Sony Upgrades Thin Cameras

The new DSC-T200 digital camera does away with buttons for a touchpanel screen on the rear.

Sony Corp. is upgrading its thin T-series digital still camera line with a new model that packs a larger display with touchscreen.

The DSC-T200 hasn't been officially announced by Sony yet but details of the camera were posted to its Sony Canada online shop over the weekend.

The overall stylings of the camera aren't much changed from the current T100 model so on first glance it looks similar but a closer look at the rear will reveal some changes. The buttons present along the right-hand side of the 3-inch display on the current T100 are gone and in their place a larger 3.5-inch widescreen display takes up the entire back face of the camera.

So how to navigate the menus with no buttons? Sony has fitted a touchscreen on the 3.5-inch display that means the backpanel is clear of everything else.

A 3.5-inch display with touchscreen matches Apple's iPhone but a lot of the tasks and functions that can be carried out are very different. Sony's screen doesn't appear to support two-fingered touch -- the one trick that makes the iPhone's touchscreen so special -- but can be used to work a variety of functions. For example, in "touch-it shooting" a tap of an object on the screen will focus the camera on that object while when viewing pictures the screen is used to navigate and even paint on photos taken earlier.

Other functions include a "smile shutter" that goes a step beyond the face detection modes common on cameras today. The DSC-T200 won't just find faces in the image and focus on them but in this mode it won't take a picture until it sees all smiles.

Major specifications are similar between the T200 and T100. Both have an 8.1-megapixel image sensor capable of taking pictures up to 3,264 pixels by 2,448 pixels and in front of the sensor sits a 5X optical zoom lens. It has the same Bionz processing engine.

The camera measures 2.33 inches high by 3.68 inches wide by .8 inches deep and weighs 5.6 ounces.

There's no word on when it will be available or the price. The current T100 that it seems destined to replace costs about $400.

Tags: Cyber-shot, Sony, Camera

Sony Hints of Rolly Audio Player

A teaser promotional campaign has begun in Japan for a new audio device called Rolly.

As with all good teasers, few details of the device are available but Sony is giving away a few clues. Chief among them is that Rolly is a "sound entertainment device." Quite what that means isn't clear but more details are promised via a Japanese-language blog over the coming days.

Sony also opened a promotion site called Rolly World that offers even less information. The site currently consists of a mass of small videos, each an apparently random clip of people doing things. There are three people dancing, a cat walking across the street, a taxi driver speaking to a passenger and a drink being poured into a glass.

Each clip ends with a word or phrase that apparently has something to do with the Rolly. These words, which also scroll across the bottom of the screen, include: shuffle, share, music, small, motion, open and communication.

Users visiting the site are invited to apply for one of 50 pairs of tickets to a Rolly party to be held in Tokyo on Sept. 10.

News of the Rolly player first appeared on blogs a couple of weeks ago. Many reported on the existence of the player citing a report by a Belgian blog that said the Rolly would be "egg-shaped," include a speaker, and can move or dance to music. The original Web site now carries a message saying the story has been removed at the demand of Sony.

Among the rumors is that the device may be unveiled at the IFA show that begins in Berlin on Aug. 31.

A Sony spokeswoman in Tokyo said Rolly would be announced in September in Tokyo.

Sony was once king of the portable music industry. Its iconic Walkman players created the market and then led it for about 20 years until Apple Inc. decided to get into the game with the iPod. The iPod quickly stole the lead from Walkman thanks in part to the way it working seamlessly with the iTunes desktop application and an online music store.

Tags: Sony, Rolly Audio Player

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Sony Announces Availability of 80GB PlayStation 3

Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) on Monday announced the availability of a new 80GB version of its play station 3 video game console. The system is now available at retailers throughout North America for US$599 and includes a copy of the off-road racing game motor storm.

The 80GB model has been released to provide users with more storage space for games and add-on content they purchase through Sony's play station Network (PSN), a free online service PlayStation users can connect to purchase games and game-related content. At present that are more than 60 playable games and game-related downloads available through PSN, with more coming soon.

Sony has been criticized for a slow up tick in play station 3 game rollouts and the system's high cost. To that end, The 80GB play station 3 joins a 60GB version already in production; that system costs $499.

Both the 60GB and 80GB version share the same architecture and come standard with 1080p HD video output, Wi-Fi connectivity, a Sixaxis wireless game controller and built-in Blu-ray Disc player.

The 60GB version's retail price was dropped by $100 on July 9 when Sony first announced plans to release the 80GB model in North America, although Sony's plans to release the model were first made public back in March. Sony says that it plans to continue to sell the 60GB model alongside its 80GB counterpart "until current inventory is depleted," which it anticipates will happen this fall.

As far as games are concerned, Sony said that throughout the holidays and the remainder of its fiscal year, more than 120 new first and third-party software titles will be released for the PlayStation 3 in North America, adding to the current stable of more than 40 games.

Cyber-shot ® DSC-G1, wireless digital photo sharing

Sony is advancing wireless digital photo sharing with today’s introduction of the 6-megapixel Cyber-shot ® DSC-G1 digital camera.

The G1 model is Sony’s first digital camera with the ability to send photos wirelessly to other Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA)-enabled devices, such as another camera or a PC.

“This is a step towards realizing a platform for networked photo communication,” said Phil Lubell, director of marketing for digital cameras at Sony Electronics. “We will continue to explore the possibilities for networked digital imaging as broadband Internet becomes more pervasive in American homes.”

One-Touch Wireless Photo Sharing and Archiving

The G1 model features a 3.5-inch LCD screen with resolution of 921,000 pixels. Lubell said that’s four times higher than the average compact digital camera and all previous Sony Cyber-shot models. The new camera’s slide show with music function makes sharing photos directly on the camera even more enjoyable.”

“Sony popularized the use of large LCD screens on compact cameras, with the understanding that simply passing the camera around is a means of sharing,” Lubell said.

The new models’ camera-to-camera wireless capability makes it possible to send your friends a photo at the push of a button. It’s also possible for up to four camera users to send each other photos in real time. With a DLNA-compatible PC, storing and sharing photos becomes simplified through wireless image transfer from the camera to the PC.

Mega Storage Capacity and Sophisticated Image Management

The G1 unit is the ideal vacation camera with 2GB of internal memory, saving you from having to manage extra media cards. It becomes a virtual photo album in your pocket as it can store up to 7,500 VGA-quality photos or 600 6-megapixel pictures. If additional storage is needed, the camera's capacity can be expanded with an optional Memory Stick Duo ™ media card or Memory Stick PRO Duo ™ card, now available in capacities up to eight gigabytes.

In addition to storage capacity, it incorporates an auto image management system with sophisticated search functions. You can organize your photos by events, such as vacations or birthdays, and retrieve them later by keywords or labels. It’s also possible to select an image and search for other photos with the same face, same color, or a similar composition.

Armed with features for optimal shooting and sharing, the new model also integrates built-in technologies to minimize image blur, including Super Steady Shot® optical image stabilization. It also has high light sensitivity, up to ISO 1000, to facilitate shooting at higher shutter speeds, as well as low-light conditions for more natural exposures or for settings where flash is not permitted.

This new Cyber-shot model also features a distinctive design. Its Carl Zeiss® 3x optical zoom lens is wrapped in an elegant metal body. You slide the lens cover across, instead of down as with previous models, and you’re ready to shoot in less than a second.

The DSC-G1 digital camera will ship in April for about $600. Additional accessories will include lenses, filters, batteries, travel chargers, sports packs and cases. All can be purchased online at sonystyle.com, at Sony Style retail stores (www.sonystyle.com/retail), and at authorized dealers nationwide. Pre-orders begin on Feb. 28 at www.sonystyle.com/newcameras.