Category: Sony

PlayStation games now available in Android Market Limited to Xperia Play

Sony PlayStation games have begun appearing in Google’s Android Market. Five title’s became available in the Market on Thursday, including Syphon Filter, MediEvil and Cool Boarders 2. Currently available titles are listed for $6.38 each. More are on their way and should be added to the list of ever-growing Apps on the Android Marketplace.

Sony Ericsson’s Xperia PLAY will be the first PlayStation Certified Android smartphone that will be capable of playing original PlayStation games downloaded through the Android Market.

April 2, 2011
Sony Vaio S revision Launched in India, Brings Sandy Bridge goodness among others
Sony today in India launched the New Vaio S Series Laptops. These laptops were announced back in Feb 2011, and as promised have been launched in India end of MarchThese laptops carry a new structured design along with the latest in tech specs. The Design of the new Vaio S changes from a rounded to a flat type design, following a minimal yet gadget look of 2011.
- 13.3” screen
- 1.71kg
- 23.9mm thin
- 2nd generation Intel Core i7 and i5 Processors
- AMD HD 6630M GPU
- 1GB of RAM
- 6 hours of battery life
- 1366 x 768 resolution
- VPCSB19GG: Rs. 1,09,900
- VPCSB18GG: Rs. 69,990
- VPCSB17GG: Rs. 62,990
- VPCSB16FG: Rs. 56,990
All the Above models are available now.
March 30, 2011
Sony Ericsson Yendo Review

Sony Ericsson has just announced the Yendo for the Indian market, we decided not to bother with the news and straight roll out the full review of the Device.

Lets start with BUILD QUALITY

The Yendo is essentially or completely made out of plastic, the back, front, top and bottom is made out of plastic, it squeaks rattles and bothers us with its cheapness. Throwing it around on the other hand dint affect the phone much and seems like a good option for somebody who drops their phone a lot. So we have mixed views about the build, but styling was poor and it actually just looks like a toy.

Multimedia and Camera

The camera on the device is a decent 2MP fixed focus camera, that may solve emergency needs. But cannot be considered for day to day usage. The picture quality was OK, but lack of focus and poor low light composition was a let down for us.

The audio on the other hand was solid and the sound quality was loud and impressive. The sound was crisp and bass and mid were quite accurate. Video on the other hand played slow and lag after lag during the playback made us nauseous.

Another thing worth mentioning are the included Earphones on the handsfree kit. One word “brilliant” , you possibly can’t find better bundled earphones.

Phone and Messaging

The performance of the device during phone calls was best in class, sound was super-crisp on either end with no network issues what-so-ever. Messaging is also fast and simple, We do miss a full qwerty keyboard as the device only has a standard num-pad style keyboard. Overall impressive.

Conclusion

The device is capable of offering a lot more than it does, and leaves you asking why wasn’t it done? The Ui is slow, unresponsive and has poor color integration. The phones crashes and lags, is poorly designed inside and out. Our recommendation is stay as far away as you can from this phone unless you really-really like how this device looks (i don’t know how you can).

[xrr rating=2/5 label=”We Rate it” imageset=shiny_yellow_star display_as=fraction_stars]

Check out remaining pictures and full unbox+video review below

VIDEO

March 18, 2011
Sony Ericssons Windows Phone 7 Device Leaked !

Pictures of what looks to be a Sony Ericsson prototype running Windows Phone 7 have recently surfaced. “Julie” the name that was given to a sliding prototype WIN 7 handset when SE was named Manufacturer at the WP7 event last year. It is becoming more and more apparent that manufacturers are keeping their options open in terms of Mobile OS selection and the demand for Windows Phone 7 Devices is far more than anyone would have anticipated. The only problem that remains to be showcased tis the difference in the hardware manufacture process. While all manufacturers are in an ability to provide similar hardware, what a manufacturer does better is what will set them apart in the coming future. Lets wait and watch.

March 7, 2011
Havok Physics gaming engine shown off on Xperia Play, will come to Gingerbread

Havok has announced that it will bring high level physics to Android, along with all of the requisite development tools. Smartphones with Android 2.3 can now enjoy the same physics and graphics that we have seen on PCs and Consoles for years.

Check out the video of the engine running on the Xperia Play to demonstrate the mammoth phones ability to deploy high graphic games.

Official Press Release

Havok and Sony Ericsson Push Smartphone Boundaries

Mar 1, 2011

Optimised Havok tools available now for Android™ Developers to create games for Xperia™ PLAY

March 1st, 2011, San Francisco – Havok and Sony Ericsson are delighted to announce the availability of Havok’s product suite to Android™ developers, optimized for Xperia™ PLAY, Sony Ericsson’s recently announced smartphone. Havok, the leading provider of game technology, has a fully optimized build of its industry leading product line ready for licensing by Android™ developers on Xperia™ PLAY as part of its entry into Android™.

David Coghlan, Managing Director, Havok said: “As part of Havok’s overall support for the Android™ platform, we are very pleased to partner with Sony Ericsson to put the full power of the Havok product line into the hands of Xperia™ PLAY developers. We were extremely impressed by the performance of the Xperia™ PLAY and the ease with which we were able to port and optimise our technology to the platform. This will enable developers to use Havok technology to create cinematic, rich 3-D immersive games for Android™ smartphones with Xperia™ PLAY in the forefront.”

Steve Walker, Head of Marketing at Sony Ericsson said: “Xperia™ PLAY is not only a fantastic smartphone on the latest Android™ platform, it also offers the best mobile gaming experience available. We are very pleased to be working with Havok to bring new levels of cinematic and immersive gaming experiences, never before seen on smartphones, to the Android™ platform.

Havok has now fully ported all seven of its products to Gingerbread (version 2.3), the latest version of Google’s Android™ platform and partnered closely with Sony Ericsson to deliver a specifically optimized runtime ahead of launch.

March 6, 2011
Sony VAIO S updated with Core i5-2410M CPU and Radeon HD 6470M graphics

Sony has just refreshed its Vaio S line with newer processors and graphics modules.

Read the full specs below followed by the official press release.

London, 22nd February 2011

Power in Motion: boost your productivity with new VAIO S Series

Slim, stylish 13″ notebook PC by Sony packs greater stamina with less to carry

* Thin and light with elegant new ‘full flat’ design for enhanced mobility and superior robustness
* Work and play longer with new smart battery concept
* 13.3″ VAIO Display Plus
* Dynamic Hybrid Graphic System for balanced stamina and performance
* Fast Boot and quick web access for increased productivity
* Backlit keyboard and ambient light sensor
* VAIO “everywair” 3G WWAN (selected models)

Power, design and mobility come together beautifully with the new VAIO® S Series of 13.3″ slim notebook PCs from Sony.

The slim, light VAIO S Series features a stylish new ‘full flat’ design that’s crafted in magnesium with a wide aluminium palmrest for strength, lightness, usability and looks. There’s also a cleverly concealed hinge mechanism that doesn’t distract your view of what’s on screen. Overall thickness shrinks to less than 24mm, while weight is a travel-friendly 1.75kg (approx.).

The VAIO S Series introduces a smart new battery concept that lets you keep working day and night without a pause. The internal lithium polymer battery provides power for up to 7 hours of on-the-go computing (in Stamina mode). It’s partnered by a second thin, flat optional lithium polymer extended battery that can be charged separately from the PC and added without removing the internal battery. The second battery attaches without having to switch off the PC, boosting stamina to up to 14 hours if you’re far from mains power.

Dynamic Hybrid Graphic System switches seamlessly between the integrated GPU and high-performance AMD Radeon™ HD 6000 Series card (with either 512MB or 1GB VRAM), according to the task at hand. Whether you’re watching processor-intensive HD videos or just simply note-taking, you’ll always enjoy the optimum balance between performance and battery stamina.

The 13.3″ VAIO Display Plus screen brings all your documents to life with excellent brightness, colour contrast, clarity and detail. The LCD’s advanced low-reflection coating allows easy viewing in any lighting conditions, offering the optimum balance of suppressing reflections while maintaining clear images. With a resolution of 1366×768, the real wide aspect ratio display is perfectly proportioned for browsing dual web pages side by side.

The backlit isolation keyboard allows comfortable typing by day or night. There’s also an ambient light sensor that automatically dims brightness of the high-quality VAIO Display to conserve power when the lights are low.

The VAIO S Series is designed with day-to-day productivity firmly in mind. Fast Boot gets you up and running 50% faster than a conventional notebook when loading Genuine Windows® 7. It’s a valuable time-saver if you’re on a deadline or rushing for the airport. There’s also a conveniently-placed WEB button that powers up your PC for Internet access in seconds. It’s ideal for checking any last-minute e-mails while sitting in a café or departure lounge.

Available on selected models, embedded VAIO “everywair” 3G WWAN lets you connect on the move via your mobile broadband operator at up to 7.2Mbps.

Co-ordinated accessories include the BPSC24 external battery that’s supplied with its own charging adapter. There’s also a new flat-design port replicator that can dock with the VAIO S, allowing you to work while the attached BPSC24 battery charges.

The new VAIO S Series slim, ultra-mobile notebook PCs are available from the end of March 2011.

February 23, 2011
Sony Ericsson Announces the Xperia Play at Mobile World Congress
After months of leaks, rumors and blatant denials from Sony Ericsson, the most anticipated device from there stable is finally here the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play.

The best part its playstation certified.Tech Specs include
- Latest version of the Android platform (Gingerbread version 2.3)
- 60fps play-back
- Snapdragon 1Ghz processor
- Enhanced graphical processor unit the Adreno 205
- Dedicated gaming controls for real console quality game play
- Four-way directional keys
- ABCD keys with PlayStation iconography
- Left/right shoulder keys
- Two analog touch inputs for joystick action
- 4-inch brilliant multi-touch display
- 5.0 megapixel camera
Look at the official Images along with three intro vids from Sony Ericsson.

Official Press Release

ATLANTA, Feb. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ – Are Americans ready to play? Sony Ericsson and Verizon Wireless think so. Sony Ericsson today announced that its new Xperia™ PLAY, the world’s first PlayStation Certified smartphone, will be available on the Verizon Wireless Network in the Spring 2011.

“This Spring, expect to see a lot of people with their heads down and thumbs up,” said Peter Farmer, Head of Marketing for North America, Sony Ericsson. “Xperia™ PLAY combined with the power of the Verizon Wireless network gives you everything you need in a smartphone and the one thing you want – the ultimate gaming experience.”

Xperia™ PLAY is powered by the latest version of the Android platform (Gingerbread version 2.3) – and is PlayStation certified, which ensures an optimized gaming experience featuring content from the PlayStation Suite. Xperia™ PLAY will provide a best-in-class gaming experience right out of the box with many of the most popular games pre-loaded, including Asphalt Adrenaline 6, Bruce Lee, Star Battalion, The Sims 3, and Tetris. More than 50 additional titles from top franchises at leading game publishers will be available for purchase at launch.

“Working with Sony Ericsson to bring the world’s first PlayStation Certified smartphone to the nation’s most reliable network builds on our commitment to deliver the best mobile gaming and entertainment experience to our customers,” said Jeff Dietel, vice president-marketing for Verizon Wireless.

According to the Entertainment Software Association’s 2010 consumer survey, in the United States:

67 percent of households play computer or video games
42 percent of heads of households report they play games on wireless devices, up from 20 percent in 2002
The average game player age is 34 and 40 percent of game players are women

Facebook users can enter the First2Play contest and could be one of the first 10 people to get the Xperia™ PLAY by visiting www.facebook.com/SEUSA.

Sony Ericsson Xperia™ PLAY Key Features:

PlayStation Certified gaming experience
Latest version of the Android platform (Gingerbread version 2.3)
60fps play-back enabled through the Snapdragon 1Ghz processor, optimized with enhanced graphical processor unit the Adreno 205
Dedicated gaming controls for real console quality game play, including four-way directional keys, recognizable ABCD keys with PlayStation iconography, left/right shoulder keys and two analog touch inputs for joystick action
4-inch brilliant multi-touch display
5.0 megapixel camera
February 14, 2011
Sony Ericsson Announces the Xperia Arc, Neo and Xperia Pro
Sony Ericsson Live at Mobile World Congress, Have just announced a flurry of cellphones

First the already announced Xperia Arc is showcased

With 4.2″ Reality Display

But the proud moment comes when SE announces the newest powerhouse the Xperia Neo

Features Include
- HD Video
- Bravia Engine
- 8 Mp camera
- In-built HDMI connector
- Android 2.3
- Folders
The Next Device is the Xperia PRO. This features a Slide out Qwerty keyboard, along with similar specs to the neo. All devices are expected to be available next month.
February 14, 2011
Samsung Galaxy S II official: dual-core 1GHz CPU, 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus
So the successor to Samsung’s most popular smartphone has been just made official at the MWC launch. The Samsung Galaxy S II has a great host of Specs :
- 4.27-inch 800 x 480 Super AMOLED Plus display
- 8 megapixel primary camera
- 1080p video capture accompanied
- 2 megapixel Front camera
- Gingerbread with TouchWiz 4.0
- NFC support
- 8.49mm thick
- The thinnest smartphone
The size makes the device 0.2mm slimmer than the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc’s thinnest point.

Go to the Next Page for the Press Release
February 13, 2011
Sony Ericsson, Xperia Play – Playstation Phone Previewed by Engadget

The Engadget Show previewed the Sony Ericsson – Xperia – Play prototype on their show and the video was bounced to the world. Check it out

.

Source Engadget

February 3, 2011
Sony India launches two new DSLR Cameras in INDIA, SLT-A55VL and SLT-A33
Sony India, Today launched two new full featured Digital SLR cameras. Both the cameras are Interchangeable lens digital camera with built-in flash. The first SLT-A33 Sports a 14.2 Megapixel Exmor CMOS sensor, listed Specs :
- 14.2 MP Exmor CMOS Sensor
- 7fps Continuous Shooting with Auto-Focus
- Quick AF Full HD Movie Recording
- Quick AF Live View
- 3D Sweep Panorama
- Included with versatile SAL1855 all-purpose lens
Priced at Rs. 37,990/-

The Second Is the SLT- A55VL which is slightly faster and a better performer with:
- 16.2 MP Exmor CMOS Sensor
- 10fps Continuous Shooting with Auto-Focus
- Quick AF Full HD Movie Recording
- Quick AF Live View
- 3D Sweep Panorama
- Included with versatile SAL1855 all-purpose lens
Priced at Rs. 47,990/-

Both come with a single lens kit, and are available at your nearest SONY dealers.
January 29, 2011
Sony launches new Handycam Models in India, Brings full HD aplenty
Sony has just dropped a new Handycam, Full HD camcorder in the Indian market , Features include:-
- “Exmor R” CMOS Sensor
- Carl Zeiss® 25x Optical Zoom Lens
- SteadyShot (Active Mode)
- 2.7 (6.9 cm) Slim LCD with wide viewing angle
- iAuto and Quick Autofocus
- DVDirect Express and Direct Copy
Priced at 24,990 its available now.
January 29, 2011
Sony rolls out MDR-XB1000, MDR-XB41EX and MDR-XB21EX headphones, Heading to India in MAY

Sony has just announced 3 new headphones in Japan, sticking to product numbers as model names. The MDR-XB1000 cans offering enhanced bass. The MDR-XB41EX and MDR-XB21EX earbuds will come in a choice of several colors , with Sony’s own Bass enhancement technology, and new sound isolating processor.

We spoke to Sony India, A rep was able to tell us that the earbuds are confirmed for May 2011 launch, the HPs may come later.

Source Impress, Sony

January 29, 2011
Sony Cyber-shot HX100V and HX9V models leaked
Seems like two new versions of upcoming sony cameras have leaked. First is the HX100V,
- 30x zoom (27 – 810mm) c
- features and styling from the Alpha line
- 16.2 megapixel backside-illuminated sensor
- BIONZ processing
- 1080p video
- GPS i
HX9V
- compact
- 16 megapixel sensor
- 16x optical zoom lens
- 1080p video
No Pricing or Availability info YET

Via: Engadget

Source : LetsGoDigital HX100V, HX9V
January 29, 2011
Sony Releases Next Gen PSP (called : NGP) with quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, quad-core GPU
Sony today announced the NEXT GENERATION PS PORTABLE (NGP) Specs include
- quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor
- 5-inch touchscreen OLED display with 960 x 544 resolution
- dual analog sticks (not nubs as on the current generation)
- 3G, WiFi, GPS
- rear-mounted touchpad
- the same accelerometer / gyroscope motion sensing as in the Move
- electronic compass
- cameras front and back
The new console’s UI will be called LiveArea, which has a bunch of vertically navigable home screens and built-in social networking through PlayStation Network. You can jump between games and the LiveArea without losing your progress and comment on your buddies’ great feats of mobile gaming.

Sony trotted out Hideo Kojima to show off a cutscene from MGS 4 rendered in real time on the NGP. It was pulled directly from the PS3 version of the game and ran at 20fps.

Check out the Press Release

SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES ITS NEXT GENERATION PORTABLE ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM

Ultimate Portable Entertainment System Makes Its Debut This Year,
Further Expanding the PlayStation® Business in the Portable Gaming Market

Tokyo, January 27, 2011– Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) today announced its next generation portable entertainment system (codename: NGP), which delivers the ultimate portable entertainment experience. NGP will make its debut at the end of the year 2011.

NGP is designed to offer unparalleled interactive entertainment that is only possible on PlayStation®. This new system offers a revolutionary combination of rich gaming and social connectivity within a real world context, made possible by leveraging SCE’s experience from both PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) and PlayStation®3 (PS3®) entertainment systems.

Deep and immersive gaming is at the core of PlayStation’s DNA, and NGP is the latest embodiment of this vision. By having both Wi-Fi and 3G network connectivity, together with various applications, NGP will enable infinite possibilities for users to “encounter,” “connect,” “discover,” “share” and “play” with friends wherever they are. Within the device are a range of features that provide a genuinely cutting-edge, next generation ultimate portable entertainment experience.
?Stunning OLED and Revolutionary User Interface

NGP incorporates a beautiful multi-touch 5-inch organic light emitting display (OLED) as the front display. A high-performance CPU / GPU combined with OLED enables rich, visually striking graphics never seen before on a portable entertainment system, for both games and other digital entertainment content. The new system also incorporates a unique multi-touch pad on the rear, and together with the front touch display, NGP offers new game play allowing users to interact directly with games in three dimension-like motion, through “touch, grab, trace, push and pull” moves of the fingers.
?Super Oval Design and Dual Analog Sticks

While succeeding the basic design philosophy of PSP, NGP adopts the Super Oval Design form factor, created to fit comfortably in users’ hands. For the first time, a portable entertainment system will feature two analog sticks, which enable a wider range of game genres to be brought into the portable experience.
?LiveArea™

Every game title for NGP will be provided with a space called “LiveArea™” where users can share the fun and excitement with other players. Users will have access to the latest information of games provided from SCE and 3rd party developers and publishers through PlayStation®Network. Additionally, NGP users will be able to view an “Activity” log that is constantly updated with accomplishments from users who are playing the same game, which in turn can trigger active real-time communication among users.
?Near

SCE will also provide location-based services on NGP as part of the basic features utilizing PlayStation Network. The new application called “Near,” developed specifically for this service and the network, will be pre-installed in the system to let users find out what their friends in the vicinity are playing now or what they were playing recently. Users can meet their friends and new players virtually, regardless of what games they are playing, simply by sharing their game information across different dimensions of time and distance.
?New Game Medium

NGP adopts a new game medium, a small flash memory based card, dedicated for NGP software titles. Taking advantage of the flash memory feature, this innovative card can store the full software titles plus add-on game content or the game save data directly on to the card. By adopting flash memory based card, SCE will be able to provide game cards with higher capacity in the future, allowing developers to store more game data to deliver rich and immersive games.

NGP will also come equipped with two cameras on its front and rear, as well as three motion sensors, gyroscope, accelerometer and electronic compass, all of which are designed to enable users to enjoy the world of entertainment that is linked with real life experiences.

PlayStation®Suite (PS Suite), announced today, will also closely coordinate with NGP. The newly developed and released game content for Android™ based portable devices can also be enjoyed on NGP. As a result, users will have access to not only the most leading-edge content, but also some of the more casual experiences that typify the mobile market place.

SCE will vigorously promote NGP towards the launch as the next generation portable entertainment platform and deploy various measures to further expand the portable gaming market.
January 27, 2011