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Sony Shows Off Stainless Steel SmartWatch 3

 & Chloe Albanesius Executive Editor, News

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As is usually the case for CES press conferences, Sony had a massive TV on hand for its Monday night event, but it also had something a bit smaller - a stainless steel version of its SmartWatch 3.

Sony SmartWatch 3 Stainless SteelThe updated smartwatch will arrive in February. It still sports a 1.6-inch, 320-by-320 TFT LCD display, which is made to work in bright sunlight. It also has an IP68 water protection so you don't have to worry about it in the rain. It charges via microUSB.

Sony also tipped a new SmartWatch 3 holder, which will allow for customized straps. That will be available in the next few months.

The SmartWatch 3 has some standalone capabilities, and Sony talked up two apps that will take advantage of this: Golfshot and iFit, for golfing and fitness, which will be free to SmartWatch 3 users starting this month.

Also today, Sony highlighted its revamped lineup of Bravia 4K Ultra HD TVs, which will range in size from 43 to 75 inches.

Mike Fasulo, president and COO of Sony Electronics, talked up the "ultra-thin floating style" on the new XBR X900C Series, which he said are Sony's thinnest TVs yet at 0.2 inches, which is even slimmer than its Xperia smartphone.

Tony Hawk at Sony Press ConferenceThe sets, which will be available in the spring, feature edge-to-edge viewing on their 3,840-by-2,160 4K resolution displays. They run a new 4K processor known as the X1, which will "analyze and upscale 4K resolution, providing the best image quality, regardless of the image source," Sony said.

But 4K TVs are no good if you don't have any 4K content to watch. To that end, Sony said its new TVs will support more than 1,300 movies, TV shows and other 4K titles through partnerships with Video Unlimited 4K, Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Ultraflix, and Toon Goggles.

Also on the 4K front, Sony added 4K video capture to its consumer Action Cam and camcorder lines. To show off what the new machines could do, Sony had Tony Hawk (pictured) try them out on the slopes and his skateboard.

About Our Expert

Chloe Albanesius

Chloe Albanesius

Executive Editor, News

My Experience

I started out covering tech policy in DC for The National Journal, where my beat included state-level tech news and all the congressional hearings and FCC meetings I could handle. I later covered Wall Street trading tech before switching gears to consumer tech. I now lead PCMag's news coverage.

My Areas of Expertise

Getting my start in DC means I still have a soft spot for tech policy; Congressional hearings can sometimes be as entertaining as a Bravo reality show, for better or worse. But PCMag is all about the technology we use every day, as well as keeping an eye out for the trends that will shape the industry in the years ahead (or flop on arrival). I've covered the rise of social media, the iOS vs. Android wars, the cord-cutting revolution that's now left us with hefty streaming bills, and the effort to stuff artificial intelligence into every product you could imagine. This job has taken me to CES in Vegas (one too many times), IFA in Berlin, and MWC in Barcelona. I also drove a Tesla 1,000 miles out west as part of our Best Mobile Networks project. Of late, my focus is on our hard-working team of reporters at PCMag, guiding and editing their robust coverage.

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