Starting in May, most of the 2015 Sony 4K TVs will be available for purchase with a starting price of $1,299 (43X830C), which is insane when you consider what prices were two years ago. Alongside entry level models, you can even purchase the flagship X930C and X940C which feature HDR and are up to 75-inches in size.
The only model absent from the Spring release is the insanely thin X900C and X910C. Some more details after the jump.
Along side revealing HDR support for the X930C and X940C, Sony has also announced that the majority of their 2015 4K televisions will arrive in May. Starting today, the X930C, X850C, and X930C/X940C 4K televisions are available for pre-sale (whatever that means) and will be on-sale for the masses in May with an arrival time sometime later that month.
Right after CES 2015, we’d reported on the inclusion of HDR in Sony’s 2015 fleet of XBR 4K televisions. While not every model would offer support for 4K HDR, we were told by fairly reliable sources that Sony’s flagship units would offer them. For those unfamiliar, HDR in a nutshell offers brighter whites and darker blacks at the same time. At the same time, HDR sets provide a wider range of light for the TV to display a picture.
Now, Sony has confirmed that HDR will be coming to their flagship series which means more colors with brighter whites and darker darks. More details after the jump.
One thing that makes the Sony Xperia Z3 unique compared to other phones out there is its ability to record in 4K. Having a computer that’s capable of editing 4K, I wanted to put the Z3’s powerful camera to the test and so I headed down to Santa Monica to shoot some footage. My goal throughout this was to treat the phone and in turn the produced footage as if I was an everyday consumer. That means despite being edited together, none of the footage, video or audio, has been altered in any shape.
If you have a TV or computer that’s capable of viewing 4K footage, be sure to click the settings button on the video and select 4K. For everyone else, you can still view the above video in 1080p.
On the heels of their 2015 fleet of 4K televisions dropping, Sony is beefing up its 4K library with some new and exclusive content. Available as of April 10th, the PlayStation-produced show Powers will be available in 4K on Video Unlimited 4K, and can be accessed via the FMP-X10 4K Media Server. Powers adds to the growing list of over 300 pieces of native 4K content available exclusively for Sony television users, like Better Call Saul. Keep in mind that access to Sony’s Video Unlimited 4K requires the separately-purchased (though often given for free) FMP-X10 4K media server.
Luckily for those without one, more native 4K content is coming to Sony televisions via a new app which requires no servers and will feature films like Interstellar (pictured above). If you’re interested, more details await you after the jump.
Many of you, like me, are quite eager to hear about Sony’s pricing and availability guide for their 2015 fleet of 4K televisions. Revealed at CES, Sony had a TV line for almost all of us, including the ludicrously thin X900C models. Just last week, Sony announced pricing for the X83C and X85C series in the UK. Now, thanks to leaked information, we have prices to go along with all of the 2015 Sony 4K TVs, which await you after the jump.
Not likely the best day to drop product pricing but here it is. Sony has unveiled the pricing that will be attached to their 2015 4K televisions in Europe. While not the entire fleet, the new pricing covers the X83C and X85C series which are part of Sony’s new 4K TVs that will be powered by Android TV. We’d previously covered Sony’s entire 2015 4K TV and HDTV line up. As expected, this years fleet of 4K TVs while far more able than their predecessors also offer a more affordable price tag with the KD-49X8305C starting at £1,299.
More pricing after the jump.
When the 2015 Sony 4K televisions with Android TV launch later this year, expect to see a new app titled YouView that will not only make your life easier, but that of Sony’s as well. Thanks to a partnership between Sony and the new service, YouView will allow future Bravia owners to browse and view content from a host of UK providers all from one app. From a user perspective, this is brilliant as it removes the need to know which show belongs to which network.
From Sony’s point of view, all they need to do is negotiate with YouView and let them negotiate licensing with the different content providers. So which channels will you be able to access on YouView? We have the details after the jump.
If in your arsenal of entertainment devices you have a PS4 and a 4K television then the following news is specifically for you. Sony has updated the PlayMemories App on PS4 with 4K support. For those unfamiliar, PlayMemories syncs your photos between your different devices (think iCloud & Photo Stream) for easy access and consumption. While 4K video is something new for consumers, digital cameras have been able to capture at that resolution for many years. Now those with a 4K TV will have an easy way to consume their photos. Details after the jump.
Thanks to an anonymous tipster who sent us the above video, we may have our very first look at a proper marketing campaign from Sony for their 4K lineup. As you can see from the 30 second ad, Sony is highlighting their ludicrously thin X900C and X910C 4K TV. What strikes me beyond that we’re finally getting a Sony ad is how beautiful the commercial is. Unlike past Sony commercials which at times are too artsy and lose the message or too wordy and try to over sell what the device is, this ad is brilliantly simple. No voiceover, no talk about specs, and certainly not all over the place. Instead the ad focuses on one of the biggest selling points of the X900C line, their thinness.
A few more thoughts after the jump.
In late January, we learned that the YouTube app on PlayStation Vita would be going away. Since its launch, YouTube has been a prominent part of Vita, allowing gamers to experience all the Tobuscus Adventures and Lindsey Stirling videos they can handle. When the app goes dark on April 20th, gamers will still be able to access the service, albeit through the mobile browser. We put together an article which highlights the difference between the soon to be defunct app and the mobile browser which can be read here. At that time, it was unclear why the service was coming to an end though I predicted that it had more to do with Google than Sony.
Now Google has announced that YouTube support will be killed on any 2012 television or older. Details after the jump.
One of the biggest unveils from CES 2015 came from Sony’s new lineup of 4K TVs. Specifically, the X900C and X910X (which you can read about here) offer full native 4K video in an insanely thin design. Measuring at 4.9mm (1/5 inch) thin, the ultra-slim design allows for you wall-mount the units in almost an art-like fashion. Best of all, there is nothing proprietary about the TV, allowing for a normal VESA mount to be used. Having seen them at CES, I can simply state that pictures and words simply don’t do the X900C and X910C justice and luckily Sony agrees. After the jump, an in-depth video look at the latest 4K TVs with ‘floating style’ design which shows off how insanely beautiful this television is.
Netflix Chief Product Office Neil Hunt believes that 4K support is coming to the PlayStation 4. With a full year under its belt, Sony has made no announcements in regards to 4K capabilities on the PS4, other than a vague comment by Shuhei Yoshida on August 2013 which stated
PS4 will support 4K video and photos
Nearly a year and a half later, we’ve yet to see any hints of 4K on PS4 but if the PS3 was any sign, Sony has the know-how to build on their original design. That is to say that the PS3 that launched 10 years ago is very different than the PS3 of now which thanks to firmware updates have brought with them a more robust PlayStation Network, 3D movies, and a host of apps, all which were absent during launch. Is the PS4 headed towards the same path? Quite likely, but according Neil Hunt, it may be done with a hardware revision. Wait, what? Let’s talk about the jump.
One of the biggest reveals from CES 2015 was the embrace of Android TV by Sony. Offered on every 2015 4K television a majority of their HD televisions as well, Android TV will be the core user interface consumers will be faced with. This will hopefully result in not only a smart TV that’s actually smart, but one that has updated apps that can continue to grow and expand our experience with TVs. Traditionally, televisions have either been plagued by poorly written and sluggish apps that are never updated or are purely dumb boxes where apps and network functionality are brought to it via other setup boxes like Apple TV and gaming consoles like the PS4.
More details after the jump.
One of the major announcements from CES was the arrival of Android TV on Sony televisions. Instead of tippy toeing around the new OS, Sony has decided to embrace Android TV in a big way and is including on its entire 2015 4K and HDTV fleet. With a UI that’s finally not horrid and a host of options like Google Cast, the smart TV we’ve always wanted may finally be here.
This of course brought to question the status of the 2014 Sony 4K televisions. Could the older Bravia 4K TVs be upgraded to Android TV? We’ve been asked this question many times on Twitter, Facebook, and our comments section so lets address it after the jump.
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