Ben-DutkaWith everything becoming integrated these days, some analysts are wondering if the mobile gaming explosion will hurt Sony's new handheld device.
Although the PlayStation Vita supports 3G, it still isn't a phone. At the same time, smartphones will let you call someone, support 3G (and in some cases, 4G), and yeah, play games. While it's certainly true that not one of those phones can match the Vita's potential for interactive entertainment, technology continues to advance at a rapid clip; there may come a time in the Vita's lifespan when a smartphone can compete in the gaming arena. And it's still a phone.
We've heard some analysts ask the question- "How many mobile devices are consumers willing to carry around?" SCEJ president Hiorshi Kawano told Reuters that he expects the Vita to do well and claims it doesn't compete with smartphones. Kawano says Sony expects the 3G Vita model to sell quickly (the first 500,000 are expected to disappear soon after launch) and he also believes the Vita doesn't compete with the Nintendo 3DS, either. Now, we agree on some points, and we certainly believe the Vita will become the best handheld gaming device available.
But despite Kawano's statements, that question in the headline remains viable. The Vita is a portable device. So is a smartphone. Maybe we wouldn't always carry both around but as the phone is typically a staple these days, the Vita will have to be added at some point, right? Furthermore, while the avid gamers easily recognize that the Vita is designed for them, other consumers might just look at the handheld and assume it's a phone. Sony will have to work to differentiate themselves from the crowd, and prove that their new portable is unique and attractive.
OK, never mind, I found out exactly which memory card my PSP GO takes….
It's called a "Micro M2"
I honestly think sony is making its' move towards having high end handheld gaming abilities along with fully phone capabilities (most likely mediocre) without sacrificing video gaming experience.
I read that the Vita will support android apps.
I did read something extremely unclear about a Sony releasing a developer kit that enabled developers to create "Vita-compatible Android games". But like I said it was very unclear to me what exactly this means in practical terms, but I do not think Vita will run Android apps, I think it's more the other way around, that the developer kit can compile a game both as an Android app and/or Vita executable. That in itself is of course interesting enough cause that must mean the two platforms are not *that* different from eachother.
Anyways, this news were very well received amongst the Android developers/fans on that site, but personally I think they misunderstood what this Sony devkit really is.
Last edited by Beamboom on 9/16/2011 1:36:43 PM
Yup,
Here's the 411 on the Android apps so far….
PlayStation SDK Support for Android
September 16
http://www.thealistdaily.com/news/playstation-sdk-support-for-android/
Sony has announced that it's PlayStation Suite SDK will allow developers to make Android-based games for PlayStation Vita, Xperia Play, Sony Tablet S&P, and other PlayStation-certified Android devices. Sony also announced that they will update the PlayStation Store in Spring 2011 to support PlayStation-certified devices and PlayStation Suite content.
“By supporting development for multiple devices and by adopting libraries to create a variety of content not only limited to games, PS Suite SDK will not only help developers save their cost in creating new content but also allow them to efficiently create their content on one SDK and without having to create on several different SDKs,†wrote Sony in its release. “Through PS Suite SDK, SCE will provide to game developers and publishers the potential to further expand their business opportunities to Android based portable devices. In addition, SCE can approach to a wider range of content developers, non-gaming developers and individual programmers.â€
I use my Vita when traveling by public transport, or on a long haul trip by rail or air. I use it when I'm at the office, or on a trip at a hotel, a friend or relative's home, and numerous other places. It's very much the exception that I would use the PSP (or Vita) like I use a smartphone. So there's really no issue here. The PSP (and soon to be Vita) is the game system I use when I am not at home with my PS3. I mean unless you're homebound there is no way that you can say that you are never anywhere where you would like to play a game, but can't because your PS3 is at home. That's what these are for, when you are away from home base, but want to game. Not literally gaming on the move – like you would talk on the phone while walking or driving. But gaming when you have time but are not where your PS3 is.
I see no conflict at all here and will carry both as needed.
until the vita can receive and answer calls yup.
lets just hope it holds calls better then the iphone 4!
im just about the biggest apple fan, but by god how can a 800 dollar device have so many reception and call issues!
if i a nickel for every time someone has rang me on the home phone going off at me because i have not been answering their calls on my mobile id be a multibillionare by now!
almost every time someone rings me my phone just sits there like a stunned mullet!
best 800 bucks i have ever spent!
Maybe you should call apple support, or take the phone back to your cell provider if it's not working like it should…
And certainly one lucky mullet!
I don't typically use my PSP outside of home, but I like to keep in with me if I'm going to be away for a day or more. Same goes for Vita, I guess, but it'll probably make me want to play games more. Either way, I'll definitely be up for carrying both. It's not as though it's any great hardship, and personal comfort MUST be priority one. 😀
Peace.
At home; I'm a really clumsy person when it comes to remembering items I take with me on days outside.
Though if only the Vita had simple phone SIM card on it =[, I'd take it everywhere. Don't mind a beefy phone that's infinately more fun than a touch phone.
No mobile phone, so…no.
I won't carry the Vita all the time, either, especially since it's even bulkier than my PSP-1000 and therefore less than ideal as a MP3 player.
That's a good point too. How many people who own a DS and/or PSP carry those with them everywhere they go? I know I don't. I only take it along if I know I'll have time to use it.
As it stands now, I use my PSP at the following 3 times: When traveling and not the driver, in bed when my wife really doesn't want to go to bed alone (she goes to bed much earlier than I like to) and I'm not anywhere near tired, and when I'm on the john… because lets face it… some of those washroom breaks take a couple minutes… and I love the PSP's ability to be put to sleep and come back on where you left off next time you turn it on.
Yeah, I own a PSP and even I don't carry it everywhere. lol I actually don't even know any of my friends that do either.
I either drive or ride(my Harley) everywhere I want to go, but I always take one of my PSP's with whenever I know I'm goiing to the laundromat, doctor's office, other long-assed waiting room times for various appointments, or at my Ford dealer's service department while awaiting my truck back.
My PSP's really help to whittle away all that otherwise wasted time, whether I'm listening to Depeche Mode & Jon Michal Jarre, or playing a UMD movie, or just plain gaming a few quick rounds of Pursuit Force: Extrme Justice.
Matter of fact, Ford has just invited me back to play a another round of Pursuit Justice at their dealer's shop again, as I just got a National Recall on my truck for possible corrosion to the straps that hold my gas tank up.
My best guess is that they rather have my PSP's buttons blowing up sh!t, than to have their own product making me into one hell of a lit-up highway pinata later.
Last edited by BikerSaint on 9/16/2011 4:25:40 PM
I have an ipod 4g that I love to bits. So many great games and so cheap that keep you entertained for hours. Shame it sucks the battery life so much :/
I won't carry them both. I got my smart phone with some of the top popular games (Siege Hero, Rage, Plants vs Zombies) that I could play when I'm doing a line at the store for 10 minutes or so. I haven't played a portable console game since Valkyria Chronicles 2 on the PSP.
I have a dock for my PSP at the office, it's my digital photo frame. However, most of my PSP gaming is done at home anyway. I got it for the games, not so much the portability. And it gives me something for when the wife/kids are monopolizing the TV.
I expect it'll be the same when I get my Vita. I'll rarely take it with me when I leave the house, but when I'm not home I don't have time for games anyway.
I go to the gym every day and already carry my PSP in my bag with my gym cloths so, I'll be taking it almost every where. Plus, what else am I going to do at work when I'm bored?
Last edited by Evil Incarnate on 9/16/2011 8:37:18 AM
If I see a hot chick in the gym playing a psp or whatever I will help her out on whatever she needs help on.
/me do not want to smell Dustin's PSP.
Nintendo DS and PSP (although moreso in Japan) have both done remarkably well despite the impressive mobile phones available over the last 5-10 years.
No matter how a cellphone is good at gaming, it can never replace a handheld console.
I will be carrying a Vita along with my cell that's for sure, isn't that what most is doing with their PSP now?
Not even iPhone 4 is capable of replacing handheld gaming.
Last edited by Snaaaake on 9/16/2011 9:43:48 AM
So the general consensus is that analysts worried about consumers not willing to carry multiple mobile devices are…well, worrying about nothing.
Just based on this small sample, anyway.
Btw, it appears I may have to finally get rid of my 7-year-old cell phone and upgrade. 'sigh'
Fun isn't it? lol
Not really, no.
I possibly like you, had a newer version of the old Nokia phones forever. I was happy with it. I always thought the iPhone and the Droids were… Well dumb and very overpriced. The time and the right price came along and I needed a new phone, the 4g iPhone just came out so the 3GS in my area was super cheap. Bought one. Love it. That is all.
Last edited by bigrailer19 on 9/16/2011 10:39:16 AM
What cell phone do you have Ben? I had a Nokia for about 5 years and then decided to go finally with an iphone 4 (damn, those Nokia tech guys really nailed it with battery life specs, my phone could last for like 4 or 5 days with an average use).
On topic, I see it like the mobile phone is just an extension of us now. I have mobile phone and nextel, and I had a psp (recently sold it) so I wouldn't mind carrying a Vita. Besides as other people said, if you have a bag or backpack, you can just bring it there, or if you don't, just don't bring it if you know for certain that you won't have time for using it. For my previous PSP I had a cool pack PSP branded that I bought in Gamestop. It had little compartments for a lot of things, so I think there will be also a similar one for the Vita sooner or later, and you can use it for extra stuff, or if you are a man like me, like a man bag or something, just something that you can use for keeping your stuff when not at home.
This should not be a problem. A mobile phone is completely to a portable device game system, but I understand why people gets confused and think that we need to decide for just 1 of those 2.
It's an old Verizon LG phone from 2004, I think. 🙂
Hey congrats Ben!
Decided on the new phone yet? Surely it will be a Sony Ericsson, of course? 🙂
Not sure yet. Considering Xperia Play, HTC Incredible 2, and that Trophy (Windows) phone.
Get incredible 2. Experia is probably cool too, but I'd just get vita if I wanted a handheld
Ben
Ha, I won't tell you how old my only cell phone was when I finally donated it last year(along with the both chargers & 11 battery packs) to our troops who are in-country, so they can call home instead of waiting in a long barracks line.
OK, OK…..it was a Motorola StarTec!
(And I can't ever remember that far back to when it was all the new rage back then
I still have my Moto Rokr E8 back from the summer of '08. I really like it. It's quite durable and it's good with music. That's all I ever use it for. I don't text, go on the internet, message or whatever.
If I ever get a new phone…it has to be SHARP SH-01C.
By the way, does anyone know if the PS VITA can download apps from the Android app store?
I can see a little coincidence here about some of us. Like you said before, some of us are a endangered species.
Ben, sometimes the older phones are better. Less complicated and probably more rugged…
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
Ben Dutka, the godfather of the PSXE, carrying around a Microsoft phone. What's wrong with that picture? 😀
The Incredible 2 is a HTC phone right? They make good phones. But only The Sony Xperia Play has the Playstation suite! You gotta keep an eye on their doings in that area too?
And who knows, there may be released a game that offer playability across the Play, the Vita and the PS3… Some would say that as the editor of the psxe you are obliged to choose Xperia Play! 😉
Last edited by Beamboom on 9/17/2011 6:26:05 AM
I carry around my Evo and PSP Go all the time together. Evo in my front right pocket, Go in my back left pocket. If I ever need to use the Vita's wifi I can tether with my Evo 🙂
I don't want to carry both devices but I'll be forced to. I wish sony would make a psp phone with two analogue sticks with psp go form factor.
phone only, they should just concentrate on getting a cross voice chat for ps4 instead sony noobs can't believe they can't make it for ps3 soooo embarrassing.
Yes.