sony

Touch ultrabooks are seeing decent price cuts at the Microsoft Store, making these expensive models a bit more affordable.

Touch-screen laptops are generally priced significantly higher than non-touch models, as the screens have been expensive to procure.

The well-received Acer Aspire S7 has seen one of the steepest discounts, falling to $1,299 from $1,649.

The S7 features a 256GB solid-state drive, a 13.3-inch 1,920x1,080 resolution display, and a 1.9GHz Intel Core i7-3517U processor.

Next up, Sony's Vaio T Series 13 has been reduced to $999 from $1,299. That 13.3-inch touch model … Read more

Look in the comments below any portable GPS navigation device review or news story on CNET and chances are that you'll find a large number of readers saying something akin to, "Why would I buy this when I've got an app that's better?" You people can't seem to get enough of your smartphones and your apps!

But while a suction cup mount and an aux-audio cable may be enough for some people, many could benefit from a phone-app integration system that makes accessing a smartphone's navigation and audio-streaming apps a bit more solid and a lot less distracting. With that in mind, I've rounded up some of my favorite car stereos that help you to (safely) get your app fix on the go.… Read more

A less sophisticated cousin of Sony's current flagship phone, the Xperia Z, the Xperia ZL has plenty to offer, including the same powerful components and impressive 13-megapixel imaging system. Priced at an exorbitant $759.99, though, this Android handset is no impulse buy. That said, as it's running Jelly Bean out of the box, boasting a big 5-inch screen, and supports 4G LTE, it's nicely appointed. If you're going to spend this much on a phone, however, there are other similarly impressive unlocked options, such as the HTC One Developer Edition.

Design Sony certainly used its … Read more

Owners of Sony's Xperia S tablet will finally get a crack at Android 4.1.1, aka Jelly Bean, early today.

Sony expects to push the update to its production server sometime between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. PT. Xperia S owners will then receive a notice in the bottom right Notification Area alerting them that a system update is available. Users can also follow the steps outlined on Sony's System Update page to manually check for the latest Android flavor.

The update will be available in the U.S, Canada, and Latin America. … Read more

When it comes to generating consumer lust, Microsoft often comes up short.

Windows 8 sales seem to be falling shy of analyst expectations. And despite its best design and engineering efforts, Microsoft continues to struggle to get anything more than a toehold in the smartphone market.

And yet Microsoft's success with the Xbox continues to undermine any argument that the company is preternaturally unable to understand consumer desires. The Xbox 360 has performed so strongly in its seven-year run that Microsoft is in the enviable position of being able to wait for rivals Nintendo and Sony to unveil their … Read more

If $25,000 for an 84-inch 4K TV seemed a bit too steep for your wallet, take heart: Sony has revealed prices for more budget-friendly sets that won't take up half your living room or all of your savings account.

The electronics giant announced today that 55-inch and 65-inch 4K Ultra HD LED TVs will cost $4,999 and $6,999, respectively. They will be available for order beginning April 21. The new sets, which were unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January, are now available for in-store demonstrations at Sony stores in New York, … Read more

Last year, nearly as many people visited Apple's retail stores as went to Disneyland parks. That's something to marvel considering Disney has been in the amusement park business since 1955, and Apple's gadget stores are barely 12 years old. Apple's stores are also light on the cotton candy, fireworks, and bathrooms.

While there are plenty more differences between the two, one major similarity is that both companies have relied on these institutions as the ideal experience for interacting with their products.

In that same vein comes Samsung's latest foray into the retail business. Today, the company announced plans … Read more

Straight out of the box, the LG Optimus G Pro looks like it's going to be a crowd pleaser. With its 13-megapixel camera, spare battery, and charger, "quad-beat" earbuds, and cute Korean comic book manual, Jeff can't help but hear "Dream Weaver" in his head when gazing into its gorgeous display. It's even big enough to live up to Molly's phablet standards. Plus, the LG Optimus G Pro sports a sparkly back that, once again, prompts our hosts to reference "The Matrix."

The Sony Xperia Z, which made a surprise … Read more

April Fools' is a big day for conceptual technology products. Big tech companies get to let their hair down and come up with gadgets that would earn them ridicule and criticism if they were introduced on any day other than April 1.

We have some real doozies for 2013 when it comes to prank tech gear. ThinkGeek, as usual, has an entire lineup of weird and wonderful items. There's a Play-Doh 3D printer that forms figures out of the famous squishy clay-like material. If you enjoyed listening to Bane's garbled and growly speech during "The Dark Knight Rises," you'll want your very own pair of Bane Mask Walkie Talkies. Other fictional products from the geek retailer include an "Aliens" Chestburster-in-a-Can, a Creeper Body Pillow, and an Eye of Sauron desk lamp.… Read more