PlayStation Vita

Sony NGP to Release on November 11th in Europe?

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 11, 2011 | 2 comments

The NGP is a hot tech topic. Announced a little over two months ago, the PSP successor, previously dubbed as the PSP2 and currently codenamed the NGP which is an internal codename and not the products actual name was met with great reactions from all over. The latest handheld from Sony packs some of the most state of the art technology in any device with many components of it not yet released into the market, like a quad core CPU and graphics card. Originally Sony’s Kaz Hirai had indicated that the NGP would launch during the 2011 Holiday season. We now know, thanks to clarification from SCEA Jack Tetton that Sony is looking to launch the NGP in at least one territory in 2011 with others to follow through. Part of this is the limitation in resources which make building large quantities of a unit like this extremely hard.

it’s very difficult to have the quantities to be able to launch on a worldwide basis on the same date” and that “our goal is get at least one territory out by the end of holiday 2011”.

When it comes to product launches, Sony users are no doubt accustomed to Japan, Sony’s home territory to receive a product with Europe and US to follow a few months after. This is especially true in the PlayStation division where all unites, including the PSone, PS2, PS3 and PSP launched in Japan and were eventually followed with a US release date. With such a track record, many assumed that the NGP would fall in line and Japan would receive the product sometime during the 2011 Holiday with Europe and US receiving shipments in the Spring. Now an online leak is pointing towards Europe receiving the honors and being the first territory to receive the NGP. This should partially come to as no surprise as Europe is one of Sony’s strong holds where the company sold over 9 million Sony Ericsson Android devices and the PlayStation 3 has continued to stay ahead of the Xbox 360. Still, this early on, it’s hard to take any leaks seriously as I’m sure final configuration and logistics of the NGP are still being sorted out.

[Via MCVUK]

ncmogo CEO Thinks ‘NGP Will Be Dead on Arrival’

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 4, 2011 | 2 comments

Coming into the spotlight a little over three years ago, ngmogo is the game developer behind such popular iPhone games like Dropship, Star Defense, We Farm and We Rule. Since then, the small developer has grown to provide games for the full range of iOS devices (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad) and Android. With their bread and butter invested into mobile games for cellphones, it’s no surprise to hear ngmogo CEO Neil Young bash the upcoming handheld from Sony, the NGP. The CEO thinks that the NGP which previously was called the PSP2 will be “dead on arrival” because the system wont be able to keep up with the advances in the iOS and Android ecosystem. Of course, every time I hear random CEO’s taking a shot at their competitors, it’s because they need some attention or they actually know there is real competition coming.

“I think they are hurt; I think they’re clearly hurt,” Young said of the traditional portables from Sony and Nintendo. “I think PSP is done and the new [NGP] is dead on arrival. It’s really difficult to compete with an app store that has hundreds of thousands of applications and a wide range of options where the average price paid is around $1.20 and there are tens, if not hundreds of thousands of free applications that are really high quality. So I just don’t think Sony’s going to be able to compete with that.”

Breaking: PSPgo Price Drops to $150 (Updated)

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 3, 2011 | 13 comments

On the heels of Sony dropping the price of the PSP-3000 to $129, Sony has now dropped the MSRP of the PSPgo to $150, down from the current $199. The PSPgo debuted over a year ago in October to a $249 price point and eventually dropped to $199 a year later. The PSPgo debuted as a sidekick to the original PSP with one major difference, outside of its form factor, the loss of the UMD drive, instead paving the way for only downloadable content from PSN. The PSP-3000 and PSPgo will be succeeded later this year by the NGP.

Updated:

It seems like the price drop has disappeared from Sony’s website with no mention left. Considering that I saw the price drop on Sony’s own site and not a random retailers, I cannot imagine it being long before this makes a full comeback. This also does play into my curiosity as to why Sony never made an announcement of the price drop. The simple answer seams to be that somebody pulled the trigger before the company was ready for it and expect to see the official MSRP down to $150 in the near future again.

[Via Sony]

The PSP Drops to $129

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 25, 2011 | 26 comments

Well ahead of the NGP, Sony has dropped the price of the PSP-3000 down to $129.99 MSRP in hopes of spurring up sales and cleaning out inventory slowly. Now you can find older games at $9.99, greatest hits at $19.99 and brand new titles at $29.99. This is great for those who want to experience some amazing AAA games like Killzone: Liberation, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7, God of War: Ghost of Sparta and Gran Turismo to name a few. Fans can also expect the PSP to live beyond the release of the NGP (PSP2), much like the PS2 currently still lives on with new releases. Despite the stigma, with nearly 67 million units sold, the PSP has been an extremely successful handheld, despite its lack of 3rd party publisher support, something that Sony is looking to change with the NGP.

Our NGP Video Overview Including HD Pictures, Specs and Game/Device Footage

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 31, 2011 | 3 comments

For those of you who’ve been waiting for any spec of detail you can get about the upcoming handheld device from Sony, the NGP aka PSP2, we’ve finally got our video uploaded to YouTube after some technical difficulties and you are in for a treat. We not only go over some of the announcement, but we have all HD Pictures of the NGP and the current spec list. We also have some great game footage and some videos showing the devices different functionalities used in different game scenarios. Expect more videos from us as we cover the device in more depth and detail.

The NGP aka PSP2. Full Game List, So Far (updated)

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 27, 2011 | 4 comments

One thing should be apparent about the NGP, that it’s crazy powerful. It has Quad Core ARM Cortex-A9 core with a SGX543MP4+ graphics card. All that should really mean nothing to the average person but what should mean something to you is Uncharted and Killzone which are synonymous with crazy graphics and thats exactly what the NGP is going to deliver. As shown with Hideo Kojima onstage, he was able to port over MGS4 from the PlayStation 3 and have it run on the NGP with no problem. What kind of game franchises are already being developed for the NGP and by who? Besides the obvious being Sony and it’s first party studios who have brought you games like God of War, Killzone and Uncharted, some third party studios include:

Capcom
Sega
Tecmo Koei
Konami
Epic
Activision
Square-Enix

All of these companies have announced games in development for the system. Hit the jump to see a full list of the currently announced titles that are in development, as well as a full publisher breakdown.

The NGP aka PSP2. We Have Full HD Pictures

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 27, 2011 | 1 comment

Want to look at some pictures of the NGP aka PSP2? We got all of them in full HD galore for your viewing pleasure.

Checkout the full gallery below and if you’re looking for NGP specs, we have those too!

The NGP aka PSP2. We Have Full Specs

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 27, 2011 | 53 comments

The PSP2 which is actually called the NGP (Next Generation Portable) although we are not sure if this will be the official name when it launches this Holiday season or not was finally shown off last night in Tokyo and we have both specs and official pictures to show you. First, the device is crazy powerful and packs a lot of up to date technology, something that the PSP and PSPgo both lack. In comparison to the Nintendo 3DS, there really isn’t one. The NGP is for people who take gaming, media and the connected life serious. But more on that later. Lets get some specs out first like the fact that this thing has a Quad Core processor inside.

CPU: ARM Cortex -9 core (4 core)

GPU: SGX543MP4+

Multi-touch 5-inch organic light emitting display (OLED) as the front display ( Resolution 960 x 544)

Read touch pad

Two cameras (front and rear)

Sound: Built in stereo speakers

Dual analog sticks

Built in Microphone

Sensors: Six-Axis motion sensor with accelerometer. Same internals of the PlayStation Move

PlayStation Network access, including ““LiveArea™”, “Near” and “Activity” log features Trophy Support

NGP will be able to play PSP titles, minis, PS one classics, video and comics from the PlayStation Store.

3G

Wifi (802.11 b/g/n)

Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR

Now how a full spec breakdown.

Live Blogging the PlayStation Teams "Live From Japan: PlayStation Meeting 2011" (Pictures and Specs)

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 26, 2011 | 15 comments

Well, I can’t say that our site was magically able to afford a ticket to Tokyo and attend the PlayStation meet so instead, I’ll be going through all the news provided by Sony and other media sites and will be reporting them here. So check back now and especially in the following day and we gather all the bits of information that is likely to be the PlayStation Portable 2 (PSP2) or the PlayStation Phone.

10:10: Video montage of the PlayStation vision that was shown at the 2005 E3 is being shown. This is to show what their vision was then and where they are now, almost 6 years later.

“Let me start off by showing you video footage. It is the same clip we showed at E3 5 1/2 years ago, because we want to revisit the image of the future we revealed in 2005”

10:12 Kaz Hirai: “I believe a lot of what we envisioned back then has materialized for our users.”

10:13 Kaz is setting the audience up for the new device they are looking to introduce.

“Today, I’d like to speak about a whole new world that PlayStation is about to bring to reality”

Kaz believes that the PlayStation 3 “has won its place as the center of the living room” and that the next challenge for Sony will be to win what device is in peoples hand.

10:15 A whopping 80% of PS3’s are connected to the internet.

10:16 As of January 25th, there is over 69 million PSN accounts. This includes PS3, PSP and accounts created to access PlayStation content online like the PlayStation Blog.

“When we released PSP, cell phone providers were unable to deliver PlayStation quality content. After 6 years, these multi-function handheld devices are ready for PlayStation-like experiences”

10:20 Sony wants to deliver the PlayStation experience to a wider audiences, something that was not possible in 2005, especially with phone technology.

10:21 Sony has announced the PlayStation Suit. It is a cross endeavor platform.

“PS Suite will make PS content available on Android smartphones and tablets”

Hit the jump for our continuing live coverage and additional photos.

NGP: With Front/Rear Camera and Front/Back Touchscreen

Live Blogging the PlayStation Teams “Live From Japan: PlayStation Meeting 2011” (Pictures and Specs)

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 26, 2011 | 5 comments

10:10: Video montage of the PlayStation vision that was shown at the 2005 E3 is being shown. This is to show what their vision was then and where they are now, almost 6 years later.

“Let me start off by showing you video footage. It is the same clip we showed at E3 5 1/2 years ago, because we want to revisit the image of the future we revealed in 2005”

10:12 Kaz Hirai: “I believe a lot of what we envisioned back then has materialized for our users.”

10:13 Kaz is setting the audience up for the new device they are looking to introduce.

“Today, I’d like to speak about a whole new world that PlayStation is about to bring to reality”

Kaz believes that the PlayStation 3 “has won its place as the center of the living room” and that the next challenge for Sony will be to win what device is in peoples hand.

10:15 A whopping 80% of PS3’s are connected to the internet.

10:16 As of January 25th, there is over 69 million PSN accounts. This includes PS3, PSP and accounts created to access PlayStation content online like the PlayStation Blog.

“When we released PSP, cell phone providers were unable to deliver PlayStation quality content. After 6 years, these multi-function handheld devices are ready for PlayStation-like experiences”

10:20 Sony wants to deliver the PlayStation experience to a wider audiences, something that was not possible in 2005, especially with phone technology.

10:21 Sony has announced the PlayStation Suit. It is a cross endeavor platform.

“PS Suite will make PS content available on Android smartphones and tablets”

Hit the jump for our continuing live coverage and additional photos.

NGP: With Front/Rear Camera and Front/Back Touchscreen

PSP2 to Have OLED Touchscreen and 3G Connectivity?

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 25, 2011 | 5 comments

If Nikkei, the Japanese news giant, is to be believed, not only will the PSP2 be announced this week on the 27th, but that this hotly anticipated and better kept secret from Sony will come with an OLED Touchscreen and 3G cellular connectivity. First, let’s talk about the announcement date. Although nobody is expecting to unit to actually go on sale soon, the announcement time does make sense if Sony wants to take some steam out of the recently-announced and soon-to-launch Nintendo 3DS. If Sony can really offer consumers something different and comparable in price, many might deice to skip out on the 3DS and wait for the Sony handheld. Now, when it comes to a OLED touchscreen, I think this one is a no brainer. Sony recently launched a new Cybershot model during CES which also happens to come with an OLED screen. This is a clear indication though it doesn’t prove that Sony is now producing these in smaller sizes, something that will be perfect for the PSP2. As for a touchscreen, after the iPhone and iPod Touch craze, that is as good as a requirement, especially if Sony wants to draw in more independent developers like those seen on the Apple App store. In respect to the 3G, this again seems like the obvious evolution of the handheld. So many of today’s devices have internet connectivity and the brilliance of an iPod Touch as an example wouldn’t be seen if it didn’t have access to the internet. Now of course, the iPod Touch only has Wifi and not 3G like the original PSP. The difference is with the original PSP and PSPgo, internet connectivity was never a convenient thing, unlike the iPod Touch. Also, Sony needs to offer users something different and the ability to have a 3G data plan in order to play online and download new content at any time will truly set aside the PSP2. If all this holds up though, I’m curious as to which carriers will have access to the PSP2.

[Via Nikkei]

First Official Pictures of the PSP2?

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 24, 2011 | 6 comments

Though by now we all know what the inevitable PlayStation Phone will look like, the PSP2 has been guarded more closely by Sony. We’ve received bits and pieces of information here and there with a supposed spec sheet and rumors of the unit losing its UMD drive (a no brainer really) and being as powerful as the Xbox 360. Starting last week, new rumors started to go around that Sony is planning on announcing and showing off the PSP2 for the first time on the 27th of this month. That puts it at just 2 days away by the time you read this and it might lead some to believe that the above picture is indeed legitimate. I for one am not buying into the rumor. If it’s indeed a scan of the press photo that will be handed out on the 27th, and that is what those behind this leak claim, then why it it at such a low resolution? Better yet, why do some parts of the image appear more crisp then others? Also, a stylus? I just don’t see Sony releasing a gaming device that is meant to go toe to toe with the iPod Touch being released with a stylus. Still, we are only 2 days away and we will find out soon enough.

Japanese Taxis to Gain WiFi and PSPgo

by Sohrab Osati | Dec 29, 2010 | 13 comments

Japan continues to push the idea of technology and how it can be used in our everyday lives. While in the States, coffee shops continue to lock their WiFi for special rewards members only and our planes and airports are slowly getting WiFi (again for a fee), Japanese taxis are looking to make the commute for their passengers a little easier by adding WiFi to the ride as well. 820 taxis in Tokyo will be outfitted with WiFi while 100 of them will also be getting a PSPgo as well, giving those sitting in the backseat some form of entertainment during their travel. Best of all, this is a free service for anybody who decides to use the taxi service. Would-be passengers can identify the taxis with these equipment by looking for a red DoCoMo sticker on the cab’s door. Though the service is currently live, expect the entire fleet to be fully operational by March 2011.

[Via Docomo]

PSP2 Dev Kit Spotted?

by Sohrab Osati | Dec 27, 2010 | 30 comments

Although we’ve seen plenty from the PayStation Phone, the PSP2 still continues to be a mystery which exact specs and designs. That is, until the guys over at VG247 published the following pictures of what they claim to be a PSP2 developers kit. I’m not going to stick my neck out and say these are real or fake but it’s almost an industry practice that leaked shots have to be taken with a 2003 cell phone camera with .2 megapixels. From what we can tell from the picture is that the unit sports a dual thumbsticks which should be a crowd pleaser, as well as a front facing camera and microphone, something that the current PSPgo actually also has. You also tell from the design that this indeed is a followup and evolution to the PSPgo and that is actually fine, given how great the PSPgo feels in the hand. Still, whether this is real or fake, we have to take into account that developer kits can look very different from the final product so take all of these pictures with a grain of salt. Hit the jump for a backside shot as well.

[Via VG247]

More PSP2 Rumors, No UMD, More Powerful than Xbox 360

by Sohrab Osati | Dec 22, 2010 | 5 comments

Artist rendering

Rumors for the PSP2 and PlayStation Phone have been running wild as of late, though the PlayStation Phone is all but confirmed, considering we have seen it in plenty of pictures and videos. The PSP2, on the other hand, is still a mystery. We know of its existence from developer rumors and murmurs, but we have yet to see any official specs, pictures or video leaks from the device. One thing that is clear though is that this device is going to be powerful and beat all current handhelds and even home consoles.

How powerful? Try upping the Xbox 360 and having it fit in your pocket. The current PSP and PSPgo both feed from 64MB of RAM and a MIPS R4000 CPU clocked at up to 333 MHz. The Xbox 360 on the other hand is powered by 512MB of RAM. The PSP2? Try 1GB of RAM, which is also double what currently runs in the iPhone 4 which has been able to produce some amazing looking games. To help further push the power and battery efficiency of the unit, Sony is also not-so-shockingly ditching the UMD platform that the current PSP (not PSPgo) uses to offer games and media on. The device is set to appropriately feed instead from the PlayStation Network, much like the iPhone and iPod Touch feed from iTunes. By ditching the UMD, this not only means Sony can have more control over the look and size of the device, but with no disc in the unit to spin around, this also means longer battery life for the user.