LCD TV brand Vizio Inc overtook Sony during the fourth quarter to become the second-best selling flat panel TV brand in the United States after stepping up its marketing efforts, research firm iSuppli said. Vizio, whose TVs are made by Taiwan’s Amtran Technology, took 14.3 percent of all flat panel TV shipments in the October-December period as consumers’ appetite for more expensive brands fell amid the global financial crisis.
“Vizio’s success in the fourth quarter was partly due to increasing brand recognition, courtesy of the company’s strong marketing efforts and retail strategy,” said iSuppli analyst Riddhi Patel in a statement.
This story was originally printed in February of this year but we originally missed it. I’ve seen a couple of Vizio televisions and they aren’t bad. I would most certainly say that Vizio makes good displays fully capable of producing an excellent HD exerpeience. Most configurations I’ve witnessed were cable boxes connected via HDMI. Certain Vizio models also have a unique I/O configuration, where users plug into the bottom of the device instead of the back of it.
Sony Corporation (SNE) has revised its planned year-end dividend for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009. On January 22, 2009, the Company announced a downward revision of the Company’s consolidated results forecast for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009, in light of the deterioration of the global business environment. As a result, the Company has decided to reduce the planned amount of the year-end dividend for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009 to ¥12.5 per share, the same amount paid in the previous fiscal year, from ¥20 per share, the originally planned amount.
The year-end dividend is scheduled to be finally determined by the Board of Directors in May 2009 and is scheduled to be paid in June 2009 subject to such determination.
TransferJet is a close-proximity wireless transfer technology developed by Sony. A consortium of companies is currently creating standards for the new technology, which allows data to be transferred at speeds of up to 560 Mbps simply by touching the transmitting device directly to the receiving device. TransferJet eliminates complex and troublesome configuration and settings typically associated with conventional wireless technology. For example, simply touching a TV with a digital camera will enable still images to be displayed on the TV screen. Alternatively, downloaded music content can be enjoyed simply by touching a mobile phone to a portable audio player. TransferJet can be thought of as a universal interface that will replace current connectors, cables and memory cards used in many consumer electronics devices.
Your TV responds when you push the button on your remote, and your mobile phone will always connect to a base station when you turn on the power. Everyone from the young to senior citizens can easily use these wireless technologies without thinking. Yet before any wireless system can be used, it is necessary to select the receiving device, and this action requires complex settings.
The aim of TransferJet is to create a simple wireless technology that anyone can use. By reducing the range to less than 3cm, Sony was able to create an intuitive interface that simply requires two devices be brought into contact. This eliminates the need for complex initial setup and configuration with the other devices, such as access points.
As shown in the video, TransferJet enables users to sample music for a specified period and, if they like it, purchase an entire song right there, simply by touching their mobile terminal to the target point on the signage. Because TransferJet has a range of only a few centimeters, there can be different music content offered from multiple target points arranged side-by-side.
The TransferJet Coupler — A New Communications Technology Based on Induction Fields
Instead of a traditional wireless antenna, which employs electromagnetic radiation, Sony has developed a new antenna element designed to work with longitudinal electric induction fields. Known as the “TransferJet Coupler,” it consists of a coupling electrode, a resonant stub, and ground. When a signal is applied to the stub, charge accumulates in the coupling electrode, and a inverse image charge of opposite polarity is generated beneath the ground plane. The ultra-low-power vertical dipole structure formed by these charges is the basis of the TransferJet Coupler system.
Figure 1: Structure and Operating Principle of the TransferJet Coupler Longitudinal Wave Emitted in Forward Direction (Z Axis)
Compared to a conventional antenna, the gain of the TransferJet Coupler is high at short distances but decreases rapidly as distance increases. Because communication takes place only when devices are placed in close proximity (and breaks when they are moved apart), the system is extremely easy for users to understand and operate, and there is no uncertainty about whether or not the wireless connection is working.
Figure 2: Comparison of TransferJet Coupler versus Conventional Antenna
As shown in the graph, gain is high at short distances but decreases rapidly as distance increases.
Reliable High-Speed Communications
With a physical layer transmission rate of 560 Mbps, the TransferJet Coupler can achieve an effective maximum data throughput of 375 Mbps, even allowing for error correction and other protocol overhead. The system is also capable of selecting the optimal transfer rate according to the wireless conditions. When conditions deteriorate, the system can maintain the quality and robustness of the connection by automatically reducing the transmission speed.
Solving Problems Inherent to Close-Proximity Wireless Communication
The TransferJet Coupler can recognize its unique MAC addresses* and other device-specific information. This means that users can control which devices they wish to connect with. By limiting access only to the devices in their homes, users can prevent strangers, such as people in crowded trains, from accessing their data without permission. This feature can also be switched off to allow communications with any device, such as when connecting with other people′s devices while on vacation or at parties.
Sony succeeded in achieving high transmission rates while minimizing transmission power. In fact, the TransferJet system uses only 1/700 as much power as ultra-wide-band (UWB) technology (which has a reputation for low power consumption). It complies with the Japanese standard for low-intensity wireless stations and can be used indoors, outdoors and in vehicles throughout Japan. Also, because TransferJet is an ultra-low-power wireless transfer system designed to operate at close proximities, there is almost no interference with other wireless systems. This means the TransferJet system will not cause problems with wireless LAN or Bluetooth since these operate on different frequencies.
Center frequency
4.48 GHz
Transmission power
-70 dBm/MHz or lower (average power) Complies with low-intensity wireless station standard in Japan, and with local radio wave regulations in other countries.
TransferJet wireless technology can be incorporated in a wide range of devices. Sony is promoting the cross-industry adoption of the technology and plans to develop specifications to meet the needs of content providers by creating products and services based on TransferJet, primarily using mobile and handheld devices.
Figure 3: Potential product applications
The new mystery surrounding the highly anticipated NWZ-X1050/NWZ-X1060 touchscreen Walkman is the release date. We initially pegged it for Summer of this year, but it seems like that it may come sooner. Sony USA said Early Summer. Several of our readers have found that Amazon UK is now projecting a release date of May 10th, while another UK e-tailer Play.com is saying March 30th. We are almost certain it will be May 10th for Europe.
What I find most amusing is that Sony Japan hasn’t even acknowledged the X-Series yet; so to our Japanese readers out there, you may be waiting a little while.
When do you think it is coming out?
p.s. Just to bring awareness to USA pricing, we have multiple sources confirming that the 16GB model will cost $299, and the 32GB model will cost $399.
Congratulations owners of the DoCoMo P906i, P-01A, P-02A, SH-01A, SH-03A, SH-04A – you are now able to control your Rolly via Bluetooth. The program is called “Rolly Remote,” and is built through i-appli application platform. i-appli is one of the i-mode related services that provide an integrated platform for application programs written in the Java language for i-mode-capable mobile phones. Other common i-appli programs include games, mobile banking, navigation, and so forth – similar to the applications from Apple’s App Store.
The A2DP-capable MS500 speaker is designed for the outdoor environment with a durable splash proof shell and a handy strap which makes it perfect for attaching to a bag, or hanging from the wrist. Some questions may be raised by others as to exactly what you have attached to your wrist if you choose to wear it, however. This unique bluetooth accessory will be available in Black and orange (carbine hook) and White and Pink (white strap), and enables your phone to be used as a remote control to change tracks and increase volume, allowing you to just sit back and relax with music without the need to move. Simply connect the speaker to any mobile handset within a 10 meter/30 foot range and in just seconds hear your favorite songs blast out, with clear treble and rich bass.
Additionally you don’t have to deal with the hassle of wires or the need of a charger as it’s powered by two AA batteries, which allows you to immerse yourself in music for up to five hours. The Outdoor Wireless Speaker MS500 is compatible with most Bluetooth phones from Sony Ericsson and other brands. The perfect accessory for the 21st century redneck who is sitting on a inner tube floating down the river listening to bluegrass.
The designer of the MS500 Wireless Outdoor Speaker, Leonardo Salzedo comments: “If I had to describe the MS500 speaker in three words, I would use the following; fun, compact and freedom. The word freedom has various meanings, as it refers to the speaker’s lightweight, small, splash proof shell, which enables you to take it with you everywhere and anywhere. No cables allow freedom of movement and a handy strap enables you to hang it from the wrist or attach it to clothing, so you have the ability to stylishly accessorise your life with music.”
NVIDIA Corporation today announced that it has signed a tools and middleware license agreement for PS3 with Sony Computer Entertainment Inc . As a result, the binary version of the NVIDIA PhysX technology software development kit (SDK) is now available to registered PS3 developers for free download and use on the SCEI Developer Network.
The NVIDIA PhysX technology software development kit SDK consists of a full-featured API and robust physics engine, designed to give developers, animators, level designers, and artists unprecedented creative control over character and object physical interactions by allowing them to author and preview physics effects in real time. The continued adoption of NVIDIA PhysX technology by the world’s leading content developers is resulting in games that not only look as realistic as possible, but also provides gaming experiences where the world’s literally come to life: environments become highly interactive with effects such as persistent debris, including shattered glass and weapons ammunition, trees that bend in the wind, and water that flows with body and force.
“NVIDIA is proud to support PLAYSTATION 3 as an approved middleware provider,” said Tony Tamasi, senior vice president of content and technology at NVIDIA. “Games developed for the PLAYSTATION 3 using PhysX technology offer a more realistic and lifelike interaction between the games characters and other objects within the game. We look forward to the new games that will redefine reality for a new generation of gamers.”
The PhysX technology source code SDK for PS3 and all major gaming platforms are available for license directly from NVIDIA. For more information on licensing PhysX SDKs or NVIDIA PhysX technology, please visit: www.nvidia.com/physx.
For all of you NWZ series Walkman users, there is an updated version 1.1 of Content Transfer Software that recently popped up on Sony Support site. It is a full version and is about 41 Mb. Get it here
Content Manager Software version 1.1 and provides the following benefits over previous versions:
Adds the Automatic Transfer function
Adds the ability to transfer iTunes 8.0 playlists to the Walkman® player.
Content Transfer software provides an easy way to transfer music, video, photos, and podcasts to the Walkman player. Just drag & drop the files to the Content Transfer window and the Content Transfer software automatically sorts the files to the appropriate folders on the Walkman player.
Content Transfer Software Features
Transfer the following file formats to the Walkman player:
Music: .mp3, .3gp, .mp4, .wma, and .wmv
Video: .mp4, .m4v, and .wmv
Photo: .jpg
Can automatically add 12 Tone Analyses metadata to music files as they are transferred
Can be used in Gadget mode with Windows Vista® operating system
Notes:
Content Transfer software does not include file conversion functions
Digital Rights Management (DRM) files are not supported
Content Transfer software supports data transfer from iTunes 7.6, 7.7, and 8.0 to the Walkman player
In September 1945, Masaru Ibuka returned to Tokyo to begin work in the war-damaged capital. A narrow room with a telephone switchboard located on the third floor of the Shirokiya Department Store (Tokyu Department Store which closed on January 1999) in Nihombashi became the new workshop for Ibuka and his group. Having barely survived the war fires, the building had cracks all over its concrete exterior. Without windows, the new office was small and bleak. Gradually, the office environment started to improve as the silicon steel boards, drilling machines and other equipment were transported from the Suzaka factory, and the personnel who had been tying up loose ends there joined the Shirokiya staff.
In October, Ibuka and his group established a new facility, called “Tokyo Tsushin Kenkyujo”(Totsuken), or “Tokyo Telecommunications Research Institute.” Although everyone was eager to work for the new company and to help rebuild post-war Japan with their engineering know-how, no one knew what to do at first.
Most of the salaries were paid out of Ibuka’s small, and dwindling, savings. To stay in business, they had to do something. After the war, the Japanese were hungry for news around the world. Many had war-damaged radios, or ones that had had the shortwave unit disconnected by the military police to prevent from tuning into enemy propaganda. Ibuka’s factory repaired radios and made shortwave converters or adapters that could easily make medium-wave radios into superheterodyne, or all-wave receivers. Demand for such radios was rapidly increasing.
The shortwave adapters attracted wide attention, and the Asahi Shimbun featured them in its “Blue Pencil” column. As a result, demand increased even further. This article also brought Ibuka and Akio Morita back together again(*). As the war ended, Morita was back home at Kosugaya, in Aichi Prefecture. One day, he read the column that mentioned Ibuka’s name, and he wrote to his friend immediately. Ibuka replied at once, urging Morita to come to Tokyo. Since he had been offered a job as a lecturer at the Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokodai), Morita wasted no time in moving to Tokyo and in renewing their acquaintance.
In addition to work, radio repairs brought employees an extra reward as well. They often received rice from houses they visited on service calls, in addition to a normal service fee. This was treasured during a time of serious food shortages.
Subsequently, Ibuka’s factory worked on an electric rice cooker (pictured). As the war plants had closed down, there was more electricity than was needed at the time. This surplus fed Ibuka’s desire to produce items which were needed for everyday life. The electric rice cooker, made by merely interlocking aluminum electrodes which were connected to the bottom of a wooden tub, was a primitive product. The result depended heavily on the kind of rice used and the weight of the water. Tasty rice was a rarity, as the rice cooker produced mostly undercooked or overcooked rice. It was a memorable first failure for Ibuka and his staff.
(*) Ibuka and Morita, the founders of Sony, first encounterd each other at the meetings of the Wartime Research Committee that was studying new types of weapons during the war. The two men became close friens, thought Ibuka was more than a dozen years older.
San Diego City Councilman Carl DeMaio proclaimed today, March 16, “Sony Online Entertainment Day” in the City of San Diego during the March 10 City Council meeting. SOE President John Smedley and members of the EverQuest team accepted the honor, which coincides with the 10th anniversary of the online video game EverQuest. The official text of the proclamation:
“Sony Online Entertainment” Day – Presented by Councilmember Carl DeMaio
WHEREAS, SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT, founded in April 1998, and with a current employment of over 600 San Diegans; and
WHEREAS, SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT is a recognized industry leader dedicated to creating, developing and providing compelling entertainment for the personal computer, online, game console and wireless markets; and
WHEREAS, SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT continues to strive for excellence in its products by using cutting-edge technology, innovation and delivery while continuing to redefine the business of online gaming and the creation of active player communities; and
WHEREAS, SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT has served more than twelve million customer accounts and published more than 60 titles, including its groundbreaking franchise game, EverQuest, which on March 16, 2009, is celebrating its 10th anniversary; and
WHEREAS, SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT has made it a priority to perform charitable work in the local San Diego community. Sony Online Entertainment and its employees donate thousands of dollars and volunteer considerable man hours annually to support the San Diego community in efforts such as the Red Cross Blood Drive, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Toys for Tots, U.S. Wounded Soldiers Foundation and numerous holiday food and toy drives; and
WHEREAS, SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT provides amazing entertainment to video game players around the world while staying committed to a vibrant, prosperous San Diego for its employees and their families.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO that this council, for and on behalf of the citizens of San Diego, does hereby recognize Sony Online Entertainment for its commitment to economic growth and community service.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that March 16, 2009, is hereby proclaimed to be “Sony Online Entertainment” Day in the City of San Diego.
Sony Develops “SmartAR” Integrated Augmented Reality Technology
Sony Memory Stick Gets a Speed Boost of Up to 50 MB/sec
Sony Bravia HX929 Firmware Available, New Features Abound
Sir Howard Stringer Addresses PSN/Qriocity Customers
PSP®go Phase Out
Music Unlimited Service Coming to Your PSP
