SONY News Release here. NO ZIP indicated!
-- title --> Sony Introduces Leading-Edge Multimedia PCs
Designed For The U.S. Home Market; PC By Sony
Leverages Company's Audio/Video Expertise And
Strengths In
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 17, 1996--Sony
Electronics today announced a new line of multimedia personal
computers designed from the ground up with the home consumer in
mind.
The PCV-70 and PCV-90 personal computers leverage Sony's
leadership in consumer electronics with its experience in the computer
industry to produce a high-end multimedia PC with great audio and
video, an intuitive graphical interface, and sleek styling.
"The Sony PC is designed to integrate Sony quality audio and video, as
well as to facilitate the convergence of computers with consumer
electronics and communications devices," said Carl Yankowski,
president and chief operating officer of Sony Electronics.
"Computers have reached the point where they have the potential to be
powerful entertainment devices in the home," Yankowski noted.
"Sony's computer and consumer electronics experience allows us to
begin smoothly integrating the PC into the home A/V environment and
deliver an enjoyable PC experience."
Leading-Edge Multimedia PC
The Sony PCs combine today's hottest computer technologies
(including the fastest Intel(R) Pentium(R) processors, Microsoft(R)
Windows(R) 95 operating system, and accelerated 3D-graphics), with
Sony's high performance MPEG decoding and Multiscan(R)
Multimedia Computer Display (which has built-in stereo speakers,
microphone, and sub-woofer), to deliver leading-edge entertainment
and information for the home.
"In short, our industry-standard PC will deliver the experience, lifestyle,
and quality, consumers have come to expect from Sony products,"
Yankowski added.
Designed to Complement the Home
The violet and gray PCs are designed to fit into a variety of home
environments. A specially constructed PC mini-tower features a door
that slides up and down to reveal the floppy disk and CD-ROM drives
inside. When closed, the front cover of the computer looks smooth and
uncluttered.
The mini-tower-sized systems are 9" x 14.5" x 17.25". According to
Yankowski, future Sony PC peripherals will be stackable, much like
stereo components. He said that they will be manufactured in 1/2-, 1/4-
and 1/8-height configurations and will have the same look and feel as
the Sony PC.
The Concept of VAIO(TM)
The PC and its peripherals contain a signature mark known as the
VAIO(TM) symbol. According to Teiyu Goto, the art director at Sony
Corporation who designed the PC (as well as the Sony PlayStation(R)
game system), VAIO is a graphical interpretation of the convergence of
the analog and digital worlds (sine wave to the binary 101010).
VAIO also represents Video Audio Integrated Operation. In the future,
Yankowski said that the VAIO symbol will appear on a variety of Sony
audio, video, computer and communication products as a signifier of
their convergence capabilities.
Intuitive Functionality: VAIO Space
Sony even developed a 3D graphical user interface called VAIO
Space, which complements Windows 95, and allows users to access
video, audio, and communication capabilities easily and quickly, as well
as providing a menu of application programs.
Using the analogy of a 3D space with each surface representing the
expansion capabilities that the Sony PC provides, VAIO Space makes
the PC intuitive, easy to operate, and fun to use.
Sony PC Configurations
Sony's PCV-70 features a 166 MHz Pentium processor, 16 MB of
RAM, 2.1 GB hard disk drive, a 28.8kb DSVD modem, "Sony
Tuned" MPEG decoding, 8X CD-ROM drive and a comprehensive
software bundle.
The PCV-90 features a 200 MHz Pentium processor, 32 MB RAM,
2.5 GB hard disk drive, a 28.8kb DSVD modem, "Sony Tuned"
MPEG decoding, 8X CD-ROM drive and a comprehensive software
bundle.
Both units will be available in late summer at market competitive prices
between $2,000 and $3,000.
"We feel the high-quality, sharp styling, and rich multimedia capabilities
of the Sony PC offers consumers a state-of-the-art home PC at
competitive prices," said Tim Errington, senior vice president of sales
and marketing for Sony Information Technologies of America, a
divisional company of Sony Electronics that markets branded PC
products and peripherals.
Sony Peripherals
"Increasingly, home electronics and entertainment are becoming digitally
based and are converging with the PC," noted Errington. "PC by Sony
lays the ground work for the future convergence of audio, video,
computer, and communications products. By concentrating on
high-quality audio and video, Sony has made the PC a great vehicle for
playback of digital entertainment -- whether that entertainment is in the
form of music CDs, CD-ROMs, or multimedia on the Internet."
Errington said that a number of optional peripherals will soon be made
available and will demonstrate this convergence. For example, a new
CPD-100VS 15-inch (13.9-inch viewable image size) Multiscan(R)
Multimedia Computer Display has been specially-designed for the Sony
PC.
The display's integrated 3D sound system, which includes two built-in
midrange speakers mounted on either side of the display and a
sub-woofer built into the tilt/swivel stand underneath, delivers a
theater-like experience that defies its compact design.
It also features a built-in microphone that is ideal for speakerphone
applications. The gray colored display is "plug and play" compatible
and connects to the Sony PC with one cable.
The CPD-100VS display utilizes Sony's Digital Multiscan technology to
support multiple PC resolutions up to a maximum of 1280 x 1024 at 60
Hz. Such digital controls as brightness, contrast, volume and mute
controls are conveniently displayed on screen for easy adjustment. The
CPD-100VS will be available at the same time as the PCV-70 and
PCV-90 for approximately $599(a).
Software
The new Sony PC comes pre-loaded with Microsoft's Windows 95 for
out-of-the-box functionality. It also features a number of entertainment,
reference, education, productivity, and communications titles. The
bundled software offers consumers everything from "Sony Tuned"
MPEG video titles and enhanced 3D graphics games, to CD-ROM
magazines and Internet access.
Service and Support
Sony PC users will receive the same high level of service that Sony
Electronics has established for its consumer A/V product users.
According to Errington, Sony will strive to offer the industry's best
service and shortest hold-times through a new state-of-the-art call
center in Ft. Myers, Fla. The call center will be staffed with computer
technicians capable of providing extensive customer support.
Sony PC owners will receive Sony Online Support (SOS) during which
they will be able to speak with a technical support representative while
their system is diagnosed and serviced. SOS will take place
simultaneously over a single phone line -- accessed from VAIO Space
through a simple mouse click. Sony PC owners will also receive
one-year at home service and a limited one-year parts and labor
warranty.
Sony, Trinitron, VAIO, and PlayStation are trademarks of Sony.
(a) Price listed is an estimated U.S. retail price. Actual
retail price may vary.
PC BY SONY
Software Bundle
Entertainment -- Activision(R) MechWarrior(R)2 (Enhanced Edition)
-- PSYGNOSIS LIMITED WipeOut(TM) (Enhanced Edition) --
Microsoft(R) 3D Movie Maker -- Sony Pictures Entertainment Video
CD-ROM Sampler -- Creative Multimedia(TM) Billboard Music
Guide -- Creative Multimedia(TM) Blockbuster Video(R) Guide to
Movies
and Videos (MPEG) -- 2 Way Media Inc. Launch(TM) -- Multimedia
World Live!
Reference and Education -- Microsoft(R) Encarta(R) 96 Encyclopedia
(MPEG) -- Softkey(R) Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia (MPEG)
-- Softkey(R) The Learning Company Reader Rabbit 1(R) --
Softkey(R) American Heritage Talking Dictionary (MPEG) -- Creative
Multimedia(TM) The Family Doctor (MPEG)
Productivity -- Microsoft(R) Works -- Microsoft(R) Money --
Intuit(R) Quicken(R) Special Edition -- DeltaPoint(R) QuickSite(TM)
(trial version) -- Intuit(R) Investor Insight (trial version) -- Starfish
Software Sidekick(R) 95 (trial version) -- PC411(R) Telephone
Directory (trial version)
Telecommunications -- Netscape Navigator(TM) -- Microsoft(R)
Internet Explorer (included with Microsoft(R) Plus!) -- Microsoft(R)
Phone -- America Online(R) -- Compuserve(R) WinCim(R)
Compuserve Information Manager -- Compuserve(R) WOW!
Service and Support -- Radish Communications Voice View(R)
Talkshop
Plus -- Microsoft(R) Plus! Companion for Windows(R) 95 -- Sony
Welcome CD (MPEG) -- Sony A/V Suite -- Yamaha(R) Karaku
Karaoke -- Yamaha(R) Visual Arranger
CONTACT: Sony Electronics
Brian Levine, 408/955-5121
levineb@ccmail.nhq.sony.com
or
Technology Solutions Inc.
Joshua Weinberg, 408/280-6000, ext. 208
joshuaw@ca.tsipr.com
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