Ultra Compact Sony Alpha
With major manufacturers showcasing their very latest gadgets at the PMA 2010 (Photo Marketing Association Show) industry commentators were keen to see what Sony would bring to the party. Arguably Sony did not disappoint when they showed a range of new camera models including an Alpha compact DSLR style camera with interchangeable lenses.
The concept camera, at this stage was a mock up device that should bridge the gap between compact cameras and DSLRs. In terms of the technology contained within this ultra compact Alpha, the Sony camera boasts an APS- size sensor incorporating the fantastic Exmor R low-light functionality. As well as this sensor it is believed that this new camera will also have the ability to capture video in high definition utilising the AVCHD format. Read the rest of this entry »
A rudimentary impression of the Universal Controller
According to reports, Sony Computer Entertainment, the business in charge of Playstation has filed a patent for a universal computer games console; the patented device could lead to an end of cluttered living rooms, filled with controllers for each of the major games consoles.
For many years now universal remote controls for televisions and peripherals have been commonplace, it seems that Sony may now enter the console accessories market in a big way, with a controller that can be used for a variety of different consoles.
The patent, published on the 18th of February provides an idea of how this universal controller may take shape. A touch screen LCD display will be the main interface, changing to match the layout and attributes of the controller being emulated. So far the patent states that the Sony universal controller will be compatible with Microsoft’s Xbox 360, Nintendo’s Wii and the Playstation 3 as well as older devices such as the Atari Jaguar. One of the key reasons for this backwards compatibility is that the device can be used when “an older controller may no longer be available.”
Whilst no official announcement has been made, industry commentators are expecting to see the device in the near future, although how near an actual product release is remains a matter of conjecture. A statement regarding the product is likely to be made in the coming months.
Sony Digital Photo Frame
Hail the S Frame, the range of digital photo frames from Sony whose specifications rival those of a respectable camera…
The DPF-X1000N, one of the most advanced members of the Sony S Frame family (even the name sounds impressive) hosts Auto Touch-up, with features such as Exposure and Red Eye Correction, and wait for it…Skin Smoothing capabilities! You need not fret about photo editing via a pc or hurrying to delete those dreaded photos before friends descend on you – eagerly waiting evidence from last nights events.
Specifications are one thing, but the benefits of the S Frame on the grandeur of your living room or bedroom has to be admired. All of the Sony S Frame range comes with a sleek looking black fascia; however the DPF-E72N is unique in the fact that it comes with 3 interchangeable covers in black, brown and red. The S Frame LCD panel ranges from 8-inch to a mighty 10-inch and with the X1000N and X800 you exclusively get TruBlack technology, this minimises the reflection on the display and adds stronger contrast to deep colours and shadow tones. Read the rest of this entry »
Sony Dash, Alarm Clock 2.0 and so much more
The Sony Dash, introduced at the CES show, could be forgiven for being a glorified alarm clock – Alarm Clock 2.0 if you like. That simply does not do the device justice, it really is so much more than that. How many times have any of us fired up the laptop and sat there blindly watching YouTube videos, stealthily invading the privacy of our friends lives on Facebook or flicked through last nights pictures that you hope won’t invade your privacy on the aforementioned social network? It seems a bit wasteful of a laptops function to perform relatively mundane tasks like these and Sony believe you needn’t harness the power of a modern laptop just to enjoy casual pass-times on the Internet. Enter, Sony Dash. Read the rest of this entry »
Sony Alpha DSLR Cameras
Both the Sony A500 and Sony A550 certainty pack a punch in the world of DSLR’s, both are available on the market currently and offer a vast array of specs – so what sets the two intermediate level DSLR’s apart from one another, I attempt to provide an insight…
Both the Sony A500 and Sony A550 form part of the A5 series of Sony DSLR cameras, the Sony A550 being the pricer & slightly more technical of the two counterparts. Visually, and almost technically they offer the same to the user experience – solid, with good handling, packed full of features. Paramount to both include the EXMOR CMOS sensor with Bionz Processor meaning the user can photograph away in low light environments and combined with an ISO range of 200-12800 both DSLR’s deliver high resolution images. Read the rest of this entry »
bloggie with the 360° lens adapter
Sony bloggie may appear to be something of a toy at first glance but look a bit further and its potential becomes very apparent. On the face of it bloggie appears to be no more capable than your average mobile phone with its candy-bar form factor but the appearance of bloggie is actually one of its strengths. It’s immediately accessible given that the form factor is used daily by so many people with their phone meaning picking it up and using the device is very natural. Add to that high definition video recording and the eye-popping 360° camera feature and bloggie becomes a must have for recording moments from parties, concerts or the weekend evening in the pub. bloggie, as its name suggests, is a very sociable, web-enabled tool.
bloggie comes with an excellent array of features that all make the device almost universally relevant – this is not a gadget that you’ll buy and drop in the cupboard that has become a graveyard of ‘good idea at the time’ tech. HD video capture records at full 1080 high definition and does so at the touch of a button, it’s remarkably easy to use. Read the rest of this entry »
the Sony Playstation 3 Motion Controller
Rumours about the Sony motion controller have been rife for some time. Since the launch of the ‘unnamed’ product at last year’s E3 show, gamers have been eagerly awaiting this accoutrement to their Playstation 3 consoles. Recently a name has even been thrown up, the result of Sony purchasing the internet domain PlaystationArc.com. Some of the rumour however may be settled next month as Sony Playstation has announced a special panel at this year’s GDC (Game Developer’s Conference).
It is likely that this panel will provide game developers and the world’s media with some updated information on the Sony Motion Controller. Whether an official name will be provided is still a matter of conjecture but it is likely that we will see new software for the device as well as ways in which it can be integrated by game developers in new titles. Read the rest of this entry »
Sony Cyber-shot TX7, a new standard in Compact Cameras!
News of the Sony Cybershot DSC-TX7 reached us here at Sony-Insights about a month ago. Launched at CES the slim-line DSC-TX7 has now reached the review stage and it has certainly impressed both experts and users. The Sony Cybershot TX7 has been developed to improve upon the existing TX1 and includes some features that will doubtlessly impress photographers.
In terms of specs, consumers are provided with a 10.2 megapixel CMOS sensor that incorporates the Sony Exmor R technology for outstanding low light performance. The TX7 also provides a 3.5 inch screen, fast video capture utilising the AVCHD format and Sony’s new technology, the intelligent Sweep Panorama. This new tech allows users to snap wondrous panoramic photographs with an intelligent stitching system. In addition the Carl Zeiss lens offers 4x optical zoom and the touch-screen interface has been specifically designed with ease of use and intuitive functionality in mind. Finally the stereo microphone allows for sound recording whilst the HDMI output means your images and videos can be displayed easily. For those with fashion in mind the Cybershot TX7 is also available in a range of three colours. Read the rest of this entry »
Sony Ericsson Support the new Apps Community, WAC
Mobile phone manufacturer Sony Ericsson have announced their backing for a new mobile apps community called the “Wholesale Applications Community”. The community aims to involve manufacturers and network operators to create a new standard in mobile apps to take on the dominant Apple’s App Store.
The GSM Association announced yesterday that twenty-four network operators have agreed to form the Wholesale Applications Community to grow their share in the apps market and to give developers one point of entry to its members.
The group (WAC) will begin work on combining their current developer communities, this will give app developers a single market to get their applications distributed to many platforms with a single approval process. The community intends to create a single common development standard that WAC expects to be ready in just one year. Read the rest of this entry »
40 Million users? Maybe not.
SCEA President, Jack Tretton, announced last week that “We’ve successfully established that we’re not just a disc-based powerhouse, but we’re also a digital powerhouse.” While there aren’t many people who would discount that he followed this with an assertion that the Playstation 3 user base has inflated to “more than 40 million”.
This statement has been met with a big pinch of salt by Sony gamers who themselves openly admit to having many user names on their PlayStation’s. Several gamers were openly discussing the virtues of having European, Japanese and US gamer accounts while some younger gamers even claimed they were using several accounts to accommodate adult content online and to by pass parental controls. Read the rest of this entry »
