The latest update for Sony’s PlayStation 3 is live and available for download from via your PlayStation Netw…oops, Sony Entertainment Network account. While we get used to the new branding (nothing we could see in the system UI has actually changed at all), there’s a few tweaks included in v4.10, like some sorely needed upgrades for the web browser and the ability to set the time and date automatically upon each sign-in.
A scan of the forums reveals a few who noticed problems with Netflix post-update (which may or may not be update related, deleting Netflix data from the Game Data utility section and/or installing the newest version seems to fix the issue), however most are just seeing significantly better scores in browser benchmarks like Acid3 and HTML5 Test, better compatibility with most webpages and improved YouTube playback (still 240p).
Sony’s website now lists Japanese release dates and prices for two PS Vita power accessories that you’re likely to need. The PCH-ZPC1 J portable charger is a 135g (4.8-ounce) unit that takes seven hours to charge to its full 5,000mAh capacity and is then good for around one and half charges of your console — we reckon that’d equate to over 12 hours of mixed-use sessions or at least seven hours of solid gaming. It’ll be out on April 5th for ¥4,500 ($60). Meanwhile, the PCH-ZCA1 J car charger will hit retailers a couple of weeks earlier on March 22nd priced at ¥1,500 ($20) — and there’s really not much more to say about it except that a dead Vita on a road trip would be both a travesty and an oxymoron. Oh, just in case it hasn’t already been etched into your memory, February 22nd is launch day in the US and Europe.
While Nintendo is darn proud of its attempts to differentiate itself from other console manufacturers with its unusual hardware choices, it looks like Sony also had plenty of touchscreen-toting, TV-connected ideas way back in 2010.
These patent sketches explain a handheld device that bares a foggy resemblance to Nintendo’s incoming Wii U. The “position-dependent gaming, 3-D controller, and handheld as a remote,” would act as the “input to a video game” — or controller, as we technical types like to call it — adding in some augmented reality functionality as an overlay to camera input on the device.
The PS Vita is already capable of doing most of what’s posited above, including the ability to hook up to its older (bigger) brother, the PS3 — possibly that anonymous box you can see above. If such a mystery device does appear, at least it looks like Sony’s got its bases covered, again.
AT&T and Sony (that’s right, not a hint of Ericsson in sight) took to the stage to announce the Xperia ion. It’s packing some good specs, too: a 4.6-inch 1280 x 720 HD Reality display, a 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, LTE, 16GB flash storage and a 12MP Exmor-R rear camera offering 1080p video capture that’s paired up with a 1.3MP front-facing cam that offers 720p HD video. It’ll also be Playstation-Certified, much like the Xperia Play before it.
The ion’s gearing up for a Q2 release, but we were disappointed to learn that it’s going to launch with Gingerbread installed, especially given the fact that Sony’s been very forthcoming about upgrading its Xperia lineup to ICS by the end of the first quarter. We suspect the delay will be at least in part due to additional carrier testing. Granted, it’s a long time away and things are subject to change.
No pricing has yet been announced, but it’s quite likely we’ll see the feature-laden smartphone starting out around $250, if not more.
Already pondering that long-awaited trip to Japan in order to snag a PlayStation Vita in advance? Hold your horses, vaquero. Sony has just given anxious US and Canadian gamers reason to look forward to a launch of their own by laying out the official software plan for 2012. We’re told that February 22nd will be the day to remember, with a total of 25 titles being available alongside the console. In fact, the company’s calling this “the biggest and best lineup [it has] ever launched across the history of PlayStation platforms.” Over 100 titles are in development, with the 25 shipping on day one being priced between $9.99 and $49.99; moreover, each one will be available for purchase at retail locations as well as downloadable on the PlayStation Network. Hit the source link below for the full spiel, and keep your eyes peeled for pre-orders to go live in the coming weeks.
Sony is a little hot under the collar after a recent wave of stories regarding some bugs that allegedly beguiled the first wave of PS Vita owners. As you may recall, reports were pouring in that many customers were experiencing freeze ups and other performance issues with their new handhelds, prompting Sony to issue an apology. Well, it seems as if something got lost in translation. A UK spokesperson for the company told the Guardian that the statement was actually apologizing to customers experiencing difficulty getting through to tech support, not for the screen issues that have been the subject of many a YouTube video. He went on to say that Sony has seen no evidence of widespread problems with the portable gaming device, though, there was firmware update made immediately available to address some bugs.
We’ve got some good news for gamers that were willing to plunge into the PlayStation-certified world of Sony’s tablets. The latest update to the company’s divisive Tablet S will let you connect your PS3 controllers with those 32-bit games of yesteryear. The update is available now in Sony’s homeland of Japan and the company is also rewarding its tablet faithful with a free download; an Ape Escape-themed mini-game collection. It’s not all good news, however. The clamshelled Tablet P doesn’t get the controller hook-up and you’ll need to buy an additional USB adapter cable to connect a controller to the monoscreened Tablet S. However, an odd thing is that you’ll only need to the cable to initially pair the controller with the tablet. After that, you’re free to wirelessly play away.
Last year, a group of disgruntled gamers filed a class-action lawsuit against Sony over its decision to remove the “Install Other OS” feature from its PS3 firmware. Last week, though, their case was dismissed by US District Judge Richard Seeborg, on the grounds that the plaintiffs failed to actually state a claim. In a ruling issued Thursday, Seeborg said he sympathized with the gamers’ gripes, but ultimately determined that they had failed to demonstrate any legal entitlement to the feature, thereby neutering their arguments. “The dismay and frustration at least some PS3 owners likely experienced when Sony made the decision to limit access to the PSN service to those who were [un]willing to disable the Other OS feature on their machines was no doubt genuine and understandable,” Seeborg wrote. “As a matter of providing customer satisfaction and building loyalty, it may have been questionable.” He went on, however, to point out that the users “have failed to allege facts or articulate a theory on which Sony may be held liable” post-PS3 purchase, effectively ending the litigation.
Sony and Ericsson’s decade-long partnership may have humbled Kim Kardashian, but dwindling market share and an over-reliance on feature phones signalled the end of the affair. Ericsson will have until “mid 2012″ to clear its things from the spare room before the electronics giant begins a new solo venture. The revitalized enterprise will leverage its parent company’s brand strength, R&D and content (since it owns a massive chunk of the entertainment industry) and in comments made to Times of India, company Vice President Kristian Tear said there would be a “fierce” advertising push to restore the company’s reputation as a major player worldwide — before taking a Pilates class to try and fit back into its bachelor pad.
Why Sony chose to sit on this one, we have no idea, but the company just revealed that its software update for the 2011 lineup of Xperia phones – which was released last month – also adds browser support for WebGL. This means that if you’re holding an Xperia Arc, Mini, Neo, Play, Ray… or any other of its most recent handsets, then there’s a good chance you’re wielding one of the first Android phones to support this modern graphics platform. Designed to bring advanced visuals and gaming to the web, the API holds roots in JavaScript and has been used to develop everything from Angry Birds to far-out music videos. Sony Ericsson first previewed its WebGL efforts back in February, and after all these months, its official arrival is a welcome one, indeed.
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