Live from Sony IFA 2010 press event
We just landed at Sony's IFA 2010 press event. You know what that means: put on your 3D specs. In fact, just in case we didn't get the subtle hint of the 3D glasses sitting on our chair, there's a 3D intro video playing right this very second to put us in the mood.
12:02PM And... that's it? Yup, that's it. We're going to go grab some hands-on with the few scraps Sony threw us, and we'll catch you at the next liveblog!
12:01PM Sony's also busting out new XNV navigation devices, powered by TomTom. They have hugetastic touchscreens and mood-based music playlist generation.
11:57AM Alpha 55 and Alpha 33 and their fancy translucent mirrors are getting their due in a highlight reel.
11:54AM In the future Qriocity will be a service available through 3rd parties as well, though it's not clear how that will work.
11:53AM Video on demand is already out on the US, but now Sony is adding Qriocity's "cloud music service," which will be instantly available on existing Bravia Internet devices, with portable Sony devices hopping on board in the future.
11:51AM When you rent a movie (SD or HD) on Qriocity you get 14 days to watch it, and once you start watching it you have 48 hours to finish it. No word on pricing just yet.
11:49AM Sony is bringing the Qriocity (pronounced "curiosity") on demand music and streaming video service to Europe this fall.
11:46AM Now talking services. Bravia Internet TV now has over 30 partners in Europe "with content consumers actually want to watch."
11:43AM It looks a lot like the trailer we saw at E3, no surprises so far. We do have to say that the big screen here at IFA isn't doing much to hide the resolution hit that most of these games are taking to go 3D.
11:41AM "Let me show you what to expect when you immerse yourself in the 3D digital world with the PlayStation 3." It's mega-trailer time.
11:39AM Sony will be launching a 3D Vaio laptop in spring of 2011. There's a prototype in the booth, but there aren't a lot of specs just yet -- it looks like a big 'un, though.
11:36AM Sony's most recent Blu-ray players launched this year will be getting a 3D update, and Sony will be launching a 1080p 3D projector this year, the VW90, which uses the same active shutter glasses as the TVs.
11:34AM Lang Lang did some Sony schilling (3D!) and Sir Howard did some Lang Lang schilling (he's got a new live CD out), and now Fujio is back.
11:32AM Lang Lang just ripped the piano to shreds, and gets the biggest applause of the afternoon.
11:30AM And now Lang Lang is actually here! This is kind of like that Taylor Swift thing that happened at CES, but with less of a tween emphasis. We must admit, the effect of something that's happening live in front of us being shot and projected in 3D simultaneously is pretty fun. We don't know if it's, you know, total-duration-of-press-event fun, but it's alright.
11:27AM Now it's time for Lang Lang in 3D. It's almost like this piano is right in our living room!
11:24AM Sir Howard is back: "I'd forgotten there was so much hugging in the World Cup."
11:22AM Now we're peeping some 3D World Cup. We're in Europe right now, so we're putting on our best culturally sensitive game face while whispering "soccer sucks" under our breath.
11:21AM The prototype accepts gestures as well. We're kind of short on details, but we'll be sure to bug Sony more about it this week.
11:20AM He's showing off a "ray modeler" 3D display prototype. Instead of a flat display, the display is a cylinder, allowing for real 3D viewing. Sony imagines store displays, 3D telecommunications, and 3D gaming among the applications for the display.
11:18AM Still talking 3D.
11:16AM He's detailing upcoming 3D movies, including Avatar, Green Hornet and the next Spider-Man. Howard says story still matters, "a hit is still a hit, just that in 3D it's a bigger hit."
11:15AM (BTW, our camera isn't broken, the screen just looks like that to our pitiful little 2D DSLR)
11:13AM The European Imaging and Sound Association calls Sony's 3D TVs the best on the market, and the PS3 will get its 3D Blu-ray upgrade this October.
11:11AM Now he's showing us some 3D golf. Phil Mickelson's 18th at the US Open. Some great lens flare really puts us in the scene. "You've never seen greens like these," intones Sir Howard.
11:09AM It's Google TV time. "We are very proud to be the very first media and technology company to bring the future of TV to consumers." Sony's Google TV stuff will launch in the US this fall, with more details to be announced in the near future.
11:08AM And now here's Sir Howard Stringer to talk up the future. Tepid applause, maybe they don't think he's 3D enough? "Thank you for having me back again this year. I know you didn't vote, but thank you anyway."
11:07AM Fujio Nishida, president of Sony Europe, is on stage talking up Sony's recent successes. But get this, he's not just here in the flesh, he's also being live filmed and projected in 3D. "Feel free to keep you 3D glasses on throughout the presentation." Oh, don't worry, we will.
11:04AM Did we say 3D yet?
