Sony Introduces NV-U3DV Nav-U GPS Navigation Device With 6.1 Inch LCD

Sony Japan took the wrapper off a new navigation unit named NV-U3DV – or what we would like to call the Bravia Nav. Why do I call it that? Well, the new update to the nav-u series offers a 4GB of internal storage, and a 6.1 inch WQVGA LCD screen at 480×272, currently larger than most on the market. A larger screen means more map space, and also bigger buttons. Apparently Sony has refreshed most of the user interface for the NV-U3DV and has included gesture control. Japanese versions of this product will have an antenna for television broadcasts, and users can also play their own movies, music, and pictures (MPEG-4/AVC+H.264 with restrictions, MP3/AAC up to 320kbps, JPEG).

Another new feature that Sony is touting is the addition of Position+ G, which detects changes in the direction of the vehicle using an accelerometer, gyro-sensor, and pressure sensors that will more easily detect changes in position in questionable environments such as an underpass, tunnels, and high inclines. Other interesting offerings include the ability to get live traffic updates via a (NVA-VB7) beacon unit that you can observe and plan around. Sony has also thrown in guides for food, golf, hot springs, parks, and access to PetaMap:

Sony is reporting that it has 2.5 times the data compared to its predecessor, and offers a robust database that also includes phone number search. It saddens me to write about this device as Sony doesn’t sell navigation/GPS devices in the United States anymore. The NV-U3DV is to arrive on August 11th for Y65,000.

Here are some more pictures courtesy of AV Watch:

NV-U3DV, NV-U3V, NV-U3C

(television image blurred by original photographer)

SOE’s DC Universe Online Going Strong At San Diego Comic-Con

Do you have a favorite hero or villain in the DC Comics Universe? Good or bad, DC Comics and Sony Online Entertainment are giving fans a chance to express their passion for their most beloved or despised DC characters in a new video contest on DC Universe Online’s official MySpace site. Fans who visit SOE’s booth #5201 at San Diego Comic-Con, July 22-26, 2009, are encouraged to submit their videos on the spot at their BFF kiosk! For those of you not hip to this term, BFF means “best friend forever.” I’m not hip to it, just forced to know it somehow, for some reason. Agh. So, dress up like a DC villian, act like swagger in front of a camera and you could win. Easy enough.

The DCUO BFF Promotion lets eligible participants submit a video of up to 30 seconds to explain why they would like to virtually meet, fight and become BFFs with their chosen character in-game.

“Whether it’s a song-and-dance tribute to the Pied Piper, or your diabolical plans to trick Mr. Mxyzptlk into saying his name backward, this is a chance to have fun and show just how creative fans can be,” said Debysue Wolfcale, global senior brand manager, Sony Online Entertainment.

At the booth they’ll be hosting hands-on demos of DC Universe Online and handing out some awesome giveaways. Jim Lee and some of the artists from DC Comics’ WildStorm Productions will be visiting each day to sign a DCUO Comic-Con exclusive poster! Also two favorite DC Comics characters will be patrolling and prowling around the booth for photo ops.

That’s not all! On Saturday, July 25th at 11:30 AM PT legendary comic book writer Marv Wolfman will be featured in a panel, “Bringing the Stories of the DC Universe to Life Online,” discussing how they are bringing stories from the DCU into our game adventures. Then Saturday night at 7:00 PM PT is special DCUO Fan Event; come join for a chance to find out firsthand what exciting new features are going into the game, hang out with the DCUO Development team, meet Jim Lee and Marv Wolfman and enter a raffle to win a DCUO collectible pull-up banner of the latest new art from Jim Lee and the team. Plus, enjoy some tasty refreshments!

This is a first come first serve event, but we’re letting YOU know now that the first 300 people who come to the SOE booth and say the phrase “I’m DCUO’s BFF!” will receive a collectible VIP lanyard that guarantees you a seat at the Fan Event. So don’t wait to stop by or you may just miss out…

Sony Intros $399 Portable Audio Recorder

Sony is expanding its line of portable professional audio recorders with the new PCM-M10, a palm-sized compact unit. The new recorder is designed to be the perfect musician’s tool for composing music or recording practice sessions and performances – even for use as a personal music player. The recorder joins Sony’s PCM-D1 and PCM-D50 models to form a comprehensive family of flexible and rugged portable field recorders for every professional sound application, including live sound, house of worship, theatrical and broadcast journalism. However, some have criticized the product because it lacks XLR inputs, a decision probably made to keep costs down and have consumers favor their higher-end equipment. This thing sure makes me miss my Minidisc recorder(s).

“The PCM-M10 is ideal for budget-conscious professionals who still need high quality sound capabilities,” said Karl Kussmaul, senior product manager for professional audio at Sony Electronics. “Musicians will especially love its range of user-friendly features that can help inspire them to new levels of creativity.”

The PCM-M10 is designed to faithfully capture even the most subtle nuances of live performances and events with full linear PCM. It shares several features and design elements with the PCM-D1 and PCM-D50, including the same rugged construction and cool design. The new recorder is 96 kHz/24-bit capable with electret condenser stereo microphones, 4 GB of internal flash memory and a microSD/Memory Stick Micro (M2) Slot. Key features of the PCM-M10 recorder include a built-in speaker, cross-memory recording, digital pitch control, digital limiter, low-cut filter, track mark functions, a 5second pre-recording buffer and A-B repeat capability. The PCM-M10 comes supplied with Sound Forge Audio Studio Recorder Edition software.

The new recorder includes a USB high-speed port for simple uploading and downloading of native .WAV or .MP3 format recorded files to and from Windows PC or Macintosh computers. The M10 offers durable metal construction and long battery life using conventional AA alkaline batteries. The PCM-M10 portable recorder is planned to be available in October, at a suggested list price of $399. Nice price!

Sony Pictures Aggressively Bidding For Michael Jackson Film

Sony Pictures has bid $50 million to acquire the worldwide distribution rights to a film based on rehearsal footage for Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” comeback concert series, according to a person familiar with the bid. The person said Monday that the bid came after several studios, including Paramount, Universal, 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros., were shown footage starting early last week. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the bidding had not been completed.

The winning studio would produce the film with Jackson’s concert promoter, AEG Live, and his estate.

It would go a long way to helping AEG Live recoup some of the $30 million to $32 million it spent producing the concert before Jackson died June 25. Sony Pictures has a leg up on other bidders because Sony Music distributes Jackson’s music and is in a 50-50 partnership with his estate in Sony/ATV Music Publishing. The bidding was reported earlier by the Los Angeles Times and industry blogger Nikki Finke.

The estate and AEG Live are also negotiating with several television networks and pay-per-view outlets on a TV special that would be a stage show featuring Jackson’s music and dancing. It would be directed by “This Is It” director Kenny Ortega. The selling price being discussed for the rights to show the TV special is also in the tens of millions of dollars.

General Electric Co.’s NBC has been in talks on the TV show, but the concept, air date and cost for the rights has not been finalized, said NBC spokeswoman Rebecca Marks.

“We have no deal for the rights to the Michael Jackson special,” Marks said.

The special administrators of Jackson’s estate, attorney John Branca and former music executive John McClain, have been moving quickly to secure Jackson’s assets and cut deals to capitalize on the surge in interest in the pop star since he died. Last week, Branca and McClain received signed court papers authorizing them to act on his estate’s behalf until another hearing Aug. 3. McClain has been sorting through unreleased Jackson recordings, while Sony Music is interested in releasing a commemorative album. Music sales have soared. Jackson’s 2002 will named Branca and McClain as executors and directs all of his assets be placed in a trust that will benefit his mother Katherine Jackson, his three children, and unnamed children’s charities. The estate is estimated to be worth more than $500 million.

But Katherine Jackson’s lawyers on Friday sought a judge’s ruling on whether she can challenge the authority of the men without triggering a “no contest” clause in the trust that would cause her to be disinherited.

Sony Is Green – Reduces 100,000 Tons Of CO2 & Other Initiatives

Sony Corporation is continuously working to increase energy efficiency in order to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As part of this effort, Sony is actively promoting the use of renewable energy. By implementing initiatives such as the Green Power Certification System and the introduction of solar power generation systems, Sony reduced its global CO2 emissions by approximately 100,000 tons in fiscal year 2008.

Sony Europe has achieved independent certification that every facility with over 100 employees is powered by 100% renewable energy amounting to 190 million kWh or approximately 55,000 tons worth of CO2 emissions. Through continuous energy efficiency efforts, Sony’s European operations have reduced CO2 emissions by approximately 90% between fiscal years 2000 and 2008.

Sony Group companies in the U.S. purchased 42 million kWh of renewable energy in fiscal year 2008. This equates to a 25,000 ton reduction in CO2 from renewable energy usage. In April 2009, Sony DADC, a leading producer of optical disc media, announced that it is purchasing more than 83 million kilowatt-hours of green power in the U.S. annually – enough to meet 44% of the organization’s purchased electricity use.

Also in the U.S., continuous enhancements are being made to Sony Pictures Entertainment’s facilities and operations to increase efficiency and utilize renewable energy sources. For example, Sony Pictures is using 100% renewable energy for its Arizona data center and has installed solar photovoltaic cells on the roof of an existing building at its Culver City, California headquarters as part of a pilot solar energy program. The studio is also experimenting with renewable energy sources, such as biodiesel, in film production. According to researchers from Cornell University, the use of biodiesel fuel in production generators on the set of Columbia Pictures’ recent film, “The Taking of Pelham 123,” demonstrated the potential for a substantial decrease in carbon monoxide emissions, an element that makes up smog.

While renewable energy is less accessible in Japan, Sony today purchased Green Power Certificates equivalent to approximately 50% of the electricity to be used at Sony City (Sony’s Headquarters building in Tokyo) beginning October 1, 2009. This represents the entire daytime electricity usage at the building, and is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of approximately 4,400 households. This is the first time that green energy has been introduced at Sony City, and is expected to result in an annual GHG emission reduction of approximately 6,800 tons. In fiscal year 2008, the Sony Group in Japan purchased a total of 55.49 million kWh in renewable energy through the Green Power Certificate System. With today’s additional purchase taking this total to 70.94 million kWh, Sony continues to be the largest purchaser of green energy in Japan.

Sony will continue to promote the use of renewable energy and implement various measures across its sites and operations to ensure ongoing energy conservation and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. All of these initiatives are part of Sony Corporation’s broader commitment to the environment, which extends from research and development of energy-efficient products, to responsible materials re-use and recycling.

More Pictures & Specification Comparison Of Sony’s Vaio W Netbook

The Sony Vaio W is Sony’s first official netbook. While the Vaio P was ultraportable, it was also a sub-notebook, or what Sony deems a “lifestyle” PC. The launch of this tiny laptop was met with some skepticism, but it sure is nice to see that Sony is actually offering a Vaio for $499. The W is definitely one of the better looking netbooks out there, but will Sony be able to catch up to Acer, Dell, and other manufacturers who have already gained strong leads in this product category? It’s hard to tell.

Let’s look at the specifications of the Vaio W vs. Dell Inspiron Mini, Acer Aspire One, Samsung Netbook, and the HP Mini:

The Sony does relatively well against its competition in terms of specifications; prices are based from Best Buy as of late July, 2009. The Vaio W has the fastest processor, best screen, fastest system bus, 802.11n, and has bluetooth (only the Samsung has this as well). The price of the Vaio W is also the highest. We feel that the Vaio W will be a strong seller for Sony and will probably fare well if it can obtain widespread availability before the start of the school season here in the USA. Alot of people are gearing up for high school and college so its important that Sony has to available ASAP. If not, then Holiday sales will be excellent but who knows what could be announced by then from other companies. It’s a shame that the Vaio W attract potential consumers from the Vaio P, who may prefer the larger screen and lower price. I’ve also read reports that typing on the Vaio W is much better than the Vaio P.

Here are some more pictures of the Vaio W courtesy of AV Watch:

Vaio P and Vaio W.

Keyboard is obviously the Japanese model, and does not reflect the North American/European/etc product.

Top Five 2009 Playstation 3 Games For USA

One of our favorite gaming websites, Gamasutra, has written a report of the top five Playstation 3 games for the USA for 2009. The figures are based on NPD statistics, which is pretty the best data possible for gaming sales. The rankings here do not include limited or collector’s edition versions of each game, and are an indication of what are the most popular genres so far this year. It seems to be mostly oriented around action, because the top four are definitely violent.

PlayStation 3 software in 2009 is led by Sony’s own first-person shooter, Killzone 2, launched in February 2009. As of the end of April, sales of Killzone 2 had reached 677,000 and we estimate that it is nearing 750,000 at mid-year.

The second and third best-selling titles on the PS3 are both from Capcom: Resident Evil 5 and Street Fighter IV. The sales figures here are a bit less clear, since each of these games had a collector’s edition.

However, the fourth title, THQ’s UFC 2009 Undisputed, does not have a collector’s edition and has had sales in excess of 500,000 since its May 2009 launch. The final title, MLB ’09: The Show, is Sony’s first-party baseball title and we estimate that its sales are in excess of 425,000.

If You Can Imagine It, Sony Can Help You Make It Real

While wrapping up his keynote speech during CES 2009, CEO and President of Sony Sir Howard Stringer had quoted something from Chapter 4: Design in A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule The Future (Daniel H. Pink) that was very inspiring but received little coverage elsewhere so I think its worth repeating. This is a mantra that I hope Sony keeps in mind often, because I am seriously dying to see a totally interconnected device from Sony that can access all of its media offerings (music, television, games and movies) in one centralized location.

So despite the gloom of recession, this is still a truly remarkable time in our industry – and I believe it will be remembered as a pivotal moment in our history. There is a word in the vocabulary of every child that takes on a different meaning when it’s uttered by adults – either because we no longer have use for it, or it feels frivolous, or it’s not up to the standards of the serious people we think we have become. That word is “imagine.”

When we were young, we spent our days imagining we were pirates, or soldiers, or in my case, Knights of the Round Table. It leaves quickly.

The late Gordon MacKenzie, a longtime creative force at Hallmark cards, used to tell a story that entered folklore among artists. MacKenzie would visit schools to talk about his profession. He’d open each talk by telling students he was an artist.

In kindergarten and first-grade classes he would then ask, “How many artists are in the room?” Every hand went up.

He repeated it in second grade: three-quarters of the kids raised their hands.

In third grade, only half did.

And in fourth grade, only a few.

By the sixth grade, not a single hand went up.

Where does it go? This sense of wonder, this sense of adventure, this sense of possibility – that whatever we can imagine, we can make real. Is it because for every idea in the world, for every possibility, there are some who will say it’s ridiculous, too ambitious, too unlikely, or too impossible – words we all begin to hear as we grow older. At Sony, we’re trying not to believe in the word “impossible” – but we’ve always believed in the ability to imagine. That has been the promise of the consumer electronics industry. In a digital and networked age being driven by seven key imperatives, the ability of this industry to help turn imagination into reality is greater than it has ever been.

No drop in the economy can change the fact that this is still one of the most innovative industries on the face of the planet. If we keep our sails spread high, history tells us the wind will pick up again and it will carry us to places we could barely imagine three years ago. At Sony, we need to be ready when it does. We are working to improve and elevate the experience for customers today and imagine a networked, connected and personalized experience for tomorrow.

If you can imagine it, we can help you make it real. That is the total Sony experience.

Whatever Happened To Sony & Chumby’s Internet Alarm Clock?

During CES 2009, Sony’s CEO/President Sir Howard Stringer showed off an internet-enabled alarm clock that was pretty attractive. No specifics were given, nor a release date or even confirmation that it was actually coming. Using wi-fi and enabled services, it was said that this bedside companion will collect customized content for its owner and provide everything needed to start the day – news, sports, weather, music, videos, Internet radio, alarms and so much more. It was also reported to have capabilities such as purchasing music, movie tickets, and other entertainment market aspects.

Sony had noted that it was an implementation of a next-generation alarm clock in the form factor of a digital picture frame, and a design study they created in cooperation with Chumby Industries.

During the initial presentation, Stringer had quipped – “See? Wouldn’t you like to wake up to Big Ben? The clock, I mean. I know this crowd.”

Stringer went on to say, “As part of its alarm functionality, this cool, little gadget is going to treat me to a surprise that automatically matches my own taste in music – a new music video, “My Lucky Day” by Bruce Springsteen. The device uses a service such as Pandora, which already knows my music preferences…which is strange. And Sony Music could even provide music and music videos before their release to the general public. I’ve also pre-selected the information I want to see as soon as I wake up.”

He continued by showing a stream of information that could appear upon alarm, such as news feeds that transition to sports clips, weather, and e-mail – scrolling automatically across the screen like current Chumby devices.

The alarm clock/photo frame is also on an open platform, which would allow professional developers and everyday users alike can create applications, resulting in an ever-growing set of available services. Is this device the perfect bedside companion? It sure seems attractive, but we all know that when it arrives it will be pricey. Well, maybe not the perfect beside companion. For those of you really lonely, it could be the next bedside companion. At least for you, it could be the next-generation Sony Dream Machine, if Sony chooses to actually release it.

Playstation Home USA Update Includes New Stores, Items, Areas

Sony has added some new things to Playstation Home, including new stores in the Mall, new items, and areas for consumers to hang out at. Aside from the addition of the Namco Bandai arcade, the Mall has been updated with a new clothing store (Threads II), and a costume store that has exotic apparel such as Samurai, Medieval Knight, Spartan, Luchadora, Robot, and Geisha outfits. Here’s an overview video from Playstation Blog about the new Mall area:

Also added is the BUZZ! HQ, where you can meet up with friends and take part in a massive 64-player game of BUZZ! trivia. This content is fed into the space via MyBuzzQuiz.com – a site where you can create your own trivia questions for your fellow BUZZ! fanatics to tackle. Here’s an overview video from Playstation Blog about the new BUZZ! area:

And finally, EA Sports has updated their space with a new Fight Night themed area, that has an interactive DJ game, rewards, and plenty of places to chill. This is just phase one of the Fight Night space; there are tons of mini-game updates and the new virtual items scheduled for near future deployment. Here’s an overview video from Playstation Blog about the new EA Fight Night area: