On display were the latest Sony 3D BRAVIA® TVs and 3D home theatre systems, which showed off eye-popping images of two new 3D movies and four 3D stereoscopic gaming titles for PlayStation™ 3. Additionally, Sony displayed their newest digital camera, the NEX-5, a model that can take panoramic images and display them back in 3D on a 3D BRAVIA® TV.

“Today’s 3D event was awesome. I’m blown away by the 3D gaming and entertainment suites offered by Sony at Future Shop,” said Kevin Garcia, professional gamer. “Future Shop is the best place where Canadians can shop for all their gaming and home entertainment needs – I recommend getting it all in 3D.”

Sony brings the complete suite of 3D home entertainment

A number of fantastic 3D-capable home theatre products were being demonstrated to attendees at the Sony 3D event. Below is a recap of what was showcased as well as availability.

Get the ultimate viewing experience with 3D-capable Sony BRAVIA® LCD HDTV models and 3D glasses

·     Offer amazing 3D cinematic capabilities that set the bar high for style and technically advance 3D-capable TVs

·     Three models are hitting store shelves at the end June, but currently available for pre-order at www.futureshop.ca or www.sonystyle.ca:

o    XBR-HX800 (http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/sony-sony-bravia-46-1080p-240hz-3d-ready-led-hdtv-kdl46hx800-future-shop-exclusive-kdl46hx800/10143111.aspx?path=7353e54046679a313d980d86a19536c5en02)

o    XBR-LX900 – exclusive model only exclusive to Future Shop and Sony Style® (http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/sony-sony-bravia-46-1080p-240hz-3d-led-hdtv-xbr46lx900-black-xbr46lx900/10143114.aspx?path=8ecfb302fe3a38fbc3abad359e93472aen02)

o    XBR-HX909

·     Use active shutter 3D glasses and High Frame Rate technology to reproduce stunning, full HD 3D images. On the topic of glasses, Sony’s 3D glasses are powerful and stylish for everyone. In addition to adult sizing, there are smaller pairs available in black, pink and blue colours for people with smaller faces

·     Some Sony 3D TVs will come with 3D glasses and a built-in transmitter, Sony’s active shutter glasses retail for $149.99 each, and the 3D transmitter for $69.99 (pricing in CDN dollars)

Let the 3D games begin

Good news for gamers: 3D gaming is finally here, thanks to Sony PlayStation™ (PS3). After upgrading the PS3 to be 3D game compatible with a firmware upgrade via the PSN, purchasers of BRAVIA® 3D TVs can download for a limited time for free* the following four 3D stereoscopic PS3 titles:

·         Wipeout® HD – full 3D game (not including Wipeout HD Fury)

·         MotorStorm® Pacific Rift – Single level 3D demo

·         PAIN – three 3D episodes, plus one tutorial in 2D

·         Super Stardust™ HD – Full 3D game (excluding DLC)

*PS3 free game experiences (available to download from PlayStation®Store via a voucher code provided to purchasers of Sony 3D BRAVIA sets).

Attendees of the Future Shop-Sony 3D launch event were entertained by the dazzling gaming talents of pro Canadian gamer, Kevin Garcia (game tag: “DARKscorpion”). Some even braved their skills and played one-on-on against Garcia to the whimsical game of Super Stardust™ HD.

Two 3D blu-ray movies release

Sony Pictures Animation’s Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs on blu-ray 3D – a favourite for all ages, this animation feature in 3D is, for a limited time, packaged in the Sony BRAVIA® television box. IMAX® Deep Sea blu-ray 3D is also being offered to consumers who purchase a Sony BRAVIA® TV and register online for the underwater adventure starring Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet.

In addition to these two titles, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment unveiled plans to release the official 3D FIFA World Cup film on Blu-ray 3D™ in 2010.

Experience the complete 3D home theatre from Sony

Sony revealed their comprehensive range of 3D blu-ray players and home theatre solutions available in the Canadian market. The following are available from Sony this summer:

Sony Blu-ray Disc™ players

·     BDP-S470 (http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/sony-sony-3d-blu-ray-disc-player-bdps470-bdps470/10142578.aspx?path=6cabb1a7944d4aa9e473e2ce7be4bb6cen02) “3D ready” blu-ray player – currently in-stores with a suggested retail price tag of $299.99, a 3D firmware update will be released today.

·     BDP-S570, the first blu-ray player with 3D playback out of the box, is launching in June and will retail for $349.99.

·     BDP-S770 3D blu-ray player enters the market in August and will retail for $399.99

Just like Sony’s BRAVIA® 3D TVs, these blu-ray players will support existing 2D content.

3D home theatre systems

There are several 3D home theatre systems Sony is offering (models HTSS370, BDVE370, BDVE870 (http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/sony-sony-5-1-channel-3d-blu-ray-home-theatre-system-bdve870-bdve870/10143600.aspx?path=f72618768303d8090e55c858faa37bfden02) and BDVIZ1000W) to go with 3D compatible AV receivers (STRDN1010) and 3D compatible sound bars (HTCT150 and HTCT350). All of these systems will be able to handle FULL 1080P 3D video and also handle HD audio, providing customers with a total 3D Home Theatre experience.

For more information about the technology, visit www.futureshop.ca/3DTV and www.sonystyle.ca/3D.  

If you missed the Future Shop-Sony 3D TV launch event and want to see a recap of the excitement, click on the video to the left.

Sony’s Pocket Edition™ Reader and Touch Edition™ Reader Digital Books

Take up to 350 of your favorite books to go with the Pocket Edition™ Reader and Touch Edition™ Reader digital books.   A Sony Reader is small enough to slip into a purse or jacket pocket, and features an E-Ink® paper-like screen technology for easy reading. Access books from a wide number of online bookstores. www.sonystyle.ca/reader

“I’m attached to my Sony Reader and won’t leave home without it. The digital reader has no rivals when it comes to portability and flexibility.”
- Ellen Roseman, Toronto Star columnist, as written in Writer’s Union magazine

Sony’s VAIO® L Touch HD PC/TV  

VAIO notebooks have become synonymous with style. New on the scene is the L series with touchscreen operation that’s both a PC and HDTV.” ($1,699.99)

“This sleek system, both a computer and a television, is perfect for the bedroom or kitchen. With 1080p resolution and Blu-ray Disc player, the VAIO® L delivers crisp, high-definition viewing at the touch of the screen.”
- Blaine Kyllo, technology columnist

Sony’s S-Frame digital photo frames

Create a personalized gift by saving your best photos on one of Sony’s Digital Photo Frames before wrapping it up.  The vibrant high resolution LCD screen displays your photos with detail and clarity.  Add some sparkle to any room with the limited edition frames decorated with CRYSTALLIZED™- Swarovski Elements.  ($169.99)

Sony's BRAVIA® VE5 Eco Series LCD HDTV

Make a New Year’s resolution to save energy. The VE5 includes a Presence Sensor that shuts the TV off when you leave the room and an Energy Savings Power Switch that eliminates stand-by-power. And with Motionflow™ 120 Hz, you get all the energy benefits without compromising stunning picture quality. ($1,399.99)

“The VE5 played the scene from the movie Baraka far better than any TV I tried, including several top-rated plasma models…a great picture and best playback of standard quality TV on a large screen.”
- Steve Makris, Canwest technology journalist

Sony’s BDP-S360 Blu-ray Disc™ Player

Bring movie theatre magic into your own home with1080p picture quality and full 7.1 channel surround sound.  Stream bonus content like movie trailers with BD-Live™, and upscale your DVD library to near-HD quality. The most affordable Sony BD player at $249.99.

Sony’s DSC-TX1 and DSC-WX1 Cyber-shot® digital cameras

These are the first digital still cameras with Sony's new "Exmor R" CMOS sensor technology to improve the quality of photos taken in low-light conditions, like blowing out candles on a birthday cake. Sweep Panorama technology lets you take amazing horizontal and vertical Panaroma shots. ($429.99)

“The WX1's new CMOS sensor and fast lens produce sharp, clean images in low-light conditions. And the "Sweep" panoramic mode is a lot of fun -- I couldn't stop playing with it.”
- Paul Marshman, camera reviewer, the Toronto Star

Sony's HDRXR500V Handycam® Camcorder

Record up to 50 hours of video in full high definition, and takes 12 megapixel still images. The new “Exmor R” CMOS Sensor means you can capture more beautiful videos and pictures in low-light scenarios, and, with 120 GB of Internal Memory there’s more than enough room to capture all of your special moments. ($1,299.99)

“I’d definitely recommend and use the Sony Handycam HDR-SR500V as our family video recording device – for both still shots and videos. I (easily) attached it to our TV – I didn’t even need to read the instructions! And we spent an hour watching and re-watching the videos.”  
- Sharon DeVellis, Editor, YummyMummyClub.ca

Sony's A500 a™ Digital SLR Camera with DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM Lens

With Quick AF Live View and the new in-camera auto High Dynamic Range feature for capturing highlights and shadows. The feature handles high-contrast scenes like looking out a window into bright daylight, and allows for shooting two photos at different exposure levels. Within 2 seconds, the BIONZ processor combines the two shots into a single image with maximum highlight and shadow detail.  ($899.99)

“The A500 would be a fine choice for DSLR novices thanks to the many digicam-style features, but the great versatility and advanced functions make it just as suitable for photo enthusiasts”
- Photographer and journalist, Peter K. Burian

Sony’s S-series Walkman® with built-in speakers

Share your music and videos without sharing headphones. It’s lightweight and less than a half-inch thin. Get up to 42 hours of music and 6.5 hours of video with headphones and up to 17 hours of music and 5 hours of video with speakers. (From $129.99)

"With its large, bright screen, good video codec support and built-in stereo speakers, Sony turns the humble Walkman into pocket movie theatre. Just attach the included kick-stand, sit back and enjoy."
- Simon Cohen, Editor, Sync.ca  

Sony's ICFCL75IPB Multi-function Clock Radio for iPod and iPhone

An AM/FM clock radio and all-in-one bedside accessory for iPod® and iPhone™ users. Set the alarm for waking up to the radio, iPod, nature sounds, or a pre-recorded personal message, and view your favourite photos and videos on the 7” diagonal LCD screen. ($199)

All products are available at www.sonystyle.ca, Sony Style® retail stores from coast to coast, at and authorized retailers across Canada.

¹“Forrester’s eReader Holiday Outlook 2009”, Forrester Research Inc., October 7, 2009

Equipped with a 24-inch (diagonal) WUXGA (1920x1080) widescreen panel, the unit displays high-definition content in Full HD resolution.

The VPC-L114 model features a Blu-ray Disc™ optical drive so you can enjoy high-definition movies. A rewritable BD drive for recording, storing and playing back personal content on high-capacity BD media is also available.

“The L Series is the ultimate multi-media hub— it’s your PC, HDTV, Blu-ray player and DVR in one compact, stylish device,” said Puneet Jain, director of marketing with the VAIO business group at Sony of Canada Ltd. “And with cutting-edge features such as multi-touch, its ideal for media lovers who appreciate HD performance and cutting-edge technology.”

And with built-in DVR capabilities and up to 500GB of storage on the VPC-L114, you can create a personal entertainment library with up to 50 hours of HD television.

It comes pre-loaded with Windows® 7 Home Premium. Leveraging these new operating systems, the L Series is able to offer new functionalities such as a touch screen display enabling you to do anything you could do with a mouse with the touch of a finger.

Launch directly into Sony’s own Media Gallery software by pushing the designated VAIO button on the keyboard and create high-quality home movies and slideshows in three simple steps. Import your photos and video, choose a theme and soundtrack, click finish and the software does the rest, generating a professional-looking movie complete with special effects— all by touching the screen.

The unit packs an Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor, loads of RAM, and a dedicated NVIDIA® GeForce ® series graphics for graphic-intense gaming and movies.

By utilizing built-in wireless 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi technology and your wireless router (required, sold separately), you can position the model virtually anywhere in your home and access the Internet, email or home network.

The model is ideal for anywhere space is at a premium. It has a mounting capability that allows users to attach a VESA-compatible mount (sold separately) to it and hang it on the wall of your bedroom, kitchen, office or attach to your desk.

When not mounted to the wall, the L Series features an adjustable stand to help you adjust the unit to meet your desired viewing or touch angle or simply to decrease the slant for space-saving. A wireless keyboard, mouse and remote control are included.

The VAIO L Touch HD PC/TV will retail for $1,699. It will be available at www.sonystyle.ca, Sony Style® retail locations, and select retailers around the country starting next month.

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About Sony of Canada Ltd.

Established in 1955, Sony of Canada Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation, of Tokyo, Japan, a world leader in High Definition.  Sony provides end-to-end solutions through products that include the market-leading Blu-ray Disc™ players, BRAVIA® televisions, Cyber-shot® digital cameras, Handycam® Camcorders, VAIO® computers, broadcast cameras, IPELA security cameras and video conferencing and many more products that deliver the true entertainment experience.

Sony is one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world with a portfolio that includes electronics, music, movies, games and online businesses.

With headquarters in Toronto, sales offices in Vancouver and Montreal and distribution centres in Coquitlam, British Columbia, and Whitby, Ontario, approximately 1,200 employees support a network of more than 500 authorized dealers and 67 Sony Style retail locations across Canada.                                

Sony Canada is proud to support the communities in which it operates through corporate sponsorships of organizations that include the Make-A-Wish® Canada, the United Way of Canada and Earth Day Canada. 

For more information contact:                     
Candice Hayman                     
Sony Canada Public Relations
(416) 718-5048                   
Candice_hayman@sony.ca

Spawned from Sony portable audio technology and innovations in artificial intelligence, along with the company's design and entertainment legacy, this device provides a unique combination of music, motion and fun.

"Rolly has the ability to attract your attention as soon as you turn it on," said Junior Ali, Senior Director of Marketing, Portable Audio, at Sony of Canada Ltd. "It's a tremendous example of what can happen when entertainment and technology merge."

Clear Sound by Sony's Audio Technologies

Made for producing superb audio quality, Rolly features 180-degree, horizontally opposed stereo speakers. As a result, listeners can enjoy high quality sound from nearly anywhere in the room.

Sound reverberates from the surface the device is placed on, whether on a desk or on the floor. With a digital amp for high sound quality and speakers with neodymium magnets, powerful audio performance is delivered from the compact unit.

Rolly Brings Music to Life

The Rolly device comes with choreography for three songs, "Also Sprach Zarathustra" (theme from "2001 – A Space Odyssey"), Avril Lavigne's "Girlfriend" and Earth Wind and Fire's "Boogie Wonderland." It can be powered up to play music and dance immediately right out of the box. Two additional tracks have been included to demonstrate how motion can be integrated into the listening experience.

Bringing out the Inner Choreographer

To choreograph an original routine, the unit comes with Rolly Choreographer software. Motions can either be created automatically by the software for a specific song, or for a creative twist, you can create customized choreography for your favorite music. Once choreography has been created, the software simulates how the device will move so you can preview the dance moves on a PC before transferring the routine to the unit.

After creating original dance routine programs, users can share choreography with others in the Rolly Go forum. Motion files can be downloaded using the Rolly Choreographer software. Just click on the Rolly Go icon to access the community to see what others have created.

Designed for Motion

The device's simple, clean, cable-less design lets it move freely on smooth surfaces. It's easy to change songs or control the volume by turning the wheels while the unit is on a surface or holding it in your hand. Shaking the device switches its music play to shuffle mode.

The player also contains Bluetooth® technology for wirelessly streaming music from a compatible PC or mobile phone.

Tiny Flash Entertainer

With 2GB flash memory, the player can store up to 520 songs, for songs an average of four minutes in length at 128kbps in the MP3 format. The battery life allows up to five hours of music playback and up to four hours of music and motion together on a single charge. The player supports non-secure AAC and MP3 formats.

Dance Off

Sony’s Rolly entertainment player and Grammy™ -nominated R&B singer/dancer—Omarion—have teamed up for a dance off between man and machine. Omarion is known for his dance style and choreography that blends popping, locking, waving and break dance movement. You will soon be able to watch a dance off between the device and Omarion at www.sonystyle.com.

Availability

Rolly comes in black and white and is available online at sonystyle.ca and at Sony Style retail stores for about $400.