CES: Sony Places Heavy Bets On Internet TV, 3D

  • January 6, 2011
LAS VEGAS--If there was ever any doubt that connected devices are the future of the television industry, they were lifted at Sony's press event at CES in Las Vegas on Wednesday.

Announcing the company's direction for 2011, Sony Chairman and CEO Sir Howard Stringer announced the company would put its considerable marketing muscle behind a new global advertising campaign built around the theme of "Television Redefined." A teaser video for the campaign began with the phrase, "First there was television," followed by images of people buying and watching early television sets. "Then came the Internet," followed by scenes of people using room-sized - then subsequently smaller - computers. "Now there's Sony Internet television," the video continued. The video asserted the company's sets would bring together "film, music and even friendship" through the television, "all streamed via the Internet. All in 3D. ... This year, television will be redefined."

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"Sony has the knowledge, the assets and the passion to redefine television," Stringer said. He did not say when the global marketing campaign would officially launch. "3D and Internet television are poised to follow the same paths to success."

While also pushing the connected television, Sony is placing heavy bets on 3D products as well. "2011 begins the next phase of 3D entertainment," Stringer said. "It's the year 3D becomes personal."

The company showed various 3D products, from more 3D televisions, to computers that will have the ability to show 3D programming, to handheld, consumer-oriented cameras that can shoot 3D film and video. The company showed prototypes of a personal viewer that would allow for 3D viewing and a glasses-free 3D Blu-Ray player. Sony also announced a partnership with Discovery Communications to launch 3Dnet, a 24/7 channel of 3D programming. "This is a significant step in providing high-quality 3D entertainment in the home," Stringer said.<I>--Aaron Baar</i>

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