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Did Sony's latest PlayStation 3 redesign just get outed by Brazil's Anatel?
Remember that mysterious new PS3 variant that passed through the FCC not too long ago? Although that listing didn't have photos to confirm a redesign, a new one has hit Anatel (essentially Brazil's version of the FCC) with a quartet of pictures in tow. Specifically, it cites models CECH-4011A, CECH-4011B and CECH-4011C, matching up well with the 4K labeling from the aforementioned FCC visit -- if you'll recall, the current PS3 Slim has a 3K model number. According to Tecnoblog, the the three models point to a shockingly storage-cramped 16GB version, along with 250GB and 500GB variants. While this Anatel document appears to be from Sony, we'd be remiss not to mention that we haven't been able to load the photos as Tecnoblog has. In terms of looks, apart from appearing extra slim -- and decidedly less attractive -- the system notably seems to be rocking a top-loading disc drive (this would be a first for the PS3). For now, we'd advise taking this potential leak with a grain of salt, but rest assured that we'll inform you if we hear anything official from Sony.
How would you change Sony's Tablet P?
Sony's Tablet P was an enormous gamble with its clamshell form factor that meant it could easily slide into a jacket pocket. Unfortunately, it suffered from terrible execution: flimsy build quality, lack of software support and the gaming options were bested by the older Xperia Play. But of course, that's just our review -- so what has it been like out there as your daily driver? If you've bought and used one, why not tell Sony what you'd have done differently in the comments below?
Kaz Hirai drops some titles at Sony, still president
One morning, Sony president and CEO Kaz Hirai woke up and said, "I probably have too many titles." Beyond being the president and CEO of Sony Corporation (the umbrella parent company of PlayStation, Bravia, and many other Sony brands), Hirai is also "representative director" and "chairman" – until today, that is. Hirai is relinquishing his responsibilities and titles for both his positions as representative director and chairman of Sony Corp.Hirai is dropping both titles and responsibility in today's move, only remaining on Sony's board in a "part-time capacity." He became president and CEO earlier this year, taking over former CEO Howard Stringer's spot in early February. Sony Computer Entertainment president Andrew House is taking over the vacated chairman position, effective this month, and former Sony Corp. head Howard Stringer is also exiting his board seat.In case the bizarre-looking hierarchy isn't clear enough, this means that Andrew House – the guy who runs the PlayStation brand – is the head of Sony Corp.'s board, followed by eight Japan-based Sony Corp. employees. One of those is his boss, Kaz Hirai. Yup.
Broadway star Josh Gad to play Woz in Jobs biopic
The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Josh Gad is in talks to play Steve Wozniak in Jobs, the independent film staring Ashton Kutcher as Steve Jobs. Gad is best known for his starring role in the South Park creators' musical "Book of Mormon." He is also a correspondent for The Daily Show and has appeared in feature films such as Love and Other Drugs. Jobs will be shot on a shoestring budget of around US$5 million beginning next month in Texas. The film will chart the story of Steve Jobs from his days as a teenager to when he founded Apple -- and perhaps up to his return to the company in 1997, depending which reports of the script are accurate. The Ashton Kutcher-led Jobs film is not to be confused with Sony's official adaptation of Walter Isaacson's Steve Jobs biography, which is due out late this year. Photograph credit: Dimitrio Kambouris/Getty Images.
Sharp executive officer Takashi Okuda to take over as president next month
In a move similar to the ones seen at fellow struggling Japanese electronics giants Sony and Panasonic, Sharp has announced a change at the top, swapping out president Mikio Katayama (kicked upstairs to the position of Director, Chairman) for current executive officer Takashi Okuda. The move will go into effect April 1st, giving him the keys after a fiscal year 2012 to forget comes to an end. According to his biography he's been with the company since 1978, although your guess is as good as ours about what he can do to turn around the company's fortunes -- although getting that 8K Super Hi-Vision LCD into production ASAP would be a great start.
Sony appoints Kaz Hirai to prez and CEO, replacing Sir Howard Stringer
After a bout of he said / she said earlier this year over the possibility of executive deputy prez Kazuo Hirai becoming president and CEO of Sony Corp., Sony has decided to make the news official this morning. As of April 1, 2012, Kaz will step up to the job of current CEO Sir Howard Stringer, effectively kicking off two months of vacation for Stringer before he becomes chairman of the board of directors in June 2012."I look forward to helping Kaz in every way I can so that succession leads inevitably to success," Stringer said in the announcement press release. Kaz was ready with the back patting as well, as he said, "Challenging as times are for Sony now, were it not for the strong leadership of Sir Howard Stringer these past seven years, we would have been in a much more difficult position." Hirai is known for having lead Sony Computer Entertainment through its most successful years, as well as being the guy who says "Riiiiiiiidge Racer!" really enthusiastically.Stringer's appointment to the board of directors in June awaits final approval during the annual shareholders meeting in June. If confirmed, he will replace retiring chairman Yotaro Kobayashi, though he will in no way match Kobayashi's totally sweet name.
Nikkei: Kaz Hirai stepping up as Sony president, Stringer staying on as chairman and CEO
It's unfortunate, but it seems unlikely we'll be hearing Sony Computer Entertainment's current "executive deputy president" Kazuo Hirai regaling us with extended "Riiiiiiiiidge Racer!" shouts much more, as Nikkei is reporting he'll be taking over as president of Sony Corporation in the coming months. Current president, CEO and chairman Sir Howard Stringer will apparently be losing a third of his title to Kaz, and the move is expected "as soon as April," as translated by our bilingual cohorts at Engadget. When Hirai was promoted to the deputy president role earlier this year, he became the heir apparent to Stringer's job as president, so it's not exactly an enormous surprise to hear this report. Sony had yet to confirm the news as of publishing, but Nikkei isn't exactly known for its false reporting. All the same, we've reached out for confirmation. Update: Sony tells us it "Doesn't comment on rumor or speculation." Not exactly a denial, but take that as you will.
Sony to divide TV division into three-headed monster, looks to bounce back
Looking to make a rebound in the ailing TV business, Sony has announced that it will split its television division into three. According to Reuters, the company is looking to keep operations in check with separate departments for LCD TVs, outsourcing and next-gen TVs. The company is wasting no time, as the move will take place on November 1st. The announcement also comes in advance of Sony's quarterly earnings report this Wednesday which is predicted to be a quite a few eggs short of the full basket that was hoped for -- due in part to its inability to compete against Vizio and Samsung. There are also rumblings that the company could be looking to sell off its almost 50-percent share of a liquid-crystal display collaboration with the aforementioned Sammy. It appears moves are being made to stay in the TV game, but the real question is will Sony be able to stop the bleeding (or, perhaps more appropriately, melting)?
Sony unveils flexible color e-paper, new glasses-free 3D LCD displays at SID 2011
We saw some fancy panels and flashy lights on the show floor at SID this week, but Sony decided to keep its latest display offerings tucked away in an academic meeting. We're getting word today from Tech-On! that the outfit unveiled a 13.3-inch sheet of flexible color e-paper as well as two new glasses-free 3D panels in a separate session at the conference. New e-paper solutions loomed large at SID, but we were surprised by the lack of flexible screens. Sony's managed to deliver both on a display that weighs only 20 grams and measures a mere 150-microns thick, a feat made possible by the use of a plastic substrate. The sheet boasts a 13-percent color gamut, 10:1 contrast ratio, and 150dpi resolution. As for the 3D LCD displays, Sony joined a slew of other manufacturers in showing off its special brand of the panels. These new displays, ranging from 10-inches to 23-inches, apparently employ a new method for delivering 3D to the naked eye. This particular method uses a backlight positioned between an LCD panel and another backlight for 2D images, and can be easily be switched off for 2D viewing. Of course we would have liked to see these screens in the flesh, but alas, Sony decided to play coy. Hop on past the break for a shot of the new 3D panel.
Sony aiming for May 31st PSN service restoration [Updated]
Sony's network security woes continued over the weekend, and the light at the end of the tunnel still seems like a distant pin prick for the embattled gaming giant and its displaced customers. Bloomberg reports that Sony spokesman Shigenori Yoshida indicated the company plans to restart Playstation Network services by May 31st, which would bring the total downtime to a whopping 41 days. Nick Caplin, head of communications for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, posted an update to the European PlayStation blog hinting at the reasons for a longer delay. "We expected to have the services online within a week. We were unaware of the extent of the attack on Sony Online Entertainment servers, and we are taking this opportunity to conduct further testing of the incredibly complex system," he wrote. While the PS3 versions of both Free Realms and DC Universe Online fall under the PSN umbrella, no word has been forthcoming as to a restart date for the rest of SOE's MMO stable, which includes the PC versions of the aforementioned titles as well as EverQuest and EverQuest II. [Update: CNET is reporting that Sony is considering a reward for information leading to the capture of the hackers. Meanwhile, Sony is apparently contesting reports about the May 31st date, suggesting no such hard deadline for PSN resumption exists.]
Report: Sony subpoenaed by New York Attorney General
According to a report published by Bloomberg, an anonymous source have revealed the latest entity to whom Sony Corp. must answer regarding last month's PlayStation Network security breach: New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. The source says Schneiderman has subpoenaed Sony to gather information about the breach, specifically regarding Sony's six-day delay in telling PSN users about the exposure. The reported request sounds a heck of a lot like the inquiry filed by the United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, which a Sony representative has already responded to. We suggest they save time with a quick copy/paste, and then get back to making it so we can play Portal 2 online again. Papa's got an itch for science.
Sony executive to address media regarding PlayStation Network debacle
If you're curious what Sony higher-ups have to say about the recent PlayStation Network security debacle, you'll want to check out Kazuo Hirai's remarks to the media at 2:00 p.m. Sunday in Tokyo (1:00 a.m. EDT). Hirai, Sony Corp's executive deputy president, is expected to field questions from journalists as well as use his considerable PR skills to put a positive spin on the situation and its aftermath. Much is at stake for the global entertainment giant, including possible legal actions resulting from the compromise of 77 million user accounts (and the company's delayed response and acknowledgment of the problem well after the fact). It's a big moment for Hirai as well; the executive is considered the front-runner in the race to supplant current Sony president Howard Stringer -- who has "been vague about his plans from the next financial year that starts in April 2012" according to Reuters.
Hirai to address PSN security breach at 1 a.m. EDT
Though we've been getting frequent updates from PlayStation Blog on the state of the recently intruded-upon PlayStation Network, one of the massive corporation's higher-ups is now planning to step forward to field some of our questions. According to Reuters, Sony Corp executive deputy president Kazuo Hirai is scheduled to address the media about the PSN outage and security breach in Tokyo tomorrow at 2 p.m. (1 a.m. EDT). The predicament must be weighing heavy upon Hirai, who was promoted last month to a position meant to groom him for possibly inheriting the CEO seat from Howard Stringer. Then again, this might be the perfect opportunity for Hirai to set himself apart from the other contenders: If he singlehandedly manages to fix these problems using the ol' Hirai charms, he's a lock for the job.
Report: Sony looking for a new president, Hirai being considered
According to Bloomberg, Sony Corp. is looking for a new heir apparent for its consumer electronics kingdom, and a familiar name is in the running. According to inside sources cited by the report, Sony is hoping to install a president to lighten the work load of (and eventually replace) acting CEO Howard Stringer; one of the names on the rumored short list is Sony Computer Entertainment president and CEO Kazuo Hirai. A Sony representative refused to comment on the story, but Stringer has stated his intent to stay on as CEO until March 2013. According to the report, another potential replacement is current executive deputy president Hiroshi Yoshioka -- but we hope that if Sony does have to decide between these two parties, they take all the important factors into consideration. You know, factors like "which of these two guys does Joystiq have more memes prepared for?" Using that metric, the choice is crystal clear.
Sony, Turbine, Jagex, Blizzard, and NCsoft named in patent infringement lawsuit
It seems to be a World of Lawsuits (TM) recently in our industry. Bloggers are being sued for libel, NCsoft is being sued for patent infringement, Linden Labs is being sued for trademark violations, Turbine is suing Atari, and now five companies are all being sued over a patent dispute.The Boston Globe has reported that Paltalk Holdings Inc. has filed a complaint in Texas against Sony Corp., Activision Blizzard Inc., Turbine Inc., NCsoft Corp., and Jagex Ltd. all for games that violate their patent on computers sharing data so that all users can see the same virtual environment. The games in question are EverQuest, World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings Online, Guild Wars, and RuneScape (in order of the companies as named above.)What makes this lawsuit different from the standard patent shakedowns that we've been reporting on is that the patent has already been successfully used in court. Paltalk has already sued, and won against, Microsoft.
