Sony Expands Entertainment Ecosystem with New Bravia TVs and NXT Phones
Sony has just shown first glimpses of their new line of Bravia televisions along with the the Xperia NXT smartphones. Along with their notebooks and tablets, Sony was keen to showcase the fact that content can be transferred and shared across all the various platforms with the help of DLNA.
Bravia Refreshed
Sony made a splash with their new lineup of products encompassing televisions and smartphones at a media event held at One 15 Marina Club in Sentosa Cove yesterday. The new devices are particularly skewed towards providing a homogenous, interlinked experience through wireless connectivity. Utilizing DLNA features, users will be able to share and consume content across various screens such as televisions, tablets, and mobile devices with the touch of a button or a flick of the wrist.
The Sony Bravia line of TVs will be getting new models soon such as the HX855 featured in this shot.
Most of the notable introductions were for Sony’s Bravia new line of televisions and wireless connectivity features, such as DLNA for example. Marking a shift from last year's efforts at popularizing 3D and Smart TV functions, Sony has returned to its roots by redirecting their energies towards providing the best picture quality possible with their latest televisions. Rather than emphasize features, Sony will be shining the spotlight on the performance of the new models and hope the TVs' visuals speak for themselves.
Wi-Fi Direct connectivity, Sony Entertainment Network, and their trademark Monolithic One Glass design make up the remaining ethos driving the new comers. Another interesting decision from Sony is that the new range now comprises of LED TVs exclusively. The Japanese CE titan will not be upgrading their CCFL sets for the local market.
While we were half hopping to see the Sony's Crystal LED TV again from CES 2012, we guess that will take a much longer time before it becomes retail ready. We look forward to hearing more news of it late in the year, but for now, we share with you on what's coming to the stores soon.
TV Highlights
New Bunchin Stand
Almost all of Sony’s previous designs are still evident in the recently unveiled products. Most of them will feature the familiar Monolithic design, typically seen on premium Bravia models, while the addition of Gorilla Glass helps ensure are tougher panel face. Now, the real step forward is the refreshed Bunchin Stand.
The Bunchin Stand almost makes it look like your TV screen has been placed in a docking station.
Resembling a docking station to a certain extent, the Bunchin Stand is fundamentally a weighted base for the TV's panel. Besides securing the screen, the stand also houses additional subwoofers to improve the set's audio performance. While its functionality hasn't changed from the original Bunchin stand a few years ago with the NX series, the one shown today has an updated design. The TV now seems to 'dock' with the stand rather than 'sink' into the the stand. The Bunchin stand seems to be a nice improvement and may give the new Sony products an edge when compared to Samsung’s wobbly Quad Stand design.
HX855
The pride and joy of Sony's new Bravia line is the HX855 model, and it will be available in 46-inch, 55-inch, and 60-inch sizes. The television will also offer 3D and Smart TV functionality while visuals are powered by Sony's X-Reality Pro engine. And as you can see from the pictures below, the HX855 is also a prime example of how the Bunchin Stand enhances the entire unit's aesthetics.
The premium HX855 will feature Sony's X-Reality Pro Engine as well as the new and enhanced Bunchin Stand.
NX650
Another interesting model from Sony is the Bravia NX650 which features Internet TV functionality without 3D functions. Instead of the dual-chip X-Reality Pro engine, this television will feature the single-chip X-Reality Engine instead. This model will be available in 32-inch and 40-inch screen sizes, while backlighting duties are left to its edge-lit LEDs. The NX650 is slated as a mid-level model, and will be priced accordingly once it hits the stands.
A slight step down from the HX855, the new NX650 is still expected to deliver premium performance in a smaller form factor.
The NX650 is definitely one of the more unique looking Bravia televisions with Sony's new easel stand.
EX650
The entry-level Sony Bravia EX650 will replace the existing EX520 which earned a rave review from us. Like the higher level NX series, the EX650 also provides visuals courtesy of the X-Reality Engine and Edge LED technology. This model will definitely interest the majority of consumers and we are looking forward to seeing how it matches up with its predecessor. The EX650 will be available in 32-inch, 40-inch and 46-inch sizes.
Replacing the old EX520, the new EX650 is an entry level Internet TV which also aims to offer great performance.
EX410 and EX310
Both the EX410 and the EX310 are intended to be mass moving products from Sony's new range. Though they are short on features, since they lack Internet TV and 3D functionality, they still boast of a USB port and FM Radio. Sony's Bravia Engine 3 drives the panel's performance with the help of Edge LED technology. A 32-inch and a 42-inch variant will be available for both models.
Intended for the mass market, the EX410 and the EX310 are TVs with no frills that just focus on providing the best value to customers.
The new Sony Bravia models will be available in May 2012. Pricing details are currently unavailable.
Sony Entertainment Network
Some of you may be aware that consumer electronics is not the only market Sony excels in. They also have access to a vast library of quality music and movie content which will soon be made available to users of their products. The Sony Entertainment Network will provide apps and more, based on the Opera platform, for Sony's televisions, tablets and smartphones.
The Sony Entertainment Network will provide apps and video content to users. It will be available across platforms such as TVs, Tablets and Smartphones.
Sony Set-top Box
At CES 2012 Sony revealed they are also working on a set-top box to accompany their new televisions. Not much information is available about the project as of now, but as from our past report and the signage we noticed, it is clear that the device will function in conjunction with Google TV. The device will also feature a newly designed, multi-function remote.
Sony brings you a Network Media Player powered by Google TV.
Not many details about the product are available as of now but we were shown one of the first prototypes of the device. At CES, this was last christened the NSZ-GS7 but it remains to be seen if it will carry this model name if it's sold in this region as well.
The remote for the Network Player features a full keyboard to help with navigation.
Experience Xperia
After assuming sole control over Sony Ericsson and its mobile products, Sony has unveiled four new Xperia smartphones over the course of CES 2012 and Mobile World Conference 2012. While the Xperia S is already available in Singapore markets (you can find the full review of the device here if you are considering buying it), the Xperia P, Xperia U and Xperia Sola were showcased at this event. The Xperia NXT series phones all have their unique traits and are intended to fit into Sony’s new philosophy of wireless connectivity among all their devices.
Xperia P
The Xperia P may not be the flagship product of the NXT Series, but it very well could have been. This smartphone embodies most of the unique features of the Sony range. A curved back makes it extremely ergonomic and a transparent strip at the bottom brings the screen into sharp relief. The 4-inch display is in fact the unique selling point of the Xperia P due to the Mobile Bravia Engine and WhiteMagic screen.
With its features and hardware, the Xperia P is a top notch smartphone.
In addition, the device runs on Android OS 2.3 and also brings a 1GHz dual-core processor to the table. You can put all the hardware and software to good use with the provision of content from the new Sony Entertainment Network. HDMI output, 8-megapixel camera and NFC capabilities round out the list of features on this Android smartphone.
Making the NXT series stand apart from its contenders in terms of looks is the transparent strip found near the bottom of the device.
For more of our experience and findings, you can check out out hands-on article of the Xperia P from MWC 2012.
Xperia U
Another product showcasing the new Mobile Bravia Engine on its 3.5-inch screen is the Sony Xperia U. This mid-range smartphone sports a 1GHz dual-core processor and Android OS 2.3 as well. Its 5-megapixel camera comes with fast capture technology and is capable of creating content in high definition, making this an attractive choice for shutterbugs and it won't cost as much as its other siblings. Check out our hands-on article of the Xperia U for more of our experience and features straight from MWC 2012.
Customizing the Xperia U is possible by purchasing different color caps for the bottom (white in this picture).
Xperia Sola
The most recently announced of the NXT Series, the Xperia Sola boasts a 3.7-inch Reality Display along with, you guessed it, the Mobile Bravia Engine. Operations are run by a 1GHz dual-core processor much like its compatriots. The most unique feature of the Sola is “floating touch” navigation. This new user interface will allow users to move around on webpages without actually making contact with the touch screen. Unintended clicks while surfing on your smartphone are almost eradicated with the introduction of this form of UI. Check out the intro video and more specs of the upcoming device.
The Sola is the latest introduction to NXT Series and promises to be one of the most exciting due to its new Floating Touch display technology.
The Sony Xperia P, Xperia U and Xperia Sola will be available by Q2 2012.
Connect Wirelessly
Devices from the same manufacturer tend to work better together and promote their own ecosystem. The host of Apple products such as the iMac, MacBook, iPad and iPhone compliment each other and tend to prompt customers to buy the entire lot. Sony is aiming to achieve something similar with the wireless connectivity offered on all of their new devices. One other aspect we think that would matter more is the availability of Sony's Entertainment Network across the devices and wireless connectivity further provides a compelling reason to enjoy entertainment effortlessly.
If your Sony DLNA certified products are connected to the same wireless network, then transferring content and functionality between them should be no problem.
Here we can see how to "Throw" media from the Sola to other devices connected to the network.
Get ready to see the "Throw" button (located in the top right hand side of the Sola screen in this shot) on a lot more Sony products.
By connecting to the same wireless network and utilizing DLNA users will be able to transfer content between their Vaio notebooks, Sony smartphones, Sony tablets, Bravia TVs and wireless speakers. The feature obviously greatly expands the functionality of Sony’s devices while also ensuring maximum utilization of the larger screens.
The DLNA app (first app in this shot) will also be making its way onto products and can be seen already installed on this Sony Tablet S.
Throwing content from one device to another is as simple as a flick of the wrist of a swipe of the finger.
The majority of the new portable Sony products featured at the event boasted a Throw button whenever content was accessed, allowing content such as pictures and music to be displayed on the Bravia television. At the same time, devices such as the Sony Tablet S also come equipped with a DLNA application which displays all the possible options for pairing.
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