Category: Sony

Sony Introduces LinkBuds, a new frontier for earbuds

Sony has introduced a new way to enjoy your favourite music and the important moments in life, all at once, with the brand-new truly wireless LinkBuds. You can stay connected and aware at all times, with the help of an open ring design with audio transparency, ultra-small super fit and crystal-clear sound and call quality.

By leveraging LinkBuds’ unique design and its sensor and spatial sound technologies, Sony is creating new sound experiences together with their partners, such as AR gaming, new work from home experiences, sound AR navigation, and quick access to music.

All your worlds, always connected

LinkBuds have been created with a unique open ring design and allow you to tune into the outside world whenever you want, without compromising your listening experience. The newly-developed ring driver unit, has the centre of the diaphragm open for audio transparency, allowing you to clearly hear the sounds around, so you’ll always know when someone calls your name whilst on a call, or easily chat with friends while listening to your favourite songs. Their new design makes LinkBuds the perfect companion for a range of uses, including working from home, gaming, listening to music, and more.

You’ll never have to switch off, thanks to LinkBuds’ new, super small, ergonomic design. Approximately four grams in weight, these earbuds are a marvel of miniaturisation. Unlike conventional earbuds, the protective surface covering the speaker diaphragm is integrated within the housing, saving space. The overall shape has been crafted with the use of extensive ear shape data, collated since Sony introduced the world’s first in-ear headphones in 1982. You’ll barely notice you’re wearing them, making them the perfect companion all day, every day.

 

Crystal-clear sound

You can make calls without noise, for crystal clear conversations. LinkBuds’ include precise voice pickup technology that performs advanced voice signal processing. Sony’s noise reduction algorithm was developed using AI machine learning, using more than 500 million voice samples to supress ambient noise and extract your voice clearly. LinkBuds let you hear people, when you need to, even when you’re in noisy situations.

Linkbuds allow you to enjoy high quality sound, no matter how busy life gets. Thanks to DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) your personal soundtrack will be restored to high quality. Sony’s Integrated Processor V1 reproduces all the detail in your music with minimal distortion, for a stunningly authentic listening experience, so your favourite artists always sound great. A specially designed 12mm ring driver provides rich, well-balanced sound.

Adaptive Volume Control automatically optimises volume based on where you are, letting your music seamlessly blend into your environment. This allows you to listen to your favourite tracks at a comfortable volume and in a variety of environments, to enhance the open-air listening experience.

 Making your everyday easier

Sony is making it easier than ever before to integrate your personal soundtrack into the world around you, all while staying connected with a variety of smart features.

Don’t be fooled by their size, LinkBuds are super easy to use but with advanced features. With Wide Area Tap all control is at your fingertips. By double or triple tapping in front of either of your ears, you can adjust playback to your liking – there’s no need to touch the LinkBuds themselves.

LinkBuds are there to help no matter where you are and even when your hands are full. With Speak-to-Chat you can automatically pause your music as soon as you speak to someone. Once your conversation is over, your music starts playing automatically, so there’s no need to touch any controls. LinkBuds also come with hands-free help so you can get information, connect with friends, set reminders, and more by activating your preferred voice assistant.  Just say “OK Google” or “Alexa”.

 

Easy Bluetooth Pairing with Fast & Swift Pair

LinkBuds support Google’s helpful new Fast Pair feature, allowing you to effortlessly pair with your Android devices. You can also locate where you last left your earphones. Swift Pair makes it quick and easy to pair your LinkBuds to your Windows 11 or Windows 10 laptop, desktop PC or tablet.

For the first time ever, you can take the earbuds out of their case and a pop-up will appear automatically. So no matter where you are, you can easily get connected.

Quick access to your favourite music

With Quick access, you can configure LinkBuds to resume Spotify playback with just a couple of taps – no need to touch your smartphone.

Empowers richer experience to explore surroundings with Microsoft Soundscape
LinkBuds provide enhanced capabilities integrated with Microsoft Soundscape. Their open-ear shape enables users to hear audio beacons and callouts of buildings or intersections, with the natural sound of surroundings. Compass/gyro sensors inside the earphones can detect the direction of your head and allow you to hear the sound from a destination, without holding your smartphone.

Sustainability matters to Sony

Sony has not only designed LinkBuds to be stylish, but also with the environment in mind. These unique earbuds and their charging case are made using recycled plastic materials and plastic-free packaging.

Your everyday earbuds

LinkBuds are perfect for your everyday. Thanks to IPX4 water resistance, splashes and sweat won’t get in the way of you and your favourite tracks.  You can also enjoy a full working day of charge – 5.5 hours – from the earbuds and store an additional 12 hours in the sleek and compact case. Even when life moves fast and you’re in a hurry, just a 10 minute charge gives you up to 90 minutes of play time.

Immerse yourself in sound all around

LinkBuds also come with 360 Reality Audio.With 360 Reality Audio, music can feel as real as if you were front row at a live concert or at the recording studio alongside your favourite artist.

Messages from Sony´s partners

LinkBuds, which link online and offline worlds, will continue to provide various services for better and new sound experiences. Here are some messages from some of Sony´s strategic partners.

“Microsoft Soundscape is an innovative audio-based technology that exemplifies our mission to empower every person to achieve more,” said Peter Lee, CVP of Microsoft Research & Incubations. “In our collaboration with Sony to integrate Soundscape with LinkBuds, we found that the earphones’ thoughtful design enhances the experience of Soundscape to enable people to build a richer awareness of their surroundings and become more empowered to get around, all while enjoying a true heads-up and hands-free experience. This is just the beginning and we’re excited about our ongoing relationship with Sony and how our complementary technologies add value to our personal and professional lives.”

“Our products — Ingress, Pokémon GO and Pikmin Bloom — use augmented reality and real-world gameplay to inspire fun and wonder for our community. Sound is an important part of any entertainment experience, especially ones where users are out exploring. That’s why we’re so excited to partner with Sony on the launch of LinkBuds to deliver immersive real-world audio experiences to our community” says Archit Bhargava, Director of Product Marketing, Niantic, Inc.

“At Spotify, we’re always working to create the best and most seamless listening experience for every moment”, says Sten Garmark, VP of Consumer Experience at Spotify. “Together with Sony, we’re excited by the arrival of Spotify Tap on the new LinkBuds, allowing listeners to instantly jump into the music or get served something new – all with simple taps.”

Pricing and availability

LinkBuds will be available in Grey and White from February 2022 and priced at approximately £150 / €180

Sony Continues to Redefine Excellence in Imaging with the Introduction of the new FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II

Sony announced the newest lens in their G Master lineup – the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II​, which delivers an extraordinary combination of resolution and bokeh as well as unequalled AF (autofocus) performance known to Sony’s G Master design.

“Listening to our customers around the world, we decided to develop a new, improved version of our 70-200mm F2.8: the G-Master FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II,” said Yann Salmon Legagneur, Director, Product Marketing, Sony Europe BV. “The improvements in weight and focusing speed with this new lens are immense and will make a huge difference for both photographers and videographers. When used in conjunction with our compact and lightweight full frame bodies, Sony is providing an ideally balanced and extremely portable combination.”

Designed to perfectly pair with Sony’s E-mount camera bodies, the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II​ not only offers outstanding optical quality and advanced AF performance, but it is the lightesti F2.8 70-200mm zoom in the world and allows for unprecedented shooting freedom and flexibility. Sony continues to strengthen the Alpha system with this newest addition to the broadest selection of mirrorless lenses on the market as the 65th lens in its E-mount lens lineup.

New Levels of Performance

The new FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II​ delivers outstanding image quality with high resolution and clarity. Users can expect a clean and clear image from corner-to-corner throughout the entire zoom range, even when the aperture is wide open. Thanks to the two aspherical lens elements, including one XA (extreme aspherical) element manufactured to 0.01-micron surface precision, the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II​ effectively controls distance-related aberration variations to ensure outstanding resolution throughout the image area.

The FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II​ also employs two ED (extra-low dispersion) spherical glass elements and two Super ED spherical glass elements to significantly reduce chromatic aberration without colour bleeding. This lens also includes an ED aspherical element for the first time in an Alpha system lens, which simultaneously suppresses chromatic and spherical aberration, common issues in other telephoto lenses.

Smooth, beautiful bokeh is made possible by a large F2.8 maximum aperture and a newly developed 11-blade circular aperture unit. In addition, the lens’ advanced optical design including an XA element thoroughly suppresses the unwanted ‘onion ring’ effect, further enhancing the bokeh. The FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II​ also offers excellent close-up performance with deep bokeh. The minimum focusing distance is just 15.7 inches (0.4 meters) at 70mm and 32.3 inches (0.82 meters) at 200mm, with a maximum magnification of 0.3x.　Moreover, the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II​ can be easily paired with Sony’s high-performance 1.4x or 2.0x teleconverter to extend the lens’ focal length to 400mm at an F5.6 aperture, all while maintaining its G Master quality.

To avoid any unwanted flare and ghosting in challenging lighting conditions, Sony’s original Nano AR Coating II produces a uniform anti-reflection coating on the surface of the lens. In addition, the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II​’s optical design also effectively suppresses internal reflections to improve clarity.

Industry-leading Autofocus

The FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II​’s state-of-the-art lens technology brings out the best in the advanced camera body it is paired with. The new lens uses four Sony-original XD (extreme dynamic) Linear Motors for extraordinary fast and precise AF, making it up to approximately 4 times faster and with focus tracking improved by 30% when compared to the previous model. When paired with Sony’s flagship Alpha 1, the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II​ is capable of high-speed continuous shooting at up to 30 fps. Superb AF tracking is also available even when using a teleconverter. For video, the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II​ offers smooth and quiet AF to reliably lock in focus and track fast moving subjects, even while zooming so the user can leave the focusing to the camera.

​Advanced Features for Video

With its constant F2.8 maximum aperture, astounding AF performance, versatile control, and solid reliability, the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II​ is a perfect choice for video. The new lens was designed to dramatically reduce focus breathing, focus shift, and axis shift when zooming so that there is minimal unwanted image movement and angle of view variations.

For easy video-use operation, the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II​ features independent control rings for focus, zoom, and aperture (iris), allowing precise manual operation. The aperture ring also has a click ON/OFF switch. Additionally, Sony’s Linear Response MF ensures responsive, low-lag manual focus control. The supplied lens hood also features an opening that allows convenient operation of circular polarising filters or variable ND filters for more creative flexibility.

Designed for Professionals

The FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II​ is the world’s lightest F2.8 telephoto zoom lens and is approximately 29% lighter than previous model, weighing just under 37 oz (1,045g). In addition to its light weight, the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II​ was designed for professionals to offer an ideal balance without front-heaviness, ensuring that the lens’ centre of gravity falls directly above the tripod mount. It also features internal zoom to keep the centre of gravity constant.

The FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II​ has been specifically designed for professionals based on their direct feedback. The new lens includes focus functions to support the user’s professional needs such as Full-time DMF, natural and linear manual focus response, and a focus-range limiter switch. The FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II​ also includes three customizable focus hold buttons that are provided 90° apart for easy access and convenient control when shooting in horizontal or vertical orientation, and just about any angle.

The FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II​ features both a click ON/OFF switch and an iris lock switch for quick, flexible aperture control. The aperture ring click stops can be turned ON to provide tactile feedback when shooting stills, or OFF for smooth, silent aperture control when shooting movies. In addition, the zoom ring torque is optimised and now includes image stabilisation with MODE 3 for moving subjects.

The FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II​ is designed to be reliable in even the most challenging environments. It features dust and moisture resistance, equal to the FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS and FE 600mm F4 GM OSS, based on feedback from professionals. The front lens element features a fluorine coating that repels water, oil, and other contaminants, while making it easier to wipe off any contaminants or fingerprints that do become attached to the lens surface.

Pricing and Availability

The new FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II will be available in November 2021 at a variety of Sony’s authorised dealers, for an estimated retail price of €3,000/£2,600

For detailed product information on FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II​, please click here.

Sony introduces the SRS-NS7 – your wearable personal theatre

Sony has announced a new wireless neckband speaker, the SRS-NS7, for enjoying an immersive personal cinema sound experience, along with the WLA-NS7 wireless transmitter – which works with selected Sony headphones to enjoy a same experience as the SRS-NS7.

Lose yourself in your favourite movie or song

The SRS-NS7 is the world’s first Dolby Atmos® compatible wireless neckband speaker with Sony’s BRAVIA XR models. It delivers Sony’s unique 360 Spatial Sound experience that provides a perfectly optimised cinematic experience with the 360 Spatial Sound Personalizer app.

The SRS-NS7 works with the supplied wireless transmitter, and BRAVIA XR TVs[3], to create the ideal arrangement of virtual Dolby Atmos® speakers around you immersing you in the scene as if you were there in the action. To use it, connect the supplied wireless transmitter to the TV with an optical cable and USB cable, then pair the SRS-NS7 with the transmitter via Bluetooth® connection – simple!

For a truly personalised experience, use the 360 Spatial Sound Personalizer app to take photos of your ears, to analyse your unique hearing characteristics as a result, and to integrate these characteristics into your SRS-NS7 audio experience.

Aside from enjoying Dolby Atmos® content on your TV, on the music side the SRS-NS7 also supports 360 Reality Audio when used with a smartphone – so you can enjoy the atmosphere of a gig. Available via your smartphone from compatible music services such as Deezer, nugs.net and TIDAL, you can immerse yourself in music all around you.

In addition to being the perfect partner to BRAVIA XR TVs, the SRS-NS7 also pairs with devices such as laptops, tablets and smartphones. This personal wireless neckband speaker lets you enjoy your favourite entertainment with 2-channel stereo for an even more immersive experience.

Thrilling sound, only around you

Using Sony’s renowned audio technologies, the SRS-NS7 delivers crystal clear acoustics and powerful sound pressure for richer, deeper sounds for the ultimate personal cinema experience. This is thanks to an X-Balanced Speaker Unit that provides the optimum speaker size in a compact body and increases sound pressure and reduces distortion for clear music and vocals. Alongside this, the upward facing speaker delivers clear sound directly at you without disturbing others, so you can be fully immersed in your movies and music even at midnight. Plus, the passive radiator increases low frequency response for clear bass sound delivering thumping music sound effects and deep beats.

 

Pictures and sound, perfectly in sync

The supplied wireless transmitter helps minimise audio delay for SRS-NS7 when connected with BRAVIA XR TVs so you can be fully immersed in Dolby Atmos® movies with sound and pictures precisely matched.

Comfortable fit for non-stop entertainment

If all-night movie marathons or binge-watching your favourite TV shows is your thing, the SRS-NS7 has your non-stop entertainment needs covered.

The SRS-NS7 provides hours of comfortable viewing of your favourite movies, TV shows or concerts thanks to its flexible and ergonomic design that fits securely around your neck. The flexible band on the back of the speaker help you find the perfect fit for total comfort while enjoying your entertainment.

Plus there’s no need to worry about battery life. The SRS-NS7 provides up to 12 hours of power and up to 5 hours at maximum volume so even the longest movies and TV shows just keep on playing.  If you do run low, a 10-minute quick charging with USB type-C gives you up to an extra 60 minutes of extra play .

It’s not just TV, movies and music where the SRS-NS7 excels, the wireless neckband speaker is also great for home working with easy hands-free calling. Optimal microphone placement allows the SRS-NS7 to capture and deliver your voice in excellent quality, while an X-Balanced Speakers Unit reproduces colleague’s voices clearly. Plus with echo cancelling minimising feedback, everyone on the call can hear and be heard clearly.

Designed with total convenience in mind, the SRS-NS7 also features Multipoint Connection. This lets you connect two devices at the same time, such as your laptop and smartphone. So if a business call comes in on your laptop while you’re listening to music on your smartphone, you can take the call with just one click of the Play/Call button on the left side of the neckband. Once the call is over, you’re automatically reconnected back to your favourite playlist.

The IPX4 splash-proof design of the SRS-NS7 lets you enjoy your favourite shows and tunes anywhere in the house without worry, even while doing your daily chores like washing up. Plus, the open-ear style allows you to watch and listen away from your device while still being aware of what’s going on around you.

 

Premium yet practical design

The SRS-NS7 features a fabric surface finish offering a comfortable feel that’s a pleasure to wear and own. With a silicone finish neckband and soft-feel rear coating, the SRS-NS7 is perfect for everyday use and easy to clean.

The SRS-NS7 is not only designed to be stylish, but also with the environment in mind. Less than 5% of the SRS-NS7 packaging is plastic, reflecting Sony’s commitment to reducing the environmental impact of its products and practices.

 

360 Spatial Sound experience with your headphones

Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound experience will also be available on selected Sony headphones when paired with the WLA-NS7 wireless transmitter and BRAVIA XR TVs.

 

  • The SRS-NS7 will be priced at approximately £270 / €299 and available from November 2021.
  • The WLA-NS7 will be priced at approximately £50 / €60 and available from November 2021.

For product specifications, please visit:

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/wireless-speakers/srs-ns7

https://www.sony.ie/electronics/wireless-speakers/srs-ns7

Sony introduces the SRS-NB10 wireless neckband speaker #Sony #SRSNB10

Sony aims to make home working even easier with the introduction of a new wireless neckband speaker – the SRS-NB10. Designed to rest on your shoulders, the SRS-NB10 allows you to take conference calls, listen to music and walk around in total comfort all day.

Hear clearly

Whether you’re working from home or from the office, we’re often faced with distractions or background noise that we want to eliminate for virtual meetings. The SRS-NB10 has been perfectly designed for online conferences, making every meeting effortless and comfortable.

The SRS-NB10 features a full-range speaker unit that is angled upwards so sound is optimised for your ears alone. Passive radiators embedded at the back of the unit boosts the bass to ensure the sound is well-balanced. You’ll hear every word clearly with low volumes, even with others in the room, so you don’t need to worry about distracting colleagues, roommates or family.

The SRS-NB10 allows you to have clear audio quality for the calls that matter. Whatever’s going on around you, your voice will always be heard clearly thanks to Precise Voice Pickup Technology. Two high-quality directional (beam-forming) microphones, combined with advanced audio signal processing means that the SRS-NB10 minimises feedback and echo, whilst delivering crystal clear voice quality to the person, or people, on the call.

SRS-NB10 techbuzzireland

 

You can also easily control the microphone while on conference calls with a simple click of the MIC Mute button. You also have easy control over volume, simply touch the volume buttons on the side of the SRS-NB10 for a level that’s comfortable for you. Play and pause when listening to music by touching the button directly on the neckband speaker.

Work all day, wear all day

The SRS-NB10 isn’t just designed for work. The wireless neckband speaker is light and comfortable with a secure fit around your neck that rests gently on the shoulders so you can keep wearing it, even when your work is done. From the first meeting to listening to music while making dinner, the SRS-NB10 is comfortable all day long.

The flexible band on the back helps you find the perfect fit.  Plus, the open-ear style allows you to listen to calls yet still be aware of what’s going on around you.

Powerful and practical

Even hard workers won’t have to worry about battery life. The SRS-NB10 is ready to handle a whole day of business calls, music playlists, TV shows and more. With up to 20 hours of battery life you’re ready to go and keep going no matter how many virtual meetings you need to join. If you do run low, a quick 10 minute charge gives you up to an hour of extra work or play.The SRS-NB10 is also compatible with USB Type-C ®.

The SRS-NB10 also features Multipoint Connection meaning you can connect two devices at the same time, such as your laptop and smartphone If a business call comes in on your laptop while you’re listening to music on your smartphone, you can take the call with just one click of the Play/Call button on the left side of the neckband. Once the call is over, it’s back to your favourite playlist with no need to reconnect.

The IPX4 splash-proof design lets you enjoy your favourite shows and tunes, even while you’re doing daily chores like washing up.

The neckband speaker delivers clear, personal sound, even at low volumes. Connect to your TV smartphone or music player with Bluetooth® technology and enjoy your favourite movies, shows and playlists without bothering the neighbours, roommates or other family members.

Beautifully streamlined

The SRS-NB10 will also keep you looking stylish on video calls. It features a sleek and simple design with a high-quality fabric finish. The fabric-covered speakers give the neckband a premium look and feel. The SRS-NB10 comes in a choice of charcoal grey or white to match your home office or décor.

The SRS-NB10 isn’t only designed to be stylish, but also with the environment in mind. Plastic comprises less than 10% of the packaging material for the SRS-NB10, reflecting Sony’s commitment to reducing the environmental impact of its product and practices.

The SRS-NB10 is available from September 2021 priced at approximately €150.

Sony announces the Xperia 5 II with 5G and 4K HDR 120fps slow-motion movie recording. #Sony #Xperia5II

The Xperia 5 II takes many of the leading features from Xperia 1 II, including a triple lens camera paired with ZEISS optics calibrated specifically for Xperia 5 II. Also included are Photography Pro with technology from from AlphaTM series cameras for fast and accurate AF/AE, Cinematography Pro “powered by CineAlta” for similar parameters and colour settings as professional filmmakers and a 21:9 CinemaWide display for viewing pleasure. In addition, superb audio features include High-Resolution Audio, a 3.5mm audio jack, and front-facing stereo speakers, plus a Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 865 5G Mobile Platform, all rounded up in a compact and beautiful, slim design to fit perfectly in your pocket. It also adds 120Hz Refresh display rate and 240Hz Touch scanning rate to give the smoothest and most accurate gaming experience.

“Sony’s heritage has been rooted in technology and engineering, and our portfolio has expanded to include the field of entertainment from music, movies, games and much more,” said Mitsuya Kishida, President of Sony Mobile Communications.  “With this unique background, Xperia smartphones are feature-packed with Sony’s advanced technologies in a compact body, with a profound passion to push the boundaries of what is possible.”

Capture perfect portraits and unmissable moments, always in focus

Taking a leaf out of its big brother’s (Xperia 1 II) book, Xperia 5 II is designed with technology from AlphaTM series cameras for razor sharp results. Perfect portraits aren’t always posed and creating clear, spontaneous shots is where Real-time Eye AF comes into its own. Whether you’re photographing fast-moving people or animals, Real-time Eye AF makes sure the most expressive part of the face takes centre stage, even when one eye is covered or the person is moving quickly.

Xperia 5 II captures unmissable moments by offering continuous AutoFocus that performs AF / AE calculations at 60 times per second, which enables you to shoot and store 20 shots (20fps) with high precision, accurate focus and optimised exposure.

The versatile triple lens camera, with three focal lengths: 16mm/24mm/70mm, captures beautiful landscapes and portraits, and lets you zoom in on distant subjects. The ZEISS optics are specifically calibrated for the Xperia 5 II and feature the renowned ZEISS T coating for reduced reflection, resulting in exquisite contrast and image rendering. Quality images are captured when shooting at low light with its 1/1.7-inch large sensor and noise reduction with Bionz X™ for Mobile engine.

 

Like Xperia 1 II, it offers Photography Pro, a user interface that was developed in collaboration with professional photographers and mirrors many of the manual controls available in AlphaTM series cameras including ISO, Shutter Speed and EV Indicator, whilst also providing RAW support.

In addition, Cinematography Pro “powered by CineAlta” now enables more choice for engaging, story-telling with dramatic slow-motion cinematography creation, making it the world’s first 4K HDR 120fps slow-motion movie recording in a smartphone which can capture and playback up to 5x slow-motion when set at 24fps. It also records in 21:9 ratio at 24/25/30/60fps enhancing cinematic expression. Eight different Look colour management pre-sets allow you to change the mood of your scenes to different cinema styles. Whilst Sony’s unique Intelligent wind filter technology uses award-winning audio separation technology to reduce wind interference for clearer audio recording.

 

Gaming on the Go

The combination of Xperia 5 II’s premium entertainment features enable it to become a mobile gaming powerhouse. It takes you deeper into the action with an immersive 21:9 display – and with Game enhancer, ultra-fast performance, 120Hz Refresh rate display, and precise 240Hz Touch scanning rate, Xperia 5 II sets you up with a strong advantage to win the game. All features have been developed in response to working with professional e-sports gamers to ensure the best experience.

 

The 21:9 display is wider than conventional displays, revealing more of the action – so you can see your opponents before they see you and give you the advantage, especially in first-person shooter games. Not only do you get an unrestricted view of your gaming action on the native 120Hz Refresh rate display, fast-moving objects are rendered clearly for seriously smooth gameplay. But the Xperia 5 II doesn’t stop there – with 240Hz Motion blur reduction, the display updates the image an incredible 240 times per second for blur-free action.

For games that require fast fingers, the Xperia 5 II gives you the edge. It supports 240Hz Touch scanning rate, which is up to 4x higher than the previous model – meaning the action happens exactly as you intended for precision control. Touch response has been improved by 35% compared with the previous model with the system recognising your touch at the precise moment you intended.

Game enhancer offers a range of features and settings to help you improve your gameplay and assist in achieving more wins with Competition set. You can share your best moments too, using screenshots, audio or video clips. HS Power Control also enables you to play longer and avoid overheating.

Taking your gaming one step further, connect a PlayStation®4 DUALSHOCK®411 Wireless Controller and play Android games for an authentic gaming experience. Xperia is the official smartphone of the Call of Duty®: Mobile World Championship Tournament 2020 and the Xperia 5 II is ready to answer the call. Whether you’re playing for fun or serious about winning the title, Xperia 5 II can provide an optimised quality experience with its unique tuning in collaboration with Qualcomm® Snapdragon Elite Gaming™.

Pocket Perfect for Entertainment

Xperia 5 II is perfect for movie lovers, with its 21:9 CinemaWide 6.1” FHD+ HDR OLED notch-less display, it puts the widescreen experience in the palm of your hand. Plus, with 5G connectivity you can download and stream content faster than ever. Colour reproduction when watching your movies is exquisite, inspired by Sony’s professional technologies used in leading Hollywood studio productions, Creator mode “powered by CineAlta” brings content to life exactly as it was envisioned. The X1™ for mobile engine brings BRAVIA HDR remaster technology to everything you watch to enhance the contrast, colour and clarity of any content, even streaming services. Whilst the 120Hz Refresh rate ensures smooth scrolling and internet browsing.

Xperia is now synonymous with great audio and it hasn’t stopped with Xperia 5 II, enhancing the immersive entertainment experience. Watch a movie with Dolby Atmos® sound, tuned in collaboration with Sony Pictures Entertainment, for a multi-dimensional surround sound experience. Music sounds better too with audio tuned in collaboration with Sony Music Entertainment to deliver a truly authentic listening experience. 360 Reality Audio hardware decoding optimises sound quality when listening to music on global music and entertainment platform, TIDAL12. And new TIDAL subscribers will get 3 months of TIDAL Hi-Fi free when they buy a Xperia 5 II, including the 360 Reality Audio experience.

High-quality music can be enjoyed through the front stereo speakers or when listening with headphones either wirelessly or with the 3.5mm audio jack. The jack provides clearer left and right audio separation, reducing signal noise to an imperceptible 20dB – over 90% lower than USB-C headphone connections.

Whatever format you’re listening to, Xperia 5 II ensures you get the most out of your music. As well as High-Resolution and High-Resolution Wireless Audio, Xperia 5 II offers DSEE Ultimate which enhances the quality of your digital music using AI, including audio and video streaming services. It automatically improves audio frequency and dynamic range in real-time, taking each track close to high-resolution audio.

 

Compact but Powerful

At just 68mm wide and 8mm in depth, the Xperia 5 II is tailor-made for one-handed use – it has even been designed with a softer shape on the corners than its predecessor for a more comfortable feel for a perfect fit in your hand or pocket.

Its compact size doesn’t make it any less powerful, Xperia 5 II is powered by a high-capacity 4,000mAh battery with fast charge that charges up to 50% in just 30 minutes. With a strong heritage in developing battery technologies to improve the battery lifespan, Sony can confidently say that Xperia 5 II will have a healthy battery even after 2 years of usage

 

Built for speed, the Xperia 5 II can connect to super-fast 5G networks, enabling you to enjoy uncompromised high-quality downloads and seamless streaming – even of high-resolution files – quickly and easily. The Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 865 5G Mobile Platform and the Snapdragon X55 5G Modem-RF system empowers you to game, capture, multi-task and connect like never before with staggering multi-gigabit 5G speeds and improved performance with 25% faster CPU and GPU than the previous model.

Not only is it compact, it also provides peace of mind with IP65/68 water resistance and Corning® Gorilla® Glass 6 on both sides, making it sturdy as well as beautifully designed.

Accessories

The perfect accompaniment to Xperia 5 II is the Style Cover with Stand which provides a comfortable viewing angle when watching video content or gaming when paired with a controller. The stand is discretely built into the rear of the case, whilst still providing a slim hand fit design. Style Cover with Stand is available to purchase separately to match two colours of Xperia 5 II in Black and Blue.

 

Availability

Xperia 5 II will be available in Black and Blue in the UK and Ireland, shipping with AndroidTM 10 from Autumn 2020. Priced at £799/€899 SIM free.  Customers can pre-order their handset from the Sony eStore.

 

Review – The Sony Xperia L4. A decent mid ranger for the money. #Sony #XperiaL4 #Tech

Sony are back again with a familiar looking 21.9 aspect ratio device which makes it tall and thin and easy to use for a 6.2 inch phone which is considered big these days and comfortable too it is to use given the size in comparison to others out there due to its footprint.

Spec wise it is mid tier however it does perform well and for me being a power user I had no issues bar a few app crashes on the device during my test period. You have 3GB of RAM 64GB memory which can be expanded via micro sd with a Mediatek MT6762 chipset and a 3580mAh battery which will get you through the day. We have bluetooth 5.0 a HD+ LCD (1680×720) display which reminds me of the iPhone 11 but it is still decent,the camera array is a triple camera set up no sticking out like a sore thumb which i like and does not rock on a table. The rear is a 13mp 5mp and 2mp respectively and front camera is an 8MP.

On using the device I found the camera overall good for the price and indeed the whole phone it took anything well I threw at it being a power user as I had my main sim in it, multitasking was good and no issues there the snaps where fine but you get the occasional oversaturated /grainy images but did well mostly in daylight at night it is not bad depending on conditions but you can see the samples in the video below and decide for yourself. For the price you pay here you cant really complain being fair and it is a worthy contender in the mid tier market but I wish Sony would bring us some more colors to the fore than the traditional black variant and perhaps change their design language a little as we are seeing again the same repetitive design which gets confusing when in a shop and you see a line up of devices that look the same but this can be said for many manufacturers too.

You can pick up the L4 for 169 euro on eir or sim free for under 200 euro on Amazon or similar online retailers.

Sony sent us to review and no compensation was paid nor did they get a copy of this before you seen it or influenced me in any way.

 

Sony introduces new line-up of High-Power Audio Systems for the ultimate entertainment. #Sony #Audio

Sony today introduced two exciting new models to its High-Power Audio Systems range with the MHC-V83D and MHC-V73D, expanding choices for party lovers and families with omnidirectional sound and lighting, portable design and ultimate party entertainment.

 

Even more powerful sound

This new line-up of High-Power Audio Systems feature key upgrades for better power and improved sound quality, such as the High-efficiency Tweeter that uses horn tweeters and High-efficiency Midrange that uses mid horn speakers. It introduces not just greater height expansion of sound but also a wider range, covering a larger area.

Omnidirectional Party Sound for V83D and V73D

Pack the dancefloor with stunning audio thanks to the new Omnidirectional Party Sound on the V83D and V73D. The V83D and V73D feature four tweeters at the front and rear to expand the sound stage upward. The midrange distributes sound from the front and the back of the speaker[1], covering a wider area with improved clarity for mid-range frequencies to create powerful, vibrant sound and direct clear vocals to please every partygoer.

The Omnidirectional Party Sound is a result of combining the front and rear tweeters, the midrange, a woofer and JET BASS BOOSTER, enabling music to reach further and wider, pleasing guests with great sound wherever they are and delivering strong bass while also improving clarity.

Light up the night

 

Omnidirectional Party Light for V83D and V73D

The V83D and V73D feature the all-new Omnidirectional Party Light that light up the party from floor to ceiling whilst creating an unforgettable atmosphere. The units send out waves of deep blue, sky blue and green with multi-coloured stripes to immerse party-goers in the ambience of a truly memorable party. Create an authentic nightclub experience thanks to the lighting’s dynamic movement.

Speaker light

In addition, the V83D and V73D feature woofer and midrange lights that are a deep blue colour, making them perfect for parties and events in any space.

Ambient light mode

A new ‘Ambient light’ mode across the new line-up, makes it easier than ever to transition lightly from party mode to a low-key atmosphere. This new setting makes it perfect for the family looking to unwind with slower and relaxing light animation.

Take your party to the next level

Karaoke and Mic input

With home karaoke becoming more popular than ever, the new range allows you to unleash your inner pop star with two microphone inputs. You and your guests can go head to head singing along to your favourite tracks. The Microphone Echo feature blends vocals with background music to make the experience more seamless, mirroring the effect of singing in a concert hall. When you’re finished, you can store the mics and cables safely and hassle free in the dedicated built-in microphone holders.

Guitar input

Alternatively, add a rock and roll layer by connecting a guitar to one of the inputs using the system as a guitar amp. Enjoy three modes for the ultimate jam session: ‘Clean’ for a clear sound, ‘Overdrive’ for a distorted guitar sound, and ‘Bass’ for your bass guitar.

Control from the palm of your hand

Run everything from the dancefloor with the Fiestable app and take control of the music, lighting and much more, all by simply tapping your smartphone or using your voice.

Party Playlist via Fiestable

The new range of systems also now feature Party Playlist that lets your guests add their favourite tunes to your playlist. Guests can add music stored in their smartphones to your playlist over your Wi-Fi® network via the Fiestable app, so your party never stops.

Karaoke Ranking via Fiestable

Find your singing superstar with Karaoke Ranking, a new feature exclusive to the Fiestable app. Compete with your friends for the highest score and whoever ranks in the top 10 can record their name and song title in the leader board.

TAIKO mode for V83D and V73D

The latest Taiko Game mode on the V83D and V73D allows you to add your own drumming to any song by tapping the top panel in time to the beat, putting your rhythm to the test when you play against your friends, adding even more excitement to the party.

Protect the party for longer

The V83D and V73D sport a 360-degree robust design which includes a hard-plastic exterior that protects all sides of the unit and four corner protectors. Transporting these units has never been easier, just simply hold the convenient carry handle, tilt it back and the sturdy caster lets you roll right onto the party.

 

Endless entertainment opportunities

You can connect the V83D and V73D to your TV and experience your favourite movies, TV and sport in a whole new and exciting way. Thanks to the HDMI™ (ARC) output you can easily connect the system to your TV, watch TV and DVDs on your normal screen while enjoying huge sound from the speaker.

You can now listen to even more, with both DAB+ and FM tuners – letting you take your favourite radio stations anywhere you like.

MHC-V43D and V13

Sony will also introduce the MHC-V43D and MHC-V13 across Europe early next year. The V43D and V13 are both equipped with two front tweeters and the JET BASS BOOSTER that spread sound across any venue. Like the V83D and V73D, the V43D also includes the midrange. These all-new designs increase the rigidity of the cabinet, delivering stronger bass while also improving clarity. Plus colourful party lighting, gesture control and all new fun and interactive party features means the party will never end.

The MHC-V83D model will be priced at approximately £700 / €770 and will be available from October 2020.

The MHC-V73D model will be priced at approximately £590 / €650 and will be available from October 2020.

The MHC-V43D & MHC-V13 models will be available from early Spring 2021 and pricing is to be confirmed.

For product specifications, please visit:

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/hi-fi-systems/mhc-v83d

https://www.sony.ie/electronics/hi-fi-systems/mhc-v83d

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/hi-fi-systems/mhc-v73d

https://www.sony.ie/electronics/hi-fi-systems/mhc-v73d

Sony announces ‘Ready for PlayStation5’ for current BRAVIA TVs #Sony #Bravia #TV #Gaming #PS5

Sony Europe today has announced a lineup of its current BRAVIA TVs that are officially ‘Ready for PlayStation5’. The new ‘Ready for PlayStation 5’ tagline has been created in partnership with Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) to make it easier for consumers to select the optimum TV in preparation for the highly anticipated launch of PlayStation 5 (PS5™), the next-generation game console releasing this holiday season.

The first ‘Ready for PlayStation 5’ TVs from Sony include the standout XH90 4K HDR Full Array LED and ZH8 8K HDR Full Array LED models1. The XH90 displays gameplay images of up to 4K resolution at 120 fps2 with a very low input lag of 7.2ms3. The ZH8 is capable of displaying incredibly detailed 8K resolution images4 while also showcasing 4K resolution gameplay images at super-smooth 120 fps2 (supporting spec varies by PS5 game). Both TVs will provide extremely smooth gaming experiences with the PS5 console.

Ready for PlayStation 5’ TV models also boast BRAVIA Game Mode, which allows users to automatically play games on the PS5 console with low latency. Thanks to BRAVIA Game Mode, users can wake both TV and PS5 with the DualSens wireless controller at once and also seamlessly control their PS5 using just the TV remote.

Sony’s TVs deliver beautiful pictures with vibrant colour and stunning contrast, thanks to the best-in-class family of X1 processors. Additionally, powerful sound that comes directly from the TV screen creates a highly realistic and captivating viewing experience. With Sony’s cutting-edge proprietary technologies, users can become fully immersed in the true next-generation level of transformative play offered by PS5.

Sony, together with SIE, will continue to provide the ultimate gaming experience to PlayStation fans around the world with ‘One Sony’, a unique collaboration of creativity and technology across Sony entities.

For more information, please visit:

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/tvs-made-for-gaming?cpint=2:HOMEPAGE_THELATEST4SPAN_TVBRAVIAGAMING_0619

Sony boosts full-frame lens line-up with launch of 12-24mm G Master,the world’s widest zoom with a constant F2.8 aperture

Sony has announced an exciting new addition to its full-frame lens line-up with the introduction of the FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM (model SEL1224GM) Large-aperture Ultra-wide Zoom lens. This compact and versatile lens is ideal for shooting landscapes, starry skies and architecture while providing extra mobility for active sports shooters who want to use ultra-wide angles. As part of Sony’s flagship G Master series lenses, users can be completely confident that it delivers outstanding image quality up to an ultra-wide 12mm angle of view with F2.8 constant aperture, combined with beautiful bokeh effects.

The introduction of the FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM means that the F2.8 range of Sony’s G Master series lenses now extends all the way through from 12mm to 200mm and at 12mm, offers the world’s widest zoom at F2.8. At this focal length, it is possible to emphasise distance and create dynamic perspectives that are beyond the scope of the human eye, opening the door to new avenues of creative expression.

“We are tremendously excited about the introduction of the FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM as we believe that photographers and videographers using the Sony’s Alpha system will fall in love with this lens”, said Yann Salmon-Legagneur, Director of Product Marketing, Digital Imaging, Sony Europe. “It is important for us to continue to push boundaries in the industry and by extending our range of G Master constant F2.8 lenses out to 12mm with such a technology-packed and high performing lens, we are excited to see the results of the new creative opportunities it offers.” 

The FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM benefits from a rich and innovative construction that delivers outstanding corner-to-corner image quality throughout the entire zoom range. It features three extremely precise XA (extreme aspherical) elements including the largest XA element ever made for an α™(Alpha™) lens. These XA elements, with the addition of a further aspherical element, effectively suppress astigmatism, coma and field curvature right out to the image edges. Furthermore, three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements plus two Super ED glass elements, powerfully quell chromatic aberration and combine to deliver corner-to-corner clarity whilst minimising colour fringing.

A floating focus mechanism divides the lens’s focus group into two independently controllable groups. It is extremely effective at ensuring both outstanding close-up performance and maximum sharpness at any distance as it divides the lens’s focus group into two independently controllable groups. It also helps realise a constant 0.28-metre minimum focusing distance throughout the zoom and because it is an internal focus lens, its length remains constant and its centre of gravity varies very little, so it is always optimally balanced in the hand.

The signature bokeh effects of Sony’s G Master series lens have been achieved through the fine tuning of the lens’s spherical aberration characteristics during both the design and manufacturing process. At the same time, the extremely high surface precision of the lens’s XA elements effectively suppresses onion-ring effects and, in combination with a 9-blade circular aperture, further enhances its exquisite bokeh.

The FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM employs four original high-speed, high-thrust XD (extreme dynamic) Linear Motors to ensure that it is compatible with the speed performance of both current and future camera bodies. With two for each of the lens’s focus groups, autofocus is fast and precise and new control algorithms maximise the response of the XD Linear Motor system while achieving flawless synchronisation between the two focus groups. A further benefit is that operation is extremely quiet with minimal vibration.

A brand-new Nano AR Coating II that can be evenly applied to large lens elements or highly curved element surfaces has been used for the first time on the FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM. It suppresses internal reflections, minimises flare and ghosting for clear, crisp imagery and despite the lens’s wide angle of view, Nano AR Coating II maintains high clarity and contrast throughout the entire image, even in difficult light.

Moviemaking

The constant F2.8 maximum aperture at all focal lengths ensures that exposure is stable when zooming. In turn, this means that shutter speed and ISO sensitivity can remain consistent whilst shooting movies. The creative opportunities afforded by shooting movies at a 12mm angle of view with F2.8 constant aperture in full-frame are boundless, however, when used on an APS-C camera or with a Super 35 angle of view, the wide end of the zoom range becomes equivalent to 18mm, providing a very useful zoom range for moviemaking.

Professional Control

Weighing only 847 grams, the FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM offers numerous features for full professional control of shots. These include a customisable focus-hold button, focus-mode switch, zooming ring and focusing ring that are positioned for easy operation whilst shooting. The Linear Response MF ensures that the focus ring responds directly to the most subtle adjustments when focusing manually so control feels immediate and precise. It is dust and moisture resistant and the front lens element features a fluorine coating that repels water, oil, and other contaminants, while making it easier to wipe off any fingerprints from the lens surface. The rear filter holder accommodates standard sheet-type ND, colour correction and other filters for expanded expressive capability. A cutting template for sheet filters is supplied.

Pricing and Availability

The FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM is available in Europe from August 2020, priced at approximately £2,900 / €3,300.

For full product details, please visit https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/camera-lenses/sel1224gm