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Sony's 'ForwardWorks' will try PlayStation gaming on mobile, again
Sony only just announced an overall restructuring of the PlayStation business under Sony Interactive Entertainment, and now it's launching a new business to focus on mobile gaming. There aren't a lot of specifics, but the new company is called ForwardWorks, and it's promising "full-fledged gaming titles" for things like phones, tablets and other connected devices. ForwardWorks will leverage the intellectual property of the numerous PlayStation® dedicated software titles and its gaming characters as well as the knowledge and know-how of gaming development expertise which was acquired over the years with PlayStation® business to provide gaming application optimized for smart devices including smartphones* to users in Japan and Asia.
Sony pushing ICS to more devices next week, confirms Xperia Play won't be upgraded
Owners of the Xperia Play, it's time to curl up with a teddy bear and your favorite ice cream -- just as long as it's not in sandwich form. After the sudden and unexplained disappearance of the "PlayStation Phone" from the Android 4.0 upgrade list yesterday, Sony has followed it up with a full confirmation accompanied by the usual explanation. As you may have already guessed, the manufacturer tells us that after extensive testing, it was determined that "a consistent and stable experience, particularly with gaming, cannot be guaranteed for this smartphone on Ice Cream Sandwich... in this instance the ICS upgrade would have compromised stability." Sony went on to discuss that it received similar feedback from the developer community after releasing a beta ROM. Still, after being told repeatedly that the entire 2011 smartphone lineup would receive the update, we can't help but be a bit heartbroken by the news. In the same breath, however, Sony also updated its timeline for the rest of the lineup that is still on schedule to receive upgrades to Ice Cream Sandwich: the Xperia arc, neo, mini, mini pro, pro, active and Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman will begin receiving their refreshes next week. The Xperia S is still on track for an end of June rollout, with the Xperia P closely following it and the Xperia U sometime in the third quarter. It's just unfortunate that the good tidings must be balanced out by equally horrible news, depending on which device you own.
Refresh Roundup: week of April 30th, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Sony patent suggests Xperia Play with dual keyboards, it's slidingly slidable
Okay, so maybe physical keyboards were a bigger deal back in 2010 when this thing was filed, or maybe -- just maybe -- we'll one day see an Xperia Play smartphone with both a gamepad and a full QWERTY counterpart. A patent for such a contraption was just granted to Sony by the USPTO, which stakes its claim for a device with two sliding mechanisms in addition to the display. When the primary sliding mechanism is engaged, the second will come along for the ride -- and for those curious, it seems the default option is the keyboard. Once both are open, the sliding units may be disengaged from one another, so that when one of the units retracts, the other will remain accessible. It all sounds quite feasible, and if the mechanism works well enough, what's a few extra millimeters among friends?
PSA: Sony details ICS rollout for 2011 Xperia smartphones, Nordic regions to get first dibs
Good news for all you owners of 2011 edition Xperia smartphones -- Sony's Xperia Product Blog has just confirmed that the devices will begin receiving a tasty upgrade to Android Ice Cream Sandwich. The update is set to first rollout in the Nordic countries of Norway (naturally), Sweden, Denmark, Iceland and Finland -- specifically for the Xperia arc S, ray and neo V -- followed by an expansion into other markets within the next "four to six weeks." Don't fret if you don't own one of the aforementioned devices, though, as Sony has noted that near the end of May it should have ICS ready for the Xperia arc, Play, active, neo mini, mini pro, pro and Sony Ericson Live. If you're hungering for more specific information on when you'll be able to update your device, you'll have to keep it posted to the source links below in the meantime.
Sony's Xperia Ice Cream Sandwich rollout pushed to mid-April (and beyond)
To be fair, things have... changed a bit since we heard back in November that the Xperia handset line would be getting Ice Cream Sandwich by March of 2012. Specifically, Sony Ericsson is no more, and it's up to Sony Mobile alone to continue the torch carrying. At any rate, the outfit has made clear today that it'll be mid-April at the earliest before any of the Xperia smartphones see an Android 4.0 update, with the Xperia Arc S, Xperia Neo V and Xperia Ray amongst the first on deck. We're told that the updates will start hitting that trio in the middle of next month, with every last owner to be gifted in the four to six weeks following. Beyond that, the Xperia Play, Xperia Neo, Xperia Mini, Xperia Mini Pro, Xperia Pro and Xperia Active will start seeing ICS "from the end of May / early June." You know, pretty much right when Android 5.0 will be unveiled.
GTA III for Android hits 1.3, brings Liberty City to the Transformer Prime
Select iOS and Android devices have had the ability to terrorize Liberty City while on-the-go since December, but sadly those with Transformer Primes thus far have been left out of all that fun. Luckily, an update to the game ends that double standard, enabling Rockstar's classic to run on ASUS' tablet and Medion Lifetabs everywhere. It doesn't just bring expanded hardware support to the table though, as amongst other "technical fixes," the release also heralds new video display settings, Immersion haptics support and the capability of installing the game on a SD card. And fans of tactility, know that controls on the Xperia Play have been reworked, and it now boasts full support for GameStop's wireless controller. Still here? You shouldn't be -- grab the update in the source link below.
OnLive now fully supports the Xperia Play, virtual thumbsticks and external controllers need not apply
Earlier this month, the good folks at OnLive released apps for both iOS and Android, granting mobile access to its cloud gaming service. However, its implementation was incomplete -- there was no support for the Xperia Play's slide-out controls. The company didn't leave owners out in the cold for long, however, as it has updated the Android app to fully support all of the handset's hardware just in time for the holidays. So, you're no longer constrained by the vagaries of touchscreen controls or forced to fork over your recently received Christmas dough for OnLive's wireless controller to get your tactile gaming on. Get all the good news in the PR below.
Sony details Xperia's Ice Cream Sandwich progress, remains on track for late March kick-off
Yes, Sony Ericsson has already gone about communicating its intention to deliver Android 4.0 to its Xperia smartphone collection, but the company is now sharing further details about the pending arrival. So, we thought you'd like to be in on the know. For starters, the first devices to receive the upgrade will be the Arc S, Neo V and Ray, each of which are on-track for a late March / early April rollout. Then, beginning in late April / early May, Sony intends to deliver Ice Cream Sandwich to the Active, Arc, Mini, Mini Pro, Neo, Play and Xperia Pro handsets. Even the Live with Walkman is set to receive a new lease on life during the time frame. In each case, the latest version of Android will be rolled out in phases, over the course of a few weeks. Now, let's just hope that Sony Ericsson is able to keep to its schedule.
Mobile Miscellany: week of December 5, 2011
This week was packed with news on the mobile front, so it was easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of December 5, 2011: C Spire announced this week that it's launching the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play. The device is currently available for purchase for $50 with a two-year commitment and after a $50 mail-in rebate. [AndroidCentral] Images and specs of Philips' first Android device, the W920, surfaced this week, and its spec sheet doesn't look very good: Froyo, a 1GHz Qualcomm QSD8250 CPU, 512MB of RAM, a 4.3-inch WVGA display, a 5MP camera, 10.5mm thin frame and it has a 1,280mAh battery. The fun part is the rumored price tag: £400 ($627). [LandofDroid] Ting is a new Sprint MVNO that'll launch mid-2012. It'll be prepaid and use a bump-up and bump-down model for pricing -- in other words, going over your minutes will just bump you into the next higher plan, while using fewer minutes can bump you to a lower plan. [Cnet] Another prepaid provider in the news this week is PrepaYd Wireless, which launched this week. It offers a "Y Pay More" plan that will give you unlimited talk, text and 3G data for $40 per month. If you don't need data, you can get all-you-can-eat talk and text for $35. Much like Ting, PrepaYd Wireless utilizes the Sprint network. [MobileTechNews] If you use a BlackBerry OS 7 device on AT&T, the carrier is offering you two free months of BBM Music. Normally you need to pay $5 a month to store 50 songs. [Crackberry] While we're on the subject of BlackBerry phones, Twitter for BlackBerry just got updated to version 2.1 and now offers multi-account support. In addition to being able to view up to five accounts in the same feed, it also includes the ability to tweet one thing to more than one account simultaneously. [BlackBerry] Pandora and Windows Phone may never mix well, but at least the radio service can be enjoyed now through an unofficial Pandora app called MetroRadio. It's free, and is finally available in the Windows Phone Marketplace. [WPCentral]
Sony Ericsson: Xperia handsets to receive Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade by March
The Ice Cream Sandwich announcements keep dribbling in this morning, with the latest morsel coming from Sony Ericsson Italy. In a Facebook post published last week, the company's Italian outpost confirmed that its Xperia line will receive an upgrade to Android 4.0 sometime next year. Head of marketing Maurizio de Palma clarified this declaration in a follow-up post, adding that the update should "arrive by March." That's certainly more specific than anything the company has announced thus far, though we'll obviously have to wait and see whether this timeline holds up.
Gametel Android controller steals the spotlight from Xperia Play, threatens to be vaporware
Xperia Play, Schmaschmeria Play -- who needs it? Fructel's got an Android add-on that does away with Sony Ericsson's slider niche. The folks over at Pocket Gamer recently got hands-on time with this category-quashing controller, dubbed Gametel, that connects to handsets using clamps and a rubberized grip, no matter your mobile manufacturer of choice. Unfortunately, there's no analogue pad here, so it's not quite on par with its PlayStation Certified competition, but it will hold hands over Bluetooth with any Googlefied phones running Froyo and up. The unreleased peripheral includes a 250mAh battery, letting you bash away with those sore thumbs for up to nine hours at a time, your phone's charge willing. There's no official word on just when you can expect this game pad to make its market debut, but if you're really eager, head on over to the source to sign up for launch notifications.
Ice Cream Sandwich coming to full Xperia lineup, Sony Ericsson confirms
Last month, Sony Ericsson hinted, via Facebook, that Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich would soon be making its way to its entire lineup of Xperia handsets. Today, this forthcoming upgrade has become officially official, though details remain equally fuzzy. "We can today confirm that we plan to upgrade the entire 2011 Xperia portfolio to the next version of Android known as Android 4.0 or Ice Cream Sandwich," the company wrote in a blog post this morning. "We are working on merging our current Xperia experience with the new features in Android 4.0." The update will encompass all Xperia Arc, Play and Pro handsets, as well as the company's Live with Walkman device, though we'll have to wait a little longer for details on release and availability. As always, we'll be sure to keep you up to date.
Sony opens registration for PlayStation Suite SDK beta, lets devs build apps for Android and Vita
We first got wind of Sony's PlayStation Suite SDK back at the Tokyo Game Show in September, but the company just opened up the application process for a closed beta test, letting Windows XP and Windows 7 users in the US, UK and Japan submit their credentials for early access. Those getting the nod from Sony will be able to develops apps for use on the PS Vita, which is set to hit in February, along with the PS Suite -- that "hardware-neutral" framework that'll allow access from non-PlayStation branded products, including the Xperia Play, Tablet S and Tablet P, with the potential for third-party devices to come as well. The SDK uses the C# programming language, and doesn't require devs to have access to actual Sony hardware -- so don't expect a Vita to show up at your door anytime this year. Think you have what it takes to be a Sony dev? Hit up the source link to send 'em the word.
Sony Ericsson's Xperia Acro and Xperia Arc get PlayStation Certified in Japan
Hello, PlayStation Certification! Looks like the Xperia Play is getting a bit of company in Japan, where Sony Ericsson's Xperia Arc and Acro are getting that coveted seal of approval. Updates are actually rolling out across a number of SE phones on NTT DoCoMo, enabling dozens upon dozens of new games to be tailored (and available) for the Arc and Acro in particular. Hit the source link for the official word, and if you aren't camped out in the Land of the Rising Sun, hang tight -- we get the feeling Sony proper is going to be pushing this initiative a lot harder than it has been thus far.
Sony's Kazuo Hirai: liveblog from AsiaD!
We're back! AsiaD's concluding today, but we've got a couple of big hitters left on the schedule. Kicking things off this morning -- yeah, it's morning, we're in the future -- is Sony's Executive Deputy President, Kazuo Hirai, and we're guessing he'll be shooting it straight regarding the PS Vita, those nasty "outages" and whatever else he feels like keeping us abreast on. Join us after the break for the blow-by-blow!
Game on: Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G ready at AT&T for $50
Just over four months after the unique device hit Verizon stores, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G has now made it past AT&T's front door and onto shelves nationwide. The unique factor on this particular version of the "PlayStation Phone" is the inclusion of 14.4Mbps HSPA+ -- with enhanced backhaul, naturally -- and will be the first PlayStation-Certified smartphone on AT&T's network. At $50, the pricing is certainly competitive since it ships with Android 2.3.3, a 1GHz single-core CPU, Adreno 205 GPU, 4-inch 854 x 480 display, and seven pre-loaded games. At a full $150 less than Big Red's launch price, the carrier may move a few units. If you're one of those that could be persuaded, head to the source link and get your shopping on.
PlayStation Suite SDK beta coming in November, offering new games in spring 2012
We haven't heard much about the PlayStation Suite for quite some time, but at the TGS 2011 opening keynote today, Sony announced that it'll finally be rolling out an SDK for said cross-platform framework in November. Furthermore, Sony's expecting new games and apps to be available for the PlayStation Suite in spring, which means willing C# developers will be busy over the next few months should they wish to deploy their software across certified devices -- these currently include the PS Vita, Xperia Play, Tablet S and the upcoming Tablet P. Of course, we're also hoping that Sony will convince at least one other manufacturer to get its NVIDIA Tegra devices certified for the PlayStation Suite, otherwise it'll be tough to get the ball rolling for everyone.
Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play 4G hitting AT&T on September 18th for $50 on contract
We knew good and well it was coming, and come it has. Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play has made the natural GSM shift in the States in order to grace Ma Bell's airwaves, and despite the "4G" naming convention, this fellow will be topping out at HSPA+. In other words, LTE lovers will need to look elsewhere. This marks the first launch of a PlayStation-certified smartphone for AT&T, and given that it's been around the block a time or two, the carrier is (smartly) pricing it at just $49.99 on a two-year contract -- a buck-fifty less than what it launched for on Verizon Wireless. As we'd heard, it'll ship with Android 2.3.3, a 1GHz CPU, Adreno 205 GPU, a 4-inch display (854 x 480) and will arrive in an exclusive 'stealth blue' hue. AT&T customers will also be blessed with a gratis Multimedia Dock (DK300) and MC100 music cable, not to mention seven pre-loaded games at no charge. Full details on that are hosted up after the break, and interested consumers can line up to grab their own on September 18th. %Gallery-132961%
Mojang offers limited edition Minecraft Xperia Play on eBay
There may not be many people willing to pay over $1,000 for an Xperia Play, but it turns out there's at least a few willing to go nuts when there's some Minecraft involved. That limited edition model pictured above will be given away to a few lucky winners at the upcoming Gamescon conference in Germany, but Minecraft developer Mojang has decided to let one loose on eBay beforehand, where the bidding has already topped a grand with a full six days left. Adding a bit of extra incentive for those with deep pockets, Mojang says that it will also donate all the proceeds from the auction to an as yet unnamed charity. Hit the source link below if you're in a generous and / or Minecraft-obsessed mood. [Thanks, Andrew]