First, congratulations to Sony for not having some weird and long name for this device: The Bloggie™ Touch. It makes sense and is easy to remember. Now, onto the product itself. Here to replace the older, multi-button and confused Bloggie, the Bloggie Touch offers a beefy array of specs while having the simplicity of the Flip HD series.

Sporting a brushed aluminum body that will come in pink, black and silver, the Bloggie Touch will replace most of the buttons found on its predecessor with a new 3-inch touch screen. The device, via its F2.8 wide angle lens and Exmor CMOS sensor, will give you the capability to record in full 1080p and take stills at a 12.8 megapixel resolution with 4X zoom. The Bloggie Touch also has a USB out for computer and Playstation hookup with also an HDMI out for direct playback. Look for these units to be release in October at $180 for a 4GB unit and $200 for the 8GB version.

Hit the jump for a full gallery and press release.

 A ‘TOUCH’ IS ALL IT TAKES: SONY UNVEILS NEW BLOGGIE CAMERA
Device Allows Easy Sharing of HD Video and Photos via Social Networks

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 1, 2010 – Making its worldwide debut today, Sony’s new Bloggie™ Touch enhances the pocket video camera category by making it even easier to preserve and upload life’s spontaneous moments.

The Bloggie Touch (MHS-TS20 and MHS-TS10) captures full 1920x1080p high definition MP4 video and 12.8-megapixel photos on 8GB or 4GB of embedded memory, respectively, offering approximately four hours of HD movie recording. Its sleek, stylish body sports a three-inch diagonal capacitive touch screen enabling intuitive operation as well as attractive shooting and playback options.

“The new Bloggie Touch addresses the growing need for premium video products with advanced technology in a desirable package at a competitive price point,” said Andy Bubala, director of Sony’s camcorder business. “We started from the ground up to develop a new system of hardware, software and seamless integration with social network services for an easy, intuitive shooting and sharing experience that anyone can enjoy.”

Boasting a clean, innovative design, new Bloggie Touch cameras feature minimal hard keys and a large, vibrant touch screen that automatically adjusts for vertical or horizontal shooting and viewing, enabling customers to shoot video right-handed, left-handed, right-side-up or even upside-down. You can record video, snap photos, or both at the same time, just by pressing two of three simplified buttons on the device. An advanced user interface features intuitive “touch and flick” recording control, search and playback operation, as well as a simple Share-it-Later function to tag the clips and pictures you want to post for easy upload when you are online.

Sony’s Bloggie Touch cameras now deliver amazingly high quality video and photos. Equipped with a F2.8 wide angle lens and a sensitive Exmor™ CMOS sensor, the new cameras achieve high resolution video and crisply-detailed still photos with less noise, even in challenging lighting conditions. Additionally, its processor allows videographers to attain 4x digital zoom and auto focus capabilities, including Auto Macro to focus sharply on objects as close as four inches away.

The ultra-compact, lightweight cameras slip easily into a pocket or purse so they can record your favorite moments anytime, anywhere. The Bloggie Touch has SteadyShot® image stabilization for smoother footage, Face Detection technology to enhance faces by automatically correcting exposure and a built-in USB arm for easy charging and uploading to a computer. It even features an HDMI™ output to enjoy content on your HDTV.

Simple, Secure Way to Share Photos and Videos

After shooting, it’s never been easier to share your favorite videos and photos on the web. By connecting the camera to an internet-connected compatible computer via the built-in USB, pre-installed Bloggie software quickly imports your content and makes it a breeze to edit, organize, and even transfer your videos and photos to popular sharing websites with simple drag and drop motions. It includes direct upload to Facebook®, Flickr®, Picasa Web Albums™ and YouTube™ photo and video sharing sites.

The built-in Bloggie software also connects to Sony’s Personal Space™ online service that effortlessly shares your photos and videos privately with individuals you select. Personal Space service offers registered users the ability to create Sharing Groups by entering email addresses of friends and family. Once footage and images have been uploaded, the service sends an email invitation to those groups with a link to view content on your Personal Space service. It’s easier, quicker and safer than sending big file attachments via email, and no registration is required by email recipients.

Available in silver or black, the MHS-TS20 and MHS-TS10 will be available in October for about $200 and $180 respectively. The Bloggie Touch cameras, and a specially designed protective skin jacket, will be sold at Sony Style® retail stores, www.sonystyle.com/bloggie and through the Sony Retailer Network nationwide.