playstation

Time just keeps ticking for the aging PlayStation Portable, as Sony released a new color variant for the gaming handheld in Japan earlier this week.

A value pack containing the new two-tone sky and marine blue PSP doesn't offer anything different from the 3-year-old PSP-3000. We admire the stylish contrast between the two different shades of blue, and minor details like the yellow text on the front looks swell. … Read more

If Apple wants to go after the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 then Apple should make a home console. The iPad is not a home console. It's a portable tablet that can play casual games. The same way an automobile is not a cup holder. It can just hold your coffee while it gets you from point A to B.

It would be just as silly if Microsoft or Sony came out and said their controllers have 15 times the button-pressing capability than the new iPad. They wouldn't be wrong, but it would cause every eye in the house to roll. So here's why Apple's jab at the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 was misleading and cheap.… Read more

Hungry for more PlayStation Vita news?

A Friday Webcast hosted by Sony and titled "PlayStation Vita Game Heaven" will reveal "unannounced Vita titles, upcoming releases, Vita services, as well as new information about in-release titles," notes Andriasang.com.

A teaser video clearly hints at developer interviews and behind-the-scenes footage, but English-only speakers may have a hard time following.… Read more

While some think that Apple has run away with the mobile gaming market, Sony and Nintendo are boldly holding on to their gaming franchises with reinventions of their hardware.

The Nintendo 3DS, which debuted last year, is an improvement in terms of graphics from its Nintendo DS predecessor, but time has not been kind to Nintendo's hold of the casual games market--and, glasses-free 3D has been a gimmick, at best. Still, with Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart plus a price drop, the 3DS is on a rebound.

Meanwhile, the newly released PlayStation Vita has superior graphics and … Read more

Sony's PlayStation Vita has sold over 1 million units in about two months of availability.

The game company announced today that it has sold over 1.2 million Vita units worldwide since the portable launched in Japan on December 17. Sony didn't break down the sales figures by country, but acknowledged that this month's launch across the U.S. and Europe helped the Vita "exceed expectations" at this point in its lifecycle.

The PlayStation Vita boasts the familiar PlayStation action buttons on the right side and dual thumbsticks. It can connect to the Web via … Read more

I've had the PlayStation Vita for a week. In that time, I've been impressed with the system's potential, and I appreciate the effectiveness of its dual analog sticks, but I've come away with one conclusion stronger than all the others:

The Vita needs to be a phone.

By that I mean, in a phone. The current PS Vita, despite coming in a 3G version with AT&T mobile broadband, is far too large, and obviously couldn't be a phone, unless you used a Bluetooth or wired headset (then again, the Samsung Galaxy Note is basically the same size). However, the fingerprints of a phonelike OS are everywhere. The large, multitouch OLED screen, the gesture-based motions, the Android/iOS-like app icons, the open app pages, the Web browser, the Twitter app, the front- and rear-facing cameras...the PS Vita is so much like a phone that it becomes confusing to describe to anyone who hasn't heard of it before.

I've explained the Vita to several people who didn't know about it, and while "next-generation PSP" does get used quite a bit, so does "like a phone." The interface and the downloadable music, movies, and apps are phonelike, not gamelike.

Here's why I think it could, and should, happen.… Read more

Sony yesterday delivered a host of new games and applications to its PlayStation Store ahead of today's PlayStation Vita launch.

The game company delivered three augmented-reality titles to the PlayStation Vita's game selection, including Cliff Diving, Table Soccer, and Fireworks. Augmented reality is made possible with the Vita's cameras, which identify user movement. In my experience with it on the Vita, augmented reality is by no means a key reason to buy the device, but it's a fun add-on--especially when friends are interested in trying it out.

In addition, Sony launched a number of new Vita … Read more

The PlayStation Vita's official U.S. launch date is February 22, but those who can't wait any longer can get their hands on the device today.

Sony's first edition bundle, which includes a 3G-equipped Vita, a case, 4GB memory card, and a free edition of the game Little Deviants, has shipped to those who pre-ordered it. Gamers who missed the pre-order but want to get the Vita before next week can buy the bundle now.

Getting the PlayStation Vita a week before its official launch date comes at a price. Whereas the 3G launch bundle shipping next … Read more

The Sony PlayStation mobile gaming empire could expand its borders to HTC gadgets next.

That's right, if a Pocket-lint report pans out, you'll be able to play PlayStation-branded game titles on on HTC smartphones and tablets soon.

My instant reaction to this nugget of potential news was joy and giddiness. Perhaps I'll be finally be able to enjoy a few PSP breaks during my daytime commute. Then cold hard reality set in when I realized PlayStation certified doesn't mean PSP certified.

Remember the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play? That was a device full of promise, billed to … Read more