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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 | 
