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Playstation 4 Details and Quick Thoughts

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Dual Shock 4 Controller
Dual Shock 4 for the Sony Playstation 4

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “leave them wanting more” but the Playstation 4 announcement from Sony was lacking pretty much everything. Fortunately, we did get a little bit of information about the new console. So here is a quick breakdown of what we learned about the Playstation 4.

-The Playstation 4 is designed like a gaming PC and will feature a custom x86 CPU, custom PC graphics hardware that utilizes GDDR 5 (very fast memory), 8GB of Unified Memory, and of course a hard drive. All of these hardware choices were made in order to make it as developer friendly as possible, unlike the PS3 which is notoriously difficult to program for.

PS4GraphicsDemo
A rendering showing off the graphics capabilities of the Playstation 4.

-The new console will allow you to pause and instantly resume gameplay without having to wait for the console to boot up. It will go directly where you left off, much like sleep mode for your computer. This is a great feature and I can’t wait to see it in action.

-The new PS4 Controller has a touch pad and offers up a share button that quickly uploads your best or worst gameplay moments to social media. The new controller does feature a 3.5 mm headphone jack which confirms earlier rumors. There is an additional stereo camera system that will work with the Dual Shock 4 for added interaction with your favorite games; it reminds me of a larger version of the Wii(U) sensor bar. The top of the Dual Shock 4 has a light on top of it which looks similar to the  PS Move controller, this is what the camera system uses to track the controllers motion.

-The PS4 will be coming “Holiday 2013”

Unfortunately, that’s about all we know for right now and we never actually got to see the console it self. I don’t want to completely trash the new console and I know it hasn’t even been released yet, but I have to admit that I’m not blown away with the PS4. It feels a lot like a PS3.5 and not a PS4. The hardware is solid and it looks like it’s going to be the most powerful console this generation but it’s still missing that “WOW” factor. We will just have to wait for more details from Sony.

 

 

Sony’s Big Event is Tomorrow

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Well it’s been a few weeks since we heard about Sony’s big event, which is to take place tomorrow February 20th. Everyone is expecting to see the Playstation 4 and hopefully lots and lots of details.

We are obviously expecting the system to feature a cool new look along with enhanced graphics and processing power but a few other rumored features are expected to take the spotlight. One new feature we’re hoping to see is the ability to stream games. The gaming industry is slowly moving in this direction and I can clearly see why. The benefits of streaming a video game to a device are huge. For starters, it allows for advanced games with complex graphics to be played on simple devices like smartphones and tablets without the need for major processing power.

All of the work is done by the server, the device is merely a shell with a screen and some basic components.  It will also ensure that all users experience the same level of quality when playing a particular title. Developers will only have to make one version of their game for one platform and yet it will work on any device.

It’s not all good however. Streaming video games could eventually lead to the demise of the used game business. This is good for developers but bad for consumers, and not to mention businesses that rely on used games to make a profit.

Many rumors also talked about the exclusion of an optical drive but this seems unlikely as streaming and downloading full game content is just getting started. Another issue with an all-digital game system is the fact that many of us still lack enough bandwidth in our home internet connection to provide a reasonable and enjoyable experience.

We should also expect to see an improved social experience along with new control features like a possible touch screen on the new PS4 controller. Hopefully there will be some clarification on how backwards-compatibility will work, if at all. We may also see a price reduction on the Playstation Vita and hopefully the price on the new PS4. (expecting $350-$400)

We will provide updates tomorrow as soon as we can get them and process them, so check back with us to find out more!

Picture of Playstation 4 Controller Shows Up

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Possible Playstation 4 controller
Picture of a Possible Playstation 4 Controller (Source:Digital Foundry)

As we get closer and closer to February 20th, the date that Sony plans on announcing something special in New York, the Playstation 4 rumors continue to pop up all over the web.

An image has recently popped up that apparently shows the new Dual Shock controller for the Playstation 4. The image clearly shows a headphone jack located in the center of the bottom of the controller along with a new analog stick that looks to be slightly recessed. We kept hearing about a touchscreen or touchpad on the new PS4 controller and it seems to be pictured here in place of the start and select buttons.

This is one of the best looking controllers I have seen so far and hopefully it’s pretty close to the real thing, if it isn’t already the real thing. One small issue I have with the Playstation controller that I am hoping will be changed in the new Dual Shock is the left analog stick location. I believe it should be swapped with the d-pad, much like how the Xbox controller is set up. This image comes form Digital Foundry.

Sony Playstation 4 to be Announced Soon?

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Well we are just getting into the second month of the new year and the rumors are pouring in from everywhere in the tech world. There is a lot of buzz going on about the next generation of gaming consoles and to add even more into the mix, sources at the Wall Street Journal have mentioned that they believe Sony is planing on releasing the Playstation 4 before the end of 2013, they have also suggested that Microsoft will be doing the same with the next Xbox. All of this comes after Sony held a press event mentioning something big coming up.

To catch you up, the PS4 project is codenamed Orbis and is slated to utilize a 4x Dual-Core AMD64 “Bulldozer” processor and will also contain a next-gen AMD graphics processor with over 2GB of memory. Rumors have also suggested that both the PS4 and Xbox 720 will still have optical drives despite earlier rumors that mentioned them going to an all digital download system. Blu-Ray will remain the primary media for games on the PS4. The new console is likely to have new controllers and they will likely have a touchpad. Finally, Sony will likely incorporate a rich social experience into it’s next console in order to better compete with it’s competitors.

According to sources, the next Playstation will be unveiled sooner than originally thought in New York City on Feb. 20, 2013.

-Thanks to VG247–