Sony bets on a future of 3D, connected devices (photos)
A its pre-CES press conference in Las Vegas, Sony outlined its vision for a wide range of media devices that will be more Internet connected and 3D than ever.
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The crowd fills in to the massive Sony booth Wednesday inside the Center Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center as set-up continues for the opening of the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show.
Showing off cameras, TVs, Blu-ray players, and Internet-connected devices, Sony predicted that 2011 would be "a year in which 3D becomes personal."
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3D
Sony's focus on 3D at CES 2011 got off to a quick start today.
In the center hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, which is still undergoing the finishing touches prior to tomorrow's official show opening, Sony hosted a flashy show that showed just how focused on 3D the company is.
From video games, to TV, cameras, and Blu-ray players, Sony showed off a wide range of media devices Wednesday, all incorporating 3D technology.
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Howard Stringer at Sony's press event Wednesday evening.
Howard Stringer at Sony's press event this evening.
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Erica Ogg
CNET writer Erica Ogg watches the 3D montage that opened Sony's press conference today at CES.
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A rotating stage
From a rotating stage emerged the car from the upcoming film "The Green Hornet," and we got a sneak peek at a long clip from Sony's forthcoming 3D movie "The Green Hornet."
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The Green Hornet
Sony Chairman Howard Stringer emerged on stage from a cloud of smoke, stepping from the Green Hornet's car along with the stars of the super hero action movie, Seth Rogan and Jay Chou.
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Sony VP Hiroshi Yoshioka
Sony VP Hiroshi Yoshioka, who took the stage to talk about some of the products Sony has coming out later in the year, including the 3D-compatible Vaios and handicams.
We also got a look at a prototype head-mounted display for watching 3D movies and a prototype glasses-less 3D Blu-ray player which resembled a portable DVD player.
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Sony devices
During a fast-paced 50-minute press event, Sony touched on dozens new models of TVs, cameras, and laptops.
It's clear that across the board, Sony is betting on a future where consumers crave Internet-connected, 3D-enabled devices.
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27 new Bravia models
The new head of Sony electronics in the U.S., Phil Molyneux, said we can expect 27 new models of Bravia TVs with Internet connectivity and 3D capabilities.
Partnering with Time Warner Cable, the TVs will be capable of receiving on-demand content without the need for a set-top box.
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Music Unlimited is powered by Qriocity
A new cloud-streaming service, Music Unlimited is powered by Qriocity, which has access to 6 million songs from all the major labels, will be added to some Sony TVs, Blu-ray players, PS3s, and Vaio PCs this year, Molyneux said. "It's an extension of the music you already own," he added.
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55-inch TV that is both 3D- and 2D-capable with full HD.
The Flagship TV, seen here, the DKL-55HX929 is a 55-inch TV that is both 3D- and 2D-capable with full HD.
To be released in March, the ultra thin, LED backlit display boasts Internet connectivity, and access to Sony's media platform Qriocity.
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3D Blu-ray
The new 3D Blu-ray player also comes pre-loaded with Skype, enabling video calling on the large screen, for a family room calling experience.
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Dual lens 3D video camera
A new dual lens 3D video camera, the Handycam HDR-TD10 will also have two Exmor R sensors, and two image processors, and play back 3D video content without a need for 3D glasses.
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Bloggie
A compact, ultra portable 3D video camera, the Bloggie, has been updated and is also now 3D enabled and also includes a 5.1MP still camera.
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3D Cybersshots
New Cybershot point-and-shoot cameras will also become 3D, shooting full HD video as well as 3D video.
Stringer said you can also take a still photo while simultaneously shooting uninterrupted video. They cameras also include Sony's sweep panorama feature for taking panoramic photos.
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Android and the Experia Arc
Sony Ericsson's Steve Walker took the stage to talk mobile phones, and he announced the Experia Arc, a sleek phone which runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread.
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First look at Killzone 3
We were treated to a look at Killzone 3, which will be in 3D, and Sony also showed off a 3D video trailer of Uncharted 3, which will be released in November.
When the show floor opens tomorrow, we'll be getting a closer look at Sony's products which are becoming more connected, and more visually dynamic with the more towards more 3D content.