CASINO ROYALE - PART 1

CASINO ROYALE (1/?)

(Image source: Engadget)

At 1m 24s we have our first Sony Spot, a Walkman HD5! Besides selling government secrets Agent Dryden apparently also enjoyed listening to music on Sony's compact, shock-resistant MP3 player (though I guess he doesn't keep the buds with the player...or maybe Bond stole them, haha). Fascinating fact: the Walkman HD5 had a removable lithium ion battery!

(Image source: rewindmuseum)

Next up at 7m24s is an old Sony Trinitron nestled in the corner of the warlord's office. Despite extensive searching I was unable to pull its exact model, though it's very close to the KV1320ub pictured above. The Trinitron was around for some time before officially being discontinued in 2008 - the Trinitron was first developed in 1966 by a team led by Masaru Ibuka, Sony's then-president and co-founder; the brand won an Emmy Award in 1973.

(Image source: broadcastbaron)

At 17m17s it's a bank of PVM series Trinitron Monitors! Interestingly, despite both models to capable of producing color, the picture only shows up as black and white on film. Of course, the images onscreen are undoubtedly digitally reproduced as there is no flicker and from an in-movie universe perspective the security cameras may only be capable of recording in monochrome.

(Image source: notebookcheck)

And we have our first VAIO at 20m56s! No model is visible (it's normally written in the lower right hand corner but is either obscured or simply not present on the prop) but it is a likely VGN-F series, possibly a VGN-FE. The unit seems to be running Windows XP though the taskbar is mocked up, apparent from the Start button missing the Windows logo. This could also be considered the first sighting of BRAVIA too with the ad in the browser window! Right under the ad is the old company slogan "like.no.other", changed in 2009 to "make.believe" continuing to the present.

(Image source: PC Mag)

Another VAIO at 22m38s! This time it's the VGNBX series making its debut, Sony's first major foray into business specific computer models. The VGNBX was a relatively chunky computer compared to its consumer peers at the time like the VGNFE, focusing instead on connectivity (cellular connection!), expandability with a modular bay, and superior utility with both a touchpad and pointing stick as well as an integrated webcam. The VGNBX series shown is actually M's computer - there's no better business than government!

(Image source: 2dayblog)

Sony Ericsson's first showcase in Casino Royale at 26m12s with the K800i in silver! As a brand, Sony Ericsson actually no longer exists - Sony bought out its stake in the joint venture February 2012. Starting with the Xperia T, all future Sony cell phones are designed and produced under Sony Mobile Communications and bear the global Sony logo. Bond actually uses his K800i throughout the film- I won't point it out again to prevent redundancy (unless, say, it's used in a particularly curious fashion).

(Image source: PC World)

At 27m32s an identifiable computer monitor comes into view, in particular the SDM series with its unique curved design. Sony does not currently manufacture any dedicated computer monitors for the consumer market - in fact, production on Sony computer monitors ceased December 2006, a scant month after Casino Royale hit theaters. Sony's not out of the computer display business entirely, of course: modern Sony BRAVIA television can double as computer monitors as they have the requisite VGA/headphone input and HDMI and on the computer front Sony produces All-in-One VAIOs, melding computer and monitor into one cohesive unit.

That's it for part one. See you next time for part two, when Bond steps in to a security room filled with more Sony product than you can shake a Memory Stick™ at! (ihopeyousawwhatididthere.jpeg)