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Xperia Play


AcidCrownie
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unghhhhh.

 

it's obv real, yes. (btw Sindo I originally read that as "PSP Phone is op" for some reason)

 

I'm very interested in it; especially with the leaked videos showing unskinned gingerbread.

 

However, it's got so many obstacles to over come.

 

anyway I'm gonna C&P my original concerns on the thing.

 

# Android "openness" vs Sony: Android is a very open ended system, and get a lot of its strength from the dev community. Not only are there apps on the market, but there are some good or useful apps and tools that aren't on the market, installed by sideloading them. Unfortunately, this method is also available for people to download the apk (installer) of paid apps from other sources and sideload them. Sony wants a closed ecosystem for the handheld to prevent piracy. This is evidenced by the constant patch system they do on the current PSP, tying up lose ends that allow people to install CFW on their systems. This would just end up being a HUGE battle with android.

We can currently see a similar situation right now with AT&T android phones. So far AT&T has taken great lengths to prevent the ability to sideload apps, and even censors the market through hiding certain apps. Of course, the dev community quicky finds ways around this, with the Aria going as far as having cyanogen mod (one of the most popular android roms) available .

 

# Carrier choices - this is a huge gamble. The iphone succeeded despite an exclusive carrier deal in the US. Countless other phones (the Palm Pre, Nexus One*) have not due to their choice of carrier.

 

Why is carrier important? Why can't it just be sold unlocked, with versions available for all carriers?

 

# Price. The Google Nexus One sold for $530 USD. Typical unlocked smartphones go for the same price or more. A combination phone and PSPGo? The unsubsidized price would be astronomical. The device would need a carrier's partnership just to bring the cost down with a subsidy. And with lagging releases and myriad of issues plaguing the PSP sales, they'd need to make this as widely available as they can.

 

#Sony-Ericsson: They have yet to bring out a 2.0 or higher device. The X10 just dropped for AT&T, and its sporting 1.6.

 

 

#Games: supposedly the games would be downloaded off a special section in the android market. We already see things like this in Sprint and AT&T devices, where the Downloads tab was is a Carrier specific tab. However, this would have to be truly a PSP2 as to avoid the same issues that people have with the PSPGo. Meaning, new games, and a legit reason not to have compatibility with UMDs.

 

If it can get past these obstacles, and is available for my carrier, I'm totally down for getting one.

 

and hopefully this will just help get game devs over to android. id, I'm looking at you.

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Yeah the way Android works unless the PSP section of this phone is a fully closed off App with it's own API's and special hooks into the Android OS then it's going to be hard for Sony to update Android in their own way as they have done with the PSP, should any issues arise. At the moment it's an update every 4-5 months.

Android is already fairly susceptible to rooting, so it could easily be cracked open for pirating.

 

Pricing I disagree with, I don't expect it to cost much more than current smartphones. And if so it would be only branding. I don't think it's going to be much more powerful than any other top of the line phone due early next year. So what do they tend to go for? About $500-$550? It's still stupidly high but it won't be the cost of Smartphone+PSP

 

Lack of a 2.0 device could be a set back.

 

I think the games are going to be a mix of PSP games, PSone games and their own beast. I don't think they'll make a device that would compete with the PSP2. It could and probably will be a stupid strategy but don't expect this to play PSP2 games.

 

 

My issue would be the games pricing, not the devices.

Very few if any games on the iPhone go past $10. Would Sony be willing to undermine the price of their PSP and PSP2 games to compete with iPhone game pricing? A $10 God of War game? While having Ghost of Sparta retailing for $30?

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  • 1 month later...

http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/13/the-sony-ericsson-xperia-play/

http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/13/sony-ericsson-touts-xperia-play-multiplayer-gaming-promises-50/

http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/13/live-from-sony-ericssons-mwc-2011-press-event/

 

Short n skinny:

  • Comes preloaded with a PSone game. No idea what, just it's "legendary" (Spyro?)
  • It'll have 50 games at launch from 20 publishers
  • Comes March to Verizon
  • Does hotspot wi-fi gaming
  • It seems some Android games are being ported to work with the buttons. Unsure if they're separate versions.

I still reckon they're messing up a bit by using a now underpowered phone. But I guess if it'll run the games without a hitch it makes the phone cheaper and more available. I can see this as the start of something good, cos Playstation Suite isn't limited to just the Play so any android manufacturer can get in on the action.

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How has no one bumped this yet?

 

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/13/xperia-play-pre-loaded-with-legendary-ps1-game-will-launch-wi/

 

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/13/xperia-play-in-u-s-in-early-spring-on-verizon-first/

 

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/13/xperia-play-video/

 

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/13/xperia-play-battery-life-specs/

 

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/13/xperia-play-press-conference/

 

I for one am not at all interested in a PSP2/NGP, but I want this Xperia Play (though the name is retarded). Course I don't have a smartphone yet, so for me it's more of a definite upgrade than it would be for someone who already has a smartphone.

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Right moved my stuff across to here then moved this to the Mobile section.

 

 

Just to hammer this home (Kind of mentioned it to Ethan on Twitter):

This isn't the only "Playstation Phone" that will ever exist, nor will there only ever be "Playstation Phones" from Sony Ericsson. Basically the part that makes this the "playstation phone" is the Playstation Suite App, which not only can be on other Androids (Some of which can come with the "Playstation Certified" logo you see in the bottom corner of the Play) but will also be on the NGP and in a later redacted statement on the PS3.

So the HTC Gamer is a possibility down the line. Nothing stopping manufacturers making Androids with joypads instead of keypads that slide out.

I guess what I'm saying is: If it interests you, hold out. There's better manufacturers than Ericsson for Androids. Or at least hold out on reviews a month down the line to see if they've improved.

 

Still with shit hot powerful Androids creeping out and Sony pushing this concept of phones with buttons it seems iPhone might not hold the gamer phone of choice much loner. Sony have quite a lot of clout and a pretty damn huge library they could exploit to really push this. It's just a question of them really pushing it. They'd have to bite the bullet and encourage other manufacturers to take the leap.

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Yeah the PS-suite thing is a bit dodgy, cos by the sounds of it PS Suite is on NGP too, so you'd assume PS Store n PS Suite transactions would cross over. It'd make folks more interested in the device if they already have a bunch of games for it. But I think part of it may be because PS Store and PS Suite games aren't always going to be the same. Thing is all you'd have to do is stick logos on games to indicate if they're PS Suite, PSP, PS3, NGP compatible., or make it so only the games you buy pop up on your device (like I'm sure the PSP PS Store doesn't show PS3 games)

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  • 1 month later...

Yeah with Engadget you kind of have to add in a bit of weighting to remove the negativity if it's not an Apple product.

From what they wrote the actual gaming part of the phone is pretty good. Just the genral guts don't measure up to the highest of high end Androids. So kinda depends what you want out of your phone. High powered device, or weaker but with dedicated gaming controls. Both will play games so that's not an issue, just controls. PS Suite isn't Xperia only. As far as I'm aware they're launching that alongside the phone on Friday.

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