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Only in Japan: Sony's freakish dancing eggs
CHIBA, Japan--One of the most popular exhibits at Ceatec this year is Rolly, a dancing egg from Sony.
Music gets fed into Rolly, and it responds by "dancing" to the music. It will roll, spin around rapidly, or flip open its top as the music changes. A $300 device with a couple of LED lights that gyrates to Ricky Martin tunes? It doesn't sound like a hot seller on paper, but it's a huge hit at the show, taking place outside of Tokyo this week. Sony showed it off earlier this year and has just begun … Read more
Sony opens book on new Reader
Rumors have been circulating that Sony was about to release the second edition of its electronic book reader--and now it's official. Sony's new Reader Digital Book, the PRS-505, will hit stores shortly, and while it doesn't look that different on the surface, it's got some notable improvements.
Next-generation electronic paper display delivers faster response and a higher contrast ratio, with eight levels of gray scale instead of four.Slightly thinner profile.
More intuitive button layout allows for easier navigation.
Available in silver and dark blue.
The new Reader costs the same as the old Reader ($300), … Read more
Sony's mystery revealed: first OLED TV
If Sony wants to be effective in this mystery marketing game, it's going to have to be more patient. Unlike B&O's "Serenata" campaign, which made us wait weeks before letting the secret out, Sony's latest product went live only days after its teaser site began to circulate in earnest.
But no matter. It turns out that the box under wraps was what it called the world's first OLED TV, referring to its ultra-thin and flexible screen technology that uses organic light-emitting diodes. The energy-efficient TV is just 3 millimeters thick and will … Read more
Another Sony mystery product
Of all the companies that have caught the mystery marketing bug, Sony is quickly becoming the most prolific perpetrator. In fact, the campaign tactics may be too secretive for their own good. The Sony "Rolly," for example, still has people guessing what it's all about even after the product was officially unveiled.
Its latest entry is equally baffling. A teaser page on Sony's Japanese Web site offers virtually nothing other than an obscured photo and the obligatory "Coming soon" tag line. (We're thankful that they at least spared us the cliched countdown clock.) … Read more
Sony NWZ-A810 review and photos
We just have to say it: The Sony NWZ-A810 is a pretty slick player. Of course, getting rid of SonicStage was a major help--you can now use all the new Walkmans with WMA jukeboxes--but the A810 shines in many areas besides software support, as well. It offers a fantastic display, a sleek design and interface, and a stellar rated battery life--plus, it's one of the few players that sounds great right out of the box, thanks to the inclusion of Sony's rather great MDR-EX082 headphones. Users looking for the whole package (sans radio) will be pleased. For all … Read more
Low-cost HD radios from Sony, Dual kick off the new car-tech season
HD Radio looks set to be the key feature for car-stereo makers this season. This week, Sony unveiled two budget stereo head units with HD Radio compatibility. The top-of-the-line Sony CDX-GT520 ($140) and entry-level CDX-GT320 ($100) are both HD Radio-ready, but require the addition of the Sony's clunky XT-100HD HD radio tuners module ($100) to pick up HD channels. Both systems can also be used to play satellite radio and iPods (via additional modules) and generic media players through their as-standard auxiliary-input jacks.
Meanwhile, Dual is launching its own bid for the aftermarket HD Radio crowd with the launch … Read more
The cheapest Vaio laptop yet
The Vaio NR popped its head up in Germany a few weeks ago, and Sony announced yesterday that its new budget laptop will make its U.S. debut next month. With a starting price of $750, it undercuts Sony's current budget model, the Vaio N, by a hefty $200. Despite its low price, Sony didn't skimp on design, outfitting the 15.4-inch, 6.2-pound with a textured chassis it describes as "fabric-like" and "pleasing to the eye and cool to the touch." You'll have your choice of three colors, which Sony calls wenge, … Read more
Sony's 'water pit' for laptop spills
Say what you will about Sony computers, but they've always been at least a finalist in laptop version of The Biggest Loser--the most recent lightweight contender being the first to break the 2-pound barrier with its Vaio G series. Yet the latest upgrade to that line apparently has a feature that has little to do with weight but is extremely close to home for some of the less coordinated road warriors among us.
According to Engadget, the G series now has a waterproofing function that discharges your spilled Red Bull or chai latte through a "water pit&… Read more
