Sony sets it out at CES 2013 (pictures)

Kaz Hirai hits the stage.

Hirai kicked things off with a quick and colorful overview of Sony's past accomplishments -- which also served as a lead-in to the soon-to-be-announced new products. Here's the $25,000 84-inch XBR-84X900, the company's first 4K TV, which was released in November. As you'll see, it was about to be joined by two smaller siblings.

During the intro, Hirai announced the new Xperia Z smartphone as well. And then...

...COO Phil Molyneux took the stage and went into the details. The flagship handset boasts a number of high-end features including quad-core processing, a massive 5-inch screen, and a 13-megapixel camera. You can check out CNET Reviews' Hands-On with the device here.

Molyneux also showed off a range of NFC (near field communications)-equipped speakers (or in Sony parlance, "One-Touch" speakers). You touch your phone to the speakers, and they start playing whatever audio is playing on your phone. Here, he brandishes a small spherical speaker. "I carry my pink balls wherever I go in my bag," Molyneux joked. CNET's David Carnoy gives a run-down of the line of speakers here.

Molyneux said Sony's $25,000, 84-inch XBR-84X9004K TV has been well received, but that it's not for everyone. (No kidding.) This spring we'll see 55- and 65-inch models, at what Sony says will be prices similar to those of today's normal high-end TVs. Check out CNET Reviews' take on those two sets here.

Molyneux shows off the new 55- and 65-inch 4K sets.

More 4K madness.

The 4K proof is in the pixels, says Sony.

Kaz returned to the stage to tout a prototype 4K OLED set, but misfortune struck when it wound up displaying a BIOS screen. It was promptly whisked away as Kaz said "excellent" with heavy sarcasm. The TV then displayed some Windows UI gobbledygook before disappearing again. It was a major embarrassment -- a shame because the set had inspired gasps in the audience.

"Be Moved," said Sony, but it's not clear just how moved the audience was by the company's somewhat truncated-seeming press conference.
CNET has a slew of coverage of Sony's new gadgets. Choose your poison:
• A look at Sony's premium high end Xperia Z
• Sony's luxurious Xperia Z is slim, trim, and seductive (hands-on)
• Sony aims to make a splash with waterproof Xperia Z
• Sony's less stylish sibling (hands-on)
• How Sony can regain its cool factor in smartphones

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• Sony's sexy new NFC-enabled portable Bluetooth speakers arrive in March

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• Sony's new 4K TV will finally cost less than a car
• Sony to launch 4K video distribution system this summer
• Sony puts 4K front and center with the Sony 4K Ultra HD Video Player

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• A look at the exciting new technology of Sony's 4K OLED TV

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• The elegant Sony Bravia X900A isn't just another TV
• Sony's R550 LED TV plays nice with DirecTV, NFC
• Sony's W900 LED should have great picture quality
• Sony's KDL-W802A LED promises more of the same

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• Sony WX80 is a glimpse of Cyber-shots to come
• Sony Cyber-shot cameras of CES 2013 (pictures)

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• Sony's bullish on camcorders
• Sony's gaggle of camcorders (pictures)

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• Sony's 2013 Blu-ray players stream media from both iOS and Android devices

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• Sony debuts new NWZ-270 Walkman Sports MP3 player