A multi-functional message notification device, Android app interface and music remote, all in a sleek and water-resistant design
Combines Sony’s technology and design expertise with one-touch connectivity and premium build quality
Next-generation Sony SmartWatch offers improved performance, intuitive interface and standalone capability
Reaffirms Sony’s leadership in nd wearable technology segment**
Introducing Sony SmartWatch 2 – the world’s first water-resistant smartwatch with NFC connectivity*
June 25, 2013
25th June 2013, Mobile Asia Expo, Shanghai – Sony Mobile Communications (“Sony Mobile”) today introduces Sony SmartWatch 2 SW2, the most advanced smartwatch available*. Sony SmartWatch 2 is a second screen for yourAndroid smartphonethat, as well as enhancing existing phone functionality, offers unique new benefits. Combining form and function in a sleek design, it serves as a multi-functional watch, notifier, Android app interface andphone remotecontrol, all-in-one.
Openness with Android
App expandability is key to Sony SmartWatch 2. It can be personalised with more dedicated apps than any other smartwatch* to seamlessly suit your needs, whether you are on the go, keeping active, in business meetings or simply at home.
Download a host of SmartWatch apps and experience a range of unique functions – many of which can even be enjoyed without ever needing to reach for your phone:
Handle your calls by a simple touch of your wrist
Take a photo remotely from your SmartWatch, using a smart camera app
Control your presentations remotely using Presentation Pal
Taking a run or on the bike? Select a mapping app on SmartWatch to check your route with a quick glance at your wrist
Read previously downloaded e-mails when not connected to your phone
Use lifestyle apps like Runtastic to map and instantly track your fitness activities on the go
Quickly and easily adjust the tracks and volume on your music player, without ever taking your phone from your pocket
SmartWatch 2 is also both sleek and reassuringly robust thanks to its water and dust resistant design, giving you the freedom to enjoy it on the beach or simply on the go – come rain or shine.
An increasing market in wearable tech
A typical smartphone user reaches for their phone many times a day to read messages, check the time, view and make social media updates, use their favourite apps, take photos, listen to music and play mobile games. SmartWatch 2 addresses this need by offering you a convenient touch screen device so you no longer need to remove your phone from your pocket or bag.
“Sony is the proud leader in the smartwatch market** since introducing our first Bluetooth watch in 2007,” says Stefan K Persson, Head of Companion Products at Sony Mobile Communications.
“Competitors are only now launching first generation devices, while we are already launching a 3rd generation device with all the insight gained from over half a million customers combined with Sony’s wealth of technology expertise to create the best ever smartwatch experience.”
“The future of wearable devices is incredibly bright with analyst research predicting 41 million ‘smart’ watches will be sold by 2016,” continues Persson. “We have over 200 unique apps dedicated for Sony SmartWatch with over one million downloads to date and we are continuing to work with our strong developer network to deliver ever more compelling smartwatch experiences.”
The best of Sony in a SmartWatch
If you use Android, on either smartphone or tablet, Sony SmartWatch 2 is your ideal smartwatch partner.
It’s easy and convenient to access notifications from your wrist such as messages, calls, email, Facebook™/Twitter™, Calendar, or use it as a remote for your Walkman™ or other digital media player. This wireless accessory is ideal for pairing with large-screen devices, such as the newly announced Xperia™ Z Ultra, in situations which call for discrete usage.
SmartWatch 2 introduces new features as a natural successor to the current Sony SmartWatch such as NFC connectivity for one-touch pairing, stunning premium design and a range of technologies including higher resolution for sharper viewing, better visibility even in sunlight, longer battery stamina, more intuitive interface, standalone watch functionality and a wide range of pre-installed and recommended apps.
When not connected to your phone, SmartWatch 2 works as a standalone digital watch. Read previously received notifications, access the time, set your alarm or even use as a light when searching for your keys.
SmartWatch 2 can also be personalised with any standard 24mm wristband and new Sony watchstraps will soon be available for further expression of your personal style.
Using groundbreaking design, Sony continues to introduce new technologies and has the largest range of NFC accessories available from wireless headsets to portable speakers, TVs, SmartTags and SmartWatch.
Sony SmartWatch 2 SW2 will be available worldwide from September 2013.
Updated PlayStation 4 is headed for a 'Holiday 2013' release date
The PS4 goes on sale later this year, $100 cheaper than the Xbox One
The PlayStation 4 will go on sale later this year and it'll be cheaper than the Xbox One - $399 in the US, £349 in the UK and €399 - compared to $499 and £429.
These pricing details were revealed along - at long last - with the look of the PS4 console itself, at Sony's E3 2013 press conference.
Sony says the PS4 was designed with an overarching theme of a "frictionless and seamless" gaming experience.
We've known that the PS4 will track both the controller in a gamer's hand, as well as their face, since the console's launch in Feb. But during his GDC talk Norden revealed some interesting ways that this technology will be implemented in games.
For example, the old multiplayer standby of split screen, divvying up television real estate when two or more players go at it, will be aided by this tracking tech. If a gamer gets up and moves right or left, his section of the screen will automatically be swapped.
We learned a whole lot more when Sony gave its E3 presentation, so read on for all you need to know about the new PlayStation...
The PS4 itself was shown off for the first time at E3 and it's black, just like the Xbox One. However, it has an angular design and appears to be constructed of a similar plastic to the original PS3 Slim machine.
It looks as though it's slimmer than the Xbox One but we're not totally blown away by the design. What do you think?
PS4 release date
The official PS4 release date is still only 'later this year'. Sony didn't reveal any more details on the release date at E3 so we're still in the dark. However, with Microsoft launching the Xbox One worldwide in November, it seems likely that Sony will be going live around this time also.
The PS4 combines shiny and matte finishes
Previously, Sony took out a newspaper ad in the UK, clearly advertising the PS4 release date as '2013'. That tallies with an interview in May with our buddies atCVG, a source inside Sony said that the company is pulling out all the stops to launch worldwide in 2013 and ensure that the PS4 is not trumped by the new Xbox.
Sony also advertised at the Champions League final at Wembley Stadium, London, with 'PS4 - coming 2013' signs.
PS4 price
Sony announced the PS4 price at E3 - it'll cost $399 in the US, £349 in the UK and €399 in Europe when it goes on sale later this year. That's a whole $100 cheaper than the Xbox One.
That price, it must be said, does not include the PS Eye camera, whereas the Xbox One will ship with the second version of Kinect.
The angular design is reminiscent of Sony's Blu-ray range
PS4 used games/online check-in
Many gamers will be pleased that unlike the Xbox One, the PS4 will offer unrestricted access to pre-owned games. So when you buy a titles, you are free to then trade it in at retail, sell it to another person, lend it to a friend or keep it.
There is also no online check-in requirement, and you'll be able to play games regardless of whether you're connected to the internet or not. The Xbox One requires an online check-in once every 24 hours and will lock you out of your games if this doesn't happen.
PS4 specs
AMD's technology is coursing through this new system's veins. Sony revealed the system runs on a single-chip custom processor and utilises eight x86-64 AMD Jaguar CPU cores, with a next-gen AMD Radeon based graphics engine powering the way.
So it's very much a PC-based system then, which is great news for developers who will find it much easier to code games for the next gen consoles and for PCs. However, that CPU is hardly next-gen - it may have been modified for this system but the AMD Jaguar platform is by no means the fastest of its kind - indeed it's slower than Intel's fastest by orders of magnitude.
However, with fewer redundancies than a PC has, the PS4 will certainly be able to make use of every single Watt of power it draws. And the games we've seen so far certainly look impressive.
The "highly enhanced PC GPU" is another AMD part - something along the lines of a Radeon 7850 card - and packs 18 GCN units. That may sound a like a lot of techy mumbo jumbo but what it essentially means is that the GPU packs 18 processing clusters, each packing up to 64 cores. That provides a lot of parallel processing power, and will thus handle the majority of the PS4's grunt work. It hits 1.84 TFLOPS of processing mojo. This is a far more powerful component than the Jaguar CPU and is may well have the edge on the integrated GPU inside the Xbox One.
The PS4 will also use GPU compute features to take advantage of the GPU's raw power - it'll be used for general computation tasks as well as making games shiny.
Memory
The PS4 will ship packing 8GB of GDDR5 memory. That's some super-fast stuff right there and should enable lightning fast performance.
Indeed, Sony has revealed that you will be able to power down the PS4 mid-game and then switch it on again in seconds and pick up right where you left off. That's the sort of loading power that this memory enables.
Other specs
We're also looking at Blu-ray disk support plus good ol' DVD, plus HDMI output support as well as Analog-AV out and an optical digital output.
The PS4 Eye will be sold separatelyPlayStation 4 Eye
What's really grabbing though is the development of the PlayStation 4 Eye, a newly developed camera system that utilizes two high-sensitivity camera equipped with wide-angle lenses and 85-degree diagonal angle views.
Sony said the cameras (amounting to 1280 x 800 pixels) can cut out the image of a player from the background or differentiate between players in the background and foreground, enhancing game play handily. There's also mention of logging in using facial recognition and using voice and body movements to play games "more intuitively."
So far, you can pro-order your console at ShopTo, GAME and ASDA.
DualShock 4
If you have an eye for details you may have noticed that the PS4's DualShock 4 controller has no Start or Select buttons. Norden confirmed this, saying that it will have a so-called Option button instead, as well as the much bandied about Share button on the rear.
The analogue sticks have been tightened up to be more precise, and the controller also features a brand new three-axis gyroscopic motion sensor with three-axis accelerometer which should be great for getting you immersed in the games. The camera continuously tracks all four controllers with precise accuracy. Rotational tracking is provided by the internal components and.
The controller has a two-point Vita-like touchpad on the front with a 1920x900 resolution, and a tactile clicking sound letting you know you've pressed it. The light bar on the front will glow different colours depending on whether you're player 1, 2, 3 or 4 and will be tracked by the new PS Eye camera. It also has an Xbox-style headset jack and a mono speaker inside it.
Video-watchers take note
This new PS4 controller won't accidentally fast forward when you set it down. Norden said this was one of the biggest complaints his team heard about the PS3's DualShock. The PS4's controller has triggers designed not to depress when set down. What's more, Norden even said he'd been dropping controllers without skipping a single frame.
That touchpad on the DualShock 4 will be capable of two simultaneous inputs. The light on the controller will glow blue, red, green or pink light, depending on whether you're player one, two, three or four.
The Share button
The PS4's ardware encoder always records the last several minutes of game play without using any additional resources from the game, by pressing the Share button you can then upload or save your gameplay and show your friends or keep it just for your own amusement.
You can lay the PS4 flat or use the bundled stand to prop it up
PS4 Streaming
PS4 streaming lets you stream out live gameplay to your friends. This is all built into the hardware and does not need to be supported by developers. Users can react to the video by typing comments in real time. You can do this to friends, or public.
PS4 user interface
The XrossMediaBar (XMB) interface of PlayStations past has been completely ditched in the PS4, with Sony instead choosing to design a new OS that looks a lot more like that of the Xbox 360 than the PS3.
Will the PS4 be 4K capable?
In a chat with Kotaku, Sony has revealed that the PlayStation 4 will be able to playback 4K/Ultra HD video. However, it will not upscale to 4K or play games at 4K resolution.
Sony has also confirmed that it will definitely launch a 4K movie service on the PS4 and is looking at ways it can get around the 100GB downloads required.
Backwards compatibility
The PS4 will definitely not offer native support for PS3 games. However, there will at some point be a service on the Sony Entertainment Network that offers server-side emulation and streaming of games from PS One classics right through to PS3 Platinum Editions.
PlayStation Move
Sony has confirmed that PlayStation Move will play a big part in the PS4 ecosystem. However, it has not yet been revealed whether the PS4 will launch alongside a new PS Eye camera and new Move controllers or whether the peripherals are staying the same with all the enhancements made console-side.
By tracking the light bar on the DualShock 4 pad and associating it with faces in the image, the game can identify which player face is connected to which game avatar. By using facial recognition the game can associate a face with a PSN profile.
High sensitivity, dual color cameras. Two cameras here.
1280x 800 12 bits/pixel, 60hz
Higher frame rates at lower resolutions
Wide angles – diagonal field of view is 85 degrees
3 axis acceeletromter, tilt sensor
Wide baseline 4 microphone array
Dedicated port, exclusive SCE connector
Game-loop sync can be changed, depending on framerate of game
PS4 Blu-ray drive
Not only will the PS4's 64-bit x86 architecture and 8GB of GDDR5 memory blow its predecessor out of the water, its Blu-ray drive will be three times faster.
"If you're coming from the PS3 you're probably quite used to the headache of having to split memory arhchitecture, you can't quite use all of it, the speeds are really wacky on some of it - we don't have that with PS4," said Norden.
He added that this would offer developers "crazy high bandwidth".
Synergy with PlayStation Vita
Sony has revealed that the PS4 will launch with the ability to stream games directly to your PS Vita. In exactly the same way as the Wii U allows you to switch off your TV and continue playing on the tablet controller, the PS4 will wirelessly send your games to the Vita.
There will be similar synergy between "all Sony devices" which means Xperia handsets and tablets, Bravia TVs and BD players.
Sony hinted that there will be more announcements in this area, too. We think the obvious next reveal in this area is the ability to play PS4 games on your Vita from any location using a wireless connection.
PS4 Instant On
The PS4 will be one nippy device if Sony is to be believed. It will have an instant on/off feature allowing your to shut down during a game and then boot up from scratch in seconds and resume where you left off. The days of waiting 60 seconds as your console loads up are about to end.
What's more, Chris Norden has stressed that Sony has three tenets of PS4 design: simple, social and immediate. Gamers will be able to start playing titles before they've even finished downloading.
And with one button sharing, Norden says the goal is to make it so simple users will "do it without thinking about it."
PS4 launch titles
A number of games have been revealed for the PS4. They Are: Deep Down (Capcom), Destiny (Bungie), Diablo III (Blizzard), Driveclub (Evolution Studios), Final Fantasy (Square Enix), Infamous: Second Son (Sucker Punch), Killzone: Shadow Fall (Guerilla Games), Knack (Sony), The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (CD Projekt RED),Watch Dogs (Ubisoft).
US talkshow host Jimmy Fallon was the first to get near Killzone 4...
Last week at E3, the excitement, creativity and future of our industry was on display for a global audience.
For us, the future comes in the form of Xbox One, a system designed to be the best place to play games this year and for many years to come. As is our heritage with Xbox, we designed a system that could take full advantage of advances in technology in order to deliver a breakthrough in game play and entertainment. We imagined a new set of benefits such as easier roaming, family sharing, and new ways to try and buy games. We believe in the benefits of a connected, digital future.
Since unveiling our plans for Xbox One, my team and I have heard directly from many of you, read your comments and listened to your feedback. I would like to take the opportunity today to thank you for your assistance in helping us to reshape the future of Xbox One.
You told us how much you loved the flexibility you have today with games delivered on disc. The ability to lend, share, and resell these games at your discretion is of incredible importance to you. Also important to you is the freedom to play offline, for any length of time, anywhere in the world.
So, today I am announcing the following changes to Xbox One and how you can play, share, lend, and resell your games exactly as you do today on Xbox 360. Here is what that means:
An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox One games – After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again. There is no 24 hour connection requirement and you can take your Xbox One anywhere you want and play your games, just like on Xbox 360.
Trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games just like you do today – There will be no limitations to using and sharing games, it will work just as it does today on Xbox 360.
In addition to buying a disc from a retailer, you can also download games from Xbox Live on day of release. If you choose to download your games, you will be able to play them offline just like you do today. Xbox One games will be playable on any Xbox One console -- there will be no regional restrictions.
These changes will impact some of the scenarios we previously announced for Xbox One. The sharing of games will work as it does today, you will simply share the disc. Downloaded titles cannot be shared or resold. Also, similar to today, playing disc based games will require that the disc be in the tray.
We appreciate your passion, support and willingness to challenge the assumptions of digital licensing and connectivity. While we believe that the majority of people will play games online and access the cloud for both games and entertainment, we will give consumers the choice of both physical and digital content. We have listened and we have heard loud and clear from your feedback that you want the best of both worlds.
We’ve seen quite a few innovations in the world of mobile accessories from strictly basic Bluetooth enabled headsets going from Mono to Stereo (A2DP) to a variety of corresponding gadgets from jewellery to sports equipment. For Sony and it’s previous iteration, Sony Ericsson, there has been a certain fascination with wrist based tech, i.e. watches.
The company has been experimenting and consolidating with watch manufacturers for a long time to design and offer Bluetooth enabled accessories for its handsets. Fossil was one such big name watchmaker who has worked with Sony Ericsson in the past. Its wristwatches were Bluetooth powered and had little head up displays to show users that they had missed calls and messages waiting on their phones. Since the tIme of Dick Tracy, the phone watch has been something that only LG managed to design well enough and produce with its GD910 3G enabled device.
Sony’s SmartWatch might not be what the famous detective would have opted for, but we were curious to see just how useful a wrist “informer” would be in today’s hectic mobile scenario.
Form Factor
It features a 1.3-inch OLED display with multitouch capabilities and a 128 x 128 pixel resolution. It’s not as large as the GD910 and if your forearms are large, it’s going to a look a little small. The display itself is mildly scratch resistant, but we urge you to be a little careful nonetheless. We're concerned about it being water resistant, and it's not. So again, it's somthing you'll need to be careful with.
The rubberised strap is comfortable enough, but if you’re using it during a workout session, then the sweat can make it a little difficult after a while. Like the iPod nano, it is also a clip based device so you could wear it anywhere else. It can be connected and charged via a proprietary USB port placed at the bottom. A power/sleep button is on the right hand side where you’d find most watch buttons.
Connecting the SmartWatch
It’s a simple mode of Bluetooth (3.0) connectivity. The SmartWatch is also compatible with a wide range of devices from Sony as well as other brands. We tested it on a Galaxy Nexus and it worked just fine. Click here for a full list of compatible device. Check out the list carefully if you’re intent on purchasing the gadget, as it only works partially with some handsets. Connecting the SmartWatch to an Android phone is simple and involves installing a couple of applications. The steps are
Features and Performance
Interface
The UI is simple and neat. It’ll take you a little while to learn the gestures for swiping over to the apps or the widgets that you install. It’s a pretty seamless process for most part, but a few of the apps like the GPS Maps take a little while to load. The gestures are nevertheless quite simple with a simple double tap with two fingers to come back to the home screen.
Battery
With heavy usage, i.e. plenty of incoming calls and messages, accessing apps frequently, you’ll get about 10 hours of usage before the battery goes completely dead. That’s not too bad but we did expect a little more.
Sony hasn’t had a truly stunning smartphone for a while, but the Xperia Z should qualify - at least on paper. It sports a 5-inch 1080p (441ppi) display on top of a 1.5GHz Snapdragon quad-core S4 processor and 2GB of RAM alongside an impressive 13MP camera that’s also HD video-capable. It’s 4G LTE 1,800MHz and NFC capable as well.
It has a solid, understated design that’s only slightly marred by an odd power button on the right-hand side. Every other connection hides behind a flap because the Xperia Z is both dust- and water-resistant. It scores well in Android benchmarks, managing 2,127 in GeekBench 2 and 6438 in Quadrant, and Sony wisely hasn’t cluttered the design with lots of its own crapware either. The camera is generally very good, although the app can be slow to start up, even from the Android lock screen.
So why don’t we unreservedly love it? It’s simply because the battery life is very poor. Sony tries to combat this with some aggressive power management utilities, but these generally work around turning off services when the screen is locked. That’s fine if you don’t mind waiting while it reconnects to a network to get all your emails, tweets, messages and other online tools. It’s a pity as otherwise, this is a top-notch phone. If you’re always in reach of a charger, it’s a great buy; if you’re truly mobile, you’re going to have to switch off services or realise halfway through the day that your Xperia Z has gone completely flat.
The rubberised strap is comfortable enough, but if you’re using it during a workout session, then the sweat can make it a little difficult after a while. Like the iPod nano, it is also a clip based device so you could wear it anywhere else. It can be connected and charged via a proprietary USB port placed at the bottom. A power/sleep button is on the right hand side where you’d find most watch buttons. 
Battery
