Topic: PlayStation Vita (PS Vita) - previously known as NGP

[MaryJane]

The rear trackpad, as BnM mentioned as a dual analog alternative, and mouse, the rear trackpad is near genius. You don't need to see where your pointing for those things, as your gun and mouse will show you. Also for a game like (I'm drawing a blank on the name, but it's the one where you're a white tiger and paint things with a magical brush) you again don't need to see what you're doing, you just need to perform the symbol.

[Shaymin]

Also for a game like (I'm drawing a blank on the name, but it's the one where you're a white tiger and paint things with a magical brush) you again don't need to see what you're doing, you just need to perform the symbol.

Okami?

[Adrock]

I'll just quote a previous post that could give you a better idea on how it might work.

I know how it might work. I just find it less useful than a touchscreen.

The rear trackpad, as BnM mentioned as a dual analog alternative, and mouse, the rear trackpad is near genius.

The rumored PSP2 dev kit has 2 analog sticks. Using an on screen cursor with an unobstructed view is about the only real advantage over the touchscreen.

Also for a game like [Okami] you again don't need to see what you're doing, you just need to perform the symbol.

True, but that game is still possible on a touchscreen. In fact, DS is getting the sequel, Okamiden. However, as I previously stated, there are games such as Elite Beat Agents where you absolutely do need to see what you're doing. The rear trackpad just seems like a stepback when Sony could just as easily throw in a touchscreen. Here's an idea: include both a touchscreen and a rear touchpad. That wouldn't really add too much to the price and, honestly, I doubt that's really a concern for Sony considering how juiced the hardware supposedly is.

[MaryJane]

I get what you're saying, and I think the PSP2 will have a touch screen but won't be much used for gaming except to maybe tap a quick icon on the side. When it comes to drawing things on the screen, then you start obstructing your view. A rear trackpad means developers will have design their games differently, and as seen with the Wii and DS that is something they at least like to try.

Edit: Yes, I was thinking of Okami.

[BlackNMild2k1]

PS Phone to launch in Feb 2011
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2010-11-25-ps-phone-to-launch-in-feb-2011-report

Sony will launch the heavily rumoured PlayStation Phone in February 2011, a new report claims.

It will be officially unveiled on 9th December, PocketGamer reckons (thanks, VG247).
[...]
According to website MobileCrunch, the phone will be formerly launched next February.

Apparently the phone's screen is "on par" with the iPhone's Retina display. Sony's Bravia technology is said to have "trickled" in here, with Sony Ericsson considering leveraging the Bravia brand when highlighting the display.

Games will be priced at mobile game rates, not PSP rates. Sony Ericsson currently has the off-contract price somewhere around $500, with that purchase including five free games.

The PlayStation Phone, along with the PSP2, is one of the worst kept secrets in gaming.
[...]
According to the Wall Street Journal, the PlayStation Phone will carry the Sony Ericsson Xperia brand, run Google Android and offer games through an application.

Well that settles that. PS Phone with Android just as expected. Not the PSP2, so they shall co-exist, in 2 different markets, and seems to be launching the same time as the 3DS is Japan.

[MaryJane]

I know it wasn't you, but it should read 'formally introduced' not formerly...
 
I wonder how much people will be confused with a launch next to the 3DS's, if I were Sony I'd have waited for a date closer to the next iPhone release as that is their real competition.

[Ian Sane]

I think having the PS Phone and PSP2 as seperate products is a mistake.  Well I guess I would have two seperate models, a phone and a game-system only model, but they would use the same games.  For the "mobile phone rates" issue just have an online store that sells budget games in that price range but the store can be accessed on either model.  But if you want to get a game with some more meat to it you pay accordingly and buy a full on game at a typical portable videogame price.

Right now consoles have a similar setup anyway where there are retail games and downloadable games.  The downloadable games are usually cheaper and are also "lesser" games that don't have the all the frills of big budget retail title.  This would really be no different.

But as seperate products with seperate incompatible games I figure one will eat too much into the other.  Yeah a portable gaming system phone hybrid is like the N-Gage.  But I think the N-Gage was released at the wrong time before people got used to using their phone as more than phone and it was an outright crap product with **** games.  With Sony in charge it doesn't have to be that way.

Do they honestly expect people to carry their PS Phone and PSP2 with them at the same time?  The PSP2 will probably struggle to compete with the 3DS anyway.  This would seperate the product and allow it to compete in a slightly different market.

[MaryJane]

I think what they are doing is competing with Nintendo and Apple separately.

Does Nintendo really expect people to carry around an iPhone (or other (possibly autostereoscopic) smartphone) and their 3DS? I suspect the answer to that is yes, and Sony wants to step in and replace both of those products.

If you believe the iPhone with its 'inferior' games is eating into the handheld market, then the PSPhone is brilliant because it offers an Android alternative.

If you don't believe so, and think people want two devices, then the PSPhone is still brilliant because now Sony is offering both of those devices. Maybe the PSPhone + PSP2 will be inferior to smartphone + 3DS but it's a good plan regardless.

[SixthAngel]

The psphone is using android?  So its just going to a regular android phone with analogs and game buttons?  I have an android now and the lack of buttons make it shitty for games so its a welcome addition. If it gets rid of the slide out analog typing pad i don't know if I'd like it though.  Sometimes I just don't want to use the touchscreen

[Spak-Spang]

Ian I agree.  I thought it would have been brilliant to make both these devices the same.  However, I understand why they didn't.  Right now, Android is trying to differentiate itself from Apple.  This new Playstation phone isn't only Sony...but it is the first in hopefully a permeant new standard for Android gaming phones.  Buttons, touch pad analog and such to create a real gaming device within a phone.  Sony, doesn't want their shiny new PSP to be android based where anyone can develop the hardware for it and launch it. 

Hence, the Playstation Phone...a phone with a strong brand named backed by Sony that will hopefully make the company a lot of money and keep with apple in ways Apple can not compete back.

Now, the PSP2 is the pure media and gaming device...think of it as like the Ipod to Apples Iphone....or the Ipod to the Playstation Phone.  However, this device will be a more powerful beast.  It is going to be a pure portable gaming monster...which Sony is probably hoping that the Ipad sales show people want devices with that much power and cost. 

It will be everything a Sony product tends to be.  State of the art, advanced technology with an extremely premium price that everyone will praise...but not many will want to buy because of the high end cost. 

[MaryJane]

The psphone is using android?  So its just going to a regular android phone with analogs and game buttons?  I have an android now and the lack of buttons make it shitty for games so its a welcome addition. If it gets rid of the slide out analog typing pad i don't know if I'd like it though.  Sometimes I just don't want to use the touchscreen

Yeah it's not going to have a physical keyboard (slide out analog typing pad) AND slide out gaming controls, and I don't see how a dual slider could work either, though who knows...

Android is becoming the anti-Apple (which makes me wonder where Windows Phone 7 fits in, because it is my preferred mobileOS) and this phone, and those that follow, are giving people more reasons to move away from the iPhone. The iPhone is not going to die by any means, but Android is getting ever more popular, and the fact that it isn't just one device will also help. Which is why the PSPhone needs to be followed by other gaming Android phones of differing design and functionality, though I wonder how Google will get the message across that the PSPhone is part of their overall gaming platform. They could just do like Samsung with their Galaxy S line of phones/tablets but the PS brand is pretty strong one as compared to the inconsequential names of Samsung's individual phones.

[Spak-Spang]

The psphone is using android?  So its just going to a regular android phone with analogs and game buttons?  I have an android now and the lack of buttons make it shitty for games so its a welcome addition. If it gets rid of the slide out analog typing pad i don't know if I'd like it though.  Sometimes I just don't want to use the touchscreen

Yeah it's not going to have a physical keyboard (slide out analog typing pad) AND slide out gaming controls, and I don't see how a dual slider could work either, though who knows...

Android is becoming the anti-Apple (which makes me wonder where Windows Phone 7 fits in, because it is my preferred mobileOS) and this phone, and those that follow, are giving people more reasons to move away from the iPhone. The iPhone is not going to die by any means, but Android is getting ever more popular, and the fact that it isn't just one device will also help. Which is why the PSPhone needs to be followed by other gaming Android phones of differing design and functionality, though I wonder how Google will get the message across that the PSPhone is part of their overall gaming platform. They could just do like Samsung with their Galaxy S line of phones/tablets but the PS brand is pretty strong one as compared to the inconsequential names of Samsung's individual phones.

This this to me is actually not good for Android.  When you are looking at devices you want some sort of standard.  The Android OS is a great alternative for the Smart Phones, however with no standard interface you are going to have a hard time developing apps and such.  The Android phones are gaining popularity because that OS is in literally every alternative to Apple and Windows mobile OS.  But with no singularity Apps are hit and miss.  In fact, it is even difficult to upgrade your phone to the next version of Android...no doubt because the phone makes don't know if all their in house developed apps work well with the newer OS. 

There is a reason why Apple keeps on dominating the smart phone market and why Nintendo keeps on dominating the portable market.  It isn't just because they make great products, its because their design is well thought out.  Apple and Nintendo are not always the most powerful devices or the best...but they are the most rounded products. 

I find pushing a gaming device Android phone will only work if they develop a standard singularity...and perhaps that is why Sony is making the first one...Sony is going to build that standard. 

[MaryJane]

It isn't Google's fault that it's difficult to upgrade Android phones as it is the responsibility of the phone manufacturer to do that since such an upgrade requires an unlocking of sorts of their product, as well as them pushing the update through their servers. Manufacturers are realizing this and making it easier for themselves and their customers to upgrade.
And yes, there will be a standard for Android gaming devices, but that will be more about having the right amount of physical buttons and control options not OS version.


Engadget has a post up about Sony patent applications referencing a tocuhscreen that has certain buttons on the touchscreen sectioned off, and for controlling things 'through the screen' with a touchpad on the back. The article mentions that as a whole the patents sound like they would be more for a tablet than a gaming handheld, but with the PSPhone, is PSTablet really that absurd, especially with Sony hinting they were interested in such thing?

Engadget provides an example from MS of what of means to control things through the screen, but they used two touchscreens (on a PSP like device) where the top screen showed the fingers that were resting on the back of the device/second touch screen. That gives you a good point of reference for manipulating things on the screen without obscuring your view. I wonder if this will make it possible for direct multiplatform games between the PSP2 and 3DS.

Edit: Sony is coming out with unlimited music for the PSP using a cloud-based service called Qriocity (curiosity-took me a long while to get that). It's coming out for the current PSP, but will likely show up on PSP2/Phone. The usefulness will depend on depth of service (i.e building playlists, resume functions, music library etc.) but it sounds very cool.

[Ian Sane]

If you believe the iPhone with its 'inferior' games is eating into the handheld market, then the PSPhone is brilliant because it offers an Android alternative.

If you don't believe so, and think people want two devices, then the PSPhone is still brilliant because now Sony is offering both of those devices.

I guess what I'm figuring is that regardless of how the situation is, Sony is in the unique position to make a product that can compete in both markets.  Apple doesn't know games, Nintendo doesn't know anything outside of games.  Sony is unique in knowing both.
 
Apple might have the iPod and iPad and iPhone but they all play MP3s and they all work with iTunes.  It isn't like there are some songs that only work on the iPod and some that only work on the iPhone.  They're different products by the same company and some may compete with each other and some may not but they're all playing the same songs.  But with what Sony is doing well there's this game on the PS Phone and this game on the PSP2 and it just seems like they're seperate products with seperate incompatible games for no good reason.  I think it would be better that this ONE game is a big hit and it's a hit on the PS Phone and PSP2 and anyone who owns either can get it and if you switched from one to the other your game still works on both.
 
I figure the way the market is there are those for which cellphone games are good enough and those that need to have a dedicated portable gaming system.  So I say why not make those one in the same.  The guy who needs a gaming system may buy the phone if he can play the same games on it.  Maybe he was going to shop around for his phone but the ability to have both in one sold him on Sony's phone.  Or you have the opposite where the guy wants the phone and then later decided to get more into games so he's buying PSP2 games for his phone, not just $1 cellphone games.  Maybe he later gets a different non-Sony phone but gets a seperate PSP2 to continue playing his game or he gets into the PS3.
 
I also figure that having them both be "Playstation" would give people the natural assumption that they're compatible.  It may create confusion.  I don't think it is very obvious that they would be incompatible.  They're both portable and both are "Playstation" so why are the games different?  I think Joe Blow off the street would assume they would be one in the same and might be turned off when he finds out they're not.  I think one's natural assumption is that Sony is trying to rip you off by making them incompatible.  "Oh, I see how this works!  They want me to have to buy both!"

[TJ Spyke]

The iPhone and iPod Touch are the same product for all intents and purposes. If/when a PSP 2 gets announced, I would expect it to be the same (where the PSP 2 is just the same device without the ability to make calls).

[Chozo Ghost]

I'm cool with Sony releasing two incompatible and mutually competing devices. In fact, I hope they release 4 or 5 more. When Sony offs itself by its own stupidity it will mean continued dominance of the handheld arena by Nintendo. I'm cool with that. So please go ahead, Sony, and do exactly what you're doing. While you're at it, why not introduce a few more dead end proprietary media formats as well, ala UMD?

[SixthAngel]

The iPhone and iPod Touch are the same product for all intents and purposes. If/when a PSP 2 gets announced, I would expect it to be the same (where the PSP 2 is just the same device without the ability to make calls).

I don't think they can really be the same though because the first one is android based.  If the psp2 is the same then all its games will basically be available  for all android phones giving itself some incredible competition.  I also don't know how charging licensing fees would work in a situation like that.

Played a game on the subway using my android today and faux d-pads are horrible.  To keep playing I need to buy/make something that blocks the area in between the d pad buttons.  I don't see myself sacrificing the texting power of my analog keypad though, especially since I don't like to change phones very much.  I guess I just want my phone to do phone things best.  Now if they could make it dual sliding and have the game part go up and the keyboard go down it would be amazing.

[MaryJane]

If the PSP2 uses Android as an OS that doesn't mean its games will be available on other Android devices, especially if(since?) they use physical media for the games. And even if they use digital downloads for games, the other device would have to have not only the same incredible specs the PSP2 will have, but also the architecture/emulation, and the right control inputs.

Also, how are PSPhone and PSP2 going to compete with each other? Unlike the iPhone/iPod touch, they actually serve wholly different functions and markets. If Apple can sell two nearly identical products, why can't Sony sell two that appeal to different people? No one buys an iPhone and an iPod as that would be redundant, but a PSPhone and PSP2 make sense for a serious gamer who may not always want to carry around two devices.

[vudu]

Do we know what carrier(s) the PSPhone will work with?

[Shaymin]

Sony Ericsson hasn't made a CDMA (Verizon/Sprint compatible) phone since the first half of Bush's first term, so you're looking at T-Mobile/at&t in the US and all carriers internationally.

[MaryJane]

http://www.viddler.com/explore/engadget/videos/2149/


http://www.viddler.com/explore/engadget/videos/2148/


Video of the PSPhone in action. The first is 15 seconds and just shows the person accessing the games app, which of course there aren't any games on it yet, and the second is 1:55 and gives a tour of the phone, though there isn't any audio in either of them.

[Adrock]

Looks pretty bulky. Well, not compared to a DS or PSP. As a phone, I wouldn't want to hold that up to my ear.

[BranDonk Kong]

I think I want one...Sony Ericsson makes nice phones, it's got gingerbread, and rooting it would lead to all kinds of awesomeness - maybe all of the homebrew that already exists on the PSP (even though much of it can be found for Android as well).

[Chozo Ghost]

Looks pretty bulky. Well, not compared to a DS or PSP. As a phone, I wouldn't want to hold that up to my ear.

Not to mention that Sony products have a reputation for the battery spontaneously exploding. Having hot battery acid exploding all over your face isn't going to be fun.

[mudjah]

I don't think this psp phone is any good idea, I mean, people want to change phone like twice a year it seems, this phone/game will get out of style very fast, the phone market is crazy fast.

Buy a phone today and it seems like a dinosaur six months from now.