Sony Japan’s RDP-NWV500 WM-Port Audio Accessory Is Truly One Of A Kind

Sony Japan recently showed off a new RDP-NWV500 audio accessory, and is probably the strangest Sony product I have seen in recent memory. The NWV500 is basically a tumbler-shaped audio speaker that has WM-Port capability. Apparently the device has a digital amplifier, heavy bass and a 360-degree speaker integrated at the top. They prescribe it for the car as it should fit perfectly in your drink holder. Sony says that this is also a better alternative than FM transmitters which often are a nuisance more than anything.

However, its clear this device can’t match a dedicated media port or AUX input in a car, which many newer vehicles have these days. The NWV500, available on April 24th for Y20,000, will be available in orange or black and is scratch resistant with UV coating. We were surprised to see a 16W output, which is not bad for a device of this size. Apparently it also has 2-way bass reflex, and a 56mm woofer and 20mm tweeter. A remote control is included, and it can run either from the car’s 12V accessory socket (aka cigarette lighter).

[salbumphotos=6,160,4,n,n,uploaded_timestamp,center,]
Real life photos of the RDP-NWV500 courtesy of AV Watch.

Sony’s NAS-V7M And NAS-V5 Speaker Docks Have MP3 CD, USB, And WM-Port

Sony Japan has released information on the eclectic NAS-V7M and NAS-V5 speaker docks with WM-Port, USB, and MP3 CD capability. They are quite stylish in design, and also quite large. Due for release on June 26th, the latest in the NAS home audio series has several unique features. The V7M to transfer music from a CD straight to your Walkman with the touch of one button.

And with a wired LAN and Wi-Fi integration, you can enjoy access to Internet radio services such as vTuner and SHOUTcast. 20 programmable stations for the Internet radio allow you to quickly hit your favorite genres without having to search. CD’s that are inserted also automatically have CD/title information pulled and displayed from the ‘net.

It’s important to state that the NAS-V7M is a bit more advanced than the V5, as it has 16GB of built-in storage, 2x CD to HDD recording capability (128/256kbps mp3), and MP3/WMA/AAC/ATRAC and PCM. Great to see ATRAC still lives on in Japan. Output is fairly good at 7.5W +7.5 W, with a full range speaker size of 65mm.

[salbumphotos=7,160,4,n,n,uploaded_timestamp,center,]
“Real life” series photos are from AV Watch.

Sony has also noted that both devices has a 32-bit digital amplifier with DSP, rich bass and excellent treble. Both also have a USB port, and headphone jack. The Y50,000 NASV7M will be available in silver and gold, while the Y40,000 NAS-V5 will be available in black and pink.

Sony PS3 Refund Given For OtherOS Removal

In my best Ted “Theodore” Logan: “Whoa”. One person has decided to deal with the removal of the OtherOS in a different way: by requesting a refund.

A member of the NeoGAF forums named iapetus decided to take some action by requesting a refund from Amazon UK where he purchased the console.  Even though his system was out of warranty, his premise was that given the removal of the OtherOS feature, the console no longer fit the original description based upon it’s listed capabilities when it was bought, and that under European Law the device capabilities “made known to the seller at the time of purchase” had changed. Amazon agreed, and issued him a partial refund in the amount of £71.49 (US$110) plus tax.

As the saying goes “screenshots or it didn’t happen”, he has provided information and a proof in his forum post.

So the real question, is what happens next? Amazon will no doubt request the money back from Sony, and Sony ends up losing money. What is more, will this create a landslide affect, with similar users requesting a refund? At any rate, I think the coming days are going to prove most interesting. As I am gearing up for movie watching weekend, I think Gomer Pyle would say “Surprise, Surprise, Surprise”, and no, I was not alive when that show was on

Metal Gear Solid Teams with Monster Hunter

After wondering what the big reveal would be from the Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker completion ceremony  now we know:  a tie in with Capcom.

As Monster Hunter Freedom Unite for PSP is one of the systems popular titles, Snake will be able to hunt some of the more recognizable monsters in a special ‘”Monster Island” style area.

A few other details such as support from Airu/Felyne from the series were displayed and being able to cook up your rations in typical  Monster Hunter style add to the crossover.

Enjoy the trailer below:

Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker hit’s US shores on June 8.

Geohot Releasing Custom PS3 Firmware

Well, what I am sure nobody thought would happen or Sony wanted to happen is about to happen. Geohot aka George Hotz has found a work around for the removal of OtherOS: Custom Firmware. Geohot has dubbed his firmware “3.21OO”. Based upon his blog entry, it won’t require opening the PS3, and will be possible by restoring a custom generated pup file. Below is his video demo:

What’s really interesting is that he said it may add OtherOS functionality to to the PS3 Slim, although this hasn’t been tested as of yet but will be soon. At this time it only applies to those on firmware 3.15 or earlier. He did have this interesting thing to say to the community, which we at Sony Insider eluded to earlier:

Note to the people who removed OtherOS, you are potentially turning 100000+ legit users into “hackers.” There was a huge(20x) traffic spike to this blog after the announcement of 3.21. If I had ads on this site I guess I’d be thanking you.

Who knows what the future holds for the PS3 scene moving forward. One thing we do know is that over the course of just a few days, the game has seriously changed

Sony Ericsson Releases Great Software Update For XPERIA X2 Smartphone

The XPERIA X2 debuted late last year and is a smartphone of the XPERIA series by Sony Ericsson. Features include a 3.2-inch touchscreen, a sliding arc keyboard, 8.1 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, GPS and 3G, among others. It runs Windows Mobile 6.5 and the home screen can be customized to the normal Windows 6.5 home screen, XPERIA panels, or an isometric pixel art city. Some mobile phone news sites have suggested that the XPERIA X2 may be the last Sony Ericsson phone to use the Windows Mobile operating system, as Sony Ericsson concentrates its efforts on Google’s Android platform, and Symbian OS.

Surprisingly, Sony Ericsson has released a rather large update for the X2 which improves many aspects of the phone. According to Aaron at the Sony Ericsson Product blog, the update “brings performance and stability improvements throughout the device and introduces several new features as well.” We were quite impressed with this update, and hope that Sony Ericsson continues to offer large updates like this for other devices in the future. SE recommends using the Update Service application to facilitate the XPERIA X2 software upgrade.

Here is a list of some of the changes:

• MR1 is built on a new core platform release from Microsoft including a newer version of IE6
• Stability improvements are everywhere with focus on SlideView, Panel manager and TileWave
• Performance improvements focused on rotation and touch performance, the camera, web browsing, the software keyboard and audio streaming
• New features are added like FM radio, Video calling, Auto-lock and Fast GPS which allows for a faster first fix to the GPS signal
• SlideView 2.0 gives better usability throughout with a fresh design; and new actions are build in like new/reply/delete/edit capabilities in messaging and calendar. Music scrolling/searching and the mini-player have also been enhanced
• The new dialer took a big step forward with four easy buttons giving easy access to the dial-pad, favorites, call activity and contacts. We increased the target hit area in contacts for finger friendliness and added user friendly redial functionality
• Based on feedback from you, we really worked hard on the software keyboard (XT9) by improving speed and touch responsiveness

Sony PS3 Firmware 3.21 Causing Problems?

As reported on the  PS3 forum, and then picked up by Engadget, some individuals appear to be having issues after upgrading their firmware to 3.21. Even in our comments section here, the problems experienced have varied. Issues are ranging from frozen hardware displaying an  8002F14E error, failed upgrades during firmware extraction, to serious issues with game and blu-ray playback.  Other individuals have upgraded without issues. What’s odd is that after pouring through the forum, there isn’t one string that binds everything together, it all appears to be very random symptom wise, except that it predominantly affects models non slim models. During the upgrade of my slim, I noticed the firmware update took quite a bit longer than normal, but I assumed that to be expected given the nature of the change, but perhaps that isn’t the case.  Best advice is if your experiencing issues post your issues to the comments here, or on the PS3 forum that way the data can continue to be captured until the issue is resolved.

No official word has been provided by Sony, but I am confident they are looking into it.

Sony’s “Road To Zero” Environmental Plan Wants Zero Footprint By 2050

Sony has announced its “Road to Zero” global environmental plan. The plan, which includes a long-term goal of achieving a zero environmental footprint by 2050, uses backcasting methods to set specific mid-term environmental targets for the next five years in line with that goal. Sony’s definition of zero environmental footprint is not only limited to the neutralization of carbon emissions, but also extends to waste and use of finite materials such as oil-derived virgin plastics.

Targets are based on four environmental perspectives – climate change, resource conservation, control of chemical substances and biodiversity – across all product lifecycle stages, from research and development to recycling. The mid-term targets will be implemented globally across the Sony Group beginning in fiscal year 2011 (April 2011), and will extend through the end of fiscal year 2015 (March 2016), at which time new targets for the following 5 years will be set.

Specific mid-term targets include:

• 30% reduction in annual energy consumption of products (compared to fiscal 2008)
• 10% reduction in product mass (compared to fiscal 2008)
• 50% absolute reduction in waste generation (compared to fiscal 2000)
• 30% absolute reduction in water consumption (compared to fiscal 2000)
• 14% reduction in total CO2 emissions associated with all transportation and logistics (compared to fiscal 2008)
• 16% reduction in incoming parts packaging waste (compared to fiscal 2008)
• Increase of waste recycle ratio to 99% or more
• 5% reduction in utilization ratio of virgin oil-based plastics in products (compared to fiscal 2008)
• Assessment of impact of resource procurement and facility construction on biodiversity, and promotion of biodiversity programs such as groundwater cultivation
• Minimization of the risk of chemical substances through preventive measures; reduction in use of specific chemicals defined by Sony; and promotion of use of alternative materials

“We are fully committed to putting our innovative spirit and technological expertise to use to help solve environmental challenges,” said Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman, CEO and President of Sony Corporation. “From the development of new materials and energy-efficient technologies, to the introduction of better processes in manufacturing and production, we will work aggressively to meet the ambitious targets we are setting for ourselves and, at the same time, establish a model for others in our industries to follow.”

Sony has already made significant progress in reducing its environmental impact around the world. Sony’s European sites, for example, have reduced their CO2 emissions from electricity use and facility heating by approximately 93% between fiscal years 2000 and 2009. In addition, the majority of its BRAVIA TV range now carries the EU ‘flower,’ an eco-label introduced by the EU to certify greener, more environmentally friendly products that comply with strict ecological criteria.

Sony Europe is also a founding member of the ‘European Recycling Platform’ (ERP). Fully operational in 11 European countries, the ERP effectively manages end-of-life collection and recycling for all consumer electronics products. In 2008, approximately 60,000 tons of electronic waste were collected and recycled on behalf of Sony in 20 European countries.

In the U.S., Sony Electronics (SEL) was the first consumer electronics manufacturer to institute a nation-wide Take Back Recycling Program in 2007 through which consumers can recycle any Sony-branded product free of charge. To date, SEL has recycled more than 13,000 tons of electronic waste through its take back efforts.

In Japan, Sony is the only company that voluntarily collects used small-sized consumer electronics on an experimental basis jointly with a municipality, Kitakyushu City in southern Japan. Gold, silver, bronze and palladium are extracted from the products discarded by city residents and are subsequently reused by Sony. For example, the recycled gold was used in Sony’s semiconductor chips that were then adopted for use in Sony Ericsson’s “URBANO BARONE” mobile phone (available in Japan through KDDI Corporation since February 2010).

In addition, the new VAIO W eco edition, launched in most major global markets this year and designed to be the industry’s most environmentally friendly laptop, features recycled plastic parts, an electronic manual and an innovative carry-bag that saves 10% in CO2 emissions during production.

Sony Pictures Entertainment, based in Culver City, CA, took an important step toward its zero waste goal in June 2009 by partnering with the City of Culver City in a first-of-its-kind organic waste composting program. Thanks to this program, the studio has already diverted up to 80% of its waste from landfills (as of December 2009). In addition, an estimated 8,559 set pieces were reused in 2009, saving over a million pounds (500 tons) of material and helping reduce impact on natural resources. That same year, the studio recycled 81 tons of electronic waste.

Sony’s fiscal year 2015 targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and power consumption per product were reviewed and approved by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) as a renewal of the company’s Climate Savers Programme commitments. Sony has been a member of the WWF Climate Savers Programme since 2006. The Programme was organized by WWF International to mobilize companies to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Big Announcement for Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker?

Image Courtesy andriasang

In a twitter post translated by andriasang, there appears to be a big surprise coming from Hideo Kojima about Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker. In a tweet, he had this to say:

On Wednesday, there will be a big Peace Walker announcement. I don’t think you can understand the enjoyment of Peace Walker until you’ve played it, but I believe you’ll feel a hint of sorts about ‘where is it a new Metal?

Right now it’s anybody’s guess, but hopefully we get more details from the Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker completion ceremony being held today. The MGS titles have been a gaming staple for years and this is going to be another welcome addition to the library. As more news becomes available, we will update you.

Sony Pictures Chairman and CEO Michael Lynton Calls For Healthier Theater Snacks

Sony Pictures Entertainment Chairman and CEO Michael Lynton spoke last month at ShoWest, the nation’s largest convention for the movie theater industry, and basically urged for healthier snacks at their concession stands in addition to their traditional offerings of candy, popcorn and soda. He noted that “adding healthier options to your existing menu is the right thing to do for our industry, for audiences and for our country.”

Lynton said a poll of moviegoers commissioned by Sony Pictures revealed:

• two-thirds of moviegoers and three-quarters of parents are more likely to buy healthy snacks at theaters if they are offered;
• forty-two percent of parents said they would buy concessions more often if healthy options were available;
• sixty percent of parents said having healthier snacks in theaters would enhance their overall moviegoing experience;

Lynton said he was not asking theaters to stop selling popcorn, soda and candy. “Audiences love them” he said. “I’m just talking about adding some healthier items to what you already sell.”

Lynton also announced that the Alliance for a Healthier Generation has offered to meet with the theater owners “and offer advice on how to change your menus in a way that makes sense for your audiences and your business.”

“The private sector, including the theater industry, has the ability to improve the access families have to healthier foods and beverages,” said President Bill Clinton, founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation, who co-leads the Alliance for a Healthier Generation with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and American Heart Association President Clyde Yancy. “The Alliance brokered voluntary agreements with the beverage industry that resulted in an 88 percent decrease in beverage calories shipped to America’s schools in just a few years. We are eager to work with the movie theater industry to craft similar agreements to provide healthy concession options in movie theaters.”

“In order to turn the tide on the obesity epidemic we are going to need to make soup to nuts changes in the number of calories we take in and the calories we actively use. Because kids are eating and foraging at home, school, sporting events and at the movies, changes are needed everywhere,” said Dr. Neal Halfon, professor of pediatrics, public health and public policy at UCLA and director of the UCLA Center for Healthier Children, Families and Communities. “We can’t expect kids to make healthy choices if they aren’t given healthy choices to make. And while this is a nationwide problem, and will require support from companies with a national stature like Sony Pictures and large theater chains, it will also depend on the ingenuity and commitment of local theater operators to make the difference in their communities.”

In a videotaped message to the convention, Dr. Mehmet Oz, vice chair and professor of surgery at Columbia University and host of The Dr. Oz Show, said, “Everyone enjoys popcorn and a soda at the movies, but there are healthier alternatives. Good nutrition doesn’t mean eating spinach at every meal. But with so many children and teens going to movies so often these days, I think we’ve got to be mindful about what they’re eating and drinking, and giving them the chance to choose healthier food makes a lot of sense.”

Lynton said theater owners should consider taking this step because childhood obesity is an epidemic, it’s the responsible thing to do for audiences and society, and it’s good for their business because it would help families enjoy theaters even more and, by giving them healthier options, more snacks will be purchased.

Regarding what kinds of snacks might be offered at theaters, Lynton said, “I don’t think giant tubs of spinach or broccoli’s a good idea. And nobody wants to eat cauliflower while watching Spider-Man, or drink a 40-ounce cup of prune juice.”

He said moviegoers suggested to the studio’s interviewers the kind of snacks they”d like to see:

• fresh fruit, fruit cups, apples with dip;
• veggies with dip;
• yogurt;
• granola bars and trail mix;
• baked chips, apples chips and unbuttered, air-popped popcorn.

Lynton said some people sneak healthy snacks into movie theaters, like a granola bar or a box of raisins, which represents an untapped market for concession stands. “People are consuming food differently these days. In fact, many of your theaters are located near Starbucks and Whole Foods and in malls and other places where consumers are now finding more nutritious food and beverage options. Audiences would love both a great theatrical experience and terrific snacks.”

Lynton said employees at Sony Pictures are offered a subsidized healthy lunch special and expanded salad bar at the studio commissary. He noted some theaters are moving in the direction of offering healthier foods; some use canola oil instead of coconut oil for their popcorn. He also said he understands that some things “will prove to be logistically or economically impossible…But even small steps in the right direction can have a big impact.”