Sony has announced plans to increase the number of retail stores offering its products in hopes to attract small and medium sized businesses as well as broaden its Vaio line. No wonder the company wants to keep pioneering the consumer electronics market however as competition gets more fierce and products more complex, they'll try to reach consumers more directly, much like Apple has done with its own stores.

Sony Electronics has been re-evaluating and reorganizing its operations since corporate parent Sony surprised the market with nearly a billion dollar loss and the company called out the electronics division as one of the unexpected culprits. But the division has been turning things around and is becoming more aggressive in defending its turf. Its corporate parent will announce fiscal year-end results in late April, and the electronics division is expected to be a solid contributor to revenue.