Sony Launch New Camcorders at CES 2016

Life’s defining moments can happen so fast, we often fail to fully appreciate the essence of the experience. Whether it’s a child’s first steps, a school play, graduation or a wedding day – having a video to re-live your happiest times with friends and family can become one of your greatest treasures. Sony’s newest Handycam camcorders allow you to perpetuate those moments in vibrant 4K detail.

FDR-AX53 – Breath-taking picture quality with 4K Handycam

The patriarch of this year’s camcorder family takes form in Sony’s newest 4K Handycam, the FDR-AX53, combining enhanced image quality and incredible sound performance.

The FDR-AX53 features a new Exmor R CMOS sensor, providing exceptionally detailed 4K movies. Due to the new sensor’s approximately 1.6x larger pixel sizeii, the FDR-AX53 enjoys a much greater sensitivity level than its predecessorand allows for fantastically clear content with outstanding resolution even when shooting in low light conditions.

The FDR-AX53 features a newly developed ZEISS lens that extends to a wide angle of 26.8mmiii, accurately capturing the scene from wide angle through to telephoto. The lens empowers the camcorder with a remarkable range of 20x optical and 30x (4K)/ 40x (FHD) Clear Image Zoom, for beautiful close-up footage you don’t want to miss.

Due to its Advanced Aspherical (AA) and Extra-low Dispersion(ED) lens elements, colour fringing is highly reduced allowing the lens to produce incredibly accurate colours for beautifully precise footage. The multi-layer film ZEISS T* coating reduces unwanted reflections like ghosting and flare which delivers a crisper, clearer image even when shooting on bright days outside.

The FDR-AX53 is the first Handycam with an enhanced version of Sony’s own Balance Optical SteadyShot; a 5-axis image stabilisation system that brings you blur-free footage when shooting handheld and thanks to its new Intelligent Active modeiv, also ensures crisp footage whilst running. This incredibly powerful image stabilisation system allows for exceptionally smooth and clear video footage from all angles, even when on the move or whilst using the telephoto end of the 20x optical zoom when aiming for close-ups shots. The new Intelligent Active mode takes it a step further and even allows for incredibly clear HD footage when running.

The FDR-AX53 records at an incredible high bit-rate of 4K 100Mbps, using the high-performing XAVC S™ recording format[vi], allowing each frame to be filled with astonishing 4K detail so you can relive everything from splashing waves to colourful confetti.

The camcorder comes with a newly adapted AF algorithm, Fast Intelligent AF, also featuring in Sony’s α7S II, which optimises communication between the lens and processor to achieve speeds up to approximately 40% fasterii than previous models and more precise subject capture.

Advanced sound quality

The FDR-AX53’s new microphone structure collects sound from five directions, thereby capturing real-life sounds and delivering a more realistic sense of ambience. Due to the enhanced microphone structure, noise levels have been reduced by approximately 40%ii, and stereo performance is approximately twice as high as previous modelsii, allowing for clear recordings in a greater range of environments. Its 5.1ch microphone records high stereo sound in 2ch in XAVC S 4K/HD and high surround sound in 5.1ch in AVCHD. In addition, the My Voice Canceling function reduces the user’s own voice whilst recording.

Full HD 100fps recording for slow-mo movies[vii]

As a first for the Handycam series, the FDR-AX53 can record at 100fps in Full HD meaning that footage can be edited into breath-taking slow motion footage with the free PC software, PlayMemories Home™, to add a whole new dimension to home movies.

It boasts many pro-style refinements for greater shooting flexibility, including a manual ring and button that can be allocated to functions like zoom, focus and exposure and electronic viewfinder (EVF), allowing the user to easily compose scenes even when recording on sun-filled holidays. For greater control of the edit, advanced users can benefit from Time Code and User Bit options.

To enjoy recorded footage at home, 4K content can be played back on a compatible 4K TV through a supplied HDMI cable or by automatic down conversion of 4K frames in Full HD playback on an HD TV. For beautiful framing, this Handycam also allows you to playback trimmed 4K images from selected video frames, enlarging or cropping[viii] selected parts of the frame in Full HD quality.

More new ways to capture and share the memories

Sony’s Full HD camcorder range welcomes two new members, HDR-CX625 and HDR-CX450. As with their elder siblings, they extend to a generous wide angle of 26.8mmiii, meaning beautiful family moments can be captured in any situation. Both new models benefit from image stabilisation technologies including advanced 5-axis Balanced Optical SteadyShot with Intelligent Active mode on the HDR-CX625, and Optical SteadyShot with Intelligent Active mode on the HDR-CX450–ensuring highly detailed, blur-free footage.

The Handycam camcorders allow for XAVC S 50Mbps high-bitrate recordingv and also feature Fast Intelligent AF. With 5.1ch surround microphone performance[ix] and My Voice Canceling, superb sound quality is also guaranteed.

Using Sony’s free PlayMemories Home™PC software, you can organise and edit your footage and also create your personal high-quality time-lapse moviesvi with Time-lapse Capture for powerful, impactful scenes in 4K using the FDR-AX53 and HD with the HDR-CX625 and HDR-CX450.

Live Broadcasts

To get others involved in the action, all new Handycam models allowLive Streamingvia USTREAMTM[x], enabling you to stream HD video footage and sound from Handycam camcorders through a wireless access point. You can now ensure that no one, no matter how far away, will miss out on those defining moments, no matter where in the world they may be.

Like all of Sony’s Handycam line up, the new models feature the automatic in-cam movie editing function, Highlight Movie Maker[xi], which picks key moments in your footage like laughter or zoomed in moments and assembles them into short-clips without any need for post-production editing. You can customise with transition effects and soundtrack music and once completed, easily share your MP4 movie on social media sites.

Sony’s new 4K Handycam will be available in Europe from March 2016; the Full HD camcorders will be available from mid-February, 2016.

• Today’s special moments are tomorrow’s greatest memories with new Handycam range featuring new 4K[i] and two new HD models
  • FDR-AX53 4K Handycam with new Exmor R™ CMOS sensor with approx. 1.6x bigger pixel size[ii] for unrivalled sensitivity, particularly in low light conditions
  • New ZEISS® Vario-Sonnar T* lens for astounding resolution up to a wide angle of 26.8mm[iii] and 20x optical zoom and 30x Clear Image Zoom[iv]
  • Featuring 5-axis image stabilisation enabled by Sony’s Balanced Optical SteadyShot™ enhanced with NEW Intelligent Active mode[v], compensating for camera shake even whilst running
  • New microphone structure which collects sound from five directions for advanced sound quality
  • Full HD 100fps high speed recording for post-production editing of incredible slow-mo moviesvi
  • Pro-style features including manual ring, EVF, Time Code recording and User Bit for increased shooting flexibility
  • HDR-CX625 and HDR-CX450 HD camcorders with enhanced camera functions including 5-axis image stabilisation (only on CX625), Fast Intelligent AF, and Time-lapse Capture

Revealed: The top Christmas gadgets of the last decade

Smart watches set to top tech-savvy Christmas lists … From games consoles to tablets and wearables, the top technology Christmas gifts of the last decade chart how the world has advanced. The way we game, read, track our fitness and work has been revolutionised since 2005. As Christmas approaches, what better way to celebrate trends in technology than to take a look at the most successful technology products of the past ten years?

2005
Back in 2005, 1.1 million of us sent Shane Ward to the Christmas top spot, and number one on everyone’s Christmas list was the brand new Xbox 360. Demand hugely outstripped supply, with hundreds of gamers queuing for hours in the rain to lay their hands on the console, which sold out in hours. The Xbox franchise has continued to delight gamers; 9 years later, Microsoft announced that Xbox 360 sales stood at 84 million units sold, with lifetime game sales for the platform at $37.7 billion. On last calculation, Xbox 360 gamers have logged more than 88 billion hours of gameplay, which is equivalent to more than 100,000 centuries.

2006
2006 saw Daniel Craig’s first outing as Bond in ‘Casino Royale’, and Sony’s fight back against Microsoft, in the shape of the Play Station 3. First introduced in 1995, the Play Station and Play Station 2 are still the best-selling home game consoles in history. To date the four Play Station versions have sold a total of 344 million units.

2007
2007 was the year gaming got physical, with stocks of Nintendo’s Wii finally becoming widely available to buy. Named a ‘revolution’ by Forbes Magazine, which claimed that the Wii ‘has re-invented video gaming, making it more social, more intuitive and surprisingly physically engaging…it’s potentially the device that will make video gaming as widely enjoyed as board or card games.’ Since launch, it’s sold more than 100 million units.

2008
It’s hard to imagine life before the smart phone, but 2008 was the year the 3G iPhone hit our shores. Now in its 12th incarnation, over 500 million iPhones have been sold, currently making it the best-selling smartphone of all time.

2009
The Amazon Kindle took technology into a new realm, revolutionising the way we consume new and enduring classic literature. The Kindle 2 was launched in 2009 and by early the next year the founder and CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, stated that "millions of people now own Kindles” and that “six Kindle books were being sold for every 10 physical books". Kindle remains the undisputed leader of the e-reader. The company is famously secretive about sales figures but 2013 estimates put sales of all Kindle devices at roughly 44 million.

2010
Pre-2010, the thought of receiving a tablet for Christmas was understandably unlikely to be anywhere near the top of anyone’s list. That all changed with the unveiling of the iPad in January 2010 by then-Apple CEO Steve Jobs. In contrast to earlier tablet PCs, the iPad was marketed as a consumer device that would fill the gap between smartphones and laptop computers. Over 292 million have been sold to date.

2011
2011 was a momentous year for Brits, with the union of Prince William and Kate Middleton. In the world of technology, all eyes were on the launch of the first commercially successful ‘phablet’, the Samsung Galaxy Note. Whilst some media outlets questioned the viability of the device due to its 5.3-inch (135-mm) screen, the Note received a positive reception, selling 1 million units in two months.

2012
2012 was the year that London was Olympics-obsessed, Facebook debuted on the stock market, Felix Baumgartner jumped from space and the iPad went mini. Lighter and thinner than its predecessor, the iPad Mini reportedly sold three million units in the three days post launch.

2013
Sony’s next generation console, the Playstation 4, launched in November 2013. Six months later, 7 million homes world-wide owned a PS4. Having lost several previous battles to Nintendo’s Wii, Sony was finally winning the games console war.

2014
To 2014 and wearable technology; namely the fitness tracker. Sales have risen 250% year-on-year and from mid-2014 to mid-2015, the wearable industry grew by a massive 223%. At this rate, it’s possible that the market will actually reach the predicted $74 billion mark by 2025.

2015
2015 is undoubtedly the year of the smartwatch, combining fitness tracking, time keeping and connectivity in one package. The global smartwatch market has the potential to reach $32.9 billion by 2020, registering a compound annual growth rate of 68% between 2014 and 2020. It’s thought that 135 million wearable devices will be sold by 2018 – 68 million of them smart watches. Few other industries have such growth perspectives, and the potential to revolutionise how people communicate, monitor their health, work, and interact with their surroundings.

James Jie, Managing Director of Huawei UK and Ireland says, “It’s fascinating to see the impact that technology has had upon our lives during the past decade. In the recent past we saw technology as either fitting in with our work life – for instance PCs – or play, in the shape of games consoles. Now those boundaries no longer exist as technology is embedded within our daily lives. This is no more evident than in the rise of wearable technologies such as the Huawei Watch, which combines connectivity with style.”

Jie continues, “At Huawei, we invest 10% of our sales income into research and development to ensure that we are driving new technology forwards. In 2014 alone, we invested $1.2 billion into R&D. The Huawei Watch embodies our unfailing ambition to deliver an all-connected future across wearables, vehicles and smart phones. Looking back at the past ten years, it’s amazing how far technology has advanced and we look forward to being at the forefront of new advancements for years to come.”

For more information, please visit: http://consumer.huawei.com/minisite/worldwide/huawei-watch/

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B: This post was sponsored by Huawei.

Sony Introduces New Palm-Sized RX1R II Camera - Full Product Images

Sony’s Latest Premium Compact Features Back-Illuminated Full-Frame Sensor, ZEISS® Sonnar T* 35mm F2 Lens, High Speed AF, retractable XGA OLED Viewfinder and World’s First Optical Variable Low Pass Filter[i] with Low pass filter bracketing

Sony today introduced the latest addition to their acclaimed Cyber-shot RX compact camera line, the full-frame RX1R II (model DSC-RX1RM2).  

Joining the original RX1 and RX1R cameras in the family of the world’s smallest full-frame cameras, the new RX1R II delivers the highest picture quality of any Sony compact camera ever made.  This can largely be attributed to the new camera’s high resolution 42.4 MP sensor paired with its large aperture, fixed focal length ZEISS Sonnar T* 35mm F2 lens, which have been fine-tuned to optimise performance together.  

Additionally, the new model features a 30% improvement in AF response speed compared to the original award-winning RX1 models and is equipped with the world’s first optical variable low pass filter that can be set to “off”, “standard” or “high” based on user preference with low pass filter bracketing available. It also has a convenient retractable XGA OLED viewfinder for eye-level shooting, which has been implemented with minimal change in overall body size from its predecessors.   

Ultimate Image Quality in the Palm of Your Hand

The new RX1R II camera utilises a back-illuminated 35mm full-frame Exmor R® CMOS sensor with approx. 42.4 effective megapixels paired with a powerful BIONZ X processing engine to achieve superior levels of image resolution and sensitivity (ISO 100-25600, expandable to 50 – 102400[ii]) with wide dynamic range.  The sensor’s back-illuminated structure, with an expanded circuit scale and copper wiring design, enables faster transmission speed and outputs data approximately 3.5x faster than the original RX1R, ensuring high-speed performance.  

Matched specifically for the image sensor, the large aperture 35mm F2 ZEISS Sonnar T* lens ensures that all images captured by the camera are impressively sharp from the centre to the corners.  The lens also has a unique Macro shift ring for focusing on subjects as close as 14cm in front of the lens and has nine aperture blades that produce smooth, even background defocus or ‘bokeh’ in the most commonly used aperture ranges. 

Another unique benefit of the new camera is its fixed lens design, which allows the positioning of its sensor and lens to be precisely adjusted to maximise all benefits of the sensor’s extremely high resolution.  The closer the two components are to one another, the wider the angle through which light can pass through the lens and directly reach the sensor, resulting in imagery that is rich in detail and resolution.  Also, unlike the focal plane shutter common to interchangeable lens cameras, RX1R II utilises an in-lens shutter, allowing 1/2000 sec flash synch speed and a significant reduction in overall body size.

The new RX1R II also offers uncompressed 14-bit RAW image capture to maximise the benefits of the image sensor’s wide dynamic range, while also still supporting existing compressed format.  

High Speed AF to Capture the Decisive Moment

The RX1R II model is the first in Sony’s acclaimed RX line of compact cameras to feature Fast Hybrid AF capabilities.  The camera’s sensor features 399 focal-plane phase-detection AF points that cover about 45% of the image area – the world’s widest AF coverage on a full-frame sensori – that work together with 25 contrast AF points to achieve focus response that is about 30% faster than the original model.  Additionally, the camera has adapted an advanced motion-detection algorithm that offers superior tracking performance of moving subjects and allows for the addition of AF-C mode that accurately tracks a subject after focusing.  It also can achieve up to 5fps continuous shooting with AF tracking.  

Other focusing improvements on the new model include multiple AF area settings including Wide, Centre and Flexible Spot, as well as Eye AF and lock-on AF.  

World’s First Optical Variable Low Pass Filter

In a first for digital cameras, the RX1R II features an optical variable low pass filter that allows shooters to manually adjust the balance of image resolution and presence of moiré or colour artifacts to match the subject.  

The three settings for the low-pass filter[iii]  include “off”, which provides comparable effects to having no low-pass filter and is suitable when prioritising resolution, “standard”, which strikes a balance between resolution and removal of moiré and colour artifacts, and “high”, which places more emphasis on reducing moiré and artifacting.  This unique feature allows photographers to achieve the desired image quality and resolution based on the presence of moiré-inducing high spatial frequency objects in the scene, essentially combining two cameras – one with and without a low-pass filter – into one body.  Low-pass filter bracketing is also available and can be used to compare the effects of different settings.

New Retractable XGA OLED Viewfinder, Tiltable Screen, HD Video and more

New for the RX1 series, the RX1R II has a built-in retractable XGA OLED Tru-Finder[iv] that pops up and down with simple one-push operation.  The viewfinder features ZEISS T* Coating and four glass elements, including two aspherical lenses, that work together to deliver a magnification of 0.74x[v]  and clear corner-to-corner visibility with minimal distortion.  The new camera also has a 3.0 type WhiteMagic™ 1.2 million dot LCD display that can tilt upwards to 109 degrees and downwards to 41 degrees, allowing for a greater range of shooting angles and positions.

On the video side, the camera’s advanced sensor and processor deliver exceptionally detailed movies with low levels of noise.  It is able to support full HD 1920x1080 video recording at frame rates of 60p, 30p or 24p through use of the versatile XAVC S movie recording format.[vi]  

The new RX1R II camera is also Wi-Fi® and NFC compatible and fully functional with Sony’s PlayMemories Mobile™ application available for Android™ and iOS platforms, as well as Sony’s growing range of PlayMemories Camera Apps™.  

A new version of the popular “Smart Remote Control” app[vii] from PlayMemories Camera Apps is coming soon. It enables remote shooting from your smartphone, and features updated bulb and continuous shooting functionality to match the new camera. Learn more at www.sony.net/pmca.    

Pricing and Availability

The new Sony RX1R II full-frame compact camera will be available in December 2015 with UK pricing at £2,600.

[i] Among digital cameras. As of October 2015 press release, based on Sony research

[ii] Expanded ISO 50-102400 available only for shooting still images

[iii] Available only for shooting still images

[iv] The XGA OLED Tru-Finder features 2,359,296 dots

[v] Approx. 0.74x with 50mm lens equiv. at infinity, -1m-1

[vi] A class 10 or higher SDXC memory card is required to record movies in the XAVC S format

[vii] Version 4.0

Sony RX10 ii Unboxing Reveals new 4K Powerhouse

The Sony RX10 Mark 2 just hit the Geekanoids studio and thanks to Park Cameras we have one of the first unboxing videos on YouTube. Check out the video below to see what you get inside the box and for a look around this powerful piece of kit.

I really want to make sure that you do not overlook this camera. Many advise the purchase on a DSLR or Interchangeable Lens Camera, only to find that you just use one lens, more often than not, the kit lens. What you get with the Sony RX10ii is a bridge camera, with a fixed lens. However, this is an impressive piece of glass and has a constant f2.8 aperture throughout the zoom range. Sony also included a stacked image sensor on this second gen RX10. This equates to DRAM being stacked on the sensor, resulting is a 5x faster readout than conventional models. 

OK, enough of the tech talk. This new beast of a camera delivers 4K internal video recording, a gorgeous lens, microphone input and headphone monitoring output too. Everything you need to capture extremely high quality video. The lens resolves a lot of detail too, so your videos have the potential to exceed the quality of a DSLR with a larger sensor costing twice the price. Add to this high speed frame rate capture (so you can do those crazy slo-mo videos), plus a decent 20-megapixel camera and it is a very compelling proposition. Stay locked to The Geekanoids Channel for indoor & outdoor 4K video tests soon.

Sony’s new Xperia™ Z4 Tablet

Barcelona, 2nd March 2014 – Sony Mobile Communications (“Sony Mobile”) today announced the world’s lightest and slimmest 10” tablet2 – Xperia™ Z4 Tablet. Delivering a best in class entertainment experience thanks to the world’s brightest 10.1 inch 2K display of the leading tablets1 and long battery life (up to 17 hours of video playback), the beautifully crafted Xperia Z4 Tablet is an impressively powerful Android tablet that delivers all the portable performance you need for an entertaining and busy lifestyle.

“Building on the success of its predecessor, we wanted to take all of the qualities that consumers loved most in Xperia Z2 Tablet and enhance them for Z4 Tablet,” says Dennis van Schie, SVP of Sales & Marketing at Sony Mobile. “Consumers appreciate innovation most when it can bring real value to their lives, so we have carefully crafted and considered every aspect of Z4 Tablet to meet even the most demanding lifestyle.  Sleek and lightweight, yet incredibly powerful, with standout entertainment and smart productivity features, Xperia Z4 Tablet is an extraordinary tablet that fits perfectly into your day-to-day life.”

Enhanced entertainment experiences, wherever you are

Xperia Z4 Tablet boasts best-in-class Sony technologies and experiences to ensure you enjoy unrivalled entertainment on the go, with no compromises. Featuring the world’s brightest 10.1 inch 2K display of the leading tablets1, Z4 Tablet delivers a superb viewing experience, even outdoors in direct sunlight, allowing you to enjoy your favourite movies and most memorable video clips in crystal clear clarity, wherever you want.

Great picture quality demands great audio to match, so Xperia Z4 Tablet includes powerful front stereo speakers for an immersive surround sound effect. When you’re on the go and plug in your headphones, Xperia Z4 Tablet senses the type and style of headset, automatically adjusting the settings accordingly for optimum sound.

Sony’s leading audio technologies ensure you never miss a beat. High-Res Audio reproduces high frequency sound in amazing detail for a studio quality experience. DSEE HXTM processing upscales the audio fidelity of tracks to near High-Res Audio quality. Xperia Z4 Tablet supports digital noise cancelling for those times when you need to block out background noise. And for high quality wireless music listening, Sony’s new LDACTM codec transmits data three times more efficiently than Bluetooth.

Xperia Z4 Tablet comes loaded with a 8MP main camera, featuring Sony’s leading technologies for great shots in all lights, and a high quality 5.1MP wide-angle front camera, great for selfies and video calls, that ensures you stay in shot.

Keep playing your favourite PlayStation® 4 games wherever you are in the home with PS4™ Remote Play3. Simply connect your Xperia Z4 Tablet to your PS4 via home Wi-Fi and use the DUALSHOCK®4 Wireless Controller to ensure you never miss a minute of the action – whatever room you are in.

And to keep you entertained, all Xperia Z4 Tablet users will benefit from access to Xperia Lounge Gold – delivering the world of Sony entertainment at your fingertips. Get access to exclusive competitions and offers; be among the first to try out new apps; and enjoy the latest movies, TV episodes and music included with your device.

Xperia Z4 Tablet comes packed with the ultra fast Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 810 octa-core 64 bit processor5, so you can browse faster and get the optimal graphics experience on a stunning 2K display. Whether using Wi-Fi or 4G LTE, multi-tasking on the move is made easy – download email attachments in seconds and enjoy video streaming with no delays or unwanted buffering. And with 32GB internal memory, there is plenty of storage space for those all important files.

Whether for work or play, Xperia Z4 Tablet offers powerful performance that goes the distance. Its stamina is sure to impress with up to 17 hours of video playback, you can travel half way around the world watching movies on a single battery charge. Get even more out of the 6,000mAH battery with Sony’s Battery STAMINA Mode, which turns off background functions when you’re not using them to help extend your battery life, so you can comfortably spend the day emailing, browsing the web and running as many apps as you want with no need to worry about losing battery power.

Superior security and productivity

Escape the office and take your business on the move with the lightweight BKB50 Bluetooth Keyboard featuring a dedicated slot for Xperia Z4 Tablet and docking detection, sleek ergonomics with 0-130 degree tilt for adjustable comfort, efficient text input and laptop style touchpad. Additionally Xperia Z4 Tablet also features printer and projector outputs to complete the ultimate laptop-style experience. Use with the slim and light SCR32 perfect fit cover with two variable angles for comfortable typing or viewing on your tablet. Work from anywhere with the advanced Xperia Email, Calendar and Contacts apps, which can be synced using Microsoft® Exchange ActiveSync® (EAS) and use your favourite business apps from the Android community.

Xperia Z4 Tablet features proven device security mechanisms to keep your confidential data secure, with adherence to acclaimed and effective Internet, VPN and Wi-Fi security protocols. To complete your road warrior set up, the BSP60smart speaker with one-touch connectivity is the ideal portable companion for making conference calls, getting information and receiving phone notifications, all with the use of voice commands, helping you multi-task with ease.

Slim, sleek and supremely lightweight design

Expertly designed with true Sony craftsmanship and attention to detail, Xperia Z4 Tablet is the world’s slimmest and lightest 10” tablet1. At just 6.1mm slim and weighing less than 393g (389g Wi-Fi / 393g LTE), Xperia Z4 Tablet is incredibly light and portable, making it easy to carry comfortably with you all day and slip into your bag with ease. Crafted with premium stainless steel metal corners and mineral glass, Xperia Z4 Tablet looks as good as it performs.

Xperia Z4 Tablet’s IP68 waterproof and dust-tight4 rating ensures reassuring durability making it ideal for everyday use in all conditions – whether caught out in the rain between meetings or lounging by the pool. As a further design refinement, the USB connector is capless – making it both quick and convenient to connect and charge your device.

Xperia Z4 Tablet will launch globally, in 4G LTE and Wi-Fi variants, from June 2015.

For the full specifications of Xperia Z4 Tablet, please visit: www.sonymobile.com/global-en/products/tablets/xperia-z4-tablet/specifications

Sony Xperia E4g – the easy-to-use, speedy smartphone with Sony quality

London, 24th February 2015 – Earlier this month, Sony Mobile Communications (“Sony Mobile”) introduced XperiaTM E4; the affordable, easy-to-use smartphone with great battery life – in a quality Sony design. Now, Sony unveils the exciting XperiaTM E4g smartphone, offering the same ease-of-use and powerful battery performance - with fast 4G LTE connectivity. 

“Xperia E4 set out to bring many of the premium features people expect of Sony to lower-tier devices; Xperia E4g brings that same quality and ease of use - but with super-fast 4G LTE connectivity” said Tony McNulty, Vice President, Value Category Business Management at Sony Mobile Communications. “With simple set-up and unrivalled 2 day battery life, we believe both models represent value for those who want premium Sony technology and experiences often only associated with high-end devices.” 

Get started without the wait - speedy set up... just point and shoot! 

Xperia E4g is built to ensure that you can set up and enjoy your new smartphone, from the moment you pull it out of the box. For those new to Xperia, migration from other Android, Windows or BlackBerry devices is super quick and easy. The Xperia Transfer app, allows you to move contacts, photos, bookmarks, apps, music, messages and much more securely, without the hassle – or worry of losing anything important.

• Get started without the wait - speedy set up with XperiaTM Transfer, and automatic camera settings

• Sleek Sony design inside and out, with minimalistic design and customisable interfaces

• Do more for longer, with two-day battery life1, NFC connectivity and easy customisation options

• Super-fast 4G LTE connectivity delivers the speed you need for information and entertainment on the go

• Available in Black and White colour options

Smartphone photography is made easy, with Auto scene Recognition automatically recognising and optimising capture settings for up to 52 scenarios for the perfect shots wherever you are. And, with NFC you can share your images easily with just one-touch.

Xperia E4g features Sony’s minimalist Android skin, but also brings the Simple Home interface providing larger icons and all your favorite apps on one screen, with those you don’t need stored neatly away in folders - perfect if you prefer to use your smartphone for specific functions.

Right on cue, with signature Sony design

Xperia E4g is Sony inside and out; rounded and robust, perfect for one hand usage. Available in classic Black and White, Xperia E4g retains that timeless Xperia form - a precision-cut power button, elevated mirror-finish logo and stainless steel camera ring and a scratch-resistant screen to add an extra layer of premium.

Built for speed - 4G LTE and two-day battery life, powered by a 1.5 GHz Quad-core processor

Xperia E4g is 4G LTE ready – which means you can enjoy the fastest news and information download, find your way using maps, check and send email, send pictures to friends and family in seconds, and enjoy lag-free music streaming on the go.

Sony’s latest smartphones are recognised for unrivalled battery life. Xperia E4g is no different, packing a powerful 2300mAh battery that gives you up to two-day’s battery life1; eliminating the need for regular charging. If that isn’t enough, one click activates Battery STAMINA Mode to regulate power management, and Ultra STAMINA Mode keeps your phone running on its core functions for a week.

Supporting slick and fast performance, Xperia E4g has a highly-tuned 1.5 GHz Quad-core processor, meaning that you can run multiple apps, surf the web and stream videos all at once.

Xperia E4g launches from April for around €1292. It will also be available in a Dual SIM variant - for full specifications please visit here.

Fashion Fail - SmartEyeglass Developer Edition SED-E1

OK, so I am aware that the new SmartEyeglass is a developer edition and will likely be refined when it comes to style when (or if) it is released to the general public. My question is, have Sony not learn from the failure of Google Glass that tech you wear on your face needs to look good? Add to this the fact that we now have a breakout cable, with puck-style box that houses the mic and some other tech. Clip this to you coat or shirt collar to look even more dorky. SHOUT "HERE I COME, I AM RECORDING YOU!!!"

PS4 vs Xbox One results

Well I'm pretty confident that we can say that Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PS4 are this years flagship gaming consoles. Both beast's in their own right, with fantastic specs, killer game titles and unique experiences each. But just which one has done better, which one has won over more of the hearts of our ever growing tech and gaming society? Well read on and find out.

The Xbox One made by Microsoft released November 22nd 2013 was the sucessor to the Xbox 360. How has it done? Well lets just cut to the chase, the One has sold according to Microsoft 3.9M as of Janunary 1st 2014, then April 17th 2014 the company came back saying that they sold 5M units. Now that sounds like amazing sales, but is it really? Without a doubt this console should be compared to the Sony PS4 it's ultimate rival, and how did that console do?

The Sony PS4 the sucessor to the PS3 is also an amazing gaming console in it's own right. Sony came out saying that they sold 4.2M units as of Janunary 1st coincidentally also the same day as Microsoft announced their results. Then April 6th they said over 7 million units have been sold and thats an impressive number.

Sony apparently made a goal of selling 5 million before the end of 2014, well the good news for them is they surpassed it by 2 million. Not so hot news for Microsoft as now they have to sell 2 million more of their Xbox One if they want to catch up to Sony. We have already done reviews on theses two consoles but what does theses results mean to you? Which console do you prefer? All in all theses gaming consoles are fantastic at what they do and would definitely be a great addition to your home entertainment system. 

Author - Ben

WIN the experience of a lifetime and an Xperia Z1

Sony Xperia GB are teaming up with Ed Stafford and his crew of intrepid explorers to take the Xperia Z1, the world's best camera in a waterproof smartphone, to four Hidden Wonders of the World, testing its capabilities to the limit. Follow them as they post clues along the way and locate the Xperia Z1 for your chance to win a trip to one of our Hidden Wonders. This sounds like an excellent adventire and you can discover more, along with details of how to enter here. 

WIN A PLAYSTATION 4 & CALL OF DUTY GHOSTS

With the next gen consoles due any day now, excited gamers are readying themselves for an awesome lead up to the Christmas season. The choice between the Xbox One and the Sony PS4 is a tough one, but the game choice for fans of first person shooters is a lot easier … with COD Ghosts being top of many a list.

The guys & girls at Music Magpie have put their generous hats on and have put together a nice prize booty. Head on over to THIS PAGE to enter and be in with the chance of winning a Playstation 4 with Call of Duty Ghosts (Hardened Edition). There are also some COD runners up prizes too. 

If you are looking to trade in some of your older game titles, check out the Music Magpie service whilst you are there.

Sony SmartWatch 2 apparently shipping starting with the week of July 15 in the UK

Sony’s recently announced SmartWatch 2 is apparently going to arrive in stock with Clove starting with July 15, according to the UK retailer.

The device is already available for pre-order with Clove, which basically said in a blog post that it will ship the first units as soon as they arrive.

Furthermore, Clove’s pre-order page now lists the new smartwatch for £120 (VAT included) or around $181, and has shipping pegged down to the “week commencing 15th July.”

That’s certainly surprising considering that Sony said in the official SmartWatch 2 press release that the device will ship at some point in September.

Not long after it was made official, the device was confirmed to arrive in France also in September, where it would cost €199, or around $258. From the looks of it, UK buyers interested in smartwatches are definitely getting a better deal, and an earlier ship date.

The Sony SmartWatch 2 sold by Clove will come with a black leather wristband in the box. As for the other features of the device, here’s what you can expect:

• Splash proof (Not suitable for showering, bathing, swimming, diving, snorkeling, water related work or fishing)
• Easy calling
• NFC capabilities
• Versatile accessory ideal for the active person
• Connects via Bluetooth to your compatible device
• Transmits key information from the mobile device to the SmartWatch without the need to touch the phone itself
• Can be clipped to clothing, bags or worn on the wrist
• More applications being developed at all times to give greater personalization and functionality

Source: Android Authority

Introducing Sony SmartWatch 2 - the world’s first water-resistant smartwatch with NFC connectivity

• A multi-functional message notification device, Android app interface and music remote, all in a sleek and water-resistant design
• Combines Sony’s technology and design expertise with one-touch connectivity and premium build quality
• Next-generation Sony SmartWatch offers improved performance, intuitive interface and standalone capability
• Reaffirms Sony’s leadership in smartwatch and wearable technology segment** 

25^th June 2013, London – Sony Mobile Communications (“Sony Mobile”) today introduces Sony SmartWatch 2 SW2, the most advanced smartwatch available*.

Sony SmartWatch 2 is a second screen for your Android smartphone that, as well as enhancing existing phone functionality, offers unique new benefits. Combining form and function in a sleek design, it serves as a multi-functional watch, notifier, Android app interface and phone remote control, all-in-one.

Openness with Android

App expandability is key to Sony SmartWatch 2. It can be personalised with more dedicated apps than any other smartwatch* to seamlessly suit your needs, whether you are on the go, keeping active, in business meetings or simply at home.

Download a host of SmartWatch apps and experience a range of unique functions - many of which can even be enjoyed without ever needing to reach for your phone: 

• Handle your calls by a simple touch of your wrist
• Take a photo remotely from your SmartWatch, using a smart camera app
• Control your presentations remotely using Presentation Pal
• Taking a run or on the bike? Select a mapping app on SmartWatch to check your route with a quick glance at your wrist
• Read previously downloaded e-mails when not connected to your phone
• Use lifestyle apps like Runtastic to map and instantly track your fitness activities on the go
• Quickly and easily adjust the tracks and volume on your music player, without ever taking your phone from your pocket

SmartWatch 2 is also both sleek and reassuringly robust thanks to its water and dust resistant design, giving you the freedom to enjoy it on the beach or simply on the go – come rain or shine.

An increasing market in wearable tech

A typical smartphone user reaches for their phone many times a day to read messages, check the time, view and make social media updates, use their favourite apps, take photos, listen to music and play mobile games. SmartWatch 2 addresses this need by offering you a convenient touch screen device so you no longer need to remove your phone from your pocket or bag 

“Sony is the proud leader in the smartwatch market** since introducing our first Bluetooth watch in 2007,” says Stefan K Persson, Head of Companion Products at Sony Mobile Communications.

“Competitors are only now launching first generation devices, while we are already launching a 3^rd generation device with all the insight gained from over half a million customers combined with Sony’s wealth of technology expertise to create the best ever smartwatch experience.

“The future of wearable devices is incredibly bright with analyst research predicting 41 million ‘smart’ watches will be sold by 2016,” continues Persson. “We have over 200 unique apps dedicated for Sony SmartWatch with over one million downloads to date and we are continuing to work with our strong developer network to deliver ever more compelling smartwatch experiences.”

The best of Sony in a SmartWatch

If you use Android, on either smartphone or tablet, Sony SmartWatch 2 is your ideal smartwatch partner.

It’s easy and convenient to access notifications from your wrist such as messages, calls, email, Facebook™/Twitter™, Calendar, or use it as a remote for your Walkman™ or other digital media player. This wireless accessory is ideal for pairing with large-screen devices, such as the newly announced Xperia™ Z Ultra, in situations which call for discrete usage.

SmartWatch 2 introduces new features as a natural successor to the current Sony SmartWatch such as NFC connectivity for one-touch pairing, stunning premium design and a range of technologies including higher resolution for sharper viewing, better visibility even in sunlight, longer battery stamina, more intuitive interface, standalone watch functionality and a wide range of pre-installed and recommended apps.

When not connected to your phone, SmartWatch 2 works as a standalone digital watch. Read previously received notifications, access the time, set your alarm or even use as a light when searching for your keys.

SmartWatch 2 can also be personalised with any standard 24mm wristband and new Sony watchstraps will soon be available for further expression of your personal style. 

Using groundbreaking design, Sony continues to introduce new technologies and has the largest range of NFC accessories available from wireless headsets to portable speakers, TVs, SmartTags and SmartWatch.

Key features for Sony SmartWatch 2

• Screen brightness (sunlight readable)
• Longest battery life for a smartwatch* (battery level indicator shows low battery warning)
• Water-resistant (IP57)
• Easy setup (NFC pairing and connecting)
• Standalone watch functionality
• Standard micro USB cable for charging
• User interface similar to Android UI so it is more intuitive  
• High quality materials (aluminium body and stainless steel wristband)
• Extended compatibility (works with most Android phones)
• Swappable wristbands – personalise with any standard 24mm strap

Sony SmartWatch 2 SW2 will be available worldwide from September 2013.

For all the latest news, views and info on Sony Xperia products, follow @SonyMobileNews on Twitter.