It looks like August will be a great month for games, even though game manufacturers are pushing most release dates towards the holiday season. August will be home to the Nintendo Wii’s most highly anticipated game, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. The PlayStation 3 will get both Tom Clancy’s GRAW2 and Warhawk! Finally Bioshock and Medal of Honor Airborne will be available for the Xbox 360.

Wii:

• Boogie – Electronic Arts
• Mercury Meltdown Revolution – Ignition
• Brunswick Pro Bowling – Crave Entertainment
• Dave Mirra BMX Challenge – Crave Entertainment
• Metroid Prime 3: Corruption – Nintendo

PlayStation 3:

• Madden NFL 08 – Electronic Arts
• Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 – Ubisoft
• Warhawk – SCEA
• Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 – Electronic Arts
• Dynasty Warriors: Gundam – Namco Bandai Games

Xbox 360:

• John Woo Presents Stranglehold – Midway
• Madden NFL 08 – Electronic Arts
• Two Worlds – Southpeak Interactive
• Bioshock – 2K Games
• Blue Dragon – Microsoft Game Studio
• Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 – Electronic Arts
• Medal of Honor Airborne – Electronic Arts
• MotoGP ‘07 – THQ
• Stuntman: Ignition – THQ

Game Lists: Nintendo Wii | Sony PS3 | Microsoft Xbox 360

At first glance, Sony’s UX Micro PC is noticeably bulky. The first thing most people notice other than the touch screen include the fingerprint reader and the Motion Eye Camera on top. The buttons on the side of the screen function as the left-click, right-click, and mouse thumb pad. Due to the nature of the small touch screen, the other buttons allow access to the zoom function and the on-screen keyboard. Also included are hard-keys for disabling WiFi to save battery life as well as a power button. The bottom of the UX has a standard line in and line out (headphone and microphone), a power supply jack, and an expansion slot. The only other port on the machine is a USB 2.0 slot on left, however access to more USB and a Ethernet ports can be made available using the mini port replicator, which plugs into the bottom. In addition a button for snapping photos and a Memory Stick Duo slot are found above the unit.

Functionality
The HDD-based model we tested was quite fast for its size. It took roughly 50 seconds to reach the login screen after booting up, which is quite slower than a standard laptop. (runs Win XP) However the all new flash-based models will probably be much faster, in addition to being power efficient. The unit can have a max of 1 GB of RAM and a CPU of up to 1.33GHz (Intel Core Solo). Switching back and forth between the stylus and the keyboard can get quite annoying after a while. The battery life on this HDD-based unit is quite horrible, I could only get around 2hrs out of it with the WiFi enabled. (at least +4hrs needed) The device also has Cingular Wireless Internet (paid service) to compliment the Bluetooth and WiFi. The included features are quite powerful, but lacks true functionality.

Keyboard
The UX has a full QWERTY keyboard which slides out below the screen. The keyboard takes a little getting used since the keys are flat around the edges. The enter and backspace keys are quite hard to use since they are curved at the edges to go along with the style of the unit. Another drawback which makes it harder to get comfortable typing, is the unusual key placement. (they had to crunch them together) However a big bonus is the fully backlit keyboard (blue LEDs), which makes typing a whole lot easier in poorly lighted places. Typing for long periods of time gets quite uncomfortable and the extremely tiny spacebar only makes it worse.

Final Thoughts
With a small 30GB HDD and a very limited battery life, the device is lacking on many fronts. However newer batteries and the flash-based technology may have improved this device. A raised keyboard to offer touch feedback and possible predictive text entry can improve the device. Also for a device meant to be portable, 2 pounds is pretty heavy. If plan to use it for just web browsing, email, and other small functions, and are willing to spend around $2,000, this might be for you. However personally I would wait for an improved device with more HDD and Battery!

Buy: UX390N (NEW MODEL) | UX280P (this review) | Links: SonyStyle.com

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As predicted, today Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) has officially released firmware v3.00 for the PlayStation Portable (PSP). The new firmware has many major improvements however the notable ones include the ability to play PlayStation 1 games and communicate with the PlayStation 3. Another feature SCEA has finally added, which should have been included since 1.50, is the ability to disable automatic loading of UMDs, which saves the hassle of having to remove the game if you want to use any of the PSP’s other features. (Video demonstration below!)

PSP v3.00 Firmware Features:

• PlayStation Network titles are now supported under [Game].
• [Remote Play] has been added as a feature under [Network].
• [Online Instruction Manuals] has been added as a feature under [Network].
• Timed recording has been added as a feature under [RSS Channel].
• A visual player has been added as a feature under [Music].
• 3-speed fast forward and fast reverse has been added as a feature under [Music].
• [Camera] has been added as a feature under [Photo].
• [UMD Auto-Start] has been added as a feature in [System Settings] under [Settings].

One smart addition was in depth Online Instruction Manuals which covers almost every feature that the PSP offers. However I don’t know how useful it will be for the many PSP users who are still trying to get online via WiFi.

Another good feature is the timer for the “RSS Channel”. After setting any specific time, the PSP will turn itself on (even if completely off) and download the latest podcasts, photos, or videos from the feeds you have specified. The coolest feature added in v3.00 is probably the visualizations for the music playback. There are currently 5 different styles including a random feature which switches through the 5. The visualizations work for both content under Music and RSS Channel.

Of the features included in the update the PS1 game emulator is probably the most important, but there is no content available yet. We are unable to demonstrate “Remote Play” feature since we still haven’t received our PlayStation 3. Check back later for reviews of these features including a review of the PSP camera once it is released.

Notice: (11/22/06) Sony has just released second update v3.01. It consists of the exact same features as v3.00, except for “security enhancements”. We don’t know what this means, but do not update to 3.01. We have v3.00 available for download below. Just copy the EBOOT.PBP file into PSP\GAME\UPDATE folder to update. We think that Sony might have left a hole to allow for homebrew on 3.00 so don’t upgrade any further unless you don’t care.

Download: EBOOT.PBP (v3.00) or via PSP: Settings -> Network Update
Related: PSP Firmware 2.80 Info | PlayStation Update Page

The following is the Offical list of games, as published by SCEA, that will be released for the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) in North America for November 2006. Note: This was the accurate list of games as of 11.01.06, games may be removed and new ones may be added later.

Our Picks:

• SOCOM U.S. Navy Seals Bravo 2 – SCEA
• Sonic Rivals – Sega
• NFL Street 3 – EA
• Superman Returns: The Videogame - EA
• Metal Slug Anthology – SNK
• Tony Hawk’s Project 8 – Activision

view full list

Sony also plans to release a pink, silver, and blue PSPs by Christmas along with the camera and GPS modules. Skatter Tech will also be getting a hold of some of these games early so check back for some reviews and more PSP updates. On another note, still PlayStation-related, Sony still plans to launch the PlayStation 3 on November 17, 2006 as originally planned.

Links: PlayStation Portable Upcoming Games
Related: Upcoming PSP Games: October | Killzone Liberation Review

Full List:
Activision Hits Remixed – Activision
Bubble Bobble Evolution
EA Replay – EA
Eragon: Dragon Rider – Vivendi Games
Every Extended Extra – Buena Vista
Gitaroo-Man Lives! – Koei
Gunpey – Namco Bandai Games
Hard Rock Casino – Crave Entertainment
Justice League Heroes – Warner Bros Interactive
LUXOR: Wrath of Set – MumboJumbo
Online Chess Kingdoms – Konami
Over the Hedge: Hammy Goes Nuts – Activision
Platypus – MumboJumbo
Pocket Racers – Konami
Sega Genesis Collection – Sega
Shrek Smash and Crash – Activision
The Sims 2: Pets – EA
Thrillville – LucasArts
Warhammer Warcry: Battle for Atluma – Namco Bandai Games
WWE Smackdown! vs. Raw 2007 – THQ
Xiaolin Showdown – Konami
Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Tag Force – Konami

Developer: Guerrilla | Genre: 3rd Person Shooter | Release Date: 10-31-06

Sequel to the title for the PS2, Killzone Liberation fails to impress. Set in a gritty version of the not too distant future, Liberation pits the player against both man and machine in mortal combat. The game has potential, but the controls need to be re-done from scratch to cooperate with the unusual 3rd person view. Aiming and maneuvering while firing are unnecessarily difficult and tedious. Considering how much of the game has to do with killing (“Killzone”), the poorly designed controls definitely places a significant damper on game play.

After testing out the multiplayer option, we soon discovered that most battles seemed invariably to occur around the health dispensers. Weird huh? As one person would shoot the other, the injured can easily go fill up his/(or her) health and continue to fight. Guerrilla should have installed a method similar to that of Half Life, temporarily disabling health canisters after each use. A little choppy and very repetitive, the Ad-Hoc didn’t seem to add much to game’s “fun level” as we had hoped.

The Good:

• Fun variety of weapons available
• Ad Hoc mode allows playing friends locally
• Realistic collision reactions between characters and weapons
• Nice menu music

The Bad:

• Awkward controls don’t suit 3rd person camera angle
• Ad Hoc mode currently only contains fighting, should include more interesting features such as coop-style missions
• Graphics aren’t shabby, but they certainly don’t stand out
• Characters run a bit too slow, making certain parts of the game take much longer than they probably should

Overall, Killzone Liberation isn’t an awful game, in fact it’s a decent way to pass the time; it simply fails to reach its full potential. Dull sound effects and undistinguished graphics add to the mounting disappointment. However, this was was a “preview review”, so the possibility remains that more in-depth play of the full version may lead us to a different conclusion. As of now, we don’t plan to be rushing out to get a copy on Halloween.

Links: Killzone Official Site
Pre-Order: Killzone: Liberation (PSP)

The following is the Offical list of games, as published by SCEA, that will be released for the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) in North America for October 2006. Note: This was the accurate list of games as of 09.30.06, games may be removed and new ones may be added later.

Our Picks:

• ATV Offroad Fury Pro – SCEA
• BattleZone – Atari
• FIFA 07 – Electronic Arts (EA)
• Gangs of London – SCEA
• Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories – Rockstar
• Killzone: Liberation – SCEA
• Need for Speed Carbon: Own the City – EA
  View The Full List

According to a recent Sony press release, a GPS module, Camera add on, and a firmware upgrade to support playing PlayStation One games should all be availble by the end of this month (more info). We will post any new information as it becomes available, so please check back soon.

Past Links: Upcoming PSP & DS Games: July
Related: PSP Firmware v2.80 Released | How To: Stream iTunes To PSP

Full List:
Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception – Namco Bandai
Activision Hits Remixed – Activision
Avatar: The Last Airbender – THQ
Cabela’s Afriacan Safari – Activision
Capcom Classic Collection Reloaded – Capcom
Carol Vorderman’s Sodoku – Empire
Dave Mirra BMX Challenge – Crave Entertainment
Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony – Take Two
Dynasty Warriors Vol. 2 – Koei
Ford Street Racing – Eidos
Gunpey – Namco Bandai
GUN Showdown – Activision
Hard Rock Casino – Crave Entertainment
Mercury Meltdown – Ignition Entertainment
Over the Hedge: Hammy Goes Nuts – Activision
Power Stone Collection – Capcom
Scarface: Money, Power Respect – Sierra
Scooby Doo! Who’s Watching Who – THQ
Stacked w/ Daniel Negreanu – Myelin Media
Star Trek: Tactical Assult – Bethesda Softworks
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 – EA
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas – UbiSoft
Warhammer Warcry: Battle for Atluma – Namco Bandai
WTF: Work Time Fun – D3

As announced last week at Comic Con, Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) has officially released Firmware v2.80 for the PlayStation Portable (PSP). This update comes with a variety of new features making the PSP easier to use and giving it more functionality. The updates main features include the ability to download videos through the RSS Channel and place media into new easy-to-access folders.

PSP Firmware v2.80 Features:

• Download video and image content under [RSS Channel].
• Register devices via a wireless LAN access point under [LocationFree Player].
• Play AAC files with file extension .3gp under [Music].
• Play content saved in [MUSIC], [PICTURE], and [VIDEO] folders on a Memory Stick.

The RSS Channel was originally introduced in v2.60, but was limited to only audio files. With this update, video and photo files will be recognized and displayed in the RSS Channel. Although new functionality has been offered, this update unfortunately does not offer streaming video content through the RSS Channel similarly to how the audio works. However it does allows saving videos and pictures to your Memory Stick.

The other important implementation is the new folder layout. The PSP no longer requires media files with special names if they are placed into the “MUSIC”, “PICTURE”, or “VIDEO” folders respectively. These folders are to be placed in the main directory of the PSP. Also note that previous arrangements of files will still function as usual. This feature will make it easier for newbie as well as all PSP users to organize their media.

Download: Sony PSP Update Page [or via PSP WIFI: Settings -> Network Update]
Related: PSP Firmare v2.70 Information
Links: How To Transfer Videos To PSP via WIFI

The following is the Offical list of games, as published by SCEA, that will be released for the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) in North America for May 2006. Note: This was the accurate list of games as of 04.28.06, games may be removed and new ones may be added later. Check PlayStation for any future updates. Also search our archives for previous title releases.

• FIFA World Cup 2006 – Electronic Arts
• Astonishia Story – Ubisoft
• Field Commander – Sony Online Entertainment
• Guilty Gear Judgement – Majesco
• Lemmings – SCEA
• Monster Hunter Freedom – Capcom
• NBA Ballers®: Reboundâ„¢ – Midway
• Puzzle Challenge: Crosswords & More! – Crave Entertainment
• Race Driver 2006 – CodeMasters Software
• Stacked with Daniel Negreanu – Myelin Media
• Tomb Raider: Legend – Eidos

Past Links: PSP Games Released in April 2006
Related: PSP Firmware v2.70 Released | Stream iTunes Library To PSP

On 04.24.06, Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) released a major update (v2.70) for the PlayStation Portable (PSP). Once PSP owners update their PSP, they will be able to playblack Macromedia Flash files through the WebBrowser and save Podcasts to the Memory Stick through the RSS Channel. Video Podcast support has not been added yet, but should be included in the next update. Full v2.70 ChangeLog below:

PSP Firmware v2.70 ChangeLog:

• You can now play Macromedia Flash content under [Internet Browser]. *Note that you must adjust a setting to enable this feature. A connection to the internet is required to adjust the setting.
• [Connection Settings] has been added under [Settings] in [Internet Browser].
• You can now save content added under [RSS Channel] on a Memory Stick.
• [Automatic] has been added as an option under [Rate] in [Location Free Player].
• [UMD Video L/R Button] has been added under [Video Settings] in [Settings]. You can now disable the channel skip feature of the L/R buttons. (This applies to UMD VIDEO.)
• A new file extension has been added to playable AAC formats.
• [Simplified Chinese] and [Traditional Chinese] have been added as options under [System Language] in [Settings] > [System Settings].
• [RSS Channel Settings] has been added under [Settings].

With this update, it seems as though Sony is sticking with their PSP Timeline Plan they had presented in the 2006 PlayStation Business Briefing. To update your PSP to v2.70 either visit the U.S. PlayStation Software Update page or to [Settings] > [Network Update] on you PSP. Updating does have a major draw back, homebrew that worked on v2.60 PSPs using the GTA exploit will no longer function. If you do update you won’t be able to run any homebrew applications until PSP hackers release a new exploit. But if you don’t wish to run homebrew you might as well update. Both the Macromedia Flash Player and the Save Feature for the RSS Channel are great new addons. (Stream iTunes to PSP will now allow saving files.)

Links: US PlayStation SoftWare Update | ChangeLog
Related: PSP Firmware v2.60 Released

Although there was plenty of coverage on the 2006 PlayStation Business Briefing on March 19th, it seems as though almost everyone missed one very important slide. The slide, screenshot above, was Sony’s Schedule for the PlayStation Portable (PSP). This slide outlined when and what SCEA plans to release for the unit throughout this year.

According to the chart Macromedia Flash support, downloadable audio through the RSS Channel, Chinese Fonts, and Libraries for the Camera/GPS should all be available in Spring 2006. SCEA then plans to release another update that includes a RSS Channel with Video and expand UMD video profiles by the end of Summer. Sony has already set September 6th as the launch date of the PSP Camera and October 6th for the PSP GPS module. Finally, one more update which allows Booting PSone games from Memory Sticks and having VoIP support should be released by the end of the year.

Lets hope that SCEA sticks to this schedule and release new firmware that open up the PSP to more content than restricting it like they have done in the past. Check back soon for more information and PSP news.

Related Links: PlayStation Business Briefing 2006
Other: Griffin iTunes PSP and iFM PSP

On March 15, 2006, Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) held two press conferences. The first announcement came from Tokyo, Japan revealing the launch date for the PlayStation 3 (PS3). The second announcement came from Foster City, CA revealing their future plans for the 1-year-old PlayStation Portable (PSP).

At the first briefing Sony announced that the PS3 would have a world-wide launch (North America, Japan, and Europe) in early November 2006. They expect to have about 1 million units available during launch. SCEA has also confirmed that the PS3 will be using Blu-ray technology, which will be able to store a total of 50GB on a single disc. Sony also guaranteed that the PS3 would have 100% high-definition support as well as standard-definition for older TVs. The PS3 will also be able to access plenty of online content and can connect to millions of other users through any high-speed broadband network. Many expect a shortage of units since only 1 million units will be available at launch. SCEA has not yet confirmed the official price on the unit, but is expect to cost around $400-500. Some other items that SCEA mentioned was that the PS3 would come standard with a 60GB HDD and would be 100% backwards compatible with both PS1 and PS2 games.

At the 2nd briefing Sony announced a new PSP package, which would be available on the market by March 22nd. The package will be cost only $199, down from $249, and will include all standard accessories. Even though SCEA managed to sell over 15 million PSPs worldwide last year, their goal is to make the unit more affordable for consumers. The PSP already has a large selection of media to choose from: over 107 brand name games and 347 blockbuster movies. SCEA also stated an USB camera for the PSP would be available this spring. (similar to the PS2’s EyeToy) With this new hardware and the built-in WiFi card, Sony has plans to turn the PSP into a VoIP device wich will support video and voice chat. There also may be a GPS module that includes a UMD with maps available for the PSP very soon.

SCEA Press: Tokyo Announcement | California Announcement
Links: PlayStation Products Global | U.S. PlayStation
Recent: A “PSP 2″ Soon? | More PS3 Information

Sony has released Firmware v2.6 for the PlayStation Portable on 11.28.05. The last update was v2.5 and it added a LocationFree Player, which allows streaming of video to the PSP. The update before that, v2.0, added a WebBrowser. This latest update’s main features include WMA support, DRM capabilities, and a RSS Reader. Read the full changelog provided below for a full list of changes.

PSP Firmware v2.60 ChangeLog:

• [RSS Channel] has been added as a feature under [Network].
• [Simplified Chinese (GB18030)] and [Traditional Chinese (Big5)] have been added as options to [Encoding] under [View] in the [Internet Browser] menu bar*.
• *Characters may be indistinct in some cases when these encoding options are selected.
• [Volume Adjustment] has been added as a feature to [LocationFree Player].
• You can now download video data that supports copyright protection using the [Internet Browser].
• WMA has been added as a codec that can be played under [Music]. (This applies to music data saved on Memory Stick.)
• Note that you must adjust system setting to enable playback of WMA format music data. A connection to the Internet is required to adjust the setting.

The RSS Reader will only work with RSS feeds that have compatible Mp3 tags. (will not work with Atom feeds.) The Reader does not actually display text but is rather is used to play podcasts directly on the PSP without having to either use a computer or having to visit a website to download a new episode everytime it becomes available. The only disadvantage while using this is that the you will not be able to save podcasts while using this interface. The audio will rather be streamed directly to the PSP and therefore you will need to be connected to the network for it to function.

Link: USA PlayStation Portable Update Page
Related: PSP Firmware v2.50 Released
Recent Posts: Free PS3 Conga | Skatter Tech Widget