Sony XBR-52HX909 Shipping Now, Gets Reviewed By CNET

The high end Sony XBR, 3D enabled KDLXBR-52HX909 (still perplexed here why Sony USA decided to rename its prefix from KDL to XBR, while other regions still refer to KDL) is finally showing as being available to be shipped to your houses; Sony sort of beat themselves to delivery promises quoting middle of July, so it’s nice to see certain high end products to be available sooner.

There was a lot of talk whether or not this TV will beat in PQ (picture quality) its older brother KDL-55XBR8 that utilizes backlit full array of local dimming LEDs. Did Sony get it right this time around? Cnet gave this TV a spin and was very pleased with its deep black levels and new monolithic design. However, let’s get to the nitty gritty as everyone wants to hear whether or not this TV suffers any of the blooming issues that pretty much have plagued majority of localized LEDs. Unfortunately, the answer to this is yes, Cnet has reported that they did noticed certain issues with color accuracy and blooming is still something that has not been ironed out yet by Sony engineers. I’d say we will most likely see those kind of issues until a commercially available OLED TV will be out.

3D performance of the set was good and that’s of course if you get the accessories that will enable that feature. Frankly, this is a pretty expensive set and it would have been nice if Sony threw in or bundled the 3D kit with it.

Here is a quick summary from the source:

The good: Produces extremely deep black levels; video processing properly handles 1080p/24 material; relatively accurate color with linear grayscale; 3D compatible; 2D-to-3D conversion system works better than expected; numerous streaming video services; Excellent design with stylish monolithic exterior; energy-efficient.

The bad: Extremely expensive; exhibits more blooming than competing local dimming LED models; black areas tinged bluer; sub par off-angle viewing; 3D exhibited ghost images along edges (crosstalk); does not include 3D glasses or IR emitter.

The bottom line: Although its black levels challenge the best ever, some other picture-related aspects of the Sony XBR-HX909 series don’t live up to the high price.

Slightly disappointed to learn about its issues, however it makes me feel good that my KDL-55XBR8 still rocks and does not need a replacement. I am sure Stan Glasgow will agree with me on that one.

Check the video below and read a full review here.

Some Unfortunate News For CW2 & F11 VAIO Notebook Owners

Sony released an important notification today and if you are an owner of CW and F series notebooks (check the link for more specific models in the US region), Sony recommends that you download and install a firmware/BIOS update specifically designed to prevent the potential overheating symptom. Supposedly, in rare instances, these notebook computers may overheat due to a potential malfunction of the internal temperature management system, resulting in deformation of the product’s keyboard or external casing, and a potential burn hazard to consumers.

In fact, it’s so serious that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission sent out a report notifying the world of this issue and almost every major news outlet has coverage of the recall. Sony says 260,000 laptops in the US, 103,000 in Europe, 120,000 in South East Asia and 52,000 in Japan need to be fixed.

“The word recall has been used by the CPSC in the States, but we are not calling it that,” Nick Sharples, Sony’s European communications director told BBC News. “It is possible to update the firmware online, which will rectify the problem,” he added.

Sounds like a quality control issue, for more info go here and be careful, don’t get burnt! For Japanese customers, please follow this link.

Which models in the VPCF11 and VPCCW2 series of notebook PCs may be affected? Specific model numbers in each series include:

VPCF11 Series: VPCF111FD, VPCF111FD/B, VPCF111FX, VPCF111FX/B, VPCF111FX/H, VPCF112FX, VPCF112FX/B, VPCF112FX/H, VPCF113FX, VPCF113FX/B, VPCF113FX/H, VPCF114FX, VPCF114FX/B, VPCF114FX/H, VPCF115FM, VPCF115FM/B, VPCF115FM/BL, VPCF116FX, VPCF116FX/B, VPCF116FX/H, VPCF117FX, VPCF117FX/B, VPCF117FX/B, VPCF117FX/H, VPCF1190X, VPCF119FX, VPCF119GX, VPCF119HX, VPCF11AFX, VPCF11AFX/B, VPCF11BFX, VPCF11BFX/B, VPCF11CGX, VPCF11CGX/B, VPCF11DGX, VPCF11DGX/B, VPCF11EGX, VPCF11EGX/B, VPCF11FGX, VPCF11FGX/B, VPCF11GGX, VPCF11GGX/B, VPCF11HGX, VPCF11HGX/B, VPCF11JFX, VPCF11JFX/B, VPCF11KFX, VPCF11KFX/B, VPCF11KFX/H, VPCF11LFX, VPCF11LFX/B, VPCF11LFX/H, VPCF11MFX, VPCF11MFX/B, VPCF11NFX, VPCF11NFX/B, VPCF11NFX/H, VPCF11PFX, VPCF11PFX/H, VPCF11QFX, VPCF11QFX/B and VPCF11QFX/H

VPCCW2 Series: VPCCW21FX, VPCCW21FX/B, VPCCW21FX/L, VPCCW21FX/P, VPCCW21FX/R, VPCCW21FX/W, VPCCW22FX, VPCCW22FX/B, VPCCW22FX/L, VPCCW22FX/P, VPCCW22FX/R, VPCCW22FX/W, VPCCW23FX, VPCCW23FX/B, VPCCW23FX/L, VPCCW23FX/P, VPCCW23FX/R, VPCCW23FX/W, VPCCW26FX, VPCCW26FX/B, VPCCW26FX/L, VPCCW26FX/P, VPCCW26FX/R, VPCCW26FX/W, VPCCW27FX, VPCCW27FX/B, VPCCW27FX/L, VPCCW27FX/P, VPCCW27FX/R, VPCCW27FX/W, VPCCW29FX, VPCCW29GX, VPCCW2AFX, VPCCW2AFX/B, VPCCW2BFX, VPCCW2BFX/B, VPCCW2CGX, VPCCW2CGX/B, VPCCW2DGX, VPCCW2DGX/B, VPCCW2EGX, VPCCW2EGX/B, VPCCW2FGX, VPCCW2FGX/B, VPCCW2GGX, VPCCW2GGX/B, VPCCW2HGX, VPCCW2HGX/B, VPCCW2JGX, VPCCW2JGX/B, VPCCW2KGX, VPCCW2KGX/B, VPCCW2LFX, VPCCW2LFX/B, VPCCW2LFX/L, VPCCW2LFX/P, VPCCW2LFX/R, VPCCW2LFX/W, VPCCW2MFX, VPCCW2MFX/PU, VPCCW2MFX/WJ, VPCCW2MGX, VPCCW2MGX/B, VPCCW2NFX, VPCCW2NFX/LU, VPCCW2PFX, VPCCW2PFX/L, VPCCW2PFX/R. VPCCW2PFX/W, VPCCW2QGX, VPCCW2QGX/B, VPCCW2RGX, VPCCW2RGX/B, VPCCW2SGX, VPCCW2SGX/B, VPCCW2TGX, VPCCW2TGX/B, VPCCW2UFX, VPCCW2UFX/B, VPCCW2VFX, and VPCCW2VFX/B

Sony PS3 Firmware 3.40 Available

Sony continues to enhance the capabilities of the PS3 by adding several innovative features in firmware 3.40.

As of yesterday, firmware 3.40 is available for the the PS3. It adds the following to an already impressive feature set:

• • Photo Gallery: [PlayStation®Network Area] has been added under [Photo Gallery]. You can now use Photo Gallery to browse photos from Facebook® or Picasa™ Web Albums. You can also share photos from Photo Gallery with your Friends on PlayStation Network. You can also now print or delete a photo in the photo gallery.

• Video Editor & Uploader: Video Editor and Uploader is a new function found on the XrossMediaBar (XMB), which enables you to edit, save and upload video files stored on the PS3 system to sites such as Facebook or YouTube.

• PlayStation Store Five Star Rating Support: Users can now rate PlayStation Store content they have purchased with one to five star ratings.

• Power Save Settings: The default setting for PS3 System Auto-Off will be set at 2 hours, providing you with additional power save options and further improving power save features on the PS3 system.

• Settings:
  • [Deep Color Output (HDMI)] has been added as an option under [Display Settings].
  • The default setting for [System Auto-Off] under [Power Save Settings] has been changed to [After 2 Hours].

PlayStation Plus was also added as well, but this will be detailed in an upcoming post.

After upgrading yesterday, playing a few games, and watching a movie I haven’t experienced any problems with what I would say are some nice additions. So download it, and then sound off in the comments about your impressions. And as a side note, does that dog in the picture look like Mr. Muggles to you? Just curious…

Sony Media Go 1.5 Now Available

Media Go makes it easier than ever to take your media with you wherever you go. Transfer music, photos, and videos from your PC to your Sony or Sony Ericsson portable device, or import from your device to your PC. File conversion is hassle-free: Media Go automatically converts your media to the appropriate format for your device while maintaining the best possible quality. And now, Sony Creative Software has released Media Go 1.5, which has several new features:

• The following additional devices from Sony Ericsson are supported: Xperia X10 mini, Xperia X10 mini pro, E10i, U20i, and Zylo.
• Play videos purchased from the Store as they download.
• Queue multiple items for download, including software updates, podcasts and media purchased from the Store.
• Transfer playlists already on the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system to Media Go.

Click here to download Media Go and save it in a place that is easy to find, such as your PC desktop.

Media Go has not necessarily had the impact on the world that iTunes has accomplished, but the software does seem to be progressing forward nicely. There are features for managing content, audio ripping, adding SensMe data and much more. It also allows you to purchase and play media from the Playstation Store, PlayNow, and other partner stores. So basically its a movie and music store for your PC. Pretty sweet you can watch movies as you download, too.

What would you add to Media Go?

Sony’s New 2U-Sized Backup Power Module For Data Servers Lasts 10+ Years

Sony has detailed development of an energy storage module using lithium-ion rechargeable batteries made with olivine-type lithium iron phosphate as the cathode material. Key features of olivine-type lithium iron phosphate cell include high power output, long-life performance and excellent thermal stability. Sample shipments of the new module are scheduled to begin from June, 2010. The newly-developed module is an energy storage module with 1.2kWh-class capacity. Multiple modules can be connected either in series or in parallel to easily expand to a higher voltage or capacity. Furthermore, the new module is compatible with stationary power supplies such as UPS (uninterruptible power supply) for data servers or as a backup power supply for mobile phone wireless base stations.

In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, which boast superior energy efficiency, higher power density and excellent storage characteristics, as substitutes for batteries made from lead or nickel-cadmium. Until now, lead-acid and nickel-cadmium batteries have conventionally been used in the stationary power supply market for data server UPSs (uninterruptible power supplies) or as backup power supplies for mobile phone wireless base stations.

Additionally, new applications of lithium-ion rechargeable batteries – such as energy storage systems for efficient energy use and load-leveling – continue to be developed as the installation of new energy generating systems like household photovoltaic systems progresses as part of environmental measures to reduce CO2 emissions.

Variables such as the voltage and capacity can be customized for different applications by connecting multiple modules either in series or in parallel. Each module is compatible with a high power output maximum of up to 2.5kW, and can be used for various stationary power supplies such as UPS (uninterruptible power supply) for data servers or as a backup power supply for mobile phone wireless base stations. A built-in self monitoring function for detecting any abnormalities within the energy storage module.

Internal battery usage can be controlled safely by monitoring the state (voltage, current, temperature) of the internal batteries and communicating this to a linked external battery management system. Another feature derived from the excellent thermal stability provided by olivine-type lithium iron phosphate cell is that the batteries should resist irregular heat generation, even in the event of a battery abnormality occurring for any given reason.

In comparison to lead-acid batteries, lithium-ion batteries have minimal energy loss when discharging the stored electrical energy. In other words, the charge and discharge of lithium-ion batteries is highly efficient, and demonstrative of the benefits of low energy consumption. Longer-life performance (anticipated longevity of 10 years or more), with estimated useful life based on one charge-discharge cycle per day. Iron (lithium iron phosphate), which is said to be available in abundance, is used as the electrode material. This enables reduced environmental impact in comparison to lithium-ion rechargeable batteries that use rare metals with extremely limited reserves and that are in low supply.

No regular maintenance is required such as rehydration, which is needed for some lead batteries. The energy storage moduleompatible with 19-inch (2U) size for mounting on standard computer server racks.

Sony Japan Offering Toy Story 3 Themed S-Series Walkman And Case

Sony Japan and Disney are offering free Toy Story 3 themed engraving on the S-Series Walkman 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.

There is also a clear case (CC-DW-TS3) that has playful art inspired by the film with various toys:

Free Realms Achieves Twelve Million Registered Players

Sony Online Entertainment’s family-friendly virtual world, Free Realms, announced its 12 millionth registered user just after the kick-off of its in-game virtual Summer Camp.

“Our players wanted a summer of fun in Free Realms, so that’s what we’ve provided. With new items, jobs and quests being added to the virtual world, there are more ways than ever to explore Free Realms,” said John Smedley, president of SOE. “Our continued innovation and consistent player engagement have built an incredible forward momentum to take Free Realms into its second year, and beyond.”

Summer Camp, which officially started June 7, is anything but limited to camp activities and is going strong with weekly summer themes, in addition to new items and features that are regularly being added to the game world. Players can grab everything they need for a great day in Seaside with the beach chair, beach umbrella, above ground pool, lifeguard tower and volleyball net, all of which are now available in the Free Realms Marketplace.

In celebration of World Cup Soccer, today the reverse-color Soccer Ball pet is available. The Snowhill Playground is also officially open for adventurers to explore. Players that make it to the top of the fall-away block staircase will find a treasure chest worth 100 coins! Moving platforms, which are housing blocks that move in different directions, Tiger Rides and surfboards will be available soon.

To celebrate Fourth of July weekend, SOE is running a Double Station Cash Weekend where players can purchase Station Cash(TM) cards, excluding Starter Cards, from local retailers, which can be redeemed from Friday, July 2 at 12p.m. PDT to Monday, July 5 at 12a.m. PDT for double their value in Station Cash, which can be used to buy virtual goodies or upgrade to a Membership status in the game. Also, for those who have wanted to see what the buzz is all about, SOE is offering a free trial membership all weekend long. All players will have access to the membership content during the trial period and at the end of the weekend, players will have the option to keep their member status through a variety of multi-month membership payment options.

Free Realms offers an array of quests, activities and minigames to keep players entertained. From ninja fighting to kart racing to raising pets, Free Realms offers a safe, family-friendly environment to connect with old and new friends.

John Legend & The Roots Collaborate To Engage Listeners With Wake Up!

Musical powerhouses John Legend & The Roots are presenting fans with a fiery new offering, Wake Up! The upcoming CD, being released by Sony Music on September 21, 2010, will feature soulful music from the 60′s and 70′s all with an underlying theme of awareness, engagement and consciousness — effectively telling listeners to Wake Up!

After being inspired by the recent historical Presidential election campaign of 2008, the R&B singer Legend and hip-hop band The Roots felt a need to enter the action. What started as plans for a single quickly developed into a passionate album representing change, hope and activism — not only referencing one particular moment in time, but on a larger scale, holding true no matter what the political climate may be.

The resulting album features eleven profoundly evocative songs infused with sounds of gospel, rock and reggae inflections with hip-hop influences. The album is highlighted by familiar tracks like “Wholly Holy” by Marvin Gaye and “Little Ghetto Boy” by Donny Hathaway mixed with the more obscure selections of Baby Huey and the Babysitters’ “Hard Times,” and “Hang on in There” by Mike James Kirkland.

“These songs sound so relevant now,” Legend says. “On most of them, you wouldn’t change a lyric. ‘Wake Up Everybody’ (the album’s first single, featuring contributions from Melanie Fiona and Common) has four verses — the first one is a general statement, the second is about education, third is about health care, and the fourth is about making a better environment. No editing needed.”

“When these songs were written, people were more spiritually in tune,” says Roots drummer/musical director Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson. “It was fresh from the civil rights era and there was a feeling of hope that maybe, yes, someday we will all be free. In 2010, not so much.”

The album features one original composition, Legend’s song “Shine,” which is featured in Academy Award-winning director Davis Guggenheim’s upcoming documentary film Waiting for Superman. The song, a “Stevie-Wonder-meets-gospel” stunner, clearly demonstrates the strengths of this specific group of musicians. Wake Up! blends Legend’s expressive, thoughtful vocal interpretations with an element of funk that only The Roots can provide.

Bringing John Legend & The Roots together is an inspired pairing, so logical that it’s a little surprising they haven’t teamed up in a proper collaboration before. John Legend is a six-time Grammy winner whose three albums have all hit Number One on the Billboard R&B charts, and who has collaborated with such artists as Kanye West, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, and the Black Eyed Peas. The Roots — currently visible nightly as the stupendously versatile house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon — have released nine acclaimed studio albums (including the recent How I Got Over) and redefined the relationship between live instruments and hip-hop.

Marvel VS. Capcom 3 Coming Spring 2011

After a 10 year hiatus, Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate of two Worlds is moving towards release early next year on PS3.

Initially, there wasn’t much known about the gameplay mechanics or how it would look. We were then treated to a gorgeous CGI trailer showing us what the style of the game would look like:

The Marvel Vs. Capcom series puts the best in the Marvel Universe, squarely against the best in the Capcom universe in a hyperfighting melee style of combat. In a 3 on 3 combat style, players can tag in and out with their team, perform super combos (which are quite impressive to watch) and vicious air combos. The game employs a new X Factor system so if when your down to your last player, you go into a power up mode, and cancel out of whatever your currently doing.

The final roster of characters hasn’t been revealed, but this is what we know thus far:

MARVEL

Wolverine

Iron Man

Captain America

Hulk

Deadpool

CAPCOM

Dante

Felicia

Chris Redfield

Morrigan Aensland

Ryu

No firm date yet beyond Spring 2011.In the meantime Marvel Vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes is available on the PlayStation Network to tide us over until release. From what I have been hearing, the fans who stood in line at E3 say it was worth the wait:

VAIO X Gets Refreshed For the Summer (Updated)

Since ultra light and amazingly designed VAIO X launched, a number of users (including myself) were wondering if we will see an update to X series or it will fade away into history like its predecessor VAIO X505. And the answer to this question is yes, as we have seen new models of VAIO X being launched in Japan, SonyStyle USA will be selling 4 new and updated VAIO X models (black, silver, gold), including a pink VAIO X. However, there is a big but to this update as by looking at the specs of the new summer models, we didn’t see any major improvements. So let’s say this is more like a VAIO X come back since it disappeared from the SonyStyle website.

As you may remember, Sony shocked everyone back at IFA 2009 with the introduction of the X series VAIO notebook, which was the direct successor to the VAIO TT series in the USA. It appeared super slim at the time and in its delicious teaser video courtesy of Sony Europe some people were extremely curious about its arrival. Sony revealed the full details on the new VAIO X series and called it the world’s lightest notebook at the time – 1.6 pounds with standard battery. To further whet our appetites, Sony Europe also revealed a series of videos behind the design of the VAIO X, which explore just about every detail of its design.

The notebook was critically acclaimed for its ultra thin profile and unbelievable design, but some critics weren’t fond of the high price and were skeptical of its performance due the speed of the slower Intel Atom Z530 processor. Despite the complaints, the X did have up to 2GB of RAM, SSD options, incredible battery life and more, keeping it quite respectable especially in the business world.

The new models that will be released will carry the following model numbers: VPCX131KX and VPCX135KX. There will be a bump in its processor speed from Atom Z530 to Z550, however RAM stayed at 2 Gig max (processor speed stayed the same as in earlier models). The lower end model will have a 64 GB of hard drive measured in SSD goodness. In a glance the specs are: Intel Atom Z550 2.00GHz / 2GB RAM / 64GB SSD / Intel GMA 500 / 802.11n / Bluetooth 2.1 / Verizon Mobile Broadband / Webcam / Windows 7 Home Premium. Yes, unfortunately, we do not see WiMAX or 4G Sprint option, no USB 3.0 or updated Bluetooth profile.

Even though SonyStyle has not posted any info yet, keep an eye on their site or Google the models as they are being shipped by authorized retailers. Manuals and Driver Update info has been also posted on Sony Support site if you are into that type of thing…

P.S. SonyStyle has outed VAIO Signature model with a glossy premium carbon fiber VAIO X available now in the US, as it was previously available in the country of a rising sun. Still mum on the pink model though.

This blog post has been exclusively done on a VAIO X115KX/N