Sony unveils ‘toys’
in time for holidays

Not yet on the market is a robot
that sings and memorizes faces

During a recent farewell celebration for a Sony Hawaii executive, the guest of honor took a back seat for a few minutes to a pair of 2-foot-tall, 15-pound hunks of sculptured metal that entertained guests with perfectly synchronized hula.

Meet QRIO, the Entertainment Robot that Sony says will one day live with humans. QRIO can walk effortlessly on two feet, run, jump a bit and squat -- shades of "I, Robot."

QRIO was introduced to the public at a recent Sony product show, where it sang, memorized faces, recognized speech, expressed emotions, even climbed stairs. The little guy isn't for sale yet, but Sony has other new "toys" arriving in time for holiday gift giving.

Sony unveiled the world's first HDV1080i consumer camcorder, the HDR-FX1 at $3,700. This Handycam camcorder records and plays back high-definition video with the highest resolution (1,440 pixels x 1,080 lines) of any consumer camcorder.

Video resolution is enhanced by Sony's new three-chip, one-megapixel Super HAD CCDs, which have several improvements: an on-chip micro-lens on top of the CCD sensor that increases the light focusing rate for focusing on the run; and a newly developed 16:9 aspect mode for widescreen recording.

Each of the three 1/3-inch, 16:9 CCDs use Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T optics, minimizing warping while maximizing sharpness and contrast. All of this imaging power produces sharper, richer and more true-to-life images than earlier camcorders. The HDR-FX1 also employs the same MPEG2 compression scheme used for digital broadcasts and DVD discs, so it can record on ordinary DV tapes.

In addition, a wide-range stereo microphone offers superior audio quality, minimizing wind noise. Cinematone Gamma and Cineframe functions enable high-quality picture processing for images with the warmth, softness and richness similar comparable to big screen movies.

If you'd rather watch than make movies, Sony introduced a new line of six Grand WEGA rear projection HDTV sets (KDF-42WE655, KDF-50WE655, KDF-55WF655, KDF-60WF655, KDF-55XS955 and KDF-60XS955) priced from $2,800 to $4,400.

These micro-display LCD rear projection sets have screen sizes ranging from 42 to 60 inches, and deliver detailed picture quality from a compatible video source by minimizing the digital-to-analog conversion process.

They also include a Memory Stick media slot for JPEG and MPEG1 file playback, and can display a customized slide show with MP3 background music. The new sets are compatible with Memory Stick PRO and Memory Stick Duo media formats.

For HDTV owners seeking access to digital-cable high-definition content, there are new HD digital video recorders (DHG-HDD250 and the DHG-HDD500), priced at $799 and $999, respectively. These provide access to encrypted high-definition and standard-definition digital cable services when paired with a digital decoder device and a digital cable subscription. They also provide access to analog cable services, as well as nonsubscription services like high-definition digital terrestrial and analog broadcasts.

The 500 model can record and store up to 400 hours of standard definition programming or at least 60 hours of maximum bit rate high-definition content with its 500 GB of storage capacity.

The 250 will record up to 200 hours of SD programming and at least 30 hours of HD content on its internal 250 GB hard drive.

Other features: A free TV Guide on-screen interactive program guide offers easy program searching and automatic scheduled recording where available, and several standard-definition analog outputs for connection to recording equipment or analog TV sets.

For those in search of a camera, a new 7.2-megapixel Cyber-Shot cameras (DSC-V3), at $700, offers a Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar lens, 4x optical zoom.

The V3 is a compact, rangefinder-style camera with a large handle grip and a 2.5-inch LCD viewfinder. The camera is powered by Sony's new Real Imaging Processor circuitry that provides a fast start-up and shot-to-shot times of just more than a second, and increased speed and performance for automatic features like auto focus and auto exposure.

When used with Memory Stick PRO media, the V3 camera also captures and plays back high-resolution moving images in MPEG-VX Fine mode, with 640 x 480 pixel resolution at 30 frames a second up to the capacity of the media card. The rechargeable battery provides about 260 shots a charge.

Other features: dual media slots for Memory Stick and Compact Flash I formats; a high-speed burst (SDRAM) mode for up to eight full-resolution images at more than two frames a second; Hologram AF Illuminator technology that projects a laser pattern on the subject to create contrast for precise focus in low- or no-light conditions; and NightShot Infrared to capture infrared images in total darkness up to 15 feet.

For those who like to travel light, there's the DSC-P150, the world's smallest 7.2-megapixel camera, at about $500. Yielding an image size of 3,072 x 2,304, it's the first pocketable camera capable of capturing enough pixels to make quality 8-by-10-inch print enlargements.

At 1 inch thin, it features a Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar 3X optical zoom lens and gets 310 shots a charge on a InfoLithium battery.