Category Archives: Sony

Sony Dropping YouTube Support on Some Bravia TVs

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youtube logoThe promise of smart, connected devices is that they give us functionality beyond what a “basic box” can offer. Consumers have been adding internet-based entertainment options to TV sets for years, usually thru external devices like Chromecast, Roku, or Apple TV. In recent years, television manufacturers began adding native apps that run inside their TV sets. These apps allow users to access different services right there on their TVs. But these types of native apps aren’t usually updated as often as their set-top box counterparts.

Media-streaming technology is constantly changing, so it’s very important for these types of apps to stay current. In an unfortunate turn for some Sony Bravia TV owners, the company announced it will no longer update its native YouTube app:

It has been confirmed that the “New YouTube on TV” app on 2012 Sony BRAVIA TVs will experience symptoms of “Black Screen and Freezing”, or an “Error Message will be displayed and the video will stop playing”.

The symptoms being experienced are not a failure of the TV, but are as a result of specification changes made by YouTube that exceed the capability of the TV’s hardware.

As a result, Sony have decided to remove the YouTube icon for the 2012 Bravia TVs on 30th September 2016.

The YouTube application will no longer be available for the 2012 Bravia TVs after 30th September 2016.

If you’ve been enjoying YouTube on a 2012 Bravia TV, you’ll need to look for another way to get those videos.

Octopus Learns to Use a Sony Camera in Three Tries

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SONY logoSony New Zealand teamed up with trainers at Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium for a unique project called “The Octographer”. They taught an octopus named Rambo to how to use a Sony Cyber Shot TX30 camera. The camera was placed in a special rig that would hold it in place and allow Rambo to push down on a red shutter to take a photo. It only took her three tries to learn how to do it!

Rambo is now the world’s first octopus photographer. Some of the photos she took of people who stood in front of a backdrop can be viewed on the Sony New Zealand Facebook page. The Sony Cyber Shot TX30 is resistant to water, dust, shock, and low temperatures.

Sony has a New Lineup of Innovative Products

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SONY logoSony gave everyone a “first look” at their new lineup of innovative products during CES. The new products include their thinnest TV, a streaming Blu-Ray Disc player, and many options for audio.

Sony X900C Ultra-thin 4K Ultra HD TV
The X900C Ultra-Thin 4K Ultra HD TV combines the beauty of 4K clarity and brilliant color with an ultra-thin floating style that shows all picture with no bezel. It has brilliant expanded color with TRILUMINOS display. The HD is upscaled to an impressive 4K Ultra HD. This TV lets you skip the menu and access the top video services very quickly. Other features include Android TV with Google Cast, voice search, and Play store apps. You can stream PS3 games directly to your TV.

BDPS5500 3D Sony Streaming Blu-Ray Disc Player

The BDP5500 3D Streaming Blu-Ray Disc Player lets you enjoy over 300 streaming entertainment services, including Netflix, Amazon Instant Video and PlayStation Now (which lets you stream PlayStation 3 games). It has full HD 1080p Blu-ray disc playback with 2D to 3D conversion. Enjoy high picture quality with TRILUMINOS technology.

Sony ST9 Premium HD Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer

Sony is redefining the bar with their ST9 Premium HD Sound Bar with wireless remote. It has 9 individual speakers and 7 discrete amplifies that work in concert to create a powerful 7.1 surround sound experience. It is easy to set up with 3 HDMI in/1 out and ARC support. Expand your listening with powerful multi-room capability.

Sony NT3 Slim hi-res audio sound bar with wireless subwoofer

Sony’s NT3 Slim Hi-Res audio sound bar with wireless subwoofer is a multitalented performer. With this one, Sony has introduced a sound bar that delivers stunning performances for both concerts and films. With 450W of power, flexible connectivity, and a beautiful design, you’ve got to hear it to believe it.

Sony X99 Premium Bluetoogh Wireless speaker

Harmonize your home with Sony’s Sony’s X99 premium Bluetooth wireless speaker It has 154 watts, 8 digital amps, and 7 speakers. It has been engineered to deliver pure high-resolution audio bliss. Plus, the speaker can stream your favorite music with Google Cast.

PlayStation and Xbox Live Experiencing Outages

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Sony PlayStation LogoThere’s a reason why you had difficulties accessing Sony’s online PlayStation store and Microsoft’s Xbox Live network during Christmas. Each has been experiencing disruptions from a DDoS attack that began on Christmas Eve, continued through Christmas Day, and is still ongoing.

The group that has claimed responsibility for the disruptions is the same one that has a history of destroying other people’s fun by making it impossible for them to access online games. This is especially problematic during Christmas as people who received new games try to get online to play them. Some have noted that Sony’s decision to let people download the controversial movie The Interview through Xbox Video could be adding to the problem.

The PlayStation Knowledge Center has mentioned the issue. At the time I am writing this, the PSN Status is “Offline”. Further information says: “We are aware that some users are experiencing difficulty logging into the PSN. We will update this article with any changes that occur in regards to this issue. Thank you for your patience.”

Similarly, Microsoft has posted some information about the outage on their Xbox Live Support page. At the time I am writing this, the Xbox Live Core Services is “Limited”. Further information says: “Xbox members, are you experiencing issues when attempting to sign in? We’re aware of this issue, and we’re working to find a fix ASAP! We appreciate your patience in the meantime, and we encourage you to retry signing in when you get a chance. We’ll update you as soon as we know more”.

Read An eBook Day

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Read an ebook dayJust in case you were going to miss it, Thursday is “Read an a eBook Day“, a celebration of modern storytelling. Surprisingly, it’s not sponsored by Amazon on behalf of the Kindle but rather OverDrive whose apps let you borrow library books for free. Yes, for free.

It’s probably one of the best keep secrets in the whole tablet and ereader business. Contrary to what Amazon would  have you believe, you don’t have to buy ebooks from them as there are plenty of up-to-date novels available from your local library. The downside is that transferring books isn’t that slick and you need an ereader that’s not tied in to the Amazon ecosystem. I have a Nook, but ereaders from Sony and Kobo are supported as well, and you need to load the books via a PC rather than downloading across the Net.

If you have tablet, it’s much easier as the OverDrive app is available for iOS, Android, Kindle and Windows Phone, as well as for Windows and Mac desktop platforms. Check the appropriate app store or else try OverDrive‘s web site. Once you have the app, all that’s needed is a membership of a library and you can download directly from your library to your tablet.

Instead of “Read an eBook Day”, Thursday should be “Read a Free eBook from your Local Library Day”.

Sony Xperia Z2 at The Gadget Show

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Xperia Z2The Android smartphone market leaders have all been refreshing their top-end ‘phones, with Samsung’s Galaxy S5 and HTC’s One (M8) already available. Sony’s previously announced Xperia Z2 will be available in the UK very shortly and I chat to Laura about what we can expect in the latest offering from Sony.

At The Gadget Show, I had a chance to play with the Z2 and its 5.2″ full HD (1920×1080) “Live Colour LED” screen looked really good. The handset was responsive, animations were smooth – everything that you’d expected from a top-of-the-line phone. There’s a 20 megapixel rear camera which ought to produce the some excellent photos too given that the Z2’s predecessor had one of the best Android cameras. The Xperia Z2 also has a big battery at 3200 mAh, which is larger than both the HTC One M8 and the Samsung Galaxy S5. But the “pièce de résistance” is that the Xperia Z2 is waterproof to 1.5 m for 30 minutes (IP55/58). If you don’t believe me, here’s a scuba diver with a Z2 in a tank.

Xperia Z2 Underwater

Hopefully, I’ll be getting a review smartphone to give the Z2 a more thorough examination.

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Sony introduces 9.1 surround wireless headset

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sony-headphonesThese days many of us have a 5.1 system set up in our homes, consisting of a center channel, two front and two rear speakers, along with a sub-woofer. Some folks go the extra mile to implement 7.1, which most modern A/V receivers are capable of handling. But what about 9.1 built into a wireless headphone set?

That’s what Sony promises. “Get a cinematic sound experience all to yourself in the comfort of your home with the new MDR-HW700DS digital surround wireless headphones system”, the company claims.

The dual band connection, 2.4GHz and 5GHz, allows for smooth wireless transmission without any disruptions, with a goal of giving users the freedom to move around without having to compromise the sound quality. There is also a selection of audio types to choose from, including cinema, game and voice.

“Both good for the eyes and the ears MDR-HW700DS is crafted for a comfortable fit over long periods of use with the pressure-relieving luxury ear cushions. The 50mm driver units provide deep bass and impressive sound power. Continuous use is no problem with a battery-life of up to 12h and fast recharge. All this is packed in luxurious and executive design. The headphones are outstanding in their compatibility with the 4K technology. The MDR-HW700DS allows native 4K video content to be passed through in its original quality to a 4K TV or projector, allowing you to experience the full 4K quality while listening via the digital surround wireless headphones system”, Sony explains.

The new headphones will be available later this month. Retail pricing was not included in the announcement.

Sony’s Smart Wig – Could it Replace Rogaine?

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One of the smart wig patent drawingsWearable technology is everywhere. From the wrist, to the glasses, to the… hair?

Sony applied for patent US 20130311132 A1 in 2012 and was published on November 21st of this year. It’s a wig with wearable technology inside. The wig covers the head and sensors provide input data and communicate (via wireless).

The patent doesn’t state why Sony wants to put sensors in wigs, but it does provide Sony an overall patent for the idea. Application of the wig can be figured out later.

The wig could be fashioned with different types of hairs from fake hair, to human hair and even horse hair.

Maybe it monitors your head? The head is a major point for body heat. It also is closest to the brain – so a EEG device could be a great idea for the wig. Great for anyone who is a cancer patient.

Of course, there is always a telepathic option for smartphones. Sony might even have an idea with their tablets, PS4 or another device. Nonetheless, Sony seemed to have cornered the smart wig market…

 

Redbox Instant coming to PS4

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redbox instant playlists

We are only a week away from the next big gaming console launch — Sony is set to debut its PlayStation 4 on November 15, inching ahead of Xbox One by a week. Both consoles have their pros and cons, and fans residing in opposite camps may cite a particular game or feature as the defining difference, but one thing both boxes will have is Redbox Instant.

Last week the video streaming service landed on the PS3, and it was expected to also come to the next-generation console. Today the speculation becomes official reality.

Like last week’s PS3 launch, this version also comes with an only-on-Sony feature — “exclusive to Playstation, the PS3 and PS4 contain the Playlist feature containing a specially-curated, rotating collection of Redbox Instant by Verizon movies that highlight the most exciting titles and serve as a great destination for fast, simple and fun movie discovery”.

“We’re pleased to continue our partnership with PlayStation by bringing Redbox Instant by Verizon to PS4”, said Shawn Strickland, CEO of Redbox Instant by Verizon.

As with any other Redbox Instant subscription, you will pay $8 per month in exchange for unlimited streaming and four physical disc rentals per month from any of the many kiosks. If you wish to take it for a test run, the company offers the first month free as a trial.

Sony Will Fix Your Brick

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bigstock-single-red-brick-isolated-on-w-42513223Sony recently released an update to the PlayStation 3 that didn’t work as intended. The software update was version 4.45. Some gamers quickly discovered that it bricked their console.

They reported the problem on the PlayStation Community Forums. Several people said that after they updated to 4.45, their PlayStation 3 wouldn’t go to the screen that would let them play. It was stuck.

They also found that they could not shut down the PlayStation 3 by pressing the power button. Unplugging the console didn’t solve the problem either. It was still stuck after being plugged back in.

If this happened to your PlayStation 3, fear not. Sony is aware of the problem. They are working on fixing your brick. They posted the following information about it on the PlayStation Community Forums:

We have identified the issue related to the PlayStation 3 software update (version 4.45) that impacted a small number of PS3 systems earlier this week. A new PS3 system software update is planned to be released on June 27 that resolves the issue. Thank you for your patience and understanding and we apologize for the inconvenience.

Image: stock photo single red brick isolated on white background by BigStock.