Posts Tagged ‘Sony’
Tuesday, March 19th, 2013
Xperia SP offers a high quality HD experience, LTE 4G and easy connectivity while the Xperia L comes in a stylish design boasting good camera quality with HDR for both photos and videos.
Both smartphones will be available ( in white, red or black.) in selected markets in SE Asia from Q2 2013. Prices TBA.
Sony Xperia SP and Sony Xperia L are will both be available in white, black or red.
The two new smartphones join Sony’s Spring 2013 lineup and come with a high quality screen, the latest camera features, NFC connectivity for One-touch function, Battery STAMINA Mode for extended battery life, and Sony’s media apps for enjoying photos, music, and games on the go.
Sony’s One-touch functions, allowing the user to easily and instantly enjoy music and photos across an array of devices, such as Sony’s SRS-BTV5 speaker and latest range of NFC-enabled BRAVIA TVs, with just a single touch.
Sharing is made easy with no wires, cables, or fiddling with settings. Below are more details on the two new smartphones.
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Tags:Android, Android 4.1, smartphones, Sony, Sony Mobile, Xperia
Posted in Android, Announce, Gadgets, Phones, Sony, Sony Mobile, Specifications, Xperia | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, February 20th, 2013
Sony launched today a range of digital imaging products – 5 cameras, 3 lenses and 2 accessories. Available in Asia Pacific in March/April 2013. Prices TBA.
From top to bottom, left to right: 1. 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II telephoto zoom lens 2. RM-VPR1 wired remote 3. DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II zoom lens 4. Carl Zeiss Planar T* 50mm F1.4 ZA SSM lens 5. HVL-F20M flash 6. Alpha 58 DSLR 7. NEX-3N mirrorless interchangeable lens camera 8. Cyber-shot WX-300 compact camera 9. Cyber-shot HX-300 compact camera 10. Cyber-shot TX-30 compact camera
The five cameras announced today include the Alpha 58 DSLR, NEX-3N MIL, and three compacts: Cyber-shot WX300, Cyber-shot HX300, and Cyber-shot TX30.
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Tags:accessories, Alpha, cameras, compact, Cyber-shot, digital imaging, DSLR, lens, lenses, NEX, Sony
Posted in Accessories, Alpha, Announce, camera flash, Cameras, Compact camera, Cyber-shot, DSLR, Gadgets, Launch, Lens, NEX, Photography, Sony | No Comments »
Saturday, February 2nd, 2013
It’s the Lunar New Year period and Chinatowns all over the world are abuzz with decorations and festival sales in anticipation of Chinese New Year.
This couple reads “Welcoming the new spring and happiness” to the right, and “Prosperity through Harmony” to the left. I snapped this picture with the Sony Xperia Ion Android smartphone.
I was walking in Chinatown Singapore and came across this corridor outside the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple that brightly decorated with these floral wreaths and Chinese well-wishing couplets.
Tags:Android, Chinese New Year, CNY, smartphones, Sony, Sony Mobile, Xperia, Xperia ion
Posted in Gadgets, Holiday, Phones, Photos, Sony, Sony Mobile, Xperia | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 15th, 2013
Unveiled only last week at CES 2013 in Las Vegas, the new flagship for Sony Mobile’s Xperia smartphones was showcased in Singapore to the regional media.
The Xperia Z and its smaller variant (Xperia ZL) will be available globally in Q1 2013. Prices are yet to be announced.
Update (7 February, 2013):
The Xperia Z will debut in Singapore on 1 March 2013. RRP: S$988 without contract.
Pre-orders can also be made at the following Telco websites:
You can pre-order at the Xperia Store, Sony Stores and Sony Centres from 15-24 February and get a gift.
Xperia Z will be available in the above stores on 1 March and from all telco operators from March 2nd onwards, in black or white. The purple Xperia Z will be available one week after on 8 March.
Sony Mobile’s new flagship smartphone – Xperia Z. Available Q1 2013.
The Xperia Z embodies leading edge technology that Sony had developed over the years for its wide range of electronic devices.
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Tags:Android, Android 4.1, Android 4.2, Jelly Bean, Qualcomm, Red Dot, Singapore, smartphones, Snapdragon, Sony, Sony Mobile, Walkman, Xperia, Xperia Z
Posted in Android, Audio, earphones, Events, Exhibition, Gadgets, headphones, Phones, Sony, Sony Mobile, speakers, Specifications, Walkman, Xperia | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, January 8th, 2013
Here is a round-up of Sony’s new electronic gadgets for 2013, as released today during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2013 in Nevada, Las Vegas, USA.
Imagine a Sony Bravia KD-65 LED TV in your living room.
This year’s line-up includes new models to Sony’s Cyber-Shot, Handycam, Walkman, Xperia and BRAVIA range of products, as well as wireless speakers.
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Tags:4K, Android, audio, Bravia, cameras, CES, CES 2013, compact, Cyber-shot, handycam, LED, music, smartphone, Sony, Sony Mobile, speakers, TV, Walkman, Xperia, Xperia Z
Posted in Android, Audio, Cameras, Compact camera, Cyber-shot, Exhibition, Gadgets, Operating Systems, Phones, Sony, Sony Mobile, speakers, Specifications, Tech news, Walkman, Xperia | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, January 2nd, 2013
Sony is introducing the XBA-40 (S$388), XBA-30 (S$318), XBA-20 (S$238) and XBA-10 (S$98) in-ear headphones, available now from all Sony stores and authorised outlets.
Each of the models in the second generation in-ear XBA headphones come in gold or silver.
For users listening to music on their iPhones, each of these earphones models also come with “iP” versions that allow remote control of the music playing while talking hands-free.
| Model |
SRP |
| XBA-40 |
S$388 |
| XBA-30 |
S$318 |
| XBA-20 |
S$238 |
| XBA-10 |
S$98 |
| XBA-40iP |
S$408 |
| XBA-30iP |
S$338 |
| XBA-20iP |
S$268 |
| XBA-10iP |
S$118 |
These headphones are the second generation of Sony’s popular XBA range of in-ear headphones, with gold and silver colour variations for each model to suit the individual’s taste.
The new XBA headphones feature the same micro-sized Balanced Armature (BA) drivers that are optimised for music enjoyment.
Double-layered housing prevents unwanted vibrations for crystal clear mid-high range audio reproduction.
The new range of XBA in-ear headphones now come with a high quality, PCOCC grain-free and oxygen-free copper cable wiring that minimises sound transmission loss.
A serrated anti-friction tangle-free cord helps music lovers deal with the constant challenge of messily stored wires.
Tags:earphones, headphones, Sony, XBA
Posted in Accessories, Announce, Audio, Availability, Gadgets, headphones, Prices, Sony | No Comments »
Saturday, December 1st, 2012
So we decided that there was a 2-week window to grab a quick break. But that’s like one-week away. Is it possible to plan the usual DIY self-drive holiday at such short notice?
Aerial view of Fukuoka, our gateway to Kyushu.
The answer is yes, with the advent of the Internet. Here’s a recap of what I did for my own holiday.
Cutting it close
I booked the air tickets the day we decided to go for the break, the car rental the next day, 3 hotels on the third day, and the remaining 3 on the fourth day.
The remaining days were spent planning the itinerary for each stop.
It’s as close to the date of departure as I’ve ever tried going on a self-planned, self-drive vacation.
First the obvious, decide how long you’ve got and where you want to go. In my case, we’ve long wanted to visit Kyushu in Japan, and the window of opportunity available was roughly two weeks.
If you’re thinking of visiting Japan, I recommend this site called japan-guide.com. It has comprehensive descriptions of popular tourist spots all over Japan, as well as travel tips for Japan.
Even more useful is its forum where vacation planners get their queries answered in detail with advice from a community of fellow travelers, as well as useful links to resources – such as timetables, rates etc – outside of the website.
Next book the air tickets. The availability and price of last-minute tickets usually determine whether your vacation destination will become a reality.
Cameras of choice
For this vacation, I’m entrusting our memories to the Nikon D800, with the AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED and the AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II lenses.
That’s almost 4 kg of camera gear but for the sake of image quality, I believe the 36.3-megapixel full-frame camera and two FX lenses from Nikon are worth every ounce of their weight.
Besides, we have the rental car to carry the gear between sights.
For a second camera, my wife will be carrying our trusty Olympus E450 with the ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 kit lens.
I use Zuji.com to get a feel of the airlines plying Singapore and the possible stops and the price range, then if there’s time, check competing sites or the airline’s website for better rates.
For Kyushu, it was pretty straightforward, only Singapore Airlines fly directly there from Singapore – to Fukuoka. It’s straightforward until you hit the SIA website. For a premier airline, it sure has a terrible website for bookings and reservations – plenty of long waits.
Next is the car rental. I use ToCoo car rental. It helps you check the rates for multiple car rental companies with cars available in the cities where you intend to pick up and drop off the car. But you’ve got to compare rates manually yourself.
Computing on the go
For computing, I’m bringing along the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Ultrabook, a BlackBerry PlayBook, and the Seagate 1TB Backup Plus.
The X1 Carbon is sleek in design, wonderfully thin and light, yet powerful enough for surfing Web and running Photoshop and Dreamweaver CS6 for photo-editing and blogging back in the hotel room.
The 7-inch PlayBook keeps the children entertained with game apps, and serves as an e-book reader. Its biggest bugbear is that it’s the Wi-Fi version and does not have 3G, but I don’t use 3G data in Japan anyway.
To store and back up the 40MB RAW photo files generated by the D800, I brought along the 1TB Seagate Backup Plus Portable Drive. The 2.5-inch plug-and-play drive constantly backs up the hard disk and makes posting photos online a breeze.
Usually, I pick up the car at the airport, drive off to the first destination and return the car at the airport I’m flying off from. If the pick-up and drop-off locations are different, check if a surcharge is levied and how much it is.
Fuss-free music
For music in the hotel room, we’re bringing along the Jabra Solemate portable speaker. Instead of lugging stacks of CDs around, simply download your favourite tracks onto an SD card and plug it into the Solemate.
What I like most is we can play our song collections and playlists wirelessly from our smartphones, tablet and Ultrabook via Bluetooth. It’s portable, easy to use and the sound quality is superb.
Finally, book the hotels. I know some Japanese so I used to browse Japanese booking websites and hotel websites directly, calling them on the phone for enquiries and reservations.
This time round, I discovered that my favourite accomodation-booking website for Europe holidays – booking.com – now has quite extensive list of hotels in Japan. Enough to find hotels that fit your budget in most places in Japan.
I like booking.com because of its clear information and easy booking. So even if you don’t know ANY japanese, you can still find and book accommodation easily.
Smartphones
We don’t use smartphones an awful lot, but for the record, we’re bringing along the Android Sony Xperia ion and an aging iPhone 3GS.
I’ve left the Nokia Lumia 900 at home because Nokia maps does not have the navigation map for Japan, and I’m renting an English GPS with the car anyway.
Another website that I tried last year – hotels.com – seems to be only beginning to move into Japan, with poor selection and high prices. I’m hoping there coverage and pricing will improve over time.
Once you’ve gotten the flight, car and hotel bookings out of the way, what remains is the physical packing for the big day.
Tags:Backup Plus, Carbon, D800, holiday, ION, Jabra, Japan, Japan 2012, Kyushu, Lenovo, Nikon, Olympus, Seagate, Solemate, Sony, travel, ultrabook, vacation, X1, Xperia
Posted in Apple, Audio, Cameras, DSLR, Events, Gadgets, Holiday, Japan 2012, Lenovo, Lens, Lumia, NIKKOR, Nikon, Nokia, Notebooks, Olympus, Phones, Photography, PlayBook, RIM, Seagate, Sony Mobile, speakers, storage drive, Tablets, Travel, Ultrabooks, Xperia, Zuiko | 1 Comment »
Thursday, October 25th, 2012
Microsoft launched Windows 8 worldwide today and held launches in 15 cities around the world. From tomorrow – Friday, 26 October – the new operating system will be available to consumers and businesses in 140 countries and 37 languages.
Windows 8 has been launched today and will be available from tomorrow onwards.
Windows 8 will be available in two versions at retail, Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro.
“With the launch of Windows 8, Microsoft is unveiling a reimagined Windows to the world,” said Tracey Fellows, President of Microsoft Asia Pacific.
For business customers, Windows 8 Enterprise offers mobile productivity features such as Windows To Go, DirectAccess, and BranchCache; as well as enhanced end-to-end security with features including BitLocker and AppLocker.
Launching at the same time is a new member of the Windows family designed for ARM-based tablets – Windows RT – which will only be available pre-installed on new devices and comes preinstalled with Microsoft Office.
The Start screen is the launch pad for Windows 8.
All the different versions feature a new fast and fluid Start screen that gives users one-click access to the apps and content they care most about, the new Internet Explorer 10 that is tuned for touch, and built-in cloud capabilities with SkyDrive.
How to get Windows 8 and the prices
In addition to getting the new operating systems pre-installed on new devices, consumers can also upgrade their existing PCs.
Through the end of January, consumers currently running PCs with Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7, are qualified to download Windows 8 Pro for an estimated retail price of US$39.99 from here (for a limited time).
Eligible Windows 7 PCs purchased between 2 June, 2012, and 31 January, 2013 can download Windows 8 Pro for an estimated retail price of US$14.99 with the Windows Upgrade Offer, available at www.windowsupgradeoffer.com.
In Singapore, new Windows 8 licenses can be bought at all leading IT retail stores for S$89.99 with free PIXMA printer while stocks last.
Windows 8 comes pre-installed with apps that include Mail, People, Calendar, Photos, Weather, Xbox Music and SkyDrive.
“Windows 8 delivers a no-compromise computing experience to individuals, families and businesses, where they no longer need to choose between the fun and convenience of a tablet and the power and productivity of a PC,” said Helene Auriol, Managing Director, Microsoft Singapore.
Additional apps can be downloaded from the cloud-connected Windows Store.
The online store can be accessed via the Windows Store App on the Windows 8 Start Screen and is a central place for users to manage their downloaded apps across multiple Windows 8 devices.
Microsoft has officially opened its Windows Store for Singapore as part of Windows 8 launch today.
Singapore and Asia Pacific launch
For Singapore and the Asia Pacific, the launch was held at the roof terrace at the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, with a showcase of new Windows 8 PCs, notebooks and tablets from the main computer makers.
More than 600 Windows enthusiasts, partners and enterprise customers attended this Windows 8 Singapore launch event.
At launch, Windows 8 users can immediately download apps from the Windows Store.
Local apps available include iProperty, SingTel, StarHub, The Straits Times, Channel NewsAsia, SG Cab from Singapore; and The New Zealand Herald (New Zealand), Fruit Ninja (Australia), SM Cinema (Philippines), My Baby Piano (Korea), Bangkok Bank (Thailand), and iProperty (Malaysia) from the Asia Pacific.
Windows 8 devices
There are more than 1,000 Windows 8 certified PCs and tablets.
In Singapore, there are more than 50 Windows 8 devices from a wide range of manufacturers including Asus, Acer, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, Lenovo, LG, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba.
These will be available at more than 120 IT retail stores across Singapore, including Challenger, Courts, Harvey Norman and Newstead.
Tags:Acer, DELL, Esplanade, Fujitsu, HP, launch, Lenovo, LG, Microsoft, Samsung, Singapore, Sony, Toshiba, upgrades Asus, Windows, Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows Store
Posted in Acer, All-in-One, App, ARM, Asus, Dell, Desktops, Events, Fujitsu, Gadgets, HP, Internet Explorer, Launch, Lenovo, LG, Notebooks, Office, Operating Systems, Prices, Samsung, Software, Sony, Specifications, Tablets, Tech news, Toshiba, Ultrabooks, Windows 8 | 3 Comments »
Sunday, October 14th, 2012
Here’s a selection of interesting tech events happening this week (14-20 October 2012). It is not an exhaustive list and represents only a sampling of events that gives a taste of the tech pulse in Singapore.
What are some of the more interesting tech events happening in Singapore?
This week sees the continuation of buzz building up to the General Availability of Windows 8. Intel, Samsung, HP and Sony have already showcased their respective offerings. Next week, Microsoft will be releasing Windows 8 on 26 October 2012.
Event listing on tech4tea.com
You can see this selection of events in the right sidebar.
Event organisers can submit your events for listing to johntan@tech4tea.com – but there are no promises that your event will be featured.
Audiophiles can look forward to the launch of Swiss Piega handmade speakers by Atlas Singapore, while photographers finally see the Lytro light field camera officially launched in Singapore.
The much anticipated Samsung GALAXY Note II and GALAXY Camera will be launched at the Ritz-Carlton; while BlackBerry and ZALORA join hands to present a fashion show inspired by the BlackBerry Bold smartphones.
On the enterprise side, Progress Software and NCS are talks about growth in big data and the realtime analytic industries, while DPM Teo Chee Hean opens Techventure 2012.
Finally, wrap up the week with a bit of fun and learning at Canon Imaging Academy, shooting out-and-about Singapore and learning about shooting stock photos along the way.
15 October (Sunday)
BlackBerry JamHack 2012
5-city, 3-day, 40-hour hackathon organised by 5 developer groups & communities in Asia Pacific, supported by RIM.
Culminates in App Pitches on the last day on 15 Oct.
Venue: Delhi, Bangalore, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Manila
15 October (Monday)
Realtime analytics for business
Progress Software and NCS talks about growth in big data and realtime analytic industries.
16 October (Tuesday)
Lytro launch
Official launch of the Lytro light field camera in Singapore.
Venue: Clarke Quay
17 October (Wednesday)
Samsung launch of GALAXY Note II and GALAXY Camera
Launch of Samsung’s latest products in Singapore.
Venue: Ritz-Carlton
17-18 October (Wednesday to Thursday)
Techventure 2012
This year’s theme, “Äsia.Innovation.Renaisance”, highlights the economic transformation in Asia and opportunities for businesses from technological innovation.
Venue: Marina Bay Sands
18 October (Thursday)
Fashionably Bold
BlackBerry and ZALORA collaborates on a fashion show inspired by the BlackBerry Bold smartphones.
Venue: 72-13 Mohammed Sultan Road
19 October (Friday)
Piega launch by Atlas
Swiss Piega launching a range of exclusive handmade speakers in Singapore.
Venue: Atlas Showroom @ Windstedt
20-22 October (Saturday to Monday)
Singapore iStockalypse
iStockphoto and Getty Images are partnering with Canon Singapore to organise this 3-day photo-workshop to shoot Singapore.
Theory on Saturday, followed by portfolio review on Sunday and out-and-about shooting on Monday.
Venue: Canon Imaging Academy
Tags:BlackBerry, Bold, cameras, Canon, Galaxy, Getty Images, HP, Intel, iStockphoto, Lytro, Microsoft, Microsoft Windows 8, NCS, Note, Piega, Progress, Research In Motion, RIM, Samsung, Singapore, smartphones, Sony, speakers, tablets, Windows, Windows 8, ZALORA
Posted in Android, Audio, BlackBerry, Bold, Cameras, Canon, Event forecast, Events, Gadgets, Galaxy, HP, Intel, Microsoft, Notebooks, Phones, RIM, Samsung, Sony, Tablets, Windows 8 | No Comments »
Thursday, October 11th, 2012
In the run up to Windows 8 official release on October 26, Sony has revealed its Fall lineup of Intel-based VAIO notebooks running on the new operating system – including the VAIO Duo 11 slate that comes with sliding keyboard.
Available from November 2012. VAIO Duo 11 will be sold at S$1,999 (i5-3317U processor) and S$2,699 (i7-3517U). Prices for the other notebooks TBA.
Sony’s new lineup of VAIO notebooks is helmed by the VAIO Duo 11, an Ultrabook slate with a slide-out keyboard and stylus pen; weighing only 1.3 kg and 17.85 mm thin. 11.6-inch display and available in November 2012 at S$1,999 (i5 CPU) and S$2,699 (i7 CPU).
Sony showcased its new VAIO lineup for the Fall at the Red Dot Museum in Singapore today.
New S Series models come in 13.3″ and 15.5″ screens, i5 and i7 CPUs and comes with new colour Red. 1.69 kg, 22.8 mm thin.
The new notebooks run on the latest Intel* chips and the new Windows 8 operating system, centering user experience around Touch interactivity.
These sleekly designed machines either have a 10-point multi-touch screen, or come with touchpads that enable users to utilise the touch interface of Windows 8.
As an electronics giant with a full range of electronic products, Sony demonstrated how the VAIO computers could be tightly integrated with other electronic gadgets in its stable.
These include large DLNA TV displays, cameras, video cameras, and Android smartphones.
Two new 14″E14P Series notebooks (i5 & i7). Note the soft-edged design with no bezels.
A VAIO user can therefore download, edit and share photos/videos taken with a camera or smartphone and view them either on the Web or on a large TV.
Two new 13.3″ VAIO T Series models (i5 & i7 CPU) using premium materials like magnesium and aluminium.
The VAIO Duo 11 ultrabook can function as a flat slate but has a slide-out keyboard to become a laptop.
The new S Series models has 5.5 hr battery life (additional 11 hr with optional extended battery) and a Dynamic Hybrid Graphics System that uses two graphics processors.
The two new T Series Ultrabooks has either SSD or hybrid HDD/SSD storage.
* In addition to the two new VAIO E14P Series models, the lineup also includes the VAIO E 11” and 15” series which are equipped with 3rd generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processors, or the AMD Radeon processor.
Tags:AMD, Intel, notebooks, slate, Sony, SSD, Vaio, Windows, Windows 8
Posted in Announce, Events, Exhibition, Gadgets, Notebooks, Operating Systems, Prices, Sony, Specifications, Tablets, Ultrabooks, VAIO, Windows 8 | No Comments »
