Sony Selling Extended Warranties for PS3 and PSP Systems

Sony Computer Entertainment America has announced that it will offer extended warranties for its PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable consoles. Retailers like GameStop and Best Buy already offer extended warranties. While the added protection offers gamers peace of mind, warranties have proven to be quite lucrative for retailers.

Sony’s press release lists its warranty pricing as:

  • PS3 — 1-year extension ($49.99) or 2-year extension ($59.99)
  • PSP — 1-year extension ($29.99) or 2-year extension ($39.99)
  • PSP with Accidental Damage — 1-year extension ($39.99) or 2-year extension ($49.99)

It’s a smart move by Sony and I’m sure it will make a lot of money selling warranties. A lot of people don’t take advantage of the warranties they purchase. Some people forget that they even bought them. It’s a safe bet that the money Sony spends on repairing consoles covered by extended warranties will be a drop in the bucket compared to the revenue generated by warranty sales.

Are any of you going to plop down cash for an extended warranty? Or are you confident in the reliability of your PlayStation products?

This Week’s Videogame Releases

Iron Man is set to take on the movie world with his repulsor rays and unibeam, but he’s also saving a few blasts for the realm of videogames. Iron Man 2 comes out this week…for pretty much every platform known to man. PSP owners should keep an eye on Fat Princess: Fistful of Cake; if it’s anything like its PS3 counterpart, it will be a delightfully fun action game that oozes charm. Aside from those two titles, there’s not a lot going on this week.

Any of you buying new games this week? If so, kindly share what’s on your wish list.

Coffee Talk #136: What Classic Gaming Features Do You Miss?

Games get better all the time. Development techniques improve. Gameplay styles evolve. Consoles and PCs become more powerful, which allow them to be potentially more immersive. Despite all of these factors, there are things I miss about the good old days of gaming. Perhaps it’s the primitive charm of classic games or maybe I like how old games required me to imagine or maybe it’s simply nostalgia, but there are many things I miss about the classics.

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Floyd Mayweather’s annihilation of Shane Mosley, what the hell happened to Rasheed Wallace, or your best wishes for Bret Michaels, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Games get better all the time. Development techniques improve. Gameplay styles evolve. Consoles and PCs become more powerful, which allow them to be potentially more immersive. Despite all of these factors, there are things I miss about the good old days of gaming. Perhaps it’s the primitive charm of classic games or maybe I like how old games required me to imagine or maybe it’s simply nostalgia, but there are many things I miss about the classics.

The dying (perhaps dead?) gameplay convention I miss the most is turn-based combat in RPGs. I totally understand why RPGs have moved towards real-time combat — it’s more appealing to a broader audience. I get it…but I don’t like it. I loved the combat in Japanese RPGs like Final Fantasy IV/V/VI. The epic turn-based battles in titles like Final Fantasy Tactics, Ogre Battle, and Disgaea are some of my fondest gaming memories of all time. Sadly, that gameplay style is on the endangered species list.

Today I wanted to ask you about aspects of classic gaming you miss the most. What conventions and gameplay styles get you teary eyed? Perhaps there’s a storytelling technique you miss. Leave a comment and let me know (please)!

Why Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Will Beat “Sugar” Shane Mosley

The biggest fight of 2010 — “Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather vs. “Sugar” Shane Mosley — is hours away. I’m super excited for this fight. It will be the biggest challenge in Mayweather’s unblemished career and another stiff challenge for Mosley. Personally, I’m hoping that Shane beats the crap out of Floyd…but I don’t see it happening.  Although Shane has a decent chance, I think Mayweather safely boxes his way to a unanimous decision. Here’s why.

Age — Mosley is 38 years old. Although he’s smarter in the ring, he’s clearly a step slower than he used to be. His hand speed and foot speed aren’t what they were five years ago. Mayweather is 33 and much closer to his prime; he’s also one of the fastest and smartest fighters in the history of the sport.

Mayweather’s Jab — All of Mosley’s losses came against fighters with effective jabs — Vernon Forrest, Winky Wright, and Miguel Cotto. Some experts have argued that Mosley has trouble with tall and lanky fighters, which is certainly true in the Forrest and Wright fights. However, Cotto is a pretty…compact fighter that isn’t particular tall and doesn’t have a long reach. He was also able to use his jab to contain Mosley. Mayweather has an excellent jab and I can see him sticking it in Mosley’s face all night.

Mosley’s Win Against Margarito is Overrated — A lot of people have been pointing to this fight as Mosley’s “born again” moment. That’s a bunch of crap. Margarito is a slow, plodding, and uncomplicated brawler that was perfect for Mosley. It was a good win, but entirely overblown and made people forget about Mosley’s other recent fights. It took Mosley a long time to get rid of Ricardo Mayorga. He also went 16 rounds over the course of two fights with Fernando Vargas. Both Mayorga and Vargas were shot fighters when they faced Mosley. A prime Mosley would have gotten both of them out of there in a single round. Again, Mayweather is in his prime and his skills are top notch. He’s on an entirely different echelon than Margarito, Mayorga, or Vargas.

The Mayweathers Know How to Beat Mosley — I believe that Shane Mosley lost his second fight against Oscar De La Hoya. “The Golden Boy” landed more punches and out-boxed Mosley. De La Hoya’s trainer for that fight? Floyd Mayweather, Sr. Although Mosley’s trainer, Nazim Richardson, has been getting a lot of (well deserved) attention for his work with Mosley, a lot of people have forgotten that Mayweather, Sr. was part of the aforementioned De La Hoya camp. Although Mosley won the official decision, a lot of people thought he lost the fight. Either way, Mayweather, Sr. knows what it takes to frustrate Mosley.

Five years ago, I would have taken Mosley over Mayweather…possibly by knockout. That said, I can’t pick a 38-year old Mosley over Mayweather. I’d love to be wrong and I’d love to see Mosley inflict some permanent damage to Mayweather, but I can only see this fight ending in a unanimous decision for Mayweather. There will be some moments where Mosley’s speed and power will challenge Mayweather, but ultimately Floyd’s speed, smarts, footwork, and defense will allow him to pot shot his way to a win. I hate that guy.

UFC Undisputed 2010 Roster Reveal Video

Here’s a great video that shows the entire roster for the upcoming UFC Undisputed 2010. Anderson Silva, Georges St. Pierre, Brock Lesnar, Chuck Lidell, BJ Penn, Quinton Jackson, Kimbo Slice, Diego Sanchez, Shane Carwin, Demian Maia, Rashad Evans, and Lyoto Machida are just some of the fighters in the game. Check the clip for the entire roster!

Apple iPad 3G on Sale Today

Here’s a reminder that the Apple iPad 3G — you know, the one with the mobile chip for AT&T’s 3G “service” — is available today. It’s priced at $629/$729/$829 for the 16/32/64GB versions. Unlimited service costs $30 a month, which is actually a pretty good deal.

I’m so tempted by this device. I already know it would rule for entertainment, but I’m pretty sure I could use it as an effective blogging tool. That said, the next iPhone — with its camera and video capabilities — would probably be more useful…but not as much fun…and with a more expensive service plan. Decisions, decisions.

Are any of you intersted in the iPad 3G?

Zurg Kicks Ass in Toy Story 3 Trailer

Here’s a cute trailer for the upcoming Toy Story 3 videogame. Buzz and Woody take a backseat in this clip, allowing Zurg — complete with maniacal laughter — to shine. The fake AC/DC music is extremely amusing; you need to hear it if you’re a fan of the band. I’m excited for the movie and interested in the game (the tech looks pretty sweet). How about you guys and gals?

Blast From the Past: Reset Episode 9

Live from New York…it’s Reset episode nine!!! Okay, it’s not live, but two of these clips are from the excellent Digital Life conference in New York where Ruby and I got into all sorts of trouble. Closing out the show, Kat pays a visit to Planet Moon to check on an exciting PSP game.

Part 1 — Reset’s team of R&R (Ruby and Raymond) were thrilled to go to New York for Digital Life. Great games, cool gadgets, and a wonderful crowd made the expo really exciting. Now, the Reset crew understands that not everyone can make it to every show out there, so we thought we’d bring the show to you. Plus, the gang bumped into an old friend from Episode 5 (hint: she won a bikini contest, is really hot, and is now a Queen of EverQuest).

Part 2 — While Ruby and Raymond thought that Digital Life was awesome, they wanted to check with the people to see what they thought. The duo pestered a bunch of attendees to see what games caught their eye, what’s tops on their holiday wish lists, what free stuff they picked up, and what they thought of Raymond’s ex-girlfriends. Never let it be said that Reset isn’t in touch with the man on the street.

Part 3 — Kat visits Planet Moon to get the scoop on its upcoming game, Infected. One of the few truly original games for the Sony PSP, this game has it all: flesh-eating zombies, awesome weapons, breakneck action, killer multiplayer, a rocking soundtrack, and that inimitable Planet Moon humor. If you’re looking for a game that will make your hair stand on end and make your sides hurt from laughter then look no further.

iPhone Gate Continues: Meet Brian Hogan, Prototype “Finder”

The cast of characters in the iPhone HD/4G saga keeps growing! By now you’re already familiar with Gray Powell, the Apple employee that lost the iPhone prototype. You’ve been dazzled by the adventures of Jason Chen, the Gizmodo editor that had his domicile raided by the police. Now it’s time to meet Brian Hogan, the dude that “found” the iPhone of fate. Wired revealed the gentleman’s identity and provided more details on Hulk Hogan’s nephew (he’s not really Hulk Hogan’s nephew):

According to the statement from his lawyer, Hogan was in the bar with friends when another patron handed him the phone after finding it on a nearby stool. The patron asked Hogan if the phone belonged to him, and then left the bar. Hogan asked others sitting nearby if the phone belonged to them, and when no one claimed it, he and his friends left the bar with the device.

A friend of Hogan’s then offered to call Apple Care on Hogan’s behalf, according to Hogan’s lawyer. That apparently was the extent of Hogan’s efforts to return the phone.

There you have it! Brian Hogan adds a new dimension to this sordid affair.

Seriously though, are you sick and tired of the iPhone HD scandal? Or are you still interested to see how it plays out? Personally, I wish it had a TiVo-like function, allowing me to fast forward to the end.

Source

Coffee Talk #135: Do Villains Make the Hero?

My friend and I were having a nerd lunch yesterday, talking about Iron Man’s crappy rogues gallery. It was extra funny because we were eating at a restaurant made famous by Swingers and there were a few minor celebrities around. As Hollywood did its thing, we wondered if Iron Man’s popularity wasn’t as high as it could have been due to his extraordinarily bad villains. Crimson Dynamo?!? The Mandarin?!? Fin Fang Foom?!?

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, being jealous of RPadholic smartguy’s HTC Incredible, the chances of Mark Cuban holding an NBA championship tropy, or why you think Shane Mosley will beat Floyd Mayweather, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

My friend and I were having a nerd lunch yesterday, talking about Iron Man’s crappy rogues gallery. It was extra funny because we were eating at a restaurant made famous by Swingers and there were a few minor celebrities around. As Hollywood did its thing, we wondered if Iron Man’s popularity wasn’t as high as it could have been due to his extraordinarily bad villains. Crimson Dynamo?!? The Mandarin?!? Fin Fang Foom?!?

Every hero needs a good villain to fight. Batman probably has the best assortment of baddies, which is one reason he’s globally popular. The X-Men have to deal with Magneto’s brand of mutant justice and a large portion of the world hating/fearing them. Heroes like The Flash and Daredevil have been elevated in popularity thanks to their villains. Heck, Flash’s adversaries call themselves “The Rogues”, while DD has edgy opponents like Bullseye, Elektra, and Kingpin.

Do you think villains make the hero? Does a comic-book protagonist need top-shelf baddies? Or can the hero win the hearts and minds of the public regardless of who he/she is fighting?