playstation

Quantum superconductors are an amazing thing.

With the right materials cooled down to below -301 degrees Fahrenheit, you can create a superconductive magnetic field known as the Meissner effect that is capable of floating stably in midair.

Over the past year, we've seen the effect demonstrated with a floating crystal wafer and a skateboard, and discussed as a real-world solution for high-speed rail.

With all that said, it seems completely plausible that some bored science students might construct a small-scale quantum superconductive racetrack styled after the '90s PlayStation game Wipe'out. I mean, why not?

Well, as badly as I want to believe in the above piece of awesomeness, it is likely a hoax.… Read more

Welcome to a brand-new year of The 404! Today on the show filling in for Justin Yu is Bridget Carey. Justin is still out west and will meet up with us in Las Vegas for our live shows from CES 2012!

On today's show Jeff and Wilson prepare Bridget for her first CES ever by advising her to stock up on Powerbars, Jolt Cola, and plenty of water. … Read more

The latest handheld game console from Sony, the PlayStation Vita, launched in Japan on December 18. Already, sister site GameSpot Asia has gotten its hands on a unit and published an unboxing and preview video.

We spent some time with GameSpot's unit and have to agree that the hardware is indeed attractive. Some of the launch titles, including Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom, and Touch My Katamari, look great on the 960x544-pixel display, and the ability to use the touch screen for certain navigation controls is refreshing for this PSP successor.

Now, you might be tempted to run out and buy a set imported from Japan, since that's the only country in which the Vita has been launched so far. It will hit the U.S. on February 22, and many countries in Asia will have to wait even longer.

Buying a Japan set seems to make sense--your local game shop probably has some units imported from the console's home country; Vita games are not region locked; and the unit's interface supports the English language. However, we have some misgivings about being an early adopter of the Japan set. … Read more

Sony's PlayStation Vita sales were behind the pace of the Nintendo 3DS in its first two days on Japanese store shelves.

According to Japanese game-tracking firm Enterbrain, Sony sold 321,400 PlayStation Vita units during its first two days on store shelves--50,000 units behind the Nintendo 3DS, which sold 371,000 units during its launch period earlier this year.

Sony launched the PlayStation Vita in Japan over the weekend. The handheld game player boasts the familiar PlayStation action buttons on the right side and dual thumbsticks. It can connect to the Web via Wi-Fi and 3G and features … Read more

We discuss our personal tech hits and misses of 2011; what we loved, hated and was overrated. Also, Scott and Ty weigh in on what will most likely be going on at CES 2012; the who, the what, and the why.

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With my best and worst games of 2011 behind us, it's time to look to the future at what 2012 will hold.

In an effort to avoid inaccuracies, I've compiled the chronological list based on the best release date information possible. Any game scheduled for a 2013 release (see Rainbow 6: Patriots) has been deliberately left off the list.

To see the games, click here or on one of the images below to go straight to the slideshow.… Read more

Sony's launch of its PlayStation Vita portable gaming device in Japan has apparently gone off without a hitch.

The Associated Press reports that the gadget landed in stores today, with thousands of anxious gamers queuing up hours ahead of time to get their hands on it.

"I'm so happy to see so many people lining up for PS Vita so early in the morning," the AP quoted Sony Computer Entertainment Japan President Hiroshi Kono as saying on his official blog. "I can tell they had anxiously waited for today's launch."

That may be, but Sony's decision to release the Vita so late in the year--and, indeed, delay its U.S. launch until February--could certainly undermine the overall splash the device makes and curtail Sony's efforts at a post-PlayStation Portable comeback.… Read more

CES isn't exactly gaming's biggest stage, but it seems each year its presence increases. At CES 2012, Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo will all be at the big show. While it doesn't appear that Microsoft will have any new hardware on display, both Sony and Nintendo have lots to show off.

Sony is sure to be pushing the Vita, and I'm hoping to get a better idea of how the device will interact with its big cousin, the PlayStation 3. Sony has also told CNET there will be some new Vita games on the show floor for … Read more

Oh, dear. As much as I love presenting my picks for the 10 best games of the year, there's also a certain morbid joy in divulging the year's worst games and trends.

Just like the film industry, a lot of titles get released in a single calendar year. There's a few winners, a whole lot of stuff that falls somewhere in the middle, and a select few that stand out as the worst of the worst.

So sit back, relax, and be proud you didn't buy any of these truly awful games. And if you did, well, I'm sorry. … Read more