redesign
Latest
New PSP in production?
An article featured on a Chinese gaming website details how a production company is working on a revised PSP. We've heard the rumors for a long time now, but Sony keeps on denying them. It would be great to see if Sony was simply bluffing... but alas, I don't read the language! So, if any of you Fanboys out there can translate this article, it would be great! Imagine having stars next to your name every time you comment. Wow![Thanks Joe Jordan, Via Go Nintendo]
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]
Rumor: PSP redesign coming before March 07
People love talking about a redesign of the PSP. Heck, PSP Fanboy ran a contest to see fans make up their own crazy contraptions. Well, a very believable scan of PlayStation Magazine seem to suggest that Sony's working hard on one, and it's coming very soon: March 2007, two years after the US release of the handheld. The article states that Sony's taking a page from Apple (very much like Nintendo), and will provide the same core functionality, while providing a new aesthetic and non-game affecting additions. The biggest changes appear to come in size and memory: the theoretical system will have 8GB of hard disk space, be smaller, and have a retooled UMD drive, all at the same price as the current model. EyeToy will also be integrated into the system, and function as the upcoming external version for current PSP owners.A redesign has worked wonders for the DS, and Sony's portable can certainly benefit from the same image boost that Nintendo received when retooling their handheld. Sony just has to remember one thing: ensure that a redesign doesn't interfere with current PSP owners from playing future games. Also remember, until Sony confirms otherwise, we're taking this story as a rumor.Read - Page 1 of magazine scanRead - Page 2 of magazine scan[Via QJ]
Microsoft planning simpler controller?
Like many baby boomers, even Xbox chief Peter Moore is getting a little confused by all the buttons and joysticks being crammed onto modern gamepads, and some recent comments he made may indicate that Microsoft is actually working on ways to dumb-down the increasingly complex controller. In an interview with Gamertag radio, Moore seemingly put the "shoulder buttons, triggers, analog sticks, and d-pads" on today's controllers in a negative light compared to the "old Atari 2600 button-and-stick, which everybody could pick up and have some fun with." Even Moore's 14-year-old daughter reportedly finds the 360 controller somewhat confusing, with the man himself mentioning that Microsoft is "doing a lot of stuff there," but that they won't release a product that's not "intuitive and innovative." We're all for input devices being as intuitive as possible, but instead of wasting time trying to innovative, maybe Microsoft should just cave in and adopt a certain technology that's already proving to be pretty popular.
Site redesign: Perhaps you noticed
Well, it had to happen eventually. Like having a prized rattle torn away from the hands of a baby, we had to let go of "Revolution", Nintendo's codename for their next-generation console. As you might expect, there was plenty of kicking and screaming involved, but in the end, we all have to grow out of our comforts. We were happy with our joint E3 coverage with Joystiq and we hope to continue and improve upon our Wii content in the future (terrible Wii puns excluded). Watch out for some notable changes in the future, especially once the system launches and the news floodgates open. In the meantime, please continue to share with us your comments, rants and diabolical schemes. Thanks for reading Revo Wii Fanboy.
Engineering the DS Lite: 2 Nintendo hardware vets speak
Ever wonder what decisions go into a hardware redesign? Thanks to the latest edition of Nintendo's Japanese online mag, we finally get a portable peek into the DS Lite.Two Nintendo engineers who worked on the cuter DS sibling reveal how they pulled off the svelte new look while maintaining things like usability, battery life, and cost.Who knew that the new stylus was made "longer and wider to accommodate older users" (the Brain Age demographic who'd taken such a shine to the now shinier little system)? Durable, reliable hardware: it's what Nintendo does best. Let's hope they continue that trend with the Lite, as well as whatever other slicker iterations of the handheld that we're tempted to purchase -- or repurchase -- in the future.[Thanks, Princess Zelda; also via DS Fanboy]See also: Nintendo DS proven toilet-safe Playstation 2 goes silver (redux)
Thoughts on what the PS3 "shoulda been"
Long Tran (the "electro" half of blogging-duo "electroplankton") has posted a thoughtful writeup of industrial designer Jaren Goh's PS3 design concept. He writes, "[Goh's] iteration of the PS3 is slick, seems balanced, and takes that age old design philosophy that less is always more." He discusses the details of the concept, focusing on design elements like the logo, the drive location, the foot, and the chrome grill elaborating, "The mesh grill that all of the next generation game consoles have has a chrome plate on it, making it a part of the design as opposed to an afterthought. I'm sort of yes/no on that one, but nonetheless, Goh's design is far superior than the real PS3." Pair one of these up with Adam Portilla's "Ball Controller" and PlayStation 3 is the new Revolution.[Thanks, SuicideNinja][UPDATE: Replaced a missing letter, restoring peace in the galaxy.]
New DS unveiled!
UH, NOT. Nintendo of Europe have officially stomped upon the idea that a DS redesign would be shown this week, labeling previous reports as "pure rumour and speculation". Note the added "u" in "rumour", which clearly indicates that this news comes directly from the European Nintendo and not, for example, Nintendo of Guam. We just don't trust those guys.Of course, this doesn't mean that a DS redesign isn't still in the works. If you recall correctly, the DS has already been spruced up once before, marking for a big improvement over the clunky model first seen at E3 2004 (as shown above). In addition, The Reggie has previously stated that a flashier DS would reach our sweaty hands eventually - this denial only stems from the fact that we were expecting it to arrive a little too soon. My prediction is that we'll see the new DS at this year's E3, complete with Revolution communication and matching aesthetics.What are your expectations? Are you disappointed or relieved?
New Intel Macs are first with a new chip but not a new design
In the "random observation" category, I noticed something about the new Dual Core Macs that is a break from Apple's traditional practices: they're the first Macs, at least in the last five years or more, to receive a completely new chip (from a completely different company, no doubt) and yet not receive a redesign. The PowerBooks had one with the G4, the PowerMacs with the G5 and the iMac when it too went G5.But not this time around. From all the photographs, it seems as though both machines have retained their previous form - and no, an iSight at the top of the MacBook Pro (does anyone like that name yet?) doesn't count. I'm not saying I was hoping for a redesign - I think the present forms of these machines are at the top of their game. But with a move as huge as Intel, I was half expecting at least something.
