Talk of Nintendo using Tegra 2 gained support today through new sources of information that also point to a faster Sony PSP. Detailed explanations given to DigitalFoundry say the sequel to the DSi should use the future NVIDIA processor and not only see a "colossal" jump in speed versus the DS line but could be as fast as the Wii while supporting more visual effects.
Sony has released a customer survey for owners and potential owners of Sony products in the UK recently, revealing it may be looking to produce the PSP Go in a new color. One of the questions asks the poll takers to pick from one of 14 colors for the portable gaming system, including the current black and white PSP Go platforms.
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata in a talk today denied that handhelds like the DSi LL compete with the iPhone and iPod touch. While he uses an iPhone himself, Iwata explained to the Wall Street Journal that comparisons between the DS series and Apple's devices make him "uncomfortable" as he sees the two targeting different audiences. The DS experience considered unique, particularly as games like the Mario series won't be found on other handhelds.
The iPhone platform could overtake rivals Nintendo and Sony for the lead in growing handheld gaming in as little as five years, a DFC Intelligence report says. The analyst group believes portable hardware from the Japanese companies is likely to still lead in terms of sheer units in the future but believes growth has "peaked" for devices like the DSi or PSP Go where Apple's platform is still climbing quickly. By 2014, the iPhone and iPod touch are expected to be the only major devices still seeing significant growth.
The launch of the PSP Go last week shot Sony's total PSP hardware sales up 300 percent in the US, according to the company's local communications director Patrick Seybold. He wouldn't break down the ratio of the new PSPs versus the old, UMD-supporting PSP-3000 but told Gamasutra that it was evidence of "strong" interest in the handheld system as a whole, not just the new model, over the first few days. The PSP-3000 is normally $200 in a bundle with one or more games and is widely assumed to be the backup choice for those who consider the $250 PSP Go too expensive or limited by its download-only catalog.
Eltima has launched SyncMate 2.4, an update to its data synchronization app that can be used to sync information between Macs, Windows Mobile devices and smartphones. The new version adds support for Windows PCs, the Sony Playstation Portable (PSP) and USB flash drives. By synchronizing a Mac with a Windows PC, user can transfer and update a variety of content including contacts, calendar entries, folders, Mail messages and Entourage Notes. Several different sync methods are available, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB and Ethernet.
In sync with today's launch of the PSP Go, Sony today launched its version 6.10 firmware update. The patch gives all PSPs a new SensMe feature which, much like most Walkman players, sorts music by an automatically generated mood or genre, such as "extreme" or "dance." In a special twist for PSPs, though, SensMe can use the clock to set the mood by the particular time of day. The interface is also much more visual with large album art and a pseudo-3D interface.
SanDisk on Wednesday announced it has released memory cards meant specifically for portable gaming systems such as Sony's PSP Go and PSP as well as the Nintendo DSi. All significantly boost the storage capacity of said systems, with the PSP Go's capacity doubled by the new 16GB Memory Stick Micro M2 card. There is a 32GB Memory Stick PRO Duo and a Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo of the same capacity for the PSP from Sony, while the DSi gets an 8GB SDHC card.
The PSP Go when it launches this week will already have a substantial catalog and ways to buy many games in shops, Sony said today. A total of 225 games should be available to download that will include both regular games, some PSN-only games and PSP minis. The console maker also promises to IGN that it will sell "game cards," or physical vouchers for the games themselves, for those who still expect to buy games in retail shops.
A teardown of Sony's imminent PSP Go has revealed the handheld to be unusually accessible. iFixit notes that the system is kept together through typical Phillips screws and that the battery can be replaced, including without breaking the "void if broken" seal as long as the user is skilled. It's also a high capacity battery that holds 930mAh -- more than the Nintendo DSi's 840mAh or the 789mAh of the iPod touch -- though the large screen means its battery life is roughly similar at three to six hours depending on the task.
Sony today revealed that it has scrapped its UMD conversion plan for those upgrading to the PSP Go. The handheld maker told Kotaku that "legal and technical reasons" have prevented it from giving free PSN downloads to owners that can prove they have UMD copies of their games. It hasn't said what these reasons are or how likely it is that an alternative will be available in the future.
Sony has reduced the price of its PlayStation Portable devices in Japan. The basic PSP now sells for 16,800¥ (~$185 USD), which is approximately $30 below its previous price of 19,800¥ (~$215 USD). The discount applies to the full range of colors which now includes black, silver, white, blue, red, yellow and green.
In preparation for the launch of the PSP Go, Sony this morning launched several accessories headlined by a receiver that works beyond the company's own handheld. The Bluetooth Stereo Headset Receiver will turn any 3.5mm headphones or headset into a wireless set. While designed with the PSP Go in mind, it can pair with as many as eight devices and fits standard Bluetooth profiles: it can be used for basic calling on a cellphone but will also relay stereo audio over A2DP for devices like the iPhone or iPod touch and has a set of playback controls for those devices that support AVRCP.
Movavi has launched a self-titled video converter, able to transfer video footage and associated audio files from one device to another. The software utilizes presets for common media players, and popular formats. The latter include AVI, MPEG, MP4, 3GP, FLV, MP3, WAV, AAC and FLAC. Some supported media devices include the iPod, iPhone, PSP, BlackBerry and Apple TV.
Sony is purposely limiting PSP minis in a way that could hobble them compared to their rivals on the iPhone, the company revealed in a Game Developers Conference presentation on Thursday. The small games will have a sped-up approval process compared to regular PSP games but are banned from using any networking features and can't have downloadable content. They also won't be allowed to support third-party peripherals, according to the company.
Dutch retailer Nedgame has informed its customers that it will not stock Sony's upcoming PSP Go portable gaming system. The nine-store chain says it doesn't agree with Sony's sales strategy of only offering downloadable games, giving the manufactures a monopoly on game sales, as the PSP Go lacks a UMD drive. Another reason for Nedgame's decision is the high cost of the device compared to the existing PSP-3000, as it costs the equivalent of $365 to the PSP-3000's $248.
Apple's approach to the App Store is ultimately hurting game development on its platform, Sony Europe developer relations head Zeno Colaco claimed this week. In comparing the process behind iPhone and iPod touch games to the recently introduced concept of PSP Minis, the executive argued to Develop that letting App Store game creators have a low-cost development kit actually hurts their chances of success as it encourages too much development. While their games go online quickly, they reportedly get lost in the sheer volume of titles where the smaller PSP catalog will provide better exposure.
Sony this afternoon geared up for the impending launch of Gran Turismo for the PSP by launching a special Limited Edition Gran Turismo pack. The special run mates the older, UMD-based PSP-3000 in silver with a copy of the racing game, a 2GB Memory Stick Pro Duo, and download codes for the in-game version of the white Corvette ZR1 seen on the cover, a free movie from Sony's PSN video store and 10 songs from its Mac- and PC-ready Music Pass service.
An N4G forums user who also claims to work in Sony PS3's hardware department and has leaked info on the slim PS3's specs and capabilities that proved true is now saying Sony is developing a PSP with a UMD drive, the PSP-4000. In an IGN forums post, it's said that the PSP-4000 will replace the existing PSP-3000 system "sooner than you realise," and quashing rumors that the new, UMD drive-less PSP Go is the replacement.
The PSP Go's launch October 1st will come with easily downloadable small games to match, Sony said during its Gamescom expo keynote. Known as Minis, the titles will be capped at 100MB or less to make them quick downloads over Wi-Fi and are similarly meant to encourage smaller, more independent developers to produce titles that don't have to compete on the same field as full-fledged PSP titles. Prices and other details weren't made public, but up to 50 games should be ready by the end of the year.
Sony has been recruiting existing iPhone game developers to build versions of games for the PSP ahead of the launch of the download-only PSP Go, sources said on the Friday ahead of Germany's gamescom expo. While the specific titles haven't been named, Pocket Gamer explained they would all be titles that could port to the slightly smaller resolution display as well as without touch. The move would help bulk up Sony's initial game library for PSN beyond retail-level titles.
Nintendo today encountered a rare setback in its history owed partially to the impact of Apple on its business. The company's profit has dropped a steep 66 percent year-over-year to $426 million and said in a conference call that the iPhone and iPod touch, not Sony's PSP, are having the greatest impact on the performance of the DS and DSi. It also expects its fiscal 2010 profit to drop for the first time in years as a result of the added pressure from Apple's touchscreen devices.
Amazon is now letting buyers pre-order the PSP Go portable gaming system well ahead of its official October 1st ship date. As promised, the system will cost $250 in white, with a black version costing $1 less, or $249. The Go will be sold alongside the current PSP system, which retails for about $170. Unlike the traditional PSP, there is no UMD drive in the PSP Go, as the device instead relies on content downloaded to its 16GB of internal flash memory or to Memory Stick Micro cards.
A leak today hints that a true second-generation PSP is in development that could have graphics better than the iPhone 3GS and last-generation consoles. The Spanish branch of Eurogamer claims to have internal Sony information that the next handheld will use a PowerVR SGX543MP4 graphics core closely related to the SGX535 found in the iPhone but which should be even faster. Where the chip used by Apple renders a maximum 28 million polygons per second, the PSP's hardware is a quad-core part and would draw 133 million polygons and allow for much more complicated 3D scenes.
Sony's PlayStation product planning head Naoya Matsui today told Japanese publication GameBusiness that the company had always planned a version of the PSP without the UMD drive. He claims that the company had wanted downloadable games from the handheld's launch in 2004 but that it wasn't feasible until the PSP Go due to infrastructure. It was necessary to have not just simple download to the system itself but a means of getting games from a PS3 to the PSP as well as an easier sync process for loading games, movies and music.
Sony today hoped to spur growth in add-ons for PlayStation systems by launching an expanded official licensing program. The new approach lets companies in most areas make controllers or other peripherals for PS2, PS3 and PSP systems with full technical help and an official logo. In return, these companies will have to meet certain standards; it's not mentioned if companies will also pay royalties for the right to use the logo.
Sony is just now developing a gaming-themed phone that would be targeted explicitly at the iPhone, Japan's Nikkei BP said this weekend. The company is supposedly creating a device team as soon as July that would merge the gaming qualities of the PSP with its Sony Ericsson handsets. It's implied that the device would have a touchscreen to better position the device against Apple's hardware.
Sony spokesman Al De Leon today teased that Sony is considering downloads of non-game software for the PSP. In an early demo of the upcoming PSP Go, De Leon told Crave that most of the downloads from the soon to be expanded PlayStation Network store will be games but that there's a chance "non-gaming applications" will be available. What these would entail isn't mentioned, but Sony already incorporates utilities such as Skype in PSP firmware.
Sony today indicated that it would let new owners of its upcoming PSP Go download digital copies of games they already own on UMD. Hardware marketing director John Koller tells Gizmodo that Sony is developing a "good will" program which would be limited to either when the games or the PSP Go units were purchased. Koller likens it to Blu-ray's Portable Copy, which gives owners of the physical media a free second copy optimized for digital players.
Sony this afternoon confirmed the existence of the PSP Go, its first major redesign of its handheld console. The new slider design reflects a shift towards download-only content and drops the UMD disc loader entirely in favor of 16GB of built-in flash memory that helps it slim down. Users can either download software directly over Wi-Fi or transfer it from a PC or PS3. A Memory Stick Micro slot gives it extra room. The PSP Go also gets Bluetooth to pair with headsets or cellphones themselves for communications.
(Updated with PR shots) A leak Saturday morning on Sony's own PlayStation forums has confirmed major details of the PSP Go now expected to debut at E3. Spotted in a Qore episode slipped out early, the device is as rumored and switches to a slider design that renders it much more portable. It now also has 16GB of internal memory (plus a card slot) that gives it a much greater role as a media player and signals a shift to download-only PSP games; the PSP Go drops the UMD drive entirely.
Sony Ericsson today made its push into touchscreen phones official with both a completely new model as well as the finalized version of the Idou. The Aino is the company's first touchscreen slider and hides both a number pad and navigation keys underneath its 3-inch display. It's also the first phone of any kind from Sony Ericsson to integrate tightly with the PlayStation 3 and can use the PSP-born Remote Play feature to listen to music or watch videos from the console when away from home.
A source today claims that Sony's slim PS3 and PSP Go are real but that they may not launch exactly as planned. Referring to the same contact that accurately leaked other hardware details, Ars Technica says the smaller PS3 is enroute but that it may not be announced at E3. As it won't ship until August or September, Sony is reportedly hoping to draw down existing stocks of the full-size models before replacing them with newer consoles.
Sony has been experimenting with offering game rentals for the PSP, according to a source with access to game developers. The console maker is said by Develop to have been conducting briefings since the Game Developers Conference in March that would let users download and temporarily use full games similar to a conventional video store offering. In a later survey for gamers, Sony has also asked respondents if they would use a subscription service that offers a set number of game rentals each month.
Sony may bolster the PSP's role as a media player by giving the device its own music store, leaks from late Tuesday suggest. Those within the music industry have reportedly told CNET that Sony is in early talks with major labels to possibly add music to the PlayStation Network with the PSP as the primary focus. No agreements have been made, and questions of format and pricing haven't been revealed as part of the tip.
Sony's all but expected PSP Go! launch at next month's E3 may also be accompanied by a significant change to the PS3 as well. A slip through PlayStation Lifestyle claims that a game console besides the PSP will get a significant "redesign," implying a major change. Whether this is the case and involves a slimmer model similar to the second-run PS2 or just different colors wasn't discussed.
The PlayStation Network (PSN) currently accessible by users of Sony's PlayStation 3 gaming console that lets them download games, movies, songs and other multimedia content may soon make its way to other hardware from the electronics giant, company CEO Howard Stringer revealed in a recent interview. Bringing the Internet and downloadable content into family living rooms will be made possible by integrating the PSN into Sony Bravia HDTVs, for example, with Sony Ericsson handset owners and PlayStation Portable gaming console users also benefitting from a version of the interface.
Rumors for the upcoming PSP Go! may have been corrected on Friday by a follow-up rumor. Pointing to supposed insiders aware of PSP development, PC World downplays the likelihood of the Sony console getting internal memory and instead claims that it will use a high-speed card format, such as the Memory Stick HG-Micro format that was teased at CES this year. The card is meant for cellphones but would be about 3 times faster than the Memory Stick Duo cards used for the existing PSP, topping at 60MB of data per second.
The long-rumored Sony PSP slider has gained further support with a new but detailed rumor that points to the handheld competing more closely with the iPod touch as well as Nintendo's DSi. Now given the title of the PSP Go!, the game console is still said by 1UP to move the controls from the sides to a slide-out panel but is now believed to be coming in versions with 8GB and 16GB of flash storage, letting them hold several games or more at once. Accordingly, Sony will shift to a more App Store-like model and put at least 100 old and new PSP games online as downloads.
Sony's repeatedly rumored PSP slider redesign is now said to be a much more conventional design that still has some important changes. While keeping its sources close, PlayStation LifeStyle maintains the PSP won't necessarily be a slider and that the design changes are more aesthetic, resembling a more substantial change than Nintendo made between the original DS and the thinner, more advanced DS Lite. Among the features that are reportedly now false are rumors of a touchscreen, which some had thought would be added to give the PSP a better stance against the iPod touch.
Sony may drop its in-house UMD optical format with the release of Patapon 2 if an insider claim proves true. Citing a historically reliable source, Ars Technica says the new music game will only be downloadable and that any retail copies will simply have a coupon with a code to buy the game online. Buyers would also have a financial incentive to avoid the store as the game would cost only $15 online versus $20 in a shop.
HP is prepping a software update for its MediaSmart home servers, adding video conversion and video streaming to iPhones. The free update works only with the recently introduced MediaSmart EX485 and EX487. A free app will be available through iTunes to support video streaming to the iPhone and iPod Touch.
A new rumor today from PocketGamer appears to corroborate claims that Sony is developing a touchscreen PSP to replace the existing model. Echoing recent descriptions, a developer purportedly says the device would purportedly look "far more similar" to the iPhone but would have a slider design that tucks the control pads behind the screen when not in use. The feature would let developers write touchscreen-centric games but add support for both older PSP games and those that could use a new, second analog stick.
Sony Japan has recently announced the upcoming release of a pair of Blu-ray Disc recorders, the 500GB BDZ-A950 and 320GB BDZ-A750. Both support the acTVila video delivery service for digital TVs in Japan, and have the ability to export recorded or downloaded content onto Sony's portable multimedia devices, including the PSP gaming console and Walkman devices. As well, Sony says content recorded from analog broadcasts or other that does not contain copy protection signals can be sent to cellphones.
Neil Young, co-founder of ngmoco, praised the iPhone during his keynote address at the Game Developers Conference, according to Gamasutra. "Our love affair with the iPhone began by simply touching it," he said. "This was rapidly becoming the most important device I had ever owned, it was an all-encompassing, complete device. And I knew that that device was going to enable incredible things for gaming."
Nintendo has announced that shipments of its DS handheld gaming devices have surpassed 100 million as of March 6th. In contrast, Sony has shipped 50 million PSPs in roughly the same period of time. Nintendo released the first DS model in 2004, followed by updates such as the DS Lite in 2006. The company claims that 83 DS game titles have sold more than 1 million units each, while seven have achieved sales exceeding 10 million.
The iPhone is not a significant threat to the success of the PlayStation Portable, claims Sony's Ray Maguire. The managing director for Sony Computer Entertainment UK, Maguire notes that the company is already releasing the sort of casual "snacking" games for the PSP that typically flood the cellphone industry, and by extension the iTunes App Store. Many of the titles at the App Store are simple puzzle or action games, and often clones of famous titles such as Tetris or Space Invaders.
Sony's widely rumored PSP slider revamp may have gained support if a new claim by a developer on Wednesday proves accurate. The anonymous source tells Eurogamer that the PSP-4000 should use a much narrower T-Mobile Sidekick-like form factor that tucks the main controls underneath a sliding display; only the shoulder buttons would be accessible as long as the system was closed. Sony is reportedly asking developers to consider game designs that would only use the shoulder buttons for input.
Tech startup Always Innovating is using the start of the DEMO expo today to unveil the Touch Book, a system which its creator considers one of the first truly hybrid netbooks. The system can work both as a traditional notebook or as a convertible tablet but can also detach the keyboard entirely from the system to use it as a stand-alone touchscreen device. A set of magnets built into the back even lets users mount the screen on a refrigerator or elsewhere.
Sony PSP marketing director John Koller late Thursday partly fueled speculation in an interview that the company may update the PSP while deemphasizing the company's proprietary UMD disc format. Responding to a rumor from Acclaim's Dave Perry that a PSP2 was in the works without the drive, Koller downplays the possibility of "wholesale shifts" in the hybrid game/media device's design but, uncharacteristically for Sony, refuses to either confirm or deny the existence of a new model and instead drops hints of relying on Internet downloads much more heavily in the future.
