Sony





Sony is a consumer electronics corporation based in Tokyo, Japan. It was
founded on May 7, 1946 as the Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering with
about 20 employees. Their first consumer product, in the late 1940s, was a
rice boiler. As it grew into a major international corporation, Sony
acquired other companies with longer histories, including Columbia Records
(the oldest continuously produced brand name in recorded sound, dating back
to 1888).

The name was coined by founder Akio Morita to convey "sound" and "sonny" for
youth and energy.

In 2000 Sony had sales of US $63 billion and 189,700 employees. Sony
acquired Aiwa corporation in 2002.

Noteworthy products

   * PlayStation
   * PlayStation2
   * Walkman
   * Minidisc
   * Betamax
   * Aibo
   * VAIO
   * CLIE

Sony Music Entertainment

In 1988, Sony acquired CBS (Columbia) Records Group from CBS. It was renamed
"Sony Music Entertainment".

Movies & Theaters

   * Columbia Tri-Star
   * Columbia Pictures
   * Tri-Star Pictures
   * Jim Henson Productions (partial interest)
   * Mandalay Entertainment (partial interest)
   * Phoenix Pictures (partial interest)
   * Sony Pictures Classics
   * Sony Pictures Entertainment
   * Columbia-Tri Star Home Video
   * Sony/Lowes Theaters
   * Magic Johnson Theaters
   * Loews - Star Theaters
        o Metreon in San Francisco