By now, you have probably read our story on the leaked Playstation Phone. Sony has always had Android 3.0 in mind in order to give them the flexibility that they want to provide a true phone and gaming device in one. Now, an available job posted in the Playstation division points to more confirmation that this project is indeed gearing up with “experience in mobile development, specifically Android” as one of the requirements for hire.
[Via Sony Jobs]
For those who own the Playstation Move, the might soon realize that they need a better method to charge them, especially if they happen to own more then one pair of controllers. Enter the PS3 Move Quad Charger
[Buy from Amazon
Sony is rolling out a new program for its loyal Playstation users dubbed Playstation Rewards. The aim of the program is to give those loyal users something in return for all the time they spend playing games, as well as their purchases from Playstation Home and PSN.
PlayStation Rewards is designed to give you the opportunity to gain exclusive status, recognition, and rewards as a thank you for your continued interest in PlayStation. And, the best part is that you don’t have to do anything different. Keep playing new games, buying content purchased from PlayStation Network in the PlayStation Store and PlayStation Home, download movies and TV shows, or just communicate with us by taking one of our surveys, for example, and you’ll now be recognized for it.
The more you play and participate, the more progress you’ll make through our three reward tiers — “Select,” “Pro,” and “Legendary.” As your status increases, so do the rewards. And if you want to check out your current status level, simply go to your private profile page and look at the reward progress meter.
Currently, the program is available to select Playstation Plus and GAP members as they iron out the features and setups. Once Sony is happy with the beta phase and feel the program is working properly, all Playstation members will be eligible for it. The program is also not limited to just the Playstation 3, but will cover PSP purchases and other Sony activities. Other rewards include:
Currently, I’ve been selected for this program and have enrolled into it. I’ll report back to everybody once I find out more about it and Sony rolls out some more features.
It seems like the Playstation Phone is indeed real. We’re still not sure if the Playstation Phone or PSP phone is the same as the PSP2 or if these are two different projects Sony is working on. If they are the same thing, I would very much hope that the only way to get your hands on it is not by having to activate a phone. This makes me believe that either they are different projects or that you may get the next PSP in a phone version or just a handheld gaming console.
The following images are courtesy of Engadget who through reliable sources has been able to snap of plenty of pictures from this internally dubbed “Zues” project from Sony. As you can tell, the device is a mix of the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 and the PSPgo. The device is currently said to be running some version of Android 2.0 but many believe will actually ship with Android 3.0 once it’s set to launch. If you look at the pictures, you can tell that the device slides open like the PSPgo to reveal the gaming controls. Instead of the cingular thumb stick found on the current PSPs, there is now a sleep touch track pad which will probably allow for dual thumb stick controls, as well as singular. You can also note that on the sides, the device also has the trigger finger, exactly like the PSPgo. If based on the Xperia X10 and some of the leaked information, we can put the following specs together:
We will bring you plenty more as it comes but for now, hit the jump for more pictures of this device. For the record, Sony is probably the worst company when it comes to keeping secrets. Way too many leaks. It should also be noted that the device we see here is still a prototype so the final design will probably very different, especially when it comes to aesthetics.
[Via Engadget]
Artist Rendering
There have been plenty of sites reporting on some of the leaked specs of the PSP2. Although nothing is solid, reports are coming from supposed developers who have seen early versions of the eventual PSP successor. So far, the new PSP is said to have:
The screen resolution is not so much a rumor as it is a no brainer. I could have told you in 2004 when the PSP originally launched that the next version would have a higher resolution screen. As far as the back panel, the iPhone 4 was rumored to have that as well and that didn’t come to fruition. What the actual use might be of something like this might be limited by the cost. Other no brainers are: a more powerful processor, a graphic engine, and the probable use of touchscreen and a camera. But in all reality, anything you hear in the upcoming months will be nothing more than speculation, really.
With a little over a year into its life cycle, Sony has cut the price of the new Playstation Portable system, the PSPgo, to $199, down $50 from the original launch MSRP. The system, which boasted a sleeker design, longer battery lifetime, built in 16GB of memory with expandable M2 stick, as well as the ability to download games all via the web like the iPod Touch, has yet to really gain the attraction that Sony was looking for, while its bigger brother, the PSP-3000, fairs much better.
Many blamed the initial high price range that Sony was looking for, although to be fair, at the time, the 16GB iPod Touch was $299 and now, the Touch is $229. In both cases, Sony was offering a gaming device with the same memory and expandability for a lower price. Other point to the fact that a game that you can buy on UMD (Universal Media Disk, the system the PSP-3000) were the same price as their downloadable counterparts. Again, this puts Sony in a tough spot. They don’t want to piss off their retail partners like Gamestop who makes money on selling UMD games where they see nothing from downloaded games for the PSPgo. But a clear example of this again can be Apple where retailers love carrying the iPod Touch, even though they see no income from the music, videos, apps and games sold on it, simply due to the high volume sold and the income from that, as well as the ecosystem of docs and cases that surround most Apple products.
Will this drop in price be enough? I hope so, but again, Sony still lacks the marketing so a price drop without a media campaign might not go too far. Sony also needs to realize that at the end of the day, Gamestop and other retailers are only dedicated to themselves. If pissing off Gamestop and offering cheaper downloadable games (since the user dosent pay for the packaging and there is no cost of shelf space and transportation), means selling a lot more of the PSPgo, then Sony needs to do this now. Downloadable content is the future, as Apple has shown. One day, your Playstation 5 will have no disc drive, nor will your computer, and so Sony needs to jump on that bandwagon now instead of protecting partners who only care for themselves. All this now begs the question, will $199 get you to join the PSPgo community?
Not much to say here except enjoy our short little video to get a feel for the Playstation Move Shooting Attachment, as well as what’s all inside of the box.
Look what came around to us. Actually a few days ago, but I’m finally getting to write this. Funny thing, I don’t own a Playstation Move yet but gotta start somewhere right? I think next, I’ll be ordering the charging station dock. And no, I’m not crazy. I told myself I would not buy new games till I beat my current back catalogue and if I bought the Move, I would then buy games for it too. So currently, I’m just building up what I need to get the full experience for once I buy the Move.
If you are in UK and you love films, November is going to be a great month for you as LoveFilm and Sony are teaming up to bring their services to you. A subscription packages of £5.99 or above will give you access to thousands of shows to able to be streamed instantly, in High Definition to your PS3. Best of all, if you are a current subscriber of LoveFilm, there will be no additional cost to you. For those not familiar with LoveFilm, they are the UK version of Netflix, giving you access to rent movies via mail or stream.
A lot of websites the last few days have been reporting on the fact that Sony has notified publishers out there that pst November 15th, they will no be able to purchase a developer kit.
SCEE will no longer be selling the PSP Development Tool (DTP-T2000A) or Testing Tool (DTP-H2500A) past November 15th. Please order in advance if you require these development units.
We will advise you when a new model becomes available.
Now many people assumed that this had to due with the fact that there has been many rumors about the inevitable PSP2. While this sounds good and I’m not denying that there is a PSP2 in the works, why would Sony stop all support on the current PSP? Last I checked, there is over 50 million of them out there. Remember for how long the PS2 continued to sell and outsell current generation units? Anyways, the real reason, straight from Sony:
“Due to the certification on the current development and test tools expiring, we will be stopping selling them on the 15th November. However, we will continue to provide loan stock for registered and new developers, until a new certified model is available.”
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 was released yesterday on the PSN and available for $14.99. To say I’ve been excited for this game is an understatement. Sonic 1, 2 and 3 for Sega Genesis were among the first video games I’ve ever played, period. I loved the series and it became the base for my love of video games today. Episode 1 has four main zones; Splash Hill, Casino Street, Lost Labyrinth, and Mad Gear. Each of these has three acts followed by a boss battle, which is the same formula as the previous classic games. Of course Sonic upgraded to 1080p graphics but has the classic side scrolling game play we all know and love.
While playing the game last night, I noticed there have been quite a few changes in the game. You start out playing Act 1 of Splash Hill but after you beat that, you are brought to the main menu where you can choose between all four stages (as shown below). When you click on a stage, a menu pops up, giving you the option to play Act 1, 2, 3 and the boss stage, of course you have to beat the acts within a stage in order. I really like this new feature for the game and having the option to switch between Stages and going back for a higher score or finding a new path to beat the Act. As far as the gameplay, I think this new Sonic is a bit easier to play. They added a locking-on/homing feature to all enemies and item boxes, making it super easy to destroy them. When there is a string of enemies, just press X a few times and Sonic jumps from one to the next in one continuous move. If you touch an enemy, you lose your rings (like in the originals) and you don’t have to take them out using the lock on feature. To stick with the original game play and a little challenge, I only use the locking-on feature when it is really needed.
The Playstation 3 has been a milestone in gaming and home theater. Helping drive Blu-ray and now giving users the option of 3D movies and games, the PS3 is the most powerful game console to date. However, with all of this might behind it, the PS3 needed to compete with everyday gaming systems that didn’t offer HD or came with only DVD players and this meant pricing it at a level that would sell. What Sony considered a low launch price, one of $600, was still higher then what gamers wanted to pay Therefore, with each console sold, Sony was losing hundreds of dollars. Finally, 4 years into the cycle and now with a starting price of $299, depending on who you talk with, Sony is either breaking even or make a few dollars on each console. During the years, as Sony tried to balance its supply and demand and lower its production costs on the PS3, the company’s gaming division would go deeper into the red, losing billions of dollars. With each quarterly loss and movement further into the red, this made it harder for Sony to put money into advertising and other areas that would need funding in order to sell more PS3s and help the company lessen its gap with Microsoft and Sony. Thus, the catch 22 had started.
Finally, 4 years into the cycle, Sony is looking at the PS3 and Playstation Move to make a profit from. When the Sony Worldwide Studios boss, Shuhei Yoshida, went on record about the Playstation Move, he said “We are pricing Move as if we are launching a new platform.” He went on, “So because the install base of Move will help third party studios create games for it, we benefit by helping those third-parties. But we are not losing money with each one we sell.”
This shift in Sony’s capability to launch the Move and make money on it will hopefully be the halo effect that the company needs. With each PS3 and Move unit now sold, Sony can bring in a higher profit level to their game division, thus allowing them to invest more into future R&D and current system features like the recently added native Hulu app for the Playstation 3. But the positives are not only for Sony; they are for the consumer as well. The more Sony can invest in their product and give users more compelling content and bring them under the Playstation umbrella, the more units they can sell. With a higher sales volume, Sony can make a shift in their supply and demand strategy and offer the Playstation 3 at a lower price, thus bringing in even more users in. That is a cycle that Sony is looking to Move towards. I love puns…
[Via Develop-Online]
In its efforts to further unify the brand and help them build and compliment off of each other, Sony is now giving US Vaio owners the capability of Remote Play, a feature we wrote about a long time ago that Japan had received. Some of the capabilities include using your laptop as the bluetooth keyboard and streaming content like music, video and pictures to your PS3. News is still a little sketchy on exactly which Vaio units are gaining this new update, but the EA series seems to be a sure bet. Keep in mind that if you own a Vaio that this wont be under your Windows Update section. You will have to use your Sony Updater or jump on Sonys eSupport section to see if it’s available for your model.
[Via Engadget]
As we conclude our week of Playstation Move coverage, we bring you one last piece. What actually makes the Playstation Move…move? The guys at iFixit took the Move apart and found some rather interesting things. Like many of today’s smartphones, the Move includes a processor, accelerometer, gyroscope, Bluetooth transmitter, vibrating motor, and even a MEMS compass. Another piece that really stands out is the LED light that sits inside the sphere end of the Move, which allows the controller to turn any color of the spectrum, thus letting developers get as creative as they wish with the colors. This is not just a visual feedback for the sake of things, but something that plays into games. For example, during games like Socom 4 and Killzone 3, if your health starts to deplete, your Move controller will begin to flash red and in the upcoming Move game, Sorcery, when you open your green potion, your Move will also turn green. Jump to minute 1:45 to see this awesome interaction or just watch the whole demo.
Hit the jump for some highlights from the iFixit tear down or feel free to follow to jump over and read the article in its entirety.
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Announced today, seven games will be joining Sony’s Greatest Hits collection. Right now there’s about 40 titles in the Greatest Hits library. These titles are reduced in price to $29.99 a game (awesome!). I think it’s great Sony has their Greatest Hits collection. It’s a perfect way to showcase their amazing, top selling games and the collection has a broad range of genres, from first-person shooters to action/adventure, to platform and racing games. With these seven new titles, and now that it’s almost October, I think everyone is gearing up for the holiday season. The lowered price on these games would be perfect as gifts or to treat yourself to a great game you might have missed out on before.
I think I’ve been good and should treat myself to MAG.
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