Future DualShock 4 update for PlayStation 4 will add option to dim light bar (updated!)
It may seem like minor news, especially considering the hoopla over Sony’s Virtual Reality this week at GDC, but the PlayStation 4′s DualShock 4 controller is about to get a firmware fix. In an interview with Geoff Keighley of Spike TV, Shuhei Yoshida, Sony PlayStation’s head of Worldwide Studios, confirmed that a future firmware update (we’re not sure if it’s console- or controller-specific like on Xbox One) will give gamers the option to turn off dim the controller’s light bar. If you own a PS4, then you know just how preciously short-lived the DualShock 4′s battery life can be. The ability to muffle that glaring light should help extend the DS4′s longevity, but only slightly. Still, it’s a major boon for the community, and those of us that like our controllers to be less of a night light and more of a gamepad.
Update: Yoshida clarified on Twitter that the firmware update will only dim the DualShock 4′s light bar, not disable it entirely.
@geoffkeighley no, I said dim the LED, not turn off
– Shuhei Yoshida (@yosp) March 20, 2014
Source: Geoff Keighley (Twitter)
PlayStation Network’s first original TV show is an adaptation of the ‘Powers’ comics
Sony executives have revealed the company’s first entry into original content for the PlayStation, a TV show based on the Powers series of comics. Sony Pictures Television is producing the show, made up of ten one-hour episodes focusing on a detective who investigates cases involving people with superhuman abilities. Sony’s push for original PlayStation Network-exclusive video content is moving forward alongside its planned internet TV service, and will have competition from Xbox that includes a Steven Spielberg-produced series based on the Halo games. So far, Sony hasn’t said if there will be an extra charge to watch the show or if it will be included with the PlayStation Plus package somehow, but its PSN exclusivity only applies in the US — internationally Sony Pictures will license it to networks just like Breaking Bad or Justified.
The Hollywood Reporter mentions Powers has been under development for FX since 2011 when a pilot starring Jason Patric wasn’t picked up, and attempts at adapting the source material for TV or movies have been under way for more than a decade. Unlike Microsoft’s Halo project, we know some of the names attached to this show, at least behind the camera. Writer Charlie Huston has been working on the project with series creator Brian Michael Bendis and producers include several names attached to the Circle of Confusion company along with Bendis and co-creator Michael Avon Oeming. In previous videogame generations console exclusives consisted of games and occasionally services, but it looks like Sony and Microsoft’s next battleground is the one already occupied by internet video streamers like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu.
Thank you to everyone for your warm wishes on the new Powers television situation. More updates as they happen.
– BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (@BRIANMBENDIS) March 20, 2014
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD, Sony
Source: The Hollywood Reporter, Wall Street Journal, Deadline
Sony’s Xperia Z2 Tablet approved for the US of AT&T
The mighty approver of gadgets, the FCC, likes engaging documentation about as much as we like digging through it for clues. Thankfully, a heap from Sony published today provided a very clear indicator as to what’s been green lit for US consumption: the model number SGP521, better known as the new Xperia Z2 Tablet. Sony’s thin, light and powerful slate will be available in WiFi-only and LTE flavors, with this specific model sporting a cellular radio capable of riding on basically any frequency you might encounter. The FCC docs agree with Sony on this, so it’s curious then, that tests were carried out solely on LTE Band 17. That’s AT&T’s domain, suggesting this Z2 Tablet variant will be the locked kind you buy bundled with a data plan. There’s no doubt other networks will have their own versions, of course, to complement device-only purchasing options. The FCC approval comes as no real surprise, given Sony said it expected to ship the tablet worldwide in March. The US price remains a mystery, however, but with Sony’s online UK store asking for £499 (around $824 converted) to preorder the 16GB LTE model, we’d gamble on a roughly similar dollar figure.
Filed under: Tablets, Sony, AT&T
Source: FCC (1), (2), Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet white paper (PDF)
Infamous Second Son: The Joystiq Review
There’s a stark duality at the heart of the Infamous series. The original Infamous was built on a solid foundation, putting players in the role of a modern-day superhero with a repertoire that expanded gameplay in satisfying, meaningful ways throughout its campaign. Its sequel boasted a number of improvements, but its mechanics weren’t always explored to their fullest potential.
Playing through InFamous 2 recently reminded me of the series’ darker half. Though its upgradable superpowers were impressive and its parkour mechanics were fun, its story missions frequently came up short. Throughout the campaign, protagonist Cole MacGrath was too often saddled with repetitive arena fights and escort missions — a poor fit for a man who can shoot lightning from his fingertips.
Infamous: Second Son emphasizes the series’ strengths in its debut appearance on the PlayStation 4, easily trumping previous Infamous games while showcasing the power of Sony’s latest console. In the process, it drastically overhauls the series’ defining elements, stripping away the weaker parts and focusing on what works best. If you found previous Infamous games more frustrating than fun, Second Son‘s gleefully destructive superheroics will win you over as a fan.
Click here for more
Filed under: Gaming, Software, HD, Sony
Source: Joystiq
Playdate: We’re livestreaming Infamous Second Son for PS4!
Welcome ladygeeks and gentlenerds to the new era of gaming. The one where you get to watch, and comment, as other people livestream gameplay from next-gen consoles. Since our live gameplay of Titanfall for Xbox One went over so well, we’ve decided to make this a regular feature for any major, new release, quirky indie, or, really, any game we deem worthy enough. Because games! They’re fun!
Are you a good guy or are you a bad guy? It’s a morality tale as old as time itself — or, maybe it’s just as old as the first inFamous on PlayStation 3 back in 2009. Cole, the protagonist of the series’ previous two titles, may be dead (we think?), but his legacy lives on in Delsin, the new superhero/villain (it’s your choice, really) at the heart of Sucker Punch’s inFamous Second Son. The game, set for release tomorrow, is Sony’s first in-house AAA exclusive for the PlayStation 4. And lucky you, we’re here to play it live so you can virtually try before you buy. It’s all happening just after the break.
Daily Roundup: Sony Project Morpheus hands-on, new Oculus Rift dev kit and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Using the PlayStation 4′s virtual reality headset, Project Morpheus
Last night at GDC, Sony unveiled Project Morpheus. We got to try out the company’s VR headset, destined for the PlayStation 4 — and yes, it’s pretty awesome. Engadget’s own Ben Gilbert donned a virtual sword and took the prototype for a spin while we caught the action on camera.
The new Oculus Rift costs $350 and this is what it’s like
Oculus VR’s Rift headset is at the forefront of virtual reality, and is undoubtedly gaming’s “next big thing.” Starting today, the company’s second development kit is now available for pre-order. At $350, it brings several improvements over the previous “Crystal Cove” prototype, including a camera and 1,080 x 960 display.
EPIC GAMES’ UNREAL ENGINE 4 NOW AVAILABLE WITH $19 SUBSCRIPTION, HEADED TO OS X AND MORE
Fans of Gears of War and Mass Effect know firsthand of Unreal Engine 3′s gaming prowess. And today, Epic Games hopes to take its platform to the next level by releasing Unreal Engine 4 on a subscription-based model. For $19 a month, developers get access to the Unreal Editor and the complete source code hosted by GitHub.
10 YEARS OF SOCIAL MEDIA’S BIGGEST PLAYERS AND PAYOUTS, BY THE NUMBERS
One decade is a long while, especially in the ever-changing tech industry. Since 2010, companies, startups and public figures have invested a tremendous sum in their bid for social media dominance. Read on for our illustration of the biggest developments and players from the last ten years of Facebook, Twitter and the like.
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Sony A7 and A7R firmware update brings boosted performance, improved image quality
Sony’s flagship duo of mirrorless cameras scored a few improvements today. After updating to firmware version 1.2, A7 and A7R owners will be able to take advantage of boosted image quality, new applications and faster start-up times when the camera is turned on immediately after being powered off. On the IQ front, Sony’s managed to reduce color noise in speed priority continuous mode. You may also notice reduced color artifacts at object edges in bright scenes while shooting video. As for the Play Memories Camera apps, firmware 1.2 adds in new Live-view Grading and Smooth Reflection tools. There’s also better AE tracking in the Timelapse app. Finally, the update enables compatibility with the new 70-200mm full-frame lens.
Source: A7 (Windows), A7 (Mac), A7R (Windows), A7R (Mac)
Using the PlayStation 4’s virtual reality headset, Project Morpheus (update: now with video!)
The cat’s out of the bag and … uh, on our head? Okay, we can do better than that, but what we’re trying to say is that we just used Sony’s new Playstation 4 virtual reality headset: Project Morpheus. You already know the specs and all that good stuff, we’re here to tell you what it’s like using the still-in-prototype-form virtual reality headset for the PlayStation 4. Good news: it’s pretty great! Surprise!
Join us below for a closer look.
Project Morpheus, right now, is a little uncomfortable. In so many words, it feels like a prototype still. As a demo man fit the headset on my generously-sized noggin, he tightened a variety of different adjustments: one that tightened the whole unit on my head, another that brought the display portion forward toward my eyes. When you initially put it on, there’s a gap between where you’re looking and below — certainly not a great way to create immersion. Thankfully, that gap closed easily in the two different demos we tried (“The Deep” and “The Castle” — both of which were more tech demo than game).
I’d love to say it was a sweat-free experience; between gesticulating with PlayStation Move controllers as hands and being surrounded by hundreds of GDC attendees waiting for their chance to try Morpheus, I was relatively moist by the time I’d cut up the dummy model in The Castle with a virtual sword. While uncomfortable, I can get over that — the issue is that it makes the optics fog up and that’s no good at all. Part of the unit’s design is based around keeping players cool, so you should expect a better experience as Morpheus goes from prototype to reality.
So, games! What’s it like using Morpheus to play games? It’s pretty neat! Well, that’s to say, “It’s a lot like playing games in the Oculus Rift headset, especially the newer versions of the Rift.” In The Deep, I took a trip to the bottom of the ocean in a metal cage; when I bent down, my in-game knees bent (as tracked by the PlayStation Camera). When I looked up, my perspective turned skyward and the lamp mounted to my virtual head followed (the lighting was perhaps the most impressive part, with cage bars occluding properly and all).
In The Castle, I picked up two PlayStation Move controllers to act as hands, which enabled me to bend over, pick up a sword and take a dummy down a few notches. If I moved back a few steps, my in-game avatar moved back a few steps. One major change in Morpheus compared with other VR headsets is full-body tracking, which does legitimately add to the immersion effect.
It’s not all virtual reality rainbows and dreams, of course. There are still some pretty major issues to overcome in Project Morpheus. Vision blur, for instance, is a much bigger problem on Morpheus than on Crystal Cove/Rift DK2. The screen resolution is also clearly not as high as DK2, making everything a bit muddier, visually speaking. Right now, well ahead of launch (Sony’s not even talking about what the final product will be just yet, nonetheless giving it a launch window), Project Morpheus is both extremely promising and clearly not ready for primetime. But it’s close!
To put it frankly, we’re extremely excited to see what the next few years means for the entire medium of VR, not to mention the efforts of major players like Sony, Valve and Oculus. Morpheus is the second major entry in the field, and, well, that’s really thrilling! In case it weren’t already clear, this is the week that virtual reality officially goes big.
Pretty soon you’ll be able to rip video from the PlayStation 4
During the lead up to the PlayStation 4′s launch, Sony promised that it would enable gamers to shut off HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) post-launch and allow unrestricted video capture over HDMI. That day is almost here, as the company’s just announced its intention to release two new system updates mostly focused on the console’s sharing functionality.
Though Sony hasn’t set a time frame for either of these two planned updates, the first should arrive in the “upcoming weeks” and will add in that previously mentioned HDCP-off option, as well as video editing tools so gamers can chop up and tweak gameplay footage captured via the Share button. In addition to this, the PS4 will also gain an option to save recorded clips and screenshots to an external USB drive, thus clearing up your system’s limited storage space and letting you preserve your gaming conquests. Sony apparently plans to bundle additional features and fixes into this update, but for now it’s saying that specifics on just what that entails will come at a later date. Who knows, maybe it’ll also usher in VR support for Project Morpheus. Though that’s probably us wishing too hard and jumping the gun a bit.
But that’s not all for tweaks to the PS4′s popular Share feature set. When the second planned update hits, gamers will not only get a chance to archive broadcasted Twitch footage, they’ll also get a chance to stream and view it in 720p resolution. Again, there’s no concrete mention of when we can expect these updates to roll out, but at least you can take solace in knowing that Sony’s making good on its word.
Source: Sony PlayStation blog
Sony delivers Android 4.4 KitKat to Xperia Z series smartphones
Sony on Wednesday announced that the Android 4.4 KitKat update is available for the Xperia Z series of smartphones. Specifically, the Xperia Z1, Z1 Compact, and Z Ultra can now update to the recent version of Android.
In addition to the standard fare of Android features, Sony has included a few custom enhancements and settings for users.
- We’ve added our tweaked Status Bar and Quick Settings… now more intuitive and customisable (and pretty easy on the eye)… cleaned up to ensure you only get the notifications you really need
- If you’ve got a Sony PlayStation 4, you might recognize our new user interface – we’ve added the same sleek launch animation and livewallpaper across the lock and home screens
- We’re also uplifting Sony’s entire native app portfolio to the latest versions – bringing tweaked / improved / current experiences for (to name but a few): Messaging, MyXperia, Smart Connect, Small apps, TrackID, TrackID TV, Sony Select, Smart Social Camera and…
- Sony’s Media apps: WALKMAN, Album and Movies, with Sony Entertainment Network cloud service integration* – a more converged and full Sony entertainment experience – Sony Entertainment Network & PlayMemories integration with a more intuitive UI, better download speeds, and more!
- Our unique custom interface experience: “Xperia Themes”, with downloadable UI packs from Sony Select – skin up to 280 assets across your Xperia smartphone with a variety of styles, and more to follow soon…
As often is the case, the exact release of each device’s update varies by carriers and market. Looking ahead, Sony expects to deploy the 4.4 KitKat update to the Xperia Z, ZL, Tablet Z, and ZR starting in the middle of the second quarter.
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