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Sony announces seven HD Handycam camcorders at CES, priced from $230 to $1,500
Bear with us here; Sony's announcing quite a few new Handycam models at this year's CES. At the pricier end of the spectrum, the HDR-CX900 sports a 1-inch CMOS sensor, 50 Mbps XAVC S recording, and a boatload of other high-end features. In fact, it's identical to the $2,000 AX100, though the CX900 excludes 4K-capture capabilities. That omission will save you 500 bucks, with this model shipping in late February for $1,500. Next up, the projector-equipped PJ810 will run you $1,100, and includes WiFi with NFC, 24.5-megapixel stills capture, a 26.8mm wide-angle G lens with hood, a 3-inch 921k-dot LCD and a 50-lumen projector. Meanwhile, for $700, you can pick up the PJ540, which sports a 5.1-channel mic, a 3-inch 460k-dot LCD, 32GB flash storage, WiFi, NFC, a 25-lumen projector and our favorite feature, Balanced Optical SteadyShot. At the lower end, you can pick up the PJ340, which includes a 26.8mm wide-angle G lens with optical SteadyShot, 16GB flash storage, WiFi, NFC and a 13-lumen projector for $480. Next up is the cheapest projector-equipped model, the PJ275. This $400 shooter features a 29.8mm Zeiss lens, 8GB flash storage, WiFi, NFC and a 13-lumen projector. Meanwhile, videographers on a budget may want to check out the $330 CX330, which ships with WiFi, NFC and a 26.8mm G lens with optical SteadyShot. The $230 CX240, however, does not include WiFi. It does feature a 9.2-megapixel CMOS sensor, a 29.8mm lens with digital stabilization, full HD (60p) capture and a 2.7-inch LCD. All seven models ship next month alongside several new accessories, including a $100 shotgun mic, ECM-W1M and ECM-AW4 $230 wireless microphones and a $30 lens filter for the PJ540.
Sony's compact FDR-AX100 4K Handycam ships in March for $2,000 (hands-on)
Television manufacturers have been peddling 4K TVs for several years now, but just as we experienced during the early years of HD, limited content deters educated early adopters when it comes time to make a purchase. One solution for marketers, while an arguably weak selling point, is that consumers can capture their own 4K footage to play back for family and friends on a compatible high-res set. And while we're not yet ready to hop in line to make a pricey Ultra HD purchase, Sony's counting on at least a few deep-pocketed videographers to pull the trigger. If you're in the market for an affordable 4K camcorder, you probably won't do much better than Sony's FDR-AX100 Handycam. The AX100 is a reasonable alternative to Sony's recently announced AX1. This compact CES model is considerably more portable, with a 74 percent reduction in size and a 66 percent drop in weight. There's a 14.2-megapixel 1-inch Exmor R CMOS sensor and a BIONZ X processor, enabling full-resolution 4K shooting at 24p and 30p with XAVC S encoding. There's an optically stabilized Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens with 12x optical zoom and a seven-bladed aperture, which Sony claims should offer some significant bokeh. A new My Voice Canceling feature reduces vocals from behind the camera, serving to minimize capturing the videographer's own voice. There's a 3.5-inch (921k-dot) LCD and an OLED viewfinder for framing; 1/4, 1/16 and 1/64 ND filters; WiFi with smartphone control; and output to a 4K TV via a single HDMI cable. Sony's Handycam AX100 4K camcorder is set to ship in March for $2,000.
Sony announces Alpha 5000 with 20.1MP sensor, 180-degree display, WiFi for $600 with lens (hands-on)
Sony's NEX branding is officially no more. The Alpha 5000 is the company's first entry-level camera to drop the familiar moniker, falling instead under the higher-end Alpha lineup. Everything else about this CES model fits the mold, however. There's a 180-degree tilting LCD that flips forward for self-portraits, built-in WiFi (with NFC) for instantly sharing pictures and videos on the web, Camera Apps for tweaking shots and uploading directly through a wireless hotspot and Sony's latest 16-50mm power-zoom kit lens for smoother zooming during video capture. On the imaging front, there's a 20.1-megapixel sensor, a 16,000 top ISO and 1080p shooting at 60i, 30p and 24p. There's also a built-in flash -- an appropriate feature for Sony's target demographic of beginner photographers stepping up from a less-capable point-and-shoot. Despite the new name, the Alpha 5000 feels very much like an NEX. There's a more pronounced grip (think NEX-5T, not 3N), and the same tweaked (and improved) multi-page settings interface that we first met with the Alpha 7 and 7R back in October. Like its recent Sony counterparts, the 5000 charges via its micro-USB port, and it sports an HDMI output (this time, with 4K image support), for photographers looking to share their captures on a TV. Of course, with WiFi built in, you can also transfer shots to a smartphone or tablet, back up your media on a connected computer or boot content to a compatible television via DLNA. You can take a closer look at the Alpha 5000 in the gallery below. Expect it in stores this March in black, white and silver for $600, including the 16-50mm power-zoom lens.
Sony's new Bravia HDTVs get a wedge-shaped redesign (update: hands-on photos)
Unconvinced by 4K? Don't worry, because Sony's still got your back. The company has unveiled its 2014-era HDTVs for those who, whatever the reason, aren't ready to dip a toe into the Ultra High-Definition pool. Both the flagship Bravia W950B and W850B come with a new design, apparently allowing for bigger speakers and a lower center of gravity, reducing the size of the accompanying pedestal. The lesser lights of the new arrivals, including the W800B, W630B and W600B all come with the usual Sony tech, including X-Reality Pro, ClearAudio+ and built-in WiFi, and all will be arriving for various quantities of your cash in the spring. Update: We just got to see the new sets for ourselves, so peruse our gallery to see some real-world shots. Better living vicariously through pictures.
Now Playing: January 6-12, 2014
Welcome to the New Year, now Don't Starve on the PlayStation 4... Choose your platform to jump to a specific release list:
Don't Starve, DmC: Devil May Cry free on PS Plus this week
PS Plus subscribers can download two different free games this week when the PlayStation Store updates tomorrow. Don't Starve will be up for grabs on PS4, while PS3 users can try DmC: Devil May Cry. Don't Starve, from Klei Entertainment, is an open-world survival game where players must scrounge up supplies in order to survive as long as possible. DmC: Devil May Cry is a reboot of Capcom's popular action series from developer Ninja Theory. Both games are part of a packed January for PlayStation Plus. Other free downloads coming throughout the month include BioShock Infinite, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons and a pair of PS Vita games: brain training game Smart As... and yet another entry in Team17's long-running Worms series, Worms: Battle Islands.
Dish announces streaming app for PlayStation consoles
A troop of new Joey devices wasn't the only thing Dish had up its sleeve for CES. In an effort to bring its streaming chops to game consoles, the company has just announced an app for PlayStation that does just that. Dish customers will be able to take advantage of the Hopper's functionality via its Virtual Joey software on both PlayStation 3 and PS4 consoles to access their favorite TV shows without having to switch devices once that marathon gaming session is up. This software also allows for control via either the DualShock 4 or the Dish remote. The app should arrive for download this spring in the PlayStation Store.
Our 2014 CES stage schedule is here and it's awesome!
Sure, there's a certain amount of creeping dread in the lead up to CES each year. It's a sleep-deprived week spent elbowing our way through the packed halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center. The food is bad, the facilities few and far between and the hygiene practices of the tech-blogging community questionable, at best. But there are also plenty of things that make it one of the most exciting weeks of the year, not the least of which is our stage. As with the last couple of years, we've got a prime spot in the convention center lobby, where we'll be speaking to some of the biggest and most innovative companies in the world of consumer electronics. The list includes Sony, Ford, Pebble, Nokia, Leap Motion, Oculus, MakerBot, Lenovo, Samsung, AT&T and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, to name a few. You can check out the full schedule here and stay glued to our CES event hub for updates. See you on stage!
Get your CES 2014 liveblogs right here
We realize that not everyone can be at CES this year -- after all, that Las Vegas Monorail only holds so many people at any one given time -- but here's the next best thing. As per usual, we'll be liveblogging the week's biggest press conferences, so you can follow the action from the comfort of your own computer. Speaking of making things a bit more comfortable for you, the reader, we've compiled links to all of our liveblogs for this year's show just after the break.
Canon's targeting new parents with VIXIA R52, R50, R500 camcorders
Your smartphone can shoot video; your tablet can shoot video; and, if you even still own one, your point-and-shoot can shoot video too. So why, then, might you pick up a mid-range camcorder? Fortunately for manufacturers, there are still a few perks to owning a dedicated video camera. If top-notch image stabilization is what you're after, you'll probably turn to Sony, but if you're a new parent looking to document your young child's early years, Canon wants your business. The company's latest VIXIA camcorders sport a variety of family-friendly features, from livestreaming to your smartphone with the R52 and R50 (think expensive baby monitor), to an "Advanced Baby Mode," which can register up to three babies and track their height, weight and age over months and years of shooting. Internally, all three cams are quite similar. They include 3.3-megapixel CMOS sensors, 32x optical zoom lenses with optical stabilization and 1080/60p video capture. The $450 R52 and $400 R50 also include internal storage -- 32GB on the pricier model and 16GB on the other -- letting you capture footage simultaneously to the embedded storage and a standard SD card, with archival-quality AVCHD recorded on one and upload-ready MP4 on the other, if you'd like. The $300 R500 excludes built-in storage, so you'll need to add an SD card to store captures there. The pricer pair also packs WiFi, with support for livestreaming and recording directly on a connected smartphone or tablet. Finally, you can also use the R52 and R50 with Canon's new Pan Table accessory, adding to their practicality as a home-security appliance. Expect all three VIXIA camcorders in stores this March.
Norrathian Notebook: Are membership changes a benefit to EQII players?
While I had another, happier topic all ready to ring in the new year, SOE surprised us with a questionable decision this week that I felt necessitated an immediate response. So today we'll focus on this hot topic instead: All change is not good. And SOE's announced change in membership benefits for EverQuest II is really not good. Previously, with the removal of the remaining free-to-play restrictions, EQII subscribers saw their benefits whittle down to essentially a buff to mount speed and coin, AA, and XP accumulation (basically what was offered during the Gold Rush event) and the monthly 500 Station Cash allotment. While that seems as if players lost most of their advantages for subbing, there wasn't too much murmuring because at least we were happy that our comrades had the freedom to choose the classes and races they wanted and enjoy the game better. And besides, we still had the 500 SC, so we still had some worthwhile benefit. Well, now that's changing. SOE has decided that this last benefit must be retooled from 500 SC that accumulates until you use it to the ability to buy one single item for up to 2000 SC per month. While it may sound like a better deal on the surface, it's not -- not for SOE or for its customers.
Some Assembly Required: Virtual world roundup for 2014 and beyond
Just over two years ago there was a great disturbance, as if millions (or so) of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. Yes, something terrible had happened: a beloved virtual world was destroyed. And that left a number of sandbox refugees looking for a new place to call home. At that time, Some Assembly Required offered a roundup of the then available virtual worlds that could possibly offer accommodation, depending on what qualities players most desired in their games. But as things are wont to, they changed; a lot can happen in the MMOverse in 24 months, from additional features in existing games to new games to the loss of more worlds. So it's time to update this list of virtual worlds to reflect 2014 and beyond. Take a look and see what titles or titles-to-be have the sandbox features that best make a game a home for you.
Sony Online Entertainment changes benefits for subscriptions
It's a fairly common model for free-to-play games that offer a subscription -- subscribers get an allowance of cash-shop currency in addition to other benefits. It's how Sony Online Entertainment's games have worked for as long as they've had the model. But EverQuest II and PlanetSide 2 subscribers are seeing a new version of subscriber benefits, one that removes the usual Station Cash allowance and replaces it with an item worth the equivalent amount or more. Every month, players are given a choice between one of several items worth up to 2000 Station Cash. This item must be selected on a monthly basis, as benefits do not carry over from month to month. While the net amount of rewards should be functionally identical, it will mean fewer options about what you acquire on a monthly basis, especially as Player Studio items are listed as exclusions from the list. If you're unhappy with the change, you've got time to say so, as the change is not going into effect until February 3rd. [Thanks to Balsbigbrother for the tip!]
Valkyria Chronicles 3 translated to English by fan localization team
A fan-led localization group has released a translation patch for Sega's PSP tactical RPG Valkyria Chronicles 3, making the game playable in English for the first time. The patch requires a custom firmware-equipped PSP or PS Vita to play, along with a ripped UMD or digital PSN version of Valkyria Chronicles 3: Extra Edition. While the patch also works with the original version of Valkyria Chronicles 3, translators note that players will experience glitches during gameplay. After localizing the first two entries in the series on the PlayStation 3 and PSP, Sega declined to release a translated version of Valkyria Chronicles 3 in North America and Europe, citing low sales. The digital version of Valkyria Chronicles 3 is currently on sale for 980 yen (approximately $9.50 USD) from the Japanese PlayStation Network, making it an ideal time for series die-hards to test out the new fan-produced localization.
Skydieving creator nDreams has PS4, Oculus Rift plans for 2014
Developer nDreams made its name creating items for PlayStation Home, grew to cult fame with the debut of "Oculus Rift experimental-game-demo-falling simulator-game thing" Skydieving, and now hopes to jump into the mainstream spotlight with full-fledged PlayStation 4 and Oculus Rift projects in the works. "I'm delighted to be able to officially announce that we are working on a PlayStation 4 title, which will launch in 2014," the studio states in a message to its investors. "More details will follow next year, but it's the most ambitious game we have ever created, and we can't wait to reveal more about it – it's going to be something truly special." While Skydieving was less a game and more a test of the Oculus Rift's capabilities, nDreams sees a bright future for the would-be virtual reality headset. "We're also working on a game for the awesome Oculus Rift. VR is an area of technology that we believe will finally come of age in 2014, and you'll see us investing a great deal of time and money into it," the studio writes. "The technology capable of making VR work properly has finally arrived." Alongside these big projects, nDreams will continue to create PlayStation Home items, as well as three games planned for release on mobile devices.
Switched On: The 2013 Switchies, Part One
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. It's that special time of year between holiday sales and the pre-CES hype cycle that presents an opportunity to consider some of the most innovative devices of the year. Switched On is proud to present the 2013 Saluting Wares Improving Technology's Contribution to Humanity awards, also known as The Switchies. This installment marks the eighth annual Switchies, which are decided based on a rigorous examination of the opinion of me, and do not reflect the opinion of Engadget or its editors. For that latter honor, nominees will need to win an Engadget Award. Now, then, let's stroll past the red carpet and tear open those envelopes.
Sony's first PlayStation 4 ad for Japan teases the Japanese with everyone's joy
Japan, you'll get the PlayStation 4 soon. Promise. For now, look at everyone else enjoying it. Don't they look happy? That could be you on February 22nd!
Sony launches dedicated Xperia Z Ultra cases for QX lens cameras
Though Sony's crazy QX10 and QX100 lens cameras can attach to most smartphones, the company naturally favored its own Xperia Z and Z1 handsets by creating custom cases for those devices. Now it's doing the same for its crazy-large 6.4-inch Xperia Z Ultra, according to our sister Engadget Chinese site. A new attachment cover in black or white will fix either camera to its latest phablet for HK$238 (about $30) on top of the price of the QX10 ($249) and QX100 ($499). If you'll recall, that'll boost your smartphone's shooter to either an 18.2- or 20.2-megapixel monster, respectively, with the latter boasting the same sensor as the formidable Sony RX100 Mark II. It'll arrive next month in Hong Kong, and while Sony hasn't divulged availability elsewhere, we can picture it hitting the US soon as well.
The year in reviews: 2013's best and worst gadgets scored and scrutinized
Fun fact: Engadget reviewed 176 products in 2013, and that's not even counting the umpteen times we got hands-on with stuff at tradeshows and press events. In general, we try to review just the top-tier gadgets, but even then, some of it ends up being forgettable. (Can you name-check everything we tested from memory? We can't.) So, as the year draws to a close, we're taking a look back at the last 12 months of reviews, and this time, we're including only the products you'd have no trouble remembering. Across every category, we've noted the flagships everyone coveted -- along with the duds that could've been so much better. Oh, and you might notice that we included some numbered scores throughout. That's right; Engadget is bringing back numerical ratings, and they'll follow the same format as the critic score gdgt has already been using for years. Which is to say, each rating takes into account various criteria for a given product category -- things like battery life and portability. Wanna see how your favorite gadgets did? Meet us after the break for a walk down memory lane.
Just 24 hours left to win a Sony Xperia Tablet Z, QX10 camera and other great prizes in our holiday giveaway!
It's almost 2014! Round out the year by doing yourself a favor: enter our 11 holiday giveaways by visiting each of our guides here. We're giving away some of Sony's best gear, including the Xperia Tablet Z and the QX10 attachable lens camera. You have until 11:59 EST on Decembert 31st to enter our raffles, so get to it!
