Sony and RealD today announced a technology partnership aiming to provide 3D home entertainment to consumers beginning in 2010.
The pact includes Sony licensing the stereoscopic RealD Format, know-how in producing active and passive 3D eyewear and other RealD technologies. Sony and RealD have been closely working together to create a better 3D experience at movie theaters for years. The parties will now join forces to deliver a similar premium 3D entertainment experience to the home.
"Sony has its proprietary LCD panel driving technology to reproduce full HD 3D images on the screen of new "BRAVIA" LCD TVs, which will work in sync with new 3D eyewear based on RealD's technology. We are excited to work with RealD in bringing 3D to the home." said Hiroshi Yoshioka, Executive Deputy President, Officer in charge of Consumer Products and Devices Group, Sony Corporation.
The companies are working in partnership to bring to market 3D compatible "BRAVIA" LCD high definition TVs and other consumer products in Sony's current and future portfolio that will support the stereoscopic RealD Format. The RealD Format is a side-by-side 3D format capable of delivering high-quality 3D utilizing all channels of the existing HD broadcast infrastructure.
PGA TOUR in 3D
Sony also announced a partnership with PGA TOUR to offer golf games in 3D. Together, Sony and the PGA TOUR will work to develop a plan to make the 2011 Sony Open in Hawaii the first PGA TOUR event shot in 3D and available for distribution in 3D to select audiences, in addition to its regular 2D presentation.
Development work will begin at the 2010 Sony Open, at which Sony will shoot portions of the event in 3D as a first step in the joint study, and continue through the 2010 PGA TOUR season. The organizations will also explore development of 3D golf for other potential applications.
The Sony Open in Hawaii, now in its 12th year, is one of the leading charity sporting events in the state of Hawaii and reaches over 450 million homes in over 200 countries via multiple national and international broadcast networks.
Dow Jones Content Exclusively For Sony's Reader
Staying with Sony, the company, through its Digital Reading Division, today announced a new relationship with Dow Jones & Company for exclusive content offerings from The Wall Street Journal and MarketWatch, part of the Wall Street Journal Digital Network, for wireless delivery to the Reader Daily Edition.
In addition, the company has reached an agreement with the New York Post to exclusively offer the only version of the New York Post for digital reading devices. These new offerings will be available soon in Sony?s newly branded Reader Store (readerstore.sony.com). The Reader Daily Edition with wireless 3G connectivity is available for pre-sale at SonyStyle Stores and online at SonyStyle.com. Under the agreements, Sony?s Reader Daily Edition will be the premier digital reading device for The Wall Street Journal and New York Post. The publishers will jointly market the devices with Sony in these two leading daily newspapers.
Dow Jones, the New York Post and Sony?s Digital Reading Division are offering select exclusive daily content packages available only through Sony?s Reader Store for wireless delivery to the Reader Daily Edition. The Reader Daily Edition is optimized for newspapers and offers that content in an easy-to-read format. The Reader?s touch screen lets users them highlight, take notes and even look up words on the device?s integrated dictionary.
With a subscription, each edition will be delivered wirelessly to the Reader Daily Edition. Subscriptions are $14.99 a month. Offerings for the Reader Store include:
- The Wall Street Journal PLUS: In addition to the day?s full morning digital edition, WSJ PLUS provides an update of the day?s world and business events after the close of the markets. The monthly subscription for the morning paper and the update is $19.99.
- MarketWatch Today: This offering, only available on Reader Store, extracts the day?s most important feature stories and analysis from MarketWatch.com and delivers them directly to the Reader. A subscription will cost $10.99 a month.
- New York Post: Now Readers can get all of the hottest news, gossip and sports reporting on their Reader. The New York Post debuts its exclusive digital reader version, available for wireless delivery to the Sony Reader Daily Edition. A subscription for the New York Post Digital Reader Edition costs $9.99 a month.
The Wall Street Journal digital edition and MarketWatch Today will be available in the next few days. The Wall Street Journal PLUS and New York Post will be available in January. Readers can also get a 14-day free trial of any of these subscriptions.