You’ll no doubt know that Sony recently launched Xperia 5, an exciting new addition to Sony Mobile’s flagship family.

As with the Xperia 1, the new handset features Sony’s immersive 21:9 display, creating a cinema-like experience whether you’re at home or on the go.

We’ve already given you our recommendations of the best films to watch in 21:9, but with the Halloween season upon us, it’s time to bury yourself (alive…) in some spooktacular action with a horror film classic.

Whether you’re a big fan of Netflix*, Amazon Prime or Google Play, there now so many ways to watch films in the 21:9 ratio for the ultimate viewing experience.  Here are our picks for ghoulish films that use the 21:9 display to its full potential.

Birdbox
Immerse yourself in this thrilling Netflix drama that begins with a mysterious force killing off most of the world’s population. The story sees a woman and her children embark on a dangerous journey in search of a place that may offer sanctuary – completely blindfolded, as it’s the only way to survive.

Much of the film is set in the depths of the forest, which looks gorgeous across the full width of the 21:9 screen. What’s more, with Creator mode, you’ll see the colours as director Susanne Bier intended.

Ghostbusters (2016)
If you prefer a more light-hearted approach to Halloween, or you’re looking for some family-friendly viewing, you can’t go wrong with Sony Pictures’ acclaimed reimagining of Ghostbusters. Starring Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon, it “oozes with fun from every frame”, according to a leading critic.

A Quiet Place
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, this movie revolves around a family who are forced to live in complete silence. By doing so, they are able to avoid mysterious and deadly creatures that have an acute sense of hearing. This beautifully cinematic film shows the family’s determination to fight against the monsters around them, with a star turn by Emily Blunt.

It: Chapter One
This adaptation of Stephen King’s classic horror novel was a box office smash, and it’s not hard to see why. The film, which covers the first half of the book, tells the story of seven young outcasts who face an ancient, shape-shifting evil – most often appearing as a terrifying clown – that emerges from the sewer every 27 years to prey on the town’s children.

Get Out
This acclaimed film features a twisted plot that you definitely won’t see coming. The story focuses on Chris and his girlfriend as they visit her parents for the weekend. Sounds quaint? Not for long. The story quickly takes a thrilling turn in a way that is both horrifying and thought provoking. Watching Get Out on Xperia 1 or Xperia 5’s 21:9 display will find you gripping the edge of your seat.

Apostle
Set in London in 1905, Thomas Richardson (played expertly by Dan Stevens) returns home to learn his sister is being held ransom on a nefarious island. The film’s sumptuous visuals use every pixel of the screen to their best effect.

Apostle, the latest critically lauded horror from director Gareth Evans, is available on Netflix. The streaming service is a great place to go for 21:9 content, as it’s the ratio that ‘Netflix Originals’ content is filmed in.

What’s your all-time favourite spooky movie? Let us know in the comments below!

*Netflix content varies by region.

The post TRICK or TREAT yourself to a movie in 21:9 this Halloween on your Xperia smartphone appeared first on Sony Mobile Blog.

Source: Sony Mobile Blog
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From Patti Smith’s punk rock and the Doo-wop groups of Harlem and Brooklyn to the legendary concerts held at Carnegie Hall, New York City is a musical melting pot like no other.

So what better place for Sony to make a major musical announcement this week, with leading musicians, industry figures, media and consumers gathered to experience 360 Reality Audio: an immersive audio experience using object-based spatial audio technology.

Needless to say, Sony Mobile’s flagship smartphone Xperia 1 was on hand to help showcase this innovation to its best effect.

But just what is 360 Reality Audio?

Object-based spatial audio technology makes it possible for artists to create the ultimate music experience by mapping sound sources such as vocals, choruses and instruments with positional information and placing them within a spherical space. When listeners hear content produced in the 360 Reality Audio music format, they experience an immersion into sound that closely mimics the omni-directional soundscape of a live musical performance.

The concept was revealed at this year’s CES, however this week Sony Corp announced that around 1,000 songs will be available in this brand-new format – including tunes from artists such as Mark Ronson and Pharrell Williams – via Amazon Music HD, Deezer, nugs.net and Jay Z’s TIDAL streaming services. You can view artists experiencing 360 Reality Audio for themselves here, featuring artists such as mark Ronson and Zara Larson.

If that’s not already cool enough, Sony took this one step further at the event by partnering Xperia 1 with the award-winning WH-X1000M3 headphones, creating a custom immersive musical field that perfectly fits each individual user.

By using Xperia 1 to take pictures of the inside of your ear, the “Sony | Headphones Connect” app* maps the user’s ear dimension, analysing the listener’s hearing characteristics to leverage Sony’s unique algorithm.

This isn’t just a nifty trick on display at the event. Sony users are able to map their ear at home and create their own music algorithm using a pair of Sony headphones** and the “Sony Headphones Connect” app.

More music in this incredible new format is scheduled to arrive from major record labels such as Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group. The planned 1,000 songs coming this autumn will include both leading contemporary artists and timeless classics from the likes of Billy Joel and Jeff Beck. The service will also feature more than 100 songs recorded at an array of concerts by performers such as CHARLI XCX and Kodaline, captured through a partnership with select Live Nation Clubs & Theaters.

Want to know more about Sony’s Xperia 1? Make sure you check out our ‘Everything You Need to Know’ blog, and read more about 360 Reality Audio here.

You can watch Xperia 1 in action from the New York announcement via Sony’s YouTube channel here.

*Sony | Headphones Connect app requires download to iOS devices from App Store or for Android devices from Google Play. App, network services, content, the operating system and software of this app may be subject to individual terms and conditions and changed, interrupted or discontinued at any time and may require fees, registration and credit card information. Requires product to be connected to the wireless network.
**For select Sony headphones, please visit the official website.

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Source: Sony Mobile Blog
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Last week at IFA,  we announced the latest exciting addition to Sony Mobile’s flagship smartphone range, Xperia 5.

Xperia 5 brings Sony’s key technologies from Xperia 1 to a sleek and compact model designed for all-day entertainment. With its 21.9 CinemaWide^TM display and Eye AF technologies, Xperia 5 brings uncompromised performance, in a smaller footprint!

Xperia 5’s announcement has created a lot of buzz, but also generated a lot of questions from Sony fans across the globe. Needless to say, we want to give you the answers you’re looking for, so we’ve created this handy FAQ.

What are the main differences between Xperia 5 and Xperia 1?

Although the Xperia 5 offers many of Sony’s Xperia 1 professional-grade technologies, there are a few important differences between the devices.

In Xperia 1 we introduced the world’s first Eye AF^[i] in a smartphone, and for Xperia 5 we’re taking this technology one step further with improved camera enhancements from Sony’s Alpha cameras. With Xperia 5 you’re able to track the action with continuous burst shooting at up to 10 fps AF/AE tracking (Auto Focus and Auto Exposure).  Xperia 5 also has increased AF/AE calculations at up to 30fps allowing you to capture moving subjects with precision focus.

For budding photographers, the new Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in Xperia 5 will detect photographic challenges, ensuring you always capture the perfect shot. Before you take your image, ‘Photography advice’ will alert you to any rogue fingers in front of the camera lens or AF (auto focus) failure. After you’ve taken your photo, it will let you know if the photo is blurred or your subject has their eyes closed, so you can quickly reshoot.

For those who use their phones on-the-go to stream content, Xperia 5 has a great new feature, ‘Smart connectivity’, which makes sure you’re connected to the most optimal network. Using Sony’s deep learning engine, it predicts near-future connectivity issues automatically switching to LTE to ensure you always have the best-possible connectivity.

What’s more, Xperia users can now match the device to their own personal style better than ever before. Blue, Red, Black and Greyⁱⁱ handsets offer a sophisticated colour palette, while Sony’s official cases enable you to customise your device further.

Why is it called Xperia 5? Is it in the middle of Xperia 1 and Xperia 10 and 10 Plus?

Xperia 5 is positioned as the next flagship device, sitting alongside Xperia 1. Instead of using letters, such as Z or XZ as we have done previously, we simplified our naming by using numbers for easier positioning of our product line up.

Is Xperia 5 the Xperia 1 Compact?

Whilst Xperia 5 is smaller than Xperia 1, we are not branding it as the compact version. We do believe however, that Xperia 5 will appeal to a wider audience, without compromising on the technology from Xperia 1.

Sony still hasn’t announced a 5G smartphone. Why?

We showcased a 5G smartphone prototype featuring mmW connectivity at MWC in Barcelona earlier this year.  We are fully committed to bringing 5G enabled Xperia to global markets for both Sub-6 GHz and mmWave spectrum and while we can’t comment on future launch dates, we are making great progress and working with numerous partners around the globe for ongoing technical development.

How will the improved Game enhancer benefit gaming on the device?

The gaming experience on Xperia 5 has been elevated even further with the new and improved Game enhancer feature, allowing users to record their active game with burst screen capture at 20fps and additionally synthesise their voice with the voice changer feature.

Xperia 5 has a smaller battery than Xperia 1. Is the battery performance not as good as Xperia 1?

The new Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform, combined with our efforts in efficient power management, mean Xperia 5’s battery is able to endure all-day use. Sony-developed features, such as Battery Care and Xperia Adaptive Charging, mean we can deliver reliable all-day battery life.

Why did Sony choose to stick with the ‘tall’ design?

While the 21:9 ratio may seem new to some smartphone users, we believe that the unique experiences it delivers, such as immersive viewing and easy Multi-window use, mean that it’s very difficult to go back to 18:9 once you’ve held Xperia 10, 10 Plus, Xperia 1 or Xperia 5 in your hand.

When can I get my hands on Xperia 5?

Xperia 5 ships with Android 9 Pie and is available in select marketsⁱⁱ from early October this year.

Xperia 5 is currently available to pre-order in select markets across Europeⁱⁱ, bundled with the award winning WF-1000XM3 truly wireless Noise Cancelling headphones – to shop the product, make sure you visit Sony.com.

You’ll also be able to purchase matching accessories, including the attractive, colour-matching Style Cover View and Style Cover Back cases.

To get your hands on Xperia 5 or to find out more information, simply visit sonymobile.com.

[i] Xperia 1’s camera features Eye AF (autofocus) capable of identifying and keeping a human eye in focus. Verified by Strategy Analytics’ SpecTRAXService against the published camera specifications for over 14,000 smartphones. Correct as of the 16th May 2019 .

ii Timing and availability will vary by market

The post #SonyIFA FAQ: We answer the questions you’ve been asking about the new Xperia 5 appeared first on Sony Mobile Blog.

Source: Sony Mobile Blog
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Last week Sony announced the highly anticipated Xperia 5 at the annual IFA conference in Berlin. Following in the footsteps of Xperia 1, the new Xperia 5 comes packed with industry-leading technologies in a sleek, sophisticated and compact design. Read more about the Xperia 5 in our Everything you Need to Know Blog.

Media and consumers alike were thrilled with the news of Xperia 5, so thrilled in fact that we picked up a couple of awards along the way!

T3 awarded Xperia 5 its prestigious Best Phone Award, praising the model for its ability to make movies and games look as beautiful as possible. When it comes to Xperia 5’s popular 21:9 display, T3 highlights how it delivers a truly cinematic picture, and the team LOVE the result! Thanks for the award!

Another win for Xperia 5 comes in the form of Stuff’s Best in Show Award, as fans of Xperia 1 the editorial team were happy to see their favourite specs available in the more compact design of Xperia 5. The added extra of Sony’s award-winning WF-1000XM3 noise cancelling buds as part of a bundle deal with Xperia 5 was described by the team as “an outrageously temping deal.”

If that’s not enough, Xperia 5 also received a Best of IFA award from Android Headlines. Jam-packed with top-of-the-range technologies from Xperia 1, Android Headlines is also impressed with the product’s elegant and compelling design!

And the awards keep rolling in, as Talk Android also gave its Best of IFA accolade to Xperia 5 for its clever technologies inspired by some of Sony’s industry-leading tech from across the wider business, including Alpha cameras and BRAVIA® TVs.

What’s more, the new flagship has also been included in Pocket-lint’s Best of IFA round-up – and we are still waiting for the hands-on reviews to start coming in! Read more about what the media had to say in our media reactions blog and let us know your thoughts on the new Xperia 5 via Twitter!

The post “IFA 2019 Best Phone Award” – and many others! appeared first on Sony Mobile Blog.

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It’s here! Xperia 5 has officially landed at IFA, and news of its incredible design, professional-grade camera features and superb gaming set-up have spread across Berlin and beyond.

With its fantastic 21:9 CinemaWide 6.1-inch Full HD+ OLED display and Eye AF capability also found in Alpha cameras, the world’s media were quick to praise Xperia 5.

Tech Radar said the Xperia 5 ‘features a variety of high-end features’, while T3 states that Xperia 5 is ‘focused on making movies and games as beautiful as possible.’

Here are just some of the reactions from the world’s press and media.

Forbes

‘The phone looks great, with the same striking design language as the bigger model [Xperia 1] but still being completely different. It’s slim enough to fit smaller hands well and feels great in the hand.’

Phone Arena

‘Despite the high IP68 level of water-resistance certification, Sony still managed to equip the Xperia 5 with Dolby Atmos-laden stereo speakers for a true cinematic experience on the large 21:9 display.’

‘Sony has a nice surprise for us in the form of a full DualShock 4 gamepad support, exclusive for the Xperia 1 and 5. While you can connect to your PlayStation 4 controller via Bluetooth on any modern Android, mapping the controller to stroll the interface or play games will be a thing of the future once Android 10 lands for your device. Sony’s flagship Xperia can use DualShock 4 controllers out of the box, sweet!’

TechRadar

‘The fact you can now wirelessly connect your PlayStation’s DualShock 4 controller to the Xperia 1 and Xperia 5 means gaming on the go will be easier than ever.’

T3

‘Sony’s new phones are all about the screen. And what a screen.’

‘A phone that’s focused on making movies and games as beautiful as possible.’

GSM Arena

‘The Xperia 5 is exactly what users sticking to the compact premium smartphone segment are looking for.’

Express

‘The Xperia 5 still brings a triple camera which offers improved night shots and wide-angle images.’

Digital Photography Review

‘Sony has also added Dolby Atmos surround sound technology to add ‘breath-taking realism’ to audio coming from the device, whether you’re using headphones or the built-in stereo speakers on the Xperia 5.’

Buzz.ie

‘The new device also features what is now Sony’s trademark – a 21:9 CinemaWide Full HD+ OLED display with Dolby Atmos sound. Combined they deliver fantastic colour accuracy and content immersion.’

The post Here’s what the media are saying about the Xperia 5 at IFA appeared first on Sony Mobile Blog.

Source: Sony Mobile Blog
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Xperia 5 is going down a storm at IFA, with tech experts and the world’s media rushing to test out this incredible new device at the Sony booth.

But not everyone can be in Berlin for the launch, so we wanted to show you all exactly what’s going on, and what’s making everyone so excited about Sony’s new flagship smartphone.

With so much happening, the Sony Mobile area is split up into more than ten different zones for IFA attendees to explore.

Source: Sony Mobile Blog
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Cinema buffs may already be familiar with CinefestOZ, the five-day film festival that descends on Australia each year. From headline speakers, such as Director Rachel Ward, to film premieres, it’s the number one destination for anyone who loves movies to gather and celebrate all the industry has to offer. During this year’s festival, which ran from 28 August – 1 September, Sony’s Xperia 1 made a very special guest appearance.

Glenn Gainor, head of physical production for Sony Pictures’ Screen Gems and President of Sony Innovation Studios, took to the stage to deliver a keynote speech at the industry program. During his talk, Glenn, whose credits include Screen Gems’ upcoming action thriller Black and Blue and past titles such as The Intruder, Think Like a Man and Friends with Benefits, just to name a few, discussed how filmmakers can create powerful stories that reach millions of people through clever technology.

Glenn Gainor, head of physical production for Sony Pictures’ Screen Gems and President of Sony Innovation Studios

It’s this professional grade technology that helped Directors Chris Caldwell and Zeek Earl – whose latest project, PROSPECT, which is now available to watch in Japanese cinemas – craft a visually stunning short film created using Xperia 1 as their only camera!

Chris Caldwell and Zeek Earl, Directors of “Taste”

Premiering at CinefestOZ during Glenn’s keynote, Taste tells the story of a chef who uses advanced technology to source the sub-molecular essence of the food we eat without harming the environment. But how was the gorgeous movie made with just a handheld device?

Cinema Pro “powered by CineAlta” means users can capture cinema-quality footage without time-consuming edits. Pair the handset’s 21:9 CinemaWide display (inspired by Sony’s award-winning BRAVIA® technologies and powered by X1 for mobile) with the ability to shoot in 4K HDR, and you’ll be treated to the ultimate immersive experience next time you watch (or direct) your own movie!

What’s more, Xperia 1 allowed directors Zeek, Chris, and mike morse to reach locations they would normally struggle to get to with larger apparatus. Their last project saw almost 100 crew members working together. When filming Taste, there were times when the crew consisted of no more than four people, including the actress. The directors explained that they felt “liberated” in using Xperia 1 and were able to climb mountains and venture into some of the busiest urban areas to capture the perfect footage.

You can catch more of the behind the scenes here:

Source: Sony Mobile Blog
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