Sony - page 12

No technology company in the world has been more scrutinized than Apple when it comes to labor conditions. Over the past couple months everyone has been quick to point out how crappy the conditions are at Apple’s supplier factories – Foxconn. But what a lot of the tech press hasn’t done, is investigate the conditions at the other major tech companies in the world. Not only is Apple the only company talking about what they’re doing to fix the problem, but they are the only major tech company that is allowing independent audits of their factory conditions.

It’s a simple question, phrased politely, and sent to the right people. Does your company have any plans to let independent auditors check up on your suppliers’ factories?

Here’s what some of the world’s biggest electronics companies said in response:

I bet you thought you were pretty cool showing off your X-ray app and farting cat. Well, it’s time to get schooled by some professionals who are going to show you just how amazing your phone could be. Watch as car-hacker/engineer Dr. James Brighton recreates the popular mobile racing game Reckless Racing 2 using two MGF sports cars and an Xperia Play and Xperia S. This was all done in conjunction with Xperia Studio, a project created by Sony which invites people across the globe to test the limits of mobile technology. It never ceases to amaze me what some individuals can accomplish and it’s projects like these that get me excited about the future.

Yet another rear panel for Apple’s iPad 3 has surfaced, refueling rumors that claim the third-generation tablet will feature a new camera and a slightly modified design to accommodate its new components.

Apple’s recent quarterly earnings demonstrated insane success. As a result, failing companies like Sony and JC Penney have suddenly reorganized their missions to copy Apple.

Unfortunately, they will fail, because they don’t understand why Apple succeeds. 

It seems that lengthy report looking into the poor working conditions in Chinese factories assembling Apple products is going to haunt the Cupertino company for some time yet. The latest backlash comes from consumer group SumOfUs, which has launched a petition calling for Apple to “stop worker abuse,” with over 35,000 signatures collected in just 24 hours.

LAS VEGAS, CES 2012 – When Steve Jobs unveiled the sixth generation iPod nano in September of 2010, he coyly said, “You can even wear it as a watch!” Overnight, the “iWatch” was coined and a whole new industry was born, as accessory makers flocked to deliver iPod nano watchbands.

Over the last year, Apple’s added a variety of new graphical watchfaces to the iPod nano, further emphasizing the nano’s suitability as a watch replacement. But that’s not nearly enough. The iPod nano’s inherent iWatchiness is a quality that Apple is still seriously under-exploiting.

Want to know how good a real iWatch could be? Look no further than Sony’s SmartWatch, on display this week at CES.

Foxconn workers at an Xbox plant in China threatened a mass suicide earlier this month after the manufacturer reportedly refused to pay compensation it had promised earlier. Today, Microsoft and Foxconn have announced that the dispute has now been resolved.

What’s this? Android news on Cult of Mac?! Who the hell cares?! Maybe you don’t, maybe you do. Point is: these are a few of the popular topics going on in the Android world today. Maybe you’d like to know what the competition is up to, or perhaps your aunt received a Kindle Fire she needs to update. Regardless of the reason, having a resource such as Cult of Android allows you to learn more about what’s going on in the ecosystem powered by the world’s leading mobile OS.

LAS VEGAS, CES 2012 – Amazing to think Sony has never offered an armature-driven earphone before; now that they are, they’re diving in huge time with eleven models. Aussie new kid on the block Audiofly just have one in their new lineup, but it’s a doozy, and it sounded absolutely stunning; we fully expect these to be a huge hit.

Sony is bringing its Music Unlimited service to iOS devices in the next three months. The Spotify-like service has been available on Android and PC devices, but Sony is looking to expand to the App Store.

LAS VEGAS, CES 2012 – Want to see at a glance everything that’s wrong with Sony? Look at that monstrosity above. It’s Sony’s new TV remote, and while the Japanese electronics maker prattled on about its wireless capabilities, backlit keyboard and VoIP microphone, the rest of the industry at CES is showing off voice- and gesture- controlled Smart TVs in anticipation of Apple’s entry into the market.

Totally clueless. Sony’s press event on Monday evening was like watching a company that had never even heard of Apple, let alone seen it in the last five years topple Sony’s lead in multiple industries.

While there are many benefits to gaming on an iOS device, such as cheap games and an impressive handheld experience, there is one downside: no physical control pad. That won’t be much of a problem to some, but to gamers like me — who like to play first-person shooters and retro platformers — a physical control pad compatible with our iOS devices is truly missed.

That’s why the 60beat GamePad is a dream come true for iOS gamers.

Intel has reportedly begun notifying PC makers that it will “fully release” its Thunderbolt technology in April of 2012. This means that companies like HP and Dell will be able to sell Thunderbolt-equipped notebooks and desktops.

Apple and Intel partnered for the launch of Thunderbolt, and Apple has made the connection architecture standard for its notebooks and desktop computers, excluding the Mac Pro. It appears that Apple won’t be the only Thunderbolt-equipped computer company on the block anymore.

Founded in 2010, Digitude Innovations is a company based in Virginia that has decided against selling products or services, but chooses instead to sue other companies for patent infringement. Yes, it’s a patent troll. And according to one report, it’s doing all of Apple’s dirty work.

While Apple chose to stick with the same 3.5-inch display for the iPhone 4S that it had previously employed in older iPhones, the Cupertino company looks certain to increase that for its iPhone 5. According to a source in Apple’s supply chain, both Hitachi and Sony have already begun shipping 4-inch LCD panels for a “new iOS device,” believed to be the sixth-generation iPhone.

Aaron Sorkin’s one of the most respected names in screenwriting these days. Not only did he write The Social Network and Moneyball, but he’s also behind the fantastic series Sports Night and The West Wing.

Needless to say, then, Sorkin’s high on the list of people that Sony wants to write their upcoming bio pic of Steve Jobs, based on Walter Isaacson’s best-selling bio. And apparently he’s really considering it.

Interesting, but I personally hope this is more Moneyball and less Social Network, which was a pretty flawed film.

Sony CEO Howard Stringer recently revealed the company’s intentions to launch a revolutionary new television before Apple, and according to The Wall Street Journal, it will be a web-based alternative to the traditional set that will allow users to avoid the cable companies.

Steve Jobs told his biographer Walter Isaacson he had “finally cracked” the television set, sparking more rumors his team in Cupertino are on the cusp of launching a revolutionary new television that will change home entertainment forever.

Apple won’t be the first to attempt this, however. Sony’s CEO Sir Howard Stringer says he is competing against Steve Jobs to change the traditional television set.

Having acquired the movie rights to Walter Isaacson’s authorized Steve Jobs biography earlier this month, Sony is now looking for a writer that can deliver Steve’s story to the big screen. At the top of the company’s wish list, according to a report from The LA Times, is Aaron Sokin, the writer behind The Social Network.

Sony Ericsson CEO Bert Nordberg recently sat down with the The Wall Street Journal to talk about the future of Sony Ericsson as a company and player in the smartphone market.

Nordberg was quoted as saying that the company “should have taken the iPhone more seriously when it arrived in 2007.”  You think, Nordberg?

Even before Apple founder Steve Jobs cleaned out his CEO desk, rival companies are commenting on his legacy and bravery in the face of illness. Although Jobs’ departure may be his rivals’ only chance to compete with Apple, the glowing words should be for a dead leader, not one of the most ferocious competitors in Silicon Valley.

No, it’s not. But a quick glance at its box might fool you into thinking so, and that’s because Sony seems to have used Apple’s default OS X Lion wallpaper as the background image on the company’s EX621 BRAVIA TV.

After a hard day’s work, I like to sit in front of the TV and stick my feet up my a hot cup of tea and a copy of the day’s paper. Other Brits feel the need for something a little more exciting, such as looting electrical stores for anything they can sell on the black market and torching whatever’s left.

Thankfully, Apple’s iconic glass-fronted retail stores should come to no harm, as some reports suggest Apple is granted “special treatment” from the U.K. police force.

The first non-Apple laptop supporting the new Thunderbolt standard has now officially been announced in the Sony Vaio Z, and it’s an impressive machine… for a Windows PC. Unfortunately, though, Sony’s implementation of Thunderbolt is hobbled by a hubristic decision to use a different connector than Apple, , along with a petulant refusal to adopt Apple’s Thunderbolt brand name.