It will compete against a similar new product, Google's Chromecast. Sony told entertainment trade-magazine Variety that it would formally launch the Android-powered Smart Stick later this week.
It will offer access to online content including video streams, music and games. However, one analyst said its price might prove its weakness. Sony told Variety the Smart Stick would cost $150 (£94), but Google's plug-in is being sold in the US for $35. Many of the features offered by Sony's device were included in its earlier Google TV set-top boxes, which have struggled to find demand.
However, the Smart Stick is designed to do away with the need for a separate cable as it can be plugged directly into a TV's mobile high-definition link (MHL) socket. News of the gadget was revealed on the company's blog last week. The post was later pulled but can still be seen via Bing's cache facility, and the device's instruction manual remains online.
They state that the dongle offers access to Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, YouTube and the Chrome web browser - which will all come pre-installed - and the option to download more software from the Play app store. The gadget comes bundled with a remote that includes a microphone for voice-control, a touchpad and more traditional buttons.
Source: BBC News
