sony

Despite getting off to a slow start and being called into a question as a viable purchase option, the PlayStation 3 might just take the second spot in console sales after this generation is up.

Earlier today, Sony announced that it has sold 70 million PlayStation 3 units worldwide since the console's launch in 2006. The device hit that tally on November 4, meaning it's somewhere above the 70-million-units mark at this point.

Sony is now in striking distance of Microsoft. The software giant announced that as of September 30, it has sold 70 million Xbox 360 units … Read more

Sony's mobile division is gunning for Apple and Samsung, one of its executives claims.

In an interview with Financial Times Deutschland (FTD) published yesterday, Sony Mobile sales and marketing head Dennis Van Schie said his company is planning to announce a "flagship model that can [compete] with Apple's iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy S3."

Van Schie wouldn't say what his company has planned for the device, but he did confirm that it will be running Android. In the interview, he told FTD that Sony is "watching closely" the development of Microsoft's Windows … Read more

The venerable PlayStation 3 has hit the milestone of 70 million consoles sold, not long after the rival Xbox reached that same tally.

The PS3 crossed the 70 million line on November 4, Sony Computer Entertainment announced this morning. Launched in 2006, the game console has gone through a number of revisions and appears to still be going strong. It has been streamlined, equipped with larger disk-drive capacities and given a number of software updates. The latest model is half the weight of the original PS3, and according to SCE, has been "well received" by customers.

The PlayStation … Read more

Vevo has launched today in Spain, Italy and France, bringing the expansion of the online music service to 10 countries.

The free entertainment platform first appeared in the United States in 2009. Other markets where Vevo is available include the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, and Brazil.

Today's launch means consumers in the new European markets will be able to access over 50,000 tracks and 4,500 music videos currently hosted on the platform.

Germany is still barred from the service, although Vevo is currently looking into ways to launch there. As The Next Web notes, the country … Read more

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- NY Times posts violent takedown review of Guy Fieri's new restaurant in Times Square, New York.

- Travel Channel's Anthony Bourdain rips into Guy Fieri.

- Guy Fieri's last name isn't really Fieri.

- How Sony is turning into a ghost in Japan and around the world.

- Seriously though, how cool is this vintage Sony Sports transistor radio?

- Head to Sonyvintage.com for more photos and specs on vintage Sony hi-fi products.

- Japanese photo booth 3D prints mini models of an entire human being.

Bathroom break video: Grand Theft Auto V gets a new trailer and screenshots.… Read more

Next week, Sony's PlayStation Vita gets a much-needed shot in the arm as the company has revealed a selection of games for PlayStation Plus subscribers and new firmware that adds some mildly exciting new features to the handheld gaming gizmo.

After months of teasing, the upcoming PlayStation Plus ($49 a year) game collection for the Vita arrives on November 19. The first set of PS Plus Vita games includes Uncharted: Golden Abyss; Jet Set Radio HD; WipEout 2048; Gravity Rush; Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack; and the PSP version of Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions. Many of those titles are top-tier gaming experiences and currently cost more than $30. … Read more

You might think it's obvious that when an iPhone or similar device is placed on its side, what's displayed on the screen should rotate as well.

But CNET has learned that a federal judge in Delaware yesterday rejected Apple's attempt to throw out a lawsuit over screen rotation brought by a holding company, MobileMedia Ideas, which has been dubbed "a classic patent troll."

U.S. District Judge Sue Robinson said the suit could proceed, ruling that the question of whether iOS devices infringed on the patent, No. 6,441,828, was "suitable for determination … Read more

Not that long ago, Japanese companies such as Sony, Panasonic, and Sharp were considered premium brands.

They made virtually everything in the consumer electronics world, from televisions to microwaves and digital music players. There seemed to be no way to stop their momentum. Their products often carried higher price tags to reflect their perceived quality, and people snapped them up.

"People used to have Sony homes," said Tony Costa, an analyst at Forrester Research. "You're just not seeing that any more."

These days, the Japanese consumer-electronics giants have largely been reduced to also-rans, many of … Read more

The Xbox 360 continues to thrive in a market that's seen better days.

For the 15th month in the row, Microsoft's game console was the top-selling hardware platform, according to the latest video game stats from NPD group (not available on the Web, unfortunately).

In October, Microsoft sold 270,000 Xbox 360 units, more than any other gaming console. That number gave the company a 56 percent share of all console sales in the U.S. It also marked the 20th month in a row that the Xbox captured more than 40 percent of all U.S. sales.… Read more