The new Sony Nasne tuner and media device, due in Japan on July 19 for 16,980 yen ($209), sort of looks like a miniature PlayStation 3. However, don't let the aesthetics fool you: Nasne contains many features the game console lacks, such as a built-in 500GB hard drive for recording content from digital terrestrial or satellite TV broadcasts.
Perhaps the biggest draw (at least to Sony aficionados) resides in the ability to simultaneously watch live or recorded TV content from Nasne on up to two Sony products within the same home network. Supported devices include the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Vaio computers, and Sony's Tablet and Xperia product lines. The oddly named media hub also serves as a generic DLNA-compatible storage device for photos, videos, and music -- with the option to expand space by connecting an external hard drive via the USB port in the rear.
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"We are offering a seamless and unique Sony experience through 'Nasne,' which serves as a home entertainment hub that connects to Sony's various network products," Kazuo Hirai, president and CEO of Sony and chairman of Sony Computer Entertainment, said in a statement. "Nasne will give users more freedom to enjoy television in new ways by enabling them to watch programs on various Sony products through dedicated applications."
Accessing TV content recorded by Nasne varies, but the general experience enables users to: schedule recordings, access media content anywhere on the local network via supported Sony devices, or take content on the go (e.g. transfer a recorded TV show from Nasne to the PS Vita or a Xperia phone over Wi-Fi).
