Posts Tagged ‘sony’
Sony Announces March 9th PlayStation Vita Media Event
Despite PlayStation Vita sales already eclipsing 1.2 million, Sony is hoping it can grab the attention of even more gamers next week with a special online broadcast. Set for March 9th at 8pm (in Japan), Sony will be hosting a special media event to spill the beans on unannounced Vita titles, news on upcoming releases and possibly unveil new online Vita services.
Sony is calling the event “Welcome! PlayStation Vita Game Heaven.” With a name like that, it’s gotta be good, right? You can watch the broadcast online at the official event website.
What Vita games or services would you like to see unveiled next week? Tell us in the comments below!
PS Vita Tip: How To Take a Screenshot
So, you’ve got a new Playstation Vita and want to show off your accomplishments to your friends? Trying to take a photo of the Vita’s ultra-shiny screen can be problematic, so saving a screen shot is probably your best option. How? Easy. Simply press the “PS” button and the “Start” button at the same time. The Vita will create a jpeg of the current state of the screen and save it to your “Photos” app. Once there, you can use Sony’s Content Manager application to transfer the jpeg to your computer, or use one of the downloadable apps like Flickr or Twitter to post the image online.
Got a Playstation Vita tip? Leave it in the comments below!
PS Vita: Unboxing
I’m a launch day addict and I have no problem admitting that. About a year ago, I triumphantly walked out of Target at 8:05am with a just-released Nintendo 3DS. I had such high hopes for that machine, but was continually disappointed with the titles released for the system. So, last night I went to GameStop and traded up to the (also just-released) Playstation Vita. I have even higher hopes for the this system and am really looking forward to trying it out.
Until I am able to fully put the Vita through its paces, I thought I’d post a few photos of the unboxing. Initial impressions are that this is one beautiful handheld. The industrial design is on par with anything coming out of Cupertino. It feels solid in your hands without feeling heavy, and the dual analog sticks are a dream come true for handheld gaming fans.
Hit the jump to check out the unboxing.
How To: Upgrade Your PS3 Hard Drive
When I was finally able to get my hands on a shiny, new Playstation 3 four or five years ago, I went all out and got the top-end 60GB version. 60GB on a game console?! That’ll last me forever! Yea, right. I’ve filled that hard drive up 10x over and managing the free space was becoming a real pain. So, I finally decided to upgrade the internal hard drive. Granted, I could use any combination of USB flash drives, external hard drives, etc., but I didn’t want to clutter up my shelves with more gear. Plus, the cost of internal hard drives has dropped through the floor over the past couple of years. I’m happy to report this was one of the easiest “do it yourself” tech upgrades I’ve ever tackled.
Read on for the details.
Long Live the PSP®go!
Well, sort of. Technically, yesterday’s report of Sony killing off the PSPgo is true… in Japan. Gaming news site EuroGamer is reporting Sony has issued a statement regarding the status of PSPgo production:
“It is a very exciting time for PlayStation portable devices. Before the end of the year we are launching NGP, our next generation portable device, which we believe will revolutionise portable gaming. In the meantime, the current generation of PSPs continue to be in demand, especially since the introduction of our value for money, Essentials range of games and we will continue to meet that demand.”
So there you have it. The PSPgo is not dead. Yet. Thanks again to EuroGamer for the update!
Sony Takes a Shot at Used Game Sales
Not to be outdone by EA’s “Online Pass” system, Sony has unveiled the upcoming version of their flagship shooter, SOCOM 4, will include similar online functionality. Each new copy of the game will include a code to unlock “SOCOM Pro” – allowing you to play online with other “pro” users, download special DLC and more. However, this is a one-time use code that is tied to your PSN id. So, if you pick-up this game used, you’re out of luck. Of course, Sony is making it very easy to purchase a brand new code for the low, low price of $14.99 (on top of what you’re already paying for the game).
I really hope this isn’t the future for online gaming. I feel like Sony, Microsoft, and EA are slowly nickel-and-diming me over and over again. Sixty dollars for a game is pretty steep already, not to mention online service fees (ie. Xbox Live, Playstation Plus). And now, “online passes” that I need to have to play using online services that I’ve already paid for. Yeesh. Enough already.
PSP®go -ing, Going, Gone.
It’s official. The PSPgo is dead. Sony Japan has declared “shipment ended” for the handheld console on their website. However, Sony does say that they will continue to produce the PSP-3000 for the foreseeable future. Given the recent buzz surrounding Sony’s upcoming NGP (Next Generation Portable), the news isn’t that surprising. What I do find surprising is that they’re canceling the PSPgo and not the PSP-3000, the older of the two consoles. I still don’t understand why Sony insists on hanging on to the UMD distribution platform. The PSPgo disc-less, download-only strategy really appealed to me, and seems to be a much more forward-thinking plan. Have Sony execs ever heard of Apple’s App Store or the Android Market?
Location Awareness Coming to Sony’s NGP from Skyhook
Skyhook, creators of a location-aware software engine, has announced their technology will be embedded in Sony’s recently unveiled next-generation handheld gaming console, codenamed the NGP. Skyhook has developed a software-only “Core Engine” combining Wi-Fi positioning, GPS and cell tower triangulation that provides location services to mobile devices, including mobile phones, netbooks, digital cameras and laptops. Founder and senior vice president of Business Development, Michael Shean, said of the partnership, “Skyhook is thrilled to enhance SCE’s NGP with superior location accuracy and availability and to expand into the portable gaming category.”
Check out Skyhook’s full press release for details.
Sony PSP Go! Hits New Price Low
I’m always looking for bargains, but this one really blew me away. With the up coming release of the PSP2 we’ve seen many stores around the world slash prices of the PSP Go! console, including reputable retailers such as Amazon.co.uk who are selling the PSP Go! for a brilliant £147.91 including Free delivery.
It amazes me that we have the chance now to buy a great portable console for such a low price. Taking into account the PSP 3000 is going for even cheaper now is a good time to grab yourself a good console for those portable gaming moments where you’re not so much a fan of the Nintendo line-up. Other stores around the web are selling the PSP for less, but taking into account Postage & Packing, then our 20% VAT on top, it seems Amazon.co.uk are the best price at the moment for a brand new PSP Go!
Sony Details Move.me Plans
Sony recently announced their plans to release a PC-server application for the Playstation Move system, called Move.me, to encourage homebrew game and application development. At this week’s Game Developer’s Conference, senior SCEA engineer, John McCutchan, explained how Sony will be supporting these developers: “We have some libraries and sample applications written in C# and C which we’re going to put up on google code, licensed with no restrictions, and people can just take that and run with it. We’ll also open a forum for the community to share sample code, contribute to other developers’ work and help all of us make some cool apps.”
Interestingly enough, this all comes at a time when Sony seems to be publicly cracking down on anyone trying to “hack” their Playstation 3 console with custom firmware, homebrew apps and the like. It begs the question, is Sony really interested in assisting the community or are they trying to improve their “big bully” image among developers?
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