An HDTV without a sound system to match is like a Ferrari on 14-inch rims — still a beautiful sight to behold, but its performance falls short of what could be, given the right accessory. Vizio knows this, and so has announced its 2013 lineup of sound bars to give your HDTV some audio to match. Plus, they’re all Bluetooth enabled, so they can stream tunes from your mobile device of choice as well. They come in 40-, 42-, and 54-inch models, with the smallest bar packing 2.1 channel audio, and the two larger sizes delivering 5.1 surround sound. Each bar also comes with a wireless subwoofer to deliver low-end punch — the 40- and 42-inchers come with a 6-inch sub, while the big boy gets an 8-inch unit.
Vizio has unified the look of its 2013 sound bar lineup, giving it the same understated design language seen in their new HDTVs. We got to listen to all the new bars in person today, and found the audio quality to be quite good. The bars all handled hi’s and mids without distortion at theater volume levels, and faithfully reproduced dialogue without sacrificing deep and rich sound effects while watching a clip from Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Bass from from the 8-inch sub was particularly impressive, as it shook the room with every explosion from the movie. As usual, full pricing and availability are hard to come by at the moment, but the 42-inch model will retail for $330 later this year.
Sony has had over a year now to dust away any residual Ericsson branding and with a reinvigorated direction towards mobile, it’s welcoming the CES crowds of Las Vegas with two new smartphones — the Xperia Z and the Xperia ZL. Both are running Android Jelly Bean, have 5-inch 1080p screens laced with Sony’s new Bravia Mobile 2 technology, quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro and new 13-megapixel Exmor RS camera sensors, capable of recording HDR video.
Has Sony finally crafted a flagship able to go toe-to-toe with the competition? Well, the Xperia Z exudes class — and it’s light. With about the same thickness as the iPhone, the phone is similar with all straight surfaces, barring some slightly rounded corners. Sony’s calling the design language “omnibalance” and you can expect to see similar design licks in its other products in the near future. Picking it up, it feels better and more premium than any phone we’ve seen from Sony before and, oddly, it’s even waterproof. Comparing the Xperia Z against the Xperia ZL, the oblong, broad Xperia Z felt almost too big in our hands; the ZL felt much more at home. Sony’s barely unveiled them on stage at its press event, but we got the chance to play with both devices earlier today, (just about) wrapping our fingers around both the Xperia Z and the slightly smaller Xperia ZL. So what did we think? Hop on after the break for our hands-on video and full impressions.
Sony is starting 2013 with a bang, in the shape of the new Sony Xperia Z smartphone, a 5-inch 1080p powerhouse that wraps a 13-megapixel camera, quadcore S4 Pro processor, and 4G LTE in a waterproof glass casing. Revealed at CES today, and beginning a global roll-out in Q1, the Xperia Z puts Sony back on top of its game (and leaves us wishing Sony, not LG, was picked for the latest Google Nexus product). Read on for our hands-on first impressions.
When it comes to specs, the Xperia Z ticks all the right boxes. Measuring in at 139 x 71 x 7.9 mm and 146g, it runs Jelly Bean on Qualcomm’s S4 Pro APQ8064+MDM9215 quadcore with Adreno 320 graphics and 2GB of RAM; Sony tells us that it’ll be Android 4.1 at launch, with a 4.2 upgrade “shortly after” that. Connectivity includes LTE and HSPA+, depending on local market, along with WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, MHL-HDMI, aGPS/GPS/GLONASS, and a microSD card slot for up to 32GB cards. Internal storage clocks in at 16GB.
Inside, there’s a 2,330 mAh non-removable battery good for up to 14hrs of UMTS talktime or up to 510hrs of LTE standby. However, Sony also adds a Battery STAMINA Mode option to the settings, which – when enabled – turns off any background data use while the screen is turned off. A whitelist allows select apps to remain active, but Sony says that with STAMINA turned on, runtime is extended up to fourfold. The system learns from your usage style and that of different apps, too, automatically adjusting its runtime estimate according to which apps are in the whitelist.
Sony Xperia Z overview:
As for the cameras, that’s a 13-megapixel sensor on the back and a 2-megapixel version on the front; the main camera uses Sony’s Exmor RS technology for better quality, and the interface features elements pulled from Sony’s CyberShot line. A “Superior Auto” mode adjusts the scene according to lighting, movement, and subject conditions, while a burst mode can continuously capture 10fps at 9-megapixels until your battery (or storage) expires. Sony is particularly proud of its HDR technology, which is used not only in still photos but in video capture too.
Those videos look particularly good on the Xperia Z’s display. The new flagship features the latest iteration of screen processing software from Sony’s HDTV range, Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2, which does real-time processing to make video content more colorful and engaging. It looks fantastic on the 5-inch TFT LCD HD Reality Display, with bright colors and crisp edges that don’t look over-saturated in comparison to some AMOLED panels of the moment. On top is a layer of scratch-resistant, shatterproof glass.
There’s shatterproof glass on the back, too, and glass-like inserts in the subtly curved sides. However, rather than being prone to smashing, the Xperia Z meets IP55 and IP57 dust and water resistance specifications, and can survive being immersed in (clean) water for up to 30 minutes with no issues. Even the power button is special: Sony has milled it precisely from aluminum, after its research found that the average user presses the key 64 times a day.
Sony Xperia Z walkthrough:
As for NFC, Sony will be using that as the “enabler” for a push in distributed media sharing around the home. Alongside the Xperia Z there’s a new Stereo Bluetooth Headset SBH20 and Wireless Headset DR-BTN200M, both of which can be paired via NFC simply by holding the Xperia Z nearby. Sony also has a new five-strong range of Smart TVs for CES, which include NFC in the remote control for easily pairing the phone with the TV and then streaming video over WiFi Direct.
Certain markets and carriers will get the Sony Xperia ZL, a second variant on the Xperia Z. It shares almost all of the specifications as the regular Xperia Z, but in a shorter, slightly thicker housing; it’s also not waterproof.
Sony isn’t talking pricing at this stage, nor confirming exact US availability or which carrier(s) might have picked up the Xperia Z or Xperia ZL. Still, from everything we’ve seen here at CES, this is the most compelling Sony handset in some time.
Not quite ready to hop aboard the projector train? Sony’s betting that 3D might be your game. The Handycam TD30V is the company’s $999 answer to 2012’s $1,499 TD20V, delivering a nearly identical feature set for a heck of a lot less cash. There’s absolutely no reason to toss last year’s model up on eBay in favor of adopting this slight modification — instead of adding features, Sony trimmed a couple tools, if only to appease recent 20V adopters. There’s a 20.4-megapixel Exmor R sensor, a 17/10x zoom lens (12x in 3D mode) with a 29.8mm wide-angle position in 2D or 33.4mm when capturing footage in three dimensions. The 1.229m-dot 3.5-inch 3D LCD remains, as does the 5.1-channel mic, microphone jack, Optical SteadyShot, AI shoe, GPS and HDMI port, though the company opted to drop the 64 gigs of internal memory (none is available here), along with the manual dial. In exchange, 2013’s flavor picks up an all-black finish, that definitely delivers a premium feel over its predecessor.
During our brief hands-on with the TD30V, we were pleased with the look and feel of the camera — we wouldn’t have cried foul had Sony priced this closer to $1,500, but at $999, it’s just that much more appealing. We didn’t have an opportunity to review footage on a 3D set, but the camcorder’s LCD does a fair job of displaying depth in 3D mode, enabling you to judge the end result without a realtime footage feed to an external display. The camera is lighter in hand than we expected, based on its size and appearance, and although the 30V was comfortable to use, you’re not going to want to walk around with it dangling around your neck. If you were planning to pick up last year’s entrant, it’d be worthwhile to wait — the TD30V is expected to ship next month for just shy of a grand, and you can examine this very capable Handycam right now in the gallery just below.
In the market for a solid mid-range camcorder? Sony’s Handycam 380 packs many of the features you’d need, and it ships with an optional built-in projector, too. The CX380 and PJ380 are nearly identical, with the latter model adding in a 13-lumen projector, including a video input for displaying content from smartphones, tablets, computers, or any other source with an HDMI port — you can watch footage you record through the 26.8mm G lens, just like last year’s PJ260V, but you can also use the device to output flicks, TV shows or presentations, assuming you’re able to locate a dark room with a suitable projection surface. The camcorder carries over many of its predecessor’s features, including an Exmor R sensor that can snap 8.9-megapixel stills, a 55/30x optically-stabilized zoom lens, a 230k-dot 3-inch LCD, 60p captures, a microphone input and 16 gigs of internal storage. This year’s flavor adds an option to shoot in AVCHD or MP4, along with that aforementioned HDMI input on the PJ380 and a Multi Interface Shoe.
These cameras are a bit heftier than Sony’s entry-level models, but they’re still quite comfortable to hold, and the glossy black finish is elegant, albeit a bit susceptible to greasy fingers. There’s a combination SDXC and MemoryStick slot on the bottom of boosting the recording space beyond the built-in 16-gig flash. Both models have audio input and HDMI out ports hiding behind the touch-enabled LCD, while the PJ380 also includes a relatively bright pico projector on the other side of the flip-out display. The cameras felt sturdy and responsive, and the PJ’s projector was bright enough to make out details even in a sun-lit room, despite the tan textured wall we paired it with. Both models are set to hit stores next month, with the CX380 available in black, and the PJ380 shipping in black, white or red. For now, though, you can catch an up-close look in the hands-on gallery just below.
There’s no full-frame sensor or advanced mode dial here, but Sonyhas managed to line up a compelling set of features for its CES flagship point-and-shoot. At $199, the Cyber-shot WX80 offers a huge jump in performance with only a modest bump in price, making it by far Sony’s best value of the show. Granted, we haven’t seen sample images or video clips, but boy does this camera pack an impressive spec list. There’s a 20.1-megapixel CMOS sensor at the core, paired with a 25mm 8x optical zoom lens with SteadyShot OIS and a new lens-shift algorithm, improved autofocus, a 10 frames-per-second consecutive shooting mode, a top ISO of 12,800, 1080p video, a new intelligent flash for more even coverage and a 2.7-inch LCD.
On the software side, Sony’s brought over some features from the mirrorless camera line. There’s an improved selection of picture effects, like Toy Photo, Pop Color and four color highlight modes that display either red, green, blue or yellow in color with the rest of the frame in black and white. There’s also a “virtual cosmetic surgery” function, which changes skin tone, softens skin, removes shine, widens eyes and whitens teeth automatically with adjustable effect levels. As another Cyber-shot first, Sony’s added WiFi to the WX80, along with the same Smart Remote Control and Send to Smartphone features we’ve used with the company’s NEX-6.
The camera housing itself has a plasticky feel, despite the high-end internals — the WX80 may not look like a sub-$200 camera on paper, but its true colors shine through once you have it in hand. The display is fairly basic, and while it looks alright at a distance, the UI experience doesn’t exactly feel high-end. The camera will ship in pink, white and black finishes, and you’ll want to opt for the latter flavor if you’re after a somewhat-premium look and feel. You’ll need to hang tight for a few weeks before you have a chance to evaluate the WX80 yourself, but housing and display aside, Sony seems to have a winner here. Sneak a peek in our gallery below.
Sony’s Balanced Optical SteadyShot has been perhaps one of the camcorder industry’s greatest innovations in recent years, delivering a much smoother handheld picture by moving the entire lens module, rather than specific elements, to compensate for shake. Launched at last year’s CES, Sony’s CX760V was the first model to include the stabilization feature, but at $1,500, it’s very much a premium option. Now, two sub-$1,000 offerings have been given the gift of smooth shooting — the CX430V and PJ430V will ship in March for $699 and $849, respectively, and have plenty of other tricks up their sleeves, too. Both models include Exmor R sensors with 8.9-megapixel stills capture, a 55/30x G lens with a wide 26.8mm focal length, a 230k-dot 3-inch LCD, 16 gigs of flash memory, 60p captures, GPS, a 5.1-channel mic and microphone input jack, along with selectable AVCHD and MP4 output and a Multi Interface Shoe. The PJ430V adds a 13-lumen projector with HDMI input, for displaying content from a variety of external sources.
We were able to go hands-on with both models — they feel much more solid than Sony’s less-equipped Handycams, such as the CX380 and PJ380, likely due in no small part to the large Balanced Optical SteadyShot module at the cameras’ core. They have a textured matte black finish, and solid hinges and doors. The 3-inch touchscreen is bright, but not terribly sharp — still, it gets the job done. Both models have mic inputs, headphone jacks and HDMI outputs behind the LCD, while the projector version also adds an HDMI input for feeding in content from other sources. We were’t able to record and review footage, but zooming seemed smooth and responsive and the Balanced Optical SteadyShot appeared to assist with stabilization, especially when zoomed in. As always, we’ve gathered some shots for you in our hands-on gallery just below.
You can’t fault Sony for trying. After announcing its renewed focus on mobile back in 2012, the company’s consistently issued thoughtful hardware for the global marketplace. But its collective efforts have yet to spark the “emotional” storm company CEO Kaz Hirai seems to be striving for. Well, if the smiles on our faces are any indication, Sony may have a bonafide hit on its hands with the Xperia ZL. Introduced officially at its CES 2013 event, the 5-inch Android Jelly Bean handset bears nigh identical specs to its larger, more “premium” big brother: the Xperia Z. With a scratch-resistant 1080p TFT Reality Display powered by Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2, 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro and 13-megapixel rear camera with Exmor RS sensor, the ZL sits comfortably in the high-end range. We spent a bit of time exploring the device and gauging its ability to evoke kando — that Japanese term for an emotional reaction spurred by quality experiences — so join us after the break to see how it fares and meter our level of excitement.
It’s 2013, and Sony’s pair of standard-definition Handycams are officially on their way off store shelves. The company has retired the SX45 and SX85, which first began shipping in 2011 for $199 and $249, respectively, opting instead to introduce an entry-level HD model for $249. The CX220 is an update to last year’s $299 CX190, offering enhancements in nearly every feature category. The Exmor R sensor has been boosted to 8.9 megapixels for stills and 2.3MP for video, with a 32/27x 29.8mm Carl Zeiss lens, AVCHD and MP4 recording options, and 60p captures now joining as well. At $279, the CX230 offers identical features, with the addition of 8 gigs of internal storage, while the PJ230 adds a built-in 13-lumen projector for $399. Rounding out the low end of Sony’s CES lineup is the CX290, which boosts the lens range to 50/27x, features Optical SteadyShot and offers an enhanced 2.7-inch LCD for $349.
We were able to look through the LCDs of all four new models in a variety of colors (several of which are represented in that family shot above). The first thing we noticed was the camcorders’ weight — they’re all incredibly light, with the PJ model as the one exception, since the projector infrastructure adds a bit of heft. Ultimately, if you’re in the market for a camcorder, it’d be worth saving up a bit more cash to add Optical SteadyShot with the CX290 to boost the overall quality of your footage, but if filming casual family outings is your primary objective, even the $249 CX220 will suffice, and it looks nice too, shipping in black, blue, red and silver beginning next month. The CX230, CX290 and PJ230 will also be available in February in black finishes. You can check out all four flavors in the hands-on gallery just below.
With Sony’s CES press conference literally just starting, we’re pleased to be able to give you an early look at the latest sound pushers from its Personal Audio Division. The company is still aiming for that classicly subtle retro-futuristic look on these new devices, so you might not be swayed if you’ve never been a fan of the aesthetic in the past. That said, we’re pretty impressed with what’s inside of ’em. To start, there’s a duo of new NFC-packing speaker bars intended for use in and around the house — think of them as wireless replacements for your old docking speaker. Monikered as the not-so catchy SRS-BTX500 and BTX300, both can handle AAC and apt-X streaming over Bluetooth and stay charged for eight and six hours, respectively. Naturally, NFC handles pairing and powering the devices on for seamless tap-to-start playback.
Both systems will house “damperless” drivers, which Sony’s claims reduces vibration and increases clarity. Each also features a USB port that’ll charge your devices and speakerphone capabilities, as these are becoming the norm. While the bars we handled were dummies, we aren’t fond of the fragile kickstand found on the smaller 300. We managed to easily knock the speaker over trying to fiddle with it’s clumsily locking switch. Otherwise, these might make a nice addition around the house if the sound matches up to the $300 (BTX500, in black) and $200 (BTX300, in white or black) price points in March. Beyond those, Sony’s announcing US availability during the same month for its smaller — also NFC and Bluetooth-packing — SRS-BTM8 ($99, in black) and BTM5 ($69, in black, white and pink) speakers. The BTM8 is begging to be taken on your next picnic thanks to its carrying handle, while the BTM5 is palmable orb with one up-firing speaker for when you need a speakerphone in a pinch.
Lastly, the company is highlighting it’s newest Walkman-branded MP3 fitness headphones, the NZW-W270. While the Bluetooth in-ears look similar to previous models, Sony’s made them completely waterproof this time around (previous models were only water resistant). You’ll get 4GB of non-expandable onboard storage, as well as up to eight hours from its internal battery. Better yet, a three-minute quick charge from a dead battery will yield up to an hour of run-time in a pinch. Expect it to hit shelves in black, white, pink and blue this March for 100 bones. Check out the galleries above for a closer look in the meantime — bonus points if you manage to recall the product names after you move on to more of our CES coverage.
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