Sony showcases new innovations at CES 2008
By Juniper Foo
08/01/2008
The Japanese company did not disappoint tech worshippers with its announcement of new products across several major categories, from razor-thin OLED TVs to face-detecting full-HD Handycams.
LAS VEGAS--In a nod to consumer demand for greater personalization, Sony at this year's CES 2008 event highlighted Creativity as one of its three major exhibit areas. The other two, HDNA (high-definition) and Mobility, are a good indication of Sony's product direction and vision for 2008 and beyond.
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Like no other
CES, the annual consumer electronics gadget fest in Las Vegas which this year runs from January 7-10, kicks off and infuses the new year with tech galore announcements. Not surprisingly, Sony at its pre-show briefing pulled out the big guns, hauling up six senior bigwigs onstage to announce its innovations, strategic alliances and initiatives for 2008 before 700-plus journalists.Among the major announcements were additions to the company's expansion capability for its Bravia LCD TVs called DMeX Digital Media Extender (not available in Asia); full 1,920 x 1,080 full-HD camcorders with face detection; a new (alpha) A200 dSLR; a high-definition version of its spherical digital living system, the Vaio Home Theater PC; and the egg-shaped interactive Rolly music entertainment device.
The company also took the wraps off what it claimed is the world's first digital noise-canceling headphones, a Wi-Fi-enabled mylo COM-2 instant messaging device, as well as the debut of a sub-US$200 BD-ROM drive for Blu-ray playback on a PC.
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Exploring new TV formats
More importantly, among its flat-panel announcements, the media was introduced to a prototype 82-inch flat panel utilizing 4K technology, which is four times the resolution of 1080p. 4K technology was more recently sampled by the general public on the celluloid screen. This showcase is Sony's exploration of the format on a mainstream display. However, no rollout time frame was given at the briefing.Saving the best for the last, Sony Corp chairman and CEO Sir Howard Stringer gave a peek at "the television of the future". This was the company's Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) television--the 11-inch XEL-1, a 3mm-slim ultra-sharp TV that went on sale in Japan last month and is now available in the US for US$2,500, as well as a 10mm-thin 27-inch prototype that is on the showfloor. OLED is an emerging display technology that competes with SED, LCD, and plasma flat panels.
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Three new Sony Ericssons
In line with Stringer's Sony United theme--his well-known initiative to break down the silos that isolate Sony's business units--Sony Ericsson also received some air time, with its vice president of Marketing, North America, Karen H. Morris, announcing three new phones.Out by the first half of this year will be Sony Ericsson's first GPS-enabled Walkman handset, the W760i, with motion sensor; the W350i, the first flip-phone Walkman, sporting controls on its lid; and the Z555i, a style-oriented clamshell with gesture control. More details here.
