After a year of skirmishing with technology rivals, Sony announced plans on Wednesday for its first Blu-ray DVD drive for PCs. It also outlined plans for high-definition Blu-ray DVD players and recorders aimed at the international market, and also provided a look at its broader 2006 electronics lineup.
Sony's most anticipated high-definition product remains the PlayStation 3, which is still expected to be released this spring, at least in Japan. But the company said on Wednesday it will also release, in the summer, an as-yet-unpriced Blu-ray player called the BDP-S1, and, by the end of the year, an external computer drive that will play and record the high-definition discs.
Blu-ray hardware from Sony and others will hit the market at roughly the same time as the rival HD DVD technology. Toshiba said on Wednesday its first HD DVD players will begin shipping to consumers in March 2006.
Though Sony's Blu-ray technology has gained considerable momentum in recent months, analysts say the uncertainty over which format will ultimately prevail is likely to dampen consumers' enthusiasm for high-definition technology.
"To the degree this is perceived by consumers as a format war, everyone's going to vote by leaving their wallet in their pocket," said Gartner analyst Van Baker. "If any of these guys are expecting to go mainstream, they're going to have to come to agreement, or else someone has to win."
Beyond Blu-ray
A portable eBook reader, previously available in the United States, may
raise text-lovers' eyebrows. Measuring just a half-inch wide, and using
an electronic-paper technology called "E Ink," the device will hold
about 80 books at a time. Sony will sell eBooks through its Connect
download service, which has previously focused on music sales.
The Portable Reader System will be available in spring 2006 but does not yet have a price tag. A similar device has been marketed overseas as the Librie.
A new Walkman-branded phone from Sony Ericsson, available in the spring, will play MP3 and AAC music files and include a 2-megapixel camera.
As with every year, the company will also release a long list of new home and auto audio products, DVD players, headphones and computer peripherals.
CNET News.com's Daniel Terdiman contributed to this report.
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