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Sony cans Connect, pumps up PlayStation
Literally dozens of loyal Sony Connect users were sent into mourning yesterday by a PaidContent.org story announcing the proprietary music and video download service will be shut down in the coming months. The staff of 80 behind the online store will be transferred over to the PlayStation side of the company, a rather convenient move considering Sony is preparing to launch a new PSP Store later this year.We know what you're thinking, but don't worry, the eBook division of the service will stay up for those of you who prefer reading books on an LCD screen.[Via PSPFanboy]
Connect store to close, services to move to PlayStation
As we predicted, Sony is finally abandoning its failed Connect download service to move its digital media ambitions to the PlayStation brand. About 20 employees will be "phased out" as "Connect resources were being shifted to handle the needs of the PlayStation group." Timing on this restructuring seems in-line with the upcoming PSP Store to arrive on the system later this year. Let's hope that Sony's effort with a media-heavy PlayStation Store is far more robust than the sparse offerings provided by Connect.[Via Engadget]
Sony pulls the plug on Connect, refocuses on PlayStation
After a lengthy, albeit fledgling stay in the digital music distribution biz, Sony has reportedly decided to cut its losses and disconnect the Connect service. We'd already seen the service get shuffled around in an effort to strengthen the division, but it seems like it has finally succumbed to the competition. According to reports from an internal meeting, some 20-plus employees were told that their jobs were being "phased out" as the Connect resources were being shifted to handle the needs of the PlayStation group. Interestingly, it was noted that the eBooks segment would still remain alive and well to service the Sony Reader demands, but Steve Banfield, the head of the Sony Connect division, would be "leaving within the next few weeks." Farewell Connect, it seems we all barely knew you.
SanDisk Sansa Connect gets dissected
While most of the Sansa Connect coverage has treated the little fellow fairly well up until this point, we knew it was only a matter of time before someone got their hands dirty and cracked it open. Sure enough, the unashamed folks at AnythingButiPod had no qualms peeling back the plastic and taking a look inside, as SanDisk's portable WiFi audio player was carefully returned to a state it once found itself in on the manufacturing line. So for those of you whose eyes light up at the mere sight of PCB, click on through for a few more snaps, and then hit the read link when you're ready for more.
Microsoft's multi-component gaming ambitions
If these patents are of things to come, then Microsoft has grand ambitions for connecting their devices and your content. Searching through the mess that is the US Patent website, Unwired View dug up a Microsoft patent for a "multi-platform gaming system" that would allow for various devices to sync, talk, and share their resources and content. At the surface the patent is pretty simple, one would be able to connect various devices and share not only their content, but their processing power and resources between the other devices. Ultimately, you'd be able to connect all your Microsoft technology (Xbox 360, Zune, Vista PC or cell phone) wirelessly or wired and transfer information and each device's processing power. But now you can see how infinitely complex the idea could get with the possibilities that come from connecting your music, gaming and computer devices.The idea of multi-component gaming is an interesting one with a crazy amount of potential. Just think of what could be achieved. If this kind of connectivity ends up surfacing, the Xbox 360 could end up being the epicenter of your digital life at home (if it's not already). No matter what happens, our interest has been piqued ... bring on the all that connectivity![Via Unwired View]
TUAW: Xbox 360 and Mac can play nice
var digg_url = 'http://www.digg.com/gaming_news/Xbox_360_and_Mac_can_play_nice'; Our friends over at The Unofficial Apple Weblog posted quite the comprehensive guide for Mac lovers to get the most out of their 360s. True, it's not as easy to get the Xbox 360 to play nice with a Mac, but with the numerous programs and driver that have been released, you'll be able to get all the same PC streaming goodness in no time. TUAW talks about all kinds of subjects like sharing your internet connection through a Mac, using your controller, hooking up a Vision camera, and even streaming video/audio content through a Mac. And thanks to the Spring dash update, the H.264 format support will make Apple fans smile with glee. Like we said, the article is a pretty good read for Mac owners who may not know how to get the most out of their 360 or is just a great resource to find some good linkage. Xbox 360 and Apple ... love has no boundaries.
Ask PSP Fanboy: Volume 6
Every Saturday, PSP Fanboy will answer your burning questions. If you have a question for the team, send an e-mail to andrew @ pspfanboy.com with the subject "Ask PSP Fanboy."Q: Are their any music subscribtion sites compatible with the PSP?A: Yes. It's called Connect, and it's unsurprisingly owned by Sony. It works just like Apple's iTunes Store: it's 99 cents for a single song, and usually about $9.99 for an album. One deal that you might want to look in to is the "2 for 1 Tuesdays" deal, where if you buy one album, you'll get a coupon code for another for free. Getting 2 albums of music for less than $10 is really quite a steal.
How To: Tether a Samsung BlackJack to get your Mac online
About a month ago I swallowed the poison and picked up a Cingular BlackJack, a new Windows Mobile Smartphone (I know, I know). I had been looking to step up to some sort of a PDA phone so I can surf and keep on top of WIN/TUAW business without having a MacBook sewn to my head, and so far it's been working out well. The one thing I haven't been able to figure out yet is how to use this cutting-edge HSPDA phone (a new high-speed wireless data network) as a modem - until now. While cruising Smartphone Thoughts (a good resource for other WinMo5 users in the audience) and their forums, I found this post at Mobility Today by David Ciccione that describes how to use a BlackBerry 3G Driver (of all things) to tether a BlackJack to a Mac for getting online. It isn't a simple process, but I just went through the paces and can confirm - it works. Now before you run off and start tethering your BlackJack to your Mac all over the place, I want to add a few things to Mr. Ciccione's awesome work so everyone in our diverse audience knows what they're getting into. First off: if you don't have the proper data plan with Cingular, I have no idea if or how much they'll charge you per KB or MB for connecting, even if you're just testing this out. Try this at your own risk - we can't be responsible if you connect and start downloading movies from the iTunes Store, only to get a $300 bill for data next month. Call Cingular, like I did, before you goof around with this to make sure you have the right data plan. For what it's worth, I have the $20/month Smartphone unlimited data plan, which gets to fly under the radar of their ~$50 PDA data plan since it's a 'Smartphone' instead of a full-blown Pocket PC phone or data card for a notebook.Continue reading after the jump for some add-on tips and gotchas to make this a smooth and worthwhile process.
Broken Saints comic heads to the PSP
Broken Saints is a fairly popular internet comic that hit it big a few years ago. With a Broken Saints game in the works, the franchise is set to hit it big. If you haven't checked out the phenomenon, don't fret: it looks like the Broken Saints people have made a deal with Sony's Connect to offer their comic in PSP video format for free. You'll be able to "watch the latest version of BS on this gorgeous gear without having to wait for some overpriced multi-disc UMD set." Amen. [Via Broken Saints]
Mysterious Wii/DS connectivity
It's the picture that has everyone frothing -- but Nintendo's not giving up the details just yet, despite rampant speculation about precisely how the two Nintendo platforms will hook up. Will it be a whirlwind romance or a true partnership? Here's what we know -- the Wii will serve as a "download station" for the DS. And we have the image from Nintendo's site. The translated text mentions Pokemon, and though our Google translation is weak at best, it seems that you can pull Pokemon off the DS and onto the Wii. What for? We're not sure yet. And what will a "download station" provide, anyway? Will the DS be able to handle Virtual Console titles? Connectivity is nothing new when it comes to Nintendo. Eventually, we'll be able to connect enough Nintendo platforms to build a giant stompy robot, so it's not at all surprising that the Wii and the DS will have a special relationship. As for theories, we are firmly behind the PinkSquiggle Technology mentioned at the Ars Technica forums. And we'd still like a pony.[Thanks, Marc!]
Nintendo stocks: movin' on up, to the east side...
That theme from The Jeffersons came to mind when we first saw what a share in Nintendo stock was costing. Coming in at $26 (a six-year high) a share, high confidence in Nintendo's Wii is the main cause of this hike in price. Meryll Lynch even raised their price of Nintendo stock from $25 to $29 last Friday, stating that anticipation for the Wii was the main driving force behind the decision.A solid showing from the console at May's E3, along with continued support from third-party developers, and a large launch lineup are all contributing factors to Nintendo's pre-launch success. Should they follow through with plans and launch the console for an affordable price, make due on their promise of launch titles, and provide a robust online component through their WiiConnect24 service, there will be little to stop them from regaining the market share they enjoyed over 10 years ago.[Via Joystiq]
Shock! Connect's PSP site... now works on PSP!
David Carony once asked when Sony's Connect service would stop being so awful. The Connect site was revamped many months ago on the PC, but strangely, was inaccessible to PSP owners, redirecting them to a never-updated site in which you could download an old episode of Speed Racer... and not much more. Well, it appears that the oversight has been corrected. Typing in psp.connect.com on your PSP browser will now take you to a site very similar to the full version of the site. From the browser, you'll be able to download movie trailers, game videos (ironically, of non-Sony games), and more. It's not all roses though; it appears that you have to press Triangle over a movie you want and save the link target. For some strange reason, the browser (on 2.80) doesn't automatically detect the files as movies.This is a step in the right direction. Now... when will Americans get something akin to YourPSP.com?
Kaz Hirai talks PSP, denies redesign
Nintendo fans have Reggie. We have Kaz. There's no real new info in his interview with Gamespot, but it's always interesting when a Sony exec goes on the record about the system. Here are some bullet points summarizing what he said: Sony is still "hard at work" on Connect. (Note: It was originally supposed to come out in March.) PSone downloads will come "close" to the PS3 launch. "Obviously, we certainly are not going to have 1,200 titles come out at once. You also need to realize that some of the games just don't translate well onto a PSP environment, games that require the use of the two analog sticks, for example." No plans for a PSP price drop OR redesign. Sony is "happy" with PSP; it is their "fastest-growing product."
How the PSP can overcome the PSP-inspired mylo
David Carony, executive editor at CNET, has a lot to say about Sony, the PSP, and their newly announced mylo. Sony's attempting to market the device at a whopping $350, which is ridiculous when many, if not all of its features can be implemented in the PSP, or a PSP redesign. With the right accessories and firmware upgrades, the PSP can do every thing the mylo can... plus it can play games. And at $199, it would be a bargain for the consumer. Here's a list of what Carony believes will make the PSP better: Skype support to make Internet (VoIP) calls (using the SOCOM headset). Support for Slingbox (a competitor of Location-Free TV). Sony could make some bling by not selling hardware, but selling a Slingbox application. Built-in IM applications, similar to mylo's support for Yahoo! and Google. Better e-mail integration. Keyboard accessory. Video output for TV. Stop making Connect so crappy. Where's the revamp? These are all great, plausible and reasonable upgrades that Sony can provide. If Sony actually took these suggestions to heart, I know a ton more college students and business people would pick up a PSP. Let's hope Sony has the brains to follow through on some of this.[Via PSP World]
Online PSP store opens in Europe
YourPSP.com, Sony's European PSP site always is a step above its American counterpart. Not only does the site look sexier, it has a lot more functionality. European PSP owners not only have a better website, but they get access to PlayStation Spot, white PSPs, Tales of Eternia, and they also get their downloadable demos days faster than the US. While Americans have to deal with the absolutely useless Connect.com, it appears that Europeans will now get an online store dedicated for the handheld. The site features downloadable demos, upgrades to games (such as new Lemmings levels), videos, music and wallpapers. Best of all, it appears that (for now) everything is free.This service is almost exactly what we've been waiting for... now when's the US version of this going to happen?[Via IGN]
Knockoffs, sticker shock threats to RIM's China plans
Though it should hardly come as a shock to readers familiar with our Keepin' it real fake series, RIM might be surprised to find a bounty of BlackBerry-alikes as they enter the mainland Chinese market, undercutting a source of otherwise significant new revenue as millions of new folks discover the addictive devices for the first time. Though unlicensed knockoff manufacturers typically don't fly in the US or Western Europe, Reuters points out that it can cost as little as $125K to bring one online in China -- a compelling proposition in one of the world's hottest mobile markets. What's more, they're finding that some Chinese are buying BlackBerrys strictly for their, uh, sound quality and good looks (can ya believe it?) but are bypassing China Mobile's email hookup entirely, citing it as overpriced. Could the BlackBerry end up a boon for customers in the world's most populous country, yet a bust for RIM?[Thanks, David]
The irony kills -- PSP music download service stalled by DRM
It's one thing to hold off competitors or annoy those pesky consumers with a bit of DRM, but Sony is really taking this stuff all the way now that they've managed to hold up their own operations with attempts to secure content on the PSP. Apparently they're hoping to launch a WiFi-friendly music store, with similarities to iTunes in operation, but haven't quite got the DRM system sorted. "A big issue for us has been the (Digital Rights Management) and how we can secure that content to the Memory Stick," says John Koller, senior marketing manager for the PSP. "The studios and the labels don't want their content floating around." Sounds like they aren't quite set on using Sony's own Connect music store -- they're watching to see how that performs, and investigating other options -- which is all well and good. But we still can't help but indulge in a bit of unsightly gloating at the though of Sony a development team being hampered by their own DRM and file format failings.[Via T3]
Results: What would enhance the PSP the most?
About a week ago, PSP Fanboy asked you what would enhance the PSP system the most. It was a pretty obvious win: the ability to play PSone games on the PSP. For some reason, Sony believes that the number one most-wanted feature for the system is the ability to connect to a PS3, but as can be seen by our not-scientific poll, it's one of the least desirable functions, barely beating out Text Messaging. But in all seriousness, who would really want to use the PSP "keyboard" to text message anyone? People also seem to want a hard drive, but for some reason that's one of the main functions that Sony's not planning to implement... for now, at least. Here are some memorable comments from the Fanboys: "How about if it were made by Nintendo. And oh yeah, games worth buying." - mitch "I would so love to not have to name files with that useless naming convention." - PodMonkeys (wish granted!) "I would really like it if the PSP came with a touch screen. Or a keyboard. It could be like the SideKick." - Hans "What about the ability to pull pornography out of thin air?" - Player1 " A decent way to type, like a Virtual QWERTY keyboard" - MacFanBoy "The greatest enhancement would be the ability to download and play iTunes and Videos from iTunes." - MM "Real Bluetooth (data and A2DP) support would be nice. Then with a few software updates we could use bluetooth keyboards, bluetooth mice, bluetooth GPS devices, bluetooth stereo audio, etc. etc. the list goes on and on." - Ixalon
Comic-Con: new firmware, new demo and new connectivity [Update 1]
Comic-Con shouldn't be such a hotbed of video game news, but this year, it's proven otherwise. Sony revealed some crucial new features of the PSP today: PSP will work as a remote for the PS3. Advertisements for the budget Greatest Hits collection will be released on July 25. PSP's firmware update next Thursday will offer RSS Video feed support for its web browser. Thursday's firmware update will also have a demo of World Tour Soccer 2. There are no plans to improve text entry on the PSP and no plans for a first-party keyboard. Sony's in talks with wi-fi providers to make it easier for PSP owners to connect. (Similar to Nintendo's deal with Wayport?) Video-out (to connect to a TV/computer) is a feature that they're working on. Connect wants to provide video content to the PSP, but can't seem to find the right way to implement DRM. (But doesn't firmware 2.6+ offer DRM video support?) [Via IGN][Update 1: Removed bit about UMD movie support.]
Sony unveils CPF-IX001 wireless streaming music system
There are about a million ways to stream music from your PC to other locations in the house, and now Sony has added yet another solution to this lengthy list: the 2.1 channel CPF-IX001 wireless streaming music system. The compact device uses your existing 802.11b/g setup to pull tunes from iTunes, Windows Media Player, Sony Connect, or other applications, and creates a unique IP address so multiple units can operate simultaneously over the same network. To cut down on wire clutter, Sony employed a so-called power line transmission technology that allows the main component to send both juice and audio signals to its subwoofer over a single cable -- pretty handy, especially if you'll be moving the system from room to room.. Expect to see these in stores sometime next month -- although we don't actually know what to look for, because Sony is being a little stingy with the product pics -- for about $300.Update: Thanks to Christopher over at ATRACLife for hooking us up with a pic.