Sony

First Review of the Sony’s Next Gen XBR4 HDTV LCD (Verdict: Best)

Sony’s XBR4, the 10-bit, , 24-frame compatible, 120Hz follow up to the XBR3, was announced a few weeks ago, but Gary Merson has the first review. He says its the best HD LCD so far, with some caveats. https://gizmodo.com/sonys-new-xbr5-xbr4-and-w-series-lcd-hdtvs-266680 The standard mode, “vivid” doesn’t seem to do deinterlacing of 1080i signals correctly. (Movie and other…

Sony Rolls Out Three Universal Remote Styles

Sony’s making it look like it’s fishing for buyers of remote controls, rolling out three different form factors of its latest universal remotes on the same day. There’s the RM-PZ1FD, that earthy colored wide remote for those who like to keep the control on the arm of a chair or use it like a laptop;…

PS2 Modchip Coming in Memory Card Form

No longer are you forced to break open a PS2 to solder a modchip in or swap off the top for the disc switching method to play “homebrew” games on Sony’s previous-gen console. The Vast memory card modchip, coming in two weeks, is a plug-and-play only device that lets you bypass the PlayStation 2’s security…

Sony Adds To CyberShot Lines With DSC-T70 And DSC-T200

Those sly dogs at Sony quietly let the CyberShot DSC-T200 and DSC-T70 slip out, without even battering an eyelid. They both strike an impressive pose, not least because of those tasty touchscreens! Hit the jump for pictures and specifications. The official site lists the specification as follows: The DSC-T200 •Resolution: 8.1 Megapixels (effective) •Zoom: 5x…

Sony Aims for the Masses With Target-Exclusive Bravias

Even if Target isn’t so cozy with Sony as to sell Blu-Ray as its exclusive HD player, they’re buddy-buddy enough that Target’s selling some exclusive Bravia LCD sets through Target.com. Both are 720p, with the 26-inch model going for $800, and the 32-inch for $900; they’ll also be available in-store next month. https://gizmodo.com/next-gen-slapfest-hd-dvd-responds-to-blu-rays-target-e-282967 They’re both…

You can get the 60GB PS3 for $349 at the Sony Style Store if you also sign up for a Sony-branded credit card as well. Rebate arrives in 8-12 weeks. [Gamespot]

Its apparent indestructibility must be responsible for the “around .02 percent” failure rate SCE Europe founder Chris Deering claims for the PS3. [PC World] https://gizmodo.com/playstation-3-stress-tested-found-virtually-unbreakabl-288977

Sony and Waste Management’s Free “Take Back” Recycling Program Okay But Not the Best

It’s a green time for the electronics biz and today Sony has announced that they want to leapfrog the competition with their Sony Take Back Recycling program. They are teaming up with Waste Management’s WM Recycle America division to recycle your electronics, but this deal makes customers go to one of 75 physical locations—the bulk…

First Review of Sony’s XDR-S3HD Tabletop HD Radio (Verdict: Damn You Knob!)

Sony’s embracing HD radio, the digital twin of our existing FM band. And when their first, the cherry-wood XDR-S3HD radio, switches from FM to HD, you can hear the difference in a very positive way through the twin ~3-inch papercone drivers. And the display comes alive with track and artist info. But that knob, oh,…

Metal Gear Solid Kubrick Figures Make Us Go !

Seen at this year’s Comic-Con, these Metal Gear Solid Kubrick figures are probably the best things we’ve seen yet in LEGO-ish form. The Kubrick block figures will have Snake and Grey Fox from #1, Naked Snake from #3, and Old Snake and Robot Ninja Raiden from #4. La Li Lu Le Lo. [Figures via Toys…

Forthcoming Sony Alpha DSLRs Spec Lists Rumored

Since we first saw the “advanced amateur” Sony Alpha DSLR earlier this year, it’s been shrouded in mystery and its spec list has been rife with guesswork and conjecture. Now we’re seeing the next round of soothsaying by a flimsy Franco-rumor site, telling us that the higher-end amateur model will have a 14.4-megapixel sensor, a…

Bravia Ad Shoot Overwhelms NYC With Play Doh Bunnies

Sony’s Bravia ads are generally pretty entertaining affairs, what with the grand scale they usually inhabit. It looks like they’re working on a new one, if the Technicolor Play Doh bunnies that have been invading NYC are any indication. It’s not all that clear what exactly these bunnies will be doing in the ad, but…

PlayStation 3 Stress Tested, Found Virtually Unbreakable

With all the coverage of how the Xbox 360s are failing left and right in the past few months, there hasn’t been much coverage of how sturdy the PS3 is. PS3 Vault took a PS3 into harsh environments, continuously using it for 108 hours with various games and Blu-ray movies. Their findings? The PS3 is…

Universal Talks About Their HD DVD Buyers

Craig Kornblau, president of Universal Studios Home Entertainment, is in a sticky situation. He needs to defend why his company exclusively backs HD DVD when the format is trailing Blu-ray by a long shot. Maybe glass-half-full talk day after day is what leads him to say things like this: The people who have bought so…

Sony Rumored to be Prepping Weird Egg-Shaped Music Player

Sony doesn’t want to let its venerable Walkman brand die, and we’re hearing rumblings of a new MP3 player the company is preparing under that age-old banner. The player’s allegedly code-named “Rolly,” and all we’ve seen of the nascent product is this close-up of its user interface that’s part of a leaked video that was…

New Sony Vaio Gets SSD, Hefty Price Hike

Sony is hopping on the SSD laptop bandwagon, releasing a new Vaio without a platter HDD. The Vaio TZ18GN is an 11.1-inch ultraportable with a 32GB SSD, Intel Core 2 Duo, 1GB of RAM and, unfortunately, Vista preloaded. It weighs in at a svelte 2.5 pounds, which is a bit heftier than Toshiba’s “world’s lightest”…

Old PS3 Online Banner Ad Now Banned in the UK for Glamorizing Violence

While this clip isn’t the ad at issue, it’s from the same series of “This Is Living” spots you might remember Sony put out months ago. The banned banner features Kovac (the guy in the tub) simply holding a knife and gun below the lines, “You on my side? Listen up, I’ve killed for less.…

Sony’s GV-HD700 will be available next month for $1300. [Camcorder Info] https://gizmodo.com/sony-on-the-move-with-worlds-first-hd-walkman-for-pros-282647

New AIBO in the Works, Could be PS3-Compatible

According to an interview with game designer and Sony buddy Masaya Matsuura, a new AIBOesque device is in development. From his interview with Kotaku: “The engineers behind the Aibo are doing the PS3. We are talking about making something like the new Aibo.” I ask if it will connect to the PS3. Because that’s what…

Sony Recalls 350,000 Razor-Sharp Cameras

Sony has announced the recall of 350,000 digital cameras that have the potential to cut and scratch users. The adhesive holding down the metal case is failing occasionally, causing dangerous sharp edges to lift up. Thirty people have already been injured, prompting the Japan and US recall. Read on to see the failing models. The…