NEW 250GB PlayStation 3 System Available November 3

Sony has just announced the new 250GB PS3 and soon.  November 3rd it should be available.  Read the press release here.

The True Cost of Gaming in 2009

I saw this article over at Gizmodo and thought it was pretty interesting.

With the price of Wii Motion Plus bringing the cost of a full Wiimote to a whopping $80, we thought we'd reexamine the true cost of buying a console today. Which is truly the cheapest?

We're going to pretend we're either a family of four or an apartment that wants a system loaded up with four controllers. We'll assume you want to be able to recharge your controllers rather than wasting money on disposable batteries, and we'll pick the model of each console that we'd recommend to a family member asking us for advice. We'll also factor in the cost of 2 games, because nobody buys a console without a game.

So what's the true cost of going out and buying a system today? Let's find out.

Playstation 3
Cost of console: $400 (80GB)
Cost of 3 extra controllers: $43 x 3 = $129
Cost of charging station: $25
Cost of 2 games: $120
Cost of HDMI cable: $3

Total: $677

Wii
Cost of console: $250
Cost of 3 extra controllers: $36 x 3 = $108
Cost of 3 Nunchuks: $18 x 3 = $54
Cost of 4 Wii Motion Pluses: $20 x 4 = $80
Cost of charging station w/ 4 rechargeable batteries: $49
Cost of 2 games: $100
SD card: $12 (8GB)

Total: $653

Xbox 360
Cost of console: $300 (60GB)
Cost of 3 extra controllers: $37 x 3 = $111
Cost of 2 rechargeable batteries: $12 x 2 = $24
Cost of recharging station w/ 2 rechargeable batteries: $30
Cost of 2 games: $120
Cost of Xbox Live membership: $43 (13 months)

Total: $628

As you can see, the prices of all three consoles are incredibly close, and you can obviously fiddle with these configurations to change them. If you only want 2 controllers and are planning to only play Wii Sports, the Wii is still the cheapest, but a fully-loaded Xbox 360 with a year of Live is actually cheaper than the fully-loaded Wii (although it's the only console without WiFi, so add $80 if you really need that). And the PS3 is surprisingly close in price, thanks to its controllers having built-in batteries and its free online service. The Nintendo controller scheme really rockets it up in price, and it's pretty amazing that a Wii with 4 controllers is only $24 less than a PS3 with 4 controllers.

So really, it comes down to what you want in a console. But it's surprising to see that, in real-world prices, all three systems will set you back about the same amount, with the Xbox 360 being the cheapest of them all even when you factor in a monthly fee for online gaming.

Sony Releases New Stupid Piece Of S*** That Doesn't F****** Work

Sony Releases New Stupid Piece Of S*** That Doesn't F****** Work

Don’t really have to say much on this one…it speaks for itself.  Very NSFW.

Sony Conducting "Hancock" Experiment

Now how cool is this!!!

If you own a Sony Bravia set with a Web connection and you want to check out the new Will Smith movie 'Hancock', Sony is hookin you up. From G4TV:

"In an industry first, Sony Pictures’ new flick Hancock, out this Wednesday and starring the Fresh Prince himself, will be available over the Internet to be directly fed to viewers’ television sets after its theater run...IF they own a Sony Bravia TV that is.

BEFORE it hits DVD!

And if this plan turns out to be a successful one, many other Hollywood films will use a similar media path, insiders say.

Howard Stringer, the chief executive of Sony, mentioned the "Hancock experiment "as he discussed the company’s growth strategy for a roomful of analysts in Tokyo last week. He says movies streamed over the Internet directly to televisions, bypassing the longtime purveyors of content to the living room, cable and satellite companies, is the future. And Sony is all about the future, baby!

“The Internet is not only a great place to reach Web sites, but it’s also a great way to deliver conventional content,” says Sony Corporation of America executive vice president and chief financial officer Robert S. Wiesenthal. “And at the end of the day, it’s about getting entertainment back into the living room.”

“Ultimately, when all these devices are connected, you’ll be able to quite easily manage how you watch movies,” Stringer added. “This is us saying we want to be ahead of the curve rather than behind the curve.”

Now how kick ass is that?

Got me seriously considering getting a Sony Bravia.

[NYTimes.com via G4TV]

Sony Launches New Line Of Bravia's

Sony is introducing their new line of Bravia LCD line today with two gorgeous new lines, the XBR7 and XBR8. The XBR7 and XBR8 both have tri-color Triluminos backlight, which is Sony's new made up word for LCD backlighting. They're said to produce decently deep blacks, and have 120Hz Motionflow and Bravia Engine Pro 2 processing.

These are certainly set for the high-end HDTV buyers. But if you're one who doesn't like to compromise on your set, this might be the line for you.

[Crunchgear]

Rumor Central: Sony Cloning Wiimote?

In light of the incredible success of the Wii due largely in part of the Wiimote, Microsoft responded with rumors of a similar controller code named Newton for the 360. Now comes whispers that Sony is creating their own copy of the Wiimote controller, and is in the process of testing different designs with people for comfort. According to PlayStation Lifestyle focus testers demoed a paintball game that is said to be great with the new controller.

Of course these are rumors and should be taken with a block of salt. But I get the feeling that there might be some truth to this one.

[PlayStation Life via Gizmodo]

DualShock 3 Sells $10.9 In April

It looks like new DualShock 3 is a huge hit, selling more than $10.9 million in April alone. Joystiq estimated 200,000 people bought the game controller, boosting Sony's bottom line.

Sony Tries To Distract You From Profit Loss, Intros Z780 & G502

Far be it for me to kick a company when they’re down (oh who am I kidding), but Sony just released the Z780 clamshell and the G502 candy bar style. Not sure if Sony did this to distract everyone from the 48% profit loss (compared to last years Q1 earnings) that they announced. The Z780 comes with UMTS/HSDPA 850/1900/2100 and quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE. It also has Google Maps and GPS built in, but it might be a bit difficult to read on a screen that only has 128 x 160 pixel display. The G502 has UMTS/HSDPA 2100 and GSM/GPRS/EDGE 900/1800/1900. It also has Google Maps but doesn’t have GPS, which isn’t important if you’re in the U.S. because this phone is only for Europe. Both phones will have M2 memory expansion, Bluetooth, and 2 megapixel cameras come launch in Q2.

Not sure if this will be enough to get Sony off the floor, but they’re at least trying to get your mind off of it.

[Engadget]

Possible PS3 firmware problems

Foster City (CA) - A mysterious Playstation 3 error has reporedly caused problems for some users during faulty firmware installations, but Sony has said it isn't "aware of this issue."
The error could potentially cause fatal problems with the PS3 and corrupt the hard drive, according to media reports.
A handful of PS3 owners have reported receiving the error code 80010514, reports Game Revolver. The problem is apparently linked to a contamination in the hard drive and/or a faulty firmware installation.
Sony warns that any interruptions during a firmware upgrade or other processes related to the PS3 hard drive could cause serious problems.
However, there is some question to the validity of the claims. A Sony spokesperson told Eurogamer, "I've spoken to our Customer Services department and they aren't aware of this issue with the PS3."
To prevent the kind of damage reported by this error code, Sony advises users to keep their PS3 in an open space to prevent overheating, and make sure the power connection is reliable.

[via Tom's Games]

Sony Thinks You’re Stupid, Offer’s $50 Option Not To Put Junk On Your Computer

Like death and taxes, one thing that you can always count on is Sony trying to corn hole you. Such is the case with Sony charging $50 to NOT put bloatware on your brand new computer. As you might know when buying a new computer, junk software comes with it in an effort to get you to try then buy it. Unfortunately all that software slows down your brand new computer considerably. Most computer savvy people remove said software immediately after purchasing. But for people who don’t have a clue how to do this, they’re stuck with it unless they pay Geek Dog or Fire Squad to remove it.

But Sony will offer their “fresh start” option and will take care of it for you, if you pay them not to put junk on your computer. I think I rate this one up there like paying the phone company NOT to list my phone number. It's only available on the TZ2000 for now, but I’m sure they’ll expand that to screw as many non computer savvy people as possible.

[Engadget]

Full Metal Make Over: MGS4 PS3 Coming Soon

Crazed Metal Gear Solid fans are about to have their heads explode. Sony and Konami are teaming up to bring the Metal Gear Solid 4 "Guns of the Patriots" special edition PS3. The limited edition 40GB Gun Metal PlayStation 3 comes with the new MGS4 game, and the new DualShock controller in matching color.

The limited Edition set will set you back $520, but if you were waiting to pick up a PS3 when this game was released, this might be a bargain.

[Kotaku via Gizmodo]

Air Force Buys 300 PS3 For “Research”

Photo courtesy of Gizmodo

There was always a reason why the Air Force was my favorite branch of the military, now I know why. The Air Force has purchased 300 Playstation 3 for “research” for which they state:

"The Air Force Research Laboratory is conducting a technology assessment of certain cell processors. The processors in the Sony PlayStation 3 are the only brand on the market that utilizes the specific cell processor characteristics needed for this program at an acceptable cost.”

Not that I’m some kind of conspiracy theorist, but something tells me that more gaming is going on than research. I’m thinking that it’s a massive Call of Duty 4 round up, with the winner getting a chance to fly which ever jet they choose.

I want in!

[Air Force via Gizmodo]

Sony Laughs At Microsoft About HD DVD

Although Mircosoft kinda shrugged off the demise of HD DVD, leave it to Sony to point fingers in a very classy way (insert sarcasm). Check the quote from Dave Karraker, who is senior director for corporate communications for Sony Computer Entertainment America.

"It’s unfortunate that Microsoft’s external HD-DVD drive will not enhance the experience at all for the gamer. Sony realizes that to truly take gaming into the next generation requires a larger data format for both games and movies. PS3 uses the Blu-ray format for gaming, giving developers 50 GB of high-definition storage on a single disc, while Microsoft’s 9 GB DVD gaming format is an obstacle for storing HD content. Furthermore, Microsoft’s announced HD games patch is really just a compatibility feature — upscaling lower-resolution content does not make it Full HD (1080p), something that PS3 can do out of the box."

Did I miss something?

Outside of a couple of good (not great) games, the PS3's 50GB storage that they like to parade around hasn't equaled up to the 9GB that the 360 has taken to the next level. Just because you have a lot of space doesn't mean you know what to do with it. People don't care that your games are in "Full HD" if your game sucks in "Full HD". Just because it might look pretty doesn't make it good, just ask Star Wars fans about the last trilogy.

Sony, please concentrate on the first 9GB like Xbox 360 has and see if you can put together a truly great game. And if you need all that extra space afterwards, then use it. And please stop patting yourself on the back, if it wasn't for the built in Blu-Ray no one would be buying your console.

That's the truth.

Sony Responds to HD-DVD Announcement [Kotaku via Crunchgear]

Get You A Kipnis Home Theather For $6 Million

If you've always wanted to know what kind of home theater system that 6 million will get you, take a look. No word on exactly where every dime was spent, but it's safe to say that most went into the design of the room. The Kipnis Studio Standard room has more than one function, because it serves as a model for other rich people interested in having one designed for them. Jeremy Kipnis will be more than happy to put together a 8.8 channels of surround sound, 16 subwoofers and video resolution four times better than 1080p.

This thing has a $100,000 4K SRX-R110 projector, which projects on a 18-by-10-foot Stewart Snowmatte "laboratory-grade" screen. This thing can upconvert all Blu-ray and HD DVD content to 4,096 x 2,160 in analog. And there's even a secondary projector, that will give you the normal "full HD" that we've come to know and love.



[Kipnis via Gizmodo]

How HD DVD Was The Better Format

I don't usually care for long posts, but this subject just needs to be talked about. Brian Lam of Gizmodo just says it all about the HD format war. Just read below:

"Before winning the majority of Hollywood studio support, those partial to the Blu-ray format have primarily relied on a few points to make their case: more storage and rocketing sales at the ratio of 2:1 to HD DVD. Those are bullshit arguments. As consumers, we should have only been looking at what each format delivered and in that case, HD DVD was a more stable platform with more features on almost every disc that was offered in both. It's a moot point now, because the platform with more content deserves to win, but here's why I wish HD DVD wasn't on its knees:
When Wilson compared the same discs in each format, Harry Potter and 300, HD DVD had many, many more features. Proof is in the pudding:

The difference is still less subtle when comparing the two editions of 300:

Blu-ray could technically support a lot of that functionality, according to the spec, but the trick here is that most of the spec is not and still isn't mandatory. And even when all the Blu-ray players on the market are up to the final spec, whenever that may be, the majority of the original players will still not support extras, so why would anyone develop those extras? They won't. A stair-stepped rollout of what each player must have to be spec compliant has severely limited the Blu format, despite all that great storage capacity. And this might take a very long time to fix, if it ever does.
HD DVD, you were the people's format: R.I.P.

Why I Wished HD DVD Had Won: The Format That Loved Me [Gizmodo]

Why Warner Bros. REALLY Went To Blu-Ray

So as I had suspected all along, the real reason that Warner Bros. defected to Blu-Ray has come out. And it turns out that it's the reason I thought it might be, money.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist Don Lindich uncovered the WB's dirty little secret, and the numbers that are involve are staggering. Aparently Warner wanted to stay with HD DVD, and gave Toshiba some time to bring in another studio into the camp before they turned Blu-Ray. Toshiba had Fox lined up to go HD DVD exclusive, which would have also made Warner HD DVD exclusive, but Fox nixed the deal in the last minutes.

The reason why Fox canceled the deal? Well Fox received a reported $120 million payout from Sony to stay with Blu-Ray. Warner Bros. then switched to Blu-Ray and received between $400 and $500 million to go Blu-Ray exclusive. Warner Bros. Kevin Tsujihara said that it wasn't a bidding war that brought them to Blu-Ray, which is true considering that HD DVD didn't get a bid in.

So it's not that the consumer made the decision to go with Blu-Ray, or the line that "Blu-Ray is the more advanced format, so that's why we went with them" crap. It's just Sony flat out paid more than Toshiba was willing to do, and the consumer suffers for their greed.

Money certainly does talk.

[Post-Gazette via Gizmodo]

A Fair, But a LONG and Involved Analysis of the PS3 vs XBox-360 a Year Later

Ok, that was a long title to a post; but it's just a bit of conditioning for this very long, thorough and fair look at both the PS3 vs the XBox-360 in all their forms and incarnations. It's a report looking at not only the fact that the PS3 is one year old, but it also looks at the coming two years as well.
Better yet, this article was written by a guy who works for one of the game houses making games for all three current consoles as well as the PC market.
Special thanks goes to one of my favorite long time all encompassing geek site Lockergnome, and fellow blogger LordKaT. Check it out here!

A PS3 Commercial That's Not Weird: For Real

A Playstation 3 commercial that actually makes sense. No floating babies bleeding from their eyes or anything like that.

I know.... I'm as amazed as you are!

[Crunchgear]

More Signs of Sony Desperation over PS3

In a move of sheer desperation in order to get more games developed for the PS3, Sony is slashing its prices for the PS3 developers kit. I could go on, but I'll let you read this article from Wired instead.

Sony's 4GB Cyber-shot DSC-T2

Sony just announced the sticky-sweet Cyber-shot DSC-T2 compact camera. Available in you choice of blue, green, pink, white or black candy coatings, the T2 comes loaded with specs: 8 megapixel, 1/2.5-inch CCD; 4GB of on-board flash storage with Memory Stick Pro Duo expansion; 2.7-inch, 230k pixel touchscreen LCD; ISO 3200 max sensitivity; Sony's "smile shutter" and face detection tech; and 3x Carl Zeiss zoom with optical image stabilization. Ready for plenty of egg noggin' granny shots this December for about $350.

I just got the predecessor to this camera and I absolutely love it. At that price point, I can see these being very popular.

Check out the other colors its available here.