Category: PSP

Sony Ericsson PlayStation Tablet (Android) in the Works

Engadget has a hot scoop on an upcoming Sony Ericsson tablet that runs Google Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) and Sony PlayStation Suite. The rumor follows the official announcement of Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Play, which offers Google Android and PlayStation Suite in a mobile phone. Here are more details on the Sony Ericsson Google Android PlayStation tablet (you must use all six words):

Although the tablet looks like a hollow 9.4-inch capacitive touch panel sporting a 1,280 x 800 pixel resolution from the distance, the space between the the front and back wrapped panels is actually stuffed with a battery and circuitry including a Tegra 2 processor. As such, you won’t be hanging it from the towel rack. It also features both front- and rear-facing cameras as well as a USB-A port that plays host to USB thumb drives or media devices. The only physical buttons — volume and on / off — are located on the edge of each indented side. There’s also the possibility that the S1 will feature a “Q” (for Qriocity) button but that decision has not been finalized, according to one of our sources. Oh, and there’s an IR port built-in allowing you to control devices other than your Bravia TV. The front face is finished in a high-gloss black that sits flush with the display and continues in one unobstructed sweep to the back of the tablet where a subtle dot matrix texture is applied to enhance the grip. The underside is a matte-silver color creating a nice contrast. All materials, we’re told, feel very premium though it’s unclear if we’re talking plastic, aluminum, or something else.

The rumor isn’t surprising considering how hot the tablet market will be in 2011. It’s nice to see Sony wisely expanding the reach of the PlayStation brand through its Sony Ericsson branch. It’s about time those folks started playing nice together.

Any of you interested in a Sony Ericsson Google Android PlayStation tablet (isn’t it fun to say?)? Would you get one over an iPad, BlackBerry Playbook, or HP WebOS tablet?

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EEDAR’s Jesse Divnich Talks Nintendo 3DS vs. Sony NGP

EEDAR vice president Jesse Divnich was kind enough to chat with me about the upcoming console war between the Nintendo 3DS and the Sony NGP. As the #1 analyst in the videogame business, IMHO, Jesse’s opinion is meaningful and powerful. He also answered one of RPadholic bsukenyan’s excellent questions. Naturally, I threw a playful jab a Wedbush Morgan’s Michael Pachter…but it was all in jest. Check it out (please)!

This Week’s Videogame Releases

Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is getting a ton of buzz from hardcore fighters and casual fans alike. I’m not really sure how Viewtiful Joe stands a chance against the Hulk, but the kids are loving it. RPG fans looking for something quirky and imaginative will want to give Hyperdimensional Neptunia a look. If you’re behind in all things Gears then Gears of War Triple Pack will save your day.

The games that have my super excited are a pair of portable RPGs. The Nintendo DS has Dragon Quest VI, while the PSP has Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together. I’ve been psyched for the Tactics Ogre remake since it was announced last July. I can’t wait to play!

Any of you picking up new games this week?

Sony Ericsson Unveils Xperia Play at Mobile World Congress

As expected, Sony Ericsson unveiled the Xperia Play at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Combining the power of Google Android and the gaming prowess of the PlayStation Portable, the Xperia offers an impressive blend of communication, productivity, and entertainment.

It looks like the phone will hit Asia and Europe before coming to America (through Verizon) in Spring 2011. It will come bundled with a game, while several other will be available at launch. I’m guessing it will be a well-known first-party game from Sony, but that would be cool if Final Fantasy VII was the launch title. The kids would go nuts. Anyway, here’s a clip from the press release:

The Android smartphone offers all the benefits that users have come to expect from Sony Ericsson’s existing range of XperiaTM smartphones with best-in-class entertainment experiences, a great 5 megapixel camera, a brilliant 4” multi-touch screen and great social networking features.

However, slide out the gaming control and users enter a new world of immersive mobile gaming. The slide out game pad reveals a digital D pad, two analogue touch pads, two shoulder buttons and the four PlayStation icons: circle, cross, square and triangle. Qualcomm’s optimized Snapdragon processor with a 1Ghz CPU and embedded Adreno GPU graphics processor deliver silky smooth 60fps play-back 3D mobile gaming and Web browsing with minimal power consumption so Xperia PLAY users can enjoy long hours of battery life and game time.

Initial software partners include Sony Computer Entertainment, Digital Chocolate, Digital Legends, Electronic Arts, Fishlabs, Gamehouse, Gameloft, Glu Mobile, Handy Games, Namco Bandai Networks, Polarbit, PopCap, Trendy Entertainment, and Unity Tecnologies.

Lastly, here are the official specs:

Camera
5.1 megapixel camera
Auto focus
Flash / Photo light
Geo tagging
Image stabiliser
Send to web
Touch focus
Video light
Video recording
Video blogging

Music
Album art
Bluetooth™ stereo (A2DP)
Google™ Music Player
Music tones (MP3/AAC)
PlayNow™ service*
Sony Ericsson Music player
Stereo speakers
TrackID™ music recognition application

Internet
Android Market™*
Bookmarks
Google™ search*
Google™ Voice Search*
Pan & zoom
Web browser (Webkit)

Communication
Call list
Conference calls
Facebook™ application (from Android Market™)
Google™ Talk*
Noise Shield
Polyphonic ringtones
Speakerphone
Sony Ericsson Timescape™***
Twitter™ application (from Android Market™)
Vibrating alert

Messaging
Android Cloud to Device messaging (C2DM)
Conversations
Email
Google Mail™*
Instant messaging
Picture messaging (MMS)
Predictive text input
Sound recorder
Text messaging (SMS)

Design
Auto rotate
Keyboard (onscreen, 12 key)
Keyboard (onscreen, QWERTY)
Picture wallpaper
Touchscreen
Wallpaper animation

Entertainment
3D games
Dedicated gaming keys
Flash Lite™
Gesture gaming
Motion gaming
Video streaming
YouTube™

Organiser
Alarm clock
Calculator
Calendar
Document editors
Document readers
E-Manual
Flight mode
Google Calendar™
Google Gallery 3D™
Infinite button
Phone book
Set-up Wizard
Widget manager

Connectivity
3.5 mm audio jack
aGPS
Bluetooth™ technology
DLNA Certified
Google Latitude™
Google Location Service
Google Maps™ with Street View
Media Transfer Protocol support
Micro USB Connector
Modem
Synchronisation via Facebook™**
Synchronisation via Google Sync™
Synchronisation via Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync®
Synchronisation via Sony Ericsson Sync
USB 2.0 high speed support
Wi-Fi™
Wi-Fi™ Hotspot functionality
* The service is not available in all markets.
** Requires Facebook™ application installed on the device.

Google™ services*
* These services may not be available in every market Android Market™ Client
Gmail™
Google Calendar™
Google Gallery 3D™
Google Latitude™
Google Maps™ with Street View
Google Media Uploader
Google Music Player™
Google Phone-top Search
Google Search widget
Google Sync™
Google Talk™
Google Voice Search
Set-up Wizard
YouTube™

Screen
16,777,216 colour TFT
Capacitive multi-touch
4 inches
480 x 854 pixels (FWVGA)

In-Box:
Xperia™ PLAY
Battery
Stereo portable handsfree
8GB microSD™ memory card
Charger
Micro USB cable for charging, synchronisation and file transfer
User documentation

Facts
Size: 119 x 62 x 16 mm
Weight: 175 grams
Phone memory: 400 MB
Memory card support: microSD™, up to 32 GB
Memory card included: 8GB microSD™
Operating system: Google™ Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
Processor: 1 GHz Scorpion ARMv7

Talk time and networks Networks
Talk time GSM/GPRS: Up to 8 hrs 25 min*
Standby time GSM/GPRS: Up to 425 hrs*
Talk time UMTS: Up to 6 hrs 25 min*
Standby time UMTS: Up to 413 hrs*
Talk time CDMA2000®: Up to 7 hrs 40 min*
Standby time CDMA2000®: Up to 405 hrs*
Game play time: Up to 5 hrs 35 min*
MP3 playback: Up to 30 hrs 35 min*

Networks
UMTS HSPA 800, 850, 1900, 2100
GSM GPRS/EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900
UMTS HSPA 900, 2100
GSM GPRS/EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900
CDMA2000®, cdmaOne, EVDO

Colour
Black
White

Pretty cool, hey? Any of you considering this phone?

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Dissidia 012 [duodecim] Screens: Prishe From FFXI

The latest batch of Dissidia 012 [duodecim] screens features Prishe from Final Fantasy XI. I thought the first game was above average, but I completely marked out when heroes and villains from different Final Fantasy games shared the screen. While I don’t expect a dramatic improvement in terms of gameplay (I could be wrong), I know that I’ll mark out when FF worlds collide in Dissidia 012. Additions like Lightning, Tifa, Prishe, and others up the ante.

Check out the screens and let me know what you think (please)!

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This Week’s Videogame Releases

After a dull start, February roars back with several interesting releases. One surprise that a lot of my journalist friends are enjoying is You Don’t Know Jack; it’s just amusing that hardcore gamers are using their powerful consoles to indulge in a trivia game. A storied Atari (via Infogrames via Accolade) driving series makes its return in Test Drive Unlimited 2. Gamers looking for some action-RPG excitement should give Trinity: Souls Of Zill O’ll a look. Lastly, Mario and pals return to get their athletic groove on in Mario Sports Mix.

Any of you picking up new games this week?

Xperia Play (PSP Android) Commercial From Super Bowl XLV

A commercial for the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play — the Google Android phone with PSP capabilities — aired during Super Bowl XLV, but only in select markets. If you didn’t get to see it, I’ve embedded the spot above. If you did get to see it then have fun reliving the phallic nightmare that was this commercial.

Man, the commercial still wigs me out. Check it out when you get a chance and share your thoughts (please). I’m curious to see if anyone else finds the ad disturbing.

Duh: Sony Wants to Sell More NGPs Than it Did PSPs

Here’s some shocking news on Sony’s upcoming NGP handheld console: Sony wants to sell more NGPs than it did PSPs. It’s true! Sony Computer Entertainment president and CEO Kaz Hirai said so himself. Here’s the exact quote:

One of the things that we certainly want to try and accomplish with NGP is match the installed base we have with the PSP worldwide, but over and above that try to go beyond that.

It’s good to have goals….

Seriously though, that funny and completely obvious quote aside, check out the interview with Hirai embedded above. He’s a sharp guy and an outstanding executive…and I’m not just saying that because I’m afraid that he’ll send his secret ninja army after me for making fun of one of his quotes.

Yvonne Strahovski Confirmed for The 3rd Birthday

In addition to announcing that The 3rd Birthday for PSP will be available on March 29, 2011, Square Enix confirmed that Yvonne Strahovski will be the voice of Aya Brea. This is exciting news on multiple levels. As you know, I’m incredibly psyched for the next chapter in the Parasite Eve saga. Strahovski is also hot. Here’s a clip from the press release:

Square Enix also revealed a celebrity voice cast for The 3rd Birthday, including Yvonne Strahovski of NBC’s Chuck as the voice of Aya Brea. “I was immediately interested when Square Enix approached me with the opportunity to play Aya Brea in The 3rd Birthday. I love Aya — she’s strong, driven and ready to take on the world,” said Yvonne Strahovski. “My goal was to bring all of her characteristics to life to really tell her story and create the best experience for all gamers.” Additionally, the mysterious Kyle Madigan is voiced by Jensen Ackles of the CW’s Supernatural. “The 3rd Birthday will pull players in immediately with its incredible graphics and character-driven story line,” said Jensen Ackles. “I felt like I was creating a movie.”

I bet you anything that those quotes are from the actors’ publicists and not the actors themselves. *snicker*

Seriously though, this is a great time to get excited for this game and look at pictures of Yvonne. Enjoy!

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Do You Care About Cloud Storage on Consoles?

Kotaku posted an interesting rumor that PlayStation Plus users will be able to store PS3 game saves on the cloud. Saves would be tied to a PSN account, allowing users to access saves from various consoles. Assuming there will be games that work across the PS3 and the upcoming NGP handheld, this would allow gamers to access save files from different platforms too.

Storing game saves on the cloud would be useful on several levels. Obviously it would help gamers save some hard drive space. It also ensures that save information will remain even if a hard drive dies. Gamers that play on multiple consoles (perhaps their own and a friend’s) would have an easy way to access their save information. Lastly, it encourages developers to work on games that are compatible with the PS3 and NGP. Being able to start a game on a PS3, save, and continue on an NGP (and vice versa) would be a powerful feature.

While I find this rumored feature fascinating, I wanted to get your thoughts on the matter. Do you ladies and gents care about cloud storage on consoles? Is this a feature you want in the immediate future? Or is it just a curiosity to you?