MUMBAI: Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman and CEO of Sony Corporation, delivered the opening keynote today at the 2006 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. In his presentation, entitled "Entertaining the Future," Mr. Stringer spoke about the changing relationship between content, technology and the consumer, and outlined the "four pillars" of e-Entertainment, Digital Cinema, High Definition and PlayStation, that are featured throughout the Sony booth at CES, and are key to the future of electronics and entertainment.
In e-Entertainment, Mr. Stringer focused on the increasingly personalized nature of entertainment and the importance of recognizing and accommodating the needs of the individual while providing choice and convenience in the ways that consumers use Sony products. Among other products, Mr. Stringer introduced the new Sony Reader, which will be available this spring, and was joined on stage by Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code, to discuss the many benefits of eBook technology for readers, authors and the environment.
The Sony Ericsson W810, the latest version of the Walkman(TM) phone, which established the mobile phone as a credible digital music player, was also demonstrated. Following that, Mr. Stringer showcased PlayStation(R)Portable's ability to allow consumers to watch their favorite television programs any time, from anywhere in the world using Sony's Location Free(R)technology.
In a discussion of Digital Cinema, Mr. Stringer detailed how Sony's digital cinema equipment is being used by leading directors around the world to redefine the way consumers enjoy the motion picture experience.
BrainGrazer, producer of the highly anticipated film The DA Vinci Code, along with the film's director, Ron Howard, and Academy Award-winning actor, Tom Hanks, joined Mr. Stringer on stage to discuss how the film is progressing and the technological advancements in high-definition film making and projection systems that are keeping the theater-going experience alive and thriving. Sony also debuted a scene from its upcoming release of The DA Vinci Code.
Beyond Digital Cinema, Mr. Stringer emphasized that Sony is well-positioned to succeed in the transition to High-er Definition - both inside and out of the home.
"The transition to HD is especially important to Sony, because from film production in Hollywood to television viewing at home, Sony has connected every link in the HD chain," he said. "With professional equipment,camcorders, television displays, Blu-ray Disc players, packaged media and more, no one is better positioned to lead the way to full high definition. That's why we say Sony is Higher Definition."
In addition to highlighting Sony's HD equipment and award-winning GrandWEGA(R) and BRAVIA(TM) televisions, Mr. Stringer talked about the rapid growth and proliferation of HD content. After announcing that Sony Entertainment Television's Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune -- the two most successful gameshows in television history -- will be the first game shows available in HD this fall, he was joined onstage by CBS sports anchor Greg Gumbel, who discussed the ways in which sports programming in HD is changing the nature of the viewing experience. Michael Dell, Chairman of Dell Inc., made a special appearance to discuss the importance of the Blu-ray disc format for both the consumer electronics and IT industries.
In the last of the four pillars, Kaz Hirai, President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America, joined Mr. Stringer to discuss how PLAYSTATION(R) 3 will build on the incredible success of the PlayStation(R) 2,which experienced a 10.5% year-over-year gain in holiday sales and was the only platform in the videogame industry with positive growth, and on the success of the PlayStation(R) Portable (PSP(R)). Mr. Hirai also emphasized the importance of the Cell processor, which is designed to support broadband consumer applications and HD video streams and will be at the heart of the PLAYSTATION 3, scheduled to launch later this year.
By utilizing Blu-ray,PLAYSTATION 3 will also provide the large storage capacity required by game creators to achieve real-time gameplay mechanics in a true HD world.
For more information on Sony's announcements at CES, go to http://www.sony.com/news/ces06.
Sony Corporation of America, based in New York City, is the US subsidiary of Sony Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo. Sony is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, communications, and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. Its music, motion picture, television, computer entertainment, and online businesses make Sony one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world. Sony's principal US businesses include Sony Electronics Inc., Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., and a 50% interest in Sony BMG Music Entertainment, one of the largest recorded music companies in the world. Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of approximately $67 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2005, and it employs 151,400 people worldwide. Sony's consolidated sales in the US for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2005 were $18.4 billion.
For more information see http://www.sony.com
