The information comes from the folks over at CNET, who report that “people familiar with the negotiations” say Apple and Sony Music are in contention over how much Apple will pay when a user listens to part of a song, then skips to the next one. Such an issue is reportedly causing frustration amongst the other labels slated to have their music offered through the service, which they anticipate bolstering the music industry.

Sources also have said that iRadio will offer features not found on what will be the service’s biggest competitor, Pandora, such as rewinding a song they want to hear a second time around. The service will reportedly allow an easy way for listeners to buy a song while using iRadio, and will also give labels a cut of the advertisement revenues generated. Apple is considering using audio advertisements.

Unlike Pandora, Apple has chosen to form individual deals with each music label rather than going by federal stipulations, which could potentially give the service more abilities than Pandora, but comes at the cost of running into negotiation problems. One such difference that could be in iRadio’s benefit from direct deals, for example, is having no limit on the number of songs skipped, or a higher skipping allowance than Pandora, which limits skips on an hourly basis with a daily cap.

While the sources provided some information on the matter, they didn’t specify any particular numbers, such as what Sony is wanting per skipped song and what Apple wants on its part. Reportedly, Apple is seeking to have the same terms across its deals with each music label, and as such could have problems if Sony ended up getting a deal that crunches out with more favorable numbers than the other labels.

SOURCE: CNET

The movie will be completely developed, produced, and financed by Rovio, with John Cohen and David Maisel hopping on board to help out. Cohen is best known for his role as producer for Universal’s Despicable Me, and Maisel is the former Marvel Studios chairman and executive producer for the Iron Man series, as well as The Incredible Hulk, Thor, and Captain America.

Overall, Cohen isn’t a huge name in the movie business, other than his role in Despicable Me, but he did have an executive role in several animated movies, including two Ice Age films and the 2007 remake of Alvin and the Chipmunks. He also served as vice president of production at Twentieth Century Fox Animation, and he also contributed to Horton Hears a Who and Robots, the former of which is a classic Dr. Seuss children’s book.

This will mark the first time that Angry Birds has ventured out into the movie entertainment business. The series recently scored its own animated web show, and has passed out merchandise licensing to several companies to make T-shirts and even plush toys of popular Angry Birds characters. Needless to say, the movie is expected to bring in a lot of sales.

The Angry Birds film first came to light back in 2011 when Maisel joined Rovio, which hinted to the possibility that Rovio was in the act of acquiring movie-focused talent. As for the plot of the movie, we’re left without any details and how the levels of Angry Birds will tie into a full-length film exactly, but Rovio said it will retain “full creative control” over the project by working outside the traditional studio system.

SOURCE: Rovio

Beyond that, the plot is somewhat cryptic. There’s what looks to be a surveillance-obsessed society, patrolled by ominous cops in trenchcoats and virtual reality headsets, and the birth of what could end up being the savior of society.

Interspersed with all that are dragons and androids having sword, missile, and projectile-energy battles, on the streets of what looks to be both Japan and London. Cue explosions, huge guns, and uplifting, yearning music.

The word “Panopticon” is Greek for “observe all”, but it’s also the name of a controversial prison design that dates back to late 18th-century England. Intended as an institution that would use the fear and uncertainty of observation just as much as it relied upon locks and cells to maintain order, the Panopticon arrayed stacks of rooms arrayed in a circle around a central “inspection house” where the warden and guards would be based.

From that center point, the prison staff would be able to see into every cell whenever they chose, with no privacy for inmates. Designer Jeremy Bentham described a series of blinds and other arrangements by which the staff would be masked from view, leaving inmates uncertain on who was being watched and when.

The principle of observation certainly seems to fit in with the surveillance-state themes that appear to be laced throughout the Panopticon game trailer, though we’ll have to wait a little longer to find out more. Sony Japan says the next dribble of information will come on May 21.

Sony Japan Panopticon trailer:

Thanks Zak!

The news about the new game was spilled a little earlier than expected, ahead of a Kazunori Yamauch announcement later today at the UK’s Silverstone circuit. That will be one of the seven new locations included in GT6, iafrica reports.

There’ll also be a variety of aerodynamic parts, custom wheels, and other add-ons which drivers will be able to buy in-game and install on their cars. They’ll be offered for “almost all” of the vehicles to choose from, with several thousand components to choose between.

Gran Turismo 6 trailer:

Gran Turismo 6 will also further blur the lines between the gaming racing experience and cars in the real world. Toyota, for instance, will be the first to offer CAN-ECY system integration, with drivers of the GT86 able to download their telemetry from track days, and compare it in the game.

Exactly when GT6 will hit the shelves is unclear, though there’ll be smartphone and tablet integration for social and community features. It’ll also be based on a new, smaller game engine, which promises boosted performance as well as opening up support for extensible content.

Much of the summary is dedicated to how much more straightforward it is to develop titles for the PS4. The console uses the same concurrency model as the PS3, for instance, with a main “orchestrator” thread and then the rest of the code running in jobs across all the cores; on the PS4, though, Guerrilla found that 80-percent of all code could now be run in jobs, versus 20-percent on the current-gen console.

To show how well the game ran, the developers had to cook up their own CPU and GPU profilers, since the official tools still aren’t quite ready. On-screen, there’s a physically-correct lighting model and volumetrics supported on every light, along with real-time reflections. Some of the most obvious improvements are in characters, with far greater detail allowed.

Killzone Shadow Fall PS4 tech demo:

“Our aim for [the] announcement event was to run on PS4 hardware” Guerrilla writes, meaning “1080p, solid 30FPS, [and] no cheats.” The latter is presumably a reference to the Killzone 2 for PS3 demo gaffe, where what was later revealed to be rendered game footage was initially portrayed as running on the console itself.

Killzone Shadow Fall PS4 gameplay demo:

“PS4 is really easy to program for!” lead tech Michal Valient concludes, and the “GPU is really fast” while “GDDR5 bandwith is awesome” assuming you handle the memory mapping properly. “We’ve only scratched the surface” he says.

Sony didn’t show off the final hardware at its PS4 launch event, only the peripherals and some game demos. It did, however, confirm the core specifications: 8GB of GDDR5 RAM, an x86 CPU, an enhanced PC GPU, and a hard-drive; there’s also WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth, USB 3.0, gigabit ethernet, and a Blu-ray drive.

Thanks Zak!

Sony will begin taking pre-orders online for the TV on May 15 and the device will be in stores by the middle of June. Pricing in Europe for the TV will be €4500 for the 55-inch model and €7000 for the 65-inch model. Sony promises that both versions of the X9 will deliver extremely high image quality and sound.

Like all 4K TVs, Sony’s offerings bring four times the resolution of a full HD TV. Also like all other 4K TVs, at least for now the problem for buyers will be poor availability for 4K content. Sony does have some 4K films available for media players supporting high-resolution and a streaming movie service.

The X9 4K resolution TVs use a technology that is unique to Sony called Triluminos Display that promises a wide palette of realistic colors. The TV also features integrated NFC technology to make it easy to mirror the screen of your compatible smartphone or tablet with a touch. That feature makes it easy to get content from your mobile device onto the big screen in the living room.

On TV sets, it’s easy to focus only on the picture and forget about the sound. Sound is an integral part of the movie and TV watching experience and Sony uses a technology to improve the sound experience on the X9 TVs. One of those technologies is a unique Signal-to-Sound architecture Sony says it designed specifically to make sounds more realistic without overwhelming the dialogue in your favorite movies or TV shows.

SOURCE: Sony

Julian Knight is known as the Hoddle Street killer, having committed one of the worst massacres in Australia over a decade ago in 1987. Knight was convicted of killing seven people and injuring 19, but has confessed to 17 more murders, all things earning him the 7 consecutive life sentences he is serving in prison. The 44-year-old is apparently looking to make those life sentences a little less tedious, because now he’s asking for a PlayStation 3.

The issue started in 2006 when Knight requested to have a computer in his prison cell, claiming it would be used to perform research and to prepare materials to be used later on in a bid to get a release date from the courts. His request was denied. And then denied again. Such denials have continued for seven years now. Such denials have prompted legal action on his part, with the inmate serving a legal subpoena to the government for records of other inmates who have been granted computers.

Said Knight on the issue of the computer: “This cause of action has been going for seven years, this is now the eighth proceeding. I only have to walk around the prison and I can see with my own eyes who has a computer and who doesn’t. I’m the only prisoner who has made applications to have a computer who has had it denied and denied repeatedly.”

And so now, in addition to seeking the computer, he is also seeking to have a PlayStation 3 console in his prison cell. Because Knight is known as a vexatious litigant – someone who takes legal action for the purpose of being annoying, essentially – he is being forced to get permission before proceeding with his legal case, however. Attempts to get electronic devices in prison cells isn’t new, but has been steadily increasing as the world becomes a more digital place.

SOURCE: Herald Sun

It doesn’t appear that this device is designed to be flexible itself, but that screen is said to be flexible. I would imagine that the flexibility is important in a device designed to be written on by hand to allow the screen to survive without cracking over time. The device is currently a concept, but Sony reportedly plans to bring it to market this year for testing. The writing slate has a 13.3-inch E-ink screen that is sized like an A4 sheet of paper.

The screen promises a resolution of 1600 x 1200. Other details of the tablet are known include 4 GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, integrated Wi-Fi, and the device promises three weeks of battery life. The panel uses some sort of electromagnetic induction technology and the touch functionality won’t work with a finger.

The only way to interact with the tablet is said to be by using the included pen or another stylus. The device supports only one file format, which is PDF. That may well be the downfall of this device. There is no support for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or any other file type. More than anything else, that will limit the usefulness of this device.

Sony says that it will be field trialing the device at several Japanese universities later this year. Sony’s goal is to offer the tablet commercially by the end of its fiscal 2013. That would be somewhere around May of 2014 according to reports.

SOURCE: The-digital-reader

As the world awaits the PlayStation 4 and its hardware push – at the moment we’ve just got a handheld wireless controller – this video spot shows what could be. Excitement and eyeball-burning swooshes of controller symbols light up the faces of several gaming candidates. Thumping dance music bangs through the spot making it seem like the showing of this box is all that matters to a gamer in the near future.

So what’ll be different from this in the final real-deal set of video spots produced by Sony itself? Probably not a whole lot. It’s already clear that the PlayStation 4 – aka the PS4 – will be another box. It’s certainly not going to be an Okama Gamesphere, nor is it going to be coming in the shape of a P for Playstation. What you’re seeing here won’t be far from the truth.

The in-game footage comes from a game that’s been revealed in the past, but will be appearing on the PlayStation 4 in the future. The game is called inFAMOUS: Second Son, and looks a little something like this:

The real-deal Sony PlayStation 4 has had many of its specifications confirmed by Sony earlier this year immediately following the big PS4 press event that took place in February. The controller for the system – the main, basic controller, at least – has been revealed by Sony along with some of its abilities.

Now all that’s left to see is the actual console itself.

As we said in February: the box might not matter.

VIA: Kotaku

Under the hood there’s Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 Pro 1.5GHz quadcore, complete with 2GB of RAM. The Xperia ZR also has the usual WiFi and Bluetooth, along with NFC and a touchscreen that uses what Sony describes as a “prediction filter” to guess where your fingertip is headed and make for smoother scrolling.

Sony Xperia ZR overview:

It’s the camera and waterproofing that Sony is particularly proud of, however, with the Xperia ZR borrowing some of the sort of weatherproofing features we’re more familiar with from Japanese devices. The handset complies with IP55 and IP58, which basically means that it will manage being underwater at a depth of up to 1.5m for up to 30 minutes.

There are a few provisos, however. As with the Xperia Z, all of the ports and flaps have to be sealed shut before you go swimming, else water will get in through the microUSB, headphone, or other jacks. It’s only good for freshwater, too, which suggests that taking the Xperia ZR for a dip in the ocean probably won’t be good for your warranty.

Still, for resisting the occasional splash, we’d rather have waterproofing than not. As for the camera, that uses Sony’s Exmor RS for mobile sensor, capturing up to 13-megapixel stills or 1080p Full HD video, with an HDR photo/video mode and 15fps burst mode. A dedicated button is still something relatively rare on Android devices, so we’re glad to see Sony sticking with it on the Xperia ZR.

Sony Xperia ZR in detail:

The Sony Xperia ZR will launch from Q2 2013, with Sony saying that the smartphone will see a release in multiple markets globally (but not specifying any individually). Pricing is yet to be confirmed, though we know there’ll be four color options: black, white, pink, and mint.

The so-called transition Kotick describes is one of an evolving gaming industry, where players aren’t perhaps so wedded to their dedicated, heavy-duty consoles as they were at the launch of the Xbox 360 and PS3. Factor in the remaining questions that surround even Sony’s officially announced PlayStation 4, and Kotick is readying for an uphill struggle.

“There are still many unknown factors,” he explained on the call, “such as pricing, launch dates and quantities, the level of first-party support and, importantly, consumer purchase intent in a world where consoles are no longer just competing with each other, but also with new platforms, such as smartphones and tablets.”

Those mobile platforms have risen in gaming prevalence over the intervening years, with more casual titles at the $0.99 price point in Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play market gaining traction on iPhone and Android. Apple’s iPod touch has also become a compelling gaming system, with improvements in the company’s homegrown processors leading to more impressive, near-console-quality titles.

In short, it’s a very different market from what Microsoft and Sony are used to, and one in which Kotick seemingly suspects they may find the reception to the Wii U to be the rule, not the exception. “All of these factors further heighten our concerns heading into the back half of the year,” he concluded, “particularly during the very competitive fourth quarter.”

Activision has already warned that World of Warcraft online multiplayer subscribers are dropping, though the game publisher says it is confident its other projects will maintain sufficient momentum to keep profits up.

[via ExpertReviews]

Speaking with Eurogamer, Kato says that much of the chip development for the PS4 has already been in place, whereas the PS3 required all-new development processes for the console’s chip. The PS4 will still see a new chip (and development is still happening for that), but Kato says that many existing technologies will be implemented in the PS4, cutting down on R&D costs.

Sony turned its first profitable year since 2008, but its PlayStation division was down during the 12-month period. Sales were down 12.2%, with operating income down a staggering 94% to just $18 million for the year. However, Kato says that income is expected to “increase significantly” for the company, with the PS4′s launch coming later this year.

Operating income is another story, though, as Kato expects it to be stagnant year-over-year due to R&D and marketing costs for the new and upcoming console. However, the PS4 is expected to turn a profit in a shorter amount of time than the PS3, which took several years before the console was finally in the black for Sony.

[via Eurogamer]

As for the figures, Sony raked in $458 million in net profit for the year on $72.35 billion of revenue during the 12-month period. Sony originally predicted a net profit of $404 million, so the company certainly did better than they expected at first. It certainly beats a $5.7 billion loss the previous year.

Sony reported lower sales of several different product categories, including compact cameras, LCD televisions, and PlayStation gaming consoles. The PlayStation department brought in only $18 million of operating profit for the company, while compact cameras brought in $15 million. TVs also saw a loss at $897 million.

However, Sony raked in $509 million of profit in their movie division, which was one of their most profitable categories for the year. Overall, Sony’s year-over-year revenue was boosted up 4.7%, and the company expects to turn a profit of over $500 million for this current fiscal year, as well as selling 42 million phones during the next 12 months.

Inside, there’s supposedly an Intel Core i5 processor, paired with 4GB of RAM and a 128GB solid-state drive. On the back, Sony has slapped on an 8-megapixel camera using one of its Exmor RS sensors, and there’s a backlit keyboard along with NFC.

Other specifications include “ClearAudio+” sound and what Sony is supposedly describing as “ActiveSleep”, a power management technology the company attempted to trademark back in February. The unnamed slider – though we’d hazard a guess at Sony VAIO Duo 13, given its smaller stablemate – will apparently run for up to 10hrs on a single charge.

The video was supposedly filmed during internal training at UK tech retail chain Dixons, according to one NotebookReview forum member. While no release information was given, the uploader claims there should be more details in a couple of weeks time.

[via Engadget]

The event will also celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Gran Turismo series. Sony Europe president Jim Ryan says that “the Gran Turismo franchise continues to be extremely important to PlayStation,” and that the 15 year anniversary was deemed an appropriate time to celebrate the series that’s been exclusive to the PlayStation ever since the game’s conception.

The event looks to be a big one, with multiple auto makers showing up, including Audi, BMW, Ford, Honda, Jaguar, KTM, Mercedes, Toyota, and even Tesla. These companies will be showing off their best cars at the event. Furthermore, Nissan PlayStation GT Academy champions will also be there to show off their racing skills on the Silverstone Circuit.

We’ve heard rumors in the past about Gran Turismo 6, and Newegg has a placeholder listing page for the game, although details are scarce at this point, and while box art concepts have popped up, they’ve all turned out to be fakes. However, come next week, we could hear more details, as well as possibly get a look at the official box art.

For instance, tap your phone or tablet against your notebook, and you can push a website address from your laptop, or vice-versa, Sony suggests. The NFC can also be used as a way to quickly pair two devices via WiFi or Bluetooth, much as Sony has already done with its NFC-enabled smart TV remote controls.

Meanwhile, there’s aluminum detailing on the Fit 14/15, an optional capacitive touchscreen, and Exmor R webcams. The Fit E-series models get plastic casings, with the Fit 14E and 15E having “big box” speakers, Sony says, while the 15E also gets a subwoofer.

The Fit 15/15E also accommodates a separate numeric keypad, though all the models have backlit ‘boards. NVIDIA GeForce graphics with up to 2GB of dedicated memory are optional, and there’s a choice of regular HDD, hybrid hard-drive, or SSD options. DVD and Blu-ray are also on offer.

Sony says the VAIO Fit 14 and 15 will hit shelves in mid-May, priced from $649 for the Fit 14 and $699 for the Fit 15, each available in black, pink, or silver. The Fit E 14E and Fit 15E will be offered in black, pink, or white, priced from around $549 and $579 respectively.

The Xperia Z is certainly a premium phone selling unlocked for $629.99. This device is available in black, white, or purple colors. It uses a five-inch display with full HD resolution. Under the hood, the smartphone uses a 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4 quad core processor.

The phone uses the Android 4.1 operating system and features 2 GB of RAM. Internal storage is 16 GB and the camera on the back of the phone offers 13-megapixels. Sony also fits that camera with its Exmor RS mobile image sensor.

While the version of this device available to purchase right now is unlocked, it is expected that land on T-Mobile networks eventually. It will certainly be significantly cheaper via T-Mobile because the company won’t require you to purchase the device out right upfront. Sony also slashed the price of another good smartphones called the Xperia ZL from $759.99 to $629.99.

[via Android Community]

The concept has already been experimented with on the PS Vita, which normally has the ability to take screenshots of gameplay. However, if developers wish, they can temporarily shut that off, meaning final puzzles, battles, or other details of gameplay can be kept more secret.

“For example, on Vita, developers can in certain scenes disable the feature that lets users take a screenshot, and (the Share function) will have a similar mechanism” Yoshido said. “The creator may not want to make video of the final boss sharable, for instance.”

It’s unclear to what extent game developers will be able to limit use of the Share functionality. Gamers are likely to accept the odd moment where the Share button does nothing, but that understanding might pale if the key is locked out for longer periods.

Sharing was, Yoshido explained, something of a serendipitous addition to the PS4. The team had been looking at different ways that gamers could share footage of their play online, and a dedicated button became the most popular solution. “I felt that sharing videos is a really important part of enjoying games” the exec says.

[via Ars Technica]

The PlayStation 2 will be the last previous-generation console that GameStop will support, seeing as how the retail chain ceased Nintendo GameCube and Microsoft Xbox games and gear several years ago. Frankly, we’re surprised that the console has lasted this long in the retail market, considering that GameStop likes keeping up with the curve.

Earlier this year, Sony announced that they ended production of the PlayStation 2 after 12 years of being on the market when the console first launched in 2000. Since then, Sony has shipped 150 million PlayStation 2 consoles worldwide, with 50 million of those going to North America.

While we’re sad to see the PlayStation 2 make its way out, it seems that GameStop is looking to make room for the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox 720 before the holiday season comes around. We haven’t seen new consoles from Sony or Microsoft in a few years, so it’ll be nice seeing the two go at each other again come this fall.

[via Destructoid]

With the release of an XPERIA Z for T-Mobile, this would be another rare push by Sony to have a smartphone on a carrier with a contract here in the USA. Generally an XPERIA device will be released in the states off-contract only, allowing users to choose their carrier and their data plan without contractual obligations as such.

If the Sony XPERIA Z is released to T-Mobile in the near future, it’ll be put in indirect competition with the XPERIA ZL and direct competition with the Samsung GALAXY S 4 as well as the HTC One, both of which are being carried by T-Mobile this spring and summer. Sony’s hero efforts will need, therefor, a price point that’s less or equal to what these devices offer at least due to the much more active advertising efforts of the competition.

Have a peek at SlashGear’s review of the Sony XPERIA Z as it exists internationally, and stay tuned as we review the Sony XPERIA ZL for the USA as well. It’ll be up to you, if you’re Sony-addicted, whether you want to be attached to one or the other. Both will work with T-Mobile, mind you, but only one will be working with the network’s upcoming 4G LTE connectivity roll-out. The FCC listing discovered by Engadget this week shows the XPERIA Z to be working with T-Mobile-specific 4G LTE radios.

Overall, the phone is said to be a massive improvement over the Xperia Z, which we have still yet to see in the US. Honami will come packing with a lot of the same features in many of Sony’s Cybershot cameras, so we’re guessing one of the main focal points of the new phone will be its 20MP camera, and it’s easy to see why.

However, as for internal specs, we’re looking at some powerful hardware on board. It’s rumored to be packing a 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor, with the standard 2GB of RAM, as well as a huge 2700mAh battery. The device is also said to be surfaced with a 5-inch 1080p display to compete with the Samsung GALAXY S 4 and HTC One.

As for further features of the camera component on Honami, it’s said to come with an completely new image-processing algorithm, as well as a redesigned camera UI, which will be based off of Sony’s Cybershot line. As for the LED flash on the Honami, it’s said to be ten times brighter than a typical LED flash on a today’s smartphones.

[via VR-Zone]

Two capacity versions of the slate are offered, with the cheapest having 16GB of internal storage while the more expensive model getting 32GB. That carriers a $100 premium, however, but does also give the option of a white casing; the 16GB Tablet Z is only available in black.

Either way, you’re getting what Sony says is the thinnest Android tablet around, as well as being the thinnest 10.1-inch tablet. In fact, it’s just 0.27-inches thick and 16.9 ounces in weight, though Sony claims the tempered glass display and glass-polymer chassis keep it sturdy and flex-free.

Sony Xperia Tablet Z hands-on:

That’s something we noticed in our hands-on with the Xperia Tablet Z, along with the impressive display. Although it falls short of the sheer number of pixels the Nexus 10 offers, the WUXGA LCD TFT panel – and Sony’s own Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2 under the hood – looks incredible.

Sony’s track record with Android tablets has been mediocre, but the success of the waterproof Xperia Z smartphone may indicate its slate sibling could find renewed favor among tableteers. It’s up for preorder now at Sony’s official store.

While the Sony Xperia SP’s display isn’t standing out among the best available, the rest of the specs place it fully in the mid-to-high range. Inside, users will find a 1.7GHz Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor alongside 1GB of RAM. There’s a rear Exmor RS for mobile 8-megapixel camera and flash. There’s also a light strip that displays different color lights depending on which notifications the user receives.

The display is a sizable 4.6-inches with a 720p resolution, which is less than some of its competitors, but certainly not a bad resolution. Sony says that the display’s colors and contrast are improved via the inclusion of a Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2 system, which been used in some of the maker’s other handsets as well. This is accompanied by Battery STAMINIA, which is a feature said to improve battery life.

Connectivity includes the typical 3G/4G, NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. The handset runs Android 4.2.2, and weighs in at 155 grams with an aluminum frame. The Xperia SP is being offered in three colors: red, black, and white, the latter of which you can see in the image above. T-Mobile UK says customers should allow 30 days for delivery.

[via Xperia Blog]

Inafune stated that he and Sony Computer Entertainment, the company that produced the game, are having discussions regarding a Soul Sacrifice sequel. He states,

“Soul Sacrifice is something I specifically designed for the Vita using the hardware’s specific features. To drive Vita sales even more, I have an idea for a Soul Sacrifice sequel. I’m actually approaching [Sony Computer Entertainment] regarding this project.”

Thanks to the game, PlayStation Vita sales have been on the rise. The PS Vita has been struggling with sales, and Sony had to reduce the pricing of its system in order to bring sales up. While that helped, Sony still needs new games that will make consumers want to purchase a PS Vita. Games like Soul Sacrifice, which is a new IP, is what the company is looking for.

Soul Sacrifice is a 3rd person game that resembles that of the Monster Hunter franchise. Your character is a sorcerer that you can customize in many ways. The character can be a tank, a melee DPSer, or a ranged caster. The game features 4-player co-op, where you can team up with strangers or friends to battle dangerous bosses. You are rewarded experience points and bonus points after successfully winning a fight. The game is strange as it allows you to sacrifice your allies or your limbs in order to cast powerful spells.

Soul Sacrifice is one of those games that Quantic Dream COO Guillaume de Fondaumiere believes will revive the gaming industry. In a recent interview, Fondaumiere stated that game developers needed to be more creative and experimental with their game releases. He told developers that experimental games didn’t have to be “unprofitable” and that sales could reach figures that were once perceived only achievable by well-known IPs. He says that game developers need to develop new IPs, like Soul Sacrifice, in order to get gamers, both old and new, interested in the industry again.

[via IGN]

The Handycam HDR-GW66VE is waterproof to depths of up to 10 meters/33 feet, as well as being resistant to a variety of conditions, such as dust, freezing temperatures -10C/14F), and drops from a height of about 1.5 meters, although its durability partially depends on the substance upon which it is dropped. The outdoorsy features aside, this Handycam also offers a variety of other features tailored towards higher-end video quality.

Because the HDR-GW66VE is small enough to fit in a pocket, it is prone to the same issues of shaky and wobbly video as other cameras that aren’t heavy enough to neutralize small jostles and hand movements. To rectify this, Sony tossed SteadyShot Active Mode into the Handycam’s roster alongside an Exmor R CMOS sensor and G Lens. SteadyShot works when zoom is being used, as well.

Videos are recorded in full HD 50p in AVCHD format, which is ideal for those who are as interested in quality as they are portability, keeping compression artifacts and other issues to a minimum. There’s also an MP4 recording mode for smaller (and lower quality) videos. Those with BRAVIA TVs will be interested to know this Handycam supports Triluminous Color.

Available in June. Price yet unspecified.

[via Sony]

Sony and Storybricks’s collaboration is fitting because Sony is developing EverQuest Next on its Forge Light game engine, which is said to be able to make in-game characters “more realistic.” Storybrick’s AI engine is boasted as the “best AI engine” because it is said to be able to give characters emotion. With their combined efforts, they may be able to produce an MMO with the next-generation of non-playable characters, a feat that many players would love to see.

In an email with TechCrunch, Rodolfo Rosini, Storybricks’s co-founder, stated that EverQuest Next wasn’t the only game that the company was focusing on, and that it had several other game studios interested in a collaboration as well. But for right now, it’s focusing all of its efforts on EverQuest. He states that EverQuest Next “could be the most important game of the next 10 years,” and that the game is already generating “significant revenue” for the startup.

Storybricks wasn’t able to release any more information about EverQuest Next, other than it being “the biggest sandbox ever designed.” Currently, because of the size of this project, Storybricks isn’t able to collaborate with any other game studio, however in the future, it plans on bringing its engine to other MMOs as well. Storybricks planned on launching its own browser-based MMO, but scrapped its plans after its Kickstarter campaign ended in failure.

Luckily for the team, a group of angel investors supplied it with enough startup revenue to help it develop its game engine. If not for those investors, Storybricks would not have come across the opportunity of working with a major company like Sony. Storybricks hasn’t confirmed an official release date for EverQuest Next, however, John Smedley, President of Sony Online Entertainment, made implications that we could be seeing the game this year.

[via TechCrunch]

The binoculars have a wide zoom magnification range from 0.8x to 25x and feature autofocus. The product also has integrated image stabilization to keep images from being excessively shaky at high zoom levels. The binoculars also capable of recording both 2-D and 3-D images, even in lowlight situations.

The 50V binoculars have a 20.4-megapixel image sensor and can shoot still photos as well as video. Audio recorded along with the video is in stereo format. The binoculars use XGA OLED Tru-Finder electronic viewfinders promising better resolution and contrast for each eye. The image sensor is a Sony Exmor R CMOS unit.

The binoculars also make use of Sony’s BIONZ image processors to provide stereoscopic 3-D images if desired. Users can directly connect the binoculars to a TV using a HDMI output for viewing of images and accessory cable. Power comes from a high-capacity rechargeable battery pack allowing three hours of 2-D recording per charge. The DEV-50V digital recording binoculars will launch in June at a retail price of about $2000.

[via Sony]

The Cybershot HX50V utilizes Optical SteadyShot, which is both welcomed and rather essential for producing clear images at the high zoom rates this camera offers. In comparison, 2012′s HX200V model from Sony only offered half this stabilization effectiveness at full zoom. Inside, users will find a BIONZ processor and integrated Wi-Fi, which enables use with a mobile device via the Sony PlayMemories Mobile app. The app allows for both remote control and wireless transfer.

The hardware offered lends itself to more than point-and-shoot photography, and so users who want manual control can use the P/A/S/M modes available via a dial. In addition, an external flash, viewfinder, and microphone, among other accessories, will be available for use via a Multi Interface Shoe. If users don’t want to use a mobile device for remote control, a separate one can be used via a Multi Terminal.

As far as video goes, the Cybershot HX50V can record in up to full high definition utilizing the Optical SteadyShot to keep the video smooth. Tying it in with its BRAVIA TVs, this camera is compatible with Sony’s TRIMUNIOUS Color tech. And finally, there are photo filters, which is quickly becoming the norm on compact cameras. Users will be able to apply effects to both photos and videos.

Available in May for $450.

[via PR Newswire]

Like its PlayStation 3 counterpart, the PS Vita trilogy is remastered in 720p anti-aliased graphics and will run at 60 frames per second. The PlayStation Network Trophy system will also be implemented into the game. Alongside the classic aspects of the games, the Jak and Daxter trilogy will also feature new touch-based controls that can be used throughout various mini-games in the story.

The Jak and Daxter Trilogy isn’t the only remastered games coming to the PlayStation Vita. Sony also plans on remastering the popular Final Fantasy X and X-2 duo as well. The games will be remastered with richer colors and smoother graphics. Unfortunately for PS Vita users, they will have to buy the Final Fantasy games separately, while those of you who have a PlayStation 3 will be able to purchase the remakes in a bundled package.

Sony has remastered a bunch of games for the PlayStation 3, including the Devil May Cry series, God of War series, and more. While it may seem like the company is milking out every penny from these franchises, its beneficial to gamers who haven’t tried these games out yet, as well as gamers who want to take a trip down memory lane. The Jak and Daxter trilogy is set to launch sometime in June for the price of $29.99.

[via PlayStation Blog]

Sony recently launched its Sony Store in the Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto California. Sony will be reopening the doors to three additional concept stores located in Miami, San Diego, and Orlando using the same style and experience offered in Palo Alto. Sony says that with its three remodeled stores reopening that it now has eight Sony Stores in the United States.

Rather than opening new retail stores in multiple areas, Sony is also going to be launching freestanding Sony Galleries. The Sony Gallery will show off a curated assortment of Sony’s best products in a smaller store footprint. The first Sony Gallery is opening this week in San Diego at the Westfield UTC Mall.

The Sony Gallery appears to be a curtained tent-style display in the center court area of the mall. Additional Sony Galleries will be coming next month and will be located in New Jersey and San Francisco. Sony plans to place additional galleries and other shopping centers around the country. The galleries will include TVs, cameras, computers, and audio products.

[via Sony]

The ultra-fast Internet service is called Nuro, and is being offered by So-net Entertainment in Tokyo and six other prefectures in the vicinity. The service rolled out earlier today, and aside from the 2Gbps download speeds, users will also see 1Gbps upload speeds. Jealous? We are. And on top of that is the monthly price tag below what most of us pay for much slower service.

There are a couple downsides to the service at the moment, although the ISP is waving the biggest one for the time being. Those who subscribe will be charged a fee equivalent to $540USD for installation, although for the time being, that fee will be waived if service is applied for online. Talk about a good deal,

And aside from that, users will be required to sign for a two-year contract as part of the subscription, although we can’t imagine anyone wanting to switch service after a few months or so of 2Gbps download speeds. The biggest barrier, then, will be whether users have hardware capable of taking advantage of such speeds. A problem more of us would like to be faced with.

[via Japan Daily Press]

This smartphone runs with many of the same specifications that the XPERIA Z did, bringing on the 5-inch 1080 x 1920p full HD Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2 for the brightest and sharpest experience you’ve ever had on an XPERIA smartphone. You’ll be working with Infra-red for controlling your television, NFC for connecting to all the NFC tags you could ever want, and that same cool 13 megapixel camera on the back. You’ve also got a rather nice “Superior Auto” mode on the camera that instantly adds or subtracts camera features depending on what the camera detects in front of you.

You’ve got a newly rubbery textured plastic back panel instead of the glass flat panel the Z worked with – while some might not be all that pumped up about such a change, we’re certainly all for it. Now the device doesn’t feel nearly as fragile, and it retains its high-end feel just as well. You also get a significant size advantage with this build, the device working with the same massive display but with a bezel that’s shaved enough off the top and bottom of the build that you’ll be holding what basically feels like a “borderless” screen – a rather nice feeling.

Interestingly enough, it’s not as if the Xperia ZL was made entirely on the suggestions made for the Z. We saw the Xperia ZL at the same time as the Z back at CES 2013 with our Xperia Z hands-on. Both devices were ready to roll in their near-ready forms one next to the other, the one ready to dunk in the water, the other being the smaller-bodied beast.

Inside you’ve got the same processor you’ll get with the LG Optimus G and the Google Nexus 4 (by LG) – have a peek below at some benchmark tests to prove this device’s might. You’ll also find some hands-on images above and below, and we’ll be presenting additional tests soon. Please feel free to let us know any questions you’ve got about this device and we’ll do our best to make sure you’re fully informed before you purchase the Xperia ZL later this month!

Such demand already might surprise some folks. After all, it took a long time for the PlayStation 3 to truly get off the ground and although it’ll likely end this generation with more worldwide sales than the Xbox 360, in the U.S., especially, it’s no match for Microsoft’s console.

To make matters worse, it appears that gamers aren’t all that excited about the next generation of consoles across the board. The Wii U, after all, has been watching its sales slow to crawl and even GameStop said publicly that it’s been disappointed by the Wii U. What in the world would make the PlayStation 4 different?

Well, I think there are a host of reasons. I’m a firm believer that Sony is still a household name in the U.S. and in Japan – its two key markets – and people buy products from the company solely because they trust the name. And despite the PlayStation 3’s initial troubles, the console turned out to be quite a success, allowing its predecessor to deliver solid results next time around.

It’s also unfair to compare the PlayStation 4 with the Wii U. Nintendo’s console is one that’s a barely updated alternative to the predecessor. As I’ve said here before, I believe the Wii U is a catch-up device. And historically, catch-up devices don’t really perform all that well on store shelves.

The PlayStation 4, however, is a high-end product with all kinds of graphical firepower; it’s the kind of device that true gamers really want. And chances are, Sony will once again have the full support of the developer community to ensure it doesn’t fall short from a library perspective.

Most importantly, though, I think the strong demand for the PlayStation 4 tells us that, despite conventional wisdom suggesting that mobile and casual gaming is the future, console gamers are still extremely engrossed in their favored way of playing games. And that’s not going to change anytime soon.

The fact is that console gaming has a long way to go to ultimately match the promise gamers have been hoping for all this time. And companies like Sony and Microsoft are willing to push the envelope and put themselves in a position where they can capitalize on customers that want a true next-generation device, and not something that’s simply labeled as one.

So yes, I understand the excitement surrounding the PlayStation 4, and I can say without any hesitation that I’m one of those folks that’s excited to see what’s coming next from Sony. The future is now. And Sony is one of the few companies in the gaming industry that’s willing to embrace it.

Before, your PlayStation Vita was limited to displaying only 100 apps, no matter how much storage space you have on the device. The new folders option should help resolve that issue. To create a folder, all you need to do is tap and hold your screen to enter “editing mode”. Then you can “create folder” and drag 10 games/apps into that folder. Group messaging has also been modified, allowing you to message as many of your contacts as you want. Video playback has also been implemented into the PS Vita’s web browser. You can now stream videos from YouTube or other media sites, however, some videos may not be supported by the Vita.

Notifications has also been improved. You can now check which game you have loaded into your PlayStation Vita by checking your information bar. Email has also been improved, now allowing you to view HTML messages. There is also a new search function that allows you to search for your emails. There should also be some behind-the-scene improvements with this update that should improve the performance of your device.

While Vita owners in the United States will be receiving their update today, those of you in Europe will have to wait until tomorrow to get it. If you haven’t purchased a PlayStation Vita yet, and have been considering buying one, check out your local retailer to see if they are one of the ones that offer it for the discounted $199 price-tag. Also be sure to check out our PlayStation Vita review to see all that it has to offer.

The controller will then connect wirelessly to your device via Bluetooth. To turn the controller off, you can switch it off via your phone’s notification’s menu. With DualShock 3 support, and the option to connect your device to an HDTV, this new feature will bring you a much-welcomed upgrade to your gaming experience. You will be able to find new love for games such as titles from Square Enix, as well as re-released PlayStation titles like Grand Theft Auto III.

This new native support for the DualShock 3 helps make Sony’s Xperia devices a major competitor against the upcoming OUYA and GameStick devices, both of which want to compete in the world of console gaming. However, unlike Sony, both OUYA and the GameStick both have dedicated developers who are creating games exclusively for both systems.

Sony makes it easier for you to find out which games are compatible with your DualShock 3 controller. Compatible games will have a reference to either a controller or gamepad support. You will be able to find games straight from both the PlayStation store as well as the Google Play store. We’re not sure which devices are supported yet, but we’re very sure that Sony Xperia T, Z, and ZL owners will be able to take advantage of this feature. Be sure to check out our review of the Sony Xperia Z.

The Xperia ZL handset is high-end phablet offering a full 1920 x 1080 HD Reality Display, as well as a 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor and the Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2. There’s a rear 13-megapixel Exmor RS for Mobile camera that can record HDR video in 1080p, offering both noise reduction and Superior Auto focus. The handset supports 4G LTE and offers both NFC and infrared connectivity, running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

To help ensure that users aren’t having to charge too often, there’s the Battery STAMINA standby feature as well. The handset is compatible with HSPA+ 1/2/4/5/8 and EDGE 850/900/1800/1900. The carrier will be offering the Sony Xperia ZL for $249.99 after a mail-in rebate and a two-year contract, and says it will be available on May 1 via its website and retail stores.

Said Cincinnati Bell’s Consumer Markets Senior Vice President and General Manager Mike Vanerwoude, “We’re excited to add the Sony Xperia ZL to our line of premium smartphones. With this extraordinary device, customers can connect with each other using the best technology Sony has to offer. The Xperia ZL on Cincinnati Bell’s 4G wireless network creates an unbeatable combination.”

[via Business Wire]

The 4K recording was displayed on LG’s 84-inch 4K Ultra HD TVs at various, private locations inside of the Georgia Dome. The premiere of the NCAA Men’s Final Four championship in 4K also coincided with the 75th anniversary celebration of March Madness, making it the perfect time to start broadcasting the sporting event in the next-generation of HDTV. Ken Aagaard, Executive VP of operations, engineering and broadcast services for CBS Sports, states that Ultra HDTV can become the future of sports broadcasting.

LG’s 84-inch 4K Ultra HD TVs sell for $19,999. It brings 4 times the details of a Full HD 1080p display, shelling out a 3,840 x 2,160 resolution. It features the LG Resolution Upscaler Plus which boosts lower-resolution content into higher detail. It also comes with an LG Magic Remote which allows you to navigate through LG’s HD TV onscreen interface with gestures and voice search. It has a 2.2 Sound System that brings ultra-quality sound to your ultra-quality television.

LG has some big competition coming from Sony. Just yesterday, Sony released the pricing for its 55-inch and 65-inch 4K Ultra HD TVs, both of which will be available on April 21st. The 55-inch will sell for $4,999 and the 65-inch will sell for $6,999, making them both much more affordable than LG’s current offering. Sony will also be bringing a 4K media player in the future, and it will launch a 4K video distribution service as well in order to jet-start the 4K era.

The FMP-X1 will come bundled with 10 feature films and video shorts. The feature films include: Bad Teacher, Battle:Los Angeles, The Bridge on the River Kawi, The Karate Kid, Salt, Taxi Driver, That’s My Boy, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Other Guys, and Total Recall. A majority of those films are actually very appealing, and should help make the $700 price-tag much less painful to stomach.

When Fall rolls around, Sony will also be launching a video-distribution service that owners of the FMP-X1 will be able to take advantage of. The service will offer a whole library of 4K movies and shows for a fee. Titles will be available from a variety of productions, including, of course, Sony Pictures Entertainment. Whether the fee will be per title, or one-set fee for an unlimited amount of content is still unknown.

Also on April 17th, Sony will be working together with The Tribeca Film Festival to promote its 4K video production among amateur and professional film makers, in hopes of getting many film makers to support its products. However, it may be a while before people can adapt to 4K televisions. With the $4,999/$6,999 price-tag along with the $699 price-tag for the media player, these products aren’t exactly affordable for the average consumer.

[via Sony]

These TVs have a display resolution that’s 4 times that of a FULL HD TV (3840 x 2160) thanks to Sony’s proprietary two-chip 4K X-reailty PRO picture engine. Also thanks to the TVs’ TRILUMINOS Display, color quality is spectacular. All colors, even difficult-to-reproduce hues, will be delivered naturally and accurately. Your TV will display amazing contrast thanks to the TVs’ dynamic edge-lit LED backlighting.

The TVs will have audio that “makes every moment real” thanks to Sony’s Signal-to-Sound architecture. They will also have a S-Force front-facing, magnetic fluid speaker system to provide you with the highest-quality sound possible. The TV is FULL HD 3D capable, and will have WiFi connectivity built right in so that you can download video content from the Sony Entertainment Network.

To compliment the X900A’s beautiful display, Sony will bringing remastered Blu-Ray discs that support the 4K resolution of these TVs. When you purchase your TV, you will also be able to pick up a remastered copy of Spider-Man (the one featuring Tobey Maguire), Ghostbusters, and Angels & Demons for free. Sony will also be launching its FMP-X1 4K Media Player over the summer for $699, bundled with 10 films and video shorts viewable in 4k resolution. Later in the Fall, it will launch a video-distribution service that lets consumers buy various 4K titles for their TVs. These services will allow consumers to fully utilize their TVs’ capabilities.

[via Sony]

The United States and Europe version of the game will be released by NIS America. In the game, you play as the Black Rock Shooter, a battle android awakened in the year 2051 AD to end the 19-year battle between the alien race that invaded Earth and the 12 surviving human beings left on Earth. She, and her lack of clothing and armor, is the only hope in saving the planet.

This is an action-RPG, so the game focuses on character development. As you advance more into the story, you will be able to unlock more skills and more enhancements for your character. You will have access to a variety of weapons and vehicles to take out the alien race. In the game, you don’t just hack and slash. You have to evade enemy attacks, keep track of your heat gauge, and accurately fire you weapon.

You will have to complete missions in order to learn new skills and abilities, and unlock extra features in the game. You are able to use 4 unique skills at a time in battle. In order to survive certain types of enemies, you have to modify your skill bars accordingly. Don’t let the petite, anime characters fool you, this game is jam-packed with action. In similar news, Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories and Vice City Stories should be heading to the PlayStation Network right about now.