Live from the Sony CES keynote
4:45 - Sony is bringing out Joshua Bell with his violin. Look like he's going to play some top 40 fiddle. More in a few when he's done with this thang. He's hitting rather high notes -- very Shine -- while his keeper sits off stiffly to the side next to the pianist. For a second we thought he was a plasticy Sony robot.
4:50 - Rick Clancey is now out, he's introducing what's what. They plan to focus on the "theme of transformations." Apparently they want to transform CES from an electronics show into an entertainment show. Huh? Sony's "Backstage theater" will be having plenty of presentations throughout CES of Sony artists. "... not one of our competitors can even come close to matching" Sony's position in the market. They're greeting Howard Stringer, but the Sir isn't here to speak on stage. What a bummer, where you at Howie?
4:54 - "So let's kick things off with the PS3." They're bringing up Peter Dille to give a PS3 update -- you may recall Peter? He's going over the usual PS3 pimping. Their goal: to ship 1m PS3s in 2006. Their accomplishment: reaching that goal. "One of the most important consumer electronics products of the decade." Apparently the PS3 has sold 1m units faster than PS and PS2, so he sounds pretty optimistic amidst the criticism surrounding Sony of late. Their next goal: 6m by March 2007.
4:56 - Going over the big talking points: "High def. Portable entertainment. Online / community content." Yes, pimping 1080p and Blu-ray, "crystal clear visuals," "vastly bigger canvas," "they look tremendous." Alright, let's get some content now, we've all heard the PS3 spiel.
5:00 - Digital living - those who want more than a portable gaming machine, it's a portable entertainment system. Going over PSP and PS3 integration, LocationFree, and accessing media content. Now we're onto more PS3 stuff: PS3 store, online network (which, they'd like to remind us, is totally free, "compared to our competitors."), text messaging, and "new online worlds" for users to integrate user-created content.
5:03 - Finally, upcoming games! Well, not really. Right now they're just showing clips of what appears to be current titles. Wait, WHAT? It was a 30-second clip and didn't show a single title. Sony, why do you tease us so? Now Randy Waynick is up on screen. "Full HD" is not only a Sony "creation," but it was a phrase they "popularized" too. You heard it here first, Sony is behind 1080p!
5:05 - According to NPD Sony was #1 in 2006 in HDTV. Not bad, Sony! Sony's introducing a 10-inch thick micro-display based HDTV -- but now on to LCD HDTVs. They announced their first 70-inch LCD HDTV with the "fastest refresh rate of any Sony LCD TV to date." They've also got an 82-inch Bravia on display here, and are claiming commitment to future production of OLED displays.
5:08 - Now the XL3 from yesterday -- their media PC with Blu-ray. They're previewing two new Blu-ray prototypes tonight, arriving in the market this year. And... ? Ah, he's moved on already, didn't even announce. Guess we'll find out in a few, but for now they're heading over to Steve Haber to discuss digital photography. "Behind the lens."
5:11 - "Sony has been digital since day one." 16 new camcorders in hard drive, DVD, and mini-DV, damn! Four new HD editions to the Handycam fam -- AVC-HD. 3 megapixel sensors, and x.v.Color, their new term coined from xvycc, "a new international standard that enables the color range to be expanded on y." Apparently Sony's captured 60% market share of the hard drive camcorder market; their new units will feature up to 60GB drives and up to 40x zoom. Going over some consumer cams; he's rocking the A100, which we all know well.
5:15 - IT product division chief: Hideyuki Furumi -- going to introduce the "hottest products" at CES. He wants us to watch out for "sound-alike / look-alike products from an ever-increasing list of manufacturers." Vaio laptops are expanding again with further die sub patterns and options. Now the UX... more stuff we know well. New products any time now guys, we're with ya.
5:19 - Here we go! W1 wireless system (we think)... stream music or internet radio for in-home use, a sexy little boombox. And now he's introducing their new media PC we covered earlier today, talking about rethinking where PCs can go and what they look like. Good, living room, respectively, thankyoumuch.
5:23 - Now the Mylo -- more review. Not quite the pow-pow-pow product introduction we were hoping for, but ah well. So, now we back to our main stage. "It's about companies and products with... a powerful entertainment vision for the future. That future starts RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW."
Here's Prez / CEO of Sony US, Stan Glasgow. Looks like the man's about to introduce some new gear straight up -- let's have it!
5:25 - "Sony is committed to creating an environment [of] convergence." Announcing an "Internet Video system," capable of streaming HD content. Oh yes, this is what we're talking about. It's an apparently modular device that interfaces with your TV, and HD IPTV on even current future models. Bravia Internet Video Link is the name, learn it well. Now Kevin Conroy, EVP of AOL is out to discuss AOL Video content on "platforms besides the traditional PC." And now he's off. Oh nice, the interface of the BIVL is like the XMB. And now we've got Marco Boerries from Yahoo on stage. Whoops, dude almost accidentally walked right off the stage after some PR biz.
5:29 - "If you need proof of Sony expanding its entertainment horizons, here is an example." Ahh, Grouper's here -- hence user-generated content. Looks like that seemingly-random acquisition a while back is starting to add up. They're demoing user-gen content over IPTV (something tells us this is going to be "curated," like YouTube / Verizon). Plays a short art film. "The world is changing everybody!" Chuckles.
5:35 - XMB is the primary interface -- for the first time on TVs in NA. It doesn't quite look as refined as that of the PS3, but it does look good. Weather, traffic, news delivered through RSS in widget-like channels. Looks like they're wrapping up in a short few, lots more droning on about how powerful the brand is and how they're a legendary electronics company cum entertainment giant. "It's that simple." Hey, we know -- you're Sony. And here's Spiderman 3 up on screen to take us home.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Paul Phillips @ Jan 7th 2007 7:33PM
From the first photo? Are Sony moving into Pianos?
David Ellis @ Jan 7th 2007 7:38PM
Does anyone know if there will be a live video stream of this like the microsoft event later?
ben furneaux @ Jan 7th 2007 7:43PM
yeh there will be head over to microsoft.com/ces commences at 6:30PM PST
StevO @ Jan 7th 2007 7:45PM
Welcome to the nexgen of keynotes!
Real-time product changing!
with giant enemy flatscreens - hit its weak spot with a wiimote for massive damage!!
The presentation will be run off one of the thousands of unsold PS3s, but its power supply will mysteriously burst into flames during the speech...
Mrfreezie @ Jan 7th 2007 7:53PM
I wonder if they will discuss their failing hand held, the PSP. I hope they do, I hate to see it die already..
JinKazama @ Jan 7th 2007 8:04PM
What are you talking about Freezie? The PSP is a solid handheld that's sold a bunch of units this year. No it's not the DS but trust me the PSP has been a big success for Sony. There is no danger of the PSP going away anytime soon.
Mrfreezie @ Jan 7th 2007 8:09PM
JinKazama, that is a great point, and I suppose I should have been more specific. What I mean is more along the lines of homebrew and PS1 emulation. If Sony would have let us play PS1 games on the PSP without a PS3, that would have been awesome. But beacause they are worried about the PS3 not selling, they had to change it.
mck @ Jan 7th 2007 8:58PM
Yea, I'd love to purchase Crash Bandicoot for myself to play, but there's no chance I'm going to go out and buy a PS3 just to do that.
JinKazama @ Jan 7th 2007 8:14PM
Actually Freezie PS1 games direct to PSP is coming soon. Wouldn't be surprised if they announced it tonight, But as someone who's bought a couple don't get your hopes up. Don't get me wrong the games are really well done, but after years of gaming the shortcomings of the PS1 games are really apparent. Sony needs to focus on the classics in that department (MGS, FF) not semi successful niche games.
Iced_Eagle @ Jan 7th 2007 8:18PM
Notice that they say they SHIPPED 1 million PS3's... I would rather like to know how much are sold, because I'm 100% confident they did not sell 1 million units in 2006.
moma @ Jan 7th 2007 11:34PM
What makes you say that?
ozone @ Jan 7th 2007 9:03PM
If they shipped them, retailers must have bought them to be able to stock them, amirite? But don't mind me, I have no idea what the fuck I'm talking about 91% of the time.
Leonard Nimrod @ Jan 7th 2007 9:03PM
They sold every single one they could produce! Which was well below what the consumers' needs. If not, they would have been sold on eBay for several thousand dollars.
Mrfreezie @ Jan 7th 2007 8:29PM
Wow, that HD streaming device is interesting. I don't like that they are partnering up with AOL, however. AOL always means bad.
BlessedBullet @ Jan 7th 2007 8:36PM
@Mrfreezie
AOL isn't always bad... Guess which internet media company owns Engadget?
ic @ Jan 7th 2007 8:56PM
nice to see they met their 1Mil PS3 shipped goal, but it would have been helpful if they shipped them before the holiday shopping season was over (looks like there are several PS3s waiting for buyers even around Los Angeles) and if the gaming line up was much better. I like Resistance a lot, but no single game is worth $500-600 when the 360 has a solid catalog right now and for the coming year at a lower price. I do hope they well at the very least do well with the PS3 to keep the competition going strong leading to a better gaming market for consumers.
Also, the PSP isn't doing bad at all as others have mentioned (http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/data/bizdatapsp_e.html). They just aren't close in Japan against the DS, but the tech is good, games are getting better, and maybe developers will release something for the mobile market instead of PS2 ports with worse controls. Tailor the games to maximize the potential of the system PLEASE!
HarryC @ Jan 7th 2007 10:03PM
The dude next to the pianist is the page turner.
Josh is a virtuoso - well done Sony for supporting him.
Skeptic @ Jan 8th 2007 12:33AM
re: 4.54. Here I was thinking that they wanted to ship 4 million consoles in 2006 (http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/19/catching-up-with-kaz-and-the-ps3/)
Josh @ Jan 8th 2007 1:59PM
It's interesting how far their PS3 sales goal dropped. What was it before 1 million? 4 mil? 6?
Mark M @ Jan 8th 2007 5:06PM
I think they really did manage to ship 1M PS3s in 2006 and it doesn't matter if that was before or after Xmas, because the console industry is known to still be a strong seller in the last week of the year.
What I doubt is the 6M mark by March; not at that price, but this is the kind of company that may come close to that.
Finally though I am sure they won't be seeing any profit margin unless they start actually selling GAMES, rather than Blu-Ray videos. The games on Blu Ray will be very expensive especially in European territory, then Nintendo's bigger success with Wii, and Microsoft who won't be sitting on their hands makes it evident that PS3 has a hard time ahead.
These will be interesting times for Sony; the Success of Blu Ray and Cell depend alot on PS3's success, it is nothing less than THE PRODUCT THAT CAN MAKE OR BREAK SONY.
mojay2k4 @ Jan 8th 2007 10:07PM
About the psp... i think people are forgetting that this is sony's first entry to the portable stage and every unit they sell makes it more successful than its predecesor... nothing. So saying the psp failed is kinda retarded
CJ @ Jan 9th 2007 12:19PM
Sony reminds me of Ash in Army of Darkness "Clatu, Verata...HMPHRRR" why can't they just give real data. How many PS3s did you actually sell. Shipping 1 million does not mean anything. I know for a fact that the Best buy close to my house has about 50 in stock, the Fry's store here in Austin has a whole untouched palette, Circuit City also has a few in stock. There is no way that they sold 1 million if all they shipped were 1 million. I am depressed cuz mine is collecting dust next to my nice TV. How a bout a good game, where are all the third party developers? Sony's first party titles have always sucked and continue to do so.
Nate @ Jan 9th 2007 3:33PM
@ BlessedBullet
Yeah but I still think of AOL as Assholes OnLine
Midnight @ Oct 12th 2007 5:30PM
Sure is an unexciting keynote from Sony...