Sony unveils pen drives for smartphones, tablet

Eyeing a new market for data storage devices, Sony has launched the world's first pen drives compatible with smartphones and tablets. The new flash drives are "2-in-1 devices" with both USB 2.0 and microUSB connectors, allowing buyers to use them in laptops and desktops as well as smartphones and tablets. 

Sony has launched the world’s first pen drives compatible with smartphones and tablets.

Viviano Cantu, director of consumer media marketing, Sony Electronics, said, "These new drives combine convenience, peace of mind and performance and are perfect for mobile multi-tasking." 

The new drives are compatible with Android (Ice Cream Sandwich to Jelly Bean) operating systems and offer USB on-the-go (OTG) functionality. Sony says that it is working on making them compatible with Android 4.4 (KitKat), the latest version of Google's mobile operating system. 

Apart from copying data between devices, these flash drives can be used to as additional or temporary storage for smartphones and tablets. 

Their locking caps (available in three colours) will protect the connectors from damage, dust and debris, says Sony. The metal body of the flash drives is durable enough to withstand everyday mobile use, it claims. 

Sony has said that the new flash drives will be available in of 8, 16 and 32 GB capacities, priced at $19.99, $29.99 and $62.99. While the Japanese manufacturer has not announced their India launch date, it has said that the flash drives will hit global markets in January next year.

Sony announces Xperia Z1 with 20MP camera

Sony on Wednesday announced Xperia Z1, world's first smartphone with a 20.7 megapixels (MP) camera, at IFA, a trade show, in Berlin. The company said that the device has the "world's leading camera in a smartphone", implying that it can shoot better images than what Nokia's Lumia 1020, which has a 41MP camera, can manage.

"The Xperia Z1 is the absolute embodiment of that one Sony ethos," said Sony CEO Kaz Hirai. "We designed Z1 to deliver Sony's compact camera performance in a smartphone."

While the camera is the highlight of Z1, it is a high-end and powerful device. The phone has a 5-inch TFT screen with FullHD (1080x1920 pixels) resolution. It is powered by Qualcomm's S800chip, which is theoretically the world's fastest mobile processor. The quad-core S800 in Z1 runs at 2.2GHz and uses an Adreno 330 chip for graphics-related processing. The device has 2GB RAM, an aluminum and glass body, 16GB internal storage and support for a microSD card.

Like other recent Xperia devices, Z1 uses a waterproof and dustproof design. It will run Android 4.2.2.

Sony said that Z1 would be available in markets across the world in the coming weeks. In India the device is expected to be launched within this month. For now Sony has not revealed the country-specific prices.

Highlighting the camera performance of Z1, Sony said "independent testing has confirmed that Xperia Z1 provides the best overall image quality of all leading smartphones". The camera in Z1 features 1/2.3-inch image sensor, a dedicated chip for image processing and a lens with F 2.0 aperture.

'Lenses' that attach to a smartphone

A smartphone with high-resolution camera was not the only highlight of Sony's event in Berlin. The company also announced two 'lenses' that can be attached to almost any Android device or iPhone to convert the phones into powerful cameras.

While Sony is calling QX10 and QX100 lenses, they are tiny full-fledged cameras that have their own image sensors, memory card slot, battery and microphone. QX10 has a 2/3-inch, 18MP image sensor while QX100 has a 1-inch, 20MP image sensor. QX10 offers 10X optical zoom while QX100 can zoom up to 3.6X. However, QX100 also features a lens with F1.8 aperture, which should help users click far better images in low light.

The QX10 and QX100 will have to be controlled by an Android device or iPhone through Wi-Fi or NFC, if it is available. Once the 'lenses' have been paired with a smartphone, the screen of the phone turns into a viewfinder.

QX10 has been priced at $250 and QX100 will cost $499. The country-specific price of the two has not been yet revealed by Sony. Both QX10 and QX100 are expected to launch in India along with Xperia Z1.

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Pre-orders start for Sony’s 6.4-inch phablet

Sony upped the ante for high-end phablets in June by unveiling its Xperia Z Ultra. This phablet has a 6.4-inch screen, the biggest among top-of-the-line handsets, and ranks amongst the thinnest smartphones in the world. Within a month of its global showcasing, rumours have begun that the handset will soon launch in India, and now, even pre-orders have started.

Speculation is rife that the new Xperia Z Ultra will hit India on July 31, though nothing has been confirmed by the Japanese manufacturer. However, the device has been listed on Sony Mobile's India website. Online retailer Saholic has even started taking pre-orders for the phablet at Rs 44,990, with delivery promised within seven days. The website's page for Xperia Z Ultra shows an official price tag of Rs 46,990, though if rumours are to be believed then the device may be priced under Rs 40,000.

Xperia Z Ultra phablet has a full HD display (1920x1080p resolution) with 344ppi pixel density. The quad-core CPU of the handset is clocked at 2.2GHz and is supported by 2GB RAM. This device has the same design language as Xperia Z smartphone and features on-screen keys as well as scratch-resistant and shatterproof glass. Just like the current flagship phone, Xperia Z Ultra is waterproof and dust resistant, even though it can withstand staying in the water for longer duration of time.

The phablet runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) with a customized UI to make better use of the extra screen size. Powered by a 3,000mAh battery, Xperia Z Ultra packs 16GB internal storage and supports microSD card expansion up to 64GB. Connectivity suite of Sony's latest gadget consists of 2G, 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC and microUSB 2.0. On the back is an 8MPcamera with LED flash, while a 2MP unit is placed in the front.

At 212gram, Xperia Z Ultra is one of the heftiest phablets in the market, but with thickness of just 6.5mm, it finds itself a spot among the slimmest handsets today. Apart from multitouch, users can input data via stylus in this new phablet and pencils.

Google TV service launches in UK with Sony tie-up

Sony and Google have announced a tie-up that will see Google's interactive TV service made available outside the US for the first time.

The set-top box allows users to browse the internet through their television, as well as access a range of specially designed applications.

The device, which will cost around £200 when it is released in July, will compete with Apple's own TV box.

Apple TV is already available in the UK, currently priced at £99.

In a press release, Sony said their Google TV product, the NSZ-GS7, will also soon be made available in Canada, Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Brazil and Mexico.

Dual-sided remote

"Entertainment content is available through so many channels and sites, and Google TV helps consumers easily find what they want to watch, listen to or play with the freedom of the internet and using the familiar Chrome search engine technology," said Gildas Pelliet, Sony's European head of marketing.

The device will be followed with a Blu-ray version expected to cost around £300 when it is launched later in the year.

The box will be controlled by a dual-sided remote control with a full QWERTY keyboard.

Like Apple's offering, Google TV can be controlled via a smartphone.

Google's foray into television has faced some hiccups since it first launched Google TV in the US in 2010.

Its devices were criticised for being too expensive, and several TV networks blocked the US-only service from accessing their web content