stations

Square Enix agrees: PlayStation 3 is in big trouble

As I've mentioned before, I believe Sony is in for a rude awakening with its PlayStation 3. The company's expectation that video game consumers will flock to the PS3 because of its technical prowess was disastrously incorrect, and the notion that Sony can sell hardware that is too expensive and difficult to develop for is something it has yet to address.

And while some Sony fanatics have called me biased, I assure you, I'm not alone in my assertion that very little can save Sony and the PlayStation 3.

Yoichi Wada, president of game publisher Square Enix, told reporters Friday that Sony must change its strategy if it wants to see the release of the PlayStation 4. According to Wada, "Sony first unveiled the PS3 as a mighty home electronics product. Then, after some badgering from game companies, it shifted the position of the console closer to a game machine. (The future of the PS3) would be tough if its marketing strategy is not straightened up."

The verdict is in: one of the most important video game developers in the business is saying the PS3 is in trouble. Isn't that enough for Sony to overhaul its entire strategy?… Read more

PS3 + Linux + Firefox = Office 2.0 computing

Sony and a technology site are using a conference to show off a confluence of next-generation, monopoly-bypassing technology: a Sony Playstation 3 videogame console running Linux and Firefox as a foundation for Web-based "Office 2.0" applications.

IT|Redux, a site run by blogger and tech adviser Ismael Ghalimi, is showing off the system at the Office 2.0 Conference in San Francisco. IT|Redux is the show organizer.

Sony called the conference a great opportunity to "showcase the PS3 system's computing power and productivity capabilities."

"Installing Linux and Firefox on the PS3 enables … Read more

Philips plays the middle man with home audio lineup

You have music, and you have a personal music player. You likely haven't purchased either from Philips, but the Dutch electronics maker wants to be the relay guy that passes music from your device to a home or office audio system.

The best example of Philips doing that is the BTM630, a Bluetooth-enabled desktop audio system with a lot going on. An iPod dock/charger is embedded in the top, along with an SD card slot and a USB port. The slot-loading CD drive on the front can be used--besides playing music--to rip audio files that can then be … Read more

Top games for the new slim Sony PSP

With the sleeker and slimmer PSP set for a U.K. release on September 10, Sony hopes to prove there's plenty of life left in its speedy little handheld. It might not have lived up to its initial promise--there's no arguing the PSP has been eclipsed by Nintendo's DS in the software stakes--but there's still plenty going on.

Here we pick out the PlayStation Portable's current top games, in no particular order, and offer some tips on what to look out for in the future. Click on the titles for more info from our sister … Read more

Astronaut gives Idaho kids lesson from space

On Tuesday, NASA astronaut Barbara Morgan made a call from the International Space Station to a group of science students in Idaho, giving them a 20-minute lesson on life in space from 200 miles above Earth.

The call was a reminder of the last teacher to attempt an orbital trip nearly 20 years ago, as The New York Times points out here (subscription required). In 1986, Morgan was the backup "education astronaut" for Christa McAuliffe, the teacher who was killed when the shuttle Challenger broke up 73 seconds into the flight.

Morgan, who was formerly a teacher at … Read more

New details--and video--of the updated PSP

Just a few short weeks after its first public unveiling at the Santa Monica E3 show, the newly slimmed-down Sony PSP was on display for New York media. We already knew the basic details of the PSP redesign (thinner, lighter, sleeker, faster), but Sony's John Koller, Senior Product Manager for the PSP, was kind enough to give us an on-camera summary of the updates. Executive Editor David Carnoy is handling the camera, an RCA Small Wonder EZ201--he's the one you hear asking the questions offscreen, and you can even see him reflected in the PSP screen at … Read more

Toshiba's docking station without wires

Rounding out this week's wireless USB news is Toshiba and its Wireless UWB Port Replicator.

The Portege R400 series is one of Toshiba's high-end laptops (with a twisty screen!), which can now be paired with a wireless port replicator docking station that needs no cables to connect with peripherals like a printer, monitor, projector, mouse or external hard drive.

The dock uses an ultrawideband technology that will stream uncompressed video wirelessly to a monitor at 1280X1024 resolution. It's available now for $499 and can be purchased separately.

It's been a big week for Wireless USB. Earlier … Read more

Griffin iTrip StationFinder (iPhone App)

Have you ever been on a road trip trying to find a good radio station only to sift through tons of static before finding anything? With Griffin iTrip StationFinder for iPhone, random radio scanning is a thing of the past. To find the music to fit your mood on the FM dial, just touch the state you're in followed by the city to get a list of FM stations right on your iPhone. We would have liked a small description of each station along with the genre to get a feel for what we're choosing, but knowing which … Read more

Hands-on with the new PSP

James Yu at GameSpot got to spend some quality time with the newly redesigned PSP at last week's E3 show. Some of the details he confirmed during his hands-on session with the new PSP:

The reduced weight is noticeable when you pick it up. The new battery is slimmer. Old PSP batteries can be used to "double playing time," but the battery cover won't fit over top of it. Instead, Sony will offer a high-capacity power kit with a fitted cover. The control layout is essentially the same, but GameSpot editors felt the d-pad and buttons … Read more

E3 2007--in under 4 minutes

Miss any of this week's big E3 news? CNET TV's got you covered. Veronica Belmont wraps up all the announcements from Santa Monica, including the highlights from Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo.

Earlier CNET TV coverage:

CNET TV: Microsoft E3 press conference highlights: Rock Star, Gears of War on PC, and--of course--Halo 3 CNET TV: Focus on 'Wii Fit'