sony

Rumor Has It: Facebook wants you to be a stalker IRL

This week's show is all about those rumors that just refuse to die -- and for once we're not talking about the next iteration of the iPhone.

Some sneaky sneaks found hidden "radio" buttons in the iTunes code of a freshly jailbroken iPad. Does that mean that radio streaming is coming soon? Or is it just leftover code that someone didn't bother to take out? Rumors of Dell going private finally came true after weeks of speculation and much to nobody's surprise. The PlayStation 4 might be announced in a couple weeks, which could mean it'll be released this year, but maybe next year, but maybe who knows?

But the most upsetting of all the rumors is maybe a new one, but definitely a gross one: Facebook is said to be prepping a standalone app that will let your friends know where you are, without you having to check in to anything.… Read more

Gamers take a stab at possible PlayStation 4 controller design

Although Sony is expected to unveil the PlayStation 4 later this month, some gamers have taken it upon themselves to guess at what the company might show off.

Members of gaming forum NeoGAF lately have been posting Photoshopped mockups of what they believe the PlayStation 4's controller might look like. The controllers were developed based on a few rumors that have been floating around the Web related to Sony's technology.

Kotaku, which first reported on the controller designs, last week said that it had obtained documents that provided information on Sony's plans with its next console. Those … Read more

New PlayStation may debut this month

Friday's CNET Update deciphers the shapes:

Stories from today's tech news roundup:

- Sony expected to unveil a new PlayStation this month -- before E3

- Verizon has new prepaid plans for 3G smartphones

- Nokia is researching a new material called graphene

- HBO Go may be coming to Apple TV

- Amazon beefs up its Prime Instant Video streaming with Downton Abby and is also creating original kids shows

- Netflix premiered the series, "House of Cards," and all 13 episodes are available now

- CNET's Download team highlights free alternatives to the new Office 2013 and Office 365 … Read more

The 404 1,200: Where we play the crying game (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- "Bang With Friends" sex app claims to help you mix business with pleasure.

- Paying tribute to Holocaust victims...using Grindr?

- Google Street View catches couple doing it in a dressing room.

- Research finds people that fly in virtual reality are more eager to help in real life.

- Sony teases big NYC event for February 20; PS4 debut?… Read more

Sony teases big NYC event for Feb. 20, PS4 debut?

Time to dust off that hype machine. The next generation of video game consoles may debut as early as February 20. That's the date Sony has set aside for an event in New York City, leading some to believe this could be the first-ever announcement of the PlayStation 4, the inevitable successor to the company's current PlayStation 3 game system.… Read more

Sony boosts Music Unlimited to 320Kbps

In a bid to compete with rival Spotify, Sony has announced it is increasing the quality of its Unlimited Music streaming catalog to 320Kbps.

Spotify has offered 320Kbps streams since 2009 in "high bit rate" mode, while Sony has reportedly offered only a lower 48Kbps stream until now.

Announced at CES 2013, users will be able to utilize the new "high-quality" option on Windows and Mac OS, Android, Sony Android Walkman, and PlayStation 3.

Sony says its catalog of 18 million songs is in the process of being updated to the higher 320Kbps quality.

"It … Read more

What does Sony have planned for 'Game Day 2013'?

Sony is setting the gaming world abuzz with a teaser video promoting "Game Day 2013" on February 1.

The game company yesterday posted a video to its PlayStation-branded YouTube page showing a woman in a dress walking toward the camera as what appears to be ash is falling from the sky. Just before the video's end, an image appears of a yellow eye.

The YouTube video is entitled "Game Day 2013 Teaser" and provides no explanation of what is shown. At the end, it displays the date "February 1, 2013."

Not surprisingly, gamers … Read more

Will China end 13-year ban on video game consoles?

Authorities in Beijing are considering allowing the likes of Sony and Nintendo to once again sell video game consoles in China, according to reports.

Video game consoles such as Sony's PlayStation and Microsoft's Xbox were banned more than a decade ago over worries that video game playing could corrupt children and hamper their development. But now the China Daily says at least one governmental official believes that there is a possibility for gaming to once again hit the Chinese market.

An anonymous source from the Chinese Ministry of Culture told the publication:

"We are reviewing the policy … Read more

Sony fined $395K for 2011 PlayStation Network hack

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has been fined 250,000 pounds (US$395,775) by the Information Commissioner's Office in the U.K., following the massive hacking of Sony's PlayStation Network in 2011 that saw million of users' personal data leaked.

The monetary penalty on Sony comes after the "serious breach of the Data Protection Act," the ICO said in a statement today.

When the Sony PlayStation Network Platform was hacked in April 2011, it compromised the personal information of millions of customers, including names, addresses, e-mail addresses, dates of birth, and account passwords. Customers' payment card … Read more

Sony slowly fattens E-mount lens line

Sony adds to its E-mount lens line for the Alpha NEX series of cameras with a 20mm f2.8 pancake (30mm equivalent) that will ship in April for $349.99. Sony currently only offers one other pancake lens, a 16mm f2.8 (24mm equivalent). From a size standpoint, the pancakes are a nice complement to the skinny NEX bodies, but you'll usually get better image quality --and faster apertures -- out of their not-so-slim counterparts.

Sony also took the opportunity to announce standalone pricing and availability for the 18-200mm f3.5-6.3 power zoom E-mount lens that it unveiled … Read more