Sony announced it has entered the cloud-based services market with the launch of a new set of tools intended to help creative professionals such as production studios, filmmakers, producers, broadcasters and marketing teams work with various media applications online. The Ci scalable cloud platform features a “fast and secure” collection of tools for collecting, producing, sharing and archiving high-quality media content. Continue reading NAB 2013: Sony Announces New Scalable Cloud Platform

Gaming startup Ouya, which raised more than $8 million last June via Kickstarter, announced it will release its $99 game console to retailers on June 4. The affordable Android-based box could encourage innovation and disrupt the TV gaming market, by allowing developers to create inexpensive games. Wired had a chance to play with the new device at design firm fuseproject, where Yves Behar created the metal cube that houses Ouya. Continue reading Ouya Released to Early Backers, Retail Launch in June

Public radio broadcaster NPR, which is primarily known for its news and interview programs, has been making a name for itself in the music world. NPR is expanding its horizons with its fifth year of NPR Music, which includes online streaming and podcasts. With a variety of programs like “Tiny Desk Concert” and “All Songs Considered,” the station is providing unique opportunities for lesser known artists and established acts. Continue reading NPR Music Hits a High Note with Eclectic Music Programs

According to Neil Hunt, chief product officer for Netflix, the service is expecting to stream movies and television programs in 4K resolution within the next year or two. While playback of 4K, which delivers about four times the HD resolution of 1080p, requires compatible monitors (and could eat up a consumer’s monthly data cap), Netflix is preparing its proprietary Open Connect content delivery network to address issues involving larger bitrates. Continue reading Netflix Exec Says to Expect Streaming 4K in Year or Two

Sir Howard Stringer, chairman and former CEO of Sony, announced that he will retire this year. It is anticipated that Stringer will formally stand down at the company’s annual shareholder meeting in June. The Welsh-born businessman served as Sony’s CEO from 2005 to 2012 and has been with the company for 15 years. Last year, he handed over the chief executive role to Kazuo Hirai, the former head of Sony’s video games unit. Continue reading Howard Stringer to Step Down as Sony Chairman in June

Digital Cinema Distribution Coalition announced that it has reached agreements with five movie studios to provide digital delivery services to theaters in North America. The DCDC satellite and terrestrial digital distribution network will deliver feature, promotional, pre-show and live digital cinema content from Lionsgate, Universal Pictures, Disney, Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures. Continue reading Five Studios Team with DCDC for Satellite Movie Delivery

Online streaming companies are beginning to pursue primetime programming. Amazon is producing original content now; Netflix is following its successful “House of Cards” with four more original programs; Microsoft is working on programming for the Xbox gaming console; while AOL, Sony and Twitter are all likely to follow in these footsteps. Will these companies change the way we watch TV? Continue reading Original Online Content: TV Pilots Finding New Audiences

Engadget writes about its favorite devices and trends to come out of last week’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. While there weren’t many debuts of flagship products compared to previous years, some devices still stood out, including the new LG handsets, the Sony Xperia Tablet Z, and HTC’s recently launched One smartphone. Regarding wireless products, Engadget calls this year’s MWC one big “NFC love fest.” Continue reading Engadget Review: Best of the Best at Mobile World Congress

Canon is preparing to launch its MREAL Mixed Reality headset this month with a hefty $125,000 price tag and estimated $25,000 in annual maintenance. But the device is not intended for the typical consumer. Instead, it was designed for groups such as automotive manufacturers, research universities and museum display curators. The MREAL technology could also serve as a powerful tool for digital prototyping. Continue reading Canon to Release $125K MREAL Mixed Reality Headset

Sony unveiled its new Android device, the Xperia Tablet Z, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Monday. The company claims it is the world’s thinnest 10.1-inch tablet at just 6.9 millimeters and that it is waterproof in up to three feet of water for 30 minutes. On the inside, it has a quad-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, 2GB of RAM, and a 1920 x 1200 display running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Continue reading Mobile World Congress: Sony Intros Thinnest 10.1-Inch Tablet

At the HPA Tech Retreat, Sony Pictures Television announced its plans to shoot between three and five pilots in 4K this season, perhaps signifying the beginning of a shift towards popularizing 4K. At last month’s CES in Las Vegas, there was a big push for the Ultra HD platform; about 50 sets were unveiled. But after the conference, many were left to wonder if content and delivery would be made available for the currently expensive TV sets. Continue reading HPA Tech Retreat: Sony to Shoot Several New Pilots in 4K

More than 10 years ago, Sony executive Ken Kutaragi predicted that one day videogame consoles would become one with a network that linked players together, thus eliminating the physical console and allowing gaming to require only a display and controller. Now, Sony is preparing to reveal its newest PlayStation, on which gamers will be able to stream games via the Internet — one step closer to Kutaragi’s vision. Continue reading New Sony PlayStation to Allow for Streaming Games Online

The Web series “Video Game High School” (“VGHS”) premiered on YouTube in May of 2012 and became a meteoric success. The series subsequently earned sponsorships from Sony and Monster Energy Drinks, and is now available on Netflix. Season Two of the critically-acclaimed series, currently in production, raised more than $808,000 on Kickstarter and could end up becoming the model for future online series. Continue reading Successful YouTube Show May Serve as Model for Web Series

Sony will offer technology that streams games to its next console, according to people familiar with the company’s plans. The new technology is expected to be introduced in New York on Wednesday when the new console is unveiled. Insiders also suggest Sony will announce higher-end cameras for its motion-sensing technology as well as touch-sensing pads on new controllers. Continue reading Sony to Unveil Next-Gen Streaming Game Console this Week

Sony is ramping up its efforts to provide 4K content by remastering select productions in the new format and restoring classic movies in 4K. As part of the initiative, Sony Pictures Television will remaster all five seasons of “Breaking Bad” in 4K. We can also expect to see 4K versions of “Groundhog Day,” “Ghostbusters,” “Glory,” “Funny Girl” and “On The Waterfront.” Continue reading Sony 4K Initiative: Studio Remasters Content for Ultra HDTVs