Many have tried, but all of them have failed. And now, Sony Corp. is the newest kid trying to take over Apple Inc.’s block.

Citing unidentified sources, the Wall Street Journal said Sony is developing a line of handheld devices that would go head-to-head with Apple’s niche products, particularly the iPhone and iPad.

Much like the iPhone, Sony’s upcoming smartphone would have multimedia functions such as video gaming while its iPad equivalent would have the traits of a netbook, an e-reader and a portable gaming device.

Aside from those new products that would be launched later this year, Sony will also be launching this month a new online media platform initially called as Sony Online Service, which is being billed as its answer to iTunes.

The Sony Online Service will offer similar contents being offered by iTunes, but it is banking on its wider range of device matches, offering old game titles to get a step ahead.

Sony’s aggressive push toward Apple’s portable market is in response to its lagging mobile device business, and its Chief Executive Howard Stringer said the new products are at the heart of its turnaround plan.

While Sony is gearing for Apple’s market, Steve Jobs’ technology giant is also doing the same, eyeing the portable gaming industry largely occupied by Sony’s Playstation.

Well, Sony and Apple’s face-off should be a good thing for consumers. Let us just hope, at least for Sony’s sake, that its new line of products can really challenge Apple’s leadership so we can see quality hikes and price drops. (Grace R)

Source: Wall Street Journal

What can $65 buy you? Maybe a nice shirt on sale or a modest dinner for two. But in the Philippines, that same amount of money can get you a cool mobile phone with a QWERTY keypad along with dual SIM capacity. That is, if you showed up on a designated day at a particular venue and were prepared to surrender your old non-QWERTY phone. continue reading…

The Asus Eee PC Seashell Karim Rashid collection has just been launched with a modicum of shock factor. Karim Rashid, the venerable, multi-decorated designer who can probably turn any landscape the color he wants, had been tapped to lay over the fashion in this model. The result is a sleek, pad paper- thin netbook that looks like it’s made with an undiscovered hot pink element that refracts light in an organized, wave-like pattern. The texture is rippled with lines that are said to adhere to a golden ratio. continue reading…

With the onset of Risshun (the Japanese first day of spring) as its backdrop, Canon presented its newest camera models under the PowerShot, IXUS and EOS sub brands. Canon’s strategy of targeting a wide range of users is evident with the introduction of the new cameras. continue reading…

What’s your password?

With everything going more and more online nowadays, people are using passwords more often to access everything from email to vanity lists. And since you, dear user, are going to more and more sites, you may already have a universal password, so that just one special word will open it all. continue reading…

Katherine Evans, no longer branded as cyber bully. (Photo: Wired)

Yes, sometimes posts may not be pretty, but a court ruling said even rants on Facebook are protected by rights of free speech.

In a major victory for the online community, US Magistrate Barry Garber said in a decision favoring a suspended former high school student that free speech covers all media, including social networking sites.

As cited by CNN, Garber’s ruling on Katherine Evans’ case read: “Evans’ speech falls under the wide umbrella of protected speech.”

It added: “It was an opinion of a student about a teacher, that was published off-campus …was not lewd, vulgar, threatening, or advocating illegal or dangerous behavior.”

Evans, a former honor student at Pembroke Pines Charter High School in Florida, was slapped by a three-day suspension for criticizing her teacher through a Facebook page entitled Ms. Sarah Phelps is the worst teacher I’ve ever met. continue reading…

Remember when oxygen equipment was the fad among urban hipsters, and how oxygen bars suddenly popped  afterward all over the planet with the promise of an array of flavored-air treatments?

Of course you know the perks of taking in fresh oxygen—it is fatigue-combating, brain-empowering, fat-burning, metabolism-enhancing, energy-maximizing, et cetera. Today however, these once-trendy O2 machines have simply been reduced into one of the common amenities of relaxation spas.

And soon perhaps their presence in the spa menus will be felt much and much less especially with the introduction of more convenient alternatives in the market, like the newly-launched Oxyfit in Japan. continue reading…

As the old movie quote goes: if you build it, they will come.

This is probably the reason why the people behind Boing Boing website had come up with a novel way to promote the DIY (or ‘do-it-yourself’) ethos they adhere to. The end result is the Boing Boing Bazaar that can be found at the Makers Market. continue reading…

We are straddled, in the desire to know more than we should, by this new opportunity to spy on others — Google Buzz is a click away. Could we be looking at the new frontier of social networking?

That leads to the question: is there any white space for Google to invade? Google has given no signs of Facebook connectivity, and no plans have been announced. This matters because there are almost 400 million Facebook users.

If Google refuses to integrate any Facebook interoperability features, they’re making a pretty stiff argument. They want you to log out of your Facebook account and miss all your friends’ status updates, some of which were made through Twitter, to use the Buzz to access another set of status updates. continue reading…

The online community might be buzzing about Google Buzz these days but how long will the hype last without teaming up with the largest social networking site today?

Earlier this week, the search engine giant launched Buzz, an integrated social network embedded on Gmail, which allows users to post status and share multimedia files from photos to videos without switching to different tools.

If you are getting your multiple account names and passwords confused, then you are probably ecstatic about Google Buzz, which also connects users to other sites like Picasa, Flickr, Blogger and Twitter. continue reading…