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The King of Pop is dead, but his legacy is live N kickin’, and it seems like it’d get even bigger as time goes by. One company that has recognized Jakson’s extremely attractive merchandising potential is Sony Japan that recently announced it would release a limited edition This is it! package of the king that suppose to include a slim PS3 console, boasting a 120GB storage and a nifty Blu-ray drive. This special pack – a result of the collaboration between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Computer Entertainment Japan – is set to go live on January 27, either in Black or White colors, priced at Â¥33,500 (about $361), nothing a fan can’t afford these days.

[via SCEJ]

It’s not a secret that Intel’s latest 2GHz Atom Processor is looking for new lavish netbooks to sit in, while making its way out to the market in the coming weeks. Now we’ve been told that Intel’s speedy CPU has finally found a fancy ultra-portable device to be accommodated, as Sony officially announces the Vaio X, an 11.1-inch netbook/notebook series that weighs only 1.6 pounds and made out of carbon-fiber materials. True, it ain’t going to be cheap, in fact you’ll have to pay a whopping $1499 – yes you’ve heard that right – one thousand four hundred and ninety nine dollars, that’s what you’ll be asked to shell out in order to get a slim Vaio X machine, including an Atom Z550 processor, tucked with an SSD drive, Windows 7  Home Premium edition, an integrated Verizon 3G slot and a 3.5-hour battery that is claimed to deliver up to 14 hours of work, in case you’re using the “super-extended” battery. Oh, and those of you who are crazy enough to buy one, will also receive a multitouch trackpad to flick and tap around – Duh.

Update: We’ve added an unboxing video of the Vaio X, made by the NewGadgets people, who were kind enough to share their first preview shots among the interweb geeks. In this video, you can see how thin the X series is and why Sony keeps hitting us with top notch machines. Truth to be told, price tag isn’t so friendly in this case, but that’d probably apply to many other products with such a lucrative design. Hard to tell if a Windows 7 was already included, but 3G modem and Intel’s new Atom Z540, are definitely inside. Hit the jump to see the demo.  

[via boygeniusreport]

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Sony strikes again, this time with the new NW-A840 mp3 player, which is a 7.2mm walkman device that sports a 2.8-inch OLED display, upscaled to 720×480 pixel resolution via a built-in TV output. In addition, the A840 is probably one of the first portable audio  machines we’ve ever seen, to include a staggering 64GB flash drive storage, which lets you accommodate your entire audio/video library collection on such a tiny frame. Also bundled inside the box are Sony’s premium MDR-EX300SL earbuds, which come along with a reasonable battery, claimed to deliver up to 29-hours of music playback or 9 hours of video. Scheduled to October 31st, you get to choose out of three different A-series versions – the first, 16GB NW-A845 priced at Â¥24,000 (or $265), the second, 32GB NW-A846 which will cost you Â¥30,000 (or $330), and THE third, a 64GB NW-A847 that will set you back for Â¥40,000 (or $440) – all available either in Brown/Gold flavors (in picture) or an elegant Black.

Update: Looks like Sony just rolled out a European version of that Japanese NW-A840 walkman, which boasts exactly the same features, including a 2.8-inch OLED, paired with 7.2mm thin body and 28 hours of audio playback, but named NW-A845 and available in a 16GB “Falcon Black” version, only. Image after the break.

[Via Sony Insider]

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Yes, we all heard about it time after time on recent weeks, but now it’s for real, as Sony finally makes the PS3 Slim edition official, at GamesCom show, ending up months of rumors and speculation about the new gaming console. And speaking about the slim console, turns out it will be available in the first week of September, worldwide, priced at merely $300 (that’s 300 Euros, or 29,980 Yen) and packing a 120GB HDD along with all the good features we know from the regular PS3. In addition, the slimmer version actually have clickable buttons on front, while sized 32 percent less than previous model. Furthermore, the new edition apparently consumes 34 percent less power and the bundle includes a wireless DualShock3 controller to comfortably rock your gaming experience from your living room sofa, as vertical stand is optional for extra $24. Sony will also release Firmware version 3.0, next to the Slim debut, so you will enjoy animated themes with avatars, some cool UI changes, modified friends lists and even a new status indicator, when running your brand new matte black console for the first time. For more details about the PS3 Slim announcement, the full specs, and some video footage to watch, hit the jump or pass the break.

Update1: Apparently, you won’t be able to play any Playstation 2 games with your new PS3 Slim console, which is a bummer (!) if you think about it, since not having a PS2 backwards compatibility will force everyone get rid of their cool games collection, but this way or another, if you keep searching for some cool advantages inside the latest Slim edition, then mind you this hot box will presumably support Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio bit-streaming through your fancy hi-fi receiver. Huzzah!

Update2: Looks like Sony’s new PS3 Slim console is officially up and available across US retailers like Best Buys and GameStops (earlier than expected) for $299, so you can go down to your local store and get it NOW. Meanwhile, If you happen to have it at your disposal, already, and curious to see the inside parts of the box, hit the break and take a look, both at the image (one of few) and video footage that iFixit group has recently published.

Update3: A 250GB PS3 Final Fantasy XIII edition officially announced, set to be released in Japan somewhere around December for ¥41,600 Yen. Image is right after the break.

Update4: And moments after, Amazon.co.uk has listed a 250GB version as well, but this time you’ll have to settle with the ordinary black. Pre-order price is set for £285 ($455) and delivery is scheduled to October 1st.

Update5: Apparently, the 250GB Playstation Slim version is about to hit US shelves on November 3rd for $349.99, so you have only couple of weeks to get yourself this extra capacity-size edition.

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It’s getting hard to follow Sony lately, with all its media players activity, which gets into high gear on recent weeks, especially in Europe, with the E-Series showing up almost� a month ago, and now the S-Series that was listed up on a French retailer website called Materiel’s , featuring the 8GB NWZ-S544 and 16GB NWZ-S545, both equipped with a 2.4-inch QVGA wide-screen display, along with an FM tuner, a mic, built-in stereo speakers, an integrated stand for landscape video watching, and a strong Li-ion battery that can deliver up to 42 hours of audio or 6.5 hours of video, whenever it plays one of the supported formats, including MP3, non-DRM AAC, WMA, H.254, MPEG4, and WMV. In terms of pricing, the S-Series is priced at 129 Euros (about $180) for the 8GB model and 149 Euros ($211) for 16GB flavor. Still no official announcement from Sony, nor any Stateside availability details, so stay tuned for even more to come.

Update1: Apparently Sony America has just gotten official with the S-Series walkmans. The new lineup will include the 8GB NWZ-S544 and 16GB NWZ-S545, both equipped with the aforementioned specs. Mind you, playing music via speakers will make your battery going drained after only 17 hours of audio workout or 5 hours of video playback. The good news are that Sony has plans making them available Stateside (either in black, pink, violet, or red), next month, priced at $110 and $130, respectively. Hit the jump to read the official announcement.

Update2: And if you care watching Sony’s latest sleek and thin S-series walkman in action, looks like Sony Europe’s marketing division is now up with a new promotional video footage, featuring this minuscule bad boy in all its glory. Hit the jump to see the rest.

Update3: Sony adds two more version to its all new S series of players. Both walkmans, S640 and S740 boast a 2-inch display, pumped to 720×480 screen resolution via TV-output. And while the first (S640) houses either 8GB or 16GB capacities, the second (S740) has an additional 32GB model to offer aside from the other two. Other than that, both machines are equipped with noise cancellation filters and presumably expected to go out in Japan somewhere this month, with prices ranging from Â¥16,000 ($155 USD) to Â¥25,000 ($278 USD). Colorful image of the new joiners is right after the break.

[Via Sony Insider]

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If OLED walkmans might exceed your annual PMP budget and seems too pricey acquiring, Sony Europe has officially announced a new video mp3 player, under E-Series category, which suppose to go live from the end of July for an undetermined price that will probably be lower than previous versions. The players themselves are expected to support wide range of formats, while hardware includes an FM tuner, together with five band EQ, a 2-inch (320 x 240) QVGA display, a built-in microphone, 4/8/16GB capacities to choose from and either Black or Red colors to choose from. Stay suned for more details to show up.

Update: Apparently, this series will have three models included, the NWZ-E443, E444 and E445 players, packing the aforementioned capacities, respectively.

[Sony]

Think you’ve seen them all? Try again, as Sony FINALLY joins the netbook world, officially announcing the VAIO W series, which suppose to get a Japanese release somewhere this August for a pricey tag of Â¥60,000 or about $629. Other than that, Sony’s new VAIO W machine, or in its industrial name the VPCW119XJ, boasts pretty much the same specs we’re all familiar with, including a 10.1-inch display running at 1366 x 768 pixels, along with Intel’s Atom N280 (1.66 GHz) processor, 1GB of RAM, 160GB hard-drive, GMA 950 Graphics accelerator, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi connection, Bluetooth, Ethernet, built-in camera, 3-cell battery support supporting 3.5h of work (6-cell optional), Windows XP onboard, a trendy VAIO chiclet keyboard (86% the size of regular one) and myriad of colors to choose from, such as Black, Sugar White, Berry Pink and Cocoa Brown, all stuffed inside a 267.8mm x 27.5mm x 179.6mm device. It’s all relatively new, and as of this moment there are no details when it will hit Western shores or how much will it cost here (hopefully cheaper) but until then, feel free to jump the break and watch the video we’ve added in, together with the full press release.

Update1: Sony’s Vaio W netbook series is said to be available in the US somewhere in mid August for $499.

Update2: Now available with a new snowflake texture, ready to be mixed with the holidays’ general atmosphere. Specs and price remain the same, new image is half past the break.

[Sony]

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It’s not that we were totally surprised when Sony’s new gaming console abruptly showed up in a June 09 Qore edition – after all, rumors are floating around for quite some time – Yet, having a first look on a future portable gaming device can definitely rock our geeky heart, which barely stands the endless expectation for the official announcement to take place. And with so many neat features crammed inside, It shouldn’t take long until we snack ourselves a copy or two. But until we’ll manage to fulfill this dream, you all should probably like to know that Sony’s new PSP GO – as for on the go – seems to be offered with a 3.8-inch screen display, along with a built-in Bluetooth connectivity, rounded sleeky slider design and 16GB of internal Flash, expandable via Memory Stick Micro slot. Other essential traits to be noted include a smooth integration with PlayStation 3 gaming console (full network support), thin-and-light body design (43% lighter than PSP-3000), “10-year life-cycle products” guarantee (meaning long term viability) and various new action-game titles like Gran Turismo, Little Big Planet and Metal Gear Solid – in plan. With no pretensions to be crowned as a PSP-3000 successor and without determined price-tag given, all that’s left is a vague “This Fall” release announcement, which Sony executives were willing to share. And while waiting for this dates to arrive, hit the jump and watch the video itself.

Update1: Sony just announced the PSP Go at the E3 convention, to be available on October 1 in North America and Europe for $249, with a month later release in Japan. Turns out it’s 50% smaller and 40% lighter than Sony’s first PSP-1000 console, as most other specs remain the same, with few surprises at the corner – like a built-in WiFi connection, a new auto-playlist feature which randomly plays your favorite music and called Sense Me, a new video delivery service, and a lack of the UMD drive, implying you’ll be loading your games either through the Memory Stick Micro slot or over PlayStation’s network. Stay tuned for even more. Meanwhile, you can read the full PR announcement after the break.

Update2: In case you were all wondering what will happen to your old UMD games, once getting the PSP GO, maybe you should know that Sony will be offering for purchasing digital copies of those gamese, but maybe – just maybe – the company will be generous enough to make it even free of charge. Stay tuned.

Update3: If inner parts will make you excited, the folks at levelup.cn have managed to get their hands on one of the few available PSP Go devices out there and as expected, dissected it into pieces. Hit the jump to see the picture or click the link for even more.

Update4: Firmware update 6.10 is out, and those of you who’ve managed to get their hands on a PSP GO console (even though it’s not officially out yet) will now enjoy Bluetooth internet tethering for remote internet access. Additionally, you’ll find a new SensMe feature that literally creates audio playlists based on moods.

Update5: It’s here. Sony’s new PSP GO console finally goes live and can be found at your local retailers for $249.99. Gamind Party !

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Great news for those who’ve been anxiously waiting Sony’s new OLED walkman series to hit western shores, as the company officially announces a US release, while some Asian parts of the world already enjoy this 3-inch wonder for almost a month. Apparently, American citizens can order their piece of audio technology from Amazon and pay the same prices Apple listed the iPod Touch players, which means you get to choose between 16GB / 32GB capacities, both scheduled to mid-June. And if your memory just ditched for a second, we’re here to remind that your options include either the NWZ- X1051 version (16GB ), priced at $299, or the double sized NWZ- X1061 edition for only $399.

[Sony]

We eagerly expect Sony’s new OLED walkman to be released, so we can have a chance playing with it and take an in-depth look inside. Until then, we’ll have to settle with the full specs that have emerged to the world by SonyStyle Hong Kong. According to the Asian store, the NWZ-X1000 players will include a 3-inch 432 x 240 OLED display, together with an FM tuner, WiFi b/g connection and internet browsing  with YouTube support. More in the list, a battery that delivers up to 33hrs of audio or 9hrs of video playback and wide range of supported formats, such as MP3, WMA, AAC-LC and WAV audio files, while in video we can mention MPEG-4, H.264, or WMV files. Still, no word about Stateside presence, but as previously reported it is already available for pre-order at Amazon UK, as the 16GB Sony Walkman NWZ-X1051 goes for £214 ($310) while the 32GB version, the Sony Walkman NWZ-X1061,will cost you £283 ($410).

Update1: Checkout the promotional video after the break, featuring a fluent and sophisticated GUI from one side, yet easy to use and convenient to handle from the other one.

Update2: Looks like Sony’s NWZ-X1000 series is about to make a debut in Japan on April 25th, offered in Black or Red flavors and priced at 40,000 yen ($400) for the 16GB NWZ-X1050 version and 50,000 yen ($500) for the 32GB NWZ-X1060.

[via SonyStyle]

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For those who plan on getting a new shiny PSP 3000 console, hold on for a while, as Sony Japan has just announced 4 new carnival colors to hit the gaming device, starting March 5th. The new collection, which comes in Blue, Red, Yellow or Green flavors is expected to be priced at ¥19,800 ($225), but in case you wish to include 4GB Memory Stick PRO Duo, a pouch, a wrist strap and a cloth in the bundle, it will cost you ¥24,800 ($279). In any case, both options pack a 2200mAh battery inside to your satisfaction, so it’s worth the waiting, specially if you’re tired of those boring black/silver hues.

[Via Akihabara News]

We know, touchscreen players are the hottest thing around the block, and many companies are doing enormous efforts to take a share from Apple’s control over the market. Although it is unproclaimed, Sony has a great interest to confront the iPod Touch head-to head when it shows out its latest NWZ-X1000, a 3-inch OLED touchscreen Walkman player with WiFi capabilities and either 16GB ($299) or 32GB ($299) capacities to choose from – pretty much identical to the iPod Touch – heh. Additionally, the UI unveils sort of a “cover flow” feature to handle your music, while technologically the Japanese has finally integrated the noise cancelation element, in case you’re using a 13.5mm EX headphones. We’re still lack of any further details concerning other specs or availability, but meanwhile you can checkout the video after the break.

Update: Feb 25th – It is now available to order from Amazon UK, as shipment is set to 5 weeks. The 16GB Sony Walkman NWZ-X1051is priced at £214 ($310) while the 32GB version, the Sony Walkman NWZ-X1061,will set you back for £283 ($410).

[Via anythingbutipod]

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It’s CES time and plenty of announcements are making their way out, as the companies try their best to catch our eyes with new technoligies and lavish shapes. One of those products, which made us drooling all over the place is the new Sony Vaio P, an 8-inch netbook with an astounding LED-backlit 1,600 x 768 XBRITE-ECO LCD display, only 1.4 pounds weight and plenty of top-notch features, including Windows Vista onboard, Intel Processor (1.33GHz, 512kB L2 Cache), an integrated 3G WWAN capabilities, a GPS module, built-in webcam, track pointer inside the keyboard, 802.11n WiFi/Bluetooth connectivity and a battery that can provide up to 4 hours of use or 8 hours in case you’re equipped with the optional high-capacity cell. The Vaio P design is breath taking and you’ll be able to choose between onyx black, crystal white, garnet red, emerald green, or classic black flavors, somewhere around February, starting at $900 for the basic package, which houses 2GB RAM and 60GB HDD - Definitely not cheap, but absolutely worthy. Checkout the official announcement after the break, together with dissected image (courtesy of jkkmobile) and some videos (courtesy of engadget).

Update1: while US residents can only get the 1.33GHz CPU version, Japanese VAIO P models also offer the 1.86GHz Intel Atom processor, which is significantly stronger. Having said that, you should know that a 1.86GHz processor, along with a 64GB SSDis priced at $1,549, or even $1,899 in case you want the 128GB SSD option – Too Pricey !

Update2: Checkout the videos (courtesy of engadget) after the break.

Update3: Apparently, the Vaio P is getting even more colors to the already-impressive lineup, with Sony Style Japan uploading additional customizable flavors, including pyrite gold, frozen white, mesh garnet, layered peridot, and a dark brown keyboard – all priced the same. Click in here to make your decisions.

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Following Sony’s recent Walkman lineup revelation, the company has decided to go official, introducing “S”, “E”, and “B” Walkman players, to be released in the coming September with prices ranged from $45 up to $180.

The S series

Includes the 4GB NWZ-S736F and 8GB NWZ-S738F Walkmans, coming up with a light 7.5mm thick design, a 2-inch QVGA LCD display, an FM tuner, noise-cancelling technology, drag-and-drop file management and wide formats support, like MP3, WMA, AAC, Linear PCM, JPEG, and MPEG-4. Battery life is very impressive and can deliver up to 40 hours of audio playback or 10 hours of video.

[via cellphonehits]

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How many times have you encountered with difficulties to write on your PS3 game console through the lame virtual keyboard UI and the retard SIXAXIS controller? Well, guess what, hot news are coming from the Leipzig Games Convention, as Sony unveils a wireless keypad attachment, that hooks onto your SIXAXIS/DIALSHOCK3 game pad and lets you use the built-in keypad comfortably, whenever you need it. Mind you, the unit is compatible with other Bluetooth enabled devices, such as mobile phones and other gadgets. Still no word on price but we do know it will go live around November 2008, in 8 different assimilated languages.

Update: you can now pre-order it at Amazon for $49.99. Regretfully, you will have to wait until November for shipping.

[via joystiq]

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Some internet rumors become real, some don’t. This one is now official, as Sony has announced the new PSP-3000, at the Leipzig Games Convention, to be released on October 15th across Europe, with the same PSP-2000 design, but  with a better “Outside Friendly” screen visibility, a built-in microphone for your Skype experience and a new ‘PS’ button, to be defined later-on. Price is set for €199 ($291) and we tune in for more details to come.

Update: October 14th – it is now available across North America for $199.99.

[via slashgear]

New Sony Walkman lineup coming up soon, including NWZ-E435, NWZ-E436, and NWZ-E438 models, all equipped with a 2-inch QVGA LCD display, an FM tuner and storage capacity, ranged from 2GB up to 8GB. The players support MP3, WMA , AAC, Linear PCM, JPEG, AVC (H.264/AVC), MPEG-4 files and the battery can provide 30 hours of audio or 4 hours of continuous video playing. Still, no word on price or availability, but you will be able to get those 8.5mm thick Walkmans in black, turquoise , pink or red flavors. Stay tuned for more to come.

[via gmp3]

Sony has introduced its latest PMX-M89 PMP, designed exclusively for the Chinese market and equipped with a 4.3-inch wide screen (480 x 272), an FM tuner, a microphone, 9EQ, a memory card slot and 16GB of storage capacity. It is sized at 116.9 x 74 x 12.7 mm and has a Map Browser which is a sort of an A-GPS application to navigate your way, wherever you are. Format support is reasonable, with MP3, WMA, AAC audio files, AVi, MP4, MPEG-4 video files and JPEG compatibility for image files. Available in black and white, the player will play 6 hours of video or 18 hours of audio , so if Sony is a brand you like and China is your next destination, $330 and the player is yours.

[via gmp3]

After the game comes the watch, as Metal Gear Solid 4   limited-edition wristwatch is up for pre-order at UK online retailer Gamestation, featuring stailess steel body, exclusive serial number along with a certificate of authenticity from Konami, all packed in an adorned black box with a silver MGS4 logo on top. Mind you, there are only 500 pieces to be released on October 31st for estimated price of £99.99 ($196), so hurry up!

[via Tech Digest]

If you’re a PS3 owner who look for a nice and speedy way to control your console’s UI, you can try hooking up a Wacom tablet into your Sony device and start navigating the menus by moving the drawing pen on the tablet surface. True, most of us don’t hold this graphic designers tool at our disposal but it’s another cool way to interact with the playstation 3 device. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work in games but it can really speed up your interface control as you can find in the following video.

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[via PS3 Fanboy]