Sony

Sony has announced they will offer owners of BRAVIA HDTVs and Blu-ray players the opportunity to rent "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" a month before it is available at retail stores.

Those who purchase a networked BRAVIA HDTV or Blu-ray Disc player and register the device between Nov. 9, 2009 and Jan. 4, 2010, will receive a free 24-hour rental of the movie in HD. The movie will become available on December 8, 2009.

If you already own a networked BRAVIA HDTVs or have earlier BRAVIA models equipped with the BRAVIA Internet Video Link, the movie will be available to rent from Dec. 8, 2009 through Jan. 4, 2010, for $24.95. Read more

Sony and Netflix today announced that Playstation 3 users with Internet connectivity will be able to stream Netflix movies and TV episodes to TVs via the PlayStation 3 system. Netflix expects to begin streaming via the PS3 system next month at no additional cost to Netflix members in the United States who have a PS3 system.

Netflix members will receive a free Blu-ray disc that will activate the Netflix user interface on the PS3 system. The system must be online via Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Once the disc is in the PS3, Netflix members can then watch movies and TV episodes instantly. Members can also use the Netflix Web site or navigate directly on their PS3 systems to add movies and TV shows to their Queues.

Netflix members and PS3 system owners can now reserve the free instant streaming disc by going to www.netflix.com/ps3.

Earlier this fall, Sony unveiled a slimmer 120GB PlayStation 3. Now, for those wanting a larger hard drive, the company announced they are adding a new PS3 with a 250GB hard drive to the lineup.

Available on November 3, the PS3 250GB system has the same slim look and features as the 120GB version, but with double the memory, you'll be able to save even more games to the device. And, don't forget about PlayStation Network's video delivery service. The 250GB system gives you plenty of room to save movies too...even those in HD!

The 250GB PlayStation 3 will be available on November 3, 2009 for $349.99. Get more information on Sony's blog.

If there is one thing you can count on for the holiday season, it's that at least one tech gadget will be on everyone's wish list. With that in mind, Best Buy has launched a new Gadgets and eReaders section. Starting today (October 11), you can visit your local Best Buy store to play with these devices hands-on.

The new Gadgets and eReaders collection will include products from Sony, Sharper Image, Leapfrog, Rubik's Cube and more…totaling more than 120 products, with prices starting at just $5.Read more

Sony just unveiled the new touch-enabled, multimedia VAIO L Series Touch HD PC/TV.

The PC has a 24-inch WUXGA (1920x1080) Full HD widescreen display, Intel Core 2 Quad processor (select models), 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, tons of RAM, dedicated NVIDIA GeForce series graphics, and it comes with Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional 64-bit operating system. A wireless keyboard, mouse and remote control (select models) are included. Select models have a Blu-ray Disc optical drive. A rewritable BD drive is also available.

Also, some models feature a built-in tuner so you can connect to your digital cable TV service and Over-The-Air (ATSC) HD TV signals (antenna required) to watch TV on your PC. An optional HDMI input is available. It has built-in DVR capabilities and up to a terabyte of storage. Read more

Sony's new BDP-N460 Blu-ray Disc player not only plays Blu-ray Discs and DVDs, it streams on-demand entertainment from the BRAVIA Internet Video platform including movies, TV programs, and music from YouTube, Slacker, and, later this fall, Netflix.

The BDP-N460 Blu-ray Disc/DVD/CD player delivers full HD 1080/60p and 24p True Cinema output, is BD-LIVE capable, and uses Sony's Precision Cinema HD Upscale technology to convert standard-definition signals (480i) to near HD quality. And, its Precision Drive technology helps to detect and correct wobbling discs from three directions, supporting warped or scratched Blu-ray Discs and DVDs during playback.Read more

Sony just introduced a new line of super-thin BRAVIA LCD HDTVs at CEDIA – the XBR10 series. The XBR10 models feature an edge-lit LED backlight, a contrast ratio of over 1,000,000:1, and also deliver 1080p wireless transmission of HD signals from a separate media box to a receiver embedded in the TV, so your components can be placed out of sight.

The XBR10 series also feature Sony's Motionflow 240Hz technology, an Ethernet connection, USB input, and are Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) compliant, giving you access to photos, music, and video stored on a PC or other DLNA server using the XMB interface and the TV's remote control. Read more

Sony today introduced the new full-frame alpha DSLR-A850 camera and a new 28-75mm F2.8 lens, geared towards the pro photographer. Almost identical to the flagship a900, the a850 has a 24.6-megapixel, 35-mm full-frame Exmor CMOS sensor and fast image processing with dual BIONZ processing engines. It also offers high-speed continuous shooting of 24.6 megapixel images at up to three frames per second.

Other features include:

• Intelligent Preview function: "grabs" a RAW preview image, displays it on the screen, and lets you fine tune it without using up memory on the camera's memory card
• Autofocus system: nine sensors with 10 assist points for improved tracking of moving subjects. A center dual cross sensor comprised of two horizontal and two vertical line sensors as well as a dedicated f/2.8 sensor are included for better precision when using fast-aperture lenses
• SteadyShot INSIDE image stabilization: the camera achieves an anti-shake effect equivalent to shutter speeds faster by 2.5 to 4 stops. The anti-shake system stabilizes all Sony, Minolta and Konica-Minolta compatible lenses even wide angle or large aperture lenses.

The camera also has HDMI output and Photo TV HD mode, and includes dedicated slots for Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, HX series and CompactFlash media.Read more

Sony yesterday announced the Reader Daily Edition, a wireless digital reader with 3G connectivity. The Daily Edition joins Sony's new line of Readers, the Reader Pocket Edition and the Reader Touch Edition which were announced earlier this month. The Reader Pocket Edition and the Reader Touch Edition are available now, with the Reader Daily Edition being available in December.

The Reader Pocket Edition features a five-inch electronic paper display and is available in a variety of colors, including navy blue, rose and silver. Priced at $199, it is the most affordable dedicated reading device on the market.

The Reader Touch Edition has a responsive six-inch touch screen panel that lets you quickly turn pages, highlight text and take notes by simply swiping your finger. The included stylus pen can be used as well. It comes in red, black or silver and retails for about $299.

The big news is the new Reader Daily Edition with wireless access via AT&T's 3G mobile broadband network. You can access Sony's eBook store from just about anywhere in the U.S. Browse and download books, newspapers and magazines with no monthly fees or transaction charges for basic wireless connectivity. You also have the option to side load your own documents or content from other compatible sites via USB.Read more

Sony's new S Series Walkman Video MP3 player, announced today, features built-in stereo speakers. Now you can share your music out loud without carrying around an additional speaker system.

The S Series Walkman is less than a half-inch thin and has a 2.4-inch QVGA LCD screen (measured diagonally) with playback at up to 30 frames per second. It has a battery life of up to 42 hours of music playback and up to 6.5 hours of video playback through the headphones. Through the speaker, you can expect up to 17 hours of music playback and 5 hours of video playback.

Importing music, video and photos is easy. Simply simple drag-and-drop from your PC's media folder or via iTunes 8.1 using Content Transfer. A handy Voice recording and FM recording feature is also included.Read more