Hands on with PlayStation Now

Sony's ambitious streaming-only game service is about to hit public beta. Here's what to expect.

CNET - I've recently become enamored with the idea of replaying games from my past because unlike a favorite film, I don't often experience a game twice.

Backwards compatibility has been a point of contention in previous generations of consoles, but with the arrival of Xbox One and PlayStation 4, legacy titles have taken a backseat. While Microsoft has yet to flesh out plans on addressing this void, Sony has aggressively teased PlayStation Now, a game-streaming service that not only chips away at the backwards compatibility shortcomings of PS4, but will soon offer the ability to stream archive games across multiple Sony platforms.

I've had a few weeks with the closed PlayStation Now beta, and while I'm told almost everything I've seen is subject to change, here are my first initial impressions of Sony's ambitious service.   Read More

Mobile World Congress Day One Highlights

Samsung unveils the Galaxy S5

The wait is over. No more rumors, just facts. This is Samsung's much anticipated superphone freshly unveiled at Mobile World Congress.   Read More 

HTC brings style to the mid-range segment with the Desire 816 (hands-on)

The new Desire 816 is the company's flagship for a new mid-tier lineup and sports a design based on the One series of devices.   Read More

Nokia Asha 230 shows off teeny-tiny touchscreen

It's incredibly basic, but the minuscule Asha 230 has an adorable design, and will set you back very little cash.   Read More

The Nvidia Tegra Note 7 adds LTE

Nvidia's updatd Tegra Note 7 keeps its Tegra 4 processor and adds a i500 modem, coming soon for $299.    Read More

First Ubuntu phones revealed (pictures)

Take an exclusive first look at the first Ubuntu phones, the Meizu MX3 and BQ Aquaris, in our hands-on photos.    Read More

Mobile World Congress in Video: Sony updates its Xperia lineup

We've told you about the changes Sony's introducing to its Xperia smartphones and tablets. Now see the new Xperia Z2 phone for yourself in this video report.    Read More

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CES: PulseWallet lets you pay with your veins, Sony's Cloud Based Streaming, PlayStation, Nikon & More

Blood money: PulseWallet lets you pay with your veins

Scan your veins with the latest mobile payments panacea

PlayStation Now streams PlayStation games to PS4, Vita, PS3, tablets and smartphones

A first glimpse at Nikon's new flagship, the D4S

Sony's launching a new cloud based TV streaming service in the US this year

More CES News

PS4 Launch: Sony's Best or Worst? - A Walk Down Memory Lane

IFA - Sony launches a trio of new hybrid Vaio PCs

The Vaio Flip, Tap 21, and Tap 11 all combine elements of a PC and tablet.

CNET - At Sony's pre-IFA press conference, the electronics giant announced a trio of new Vaio PCs. Unlike previous years, none of the the three new systems highlighted here are traditional clamshell laptops. Instead, each combines the features of the PC and tablet, following the industry wide trend towards hybrid devices.

The Vaio Flip, Tap 11, and Tap 21 are all touch-screen Windows 8 devices that should be available later in 2013, although there are no set price and release date details yet. Each is briefly profiles below, with a link to more extensive hands-on coverage and photos.

View the PCs

Sony Vaio Pro 13 vs. Apple MacBook Air 13-inch

PS4 Gamers Can Play All Their Digital Games From Any System

Thanks to the PS4′s ability to play games that are being downloaded in the background, you can play your digital titles on any machine.

Forbes - Thanks to the PlayStation 4′s Play As You Download feature, PS4 gamers will be able to play any of their digital games from any system without having to wait hours for a game to download.

“You can visit your friends house you can log into your account and play any game from your digital library, which is good,” said Neil Brown, Sony’s R&D senior team leader, speaking at Develop. “But how useful is that if it takes half a day to download the game you want to play? With Play As You Download you get much quicker access to at least the first section of the game so you can start playing quicker. So this makes a digital library a practical option in the real world.”   More

Sony Vaio Pro 11 - Lighter-than-Air ultrabook

 

 CNET - 

The good: The Sony Vaio Pro 11 weighs less than 2 pounds and uses a fourth-gen Intel Core i5 to deliver long battery life and very good everyday performance. It has an excellent 11.6-inch 1080p touch screen and is competitively priced for its features.

The bad: The Pro 11, like its competition, has a nonremovable battery (though you can add an external battery), few ports and connections, and integrated graphics only. System memory is maxed out at 4GB.

The bottom line: The superthin, superlight Sony Vaio Pro 11 is everything we expect from an excellent ultrabook.

Read the Full Review

Making sense of the PS4 game lineup

Sony's PS4 event left us asking plenty of questions. Which games are PS4 exclusives? Which are PS3 games? And which are both?

 

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET) 

 

CNET - NEW YORK--So the world didn't exactly get what it wanted out of Sony's PlayStation 4 debut tonight. There was no sight of the actual console itself and details about its specific release date and price were also nowhere to be seen.

Sony's team-up with Gaikai is sure to net some interesting ideas and implementations with cloud streaming, the sharing of game screens, remote play, and other concoctions, but the games themselves were what made the biggest impact.

Those pondering the PS4's gaming prowess were served an interesting dish. Ten or so major developers were represented in some capacity and onhand to discuss their progress with the new hardware, which consisted of all sorts of fresh media. Some announced new exclusive titles, while others merely showcased proof-of-concept videos. 

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Per These Leaked CES Pics, Sony Is Actually Capable Of Making A Memorable Android Phone

 

TechCrunch - Quick! What’s Sony’s current high-end Android phone? Anyone? Yeah, Sony has a problem with brand recognition, one it likely hopes will be resolved with a big CES debut next week. While that could still happen, Sony’s Japanese press site just prematurely posted pics of the Xperia Z “Yuga” and the Xperia ZL “Odin”. And, surprisingly, the phones actually look worth remembering.

Sony, and before that, Sony Ericsson, has long floundered about in the mobile waters. Besides the Sony Ericsson gaming phone, none have been particularly interesting. Somehow Sony manages to make forgettable phones even though past models looked great and packed top-notch specs. Hopefully, and I mean that, these upcoming phones will hit the market with a bit more pizzazz.

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Sony's stellar LED TV better than 4K? - Review of the Sony XBR-65HX950

(Credit: Sony Electronics)

CNET - Forget that 84-inch 4K monstrosity grabbing all the headlines. If you've been holding out for the best Sony TV of 2012, this is probably it.

Yes, the XBR-HX950 is smaller and lower-resolution, and yes, it's still extremely expensive at a beginning list price of $3,500. But I expect it to have better picture quality than the 84-incher, along with just about every other LED TV.

Before I get into the reasons why, allow me to indulge in a (recent) history lesson. Last year the Sony XBR-HX929 was hands-down the best-performing LED TV on the market until the Sharp Elite came along. Due largely to their use of full-array local dimming the two sets were quite a bit better than the next-best alternative (Sony's own NX720) and also cost a lot more. Compared with the Elite, however, the XBR-HX929 is a relative bargain -- its 55-inch size currently sells for around $2,000 less than the smallest Elite, a 60-inch model.

At CES in January, Sony's TV announcements conspicuously omitted mention of a successor to the XBR-HX929, which the company continued to describe as "current" -- until now. The XBR-HX950 previewed here replaces the HX929, and according to Sony offers some improvements. We expect it to beat the 2012 HX850 in picture quality, at least equal the HX929, and perhaps challenge the 2011 Elite (Sharp has yet to announce any successor).

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Vaio unveilings: Sony shows hybrid Duo 11, Tap 20 desktop PC

The Vaio lineup gets two new entries announced by Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai at the IFA event in Berlin. One can play as both laptop and tablet, while the other sits on the desktop.

Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai unveils a new Vaio.

(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)

 

CNET - Sony bulked up its Vaio lineup with two new entries today: one a large table-top product and the other a convertible device that can toggle between a tablet and a laptop.

The hybrid is the Vaio Duo 11, which has a keyboard, but can slide between a laptop design and a tablet-like slate.

The second is the Vaio Tap 20, a 20-inch table-top PC that can be used by individuals or as a multimedia center for groups.

The devices run Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system, as CNET had earlier reported.

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Sony Vaio S Series SVS1511AGXB Review

$1,349.99

 CNET -

The good: Powerful, thin, and reasonably lightweight, the Sony Vaio S includes a quad-core CPU, Blu-ray, and a good package of preinstalled software.

The bad: This is still an expensive laptop that's caught in the middle, with other premium laptops outperforming it, and less expensive ones catching up in terms of design. Also, the touch pad felt especially finicky.

The bottom line: The 15-inch Sony Vaio S does gaming, Blu-ray, and a lot more, all while keeping the design thin and light.

Read the Full Review!

The $99 Sony Xperia Ion for AT&T

CNET - 

The good: The affordable Sony Xperia Ion has solid call quality and swift 4G LTE that ties into Sony's vast entertainment empire.

The bad: Lackluster images and video belie the Xperia's claimed 12MP camera. It's also held back by an old processor and an outdated OS.

The bottom line: The $99.99 Sony Xperia Ion looks like a good Android deal but its weaknesses make it not worth even the budget price.

Read the Full Review

Sony pumps up PlayStation Plus

Electronics giant makes a move that may finally unseat Microsoft's dominance of the online home gaming experience.

 
(Credit: PlayStation)

 

CNET - Later this week, PlayStation Plus members can download 12 games free, including major titles such as Infamous 2, LittleBigPlanet 2, and Saints Row 2. The company expects to start bringing more free games to the table each month, suggested PlayStation President and CEO Jack Tretton at Sony's E3 press conference.     More

Live blog: Sony's E3 2012 press conference

(Credit: Corinne Schulze/ CBS Interactive)

 

CNET - More details of God of War: Ascension? A cloud gaming acquisition? A reason to care about PlayStation Move?

We've already outlined what we expect Sony will announce at this year's E3 press conference. To see the news as it happens, heat up some dinner and check back here on Monday, June 4, at 5:45 p.m. PT/8:45 p.m. ET.

View the live blog here.

Review: Sony PlayStation Vita (Wi-Fi)

The good: The PlayStation Vita delivers amazing visuals on its 5-inch OLED touch screen that look almost as good as PS3 graphics. The system’s launch lineup is very impressive and allows for downloading of some games (including all first-party titles) over the PlayStation Network. The Vita’s operating system is smartly designed, easy to use, and ultraresponsive. The unit feels great to hold and has excellent standby battery life.

The bad: The Vita uses proprietary media and connections across the board, and even requires the purchase of a separate memory card to play most games and use most apps, which results in a hidden cost. Battery life could be better, and there’s no way it can be replaced by the user. There’s also no video out. Also, some antipiracy implementations are a bit cumbersome to deal with (for example, mounting the Vita to a PC/Mac for file transfer). It’s also unclear how much storage the Vita has onboard, and it’ll cost you more money for larger Vita Memory Cards.

The bottom line: Overall, the PlayStation Vita is the most advanced portable gaming system ever made. While the price is deceiving because of a hidden cost, gamers are getting an impressively complete package right out of the gate. A healthy launch lineup is sure to provide something for every kind of gamer, and a large selection of digital downloads is available right now.

Read the Full Review!

Sony Walkman Z – The iPod Touch for Android fiends

CNET - 

The good: The Walkman Z portable media player emphasizes music as the killer mobile app, integrating Sony’s Music Unlimited service, high-quality headphones, and unmatched audio enhancement software.

The bad: Considering its premium price, the Walkman Z has limited video support, a thick design, mediocre screen resolution, short battery life, no memory expansion, no cameras, and is built around a version of Android that’s soon to be outdated.

The bottom line: The Walkman Z is Sony’s iPod Touch for Android-loving audiophiles.

Read The Full Review

CES – Sony: No PlayStation 3 Successor in 2012

PCMag.Com - Don’t expect a next-generation PlayStation console to appear this year. Sony executive deputy president Kazuo Hirai dashed hopes that the company will unveil a PlayStation 4 this year at E3, or elsewhere.

Hirai, who heads up Sony’s consumer electronics and video game divisions, told the Wall Street Journal that the company believes the PlayStation 3 is a product with a 10-year life span. Sony launched the PS3 in 2006, so by that logic, the company won’t produce a new PlayStation for another four years.

Hirai’s words corroborated previous comments from Andrew House, head of Sony’s video game business, who recently said there won’t be a PlayStation 4 reveal at E3.    More

CES – Eyes On Sony’s Insane Crystal LED Prototype Display

Gizmodo - Today during Sony’s CES press conference, Sir Howard Stringer oh-so-casually dropped news about this prototype Crystal LED display they have in the works. As it turns out, it’s probably the coolest thing Sony has at CES.

What sets the Crystal LED tech apart from other display technology is that instead of using LED’s to light up pixels, Sony up and replaced all the pixels with LEDs. That means that there are six million miniature red, blue and green LED’s lighting up and delivering a crystal clear, razor sharp picture to our eyes. And seeing it up close was impressive.                More