Sony Shows Us the Evolution of the PlayStation 1, 2 and 3

If you still had any lingering doubts about whether or not Sony was set to unveil the PlayStation 4 at their special event this coming Wednesday, I think it’s safe to cast them aside.

Over the course of the weekend, Sony rolled out three separate videos. Each clip checks in at around two minutes and aims to gloss over what each console in the PlayStation line has given the world of digital interactive entertainment.

You’ll find the evolution of the original PlayStation at the head of this post, and you’ll see the evolution of the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 below.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

PS Vita price cut: both 3G and WiFi models reduced to 19,980 yen (around $215) in Japan starting Feb. 28th

SCEJ President Hiroshi Kawano introduced a PS Vita info session earlier today. Detailing "everyone's PlayStation Vita," he announced a price drop for Japanese models right from the outset. Starting from February 28th, the price will drop down to 19,980 yen for both the 3G (previously 30,000 yen) and WiFi (once 25,000 yen) models. Yep, both will receive a substantial price-cut alongside a a 7-day free trial of PS Plus (including Uncharted, Ridge Racer and four more titles free during February), plus a free download campaign for its Torne TV service until the end of March. No word on whether the rest of the world will benefit from the same price reduction, but we've got in touch with Sony Computer Entertainment to check. Maybe we'll hear more on Wednesday.

Update: And SCE aren't saying anything more about those price drops elsewhere -- you can wait two days, right?

[Source: Engadget]

PlayStation 4 to Cost $400+, Coming End of 2013 According to Japanese Paper

One Japanese newspaper has a source close to Sony that says the company has targeted a launch date and a launch price for their upcoming PlayStation 4, or whatever they choose to name it.

The Asahi Shimbun reports that Sony will release the PlayStation 4 in at least Japan for 40,000 yen. 40,000 yen is roughly $425 USD, according to today’s exchange rates.

They also indicate that Sony plans to start selling the PlayStation 4 before 2013′s end. Whether or not that launch is exclusive to Japan was not indicated and still remains to be seen.

Sony has announced that they’ll have a special conference on February 20th in order to unveil the future of the PlayStation brand. We assume that the PS4 will be revealed there.

Sony has not commented on this price and timing rumor.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

Sony: PS4's main selling point will be 'new playing options, not improved hardware specs'

As Sony Computer Entertainment warms up its blue lighting and double-checks its playlist for February 20th, one unnamed SCE official says that the PlayStation 4 will act as more of a home entertainment hub than what we've seen in the past. They added, according to the Nikkei, that the main selling point won't be therumored eight-core AMD64 CPU or other hardware specs, but how it opens up new styles of play -- something Nintendo is also focusing on. Sony is going to push the new console as a home entertainment "nerve center," with a focus on the hardware's ability to connect and share to mobile devices -- the rival that's pulling gamers away from traditional consoles. No discussion on any Gaikai-poweredcloud gaming just yet, but following its unveiling later this month, the report states that the new PlayStation should launch before the end of the year. A bit of a shame, then, that it's still only February.

[Source: Engadget]

PlayStation Home Arcade brings parts of Sony's Second Life-esque world to PlayStation Vita

You like the games in Sony's PlayStation 3-based social network, Home, but not the endless Quincying? We can fully respect that, and we're glad to tell you that Sony's doing something specifically catered to your wants, fictional person -- today, PlayStation Home Arcade launches on the PlayStation Vita, bringing arcade games from the network to Vita with none of the awkward virtual dancing found on PS3. The software previously popped up on the Vita's store, but Sony wasn't saying a word at the time -- and now we know why. To access PlayStation Home Arcade, grab the free download from the Vita's PlayStation Store gateway; we're not seeing it pop up in the store just yet, but keep your eyes peeled! When it is available, to access the games, open up the application and download away -- they range from free to $1.49. For a full list of titles and the official word from Sony, head past the break. For a horrifying demonstration of Quincying, watch this.

[Source: Engadget]

PlayStation 4 gets closer as Sony teases 20 February reveal

The new PlayStation 4 could explode onto the scene in three weeks. Sony invites us to "see the future" at an event on 20 February, potentially gazumping the rival Xbox 720.

If the event this month does see the launch of the long-awaited follow-up to the PlayStation 3, then Sony will beat Microsoft to the punch by unveiling its next generation console ahead of the rumoured Xbox 720.

The PlayStation launch will reveal what the hardware looks like, whether there's an exciting new way of controlling games, and the line-up of exclusive titles. But we almost certainly won't get our hands on the PS4 until much later in the year. In the meantime, hit play below to see Sony's tantalising teaser:

The Wall Street Journal reports that the new console will be powered by processor built by AMD, instead of the current Cell chip made by Nvidia -- which could cause problems with your current games on the new console.

Much has changed in the world of gaming since the current generation of games consoles first appeared in 2006. Casual and mobile gaming and online games have eaten into the market for traditional games consoles and hardware. Sony has has to address the changing market with the PS4, and reports say the new console will feature more social gubbins.

One thing Sony is keeping is the optical disk drive, as Sony feels online downloading of games isn't ready for a mass audience, with some countries saddled with broadband connections that can't handle the required file sizes.

[Source: CNET]

Sony to stop making MiniDisc stereos in March

It's the end of an era -- Sony will stop making MiniDisc stereos next month, two years after it stopped selling its portable equivalents, the BBC reports.

MiniDisc stereos first went on sale back in 1992, so it marks an end to the 21-year-old format's life. Sony hoped MiniDisc would become the format of choice, seeing as it was a better quality equivalent to cassettes. But the rise of CDs put paid to that.

The MiniDisc stereo format struggled outside of Japan due to high prices, not to mention the fragility of the discs themselves. While Sony claimed recordings would stay intact for 30 years, a simple magnet placed nearby would wipe your whole Now 11 compilation.

The discs initially offered 74 minutes of audio, but this was increased to 80.

I have hazy memories of seeing some albums for sale on MiniDisc in HMV, but they never took off. I was strictly a CD man, myself.

Sony tried to relaunch the format as Hi-MD in 2004, but a certain Apple MP3 player was already available by then. So suffice to say Sony's efforts were thoroughly torpedoed, due to the iPod's far greater storage and convenience.

Sony introduced portable MiniDisc players a year before their stereo counterparts, in 1991, but put the kibosh on them a couple of years ago. The portable version was far more popular, selling more than 22 million units in its life. For one thing, it didn't skip, unlike the Discman I had. That was a waste of time.

[Source: CENT]

Red and blue PlayStation 3 variants to hit Japan next month

Sony's current console line up a little too monochrome for your taste? Look towards the sunrise -- a more colorful PlayStation is about to arrive in Japan. Starting next month, Japanese gamers will be able to decorate their living room with PS3s in "garnet red" and "azurite blue." Sony says the colorful variants will be available in limited quantities when they launch on February 28th, packing a 250GB HDD and priced at ¥24,980 ($279). The colors appeared in Europe over the weekend, too -- flaunting 500GB HDD and a €330 (about $440) sticker price on Amazon.de. No word on North American availability, though we wouldn't be surprised to see it show up in a bundle somewhere down the road.

[Source: Engadget]

Sony announces the quad-core, 10-inch Tablet Z

Sony Mobile has announced the Android 4.1-powered Xperia Tablet Z, right as we expected them to do so. The specs also match last week's rumors, with a few extra surprises thrown in. The Tablet Z comes equipped with a 10.1-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) display complete with the Mobile Bravia Engine 2, 2 GB of RAM, 32 GB of on device storage, a microSD card slot, NFC, and an 8.1 MP Exmor R camera. Providing the juice for all this is the Qualcomm quad-core APQ8064 processor clocked at 1.5 GHz, with an LTE modem on board for the ride. As rumored, the Tablet Z is also extremely thin (6.9 mm) as well as water and dust proof like it's slightly smaller cousin the Xperia Z.

What we don't know is pricing and availability. Hopefully we get word at Mobile World Congress next month if not earlier. We'll keep an eye out and let you know when Sony has anything further to tell us all. We've got a picture of the rear after the break.

[Source: AndroidCentral]

Sony to Abandon DualShock Controller for PlayStation 4, says Source

The DualShock controller that’s been the mainstay of Sony’s home consoles since 1997 (it hit North America in 1998) might have reached the end of its legacy with the PlayStation 3. According to a “senior games studio source working on an upcoming Sony game,” as per CVG, Sony’s newest console features a controller design apart from the DualShock line.

CVG further muses that some rumors point towards a new Sony controller modeled after the look of the PS Vita. That means a touchscreen in the center and motion sensors packed into the device. They also suggest that Sony’s hard at work with adding biometric readers to their new input unit.That last bit has been rumored for a long time now.

Given the Bluetooth nature of the DualShock 3, I find it hard to believe that Sony’s potentially named PlayStation 4 would abandon the controllers entirely. I wouldn’t be surprised if the PS4 features a new line of controllers, but also allows for DualShock 3 connectivity specifically for the arena of backwards compatibility. Plus, gamers love options, and the ability to use classic DualShock controllers in new games would be a major selling point.

We’ll be following the PlayStation 4′s inevitable unveiling closely, and we’ll be sure to hit any controller highlights. The DualShock design, for a lot of gamers, is one of the best this medium’s ever seen.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

Sony Xperia Tablet Z Expected to Launch in Japan on NTT DoCoMo

We recently caught wind of a new Sony tabled dubbed the “Xperia Tablet Z” and now there’s already word that the device may be unveiled in Japan in the coming days. NTT DoCoMo recently listed the slate on a product page, but has since pulled any mention of the tablet. Sure, it may have been mentioned, but we have a feeling this is a product that will make its official debut during Mobile World Congress next month.

What can you expect when it finally does hit store shelves? Leaks suggest it will pack a quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor clocked at 1.5GHz, a full HD 1920 x 1200-pixel resolution display, 32GB of storage,a large 6,000mAh battery and 2GB of RAM. 

Those specs are all competitive with high-end tablets, so don’t expect a budget price point.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

PlayStation 4 could be revealed in May, Sony bigwig teases

Sony might be firing the starting pistol on the next generation of game consoles earlier than we thought. Hiroshi Sakamoto, the company's vice president of home entertainment, told Chilean tech site Emol "we must wait until May at the earliest" for the PlayStation 4.

"That's still a big secret, but our friends are preparing Sony PlayStation," Sakamoto teased, as translated by the Google magicians. "I can only say that we are focused on the E3 gaming event, scheduled for June's announcement may be in that minute or even earlier in May."

E3, in June, is the enormous annual show -- like CES for gamers -- that was expected to see the debuts of both the PlayStation 4 and next Xbox. But Sony might be taking a leaf out of Apple and (lately) Samsung's book and holding its own separate launch event to hog the limelight.

Asked if a pre-E3 event would be a proper announcement or just a teaser, Sakamoto replied, "Probably the first, in that time we expect to deliver great news, but we must wait until May at least."

While the launch would show us what the hardware looks like, whether it has any controller gimmicks and what we can expect in terms of exclusive games, we almost certainly won't get our hands on the PS4 until much later in the year.

The PS2 reached Europe in November 2000, while the PS3 launched in Japan in November 2006, but we had to wait until March the following year. Seven years on, a near-simultaneous worldwide launch is all but guaranteed.

The PS3 was £299 when it launched, a year later than its bitter rival the Xbox 360. After a couple of redesigns and major price drops, it finally outsold Microsoft's console a few months ago. The PS4 is likely to be cheaper, thanks to third-party components (as opposed to the PS3's expensive and hard to code proprietary Cell chip).

The whole tech industry worked itself into a later over the astonishing world-changing properties of 4K TVs at CES -- so I'd be amazed if the PS4 didn't support the ultra hi-def resolution. Sony has TVs of its own to sell, after all.

[Source: CNET]