Gear Up Like Bond with Sony Electronics

Sony Sells 007-Branded Gear and Offers Chance to Win Prizes in the Online Game 'Try Your Hand at Casino Royale'

PRNewswire
SAN DIEGO
10/30/2006

Sony Electronics is offering movie fans and gadget-lovers an opportunity to gear-up like Bond with Sony's exclusive Bond Collection™ products in anticipation of the upcoming James Bond film Casino Royale, which will be released worldwide on November 17, 2006 from Columbia Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios.

The collection, available exclusively on http://www.sonystyle.com/casinoroyale and in Sony Style retail stores across the country, features limited-edition 007-branded models of VAIO® TX and UX series ultra-portable PCs, Cyber-shot® digital cameras and Micro-Vault™ media storage devices. All of these products will feature the 007 logo and the VAIO PCs will come pre-loaded with exclusive Casino Royale content, such as wallpapers and screensavers. Each limited production 007 model is numbered and comes with a certificate of authenticity.

"Both James Bond and Sony have always provided a cool-factor that consumers have grown to love," said Hiro Kawano, Sony Electronics' Senior Vice President for Sony Style. "We are excited to be able to offer these collector's items exclusively through Sony Style."

To take the Bond experience to the next level, consumers can try their hands at one of four Sony-product branded casino games at http://www.sony.com/casinoroyale. Players can choose from BRAVIA™ Blackjack, VAIO®/Intel poker, Cyber-shot® T-50 slots or Blu-ray Disc™ roulette. Now through Nov. 17, participants with a winning hand receive a printable game chip, redeemable at participating retailers, including Sony Style, for a chance to win prizes, including a $50,000 Sony merchandise prize package, a $5,000 shopping spree, and a weekend getaway for two. Not only can you gear up like Bond, you can play like him too.

The Bond Collection products can be purchased as a bundle which includes a choice of either the VAIO VGN-UX007 along with 007 Cyber-shot DSC-T50 and a 1GB Micro Vault for approximately $3,200 or the VAIO VGN-TX007 with the Cyber-shot DSC-T50 and 1GB MicroVault for approximately $3,900. The bundles come with an aluminum attache carrying case and a James Bond welcome kit. The 007 Cyber-shot DSC-T50 and the Micro Vault can be purchased individually for approximately $600 and $60, respectively. The Bond Collection will be available starting November 10, with pre-orders currently available on http://sonystyle.com/casinoroyale.

Daniel Craig stars as "007" James Bond, the smoothest, sexiest, most lethal agent on Her Majesty's Secret Service in Casino Royale. Based on the first Bond book written by Ian Fleming, the story recounts the making of the world's greatest secret agent. Martin Campbell is directing the 21st adventure in the 44-year-old franchise, from a screenplay by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and Paul Haggis.

James Bond's first "007" mission leads him to Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), banker to the world's terrorists. In order to stop him, and bring down the terrorist network, Bond must beat Le Chiffre in a high-stakes poker game at Casino Royale. Bond is initially annoyed when a beautiful British Treasury official, Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) is assigned to deliver his stake for the game and watch over the government's money. But, as Bond and Vesper survive a series of lethal attacks by Le Chiffre and his henchmen, a mutual attraction develops leading them both into further danger and events that will shape Bond's life forever.

About Sony:

Sony manufactures audio, video, communications and information technology products for the global consumer and professional markets. With its music, pictures, game and online businesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to be one of the World's Leading Consumer Brands. Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of EUR 54.96 billion (yen 7,475 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006 and it employs approximately 158,500 people worldwide.

In Europe, Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of EUR 12.61 billion (yen 1,715 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006, based on an average market exchange rate for the same period of yen 136 to the EUR. Sony Europe, headquartered at the Sony Center am Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, is responsible for the company's European electronics business and registered consolidated sales of EUR 8.22 billion (yen 1,118 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006.

For more information on Sony Europe, please visit http://www.sony-europe.com/ and http://www.sony-europe.com/presscenter

About EON Productions:

Eon Productions/Danjaq, LLC, is owned by the Broccoli family and has produced twenty James Bond films since 1962, including Die Another Day. The Bond films, produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, make up the most successful franchise in film history and include the recent blockbuster films GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day. Eon Productions and Danjaq, LLC, are affiliate companies and control all worldwide merchandising of the James Bond franchise.

About Columbia Pictures:

Columbia Pictures, part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company. Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com/.

About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an independent, privately-held motion picture, television, home video, and theatrical production and distribution company. The company owns the world's largest library of modern films, comprising approximately 4,000 titles, and over 10,400 episodes of television programming. Its film library has received 208 Academy Awards®, one of the largest award-winning collections in the world, and includes numerous successful film franchises, including James Bond, Pink Panther and Rocky. MGM is owned by an investor consortium comprised of Sony Corporation of America, Providence Equity Partners, Texas Pacific Group, Comcast Corporation and DLJ Merchant Banking Partners. For more information, visit http://www.mgm.com/.

  Contact:  Marcy Cohen
            Sony Electronics
            marcy.cohen@am.sony.com

            Mike Rose
            Nuffer, Smith, Tucker
            mr@nstpr.com

SOURCE: Sony Electronics

CONTACT: Marcy Cohen of Sony Electronics, +1-201-930-6884,
marcy.cohen@am.sony.com, or Mike Rose of Nuffer, Smith, Tucker,
+1-619-296-0605, ext. 236, mr@nstpr.com

Web site: http://www.sony.com/news
http://www.sonystyle.com/casinoroyale
http://www.sony.com/casinoroyale
http://www.sony-europe.com/
http://www.sony-europe.com/presscenter
http://www.sonypictures.com/
http://www.mgm.com/