Sony eReader-And-Touch-Screen Keyboard Laptop

Sony has filed a patent application for a new ebook reader device that seeks to double up as a laptop as well. The device is expected to come with a two screen display which can held like a regular book to read content.

The application further notes that the eReader shall be fitted with an accelerometer so that users may change the device orientation so that the device may now resemble a laptop. The user can now choose to continue using the device as an eReader or use the necessary toggling controls to turn the lower screen into a touchscreen based QWERTY keyboard laptop.

Besides this, there are several enhancements described in the application like keyboard language customizations, use of GPS to access location-specific content,etc. It is an interesting technology which you may read more about here.

Sony PSN+ Subscription Service To Launch At E3

Earlier this month, we had written about a Premium PSN that could be launched by Sony next month at E3. The service, that was expected to cost $70 a year, was expected to bring a free new game to the user besides offering a Spotify-like music streaming service to the PlayStation Network.

Now, there are more confirmed rumors about the service. According to a report on Joystiq, the service shall be labeled PSN+ and it will include a lot more things than just a music streaming service. Here is what we hear are the offerings

• Rotating list of PSP Mini and PSone Classic games
• Exclusive In-Game downloadable content
• PlayStation Store discount
• Full access to retail titles for one hour, dubbed “first hour” demo
• PlayStation Protection Plan
• Cross-Game Voice Chat
• Cloud-based saving system
• Auto-Patching feature for automatic installation of updates

The pricing is expected to be around $9.99 a month which is pretty higher than earlier speculations.

[via Joystiq]

HBO TV Show On PlayStation Network

Starting today, gamers on Sony Playstation 3 and PlayStation Portable will be able to download original television content from HBO from the PlayStation Network. The videos can be downloaded via internet from PSN and may be watched on TV.

The move is in an attempt to score a point against Microsoft that has become pretty successful in luring users to XBox 360 via video content downloadable via XBox Live. The new partnership will mean Sony PSN users may be able to download and view True Blood, Big Love, Entourage, Eastbound and Down, The Sopranos, The Wire, Sex and the City, Rome, Da Ali G Show, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Flight of the Conchords on their television.

Given the massive access to such shows via alternate channels as well, I do not see this as offering Sony a competitive edge. However considering that similar content is available via XBox, it makes sense for Sony to bring on a level playing field through striking such a content deal with HBO. Your thoughts?

[via Venture Beat]

PSP2 May Not Support UMD – May Be Smartphone

Sony has not had a great few releases as far as its gaming console segment is concerned. PSPGo did not ‘go’ down really well with the customers. However, according to the Head of Sony Australia, Michael Ephraim, PSPGo has marked the path forward for the company that may now be contemplating an end to physical distribution of game. Ephraim said,

“[PSPGo] was the first device of its kind where you did not have packaged goods or pre-recorded media. I think PSPGo will blaze the trail for future iterations of the handheld.”

While Ephraim did not explicitly rule out the possibility for PSP2 to not support the original UMDs of PSP, he noted that PSP2 may be a digital download-only device. He further said that any handheld device in the market today will be in direct competition with smartphones – that are basically an all-in-one device and are pretty popular among gamers.

So will PSP2 also include voice-calling capabilities to take on competition from smartphones? Ephraim did not answer.

[via GameSpot]

PlayStation Move Launch In July

Is PlayStation Move – an upcoming sport simulator using advanced motion sensing techniques – launching in July? South African retailer, BTGames, has popped ad advert that, among other things, claims that the PlayStation Move is launching in July. “Watch out for PlayStation Move. Coming this July”, is what the ad claims.

For one, the source may have some credibility. The retailer had broken the news about the launch of a 250GB XBox 360 Elite nearly two months prior to launch. Despite this, there are doubts regarding the claim because Sony is learned to have delayed the launch of PlayStation Move until Fall 2010.

Maybe this is all a big rumor game.

[via VG247]

Sony PSP2 : Two Cameras, TouchScreen – Not Launching At E3

Sony PSP2 may not be launching next month at E3 – This is what the folks at VG247 are hearing. According to multiple sources that the website spoke to, while the official launch may take some more time; maybe even till 2011,the features are well known as of now and several developers and publishers are apparently working on strict NDAs to build content for the console.

From what we hear, the Sony device is extremely powerful and is expected to come with several new features

• Two cameras – one on the front and another on the rear
• TouchScreen along with the trademark physical PlayStation buttons
• Could be both Wi-Fi and 3G enabled
• Runs on four-core Cell CPU

There are reportedly multiple finished units already in Britain which are being worked upon by game developers.

[via VG247]

Premium PSN Service : Features And Price

Rumors are doing the rounds that a Premium PSN service may be unveiled by Sony next month on the sidelines of E3. According to sources, the premium service will not be a forced upgrade to existing PSN users and shall be completely optional. However, the features are pretty good that there is likely to be a good number of takers.

For one, users may be offered to download a new Playstation game every month for free. Sony is likely to offer a choice of 3-4 games for the users to choose from. Secondly, the service is likely to bring a music streaming service on the lines of Spotify to PSN. Details are sketchy, but I believe you get the idea.

And the price? A good £50 ($70) per year. That’s less than $6 a month, technically. But how many would be willing to go for the upgrade? Will you?

[via VG247]

Sony Tablet May Be Coming Soon

Two months back, a lot of tech insiders wondered if people required a tablet PC that was neither a laptop, nor a smartphone and did half as what a netbook could do. But, it has since then been realized that a lot of people – over 1 million and counting –  simply don’t care and will buy a tablet PC.

That has got the bosses at Sony contemplating on whether they should be foraying into the tablet space too. Says Mike Abary, Senior VP of Information Technology Products Unit at Sony,

“We have been taking a deep look at developing a tablet for a number of years, not just because of Apple but because it creates some interesting opportunities. The iPad has created a new opportunity. Now we can get a good judgment as to whether the market is truly accepting of it.”

Abary conceded that Sony is still unconvinced about a market for a tablet PC. He did not rule it out either. So, expect an announcement sometime soon.

[via Bloomberg]

Sony PSP 2 To Launch Next Month?

Sony has been pretty tight-lipped with regard to their new product launches so far, be it a low cost version of PlayStation 3 or this one. But according to sources that MCV spoke to, two key publishers are waiting on an increasing marketing spend and that they are waiting for Sony to announce its new platform before the publishers could announce their own PSP plans

Speculations are that this announcement could come during next month’s Electronic Entertainment Expo, that is scheduled to be held at Los Angeles.

PSP was launched over six years ago and so far has remained free from any major changes to its model. Next month could change all that.

[via MCV]

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Technical Specifications And Launch Date Revealed

A Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 could soon be out on the stands. The device is reported to have been cleared by the FCC earlier this week and if rumors are to be trusted, expect the handset to be available in the US markets by Q2 of this year.

What do you get to have? Here are some important tech specs and features in addition to what we had noted earlier

Display : 2.5 inch touchscreen QVGA
Processor : 600MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 processor
Mobile OS : Android 1.6
Connectivity : EDGE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G
Camera : 5 megapixel camera with auto-focus

Other features include
A-GPS
3.5mm audio jack
Colors : Pearl White, Black, Pink, Lime, Red and Silver (X10 Mini)

[via Ubergizmo]