TVs:
HX 950
While Sony's current lineup of HDTVs has so far topped out with the HX929/920 series that's been kicking around since 2011, in Japan it has just unveiled a new top of the line model: the HX950. Often rumored in the last few months, it's available in 65- or 55-inch varieties and features Sony's now-trademark monolithic style as well as "Intelligent Peak LED" backlighting. Although Sony's brand name for the tech doesn't exactly reveal how it works, information leaks have suggested it is full array LED backlighting and not edge based, although we don't know how many zones (individually controlled light sources) are in play. What we do know, however is that it claims to outperform the LED backlighting in the old 929 quite handily, although we'll let our eyes be the judge of that.
It also includes MotionFlow XR960 (800 in the US) motion processing tech that can create 240fps from 60 frames and a glass panel mounted to the LCD itself with a special type of resin designed specifically to reduce glare. Finally, there's also the usual add-ins like 3D and Sony Entertainment Network streaming video. We haven't seen any European or US information for this model yet, although with IFA 2012 under way and CEDIA coming up that may change quickly. Currently pricing in Japan for the 65-inch is expected to be around 650,000 yen or $8,269 when it ships November 10th, but we should mention actual US prices are typically much lower than a direct conversion. Unofficially, one retailer is already listing the 55- and 65-inch models for sale in the US for $3,499 and $5,499, respectively, although we'd take that with a grain of salt until we know for sure.
Sony 84 inch 4K 84X9005 Bravia
Sony's rolling out the new products thick and fast at its press conference at IFA, the latest beauty on display, this stunning 84-inch 4K Bravia TV. The new 3,840 x 2,160 LCD telly comes loaded with X-Reality Pro Engine to take care of the rendering, and a "10 Unit Live Speaker" system. If two dimensions aren't enough, then the KD-84X9005 also supports upscaling for greater-than-HD passive 3D. No information on price at this time
Tablets:
Xperia Tablet S
Looks like those leaked slides showing Sony's Xperia-branded tablet were right about pretty much everything. (Well, everything except the price, anyway). The company just formally announced the Xperia Tablet S and, as rumored, it features a Tegra 3 chip, Android 4.0 and up to 64GB of built-in storage. Like last year's Tablet S, it has that distinctive folded-over magazine shape, except this go-round it's made of metal, and measures between .35 and .47 inches thick (the weight, too, has dropped to 1.26 pounds, down from 1.31). Sony also kept the Tablet S' IR emitter, which allows the tablet to double as a universal remote, and this time you can program shortcuts to do things like watch sports. Rounding out the spec sheet, there's a full-size SD slot, a 9.4-inch (1,280 x 800) IPS screen and a 6,000mAh battery promising 10 hours of runtime.
As we mentioned, the tablet will ship with Ice Cream Sandwich, but Sony is promising an upgrade to Jelly Bean as soon as it can optimize all its custom apps.
Personal Computers:
Sony Viao Tap 20 (table top computer)
At the tail-end of Sony's IFA 2012 presser, Kaz Hirai announced two updates to the VAIO line, one of which was the Tap 20. The so-called tabletop PC is a Windows 8 device targeted at families as it can easily convert from a very traditional upright position to a full flat profile. The device is still a work-in-progress, as one of the company's reps confirmed to us, so it could hit shelves later this year with a much slimmer profile and less weightier feel.
VAIO Duo 11 (slide out table laptop hybrid)
Sony just threw itself fully into the touchscreen Windows 8 arena -- it's introducing the VAIO Duo 11 slider tablet and the Tap 20 combination desktop and tablet design at its IFA 2012 press conference. The Duo 11 is a noticeably amped-up realization of the Hybrid concept we saw at CES. Its 11.6-inch, 1080p touchscreen is joined by a proper digitizer stylus for low-lag handwriting as well as some seriously powerful innards for a convertible PC its size: we're talking an Ultrabook-level Core i3, i5 or i7 as well as a 128GB or 256GB SSD, NFC wireless, GPS, and HD-capable cameras at the front and back. Sony is hoping for a late October release for this beast of a slate, although we haven't been given that all-important price.
Phones:
Sony new flagship smartphone - Sony Xperia T / TX
The Xperia T runs on Ice Cream Sandwich, but we're told it will be upgraded to Jelly Bean shortly after launch. It also features a 13MP fast capture camera and boasts a feature Sony is calling Sleep to Snap, which means you can go from a black screen to taking photos in an instant. What else does this new flagship offer? A one-touch function with NFC which you can use to tap to connect to other Sony devices, a 60-day premium trial of Music Unlimited and a new tier called Access which will be available in Europe for 0.99 Euros per month and will deliver full access of the service to PCs and the PS3.
The T -- which will be known as the TX in select markets, and should be launching globally over the next few weeks -- also sports a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8260A Snapdragon S4 CPU, pentaband UMTS / HSPA+ radios, a front-facing cam with 720p video capture, MHL connectivity, FM radio, 16GB onboard storage and an 1,850mAh battery. Dimension-wise, the T will weigh 4.9 ounces (139g) and come in at 9.35mm thick. Lastly, the new Xperia flagship will be available in black, silver and white hues
Xperia J
The 4-inch FWVGA display is nice and bright. At 9.2mm thick, Sony's talking up the handset's svelte design. And it's certainly slimmer than a lot of handsets we've seen -- though not even close to the slimmest. It's also not the most powerful handset we've seen by any stretch with a 1GHz single-core processor inside, but it does a zippy enough job with the Ice Cream Sandwich it's rocking. All in all, the J seems like a fairly solid choice for those who don't want to shell out an arm and a leg on its bigger brother
Sony Xperia V
The slightly shier Xperia V was mentioned ever-so-briefly in Sony's IFA presser -- but that's not to say there's nothing to see. We've just got our hands-on with the firm's newest LTE handset, and it's a lightweight 127 grams, comes with a 4.3-inch, 1,280 x 720 display and boasts iPx5/7 water resistance. It's also packing Sony's new ClearAudio+ technology. It's got that familiar Xperia curve, which we like, plus a rough silver finish around the edge. Check out our hands-on video after the break, with more impressions coming soon.
The 1.5 GHz Qualcomm MSM8960 dual-core processor inside the Xperia V proved plenty capable, with that high-resolution screen offering space for on-screen Android 4.0 buttons. It's an Xperia kind of Android, though, with similar widgets and drop-down menu adjustments, but it's all inoffensive enough. There's also raft of Sony's new Android widgets that we'd soon drop from our homescreen -- but again, it's an easily solved problem. It also packs a 13-megapixel sensor versus the 12-megapixel shooter we saw earlier on the Xperia S, although we'll have to wait for the final review model before we can compare results. The Xperia V will come in pink, white and black paint jobs when it hits stores later this year.
Other Devices:
Sony MDR-1 headphones
Sony has announced its newest set of headphones under the MDR-1 brand here at IFA. Produced in collaboration with artists like Katy B, Method Man and engineers like Naweed Ahmed, the classy cans seem to be aiming straight for the Beats crowd. Coming in Wired (MDR-1R), Bluetooth (MDR-1BT) and Noise-Canceling (MDR-1RNC) editions
Sony NEX 5-R
the NEX-5R includes a new 16.1-megapixel sensor that's based on the version packaged with the 5N, and boasts low-light sensitivity through ISO 25,600. The new model offers a bevy of new features, however, with many stemming from its new-found ability to connect to the web, as Sony's first mirrorless camera with built-in 802.11 b/g WiFi. Standard remote functionality is included, via the Smart Remote Control app that lets you use an Android or iOS device to snap photos, as is Direct Upload for sending media to the web, and a typical suite of sharing features, including PC and DLNA access.
The 5R takes connectivity leaps further with PlayMemories Camera Apps, letting you download applications directly to the device, including tools that assist with retouching and sequential shooting. (Sony hasn't confirmed whether firmware updates will be pushed wirelessly as well, but it's a possibility.) With the 5R, the camera maker is targeting current DSLR users who are ready to upgrade but would consider a switch to mirrorless. Digital SLR-like controls will help ease the transition, including a new dial near the shutter release. There's also a new Fast Hybrid AF, which pairs 99 phase-detect AF points with a 25-area contrast system, resulting in noticeable improvements with any lens. There's also 1080/60p video, along with a 10 frames-per-second continuous shooting mode (with AF tracking!). If you were fond of the front-facing self-portrait LCD mode on the F3, you'll be happy to know it's here as well, complete with the downward-facing option included with previous-gen NEX models, but notably absent from the F3.
Sony 16mp Exmor R Action Cam
Remember that itsy bitsy GoPro competitor we spotted at Sony's CE Week booth earlier this summer? Well, it's gearing up for an official release late next month. Dubbed Action Cam -- a fitting name given that it'll live mounted anywhere from skydiving helmets to downhill skis -- it'll ship in late September or early October for $199. In a surprising twist, the incredibly small HD shooter will also be getting WiFi -- that version will be available for $270. Both cameras are identical save for wireless functionality, but considering that WiFi enables remote configuration and viewfinder capability for framing your shots (there's no video-capable LCD on the device itself), you're gonna want to shell out the extra 70 bucks. Regardless of which flavor you choose, you'll net a very capable camcorder with a 16-megapixel Exmor R sensor (great for low-light shooting) and fixed-zoom Carl Zeiss lens, complete with SteadyShot image stabilization, a 1080/30p capture mode and a 720p option at 120 frames per second, enabling some pretty slick slow-motion effects.
HMZ-T2:
Sony almost sneaked this one by us at today's IFA press event. In fact, it was never mentioned on stage and practically buried in the day's flood of PR. The HMZ-T2 is the company's next generation wearable 3D display. Aesthetically it doesn't appear very different from last year's T1 and, spec-wise, things seem largely the same as well. Put the head-mounted unit on and you'll be presented with a pair of 0.7-inch OLED monitors that deliver 45 degrees of three-dimensional entertainment. There's also the same Virtualphones tech baked in, that create the illusion of a 360-degree 5.1 surround sound system.
SRS-BTM8 Wireless speaker:
While it didn't make it on stage during the keynote, the company's also officially announced a new wireless speaker that boasts NFC connectivity in addition to the usual Bluetooth -- an addition that lets you play music simply by tapping the speaker with your smartphone. As you can see, the speaker (known only as the SRS-BTM8) is also available in your choice of black or white, and it's clearly designed with portability in mind, boasting an integrated handle along with space for 4AA batteries that promise 20 hours of playback time. Unfortunately, there's no word on pricing or availability just yet
More info at:
http://www.engadget.com/page/3/
http://news.cnet.com/8301-33692_3-57502890-305/ifa-2012-big-reveals-for-sony-samsung/
so what do you think? Discuss
