Sony announced on June 7, 2011, their next portable gaming system, PlayStation Vita.  Vita means “life” in Latin.  The Wi-Fi model will be available for $249 or $299 for the 3G/Wi-Fi version.  AT & T will be Vita’s exclusive 3G partner. The Vita has a 5″ multi-touch organic light emitting diode (OLED) (960×544 pixels) as its front display and has a multi-touch pad on the rear.  The PS Vita allows game play like never before, featuring three-dimension-like motion through finger motions of push and pull, trace, push and pull, and grab. PlayStation’s Vita has two analog sticks which create a larger genre of games for the portable gaming experience. It will also have 6-axis motion sensors and dual front and back facing cameras.  This device is supposed to run on a quad core ARM Cortex A9 processor. Vita will be preloaded with a new application called “Party”, which enables the user to engage in voice or text chat  while online gaming and also when playing different games, or even performing different applications, like surfing the internet.  PS Vita will also come with an application called “Welcome Park”, which is a user’s guide to accustom them easily to the features of Vita and to easily learn the three-dimension-like  finger motions on the PS Vita.

Filed in categories: Gaming Gear, News, Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: Playstation, PS Vita

Next Generation Portable Gaming – PlayStation Vita originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 15, 2011 at 3:00 pm.

Once upon a time, it was possible for hardcore gamers to ply their avocation inconspicuously, their games and controllers stored in boxes, and their consoles tucked away behind the doors of their entertainment center or component cabinet.  These days, however, motion is A Big Deal, and as a result, taking full advantage of a modern console requires placing a sensor of some kind out in the open, usually on top of your TV.  But HDTVs only have so much real estate on top of their ever-slimmer frames, and naturally the big three console makers have no interest in making it easy to use a competitor’s sensor in addition to their own, so the number of consoles a gamer can use effectively becomes limited by how many sensors one can haphazardly stack on top of one’s TV.

Well, multi-platform gamers need fret no longer, because the dreamGEAR TriMount is here to solve our sensor-placement woes for good.  Attaching easily to most HDTVs via an adjustable screw or to a wall via a wall mount, the TriMount provides space for the Xbox 360 Kinect Sensor, the PlayStation Eye, and the Wii Sensor Bar.  The resultant amalgamation of cameras and sensors ends up looking like some sort of dystopian Big Brother surveillance device, but at only $29.99 it may be just what the doctor ordered, presuming that your doctor’s last name is “Mario”, “Robotnik”, or “Wily”.

The TriMount is currently available for pre-order at the dreamGEAR website, and will begin shipping on 8/15/2011.

Filed in categories: News, Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: Nintendo Wii, Playstation, Spotlight Gadgets, Video game accessory, XBox

TriMount Turns Your TV Into an Ugly But Organized Gaming Nirvana originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 13, 2011 at 2:00 pm.

Until the time the iMacs start sporting an HDMI input, the Kanex XD is one of the easiest plug and play conversion solutions for using the 27″ iMac as a display for HD gaming systems and Blu-Ray playback.  It features a single HDMI input and a Mini DisplayPort out.  Simply connect your HDMI-enabled source of choice (xbox 360, playstation 3, second computer, blu-ray player, etc) to the Kanex box, the box to your iMac, and you’re set.  The iMac keyboard is able to control sound and brightness of the source video, as well as toggle back and forth between the desktop and HD source.  Unfortunately, due to the iMac not being able to recognize 1080p input resolutions, playback is confined to 720p.  Although the manufacturer claims that once iMacs are able to support the 1080p resolution, the same unit will output at 1080p.  Kanex is also solely compatible with the 27″ iMac, as it is the only model that accepts video input via MDP.  The Kanex XD holds a best in show title from Macworld 2010 and is priced at $149.99.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Gaming Gear, News

Tagged: Blu-ray, iMac, Playstation, Spotlight Gadgets, x-box

Kanex XD – Fullscreen HD Games and Blu Ray on the iMac originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 14, 2010 at 2:45 pm.

Sony announced today the release of Firmware Update v2.70 for the PS3. This update includes a new text chat feature that allows users to chat with networked friends in game or in chat rooms. The friends list will appear on the XMB (XcrossMediaBar). The new update also allows for external backup of purchased media, a feature sorely needed and much overdue. For more on the firmware update, head over to Sony, or just boot up and get it!

Filed in categories: Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: Playstation, PS3, Sony

Sony PS3 Firmware Update Released originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 2, 2009 at 11:38 am.