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Xperia Play will not receive Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade
Sony's Xperia Play phone will not be updating to Android version 4.0, also known as "Ice Cream Sandwich," as noted on a recent product blog entry. Sony cites consistency and stability in its decision to withhold the phone from the list of devices receiving the upgrade, which was initially planned to release at the end of May/early June.Sony explained that "after extensive in house testing with our developer teams and working with our partners, we have concluded that a consistent and stable experience, particularly with gaming, cannot be guaranteed for this smartphone on Ice Cream Sandwich." Its decision appears bolstered by feedback from advanced users and game developers that used a beta ROM of the Android version on their Xperia Play devices.While instability in the software could compromise a "quality gaming experience" on the phone, we secretly want to believe that a patent unveiled in late April indicates a dual-keyboard device is on the way.
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!
GameKeyboard 2.0 requires root, maps Xperia Play gamepad to all Android games (video)
Upon its debut, the Xperia Play suffered from a lack of game titles that were compatible with its unique built-in gamepad. While the selection has improved considerably since its inception, the question remains: wouldn't it be nice if the handset supported any Android game you threw at it? Wonder no longer, because that's exactly what GameKeyboard 2.0 brings to the table. Yes, the app requires root access, but most importantly, it allows users to map on-screen touch controllers to the Xperia Play's physical gamepad. While it's slightly cumbersome to setup for the first time, anybody who has ever configured an emulator with a USB game controller will feel right at home. GameKeyboard 2.0 sells for $2.49 in the Play Store, and if you'd like a quick overview of how it all works, just hop the break for a video. Those who proceed with the download will also benefit from written instructions (for both root access and configuration) in the xda-developers forums. [Thanks, Dreb]
Sony awarded patent for Xperia Play with double the keyboards
The United States Patent and Trademark Office has assigned Sony a patent for "electronic devices having multiple keypads and related methods," which when translated out of Patentese and into The Queen's English, means "cell-phones with two sliding keyboards and stuff."The patent application is chock full of ballistically confusing descriptions like "a second slidable unit having a second keypad thereon, the second slidable unit being slidably connected to the upper unit and the first slidable unit," but the basic idea of the patent is fairly straight forward: Rather than having one slide-out keypad like the existing Xperia Play, this device would have two keyboards stacked on top of each other, and the user would decide which to slide out depending on the situation.Obviously, the most practical application of this tech would be to equip one keyboard with a QWERTY layout and the other with PlayStation controls, but whether or not this patent will get any actual use remains to be seen. With phones getting larger, physical keyboards falling to the wayside and the PlayStation Suite still in beta testing, the chances of Sony taking a risk on a device that's market is slowly waning seems unlikely.
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.
Sony outs Xperia Play ICS beta for unlocked phones, wants to know which games work
While the promised Sony Xperia Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade rollout is quickly running out of March and into April for all models, the company has just unleashed a new beta version of the upgrade for Xperia Play owners. Following the alpha release in December and a beta update in February for the Arc S, Neo V and Ray, Sony has pushed this version for the Play to find out which games may need some work to be compatible with Android 4.0. The usual drawbacks remain however, so because this release requires unlocking your bootloader -- which will keep users from upgrading to the final ICS update when it comes out -- and it lacks such creature comforts as Google Mobile Services apps (Gmail, Google Maps, Face Unlock) it's intended for developers only. If your gamepad-equipped handset is staying official-upgrade only, you can safely check out a video of the beta ROM running on an Arc S embedded after the break and take this as a heads up that the final release is that much closer.
King of Fighters Android now on select Android devices for $4.99
Our initial reaction upon receiving the announcement for King of Fighters Android was something along the lines of, "Yes! Finally, SNK Playmore must have read all our letters and decided to make a special version of King of Fighters XIII with the Cell Saga androids from Dragon Ball Z! Yes."Well, it turns out that's not what this is. Instead, King of Fighters Android is King of Fighters game for Google's Android OS, which is probably a more reasonable business decision in the long run. Judging from the screenshots below, it appears to be based on King of Fighters XIII, or at least heavily influenced by its art style. The game features 20 fighters, five different play modes and unlockable bonus content like trading cards and concept art.Available now for $4.99, the game is officially compatible with the Galaxy S 2, Galaxy Tab 10.1, Xperia Acro HD, and Xperia Play, which should be a good fit for the title considering it has actual buttons. Compatibility with other Android devices is untested and should be attempted at your own risk; two marketplace reviews already indicate the game does not function on the Galaxy Nexus.%Gallery-151286%
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.
Daxter, more PSP games re-rated for PlayStation Certified devices
The ESRB has rated Daxter, Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror, eight tables worth of Pinball Heroes and flOw for release on PlayStation Certified devices, including the Xperia Play and Sony Tablet series. It's unclear whether flOw is a port of the PSP version or the original PS3 version, but we feel safe in assuming that it's the former, considering the PlayStation Suite's track record with repurposing PSP titles.We can't imagine that playing a Syphon Filter game on a capacitive touch screen would be a rewarding experience, but flOw and Pinball Heroes sound like they'd translate well to the tactile interface of the Sony Tablet. We'll keep our ears to the ground for pricing and release information as it becomes available.
OnLive updated for Xperia Play (meaning: leave the external gamepad at home)
You may have greeted the news that OnLive was playable on tablets with a certain amount of apprehension. "But how am I supposed to control complicated console games with a touchscreen," you bemoaned. "I know I could use the external gamepad at home but what about when I'm on the go? I'm a busy, important person." We understand your frustration, but the OnLive wizards have concocted a solution, enabling full slide-out gamepad controls for the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play or, as you may prefer to call it, the PlayStation Phone. So instead of virtualized buttons, a formula that OnLive knows doesn't work, and instead of carrying your smartphone and the not-so-convenient OnLive controller, you can bust out your gamepad-enabled phone for that console-gaming experience on the go.
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's latest Xperia update brings WebGL support to 2011 smartphone lineup (video)
Why Sony chose to sit on this one, we have no idea, but the company just revealed that its software update for the 2011 lineup of Xperia phones -- which was released last month -- also adds browser support for WebGL. This means that if you're holding an Xperia Arc, Mini, Neo, Play, Ray... or any other of its most recent handsets, then there's a good chance you're wielding one of the first Android phones to support this modern graphics platform. Designed to bring advanced visuals and gaming to the web, the API holds roots in JavaScript and has been used to develop everything from Angry Birds to far-out music videos. Sony Ericsson first previewed its WebGL efforts back in February, and after all these months, its official arrival is a welcome one, indeed. For a quick demo video, be sure to hop the break.
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.
PlayStation Suite beta starting (for Japanese devices) later on this month
Sony has announced more details about the beta for the PlayStation Suite. That's the development program (similar to Apple's App Store or Microsoft's Xbox Live Indie Games) which will allow third-party video game developers to produce games that can be released, with Sony's approval, on to the PS Vita and other Sony and Android devices. The beta itself will be launched in "late November," with an SDK available to select developers then, and Sony will refine and clean up the program for a public release at a later unannounced date. At launch, Sony says the PS Suite content will be available on PlayStation certified devices only, including the PS Vita, and the Xperia line of mobile phones and Sony's upcoming "Sony Tablet" models S and P. Sony specifically mentions that the devices listed are currently only available in the Japanese market, and while it's probably true that we'll eventually see PS Suite content on the North American Xperia Play smartphone (and the Sony tablets, if and when they're released here), that's not yet confirmed. It's still very early in the process -- it will likely be a while before we see any third-party content up and running (much less available to buy) on these devices.
