playstation

It's that time of the year again: a time to look back at 2011 for its gaming prowess, to pay tribute to those elite pieces of electronic interactive entertainment that reside in a league all by themselves.

Just like last year, 2011 treated us to a few new franchises, but ultimately the sequels once again hogged the spotlight. While 2010 stumbled toward the end of the year, 2011 went out with an absolute bang, seeing nearly a dozen blockbuster titles hit store shelves within just a few weeks.

To see my list, check out the slideshow, or click through.… Read more

Joseph Kaminski fills in for Wilson again on today's 404 podcast to mediate a most divisive argument: "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" vs. "Dumb and Dumber": who did it better?

We'll also wag a finger at Sony for pushing the U.S. release date back to February 2012, show off a YouTube educational feature guaranteed to upset a ton of schoolkids, and discuss a couple scientists claiming they're getting very close to Matrix-style instant learning.… Read more

Battlefield 3's first downloadable content, Back to Karkand, debuted exclusively yesterday for the PlayStation 3.

Soldiers using PCs and Xbox 360 devices will have to wait until December 13 to access the pack, which costs $14.99 (or 1,200 Xbox points). Many gamers who preordered Battlefield 3 Limited Edition automatically received Back to Karkand free, so this will be a nice change of scenery for those already tired of playing. … Read more

Sony's new PlayStation 3 firmware--version 4.00--ushers in new functionality for the console by making it a hub for the upcoming PS Vita handheld.

After spending several years in version 3, Sony has elevated to version 4 in the latest PlayStation firmware that went live around the world yesterday. The console is now a media, backup, and update hub for the Vita handheld.

Specifically, now gamers have the ability to copy music, videos, images, games, and other apps between the PS3 and Vita. This is mostly unimportant now, but will be a nice touch later when the … Read more

Sony has greatly reduced the number of gaming devices that can access games purchased from the PlayStation Store through one user account.

In the past, someone with a PlayStation Network account could play a purchased game on up to five PS3 or PSP devices. A revised policy--which went into effect Friday for several countries in Europe, as well as Australia--stipulates that only two of each Sony gaming devices (PS3, PSP) can access purchased games and content (purchased after November 18) from the PlayStation Store.

Sony announced the policy earlier this month on its official European PlayStation blog. Sony representatives did not immediately reply to CNET's request for comment on whether the change would come stateside. … Read more

There've been previous reports that a PlayStation 3 will soon be able to output ultra-high-resolution 4K (4,096x2,160) still photos, and we finally got to see some samples at the recent Sony VPL-VW1000ES media launch. They were breathtakingly detailed and faithfully rendered by this $24,999 4K home theater projector. … Read more

Steve Jobs gets vindicated this morning, as Adobe announced it's killing off Flash support for mobile devices.

We're also talking about the next evolution of New York taxi cabs replete with USB-charging stations, the entire city of Detroit protesting Nickelback, and an Irish airline offering an on-demand television app that will also feature adult channels. Gross or cool? We'll weigh both sides of the divisive argument.

Stream or download today's podcast after the break!… Read more

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's overnight launch has caused a big headache for premium players.

The first true casualty of the military simulator is the new free and subscription-based Elite service, which has buckled under the stress from "hundreds of thousands of players" who have registered, according to a statement from Activision Blizzard.

A comment from Reddit member "ButterflySammy" indicates that users are having trouble with clans or using some of the other Elite features: "You just can't set up any clans or use any of the other elite features on any platform." … Read more

OK, the above headline is admittedly a little dramatic, so maybe we should knock it down a peg: "GAEMS G155 aids a marriage by letting an overgrown-kid husband get his gaming in without hogging the TV."

The GAEMS (Gaming and Entertainment Mobile Systems) G155 is a self-contained gaming unit that essentially transforms any Xbox 360 or PS3 Slim into a console in a briefcase. It combines a sturdy carrying case with a 15.5-inch 720p LED-lit monitor, an HDMI connection, stereo speakers, and dual 3.5 mm headphone jacks--all for $299.

Unique so far in design and function, it's advertised as a way for young gaming fanatics to take their Modern Warfare with them wherever they gather with other gadget-obsessed hipsters. I wouldn't be surprised to find one at the core of Occupy Wall Street. But I wanted to see if I could put the GAEMS unit's capabilities to use another way. … Read more