@CES, Las Vegas – Flip camcorders from San Francisco’s Pure Digital were Christmas best-sellers in the US, but electronics giant Sony has hit back in January with its own take on the low-priced point-and-shoot video cameras.
It unveiled a new line of camcorders called “Webbie HD” at its press conference at the Consumer Electronics Show on Wednesday evening, with the MHS-PM1 (pictured) paying homage to the Flip’s design and features.
The PM1 has a swivel lens with 4x digital zoom and can capture high-definition video at 1080p and snap 5-megapixel pictures. It has a USB connection allowing easy transfers to a computer and uploads to services such as YouTube.
It will be available in April for around $170, representing a challenge to Pure Digital, whose HD camera records only in 720p and currently retails at $229. However, it has 4Gb of built-in memory while the Sony Webbie needs memory cards bought separately.
Sony also introduced its first integrated networked televisions – the XBR9 and Z series sets. It had been heading this way since introducing an external internet adapter for Bravia TVs that was sold separately.
The new sets will not only have built-in connectivity but integrated content as well. Yahoo is supplying small on-screen widgets linking to information such as weather forecasts over the net and programming is available from YouTube, Amazon on Demand and others.
The other product drawing the most flash bulbs was “the world’s lightest 8-inch notebook.” The Vaio Lifestyle PC is a wisp of a thing at 1.4 pounds. Paul Taylor will review it in his personal technology column on Friday.
