Sony Electronics is opening the doors to more stores with the new design concept introduced earlier this year in the Century City area of Los Angeles.  The new design introduces a brand new customer experience from Sony, including a world class design that truly embodies the best Sony has to offer from electronics to music, movies, games, network services and future technologies.

“The newly redesigned Sony Stores are unique destinations where customers can experience all things Sony.  Our goal is always to exceed customer expectations by providing an exciting, interactive and entertaining shopping experience,” said Brian Sheehan, senior vice president of Sony Stores.  “Our new store concept gives shoppers an opportunity to interact with trained and knowledgeable staff as well as preview, test, compare and unlock the full potential of Sony’s entertainment offerings.”

Showcase Areas

The new concept stores are designed to immediately capture the imagination of customers who can engage with all that Sony has to offer in an integrated, interactive and inspiring way.  The front of each store features, literally, a window into the world of Sony. Inside, consumers are able to access, experience and make connections with everything Sony, from testing out Sony Entertainment Network services on network-connected products, to playing PlayStation® games on PS3™ entertainment systems and a Sony® TV. They will be able to shoot video on a wide range of cameras, get lost in a 3D movie from Sony Pictures, and experience crisp audio on headphones while listening to Sony Music artists.

Highest Level of Personalized Services

All Sony Stores feature Sony Premium Services to provide customers with an exceptional support experience for all Sony products from set-up and customization to installation, education, and repair facilitation.  Services include assistance and education by trained staff with setting up all products, activation of wireless services, and technical PC and IT support by certified technicians. Also available are in-home consultation, delivery, and TV, and home audio and video installation by authorized technicians.

Newly Redesigned Locations

In addition to the Century City location that opened its doors in April, the following locations will feature the newly designed shopping experience this fall:

Roosevelt Field Mall

630 Old Country Road

Garden City, NY 11530

Houston Galleria

5015 Westheimer Road
Houston, TX 77056

South Coast Plaza

3333 Bristol Avenue
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

www.sony.com

“Consumers have quickly transformed smartphones into consumer lifestyle hubs that are pocket-sized entertainment centers that enable people to take their favorite multimedia content with them wherever they go. The new HTC Watch service makes it fun and easy for people to access premium movies and TV shows while on the go,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. “The HTC Sensation 4G combines this great multimedia experience within the latest HTC Sense experience in a premium device that delivers a powerful and unprecedented smartphone to our customers.”

“The HTC Sensation 4G delivers the ultimate in speed and entertainment on America’s Largest 4G network,” said Andrew Sherrard, senior vice president of marketing for T-Mobile USA. “With a lightning-fast dual core processor and 4G speeds, customers will experience the difference when accessing rich media and content on the HTC Sensation 4G’s beautiful qHD display. We look forward to adding the HTC Sensation 4G to our industry-leading lineup of 4G smartphones.”

Tapping into HTC’s trademark design language, the HTC Sensation 4G’s premium look and feel is enhanced by its rounded edges, aluminum unibody construction and the touch screen surface is protected by a contoured screen that feels more natural as a finger is glided across it. The 4.3-inch qHD display delivers high-resolution widescreen viewing and gives the HTC Sensation 4G slender proportions that feel natural in a person’s hand. At the heart of the HTC Sensation 4G beats a powerful, 1.2-gigahertz dual-core Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ processor, which enables gorgeous graphics and all-around fast performance.

Complementing the HTC Sensation 4G’s premium design is the latest HTC Sense experience that boasts a host of new features and enhancements, helping people to have more fun and get more done. For instance, HTC Sense introduces a customizable active lockscreen experience that transforms the lockscreen into a real-time window to the most important information and content, such as social updates, photos, weather or stock updates that are viewed by simply waking up the display. In addition, the new active lockscreen becomes a customizable gateway that lets people quickly jump to the most used features, like making a phone call, sending an email, taking a picture or anything else with the same quick gesture usually used to unlock the phone. For instance, the camera can be launched right from the lock screen with a single motion, saving precious seconds when you’re trying to capture the action. Sharper graphics, vibrant animations and new widgets make HTC Sense look better than ever and, by continuing to focus on all of the aspects, both large and small, that make HTC Sense special, HTC introduces a more cinematic and immersive weather experience with stunning imagery and audible weather effects.

HTC Sense also makes it easy to have fun by enabling people to capture and share special moments. The HTC Sensation 4G’s 8-megapixel camera doesn’t just shoot gorgeous photos but, with the new instant capture feature, lets people capture the moments they want without worrying about missing or keeping up with the action. The HTC Sensation 4G also shoots full HD video in 1080p resolution, with full stereo sound, at up to 30 frames a second, giving you smooth video that is better than many other phones. With the new Video Trimmer tool, people can crop their clips to the perfect size for easy sharing with friends and family.

The HTC Sensation 4G is a smartphone that is built from the ground up for a sophisticated, evolved multimedia experience. The 4.3” widescreen display means that users can watch movies like they were meant to be seen – in their full cinematic glory, with no cropping or letterboxing. The HTC Sensation 4G is also the first smartphone to feature HTC Watch – an application and service that puts an entire library of the latest, premium movies and TV shows right at your fingertips, letting people discover the latest video content in an easy and visually engaging way. HTC Watch uses progressive download technology that makes it possible to watch videos without waiting for a huge file to finish downloading. HTC Watch offers the choice of renting or buying videos, and if purchased, lets you watch them on up to five different HTC devices.

htc.com

The transfer is planned to become effective on June 1, 2010, subject to receipt of any necessary government approvals.

Sony and SMD plan to increase efficiency and strengthen operations in the small- and medium-sized TFT LCD business by concentrating manufacturing operations going forward in SMD’s Higashiura Plant and SMD’s Tottori Plant* (to be established on April 1, 2010.) By producing a wide range of technically advanced and cost-effective products, and offering comprehensive product lineups that fully utilize its strengths in small- and medium-sized TFT LCD sales, engineering and product design, Sony aims to enhance its customer relationships and strengthen the competitiveness of its small- and medium-sized TFT LCD business to continue to meet and exceed customer needs.

1. The outline of the agreement
(1) Assets to be Transferred
Equipment and other assets relating to small- and medium-sized TFT LCD design and manufacturing operations at SMD’s Yasu Plant.
(2) Employees
Existing employment agreements are planned to be assigned to KYOCERA on June 1, 2010 and the employees of the design and manufacturing operations will be transferred to KYOCERA.

2. Impact on Financial Results
Although an impairment loss on the fixed assets has been incurred by Sony in connection with the transaction, no material impact is anticipated on Sony’s consolidated financial results forecast for the current fiscal year announced on February 4, 2010 as such loss has been included in the forecast as a part of the 130 billion yen of restructuring charges.

SMD’s Yasu Plant
Location: 800 Ichimiyake, Yasu-City, Shiga Prefecture
Operations: Design and manufacturing of TFT LCD display devices and related parts

* SMD’s Tottori Plant
SMD plans to acquire certain business assets of Epson Imaging Device Corporation at its Tottori Plant and to establish SMD’s new Tottori Plant on April 1, 2010, as explained in Sony’s announcement dated June 30, 2009, titled, “Agreement to Transfer to Sony Certain Epson Business Assets Relating to Small- and Medium-Sized TFT Liquid Crystal Display Operations.”

sony.net

“Sony brings an amazing level of technology and engineering capability to the field of cytometry,” said Gary Durack, founder, President & CEO of iCyt. “As a Sony company, iCyt will be able to leverage Sony’s global resources to deliver a variety of innovative solutions to the cell analysis market. This is truly a win for iCyt, its customers, and all who will benefit from these advances.”

“We are very pleased to welcome Gary Durack, who has extensive experience in the flow cytometry industry, and iCyt to the Sony family,” said Keiji Kimura, EVP of Sony. “iCyt’s experience and technologies will be valuable assets for Sony as it enters into the rapidly evolving life science field. We are confident that this acquisition will accelerate the development of Sony’s flow cytometry business by combining Sony’s expertise in the manufacturing of electronics products for consumers and professionals with the technological assets of iCyt.”

As a wholly-owned subsidiary of SCA, iCyt plans to develop advanced technologies and deliver new products in collaboration with Sony. Gary Durack will continue to lead the company through this period of growth and expansion.

New products and advancements will be announced at CYTO 2010, the upcoming Congress of the International Society for Advancement of Cytometry (ISAC), in Seattle in May 2010.

Sony has been exploring healthcare applications for its consumer-based optic technologies, such as those used for Blu-ray discs and its advanced data transmission technologies. Recent progress in regenerative medicine has highlighted the importance of cell analysis and, specifically, flow cytometry, an indispensable tool for research. Sony plans to realize unique technological advances in flow cytometry through the application of its core technologies. As part of this effort, Sony and iCyt have been jointly developing new flow cytometry devices since April 2009. Through this acquisition, Sony expects to accelerate its development of next-generation cell analysis systems and deliver innovative products to research and clinical laboratories around the world.

About Sony Corporation:
Sony Corporation is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, game, communications, key device and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. With its music, pictures, computer entertainment and on-line businesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to be the leading electronics and entertainment company in the world. Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of approximately $79 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009. Sony Global Web Site: www.sony.net

About iCyt:
iCyt supplies advanced flow cytometry analysis and sorting technology for use in life science research. Its products are marketed to private and public research institutions, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, and large medical centers. iCyt has received significant industry recognition for its line of multi-channel, high-speed cell sorting products. iCyt Web Site: http://www.i-cyt.com/

http://www.sony.net/

Avetel, a nation wide distributor of telecommunications equipment in Portugal, with a particular strong presence in the North of the country will play a leading role energizing the Portuguese SMB and Mid market and in delivering the Alcatel-Lucent Business Partner Program.

With this program – designed to recruit, train, certify, support, and provide innovative communication solutions to indirect resellers in order to broaden distribution and better address the growing SMB and Mid market in Portugal – Avetel will be able to be assisted with SME-focused marketing campaigns and messaging guidance. Sales training will focus on the importance of end-user engagement, and on transformation of business processes rather than just providing technical solution details. This emphasis is particularly important as business partners help smaller companies, which often have limited IT expertise.

Avetel will also benefit from a new incentive program that rewards high SME sales volumes. Business partners selling the Alcatel-Lucent Office Communication Solutions – which includes IP infrastructure, telephony, mobility, collaboration, knowledge sharing features and open source applications – and other Alcatel-Lucent converged voice and data solutions, will be eligible for the highest value incentives.

This leading SMB and Mid Market solution is also tailored to reduce costs and ensure continuity in a company’s communications network. Modular, cost-effective mobile solutions are included, providing single number service and push applications to strengthen customer relationships and improve employee productivity by delivering efficient access to information.

“Partnering with a communications leader such as Alcatel-Lucent will allow us to expand our activities and customer base in Portugal, but also to greatly improve our offer in terms of communication solutions”, said Nuno Almeida, Director of Avetel Distribuição.

“Alcatel-Lucent’s commitment to the Enterprise market is to help organisations become more dynamic by interconnecting a company’s network, employees, processes and knowledge and, thereby achieving a better business performance”, said Nuno Almeida Carvalho, Director of Alcatel-Lucent’s Enterprise activities in Portugal. “But this can only be reached with the help of our Business Partners and Avetel, as our new Value Added Partner clearly adds value to our Enterprise Communications solutions business in Portugal”.

Alcatel-Lucent