DivX to be Added to PlayStation 3
DivX said Tuesday that its codecs will be added to Sony's PlayStation 3, allowing the device to play back videos in the format. The company said it is currently working to certify the console to play DivX, although gave no time frame as to when the PS3 will be certified. Currently about 100 million certified devices have already been shipped to the market, and the PS3 is expected to "significantly expand that number."
A separate software update enabling DivX playback capabilities will be released in the "near future," the company said. Additionally, developers will be able to use the technologies within their games thanks to the addition of DivX to version 2 of the PS3 SDK. That was released by Sony on November 2.
40GB PlayStation 3 Coming to US?
While Sony is remaining cagey about whether it will bring the 40GB PlayStation 3 to the United States, Target appears to have let the cat out of the bag. The company's inventory systems are reporting the lower-cost model will arrive on October 28 with a price tag of $399 USD.
Sony has already launched the 40GB PS3 in Europe and Japan, which will replace the phased out 60GB model. The company hopes the lower $399 price will drive sales by those who aren't willing to pony up $599 for the high-end model. But the low cost comes with a big caveat: the 40GB PS3 does not offer backward compatibility for PS2 games, nor the memory card port.
Sony Stakes Its Bet on 60 GB PlayStation 3 in North America
In a statement to the gaming press yesterday, Sony Computer Entertainment spokesperson Dave Karraker acknowledged reports - apparently based on statements from resellers in the field - that his company will discontinue manufacturing the 20 GB version of PlayStation 3 for North America, concentrating instead on the 60 GB edition.
"Due to the overwhelming demand for the 60 GB model from both retailers and consumers," Karraker told reporters, "we have ceased offering the 20 GB model here in North America...Based on retailer and consumer feedback, we have decided to focus our current efforts on the more popular 60 GB model."
Sony Preparing 80GB PlayStation 3
Regulatory filings indicate that Sony is planning to release a model of the PlayStation 3 that would include and 80GB hard drive in the near future. Due to changes within the Bluetooth module, the company was required to file an application to request permission to release it within the US with the FCC, which controls products that transmit or receive radio frequencies.
Sony is not commenting on the existence of the updated PS3, or whether the new model would replace one of the currently available consoles that come in 20GB and 60GB versions. Speculation is rife that the decision may have something to do with the current market conditions for HDDs, where smaller drives are becoming more expensive and mid-sized capacity drives continue to get cheaper.
Sony Unveils 'PlayStation Home' Service
Sony is betting its latest creation, PlayStation Home, will help to quell criticism that the console falls far behind its rivals in online support.
Executives for the company announced the service at the Game Developers Conference Wednesday during a keynote address. Sony is banking on the new offering, to be available globally in the fall, as a way to differentiate itself from its competitors.
Analysis: Making Up Sony's PlayStation 3 Sales Gap
In examining the margins between Sony's end-of-2006 sales goals for PlayStation 3 and the actual numbers reported this morning by NPD Group - the accounting for which, Sony told BetaNews today, makes sense if you count those PS3s still on trucks - Parks Associates analyst Michael Cai told BetaNews there could be more serious factors at play...or at work.
There were several factors behind Sony's debacle, said Michael Cai, an analyst with Parks Associates.
PlayStation 3 Barely Eclipses Two-Thirds of Sales Goals
The December sales numbers from industry analyst firm NPD Group for game consoles have just come in, and they aren't pretty. Sony, beset by supply problems, reduced its initial August prediction of 2 million down to 750,000, and in the end didn't even make that - the company sold 490,700 units in the US in December, for a total of 687,300 since launch.
Of the season's new game consoles, Microsoft's Xbox 360 was the leader, with 1.1 million sold in December for a total of 4.5 million since launch, with Nintendo's Wii following with 604,200 in December and a total of 1.1 million since launch.
Did the PlayStation 3 Truly Launch on Friday?
Certainly it was an event that merited coverage on a national scale. The top three events on morning TV news programs this morning were the Senate debates over how to proceed in Iraq, the infighting among the new Democrat majority in the House, and the lines outside electronics stores full of people waiting for a chance to purchase a Sony PlayStation 3.
But unlike a big movie premiere, where hundreds stand in line for hours knowing they definitely will get what they came for that night, prospective PS3 customers could not be assured of fulfilling their wishes. Nor, as it turned out, was everyone waiting specifically because they wanted to be the first to play the PS3. As television and newspaper sources - including the San Jose Mercury News - both discovered easily, and to their amazement, some of the first in line were bragging about how much they'd be able to reap after they turn around and hock their newly purchased wares on eBay.
PlayStation 3 Loses as Much as $307 Per Unit Sold
In its highly anticipated teardown analysis of the initial production run of Sony's PlayStation 3, being introduced this week in Japan and North America, technology analysis firm iSuppli confirms what many -- including financial analysts at Merrill Lynch and elsewhere -- had suspected as far back as last February: For each 60 GB PS3 model sold in the US for a retail price of $599, Sony loses an estimated $241.35; and for each 20 GB model sold for $499, the manufacturer loses $306.85 (assuming loss from the retail price).
Keep in mind that these are retail prices we're mentioning. Although margins for video game consoles are believed to be razor-slim, Sony is actually earning less in revenue than $499 and $599.
Sony: Celebrities Like the PlayStation 3
Because consumers apparently follow what celebrities do, Sony last night held an invitation-only party to let Hollywood's hottest young stars play the PlayStation 3 before its official launch on November 17. The company also showed off the Blu-ray disc capabilities of the new console.
Largely an excuse to take photographs of actors and musicians trying out the PS3, Sony held the event in Beverly Hills and invited the likes of David Arquette, Nick Cannon, James Franco, Nicole Richie, and, of course, Paris and Nicky HIlton. Diddy, formerly Puff Daddy, gave a special concert to the A-listers at the end of the night. Microsoft held a similar event for the launch of the Xbox 360 last year.
Sony Announces PlayStation 3 Pricing
Sony late Monday solidified its commitment to release the PlayStation 3 this fall in North America, announcing a release date of November 17 as well as pricing on two models to be made available at launch. Also as expected, the next-generation console will debut with a steep price tag.
A PS3 model with a 20GB HDD will retail for USD $499 USD, while a 60GB version will set the gamer back USD $599 USD. However, it's likely that most gamers will opt for the more expensive console, as the basic model is missing several key features.
Sony Drops Price of PlayStation 2
Sony said Thursday that it would drop the price of the PlayStation 2 to $129.99 USD in an effort to keep consumer demand high as it races to complete its next generation console. The company plans to release the PlayStation 3 in November of this year.
To date, the electronics maker has sold some 101 million consoles and over a billion game titles. It also enjoys a 56 percent market share in the U.S., double that of its nearest competitor, Nintendo. It also remains the most popular platform in every major market, including North America, Europe and the PAL markets, and Japan and Asia.
Sony's PlayStation 3 Up Close
Although it's six months behind Microsoft's Xbox 360 and demoed no actual PlayStation 3 games at E3, Sony did give BetaNews a peek at their next generation console. The sleek design comes in three colors, although a Sony representative stressed that everything was still conceptual -- especially the wireless controller -- and designs may change before the PS3's official debut.
Sony PlayStation 3 Unveiled
Sony released details of its upcoming gaming console, PlayStation 3, at a reception at Sony Pictures in Culver City on Monday afternoon. The announcement follows last week's unveiling of Microsoft's Xbox 360 and the expected announcement of a new Nintendo console on Tuesday.
Through several demos, the company showed a major advance in gaming from the PlayStation 2, including a boxing game demo from EA Sports so life-like that when punches were thrown one could clearly see the skin of the boxer ripple from the punch.
Sony Ordered to Stop PlayStation Sales
Sony said Monday that a court has upheld an earlier ruling by a California jury and ordered the company to halt sales of its PlayStation videogame console.
The intellectual property lawsuit brought by Immersion Corp. covers technology used to make a controller to vibrate during game play, which Immersion claims Sony copied without permission.
Recent Headlines
Most Commented Stories
Betanews Is Growing Alongside You
Only a fool still uses Windows 7
© 1998-2025 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy.