Live at the Sony press preview

Sony has gathered us here today to regale the press with the latest and greatest of what's on deck for the consumer electronics giant. Stay tuned for the liveblog coverage.

5:05 pm PST We've just waited in line for 20 minutes to get special press wristbands because our badges weren't enough to establish our VIP status. Only, they ended up herding us into the press area before we ever got the bands.

5:11 We're starting off with a... comedian. No one's laughing. "Should we drop the jokes and move on?" Eight ball points to yes.

5:13 Sony is a "total entertainment company."

5:14 Randy Waynick is introducing the concept of HighER definition.



5:17 Going over the concept of "highER definition" from production to playback. They'll be introducing an 55-inch SXRD display at 1920 x 1080 resolution -- the "holy grail" of high definition.

5:18 Bravia brand is the top-selling flat-panel LCD TV in US. They'll soon be introducing a new 46-inch model at 1080p and 3 new S-series models with integrated ATSC tuners. The world premier of an 82-inch Bravia prototype with wide-color gamma technology is set to deliver more realism via the full range of color.



5:23 John Scarcella talking about the concept of Digital Cinema. Sony is the leading company of products making HD content. 24p production continues to develop momentum. "HD from lens to the living room."



5:27 SXRD 4K projector provides 4 times the resolution of what most home HD viewers are seeing. Theaters are putting these in to draw the home user back to the movies. Sony expects the market to substantially adopt 4K technology... but those inclined to be cynical might call them biased on that.

5:30 John Koller talking about Sony's position in the gaming industry. They expect another 5 years with the PS2 on top of anticipating the PS3 launch and celebrating early success with the PSP. They've sold more than 4 million PSP units in the US, with 70 titles and 250 movies now out. PSP development hasn't stopped -- PSP Connect to launch in March for users to download full-length movies and new titles.



5:35 Rob Bartels is demonstrating LocationFree TV playback on the PSP. On the road you can use any WiFi connection to control your TV at home and view content you have stored there.

5:37 Moving on to mobile entertainment: "Entertainment is personal entertainment." Talking about the new 9 ounce Sony Reader we caught a glimpse of earlier, an e-paper reader on which you can select from 10,000 books via their download service. Next: showing off the Xplod car audio unit. We've seen it before -- it's basically a car stereo faceplate that sports 1GB internal memory and connects with your PC to transfer music.



5:41 Frances Richford of Sony Ericsson is talking about the W810 Walkman phone we saw earlier today. Most advanced Walkman phone yet -- works globally as a mobile phone and media player. Sony is synonymous with "music on the move."

5:43 Introducing the DVD505 Handycam and the SR100 hard drive camcorder -- the latter is Sony's first hard drive-based DV cam. 5.1 Dolby sound is built in to both, with a Bluetooth microphone providing the center channel.

5:44 Trotting out the Cybershot DSC-M2 digicam with built-in Steady Shot which lets you enjoy lots of caffeine while taking your shots -- great for the stimulant-addicted among us.

5:45 Sony Connect features new exclusive content daily. Emphasis is on connectivity, creativity, and content. "These are not just gadgets -- these are personal entertainment at its best." Yes folks -- it's awful thick in here.

5:47 Mike Fasulo is showing the Nav-U NV-U70 GPS system with a 3.5-inch TFT display. Picks up a satellite signal within seconds of power up and comes pre-loaded with maps of the continental US, Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico. Next up: the Vaio XL1 digital living system integrates computing with traditional home entertainment. Store and manage all of your entertainment content whether created, downloaded or purchased on disk. The XL2 version is an update to the XL1 that will be shown later on the floor -- it's the big sister to the XL1 media center system with a built-in HD tuner.




5:51 Final thought: Sony is where products, technology and content form a "brilliant constellation." All are designed with the consumer in mind. "No company does it quite like Sony. We are like no other." Indeed.

[bv @ Jan 4th 2006 8:29PM]

5:30 Sir Howard Stringer arrives with the ps3 and says "this is the ps3" and promptly exits the stage. The audience cringes.

[google nazi @ Jan 4th 2006 8:33PM]

5:41 The playstation 4 is explained and definitions of the Playstation 5 on how it will utilize our own brain to play in virtual reality with full perfect real life graphics.



5:52 QRio arrives on stage and plays the PS3 in front of everybody. Everybody wants to kill that robot.

[SpartanWalrus36 @ Jan 4th 2006 8:34PM]

5:33 Sir Howard Stringer reappears with Steve Erwin to demonstrate the PS3 controller functionality. Second cringe.

[steve @ Jan 4th 2006 8:38PM]

on Sony being a total entertainment company .. the rootkit fiasco was certainly entertaining

[Drew @ Jan 4th 2006 8:44PM]

Its cool that I can refresh and see whats happening in real time.. now thats good blogging!

[bv @ Jan 4th 2006 8:48PM]

6:00 pm Chairman Kaga announces the secret ingredient is "HAMBURGER". Ken kutaragi busts out the ps3 and begins grilling some prime patties all while flipping the bird to a grilless Bill Gates. The crowd is hungry.

[Jeezy03 @ Jan 4th 2006 8:49PM]

no release details?

[sss @ Jan 4th 2006 8:55PM]

6:03 pm Ken whips the burgers at a persons face, then takes two people hostage. Its a riot here. Ken wants more frozen hamburgers and is threatning to kill the hostages.

[Tim @ Jan 4th 2006 8:57PM]

bv, stop being an ass and refrain from posting your highly un-funny jokes.

[Luca @ Jan 4th 2006 9:04PM]

Where's Ps3? No ps3 updates??? Aaaaaargh!!!!!

[Cooltoolfool @ Jan 4th 2006 9:08PM]

Dam!!! Nothing about the PS3.

[ray @ Jan 4th 2006 9:09PM]

w810i LEAKED OUT HOLY CRAP its a quad band w800i DREAM COME TRUE w00t w00t



cant wait till i can buy it idrc if its comming to us china town all the way



http://www.mobilemag.com/content/100/353/C5852/

[earthling @ Jan 4th 2006 9:19PM]

interesting that Sony is quoting 'higher definition' when their own professional equipment is restricted to 1440x1080 resolution for recording. It was decided a long time ago (and told to me directly) by sony engineers that 1440 was good enough and 90% of the population cannot tell the difference between 1440 and 1920 (ahem).



Also interesting is the continued harping on the SXRD based Qualia 4k projectors. The reason that they are NOT being picked up by the theaters is that they are not nearly bright enough for a real theater venue. Also these projectors are completely proprietary and do not follow any of the guidelines set forth by the DCI committee. Only Sony would go to the movie industry and say, yes we hear what you are saying but these are not the droids you are looking for, please buy sony.

[cammy @ Jan 4th 2006 9:21PM]

J.allard gets pissed off at kens antics and throws a power adapter from his xbox at ken,he misses horribly and knocks out a reporter next to me (i steal his laptop) bill slaps allard in the face and ken claims the ps3 can dance with aibos. crowd cringes a 3rd time

[tr @ Jan 4th 2006 9:31PM]

"9. bv, stop being an ass and refrain from posting your highly un-funny jokes.



Posted at 8:57PM on Jan 4th 2006 by Tim"



oh, come on! don't tell me that you find no humor in an iron chef reference! that one comment was more entertaining than a play by play of sony's lame press event.

[Mike Street @ Jan 4th 2006 10:03PM]

LOL @ Sony is being really tight liped. Spring will be here before you know it. Where are the sexy PS3 girls and all the fan fair? I guess they are waiting for E3

[dave @ Jan 4th 2006 10:46PM]

what about the rumoured Sony Digital SLRs? WTF is the DSC-79 with antishake is it DSLR or point and shoot?



The DSC prefix is for cameras and DCR for camcorders, yet the post suggests it is a camcorder despite having hte DSC prefix which is it and any more details?

[frosty_NUGZ @ Jan 4th 2006 11:31PM]

Sony does have true 1080p cameras, earthling. I think you are referring to sony's HDR series camcorders, which are not professional cameras. They record HDV, which is not a professional format. For these reasons, those cameras fall into the "prosumer" category. A bit too expensive for the average consumer, but not quite professional. I have one of those cameras, and the image quality is astounding, but nowhere near sony's $54,000 true professional 1080p HDTV cameras. here's a link to one of them.



http://www.broadcaststore.com/store/model_detail.cfm?id=21933

[Mr.Jim @ Jan 5th 2006 8:52AM]

This site gave me a $750.00 Prepaid Visa for do two free trial offers I did Video Professer and Core Control. It took about only 10 days to get it,this is the web site http://www.productestingreviews.com/750via.htm

[Donald Hudnall @ Jan 5th 2006 12:43PM]

Good job. Thanks

[sigchi222 @ Jan 5th 2006 4:42PM]

u guys r like a bunch of horny teenagers. be patient, the 3 will be here before u know it. it is hillarious to read the chode360 crowd posts. why r u even here? looking to see if doomsday for your excuse for a next gen machine has arrived early? sony will drop the bomb, not when we want it, but when the time is right.