Not content to allow Samsung to steal the spotlight, Sony today also kicked off the IFA 2014 conference with its own press event that unveiled new wearable devices, new smartphone photography accessories, and several new mobile devices. Sony's newest hardware is slated to arrive in the coming months with price points that are yet to be determined.
Perhaps most relevant to Apple fans given Apple's impending wearable device announcement is Sony's pair of announcements in that area, starting with the new SmartBand Talk that embeds a low-power, 1.4-inch e-ink display into a fitness tracker. The band also includes a microphone and speaker for phone calls, as well as Bluetooth 4.0 for syncing to a smartphone. Rounding out the feature set is IP68 waterproofing, accelerometer and altimeter sensors, and integration with Sony's Lifelog lifestyle-tracking app.
In the more full-featured watch segment, Sony also introduced its new SmartWatch 3, the successor to the SmartWatch 2 and the first Android Wear smartwatch from the Japanese company. The smartphone companion syncs notifications from a compatible Android device and offers 4 GB of on-the-go music storage. Sony's SmartWatch 3 enters a growing Android Wear marketplace, competing directly with similar smartwatch offerings from Motorola and LG.
Sony also added to its lens-style camera line with the new 30x zoom DSC-QX30 and the E-mount interchangeable lens ILCE-QX1, These lens-style cameras improve mobile photography by combining an image sensor with a compact lens that fits onto an iOS or Android smartphone and communicates with the mobile phone via Wi-Fi. The DSC-QX30 is a 30x optical zoom lens with Sony's Optical SteadyShot image stabilization, while the QX1 allows photographers to use their existing Sony Alpha E-mount lenses on their mobile phone.
Besides its wearables and smartphone photography products, Sony also expanded its Xperia Z-series smartphone and tablet lineup with the new extended-battery life Xperia Z3 smartphone, the Xperia Z3 Compact smartphone, and the Xperia Tablet Z3 Compact. These new Xperia devices are notable as they support PS4 Remote Play, allowing users to pair their mobile device with a DualShock controller and play PS4 games on the phone or tablet.
If they really want to compete with Apple, they should sell a bundle for $199: - 1 Phablet - 1 Smart Watch - 1 Tablet - 1 4K TV Set - 1 Fridge - 3 T-Shirts - 1 Microwave - 4 white Sony Stickers
Exactly. Something like "I'm horny, get home NOW." Would have been far more effective. :p
I know they're are better uses for a SmartWatch but I just felt like that quote and image of the guy on the wrist was rather creepy "what time are you coming home".
Friday December 1, 2023 12:19 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
iOS 17.2 has been in beta testing for over a month, and it should be released to all users in a few more weeks. The software update includes many new features and changes for iPhones, including the dozen that we have highlighted below. iOS 17.2 is expected to be released to the public in mid-December. To learn about even more features coming in the update, check out our full list. Journal ...
Friday December 1, 2023 2:57 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple made the first beta of iOS 17.2 available to developers in October. Since then we've seen three more betas, and with each iteration Apple continues to add more new features and changes, many of which users have been anticipating for quite a while. Below, we've listed 28 new things that are coming to your iPhone when the finalized version is publicly released this December. 1. Help...
Anker's Black Friday/Cyber Week event is entering its final days this weekend, and it's still offering up to 60 percent off sitewide. There are also a few "mystery boxes" that can include hundreds of dollars in savings, if you're willing to risk not knowing what you're buying ahead of time. All of these sales will end on December 3. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you...
Thursday November 30, 2023 10:12 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2, small updates to the iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 operating systems that Apple introduced in September. iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2 come a few weeks after the release of iOS 17.1.1, another bug fix update. iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update....
Thursday November 30, 2023 4:08 pm PST by Marko Zivkovic
The release of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max saw the introduction of an entirely new user-configurable button known as the Action button, and now, MacRumors has seen extensive evidence confirming Apple is planning to include the Action button on the entire iPhone 16 range. Designs and plans for the Action button date back to at least 2021, as the button was intended for release alongside hapt...
Apple employees are back to work following a Thanksgiving break, and that means this week saw a number of new operating system updates for both public release and beta testing. This week also saw some misinformation about Apple's new NameDrop feature making the rounds, while Apple and Goldman Sachs appear to be on the verge of a break-up in their Apple Card and savings account partnership,...
Friday December 1, 2023 4:40 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple and Paramount have discussed bundling their TV streaming services at a discount, according to a new report by The Wall Street Journal. The companies have talked about offering a combination of Paramount+ and Apple TV+ that would cost less than subscribing to both services separately, according to people familiar with the discussions. The discussions are in their early stages, and it is ...
Thursday November 30, 2023 9:00 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Earlier this month, Apple announced that it will finally support RCS in the Messages app on the iPhone starting later next year. This change will result in several improvements to the messaging experience between iPhones and Android devices. RCS will become the new default standard for messaging between iPhones and Android devices, but these conversations will still have green bubbles like...
Top Rated Comments
"When are you coming home?" because this is what i want to be seeing on my wrist.
If this image is supposed to convince me I need a SmartWatch it is failing to do so.
Whether you like Apple or not, they have really inspired the other tech companies to get their act together and release new interesting products.
- 1 Phablet
- 1 Smart Watch
- 1 Tablet
- 1 4K TV Set
- 1 Fridge
- 3 T-Shirts
- 1 Microwave
- 4 white Sony Stickers
I know they're are better uses for a SmartWatch but I just felt like that quote and image of the guy on the wrist was rather creepy "what time are you coming home".