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NTT DoCoMo, KDDI launch their endless Summer 2010 collections
Surprise: Japanese carriers are announcing literally dozens of phones at once. Okay, look, that's not a surprise at all, but bear with us, because there are a few shining jewels in here amongst the seemingly endless array of WVGA displays and one-seg tuners from NTT DoCoMo and KDDI au, both of whom have announced their Summer 2010 collections of handsets this week. Of note, two of the models from DoCoMo -- the Fujitsu F-06B and Sharp SH-07B are capable of shooting 1080p video, while KDDI's SH008 from Sharp, S003 from Sony Ericsson, and CA005 from Casio all feature sensors of 12 megapixels or larger. Several of the devices can also be used as WiFi hotspots, and Hitachi's trick Beskey for KDDI has interchangeable keypads that change the shape of the keys, not the layout -- a bit superficial, perhaps, but we're all about choice. DoCoMo is also launching a handful of smartphones: the Lynx SH-10B from Sharp (not to be confused with the old Atari handheld of the same name) that features Android atop a 5-inch touchscreen, Toshiba's 4.1-inch T-01B Dynapocket with WinMo, and RIM's plain old BlackBerry Bold 9700. Don't get us wrong, it's still quite a haul, but we can't help but feel that the gap between Japan's wireless scene and the rest of the world is closing fast.
Sony's DSC-TX5 is waterproof, freeze-proof, dust-proof, and headed for retail this April
Our early info on this diminutive shooter only indicated it'd be waterproof, so it's a pleasant surprise to see some further optimizations thrown in for use in less hospitable environments. You'll be able to go down to 10 feet under water with the TX5, drop it from a 5-foot height, or explore the tundra at temperatures as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit (-10 Celsius) without the camera throwing in the towel. So Sony claims anyhow. Other features include a now confirmed 10fps burst mode, a 10.2 megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor, 4x optical zoom plus optical image stabilization, and a 3-inch touchscreen on the back. The one thing that doesn't make the transition from rumor to reality is the reputed 1080p movie mode -- the TX5 makes do with a still desirable 720p video recording. Sony's also kicking out the DSC-H55 (pictured after the break) today, which will have the same video mode, but adds a 10x optical zoom and a thicker, non-weatherproofed body. Both cams will happily write to Class 4 and above SDHC cards when they debut this April, priced at $350 for the TX5 and $250 for the H55. %Gallery-85894%
Sony's camera and camcorder lineup spotted at CES (video)
We swung by Sony's gloomy CES booth to check out their new camcorders and cameras for 2010. Fresh on the Handycam menu were the SDHC-loving CX and XR series camcorders (pictured above), and we saw some nice demos of their Optical SteadyShot (mesmerizing video after the break) and wide angle G lens. The tapeless AX2000 professional video camera was also present further down the table, sporting dual memory card slots. On the other table we encountered the Bloggie and the rest of the 2010 Cyber-shot lineup in several colors. Aww, what a sweet family. %Gallery-82133%
Sony Cyber-shots go 'Bananas!' with GPS+Compass, SD card, HD video, TransferJet
We've got plenty of options for would-be Cyber-shot owners coming out of the Sony press event, so let's get right into it, eh? For those with a little money to burn, the DSC-HX5V and DSC-TX7 compact digital stills rock full HD (1920 x 1080 60i) AVCHD video, Backlight Correction High Dynamic Range (said to improve shooting in low light) and that world famous TransferJet (perfect for moving data back and forth between all those new Sony Memory Sticks and Vaio F Series notebooks). The former includes GPS + Compass and Optical SteadyShot with Active Mode, while the latter has a slim, swanky form factor. On the lower end of things, the DSC-W370 and DSC-W350 are 14MP shooters, while the DSC-W330, DSC-W310, and DSC-S2100 rock a longer zoom and wide-angle lenses. Speaking of that world famous Sweep Panorama, both the W370 and W350 Cyber-shot models can take up to 243 and 268-degree pictures, respectively, "in one easy press-and-sweep motion." And no, this ain't even the best part, for all the new Sony cameras support both dual-SD and MemoryStick. You're pretty stoked, right? Prices, release dates, and PR after the break.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX1 scores mixed reception
By now you should be thoroughly familiar with Sony's Party-shot-loving and almost unreasonably svelte TX1 compact shooter. Its headline features -- 720p movie mode and better low light performance courtesy of the Exmor R sensor -- have now been put to the test and we're here with the scorecard ready to spill the results. Reassuringly, all reviewers found image quality to be excellent for the camera's size class, and the TX1 even outperformed its peers by keeping noise comfortably in check all the way up to ISO 800. A 1cm (or 0.4-inches for you heretics) Macro mode was another highlight, though criticisms did rain down on issues of lens distortion, a fiddly touchscreen menu that was too prone to accidental activation, and an uncompetitive price point. Of course, your biggest draw here might still be the optional (and spendy) party dock, but the thorough reviews below at least give you the chance to pretend like you're buying this camera for the image quality alone. Read - Photography Blog review Read - Wired review Read - Imaging Resource review Read - Electric Pig review
Video hands-on: Sony's Party-shot dock knows how to par-tay, unlike Paul
Know what's awesome? Parties... and parfaits. But if we had to choose, we'd rather have Sony's Party-shot dock on hand at our next soirèe instead of a delicate ensemble of whipped confectioneries. Just set your Partyshot-enabled Cybershot into Sony's automatically swiveling and panning $150 IPT-DS1 Party-shot dock and relive up to 11-hours of battery powered magic the next morning. Assuming it's still there, of course. See it in action with your 24 hour IFA party people after the break.
Video: Sony confirms it's 'bringing home 3D' starting in 2010
As it turns out, yesterday's report was spot-on. Sony today announced that it is bringing the experience of looking absolutely ridiculous in 3D glasses home to the living room. The initiative is "starting in 2010" and will expand through BRAVIA LCD HDTVs, VAIO machines, PlayStation 3, and Blu-ray discs... and not in the press release, but we clearly see a CyberShot digital camera in the promotional video (look out, Fujifilm). It's hard to say from the wording if all the listed product lines will go 3D next year, but from what we gather there'll at least be BRAVIA sets in time for that Christmas. Curious see the zaniest video this side of the second dimension? Well, we don't have that, but you can giggle your way through Sony's promo after the break.
Sony's Party-shot dock snaps incriminating Facebook photos while you drink
As if your Facebook profile doesn't have enough hard evidence that you're completely unfit for any job you might strike up the courage to apply for, here's a thoughtful accessory for producing even more regret-inducing snapshots. Launched tonight alongside Sony's DSC-WX1 and DSC-TX1 Cyber-shot digicams, the $150 IPT-DS1 Party-shot (ships in September) is a newfangled camera dock that pans 360 degrees and tilts 24 degrees, automatically detects faces, adjusts composition and takes photos for you. It's like the GigaPan, sans the whole "useful panorama" aspect. The dock can churn for up to 11 hours on a pair of AA batteries (an optional AC adapter is also available), though at least for now, it only works with the aforesaid TX1 and WX1 models. Also of note, anyone with half an ounce of dignity will likely freak out and leave upon seeing this set up at your next shindig. Just sayin'.
Sony's CyberShot DSC-TX1 and DSC-WX1 cameras boast pet-friendly settings, 'Exmor R' sensor for low-light scenarios
If you've been waiting on the edge of your seat for some confirmation of last month's leak of the CyberShot DSC-TX1 and DSC-WS1, wait no longer. Sony's just gone official with the pair of 10.2 megapixel point and shoots, and they're about what you were expecting. The WX1 (pictured left) sports a Sony G lens, 2.7-inch LCD, 5x optical zoom with f/2.5 max aperture, 720p HD movie recording (MPEG4 format), and a new "Exmor R" back illuminated CMOS sensor for better low-light handling. The fancier TX1 has the same Exmor R sensor and 720p movie mode, but also comes with a 3-inch LCD and Carl Zeiss Vario-Tesar lens with 4x telescopic zoom. Both beauts possess the same anti-motion blur and multi-shot modes found in the DSC-HX1, as well as a BIONZ processor, facial detection, smile shutter (for snapping shots when people are smiling, of course), wide panorama capabilities, 10 frames per second burst shooting, and a "pet mode" for taking pictures of your little loved ones, helping to alleviate issues with blurring and pet red-eye. You want street date and price? WX1's coming in October for $350, black only, while the TX1's due out in September for $380 and a palette choice of silver, gray, pink, and blue. Full press release after the break.Update: Akihabara News got some hands-on time during the Japanese unveiling. %Gallery-69503%
Sony Ericsson's 8.1MP C905a and W518a Walkman on sale at AT&T
Don't act surprised -- AT&T already told you that these two would go on sale this fine Sunday in July, and lo and behold, the carrier looks to have kept its promise. Starting today (officially, anyway), customers looking for a camera that doubles as a cellphone or a Walkman that occasionally makes calls can bring home the C905a or W518a, respectively. As expected, the C905a (which is available in silver only) will run you $179.99 after rebate and two-year agreement, while the W518a (which arrives in any color you like, so long as it's black) goes for $49.99 under the same conditions. Any takers? Or are all you SE fanboys waiting to court Rachael?[Thanks, Jazzdoc]
Sony Ericsson hand delivers 8.1MP C905a and W518a Walkman to AT&T
While one could argue that Sony Ericsson should really be focusing its efforts on getting a Rachael / Android-based handset out on the double, it's evidently content with digging up a year-old phone, slapping an "a" on the end of it and passing it along to AT&T. The 8.1 megapixel C905 that we were so jazzed about in June of 2008 has indeed been certified for AT&T as the C905a Cyber-shot (left and center), offering the same 8.1 megapixel sensor, face detection, AutoFocus, Xenon flash, GPS tagging and 3G support. In related news, SE is also offering up the 518a Walkman (shown right) on the same carrier, which features a 3.2 megapixel camera, an obsession with Facebook, Shake Control and OTA music downloads from Napster and eMusic via AT&T Music. Both sets will be available on July 19th for $179.99 and $49.99 (respectively) after mail-in rebate and a two-year agreement, which sounds "way too high" and "too high" to us (also respectively).
Sony readying CyberShot DSC-TX1 and DSC-WX1 cameras?
It was only a few months ago that we were fielding rumors about Sony's CyberShot DSC-HX1, and now we're struggling to keep our credit card at bay each time we waltz by one in the local camera shop. Today, Sony Insider has pointed out that the outfit may be readying a new duo to complement the megazoom: the DSC-TX1 and DSC-WX1. If the latest whispers prove legitimate, the TX1 will boast a 10 megapixel sensor, 4x optical zoom, 3-inch LCD, 720p movie mode and a price tag somewhere south of $400. The WX1 should check in as a lower-end model with 10 megapixels, a 5x optical zoom, 2.7-inch LCD and the same 720p movie mode; why exactly it'll be cheaper we're not sure, but that's the good word at the moment. E-tailer Provantage already has listings for both cameras up, so it seems as if it's just a matter of time before Sony confirms all the good news.[Via Sony Insider]
Sony T90 point-and-shoot gets reviewed, liked
In an already overpopulated compact camera market, the Cyber-shot T90 solicits attention with a 16:9 touch-screen LCD and a sliding lens shield. The lads over at PC Mag grabbed one of these Sony shooters for an in-depth prodding and poking session to determine whether the external appeal of the camera is backed up by solid technology under the hood. Praise was meted out for image sharpness and 720p video recording, though battery life was found disappointing. For their full impressions, test results and an exhaustive spec sheet, hit the read link.
Sony Cyber-shot W180 and W190 cameras feature awesome digital zooms
Sony just announced a pair of Cyber-shot cameras in Europe. Both offer Sony's smile shutter technology, 3x zoom stabilized with SteadyShot, 2.7-inch LCD, a claimed ISO 3200 sensitivity, and 7 automatic scene selection modes. The W180, though, has a 10.1 megapixel sensor to the 12.1 megapixels of the W190 (pictured). Oddly, Sony's pushing the 17x/18x digital zoom capabilities on these -- something we haven't seen hyped for a few years:Pristine picture quality is further enhanced by the high-quality 3x optical zoom lens. Smart zoom boosts maximum magnification to a frame-filling 18x for W190 and 17x for W180 for even more dramatic close-ups. In other words, these cams are targeting entry-level consumers prone to enjoying a Big Mac and tattle-rag while shopping instead of doing any real pre-purchase research. Available starting July in silver, black, and red for "an outstanding value." Backside front, after the break.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 superzoomer reviewed
Sure, it's got that funky flip-out display, in-camera panorama stitching, HD video recording and a host of other fancy features for its $500 pricepoint, but does Sony's new Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 give DSLRs a run for their money? Digital Photography Review doesn't seem to think so. The camera has a lot in common with Canon's similarly-positioned SX1 IS, and even bests it in some departments with that 10 fps continuos shooting mode, but the actual image quality just isn't in the same ballpark as a barely more expensive DSLR, and DP Review figures that if you don't need the 20x zoom or other more gimmicky features, most folks would probably be better served by saving their pennies for the real deal.
Sony Ericsson CS8 passes FCC, looking T-Mobile bound
If you were looking for a C905 with just a little dash of AWS 3G thrown in, look no further than this little gem. The so-called CS8 breaks from Sony Ericsson's traditional model naming convention, but they could call this thing the Behold 2 if they wanted to -- all we care is that we're getting access to an 8.1 megapixel slider with myFaves (you can clearly see the myFaves logo plastered on the back of the user manual's diagrams, and yes, it's that important). It also sports Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS, and our undying love and affection, so we hope to see you soon, dearest Cyber-shot.
Sony Ericsson's C905 Plus is basically a C905
Your first thought when you hear "C905 Plus" might be, "oh, dear, the plain ol' C905 hasn't even been released on Rogers or AT&T yet." Well, we wouldn't worry about that too much, because it turns out that the Plus isn't much of a retooling -- in fact, it's not a retooling at all. Instead, Sony Ericsson has simply dropped its latest and greatest firmware on the thing to include new features like Smile Shutter, bundled an 8GB Memory Stick Micro card, and moved on with life. In fact, the C905 Plus is being billed as a limited offering in the UK at this point, so we wouldn't be surprised to see this fade into oblivion in the next few months -- at which point we can all get back to our regularly-scheduled 8.1 megapixel envy. [Via Phone Arena]
Sony's CyberShot DSC-HX1 camera gets official, coming March for $500
Sony has finally shown its cards for PMA this year, and that Ten of Clubs up its sleeve looks to be the CyberShot DSC-HX1 we heard about last week. According to the presser, it's the company's first digital camera with sweep panorama technology for up to 224-degree horizontal and 154-degree vertical panorama shots with the push of a button. It's also sporting a 20x optical zoom, 1/2.4-inch Exmor CMOS sensor for 10 frames per second at 9.1 megapixel resolution, a Sony G lens and 1080p HD movie recording. Look for it this March for around five Benjamins.
Sony Ericsson C903 hands-on
First off, red handsets never seem to be particularly photogenic, mmkay? But color aside, Sony Ericsson's C903 is well specced, fairly handsome, and we'd expect that the price won't be wallet numbing. The C903 is comfy as far as the phone's footprint in-hand goes, though, it is a little husky through the middle with the sliding camera cover -- and the inner workings of the autofocus 5 megapixel shooter we suspect. Keyboard? Meh, our fingers immediately got a little lost while banging on it as each row has no real defining line between keys. Though despite the chubbiness and keyboard awkwardness, if this newest in the Cyber-shot line is priced properly it could be a hit. Follow on for more pictures of a red handset than you're likely going to be comfortable with.%Gallery-44992%
Sony's Cyber-shot T900, T90, W290, W230 and H20 do the thinking for you
It's official, folks -- PMA is on. Er, almost on. At any rate, it's on enough for Sony, FujiFilm and Samsung to dole out a smattering of new cams today in their respective lineups. Today, Sony is introducing five new Cyber-shot models, all of which seek to remove the burden of taking the perfect picture from you. The DSC-T900, DSC-T90, DSC-W290 and DSC-H20 all feature an intelligent auto mode, which automatically detects scene conditions and adjusts settings to best take advantage of the situation. The whole April-bound lot sports Optical SteadyShot and Smile Sutter, while the W290, H20, T90 and T900 all feature 720p movie recording at 30fps. Here's a rundown of the specs for each: DSC-W230: 12.1 megapixels, 4x (30mm) Carl Zeiss optical zoom lens, 3-inch LCD; available in silver, black, blue and red for about $200. DSC-W290: 12.1 megapixels, 5x (28mm) Carl Zeiss optical zoom lens, 3-inch LCD; available in silver, black, blue and bronze for $250 DSC-T90: 12.1 megapixels, 4x Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar optical zoom, 3-inch touchscreen LCD; available in silver, black, pink, blue and brown for $300 DSC-T900: 12.1 megapixels, 4x Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar optical zoom, 3.5-inch Xtra Fine touchscreen LCD; available in silver, black, red and bronze for $380 DSC-H20: 10.1 megapixels, 10x Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar optical zoom, 3-inch LCD; available in black for about $280 %Gallery-45029%
