Sony Announces New SmartWatch 3 And Moves Over To Android Wear

Today Sony announced its new SmartWatch, and did something a lot of people, including some pundits, assumed it would not, namely moving the device to Google GOOGL +1.22%’s Android Wear. Previous versions of its SmartWatch had used a proprietary operating system that, while compatible with non-Sony Android devices, didn’t offer much in the way of app support.

But Sony’s SmartWatch 3 does indeed come pre-loaded with Android Wear, which is Google’s official wearables platform. There are going to be lots of advantages of this to Sony. The company won’t have to develop its own apps – although it will, of course – and it won’t have to tempt developers to learn how to build things for its own platform, with no hope of financial reward. Instead, Sony will be able to leverage the power of Google, and use standard Android Wear apps.



But the company has also realised that it can’t sell smartwatches with similar spec to LG or Samsung’s, without investing some time in making the product unique. So what it has done is included two apps that are designed to add value, and persuade you to give your smartwatch money to it, instead of one of the other firms. The first app is Sony’s famous Walkman branded player. As a music playback app, it perhaps doesn’t add much that isn’t available elsewhere, aside from letting you store music on the watch’s 4GB of internal storage. That also means that you can use the watch as a music player, without needing to carry anything else, besides a Bluetooth headset that is.

The second app is by far the best idea though, it’s called Lifelog, and it’s also installed on the new Sony Xperia Z3, Z3 Compact and Tablet Z3 Compact. It’s able to watch your activity, and because Sony’s smartwatch has GPS built-in, you can head out for a run, track your distance, route and other metrics without having to drag your phone with you. The Walkman music player, when paired with Bluetooth headphones also comes into play here, if you can’t run without a soundtrack.

Add in to these added value apps the fact that the Sony SmartWatch 3 is waterproof, and can be left submerged in water for 30 minutes, then you’re left with a device that has real selling points over its rivals. It’s similarly priced too, at around 230 Euros (£190 or $300).

Sony Launches 6 Bravia 4K Televisions in India, Starting Rs. 1,74,900

Sony on Tuesday announced the launch of 6 new Bravia 4K televisions in 3 new series in India. While 4 are already available in the country, ranging in price from Rs. 1,74,900 to Rs. 7,04,900, 2 others will be released in India by the end of September.

The Japanese consumer electronics giant said the 6 new Bravia 4K TVs offer "excellent picture and audio quality, while featuring a bevy of new features will appeal to the discerning consumer."

Sony says, "All 6 of the new 4K models offered by Sony will incorporate the powerful picture processing engine, 4K X-Reality PRO, which uses a combination of unique up-scaling and super resolution technology from Sony to offer any content in beautiful and stunning 4K resolution."

All 6 new models also support HDMI 2.0, which Sony says gives them the ability to display 4K/60p content. The models will also be equipped with a new decoder which supports HEVC and can playback 4K/60p content from Internet streaming services and USB playback. The TVs are also compatible with MHL 3.0, which supports 4K output from smartphones and tablets

Other features included on Sony's new Bravia 4K TVs include X-tended Dynamic Range (for a higher dynamic range of brightness with a proprietary backlighting algorithm), Triluminos display (for a wider gamut of colours), and a Wedge form factor for increased stability (on select models).

The company is also introducing 'One-Flick Entertainment,' a feature that allows viewers to quickly browse content across different sources at home. The bundled One-Flick Remote Control gives users 'intuitive control', with simple swipes allowing users to access both offline and online content. By touching compatible NFC-enabled smartphones or tablets to the One-Flick Remote Control, users can see content stored on those devices.

Also on the new Sony Bravia 4K televisions is the 'Social Viewing' feature, which enables users to Skype chat (with the built-in camera) apart from keeping track of their social media accounts.

Sony has detailed pricing for the 4 already available Bravia 4K TVs, with the 79-inch Bravia KD-79X9000B priced at Rs. 7,04,900, the 55-inch Bravia KD-55X9000B priced at Rs. 3,14,900, the 55-inch Bravia KD-55X8500B priced at Rs. 2,54,900, and the 49-inch Bravia KD-49X8500B priced at Rs. 1,74,900. The 85-inch Sony Bravia KD-85X9500B and 65-inch Bravia KD-65X9000B will be released by the end of September - with prices only revealed then.

LG G2 vs Sony Xperia ZL – Comparing the Display of these Smartphones

LG has struggled in the recent past, at least in the smartphone market.

The company has released a plethora of high-end smartphones into the market, but has been unable to create recognition for themselves. The company is in desperate need for a successful device. The company requires a complete winner, if it has to get recognition by customers that are smitten by Galaxy series. In the smartphone market, the Korean giant has made life difficult for most companies. An array of smartphones is released every now and then and without any competition, people are left with no option than to stick to the latest smartphone produced by Samsung.

LG has started to copy the strategy opted by the Korean giant, in order to beat Samsung Electronics in the arena dominated by its counterpart. The LG G2 is a result of the mimicking done by the company. The G2 smartphone comes equipped with a large display, quick processor and a plethora of software features, in order to make life easier for the masses.

In comparison, the Japanese tech giant, Sony, released the Xperia XL smartphone. The handset encompasses a 5-inch display, having a 1080p resolution, 13MP camera, LTE connectivity and a powerful quad core CPU. All these features brought the Xperia ZL into the high-end smartphone segment. Regardless, the smartphone competition is a lot fierce than the specs offered by these two smartphones.

Today, let us compare the LG G2, in terms of display, to the Xperia ZL smartphone.

Display

LG G2

In terms of display, the LG G2 comes equipped with a large screen with narrower bezels. The 5.2-inch screen of the G2 smartphone, offers a superior resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels. As a result, the pixel density also improves and comes at a massive 423-ppi (pixels-per-inch). The IPS LCD screen of the G2 smartphone offers sharp and clear pictures. The color balance bends towards being colder than warmer. The display being bright, offers the user with great viewing experience, even in broad daylight. It offers great viewing angels. The screen still proves to be a big advantage for the LG G2 smartphone, making multimedia viewing and playing games a superb experience.

Sony Xperia ZL

The Xperia ZL encompasses a 5-inch screen, offering a resolution similar to that of its counterpart, the LG G2. The 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution of the ZL smartphone offers the user a great pixel density. The image produced on the screen is sharp and pleasant with smooth graphics.

The ZL offers a great viewing experience under bright sunlight. Regardless, the display viewing angles failed to impress the masses. The color degrades and contrast is lost when the screen is tilted to its sides.

Sony Xperia C3 Dual 5MP selfie phone launched for Rs 23,990

Sony has launched its selfie phone for India, intensifying competition in the segment of the market that has seen most launches recently. The Sony Xperia C3 will be a Dual-SIM phone and is priced at Rs. 23,990. It will be available from Monday, September 1.

The Xperia C3 was announced in July, and it’s clearly targetted at those who can’t have enough selfies in their lives. The highlight features  of the Xperia C3 smartphone are all centred around the front camera. There’s a 5-megapixel unit, with a 25mm wide-angle lens that Sony claims delivers an 80-degree field of view. And to top it all, there’s a soft LED flash as well. The back camera also sports a similar flash with an 8-megapixel sensor.

The Xperia C3 also has a single-SIM version, but the specifications are identical. In India, the dual-SIM version runs Android 4.4 KitKat out-of-the-box, with the typical Sony customisations on top, as well as some Sony apps. The dominating feature on the front is a 5.5-inch HD (720×1280 pixel) Triluminos display which gets some help from the Bravia Engine 2 technology. The processor is the 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400, which is also seen in the Moto G, coupled with Adreno 305 GPU and 1GB of RAM.

There’s 8GB of inbuilt storage and a micro SD card slot for expansion up to 32 GB. The battery life should be good considering the 2500mAh unit, which is rated for up to 24 hours of talk time and 1,071 hours of standby time, according to Sony. The C3 supports 4G LTE, Bluetooth 4.0, and GLONASS for navigation, besides GPS.

Sony PlayStation Network attacked by Lizard Squad hackers: Xbox Live as well?

Sony's PlayStation Network is facing issues with mass outages for hours across North America. The reason for the downtime has everything to do with a recent DDoS attack that was carried about by hacker group Lizard Squad.

According to Sony in a blog post following the attack, the company made sure to tell fans that personal data were not leaked, so those who were worrying before should now have an ease of mind. Furthermore, Sony claims that in some locales, the problem persists for more than 10 hours after the attack.

Strangely enough, this attack also includes some form of security threats on the plane where Sony Online Entertainment President John Smedley was travelling in earlier on Sunday. The plane was quickly diverted to Phoenix where the cargo was searched for a possible explosive. Apparently, the Lizard Squad made claims on Twitter that the flight had bombs on board, but it wasn't sure how true the statement was.

"Like other major networks around the world, the PlayStation Network and Sony Entertainment Network have been impacted by an attempt to overwhelm our network with artificially high traffic," said Sony in a statement on its blog.

"Although this has impacted your ability to access our network and enjoy our services, no personal information has been accessed."

Sony is well known for being repeatedly attacked by hackers. The company's PlayStation Network was on the wrong end of a hacker attack a few years ago. It managed to bring the network to an almost complete halt for several days, and millions of user passwords were stolen during the attack. It is something Sony will never forget as it made the PlayStation Network come off as very inferior when compared to the likes of Xbox Live and even Nintendo's own network.

It would be interesting to see if the Lizard Squad hacker group target Sony in even more devastating ways than this. Hopefully, it doesn't happen, because we doubt Sony in its current financial woes is capable of withstanding another blazing attack that is similar to the past.

Since this is indeed just a DDoS attack, things should get back to normal in a few hours if it haven't already. Let's hope Sony is able to find other means to help fend off a DDoS attack in the future, because these issues are bad for business, and can cause gamers to pick up their toys and run off to the competition.

Update 1: It appears Xbox Live is also down, as Lizard Squad took to Twitter, asking if anyone is able to login to their accounts. Furthermore, the Xbox Live status page is showing that problems are afoot, and the engineers are working to have it rectified.

The Sony PlayStation 4 Continues to Put The Microsoft Xbox One to Shame

Although many in the media have dubbed the sales showdown between the Sony PlayStation 4 and the Microsoft  Xbox

Source: Sony.

One the video game "console wars," it really hasn't been a fair fight.

The PlayStation 4 gained a dominant lead over the Xbox One when the two devices were launched within a week of one another last November and hasn't looked back. Microsoft's recent revamp of a few key aspects for the Xbox One does not appear to have made any meaningful difference at present. And as investors and gaming enthusiasts learned recently, Sony's device remains as dominant as ever.

Sony surges and Microsoft meanders
Last week, Sony announced that the PlayStation 4 had surpassed 10 million total end-user sales in the 10 months since the console's market debut. This makes the PS4 Sony's fastest-selling video game console in company history and helps to further paint Microsoft's Xbox One as an increasingly inferior product (although it's hard to pin down exactly how inferior it really is).

Microsoft has been notably tight-lipped in providing periodic updates on Xbox One shipments, a sign most interpret as an attempt to avoid outright embarrassment over the console's seemingly abysmal performance versus the PS4. In April, Microsoft reported it had shipped 5 million Xbox One units into its retail channel. However, it's worth noting that Microsoft reporting shipments into its retail channel isn't necessarily the same thing as sales to consumers, Sony's preferred measuring stick for console shipment health.

Investors have attempted to establish a more current comparison between Xbox One and PS4 shipments from the recent quarterly reports from Microsoft and Sony. Although not a perfect barometer, it appeared that Sony's total console sales (PS4 and PS3) outdid Microsoft's gaming hardware (Xbox One and Xbox 360) by a rough ratio of three-to-one. Judged through this lens, it appears that Microsoft's cutting the Xbox One's price tag by $100 (to $399) to match Sony's pricing has done little to shift demand away from the PS4.

What this means going forward
If you guessed "nothing good" for Microsoft, you'd be correct.

Source: Microsoft.

Although quantifying the exact impact is difficult, Microsoft undeniably disenchanted a lot of its core user base with several decisions made in the Xbox One's rollout. Moves such as forcibly including Microsoft's Kinect motion sensing device, pricing the Xbox One $100 above the PS4, and requiring users to maintain a paid Xbox Gold subscription were all key tactical errors. That is particularly true in the context of today's gaming market, which is rife with console alternatives thanks to the proliferation of tablets and smartphones, Microsoft might find it harder than originally imagined to grow, or even keep, its once-loyal user base.

Video game hardware cycles are extremely long at about eight years between console refreshes, so there's plenty of time for Xbox One sales to catch up to the PS4. It's also important to note that Sony's console currently enjoys a substantial distribution advantage over Microsoft's device. At last tally, Sony sold the PlayStation 4 in over 100 countries and regions, while the  Xbox retails in far fewer markets. Regardless, it appears the sales discrepancy between the two cannot be entirely explained away simply because of Sony's distribution advantages.

Ultimately, this is a narrative about consumer preference, and we have little evidence suggesting user penchants will shift anytime soon. So try as Microsoft might, it still appears 2014 will be the year of the PS4 in gaming circles, and that's certainly worth noting today.

Leaked: Apple's next smart device (warning, it may shock you)
Apple recently recruited a secret-development "dream team" to guarantee its newest smart device was kept hidden from the public for as long as possible. But the secret is out, and some early viewers are claiming its everyday impact could trump the iPod, iPhone, and the iPad. In fact, ABI Research predicts 485 million of this type of device will be sold per year. But one small company makes Apple's gadget possible. And its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors.

Video - Sony RX100 MKIII Review!

The pocket-sized DSC-RX100 features the world's first¹ 1.0 type CMOS sensor (13.2 x 8.8mm) with a resolution of 20.2 effective megapixels and F1.8 Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 3.6x optical zoom lens. It’s the key to beautiful, detail-packed images and Full HD movie clips with very low noise.

Watch the Video for Review:

Sony PlayStation - "Perfect Day" Add Video

Sony PlayStation - "Perfect Day"
Agency: BBH, New York
Production Company: MJZ, New York
Gold Lion in Film

Sony India launches new headphones and earphones

Sony India has launched three new products in its audio range, including two new headphones in the MDR-XB range - 450 and 250, and MDR-AS200, a water restart and sweat-proof earphone.



According to Sony, the MDR-XB450 headphone offers extra bass with a frequency response of 5Hz-22000Hz. MDR-XB450 has a 30mm dynamic driver unit that delivers superior quality, powerful sound while keeping the bass level high. It will be available in five colors - black, white, red, blue and yellow, in a metal housing.

MDR-XB450 sports a slim, swivel folding style for easy storage in a bag, briefcase or backpack, as per Sony. It comes with a flat serrated cord for a tangle free experience.

MDR-XB250 headphone also offers rich bass. The headphone comes with a 30mm dynamic driver unit. It will be available in black and white colours.

The MDR-AS200 earphone is targeted at users who listen to music while engaging in sporting activities. It comes with a 13.5mm high sensitivity driver, and is water resistant and sweat proof.

MDR-AS200 sports an adjustable ear loop that fits a wide range of ear sizes. The MDR-AS200 also has a flat serrated cord allowing a tangle free experience. It will be available in orange and blue colours.

Sony MDR-XB450 and MDR-XB250 headphones are priced at Rs 2,190 and Rs 1,490, respectively, while MDR-AS200 is priced at Rs 790.

The new headphones and earphone will be available in all Sony Centers and major electronic stores across India.

Sony Xperia Z2 vs. Apple iPhone 5S: Which Smartphone is a Better Bang for Your Buck?

Apple, despite being the first in the smartphone market, is facing stiff competition from numerous Android phone manufacturers, Sony being one of them. Apple's latest flagship offering, the iPhone 5S is falling behind competition like Sony's newest offering the Xperia Z2.

At first glance, the Xperia Z2 is bigger than the iPhone 5S, with a 5.2-inches 1920 x 1080p full HD resolution screen compared to the iPhone's 4.0-inches screen with a lower 1136 x 640 resolution. No question, the display of the Xperia Z2 is sharper and less grainy. The iPhone's display is not bad since the smaller screen helps keep images clearer.

The iPhone 5S sports a 64-bit A7 chip with a dual-core 1.3GHz processor and a 1GB DDR RAM. The Xperia Z2 on the other hand has a faster Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core 2.3GHz Krait 400 processor and a 3GB RAM. Sony's offering is more powerful than the iPhone 5S but graphics wise, the two phones stand on even ground.

The iPhone has a PowerVR6430 quad-core graphics chip while the Xperia Z2 has an Adreno 330 graphics processor. While the Xperia is indeed more powerful, the iPhone 5S is still a fast phone in its own respect, not experiencing drastic or noticeable slow-downs when running its apps.

The iPhone 5S comes in three variants, the 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB versions with no external microSD support. The Xperia on the other hand only has 16GB of internal storage space but is complemented by microSD card support of up to 128GB. Potentially, the Xperia Z2 has a bigger storage capacity but will cost a little extra.
The Z2 also has a more powerful camera with a 20-megapixel snapper compared to the iPhone's 8-megapixel camera.

The iPhone 5S 64GB variant sells for around $750 while the Xperia Z2 goes for around $650. It isn't surprising that the iPhone is $100 more expensive than the Xperia Z2 despite having lower specs and restricted internal storage options since Apple prices their products in the premium range.

Taking value for money into account, the Sony Xperia Z2 reigns over the iPhone 5S with faster specs, more storage potential and a more powerful camera.

Sony is giving up on PlayStation Mobile for Android

Sony will no longer support PlayStation Mobile for Android devices, originally part of the company's initiative to support cross-platfform indie releases publishing for both PS Vita and Google's operating system, the company confirmed today.

While the service will continue to exist on PlayStation Certified devices that run Android 4.4.2 and below, Sony will no longer guarantee games will play correctly from Android 4.4.3 and up. Likewise, there are no guarantees that users will be able to access the store on newer Android devices.

Android L, the upcoming release for phones and tablets, won't have access to the store at all. According to Sony, it has no plans to offer PlayStation Certified status on any more devices.

The PlayStation Mobile initiative launched in 2012 with plans to seek out indie developers looking to bring experimental games to mobile certified devices. At the time, PlayStation's Sarah Thomson told us that guidelines for Apple's iTunes Store and Google Play for Android don't necessarily apply to what Sony wanted to do with PlayStation Mobile.

"We're looking for indies who are wanting to bring interesting, unique content to the platform," Thomson says. "There are restrictions with iOS, where the platform is a lot more heavily policed or where it's a little more conservative, or a little edgier, if you're wanting to do something a little more experimental where publishers might not necessarily fund because it's risky, that's the kind of stuff we want to look at.

"That's what really defines a platform, so that's what we're looking for."

Sony Reveals Playstation Outselling Xbox 3:1

Sony’s financial report for Q1 2014 is in, and there are some impressive numbers coming out of the beleaguered tech giant. The company posted a net income of 26.8 billion yen ($261 million), with “Amazing Spiderman” and the PS4 emerging as big drivers. The company sold 3.5 million combined PS4 and PS3 consoles — up from 1.1 million in Q1 2013. Microsoft recently revealed that the Xbox platform sold 1.1 million units over the same time period, meaning that PS4+PS3 are outselling Xbox One + Xbox 360 at a 3:1 ratio. Sales for Vita, PSP and Vita TV are counted separately, riding a modest increase from last year’s 600,000 units to 750,000 this year.



Overall, the games division shifted from a $164 m operating loss  in Q1 last year to a profit of $43 m this year. While we don’t have a specific PS4 vs. PS3 breakdown, the company does say that there was a slight decrease in PS3 sales year over year, meaning that we can estimate PS4 sales at somewhere around the 2.4 million year over year increase, as well as a bit more to account for the decrease in PS3 sales. The company also notes a major increase in revenue from network services, probably as a result of the high attach rate for PS+ subscriptions with new PS4s.

It’s a good day for Playstation and Kazuo Hirai’s Sony overall, which is looking much more robust after some fairly bleak times in recent years. The Playstation platform shows a lot of promise for the future, both from the recent strong sales of the PS4 and the eventual prospects of streaming service Playstation Now and virtual reality prototype Project Morpheus. Sony wants to use the PS4 as a jumping off point for a broader Playstation ecosystem, and judging by these recent numbers, the company us going to have a strong base to work from.

The Xbox One is still selling well from a historical perspective, but only when you compare it, essentially, with every console beside the PS4. It’s too early to call things by farm but these sort of ratios suggest that this generation might end up something like the complete dominance of the PS2 in its day.

This holiday season will still be a key indicator for the current generation of consoles, however. Microsoft’s will be selling the Xbox One at the same $399 price point as the PS4, which is bound to increase sales at least somewhat. But I’m more interested in console sales overall — with so many of the most anticipated current gen titles pushed back to 2015, I wonder whether or not the non-core customer will be convinced to make the leap.

Sony India unveils Xperia T3 priced at Rs27,990

Consumer electronics giant Sony Corp. on Wednesday introduced the ultra thin smartphone Xperia T3 for the Indian market priced at Rs.27,990. 

The handset, with a screen size of 5.3 inches, will be available in white, black and purple. It will be at retail outlets by the end of this month. 

“Xperia T3 is a light smartphone designed from premium materials including stainless steel. The industry-leading Sony technology is packed into world’s slimmest smartphone,” the company said in a release. 

Featuring a high definition (HD) display with Sony’s Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2, Xperia T3 remains light at a mere 148 grams, it added. 

The phone comes with a 1.4GHz quad-core processor and a 2500 mAh battery, as well as an 8-megapixel camera. 

Xperia T3 features camera apps such as Social live that allows the user to broadcast live via Facebook and allows to share comments in real time on the phone’s screen. 

It also has Xperia Transfer, a simple app that helps move contacts, photos, bookmarks, apps, music, messages from an old Android or iOS device to the new Xperia T3. 

It will be available at all Sony centres, Xperia Flagship and major electronic stores across India from 28 July.

iPhone 6 Said to Feature Sony's 13-Megapixel Exmor IMX220 Camera Sensor

Apple's iPhone 6 could feature Sony's Exmor IMX220 camera sensor, according to a poston Chinese Sony enthusiast forum Digi-Wo (Google Translate, via G for Games). The Exmor IMX220 features a 13-megapixel, 1/2.3'' sensor and can record videos in 1080p. The sensor would also be a sizable improvement over the camera currently in the iPhone 5s, which uses an 8-megapixel, 1/3.2'' sensor. 

Sony's Exmor IMX220 camera sensor (via Alibaba)
Past rumors have suggested that the iPhone 6 will retain the same 8-megapixel sensor found in the iPhone 5s, with Apple instead choosing to offer improved image stabilization for more clear photos. A report last month also noted that an optical image stabilization system will be exclusively featured in the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6, while the smaller 4.7-inch version utilizes an improved lens module. 

Notably however, the iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, and iPhone 5s have used incremental versions of Sony's IMX145 sensor, as Apple could choose implement a new sensor from the company for the iPhone 6. Sony is also expected to use a 20-megapixel version of the IMX220 in its Sony Xperia Z3 flagship device that is slated to ship later this year. 

While Digi-Wo does not have a track record with Apple-related rumors, the website has offered accurate information on past Sony products before their release, and recently offered leaked photos of the Xperia Z3. 

Apple's iPhone 6 is expected to be announced this fall at a special media event. The device is expected to come in two sizes of 4.7 and 5.5-inches, although it is not known if the larger sized iPhone 6 will ship alongside the smaller version. In addition to an improved camera, the iPhone 6 will feature a thinner profile, a faster A8 processor, and Apple's newiOS 8 mobile operating system.

Sony: PS4 targeting Wii owners who skipped PS3 and Xbox 360

Sony is using PlayStation 4 to target Wii owners who skipped the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

The PlayStation 4 launched last November and became the fastest-selling console ever in the UK. Globally it has shifted seven million units, and is even outpacing the PlayStation 2.

While much of the console's success is down to the early adoption by core gamers, Sony Computer Entertainment boss Andrew House told Eurogamer at the Develop conference in Brighton that there is a huge opportunity to attract those who bought a Wii but not a PS3 or Xbox 360 - in fact it's already happening.

While the PS3 and Xbox 360 were successful consoles, shifting around 80m units each, the Wii was the standout winner of the last generation, selling over 100m consoles worldwide.

Did you buy a Wii then skip the PS3 and Xbox 360?

"Our big opportunity is to welcome back an audience much earlier in the lifecycle that possibly bought into the Wii previously," House said.

"Whether it's based on this is a really good all-round entertainment device for a family in addition to having great games, our consumer data suggests some of those people are already coming in now and that's what's contributing to the really great sales we've had."

As a result, House is keen for Sony to remaster old PlayStation games for this new audience on PS4. We're already seeing the fruits of this with The Last of Us Remastered on PS4, due out soon. Naughty Dog's game launched on PS3 in June 2013, and Sony believes there are a significant number of PS4 owners who never played it.

"I hesitate to say this because I know committed gamers may roll their eyes about it, but there's an opportunity with some of the remastering or re-imagining from PS3 franchises that will potentially find an audience that hasn't played them in the previous generation because they skipped that generation," House said. "We're starting to see signs of that.

"That bodes well for us as a platform, but it bodes well for developers and publishers as well. I've always looked with envy at the movie industry about what a great job they're able to do with taking content and making it work. Disney is the best example of this, right, of taking classic content and reintroducing it to audiences over time.

"We as an industry haven't done that historically. We're only just getting into our stride with people who now have been playing for 10, 20 years, who have a nostalgia factor, who want to see those franchises come back and be reinvented.

"That is a whole other area of exploration I would like to see PS4 to lead the charge on."

House said that in Europe 40 per cent of PS4 early adopters didn't already have a PlayStation Plus account. "That me was a good indication of whether they were new to this world," he added.

"And anecdotally I've had people who were the Wii generation and who are back in the consideration set. It's certainly something I hear about."

Looking back at the last eight months since the launch of the PS4, House declared himself and Sony delighted with how things had gone. "I look back on it and I struggle to see how it could have gone any better from most perspectives," he said.

The PS4's sales success has exceeded many expectations - including Sony's. It had predicted the console would shift five million units by the end of its last financial year. In the end it sold seven.

"I look back on it and think we executed several things really well that I'm fairly proud of," House said.
"One was being consistent in our message, being focused on delivering for the game first and foremost, but not losing sight of the opportunity to turn a console into a broader entertainment device as well, which is important.

"It's going to sound counter intuitive but it's important for gamers. If the consoles we make find relevance with multiple people in a household and multiple members of a family, those are all opportunities for other people to get into gaming. I see us as almost creating a springboard for that, and that's what a platform business is all about."

There were question marks, House said, over PS4 sales going into 2014, but House said increased production has meant key channels in North America and Europe are approaching full supply, and following that demand is sustaining itself "and it looks to be positive".

"One of the things we benchmark ourselves against the PlayStation 2 to a greater degree," he said, "and we're happy to have been significantly ahead of that. But we need to see a full comparison of a full year of what the PS2 did including a holiday season, compared with a similar period for PS4. And then we'll have a sense of where things are really going."

Why Nintendo Is Bringing Exclusive Third-Party 3DS Titles to Japan

Last Friday, Nintendo unveiled several exclusive third-party titles for the 3DS at its annual Nintendo Direct conference in Japan.

The new 3DS games include Square Enix's Final Fantasy Explorers and Dragon Quest X,Capcom's Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, and Marvelous AQL's Forbidden Magna. OnlyMonster Hunter 4 Ultimate has a confirmed North American release date, which is surprising considering how well-known the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest series are in the United States.

Final Fantasy Explorers. Source: Square Enix.

Meanwhile, Nintendo's 3DS LL remains the most popular console in Japan, coming in first with sales of 21,914 units for the week ending on July 6, according to Media Create. Sony's PS Vita came in second, with sales of 18,438 units, while the Wii U came in third with sales of 10,653 units. Sony's PS4 and PS3 respectively came in fourth and fifth. Of the top 10 Japanese games of the week, three were 3DS titles, but only one title -- Pokemon Art Academy -- has been released in the U.S.

Understanding Nintendo's Japanese marketWhen we analyze Nintendo's Japanese sales alone, the company appears to be an unstoppable beast.

But U.S. and European sales tell a different tale. In North America, Microsoft's Xbox One was the top selling console for the week ending on July 5, according to Vgchartz. In Europe, the 3DS claimed the top spot. But when we compare the weight of the Japanese market on overall sales of Nintendo and Sony's consoles, a clear split between East and West emerges.

Console	3DS	PS Vita	Wii U	PS4
Global weekly sales	126,388	35,497	62,668	98,406
Percentage of sales from Japan	21.6%	59.2%	14.2%	7.7%

Source: Vgchartz, weekly sales data ending on July 5.

Japan is heavily fixated on handheld games, as opposed to mobile games or home console ones. Meanwhile, the strength of the 3DS in Japan means that Nintendo must pump out a steady stream of role playing, monster collecting, and simulation titles designed for Japanese gamers while appeasing international gamers with strong first-party titles like Super Smash Bros.

Why Nintendo needs third-party developersNintendo's answer to this dilemma is to bring in more third-party publishers to develop 3DS titles. But when Nintendo discusses third-party publishers, it focuses on Japanese ones like Square Enix and Capcom, instead of Western ones like Electronic Arts ,Activision Blizzard, and Ubisoft .

Since Nintendo only exports a small percentage of its third-party Japanese titles to North America and Europe, these domestic partnerships don't make much of an impact on overall worldwide sales.

Out of the top 10 best-selling 3DS titles of all time, only one -- Capcom's Monster Hunter 4 -- is a third-party title. We see the same problem with the Wii U -- Ubisoft's ZombiU was the only third-party title among the top 10 best-sellers. By comparison, Sony only published three top 10 titles for the PS4 and three more for the PS Vita.

Therefore, when Nintendo hinted that it would unveil more third-party titles at Nintendo Direct, investors perked up. But the titles that Nintendo unveiled were clearly not aimed at Western audiences, and therefore have limited appeal outside of Japan. Investors and gamers looking for handheld variants of Call of Duty or Assassin's Creed would still be better off with a PS Vita instead.

Assassin's Creed III: Liberation for the PS Vita. Source: Ubisoft.

How Nintendo intends to win back third-party publishersTherefore, Nintendo's strength in Japan is a double-edged sword. Japan's booming gaming market boosts Nintendo's global sales figures, but it also distorts Nintendo's perceptions of the global video game industry.

Last month, Nintendo of America Senior Director of Communication Charlie Scibetta told Ars Technica that by "driving the installed base through first-party software, like Mario Kart 8, likeSuper Smash Bros., then the third-party developers will follow." It's a confident strategy that might work, considering that Mario Kart 8 has already sold 1.9 million units since launching in late May.

Mario Kart 8. Source: Nintendo.

Yet there are two distinct flaws with that idea. First, the 3DS has a huge installed base with 45 million units, but North American publishers have only launched a handful of games -- like EA's FIFA and Madden titles, and Activision's Skylanders -- for the handheld console. Second, the 3DS and Wii U have different control schemes and graphical abilities than standard home consoles or PCs.

Many publishers simply aren't willing to spend extra time making optimized games for the 3DS' 3D screen or the Wii U's GamePad. For example, Square Enix's Dragon Quest X is simply aport of its mobile version, and does not support stereoscopic 3D on the 3DS' top screen.

The Foolish takeawayIn conclusion, Nintendo's heyday during the 8-bit and 16-bit eras was characterized by an abundance of third-party publishers pumping out endless games.

Nintendo still makes amazing first-party titles, but in the long run, it needs more dedicated third-party publishers to level the playing field against Sony and Microsoft. Since Nintendo's third-party support in Japan is much stronger, it should focus on bringing cross-cultural 3DS games like Final Fantasy Explorers to North American gamers as well, instead of viewing both markets separately.

The Last of Us Remastered Will Be a Hit on PS4, Says Sony

The Last of Us was one of the most successful titles on the previous generation console Playstation 3 and almost every gamer on the console would have played this title at one time or the other.

There could hardly be anyone who didn’t play it out, which is what the majority of the consumer crowd assumes. Sony has a completely different stand on this, because the company strongly believes that there are lots of players who didn’t check out the title yet on a PS3 and they have a great opportunity with the upcoming Re-mastered edition to play the game on the Playstation 4. According to the developers, the new version will be much more realistic, because, it features better graphical elements and has an improved world, because of the better hardware supplied by the new console. If you have already played the game and have finished it till the end, then there could be little to no excitement to buy it again on a brand new console for another $60; but Sony says that there are so many Playstation 4 owners who haven’t played the game yet. They are completely new to the scenario and are looking forward to experiencing some must have titles on their brand new console, for which The Last of Us is a fitting title.

A Title Worthy of New Gen

Sharing his views about the game, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, product manager, Josh said, “The Last of Us is not just a title that witnessed amazing sales and became a fan favorite, but is one of the most significant titles on the platform that won countless awards. It marks a successful completion for the last generation console history and the developers believe that it would be unfair to not let new generation players experience the same”. Even though, he didn’t openly admit the number of players who have already tried the game on the older generation platform, he added that the company will be able to see how many PS4 owners haven’t played it yet, by making use of the Playstation Network data. Taking a poke on the fact that Xbox One didn’t receive enough attention as expected and many players have decided to migrate to a new platform, he said, “There is a strong shift in the market and we are glad to welcome players who have migrated from competitive platforms to our Playstation network.”

1080P, 60 FPS Confirmed

The Last of Us re-mastered on Playstation 4, has been confirmed, by Naughty Dog to run at 1080p resolution and will deliver a solid 60 frames per second. Throughout the console wars, the HD resolution has been a matter of discussion that put the PS4 ahead of its competitor. It has also been confirmed that the game will have improved lighting, higher resolution character models and better shadows. The bundle will have special interviews with the lead actors Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson, the director besides other featured content. It launches on July 29, priced at $60.

Sony SmartBand SWR10 in India: can be paired with Android KitKat handsets

This is going to get good response in the market here. Sony SmartBand SWR10 in India: can be paired with Android KitKat handsets

Sony Smartband SWR10 is finally here in the Indian market and there is no doubt at all that this is going to be very well received here.

I am sure about the great performance of Sony Smartband SWR10 in the Indian market because of the fact that it is not just impressive in terms of functions but also in terms of it being very affordable. The company seems to have done well to have priced it at just Rs 5,990. The smartband has been launched with the Japanese tech giant’s flagship handset Sony Xperia Z2.

The smartband has been getting good reviews since its launch a few weeks ago. With Sony’s Xperia Z2 the wearable band is a deadly combination. But many people will be amazed to find only one button on this smartband. But don’t take it lightly. It rather functions like the Aladdin lamp and is enough to accomplish hosts of tasks at the push of this single button.

The smartband’s core comes with three small LED lights that shine through the band. It makes sure that you know the mode in which it is running at any given time.

The best aspect of this wearable band is the fact that it can be paired with any Android smartphone and running on 4.4 KitKat OS and supports Bluetooth LE and NFC technology as well. You need to take the core out to recharge it. SmartBand SWR10 is IP58-certified is water proof. It can withstand submersion up to up to 5-feet of water for up to 30 minutes.

Sony SmartBand SWR10 review: A health band that goes beyond just fitness

In the past few months, there’s been a sudden wave of fitness-focussed smartwatches and smartbands. Jumping on to the bandwagon, Sony also launched its new SmartBand SWR10, which comes bundled for free with the Z2. The company hasn’t limited its use to only Sony phones, and any Android device running 4.4 KitKat and supports Bluetooth LE and NFC can use it. Sony has also ensured that the device stays within your reach and priced it at Rs 5,990, but don’t expect a Samsung Gear-like smartwatch at that price.

It appears to be more like the FitBit, rather than the Gear series. It is basically an activity tracker for fitness freaks, and not a mainstream smartwatch that is looking to bring a smartphone experience to your wrist. After living a couple of weeks with the device and using it with the Xperia Z2, here’s what we have to say.

Design and build

Sony’s Smartband is quite simple looking. We got our hands on the black-coloured band that appeared to be a bit dull, but discrete enough to go unnoticed. You will get a slew of other colour options too, like bright pink, orange and yellow, to name a few. But if you plan to make a style statement using the band, then the Nike Fuelband or Jawbone are definitly be more stylish.

The bracelet or strap is built of silicone rubber and is highly flexible. The belt is adjustable and should fit all sizes. Moreover, it is IP58-certified and can withstand submersion up to up to 5-feet of water for up to 30 minutes. It did survive a 10-minute drizzle, when we used it. However, the band does attract dust to a certain extent, making it look old quickly.

This strap is simply the housing for what Sony calls the ‘core’ – a small rectangular plasticky device that is housed inside the strap. It features just one button with three minute LED indicators. On the side, one will find the USB charging dock.

While the SmartBand won’t score high when it comes to the design, but the most notable thing is how light it is. One can almost forget that you’re wearing it all day and night. The core weighs a mere 6 g and together with the strap, the SmartBand weighs barely 20 grams.

Features and Performance

To begin with, the Sony Smartband is similar to the Fitbit and doesn’t feature a display. So, you will need a smartphone to view all the data. Though one can use it with any compatible Android smartphone, it will require Sony’s ‘LifeLog’ app. LifeLog is the brain of the device that works in tandem with the core. The core captures all the data and transmits it to the app, but not in real time. Besides, you will also need the SmartBand app that lets you pair the device and tweak the settings of the band. Setting up the device was hassle free using NFC and Bluetooth.

The LifeLog app comes with a neat interface that is divided into two parts. The upper section displays a colourful visual timeline that shows your daily activities like sleeping, walking, running, travelling, and even the weather condition is displayed in the background.

Colourful visual timeline; tracks your sleeping patterns

Just below the timeline, you will find several a grid of colours, each box pertaining to a certain activity. Here users can check how many hours they were engaged in a particular activity. This also includes non-exercise activities as the device is also capable of tracking the time you spent on the web, social networks, gaming or listening to music. You can set a goal for each of the activity. For instance, we set 30 minutes of cycling goal. So, once you tap on cycling, you can view how long you’ve cycled and if you’ve achieved the goal. You can check the cycling history for over a week and even a month, to gauge your performance. It offers a neat graphical representation too.

Besides tracking steps, calories, running, walking and digital activities, you can also a new activity or even delete an activity you don’t want tracked. This way the app looks clutter-free, allowing you to view information that is important for you. Apart from your day activities, it also tracks your sleeping patterns like how many hours you’ve slept, how many hours the sleep was deep or light.

The single core button offers several shortcuts, trying to make up for the lack of the display. The button can also be used to control a few functions on the smartphone such as call and message alerts and also serves as music control. The button can also be used with apps like camera and Find Phone location service. You need to enable these options using the Smartband app.

Lifelog and SmartBand apps

Smartband lets you automatically set the day or night modes, depending upon what time you sleep. It can also be changed manually by long pressing the button on the core. To check the mode at any time, users can also press the button once, if the three LEDs blink in succession then it’s day mode, and if alternately then it’s in night mode.

Another notable fact is that the device is a standalone tracker, and doesn’t need to be around your phone all the time. For instance, you can go for a run and come and then sync the device with your phone. Then there’s the bookmark option that allows users to bookmark a location, date and time by double pressing the button.

It accurately detected our digital activity, like how many photos we clicked, when we used social networks or mobile web and so on. The UI is very slick, and you can go back to check what you were doing at any particular moment. It is a great way of tracking the sleeping pattern, and improving your wake-up times.

Let’s you track your daily activities, and view them in graphical form

It is pretty decent at tracking activities, but that doesn’t mean it is flawless. It tracked our steps all the time, but the problem arises when you take up activities other than running or walking. For instance, one of the days, it detected we were cycling, but we were in another mode of transport. It couldn’t really differentiate our time in an auto rickshaw from our cycling. This is where the software needs to work, as the device needs to accurately gauge the difference between slow-moving vehicles and a bicycle.

Verdict and pricing

Firstly, the band is extremely comfortable to wear. Within a couple of hours, we almost forget that we are wearing one. The subtle black colour and simple design kept it away from inquisitive eyes. While the Sony SmartBand has ticked most of the boxes right, it still has its flaw when it comes to accuracy. This seems to be a common problem with tracking activity wearables, and Sony could probably work at making the tracking software more accurate through firmware updates.

Though we didn’t really miss the display, given the price of the device, there were several moments when we seriously did miss it. For instance, when we left the phone home while on a run or submitted it at the counter before entering the gym. In these cases, a display, even a small one, would have been handy.

In a nutshell, the SmartBand is great for those looking for an activity tracker alone, and want to track their daily exercise routine better. It does allow you to do a little more, but it’s scope is limited by its fitness features.