Just when it seemed Lauryn Hill would swerve on Uncle Sam by cutting a deal with Sony to launch her new record label, she gets sentenced to prison. The soul singer was given a three-month prison sentence Monday (May 6th) in Jersey after pleading guilty to not paying federal taxes on $1.8 million earned from 2005 to 2007. She faced up to a year in prison on each of three tax evasion counts while her attorney sought probation. [Read More]

Used to be if you wanted a large range of zoom, you either had to buy a DSLR with a mammoth lens or go to one of the nearly DSLR-sized point-and-shoot super zooms. Boy have times changed. The Sony Cyber-shot HX50 Camera ($450) packs an impressive 30x optical zoom into a body that's just 4.4" x 2.6" x 1.2" and weighs under 10 oz, making it the smallest and lightest 30x zoom on the market. Other features include enhanced Optical SteadyShot image stabilization, a 20.4 megapixel sensor, a Bionz image processor, built-in Wi-Fi, dedicated exposure compensation and P/A/S/M mode dials, and the ability to capture Full HD movies at 60p. Arriving in stores next month.

At the recent unveiling of the new PS4, due out for a fall release this year, attendees to the event held in New York were kept in the dark with respects to the console itself, but were treated to a preview of the controller for the new console. Sony has recently released official images for the Dualshock 4 controller and just as the console hopes to be the next evolutionary leap for the gaming franchise, so too does the accompanying controller. [See & Read More]

This morning, Sony announced the Xperia Tablet Z, the electronics giant’s counterpart to its Xperia smartphone. With competition in the tablet market remaining fierce as always, the Xperia makes up for lost ground with its specs both externally and internally. Inside, the Android 4.1 tablet features a Qualcomm 1.5GHz quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, 32GB storage, a 10.1-inch 1,920 x 1,200 screen with Mobile Bravia Engine 2, an 8.1-megapixel Exmor R camera, NFC, LTE, microSD expansion, and Sony’s proprietary “S-Force” virtual surround sound technology. [Read More]

To the disappointment of some, a marquee announcement at Sony‘s pre-Tokyo Game Show unveiling was none other than a newly developed slimmed-down version of the PS3. Like iterations of the past, the PS3 will enjoy a smaller footprint with a 20% reduction in overall size and coming in 25% lighter — with no performance upgrades. [Read More]

Positioned as its flagship full frame interchangeable lens camera succeeding the a900, Sony announces the impending release of its new Alpha SLT a99 Camera. Aiming to attract serious photographers with the appropriate knowledge base, this DSLR goes the extra mile combining all of the benefits of full-frame imaging with the responsiveness and speed of translucent mirror technology. The extensive list of features includes a brand new 24.3 MP full-frame image sensor, a unique dual phase-detect AF system, an electronic viewfinder, 1080p video recording with mic and headphone jacks, and full HD video output through HDMI. The Alpha a99 will retail body-only in October at an aggressive price point around $2,800 USD. Enjoy.

For those who find that their 55-inch TV is no longer cutting it, Sony has just debuted the solution to all your problems. Officially dubbed the XBR-84X900, this monstrous TV boasts an 84-inch 3480 x 2160 resolution LCD screen as well as a detachable 10 speaker audio system. Its 4K resolution display features 8 million pixels for a resolution offering 4x that of a regular HD screen. In addition to the gorgeous display, the TV also features built in Wi-Fi and a slew of apps such as Netflix and Pandora. Set to ship sometime later this year, expect to fork over a princely sum for one of these. [See More]

Sony is taking full advantage of the most current iteration of the Android 4.0 platform with its soon-to-be released Xperia SL phone. The electronics giant is pulling out all the stops with this new update to the flagship Xperia S, starting with the phone’s super-fast 1.7 GHz Qualcomm dual-core processor (for reference, the Apple iPhone 4S clocks in around a variable 1 GHz) hidden beneath a 1280 x 720 pixel touchscreen capable of displaying up to 16 million colors. [Read More]

Delving into the world of large sensor point-and-shoot cameras, Sony unveils its 20.2 megapixel Cyber-shot RX100. Featuring a 13.2 x 8.8mm Exmor CMOS sensor, which Sony claims is four times larger than those normally available in point-and-shoot cameras, the small wonder is backed by an f/1.8 Carl-Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T lens with a 3.6x optical zoom, a 120-25,600 ISO range, and a battery that will reportedly last 330 shots. In addition, the Cyber-shot RX100 is capable of full HD shooting with 1080p video at a smooth 60 frames per second. Expect to see what Sony’s calling the “most advanced point-and-shoot ever” on shelves in July.

The award-winning Sony Alpha NEX ($598.00) series is due for an upgrade, with Sony’s newly announced NEX-F3. The F3 makes use of an APS-C sensor shared from the NEX-7 that is substantially larger than traditional micro four-thirds sensors. The NEX-F3 will offer a powerful more budget-orientated offering that will utilize the same E-mount lens system, and a very similar body as the current NEX cameras. It will also add a few new features and subtle upgrades like a full 180° tiltable LCD for self-portraits, a built-in flash and a greater versatility in auto shooting modes for novices. Expect an arrival this June. Watch a video demo here.