Sony Style and Intel invite you to visit an “Experience Station” while you are shopping and unwind with Sony’s line of new VAIO PCs for 2010 (powered with the faster, smarter Intel Core i3, i5, and i7 processors), play MLB10 on PS3, or simply take a moment to enter for a chance to win a new VAIO E Series notebook (VPCEB1KGX/B) and a Webbie HD camera in Sony’s Intel i5 powered Sweepstakes. To enter, just visit a participating Sony Style Retail Store location and complete the entry form, available while supplies last, and deposit it in the designated entry box. All in-store entries must be received by close of business on 3/21/10 to be eligible for the applicable drawing. Limit one (1) entry per person and per household.
The best part about this contest is that the prizes are individual to each store, and it is not a mass drawing amongst all stores. This means you have a very good chance to win!
The giveaway begins on 3/18/10 and ends on 3/21/10 for each of the following participating Sony Style Retail Stores:
SCEA has revealed the North American version of the Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker PSP Entertainment Pack, combining Konami’s award-winning METAL GEAR SOLID franchise with the PSP-3000 system. To coincide with the launch of the stand-alone game, this exclusive package will be offered at major retail locations in the United States and Canada for $199.
Available on June 8, 2010, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is a complete Metal Gear Solid game on UMD and features an extensive amount of gameplay that will revolutionize previous notions of a handheld game experience. The limited-edition package will debut a “Spirited Green” PSP-3000 system, marking the first time the color will be available in North America. It’s the same green PSP that we saw Sony release in Japan at the beginning of 2009. In addition, special in-game content will also be included: an exclusive Camouflage Uniform with FOX logos and Stealth Gun feature, both of which will be unlocked early in the game; a PlayStation Network downloadable movie voucher (U.S. residents only; title to be announced); and a 2GB Memory Stick Pro Duo will complete this ultimate portable entertainment package.
“Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker takes tactical-espionage to a whole new level and the PSP system is the only handheld entertainment system on the market powerful enough to support its rich graphics and extreme gameplay,” said Shinji Hirano, President, Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. “We’ve seen the Metal Gear Solid franchise perform exceptionally well on the PSP platform. SCEA has long been an industry leader and a valuable partner and we look forward to many more collaborations with SCEA in the future.”
I think I’d rather take the official Konami Japan Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker PSP bundle that was announced this past January. Much better looking than this – why can’t we get some of that sweet action in the USA?
LOVEFiLM is a British DVD rental company which provides online DVD rentals and resale, console game rental and film online viewing in the UK, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Germany. It operates the LoveFilm website and delivery infrastructure for an array of branded services in partnership with other British companies. LoveFilm has over 1 million members, over 65,000 titles, and over 4 million rentals per month across five countries. Through a series of mergers and acquisitions, the latest being the Amazon DVD rental activities, LoveFilm has in a few years become the dominant online DVD rental outlet in the UK, forcing most of the smaller independent companies to close down. You can see the similarities between LOVEFiLM and Netflix.
If you live in the UK, now you can access thousands of movies from LOVEFiLM’s catalog on your BRAVIA Internet enabled TV, which includes nearly all of the 2010 models and quite a few from the past. Thankfully Sony is including Wi-Fi adapters with many of their newer TV’s making this a sweet addition for some of you out there. The best part is that more services are coming soon as Sony looks to expand its BRAVIA Internet Video offerings, as well as revealing Qriocity to the public for the first time.
Michael Jackson has secured the largest recording deal in the history of the business and there are two winners in the equation. Michael Jackson’s estate will net easily $200 million out of the deal, and Sony wins because they will get nine albums out of the deal. The Washington Post thinks its ten albums, which is simply astounding. Despite already having around a dozen albums to his name, MJ kept writing and recording songs during all of the legal, financial and medical matters during the last years of his life. You must remember he hadn’t released an album since Invincible (aside from This Is It) so it will be interesting to see what happens. This will also mean he will eventually have 20 albums to his name.
Sony has noted that a new record is scheduled to be released this November.
God of War III is an action-adventure video game for PlayStation 3, developed by Sony Santa Monica, and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was released today in North America and will be released soon after in other territories. It is the fifth and final chapter in the current story arc, chronologically after God of War: Chains of Olympus, God of War, God of War: Betrayal, and God of War II. The storyline will be told in a way that is true to traditionalist roots in Greek mythology, from moral consequences to brutal battles against the Gods.
However, there has been some concern that the true impact of the game might be minimized as there have been various reports of PS3 shortages around North America.
GOWIII is a single player game that allows players to take on the climatic role of the ex-Spartan warrior, Kratos, as he scales through the intimidating heights of Mount Olympus and the dark depths of Hell to seek revenge on those who have betrayed him. Armed with double-chained blades, and an array of new weapons and magic for this iteration of the trilogy, Kratos must take on mythology’s darkest creatures while solving intricate puzzles throughout his merciless quest to destroy Olympus. Check out all the great God of War III guides at Playstation Lifestyle.
Utilizing a new game engine built from the ground up and state-of-the-art visual technologies, the development team behind God of War III has made standard-setting strides in giving players the realistic feel of actually being on the battlegrounds. With texture resolutions quadrupling since God of War II on PlayStation, God of War III will features fluid, lifelike characters, as well as dynamic lighting effects, a robust weapon system, and world-changing scenarios that will truly bring unmistakable realism to Kratos’ fateful quest. Players will have a chance to join battles on a grand scale that is four times larger than its predecessor. There are more realistic muscle striations, detailed facial expressions, and new heightened levels of brutality and gore.
Several of the menacing creatures of Greek mythology in God of War III can now be manipulated against their will, as Kratos uses them to cross chasms, inflict blind rage against enemies, reveal puzzles and secrets, and as tools of complete annihilation.
New deadly weapons such as the Cestus – powerful metal gauntlets with devastating strength – and other brutal instruments of war that will allow Kratos to learn ruthless new techniques such as grappling with enemies and launching explosive wall-to-ground attacks.
The dynamic lighting solution employed in GOW III is only feasible through the computing power provided by the Cell SPUs. For example, using the High Dynamic Range Lighting (HDRL) technology, the camera – when using Kratos’ sight line – will emulate the human retina, causing players to feel a sharp brightness when Kratos exits a dark area and enters a sunlit area, similar to how the human eye would need to adjust.
Destructoid gave the game a perfect 10 saying that “it’s a game that redefines scale in action games, one of the few titles that truly hammers home the meaning of ‘last-gen.’ God of War III is like nothing you’ve ever seen or experienced in gaming.” They continue to say, “without question, God of War III sets the new gold standard for action games, clearing and then raising the near-impossible bar that was set by its previous installments. For many years to come, this will be the game by which all others in the genre are compared, and I suspect we won’t see anything like it for quite some time. If God of War III was the reason you bought a PS3, your purchase has been justified and then some.”
1UP.com gave the game an A saying that “while the new ideas and variety prevent God of War 3 from feeling stale and provide loads of fun, the story and boss fights stand out as the most memorable parts of the game.” They also commented that the leviathan fight at the beginning of the game is “one of the most impressive fights” they’ve seen in a game. They even went on to say that “the animation and camera angles make the cut-scenes better than you see in most movies.”
GameInformer went on to say that the cinematic camera work is even more impressive than Naughty Dog’s feats with Uncharted 2. They also praised the gameplay, however, they said that the only area that God of War III didn’t blow them away was with the story. “The plot isn’t bad or difficult to follow, but it also doesn’t have any standout revelations or developments; Kratos hunts down the gods, kills them, and steps over the corpse to reach his next target until Olympus is in shambles. It isn’t a major problem, however, because the real joy isn’t in the events themselves, but rather in the astonishing ways those events unfold.” GameInformer gave the game a perfect 10/10.
IGN, giving the game a 9.3/10, praised the game saying that “God of War III practically redefines what the word ‘scale’ means with regards to videogames, as it throws you into scenes with Titans that are larger than entire levels in some other games.” The only complaint the IGN reviewer had was “that two of the three additional weapons that you’ll earn are extremely similar to your blades. They have unique powers and slightly different moves, but by and large, they’re more of the same.” In terms of visuals, the reviewer said that “God of War III presents some of the most impressive visuals that I’ve ever seen in a game. Kratos in particular looks phenomenal, and is perhaps the single most impressive-looking character ever in videogames.”
Sony Europe is showing off a new digital wireless RF headphone called the MDR-RF4000 with 30 meter range and high quality sound. These piano black headphones are rather large, but are quite comfortable thanks in part to the swivel circumaural cushions and a parallel-link self-adjusting headband. This ensures comfort for your listening experience, even for long durations of time. However, they seem a little heavy at 300g, which is .6 pounds.
There is also a handy volume control on the headphone so you don’t have to bother reaching for the remote. Digital RF transmission ensures clear, secure signal reception over a range of up to 30m. The headphone’s closed-type design cuts sound spillage, so there’s no need to disturb others while you’re enjoying the action packed finale of a favorite movie.
The MDR-RF4000K also comes with a stylish storage/charging dock that goes along well with their usual minimalistic design principles. The slim, convenient storage case doubles as a cable-free battery charger. After use, just fold the ear cups flat and the MDR-RF4000K stows neatly away while the battery recharges.
The power-efficient design allows up to 7 hours continuous listening time between charges of the NiMH battery. Alternatively, slip in a single AAA alkaline battery and enjoy up to 10 hours listening without a break. An auto power-save feature switches off the headphone when it’s not being used, extending listening time still further.
Sony Europe has revealed several new smart clock radios with an iPod/iPhone charging/playback dock that will be available this Spring. The new ICF-DS11iP and ICF-C05iP are another evolution of Sony’s commitment to bringing quality, inexpensive solutions that enhance your first moments of the day. I have always thought that Sony made great devices in this category for a long time – I think that most of the modern world has seen a Sony alarm clock (or Dream Machine) somewhere. Here’s some more information:
The ICF-C05iP is extremely lightweight, simple, and reminds me of something I would see in a hotel room or office. I believe the price for this dock will be fairly low which could be great for those out there not wanting to pony up a bunch for this type of device. Aside from its iPod/iPhone dock with charging functionalities, the ICF-C05iP has an alarm like the DS11iP, FM tuner with 20 presets, brightness control and sleep timer.
The ICF-DS11iP is a great addition to their similarly styled docks I’ve seen before, and I think its smarter this generation with the enhanced green LCD display. It looks great, and works really anywhere in the house. Dual alarm function works for many people that is flexible by having the option to play music and videos from the iPod or iPhone, AM/FM radio, or buzzer. It would have been nice to add some nature sounds, though. The quality of the speakers are about as what you would imagine from a device like this, but can definitely get loud if necessary with a larger speaker cone and 3.5W + 3.5W power as well as MEGA BASS to color the sound. A remote is included and sleep timer is also an option that will turn your music off and allow you a silent sleep.
Sony has opened a new store in Japan, and the reason why its newsworthy is because it appears to be a new retail direction for the company altogether. The “Sony Store Nagoya” (press release, official sonystorenagoya twitter) will open in the Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture on March 13th, and is reminiscent of what Apple and Microsoft are doing these days with their brand specific stores. This is a totally different shopping experience than what they offer at normal SonyStyle stores around the world. In an exclusive press only event, AV Watch was able to check out the new store in Nagoya and the new retail execution strategy is really amazing. Will this ever come to the USA?
Let’s take a look at the inside – as you can see the store is visible outside through the glass:
Near the main entrance in the first floor is a set of iconic stairs that lead up to level 2:
A general overview of the first floor:
As you can see each product line is clearly labeled above on a black panel and easily accessible on rows of white stands:
Sony also exhibitions that show off how various Sony devices can work together:
Here we can see a beautiful red Cybershot with a G-Lens and how you can display the images on a digital photo frame:
A VAIO exhibition, even demonstrating the special “Owner Made” models:
Some more VAIO items, including special covers for their various laptops:
The latest E series VAIO with its removable keyboard skins:
Here is the Xperia X10, which is only known in Japan as Xperia, which debuted at Nagoya.
Alpha and camera accessories all lined up on one wall for easy access:
There is of course 3D demonstrations in the Sony Store, such as this one on the first floor. There are other demonstrations you’ll see later on the second floor.
Here is the first tier of assistance desks to help visitors:
There is escalator access outside to the second floor of Sony Store Nagoya:
The second floor entrance:
The window of the second floor entrance:
The second floor of Sony Store Nagoya really tries to appear like a home. It also houses further support modules for the store, such as consultative services.
Here is another 3D demonstration, this time found on the second floor in a glorified home theater setup:
Another line of support areas:
Backstage support services were recently launched in Japan – here is the little booth that you can watch the technician in while they work on your Sony device:
Sony Store Nagoya will also have three vehicles on hand (pretty rad, eh):
Sony Japan and Disney are offering free Mickey & Minnie engraving on the S-Series Walkman starting on March 12th for a limited time. Those of you in Japan who purchase the NW-S740/S740K/S640/S640K can get the engraved image of Mickey and/or Minnie for free. The SonyStyle Japan website will start offering this for free soon, as well as the upcoming Sony Nagoya and SonyStyle Osaka stores will offer the engraving service on the spot. They also will engrave a message (up to fifteen characters) of your choice on the back of the Walkman.
Here is what the NW-S740/S740K/S640/S640K look like with the three various engravings:
..of course, there are also two Mouse related accessories that Disney and Sony Japan are going to offer:
Let’s start with the CC-DW-CCA clear case that has mouse ears, music notes, and pink hearts on the background.
Here is another shot of the plastic case on the S-Series Walkman:
Another collector’s item is the Mickey Mouse CC-DW-CST Walkman charging stand that has gold mouse ears, pink music notes and hearts on the base.
I guess this solidifies the whole Mouse ears association the device got when it was announced months ago.
Sony Japan has released their first ever LCD TV with built-in hard disk drive. The piano black monolithic design inspired BRAVIA BX series of LCD TV’s is known in the USA as the BX300 and is available in 32″ and 22″ models. However, the BX series recently debuted in Japan as the BX30H – available in 22″, 26″, and 32″ sizes. And just because Japan is so awesome, these variants also have a whopping 500GB HDD and is also available in white.
The cost-effective BX series is rather average with a 100,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, CCFL backlighting, 720p HD resolution (all you really need at those screen sizes), 60hz, 24p True Cinema, BRAVIA Engine 2, BRAVIA Sync and other common video features. Audio features are rather standard at 5.1ch audio output and SteadySound to keep audio levels normalized.. However, the Japanese BX30H differs as it has the upgraded BRAVIA Engine 3 digital processor.
Here’s the interface for TV listings, which is pretty much like looking at a terminal in the Matrix:
The recording menu overlay:
There is also a helpful indicator (in percentage) that shows you how much space is left on the hard drive.
..and the remote that comes with the Japanese Bravia BX series:
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
