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Sony's Next-Generation Portable Is Out, In Japan

Posted by timothy on from the people-used-to-wait-in-line-for-concerts dept.

A few months before it's due to arrive in the U.S., Sony's PlayStation Vita, successor to the PlayStation Portable, has been released in Japan. Says the linked Associated Press article: "For the Tokyo-based electronics and entertainment giant, the Vita is the biggest product launch since the PlayStation 3 console five years ago. It's also accompanied by two dozen software products — the largest number of launch titles in PlayStation history. The Vita has front and back cameras, a touchscreen in front, a touch pad on the back and two knob-like joysticks. It will enable gamers to play against each other using PlayStation 3 consoles over the Internet-based PlayStation Network, a system that was hit with a massive hacking attack earlier this year."

10 of 134 comments (clear)

  1. Simple "will I buy it" test. by pecosdave · · Score: 3, Interesting

    There's a simple test I put electronics through before I buy them - it reads something like this:

    Does it need a data port?

    Y - Go to next step
    N - Star weighing other details

    Does it have a Micro USB port?

    Y - Star weighing other details
    N - Go to next step.

    Does it have a Mini USB port?

    Y - Star weighing other details
    N - Go to next step.

    Does it have a Full sized USB port?

    Y - Star weighing other details
    N - Go to next step.

    Does it have a six pin Firewire port?

    Y - Star weighing other details
    N - Go to next step.

    Does it have a four pin Fiewire port?

    Y - Star weighing other details
    N - DON'T BUY THE DAMNED THING

    Playstation Vita fails this simple test. It's also why I passed on the Galaxy Tab. I really don't need to carry any more cables with me.

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    1. Re:Simple "will I buy it" test. by Nursie · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Why?

      It could cost $5 and I wouldn't buy it because it comes stamped with 'Sony' on the front. Screw that and screw them.

      On top of which there's a whole new proprietary memory card format! Hooray!

    2. Re:Simple "will I buy it" test. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

      You forgot one step:
      Is it a SONY product? Y - move along, nothing to see here.

      (Sorry, but it has not been long enough to forget the last screw up.)

    3. Re:Simple "will I buy it" test. by Megane · · Score: 3, Informative

      As a programmer, something about the way this conditional logic is specified makes me twitch.

      It's s/star/start/g that makes me twitch. If you're going to copy and paste something six times, you could at least notice that you've left a letter off.

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    4. Re:Simple "will I buy it" test. by orphiuchus · · Score: 3, Funny

      Sony doesn't hate gamers, they just have absolutely no respect for them.

    5. Re:Simple "will I buy it" test. by NeutronCowboy · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Sony doesn't hate pirates, because pirates are cheap and never pay for anything. Sony does hate the second-hate market though, because these people are willing to pay money for a game, but Sony doesn't see a red cent of it.

      That's why nearly all recent games, and every major title in the past year, has had download-only content in it right from the start. And by the way, Sony isn't the only one doing this.

      --
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    6. Re:Simple "will I buy it" test. by sortius_nod · · Score: 3, Informative

      You are confusing copy protection with proprietary media formats. There's no correlation between the two. The drives will still read CDs, DVDs & BDs that DON'T have the copy protection, you just can't execute code without bypassing said protection. With the Vita, there is NOTHING compatible with the proprietary media format they are using. You can't get a reader & you can't get blank media.

      Dictionaries are useful tools when you don't understand a concept, even a quick google would have given you enough information to say your comment is flawed.

  2. A good thing? by lyinhart · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Somehow this seems a little irrelevant, considering the boon of gaming on mobile phones and an economy that makes people think twice of buying a separate portable gaming system.

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    1. Re:A good thing? by wrencherd · · Score: 3

      Somehow this seems a little irrelevant, considering the boon of gaming on mobile phones and an economy that makes people think twice of buying a separate portable gaming system.

      I have to agree that "gaming" is becoming a redundant function.

      The first reaction to something like the Vita has to be, "What else does it do?"

  3. Another 'Dependent' Product by WrongSizeGlass · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It will enable gamers to play against each other using PlayStation 3 consoles over the Internet-based PlayStation Network

    Just like RIM's PlayBook, the Vita requires another expensive manufacture & platform specific product to be able to use its full capabilities. This isn't as bad as RIM's requirement for a BlackBerry just to be able to get email, but this type of forced dependency is never good for the consumer.