saw the last time around. A portion of the groups exploit is posted online in a RAR file, which contains over 50,000 email / password combos of unfortunate users. Weve downloaded this file at our own risk, mind you and can verify these sensitive bits are now in the wild, though it remains unclear if whats published matches reality. In addition to user information, the group has blurted out over 20,000 Sony music coupons, and the admin database including email addresses and passwords for BMG Belgium employees. Fresh off the heels of the PlayStation Network restoration, were guessing the fine folks in Sonys IT department are now surviving solely on adrenaline s
via Sony Pictures hacked by Lulz Security, 1,000,000 passwords claimed stolen — Engadget.
Sony said to have stopped PSP Go production, curiously fails to deny it
Oh, what tangled webs of non-denials we all weave. A Japanese blogger working for an official Sony retail partner has reported intel from the PlayStation maker that production of its PSP Go handheld has been halted. Moreover, the Sony Style Japan online store no longer lists the portable and searching for it provides no results. You can only access its product page via a direct link (provided below), but even that shows it as out of stock. So, what has Sony got to say on the matter to allay fears that its troubled console lives on? Well, demand for “current generation PSPs” will continue to be met, apparently, and the NGP is going be really, really awesome when it launches at the end of the year. Hey, if there’s zero demand for the PSP Go and you produce zero PSP Go units, then you are technically matching supply to demand. Well played, Sony, well played.
AIVAnet 