MUMBAI: Sony Electronics says that it is continuing its transformation into an entertainment powerhouse.
At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas it has a 100,000 square-foot exhibit that brings together all of the company's strengths from electronics, music and gaming to movies, television and online entertainment.
In a press conference kicked off by Sony BMG Music Grammy award-winning musician Joshua Bell, several of the company's US business leaders announced products and technologies related to four strategic growth areas -- gaming, high definition, digital imaging and mobile products.
Sony Electronics president and COO Stan Glasgow unveilled the company's first Internet video system. He announced that in 2007 the majority of new Sony televisions -- starting
with several Bravia flat-panel LCD TVs this year-- will accept an attachable module that can stream broadband high-definition and other Internet video content with the press of a remote control button. The module will be available this summer.
Glasgow said, "While other companies struggle with standard definition, Sony has developed a scalable Internet HDTV solution with some notable partners providing content". Those partners include AOL, Yahoo! and Grouper, now part of Sony Pictures Entertainment, as well as Sony Pictures itself and Sony BMG.
Sony's Xross Media Bar (XMB), an icon-based user interface similar to what is already found on Playstation 3 (PS3), PlayStation Portable
and a recently introduced Sony A/V receiver, made its debut in conjunction with the Internet video demo.
Glasgow also reported that Sony Electronics enjoyed strong holiday sales in the US, which have put the company on track for a year of double-digit growth.
PlayStation: Sony claims to have shipped one million units of PS3, equipped with high-definition, Blu-ray disc drives, in the US by the end of December.
More High Definition: Acknowledging its position in what the company calls 'Full HD' across practically every product category in both consumer and professional
arenas Sony Electronics' home products division senior VP Randy Waynick highlighted a continuum of HD technology from the lens
to the living room.
Waynick previewed a prototype 55-inch SXRD Grand Wega rear projection micro-display television with a new laser light engine
technology that enhances color uniformity and brightness, while maintaining a slim profile.
He also recounted the success of Sony's Bravia flat-panel LCD line, which comprises 16 models ranging in size from 23- to 52-inch screens,
before announcing the newest member of the family, a 70-inch 1080p HD television.
The model features a new backlighting system and contrast ratio enhancements, as well as three HDMI inputs for full 1080p connectivity to
the latest Blu-ray Disc players. It is also distinguished by its high refresh rate and x.v.Colour technology, which is Sony's name for xvYCC, a new international standard in colour technology for personal video applications.
