Sony

August 28, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- From noise-cancellation for frequent travelers to affordability for customers on a budget, Sony today unveiled three new Walkman players (series S, E and B) that have something to offer nearly every customer segment.

"Whether the fit and finish, the engineering or the integration of unique technologies, each of these new series has different points of appeal," said Mitch Li, product manager for Walkman players in the Digital Imaging and Audio Division at Sony Electronics. "These new Walkman players satisfy the need of consumers who don't want to sacrifice sound quality for the digital music and MP3 experience." Read more

August 27, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony today announced four new Xplod in-dash head units that are able to connect directly to compatible iPod music players, allowing users to charge and control their iPod devices on the road.

The top-of-the-line unit (model CDX-GT630UI) is Sony's first car stereo that can connect directly to iPod players, other digital music players and USB thumb drives via a USB connection. It also includes Sony's unique ZAPPIN function, which offers a way of searching and listening to music.

Providing several options for connectivity in the car, the CDX-GT630UI head unit connects to compatible iPod or other digital music players via USB, allowing users to control and charge their devices and enjoy exceptional sound quality. CDX-GT630UI also supports iPhone. Read more

August 27, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony today announced four new feature-packed nav-u personal navigation devices (models NV-U94T, NV-U84, NV-U74T and NV-U44) which add more brand icons, search functionality and photo viewing features.

"Sony is bringing entertainment to navigation," said Mike Kahn, director of marketing for mobile electronics products in the Sony Electronics' Digital Imaging and Audio Division. "We've added features that make it fun to spend time with the nav-u."

The top-of-the-line NV-U94T adds new features such as a photo viewer, audio/video player and stereo Bluetooth technology for streaming audio and making hands-free phone calls using compatible devices. Read more

August 22, 2008/PRNewswire/ -- Sony yesterday took the wraps off its new wireless, multi-room audio system for listening to iPod players.

The new S-AIRPLAY system features Sony's S-Air technology, which provides a practical, wireless multi-room solution without complicated setup requirements. Wireless audio can be transmitted from the system's main docking station in one room to various rooms throughout the home -- up to nearly 164 feet -- simply by plugging a separate S-Air wireless speaker into a power outlet.

"This technology makes it easy to listen to music from a compatible iPod without carrying it from room to room," said Andrew Sivori, director of marketing in the personal audio group at Sony Electronics' Digital Imaging and Audio Division. "It's an easy, inexpensive way to get multi-room audio without professional installation." Read more

August 22, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony yesterday introduced a DJ-style shelf system with a dual dock for iPod devices called XROSS FADE. Perfect for mixing and playing music from iPod players, CDs and other music sources, XROSS FADE helps create the ultimate party soundtrack.

Part of the Muteki series of stereo systems, the XROSS FADE (model LBT-DJ2i) has an imposing presence and massive output that can fill nearly any room with sound, whether it's in a home, a dorm, or even powering a block party.

This music system has 450 watts of total power output, so aspiring DJs can crank up the volume while still maintaining high quality sound. As its name implies, the XROSS FADE system comes with DJ-style features, including a cross-fader with monitor cue and a built-in two-channel mixer. With this feature, an upcoming track can be checked through headphones to be sure it's cued properly before playing it aloud. DJs can mix two songs or fade into the next song without missing a beat. Read more

August 22, 2008--Sony Ericsson just announced the expansion of its carrier channels in the U.S. to include wireless leader T-Mobile USA, starting with the launch of the TM506 in early September. Sony Ericsson will now reach more than 31 million wireless subscribers through this partnership. The TM506, Sony Ericsson’s first handset supporting T-Mobile’s AWS spectrum (1700/2100), is a compact and stylish clamshell phone that delivers an exceptional Web experience in an eye-catching design.

"The TM506 not only signifies Sony Ericsson's expanding U.S. portfolio of handsets, but more importantly, that we have forged a strong and promising relationship with T-Mobile," said Najmi Jarwala, president of Sony Ericsson North America. "With the launch of the TM506 with T-Mobile, Sony Ericsson is positioned to offer more choice of mobile handsets for a broader range of U.S. consumer segments at a variety of price points." Read more

August 21, 2008/PRNewswire/ -- Sony Computer Entertainment America just announced plans to introduce a new 160GB PLAYSTATION3 (PS3) computer entertainment system in North America as part of the limited-edition Uncharted: Drake's Fortune PS3 system bundle. The increased storage size enables entertainment enthusiasts to store even more movies, television shows, and games downloaded from PLAYSTATIONNetwork, as well as more videos, music, and photos from their personal collection. Slated to launch in November for $499.99 (MSRP), the 160GB PS3 system will come bundled with the hit game, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, a PLAYSTATION Network voucher for PAIN, and a DUALSHOCK3 wireless controller. The previously announced 80GB PS3 system ($399.99 MSRP) has started shipping to retailers.

"As PLAYSTATION Network continues to evolve with our recently launched video delivery service and more exclusive games, PS3 owners are demanding more storage capacity," said Jack Tretton, president and CEO, SCEA. "Consumers also are utilizing PS3 as an entertainment hub for their digital media, placing content such as their entire music collection on the hard drive. The 160GB PS3 system addresses this growing consumer demand in a compelling bundle that delivers significant value." Read more

July 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony today announced that its Reader Digital Book will be the first eBook reading device to support the EPUB format, the International Digital Publishing Forum's XML-based standard format for reflowable digital books and publications.

Starting next month, new Readers model PRS-505, will be able to access and accept secure and non-secure eBooks in the EPUB format. EPUB has gained acceptance among major trade book publishers, many of whom have committed to begin publishing forthcoming eBooks in the format.

Additionally, the device will support Adobe eBooks with digital rights management and have the capability to reflow standard text-based Portable Document Format (PDF) eBooks for improved flexibility and readability. These enhancements are now made possible with the support of Adobe Digital Editions 1.5 software, which is available as a free download at www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions. Read more

July 2008 – Sony this month unveiled the VAIO FW notebook—a multimedia PC that displays HD movies the way they were meant to be seen.

Part of a series, the VAIO FW notebook comes in multiple configurations, including a premium and a standard model. The premium model plays Blu-ray Disc high-definition content like movies in full 1080 HD resolution when connected to a compatible HDTV. It can also record, store and play back personal content on high-capacity BD media. Weighing a little over six pounds, the FW notebook features the world’s first 16.4-inch display, which combines the benefits of a slightly larger 17-inch widescreen with the smaller “footprint” of a 15.4-inch model.

The display is ideal for Blu-ray Disc movies. Since many HD films are shot with a 16:9 aspect ratio, the unit’s extra-wide LCD is constructed with the same dimensions. This minimizes the black bars that typically appear, letting you view movies in their intended format. Read more

July 15, 2008 – Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) held its annual press conference today at the E3 Media & Business Summit, making a series of announcements which demonstrated the strength of the PlayStation brand across all three of its platforms and further leveraged the heritage and momentum of PlayStation’s family of products to provide consumers with more compelling entertainment options than anyone in the videogame industry.

Starting in September 2008, the newly announced PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3) 80GB model will become the mainstay of the company’s hardware line-up. The 80GB model will retail for $399, and will offer all of the features and functionality of the 40GB model with double the storage to accommodate more movies, graphics, music, photos and other entertainment content – all for the same price. As with its predecessor, the new 80GB model will be a complete entertainment system comprising of a Blu-ray player, HDMI output, an integrated Wi-Fi connection, Cell Broadband Engine and a built-in 80GB hard-disk drive. The multi-functionality of the 80GB PS3, combined with more than 140 exclusive and third-party titles and the PLAYSTATION Network, is a comprehensive entertainment value designed to appeal to a wide range of consumers from hard-core gamers to general entertainment enthusiasts. Read more