Isaiah's Tech

This is the day that's been marked on my calendar for a while. It's Sony's press conference where they kicked things off by announcing the upcoming PlayStation Suite. This functionality will bring PlayStation content to other devices and will be available before the end of the year; this includes Cross Platform and Cross Device and that basically means it'll bring the content to Android phones and tablets (think XPERIA Play / PlayStation Phone). Sony also announced that they'll be launching the PlayStation Store for Android devices and, yes, that's definitely for the XPERIA Play - as long as all of the other Android devices which is pretty amazing.

Of course, we had to wait about a half hour for the juicy stuff. What you see above is what we know as the Sony PSP 2 but they kept on referring to it as the NGP (Next Generation Portable). It features a 5-inch OLED touchscreen display with a 960 x 544 resolution, a quad-core ARM Cortex A9 CPU, a quad-core Power VR SGX543MP4+ GPU, dual analog sticks (thank you!), dual cameras, 3G / WiFi b/g/n / Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR support, GPS, a six-axis motion sensing system, and even front / back touchpads. Unlike the original PSP and PSP Go, this new gaming handheld from Sony will use flash cards for games which looks quite similar to SD cards but they might be slightly different. The NGP will be available this holiday season (in black and white) so it's still about 9 months away or so.

Sony was quick to tell us what games would be headed to the NGP, including: Killzone, Call of Duty, Reality Fighters, LittleBigPlanet, Resistance, Hot Shots Golf, Metal Gear Solid, and Uncharted. Some of them got a demo and some of them didn't but it's good to see that they'll definitely be keeping a great line-up when it comes to the games. Engadget mentioned that they look pretty darn good, but they're not PS3 level graphics which was a rumour that was clearly too good to be true. Sony went through a lot of boring stuff that was probably important but I really didn't feel like throwing them into the post. If you want a recap of the whole event then just head over to the link below! And no, you won't find a true name for this product, everyone that got on stage called it the NGP. We'll definitely be seeing this again at E3 later this year! Check out the official word from Sony here.

[Engadget]

I was looking forward to Sony's E3 press conference but I think it may have been the most boring one out of the big three (Microsoft and Nintendo). Anyways, Sony announced that their PlayStation Move will be available in Europe on September 15th, North America September 19th, and in Japan on October 21st. There'll be a $99.99 bundle with Sports Champions and a $399.99 bundle with a 250GB PS3 and Sports Champions if that's what you want. Of course, you'll also be able to get the main controller separately, that'll cost you $49.99, while the Navigation Controller aka the nunchuck will cost you another $29.99.

[Engadget, Crunch Gear]

At E3's press conference, they unveiled the Nintendo 3DS. The top display is the Parallax display so that'll give you 3D without the need of glasses. The displays aren't the same size, but that's not a big deal; the display on the top spans 3.5-inches. You can switch between 2D and 3D by "simply moving the slider." The 3DS features an accelerometer and a gyrosensor (found in the iPhone 4 as well). The top display doesn't have a touchscreen layer because 3D and touchscreens don't go together well - the bottom one is touch-capable though. There's a front-facing webcam which isn't surprising but on the back there are two cameras so you can take video and pictures in 3D as well! As you can see in the image above there's an analog stick, which Nintendo is actually calling a "Slide Pad." If you're at E3, you might want to head over to Nintendo's booth to test it out right now - you have until Sony's conference later.

[vg247, Engadget]

Well, it's E3 and Microsoft has just announced something pretty juicy. A new Xbox 360 has just been announced and it has integrated WiFi 802.11n. Inside you'll also find 250GB of storage and it's actually launching today, so you should find it in stores extremely shortly (like now). There's also five USB ports on this new Xbox 360 along with a custom Kinect port. Engadget has just pointed out that you can pre-order the 250GB Xbox 360 S at GameStop (here), Newegg (here), and Amazon (here). They're all going for $299.99 so there aren't any price differences for now. Folks in Europe will have to wait until July 16th to get their hands on it. Hopefully it won't have any Red Ring of Death issues though...

The Kinect was made officially official by Microsoft as well and they demoed it quite a bit at their press conference yesterday morning. Gizmodo has pointed out that Microsoft's Kinect for the Xbox 360 will be available on November 4th. Slash Gear had a keen eye and also pointed out that GameStop (here) actually has the Kinect up and it'll cost a whopping $149.99, which is a major let down.

Update: Kotaku has listed a bunch of "specs" for the new Xbox 360 below.

• Touch Sensitive Buttons - turn the Xbox 360 on or off and eject a disc with the swipe of a finger
• Whisper Quiet - Whether you're playing a DVD disc or from the hard drive or navigating the dashboard, with the all-new and much quieter Xbox 360, the only noise you'll hear is your own laughing, cheering and playing
• Wi-Fi - Built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi for fast, easy connection to your friends and entertainment on Xbox LIVE.
• Hard Drive - 250GB internal, swappable hard drive for even more storage. To access, remove the bottom panel by pushing the small tab toward the front of the console.
• Kinect-ready - Custom Kinect port on the back of the console that directly hooks up to the Kinect sensor for controller-free fun.
• USB Slots - Five USB ports, three in the back and two in the front.
• Power Supply - Smaller and more efficient. Xbox 360 250GB and Xbox 360 Original power supplies are not interchangeable.
• Wireless Controller - The award-winning Xbox 360 Wireless Controller matches the console in all black with color-matched thumbsticks and directional pad with a touch of gloss and chrome to complete the look.
• Backward Compatible - Your favorite accessories and games will work with Xbox 360 250GB. Xbox 360 external hard drives and Memory Units are not compatible.

The New Xbox 360: Engadget
Kinect Gets Official: Gizmodo, Slash Gear

Project Natal has just been made official as the Microsoft Kinect - for the Xbox 360 of course. As you can see in the picture above it's pretty darn shiny. Engadget has mentioned that this device will have a video chat app called Video Chat which isn't all that surprising. I'm not feeling this new name, but I guess we'll all have to live with it. There are still rumours of this device going for $150 which is definitely a bit much but we'll see if Microsoft decides to launch it for cheaper than that. The new Xbox 360 should be on the way as well...

Update: Gizmodo has just mentioned that Kinect will hit at least one country sometime in November.

[Engadget]

Well, what's this juicy news? Apparently, a promo page on Sony Style (here) shows that the Playstation 3 is available for $199.99. This is $100 cheaper than the price right now, which is great news. Sony hasn't confirmed this yet, so maybe we'll be hearing the announcement at E3 next week. This is definitely the price drop I was waiting for, I'll definitely be scooping one up later this year if this happens.

[Electronista]

Although it's not what is pictured above, there are new rumours for the next-generation PSP. Apparently, the PSP2 is going to feature a touchscreen display, two cameras (front and back), WiFi, "trademark physical PlayStation buttons" (I hope that means two thumb sticks), and possibly 3G. Apparently, there are already "finished units" floating around in the UK and games are being made in Britain right now. The PSP2 is said to be "fucking powerful" and it's based on a four-core Cell CPU (for comparison's sake, the PS3 has an eight-core Cell CPU).

Although Sony was hoping to get the PSP2 out this year, it's now scheduled for a 2011 release. Some games will likely be teased before the year ends though. Sadly, there's a "99 percent" chance that this won't be revealed at E3 - they're likely saving it for TGS.

[vg247]

Take this rumour with a grain of salt. We already know that Sony will be showing off their PlayStation Move at E3 this year, but apparently they'll be showcasing something even better than that. The latest rumour states that Sony will be pulling the curtain on the PSP 2. This rumour is being started because of "a significant increase in marketing spend" for the end of this year and with PSP Go sales not going so well they [Sony] have to have something else up their sleeve, right?

[Kotaku]

It's no doubt that Microsoft will be showing off their Project Natal at E3 this year and they have just confirmed that they'll release it before Christmas. They have confirmed the rumoured October date, however, the price wasn't announced. Microsoft confirmed this in a short video that you can check out if you head over to the link below. It's not the most exciting news in the world, but it's something that all Xbox 360 owners should know.

[Engadget]

We already know that Nintendo is working on their 3DS gaming handheld which will have 3D functionalities without the need of glasses. Iwata has just mentioned that you'll be able to turn the 3D functionality off, which is great news. We already know that the 3DS will be backwards-compatible, so this is good news that every single game will be 2D-capable. Mehh, let's just find out at E3 this June.

[Crunch Gear]

Two things from Microsoft are rumoured to be announced at this year's E3 event, which takes place in June. Apparently, it'll be the Xbox 360 Slim along with a couple of Project Natal bundles -- obviously. To add even more fuel to the fire, Microsoft will be making the primary colour for the Xbox 360 black which looks pretty slick. It looks like Microsoft could also be announcing a Metal Gear Solid game for the Xbox 360 which will be capable of running on Natal. Could it be true? We'll have to wait and see.

[Engadget, Surfer Girl]

When Nintendo announced their 3DS they mentioned that it could be out in March 2011. Now the latest rumour states that this handheld will get announced at E3 and could actually be set to be released in October. I'm thinking that this is just a rumour right now because I don't really think that Nintendo will release this handheld in October, but you never know with these sort of things. This would make it perfect for a Christmas gift if you want, but let's see if it actually happens...

[vg247]

Nintendo has just announced their successor to the current DS line-up, the Nintendo 3DS. Apparently, Nintendo is planning to have a 3D display (2, I assume) that will not require dorky 3D glasses since that technology is the future. Thankfully, the 3DS will be backwards-compatible so you'll be able to play the games that are currently available for the DS - and the DSi. We'll hear more about this at E3 2010 in June this year and hopefully we'll even see a prototype of this thing. This 3DS is looking to hit shelves a year from now, so you won't get your hands on this device until at least March of 2011. I put enough links below so you can choose your destiny.

Update: According to Joystiq, the 3DS will feature a "3D control stick" along with Sharp LCD screen for the 3D effect. The display will be around 4-inches diagonally (each) and there'll be rumble technology as well as better battery life and faster WiFi.

Update: According to Kotaku, the 3DS will actually be playable in June, but let's see how that goes. June 15-17 is when E3 will take place this year.

[Slash Gear, Crunch Gear, Tech Digest, Pocket-Lint, GSM Arena]

The latest rumour states that the next Nintendo DS will be announced at this year's E3 and will be released in Fall. Of course, if we line it up with other rumours, this gaming handheld will also pack the Tegra chipset and new motion-sensing controls. Let's just see if it happens.

Update: According to Slash Gear, some new rumoured details have just spilled out regarding the DS2. Nintendo's next gaming handheld will reportedly feature dual-displays again and they'll be larger (I'm assuming larger than the original DS and not the XL model). Apparently, the distance in between the two displays will be very minimal and some games will even allow just using both displays together as one large one. Supposedly the DS2 will also feature an accelerometer and the dev kit is said to be as powerful as the Gamecube which is pretty impressive and shows just how much technology has evolved over the years. A concept photo is below aka fan-made.

[vg247]

At E3 2009, Sony Computer Entertainment America told the world that Zipper Interactive's massive action game, MAG, would be shipping "Fall 2009." BioShock 2 and Heavy Rain have already been delayed until 2010 and here's another one for ya. MAG - best-known for its awesome 256-player online mode - is now scheduled to be released in January 2010. If it misses its January release date, Sony said that it will be available by the end of the fiscal year 2009 aka March 2010.

I just hope that God of War III doesn't end up being delayed too because that would be a huge let down for the PlayStation 3. This was supposed to be their year, but I guess that's also been delayed to 2010.

[Kotaku]

This is a game to get excited for. At E3, it was announced that God of War III will be released for the Play Station 3 in March 2010. I can't wait to get this game. I promise I will get a PS3 before then, hopefully the rumoured Slim! It's only 9 months away, so just wait patiently.

[Joystiq]

Due to the Nintendo Wii's success with their motion-sensing controller, Microsoft announced their full-body motion sensing unit yesterday. Now Sony is also stepping into the same battlefield with their announcement of their own motion-sensing controller. "The prototype looks like a wand with a color-changing ball on top. It's designed to work in conjunction with the PlayStation Eye, with the wand overlaid on-screen with a weapon or tool." Sony also announced that this controller is targeted for a Spring 2010 launch, but they revealed no pricing on the controller.

This is a dislike for me. Huge, huge dislike. Motion-sensing controllers are just not my thing, too kiddish.

[Engadget]

Final Fantasy XIII is not even available yet and Sony has just announced that Final Fantasy XIV will be available in 2010 as well. The sad part is that it is an online MMO, similar to Final Fantasy XI. I'm sure it will be a significant upgrade to XI because I quit playing FFXI about 2 months after buying the game. The good news is that it could also be released for the PC because Sony announced that the PS3 will be the "only console" to have the game.

I was hoping that Square Enix wouldn't go back to do the whole online MMO thing, but it looks like they will be. So, 2010, we'll see if the date stands.

[Joystiq]

At E3, Sony also announced that the PSOne classic, Final Fantasy VII, will be hitting PSN today! Talk about incredible news!! It makes me want to go out and get a Play Station 3 right now, but I think I'll wait for the PS3 Slim.

[Joystiq]

At E3, Sony finally announced the availability of the new PSP. The PSP Go will be launching in North America and Europe on October 1st for $249 USD and 249 Euros, respectively. It will also be launching in Japan on November 1st for ¥26,800. The PSP Go has: no UMD anymore, a 3.8-inch display, a Memory Stick Pro slot, Bluetooth, 16GB of internal storage, and is 50% smaller and 40% lighter than the original PSP-1000. Check out Engadget's hands-on here!

Update: It will be available in black and white at launch.

[Engadget, Joystiq]