Sony CEO trots out stars for CES keynote

Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer was joined by The Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown and actor Tom Hanks for a star-powered CES keynote address on Thursday morning in Las Vegas. (Watch News.com's video of Hanks on stage.)

But it would have taken all the skills of Brown's Bible-sleuthing protagonist (who Hanks will play in the upcoming movie version) to find any new product news in the speech.

While Stringer outlined the 'pillars' that he says are key to the future of electronics and entertainment, he didn't provide any information that wasn't covered in Wednesday's press conference. And although he showcased the PlayStation Portable's ability to let consumers watch television programmes any time, from anywhere, notably missing was a release date for Sony's much-anticipated next-generation videogame console, the PlayStation 3.

Rather, Stringer focused on Sony's initiatives in 'e-entertainment', high-definition TVs, filmmaking equipment and other devices.

Perhaps the most standout moments of the talk came when Stringer invited Brown on stage to talk about the new Sony Reader, a high-quality e-book reader that has been reviewed favourably around the world. A few minutes later, Stringer brought out the star and filmmakers of The Da Vinci Code film adaptation -- Hanks, director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer -- to talk about the company's HD filmmaking equipment.

The entertainers discussed how the film is progressing and how the technological advancements in high-definition filmmaking and projection systems are keeping the cinema-going experience alive and thriving. Sony also debuted a scene from its upcoming release of The Da Vinci Code.

Beyond digital cinema, Stringer asserted that Sony is well- positioned to succeed in the transition to high definition, both inside and out of the home.

"The transition to HD is especially important to Sony, because from film production in Hollywood to television viewing at home, Sony has connected every link in the HD chain," he said.

Meanwhile, Stringer introduced Dell CEO Michael Dell, who chatted with him about the importance of the Blu-ray disc format for both the consumer electronics and IT industries. Dell also joked, at Stringer's expense, that Dell sells far more HD displays than Sony.

Stringer visited briefly with Sony Computer Entertainment of America president Kaz Hirai, who said the PlayStation 2 and PSP outsold the Microsoft Xbox 360 over Christmas. Stringer closed his talk with an upbeat message about the company's prospects for the future.

Watch more News.com video of Stringer outlining his company's strategy on-stage.

Visit our CES 2006 Special Report for more coverage.