Blackholes and Revelations

First update for a while, this is mainly down to all the work that has come with the other aspect of the media studies course the magazine part. Work in fact that i am going to do after ive finished this quick update.

Any way, a while back i posted a update how the playstation 3 was being used in a experiment know as 'folding at home'. Well what do you get with scientists and 16 PS3s?

You get scientists trying to simulate the collisions of two black holes. To be honest it is all very complicated how they are going about it, if you feel the need to hurt your brain see for your self here.

Good luck getting to grips with the 'Gravity Grid'. I just think its nice to see the PS3 being used for something that isn't gaming, or an immense media experience... or curing cancer.

RIP HD-DVD (Acronyms are taking over)

As the title suggests, the guys at Toshiba have decided to pull the plug on their HD-DVD campaign following a shock decision by Wal-Mart store to only cater for Blu-Ray discs and not distribute said HD-DVDs. This will allow Blu-Ray discs to be the next in line for home film technology as it will no doubt gently edge DVD out of the picture in the coming years.

Michael Bay, director of such films such as 'Transformers' backed Blue-Ray from the start and he had this to say - "Hahaha i told you all so!"

I don't Toshiba will be laughing about this as it is said to of cost them hundreds of millions of dollars to scrap production and step out of the format war.

Extension

This is mainly just a little extension from the last post about the whole format war fandango.

Found out today that Woolworths have become the first high street retailer to fully halt selling HD-DVDs in store.

Reasons for this are because Blue Ray discs outsold HD-DVDs 10 to 1 over the christmas period. This has been linked to the PlayStation 3;

“The main reason is the success of Sony’s PlayStation 3 machine. Because it plays Blu-Ray discs, there are over three quarters of a million homes in the UK that can view the new high definition format. There is nowhere near that number of HD-DVD players around."

For more information go here

Also the rumours that the 80 gb PS3's are being dropped are continuing, they are said to be dropped and replaced with 120-140 gb machines bundled with dual-shock 3 controllers.

Blue moooooon

Who remembers when DVDs first came out?
I do, i remember being like 'what the crap?! Whats wrong with video tapes?!' but in the end everyone turned to the DVD as the main means of home entertainment in terms of the film experience. The DVD was a lot more cutting edge than the chunky video tape and that can be identified easily just by visuals alone. The DVD had the capacity for more storage there fore more interactivity and content on, DVDs came with things such as 'interactive menus', 'special features' and 'bonus content'. Plus they were alot more reliable than the sage old tape, and one thing i personally loved, never having to rewind a film ^.^

The DVD has nestled in nicely in pretty much every home in the western world with DVD players converging with peripherals such as games consoles and computers.

But now on the eve of many other technological advance such as next-gen games consoles and LCD HDTV home entertainment systems, some clever sorts thought that the DVD has in fact become outdated and has for what ever reason seen the need to create a 1 up version of the DVD.
These come in the form of Blu-Ray Discs, and HD-DVDs.

Wikipedia (aka: God of all knowledge) defines blu-ray discs as;

"a high-density optical disc format for the storage of digital information, including high-definition video."

and HD-DVD as;

"is a high-density optical disc format designed for the storage of data and high-definition video."

Hmmm all seems rather similar, however both are locked in a 'format war' to determine which of the two formats will become the leading carrier for high-definition content to consumers.

After a quick google search i managed to find a few prices for the Blu-Ray players and HD-DVD players, because they are made by separate companies there would be no chance one would play the other...it would be like incest.

Any way a Blu-ray player would set you back from £899.99 to £300, infact the cheapest Blue Ray player at the moment is in fact the PlayStation 3, which still costs an arm and a leg.

And a HD-DVD player will set you back ermmm only around £500

A DVD player, £100 at the most. Bearing in mind, HD-DVDs and Blu-Ray discs are both also pricey compared to a normal DVD.

At this moment in time Blu-Ray is in fact on top with Blu-Ray players outselling HD-DVD players;

"New sales figures from the NPD group show Blu-ray taking nearly 93 percent of the market in the week ending January 12. Compare these figures to the week before Warner’s announcement, when there was a near 50-50 split between the two competing formats."

The reason for this is that distribution companies and studios such as Warner Bros. were in the process of deciding whether or not they would cater for both the formats and unfortunately for HD-DVDs they went with Blu-Ray. This gave other studios incentive to go exclusive for Blu-Ray as well as certain retailers. In other words, HD-DVD seems to have lost (for now, just in case they have a sudden explosion in sales and i would feel retarded for writing that, covering my you know), but being the ever nerdy gamer that i am it is possible to see how the format war with HD-DVD and Blu-Ray can have ricocheting effects on the console war between XBOX 360 and the PlayStation 3.
As Sony were the pioneers for the Blu-Ray discs the PS£ (haha see what i did there, unintentional as well) comes with a Blue Ray player built in already, how ever with the 360 Microsoft chose to go for HD-DVDs and instead of having it built in you have to shell out an extra 100 quid on an add on to play HD-DVDs, maybe thats why they system is so much cheaper than the PS3 but adding to the theory that the PS3 is 'future proof'. With a boost in sales as consumers are buying the PS3 as it is as said before the cheapest blue ray player on the market as far as im aware. Thus begging the question, will the 360 go blue? Apparently not, as Bill Gates says that discs are a thing of the past and that digital films will prevail. Sore loser.

To be honest ill still be buying DVDs regardless until i absolutely have to start getting blue rays, because as far as i can see theres no difference between a blue ray disc and an upscaled DVD to the untrained eye. Remember to get the full High-def experience you also need to buy a HD-TV as well...thus rendering you moneyless. Best bet is to just wait just like when the DVD first came out.

Hmmm...

In other news;

Apparently a third of all xbox's are prone to failures and sales of the systems have dropped by 2.3% which could be due to the dwindling 'halo effect'.

Sony are rumoured to be dropping their 80 gb version of the PS3 due to poor sales. This could be because people are just buying the cheaper 40 gb PS3s and then just upgrading their hard drives. This is because Sony have encouraged PS3 owners to 'mod' their systems, enabling them to buy hard drives and replacing it with the one already in the console. So you could go from 40 gb to 100 gb in ten minutes.

With the release of Grand theft auto 4 drawing ever closer (i believe it is being released in the UK during late april some time? Correct me if im wrong), news has arisen that there is to be 2 extra story lines exclusive for the 360 entitling 360 owners to hours upon hours of new game play. Lucky scamps.

Wahey!

Not much news in terms of Nintendo, their wii's are still selling well and questions about its longevity are still arising. And as for the Nintendo DS, thats the best selling gaming machine out.

So i give you a wiitarded (yes, i did just make that pun) comic.



Until next time.

Next Year.

2007 has been a monumental year for video games and the industry thanks to the release of the next-gen consoles that have gained so much attention in the years that they have began to come into their own.
First we have the xbox 360 released in 2005 it already had a year lead on its competitors, a improvement on the xbox which was dominated by the previous Playstation 2, Microsoft kicked back with this ass kicking piece of hardware that was set to give the Playstation 3 a run for its money, and as every gamer knows, has. Microsoft have had their fair share of pickles, such as 'the red ring of death', known and revered by every 360 owner. 360's were breaking down all over the world and were gaining a reputation for poor reliability and to solve this Microsoft splashed out a billion pound on a three year warranty on all 360's. Microsoft have released many versions of their machines to cater for all gamers;
- The xbox 360 Core, later replaced by the xbox 360 Arcade
- The xbox 360 Premium
- The xbox Elite
The 360 has had its fair share of decent exclusive games in the form of Gears of War, BioShock and ermm that other one, Halo which have been crucial in the 360's walk to the top.

Then we had the wii, Nintendo's stab at next gen gaming, released in 2006 it revolutionised the industry and audience by enabling wireless 'virtual' controls as well as the coming of age of the 'casual gamer'. The wii sold, and continues to sell massively with its large appeal to family and more 'kiddy' related aspects that have proved highly profitable. Is it just a gimmick, and if so, when will people grow tired of it? Games such as wii sports seem to be keeping people entertained for eternity.

Then comes the Playstation 3 launched in 2005, to a lukewarm reaction many complained that it only really appealed to hard core gamers. People were more interested in the shenanigans that happened in the lines queuing up to purchase the ps3's such as shooting and people demolishing the machines in front of impatient customers. Bundled with its relatively weak selection of launch titles things haven't exactly gone to plan for Sony this year. Any one who says other wise is a filthy liar. Losing out on significant exclusives such as Grand Theft Auto 4 to the 360 have pushed many people off the fence and onto the 360's garden.

But what does 2008 have to offer us. Surely enough the wii will come into stock and keep on selling. February the 10th will be a crucial day for Nintendo with the release of 'Super Smash Bro Brawl'. 'Brawls' predecessor 'Super Smash Bros Melee' was the highest selling game on the gamecube and is sure to top charts in the new year with its ability to appeal to the hardcore and causal gaming crowd. IF people do ever get bored of 'wii sports' there appetites are certainly going to be enticed next year with 'wii fit' which is set to be the next big thing. The release of the ever loved 'Mario Kart' will do wonders, because well who doesn't love Mario Kart? And its going to be online, it makes me want to get a wii. Sure they don't have many huge titles to be looking forward to but, 'too many cooks can spoil the brooth', apparently.

2006 and 2007 have been great years for Microsoft with over 100 games to pick and choose from, many of which are critically acclaimed. But ever since the halo-hype has died down Microsoft have not let on too much as to what expect next year, big 360 exclusives are hard to name at this time. 'Halo Wars' is set to keep halo fans happy with its strategy based take on the Haloverse, but will it appeal to the more casual gamers? Ninja Gainden 2 will be released, and as good a game as it is, it is not a console seller. Other large scale titles will also be appearing on the PS3: Burnout Paradise, Devil May Cry 4, Grand Theft Auto 4, Soul Calibur 4, and (by the grace of God) Resident Evil 5. But Microsoft just might have an ace up their sleeve; they could unleash 'Gears of War 2' just in time to boost Autumn sales as well as 'Fable 2'.

2008 seems to be a lush year for Sony with many exclusives to rely on, such as Metal Gear Solid 4 which has practically been piggy backing the ps3 for a while now. This is the game lots of off the fence gamers have been patient and have a lot riding on this excellent looking game so, no pressure Konami. The second installment of the first person shooter Killzone is set for release as well, titled 'Killzone 2' (woah didn't see that coming) and by the looks of it, is going well. It has wowed many people but is this finally Sony's answer to Halo? Gran Turismo, the most prestigious of racers, will hopefully grace the system with its fifth installment by the end of the year; a huge advantage. Finally Final Fantasy (see what i did there?) will burst onto the scene and bust open Asia. All these and a new Tekken, chances of a new Jak and Daxter as well as a Fian Fantasy spin-off entitled 'Final Fantasy VS'. The futures bright for the ps3.

All that coupled with Sony's very own 'Home', a free social networking like Sims. Sure hardcore gamers may hate it, but social parasites that thrive off MySpace and other web 2.0 application will love it. If the wii has taught us any thing, that is that stupid names sell...and that casual gamers are a large aspect of the gaming market. Sony are looking to encapsulate this with other titles such as 'LittleBigPlanet''.

Slowly but surely developers are starting to use the ps3 s the lead platform when releasing multi-platform games such as 'Devil May Cry 4' and 'Burnout Paradise' as developers claim it’s much easier to restructure a ps3 game opposed to a 360 game. This means that a few games might just be technologically superior when played on a Sony console. Will developers somehow harness the mythical full potential of the Playstation 3's Cell and significantly edge out the 360’s visual capabilities? Let’s say that does happen and you happen to own both consoles. What would you rather buy the games on, the one that is visually superior or the one that has 'achievements', baring in mind that Sony 'Home' will be releasing player 'trophies' to cater for the OCD ridden lot of us in that you have to get every possible achievement.

From that Sonys future seems to be getting brighter by the day. Nintendo's may not look extravagant but one should never underestimate the selling power of a brand name. Think 'ipod'. Sony seems set to do better in the 360 feud as it is more of a multi purpose machine. Microsoft xbox live still runs rings around Sony's Playstation network which is set keep the 360 going steady along with exclusive content to games such as GTA4.

On paper the ps3 seems set to make up for what it failed to achieve in 2007-success. I'd put my money on the ps3 narrowly getting the advantage over the 360 in 2008.

Only time will tell....or fortune tellers.

In other news!

- A ps3 firmware update is set for tomorrow. This will enable DivX playback to counter the 360's.
- GTA4 is apparently related to violence against prostitutes...who knows why.
- Problems UK 360 owners have experienced when renting movies through Xbox LIVE have been "all but cleared up" according to Microsoft.
- wii 2 will apparently not use hand held controllers, instead they will just use sensory cameras located around the room.
- Sony dominating standalone blue-ray dvd sales
- PS3 soon to be able to link to phones to do God knows what.

The Interet founder and his thoughts.

Chairman Markey, Ranking Member Upton, and Members of the Committee. It is my honor to appear before you today to discuss the future of the World Wide Web. I would like to offer some of my experience of having designed the original foundations of the Web, what I've learned from watching it grow, and some of the exciting and challenging developments I see in the future of the Web. Though I was privileged to lead the effort that gave rise to the Web in the mid-1990s, it has long passed the point of being something designed by a single person or even a single organization. It has become a public resource upon which many individuals, communities, companies and governments depend. And, from its beginning, it is a medium that has been created and sustained by the cooperative efforts of people all over the world.
The special care we extend to the World Wide Web comes from a long tradition that democracies have of protecting their vital communications channels. We nurture and protect our information networks because they stand at the core of our economies, our democracies, and our cultural and personal lives. Of course, the imperative to assure the free flow of information has only grown given the global nature of the Internet and Web. As a Federal judge said in defense of freedom of expression on the Internet:
The Internet is a far more speech-enhancing medium than print, the village green, or the mails.... The Internet may fairly be regarded as a never-ending worldwide conversation.[1]
The three crucial factors of the World Wide Web that got it where it is today are:
A. Universal linking: Anyone can connect to anyone, any page can link to any page B. Open Foundation for Information-driven Innovation C. Separation of Layers to allow simultaneous but autonomous innovation to occur at many levels all at once
One of the main reasons the internet has got where it is today is how easy it is to make a web page. Basically a web page is just standard HTML and the web is just a collection of all these web pages linked together
How ever
The Web is Not Complete
The Web is by no means finished.
The Web, and everything which happens on it, rest on two things: technological protocols, and social conventions. The technological protocols, like HTTP and HTML, determine how computers interact. Social conventions, such as the incentive to make links to valuable resources, or the rules of engagement in a social networking web site, are about how people like to, and are allowed to, interact.
So how do we plan for a better future, better for society?
We ensure that that both technological protocols and social conventions respect basic values. That Web remains a universal platform: independent of any specific hardware device, software platform, language, culture, or disability. That the Web does not become controlled by a single company -- or a single country.


My Response

This is a very insightful article from the man himself who has given us the internet. The entity that we all know and love. The basis of what he is saying is that the internet has got to where it is today because we, the users have been pushing it there. Simple knowledge, the introduction of web 2.0 and social networking has sparked a boom in the internet where every one who’s any one has their own web page enabling people to contact people any where on the planet as long as they have an internet connection.

But I ask you, do you not think that the internet will falter humanities progress? How often have you found yourself sitting down to do home work then slowly but surely dragging the curser over to the internet to type in www.myspace.com. I for one can say, many a time. Hell im surprised im not on Myspace now to be honest. With the internet come many advantages, such as a boost in communication, knowledge and technological design. But it also comes with its bad points. Such as the lack of proper conversation, Myspace comments, don’t exactly count, people losing their grips on reality as they act as hermits playing the latest expansion pack to the MMORPG World of Warcraft and downloading copyrighted content are some of the cons of the net.



So with the good comes the bad. No doubtedly the internet will constantly expand maybe with out us in the future.

Alex out!

This is getting silly

Ever since both Microsoft's xbox 360 and Sony's Playstation 3 came out fanboys everywhere have been fighting (over the internet of course) over what one is better and at doing what etc etc.

As everyone in this field knows, at the moment 360 in my opinion has the upper hand on ps3 as it has such a wide selection of games and exclusives to choose from. The ps3 at the moment, hasn't. People who have one are just having to be patient. And if that wasn't bad enough the ps3 has lost some of its appeal by losing out on crucial exclusives such as the ever epic Grand Theft Auto franchise to the 360, effectively swaying people more to the 360. It gets worse for Sony. Rockstar have announced that the first 2 additional downloadable content packages for GTA4 will be exclusive for the 360.
:|

But the one thing that most critics agree on is that the ps3 is infact the superior media hub, this has been due to many reasons, from large, such as the ps3's blue ray disc player, to petty, such as the 360's cooling fan being louder that a swarm of very....very angry bumble bees.
Never the less the ps3 always had the upper hand. But yesterday, (or was it the day before, i forget) the 360 launched a firmware update enabling the 360 to support DivX codec as well as a Video On Demand service. This is one of Sony's problems as the ps3 at the moment only supports mp4 formated videos, those of which, no one seems to use.
Hmmmm.

But, PlayStation 3, is going digital.
PlayTV, is to be the new digital TV service released by Sony in early 2008.
It consists of a combined Freeview (DVB-T) TV tuner and Personal Video Recorder (PVR) for the PlayStation 3. Next gen or what.
This new fancy piece of kit will enable ps3 owners to watch, pause, and record live TV by recording the programmes to the console's hard drive. Conveniently, you'll also be able to transfer those recordings to your PSP handheld for watching while on the move. If yur into that kinda stuff.
Designed to reinforce the ps3 as the media hub king and reinstate its place in the family room.
Think of a sky+ box, that just happens to play games and music as well.



Is the Ps3 future proof?

Click the title for more.

The Future of Video Games?

With next-gen gaming ignorance would have us believe that the gaming would obviously get better, and it has. Except for one thing.

Patches.

Patches are basically 'add ons' to games or a gaming system, it is a small piece of software that is designed to either update a game or fix problems. This includes fixings bugs, frame rate and graphic problems etc etc

Those without a next-gen console may be thinking, 'what the hell? I've never had to get one of those before!'. Thats because you haven't ever needed them, games were released FINISHED, glitch free! What you expect really. Thus comes the down side to patches. I fear that game developers will get lazy, release games 90% finished and then just 'patch' them up a few weeks later. Who the hell wants to shell out 40-50 quid on an unfinished game, and wait for it to be polished off. I for one, do not. It seems that the gaming industry are just taking us for fools. I just hope this does not become a regular occurrence.

This is certainly the case for many games on sale at the moment, Ubisofts much anticipated 'Assassin's Creed' (hailed as one of the iconic next-gen games to come) was released a few weeks back to much joy. How ever when gamers got their copy of it home and fired it up many told of how the game froze, the screen whited out, the frame rate was slow. This has considerably effected the games reputation in the media and amongst gamers and is quickly becoming one of the biggest disappointments in games of the year regardless of achieving global success in game charts. Ubisoft have reacted to these problems and are expectedly, 'releasing a patch'.
Why not just finish the game off properly...?

“We can confirm that we are actively working on a game update,” a Ubisoft spokesperson stated. “This update will help improve the stability of the game and will be released as soon as possible. In the meantime thank you for your ongoing feedback and patience.”

Hmmmm...

The same goes for many other games, such as Pro Evolution Soccer: 2008. Hailed for its remarkable game play. Unfortunately the "geniuses" at Konami seemed to forget the online mode. Sadly it is plagued with lag issues. You could be playing some one from America, running down the wing with ermm [insert football players name] determined to score cos your sick to death of them calling it soccer then BOOM! The game freezes for a second and the ball is in the back of your net. Fail. Again this is a severe thorn in the side as it makes online play almost unplayable with out wanting to smash your controller. Unless of course, your winning :)

"Konami Digital Entertainment has uncovered issues which can affect the online gameplay? quality of PES 2008 on PLAYSTATION 3. We are working at full strength to find a solution as quickly as possible. We sincerely apologise for this inconvenience. Further announcements will be made as soon as we have additional details."

That doesn't excuse the poor front cover.



What were they thinking :|

In other news

The 'wii' is selling on eBay for up to 400-600 £/$ , :O

The PS3 sales have apparently increased by 300%.

Blue Ray is outselling HD DVDs.

Dualshock 3 controllers have been released abroad. Rumble and sixAxis \o/

Until next time.

Nintendo- 'Wii are in trouble'

It appears that Nintendo has become a victim of their own success.

Ive heard so many figures and stats from wii owners of how it has outsold PS3 by like 3 times in the first year. Yeah, well, HA. Nintendo have run out of wii hardware. Needless to say 'Sony' saw the wounded wii (alliteration ftw) and pounced on it like a cat and cut the price of the ps3.

Two weeks later PS3 have announced they have now sold 100, 000 PS3's in seven days! I mean i thought God creating the Earth in seven days was a big deal. But 100, 000! Damn.

This marks the PS3's first birthday and have sold 5.6 million units worldwide.

Click the title as usual for the full article.

In other news, the man behind the xbox and the 'Zune', has hinted at a new type of convergence for the two devices. So i guess thats good for all those 'Zune' fans out there, all 3 of you.

Comprehension for Vodafones 'MusicStation'

Record labels are predicting that this month's launch of three new mobile phone music services will usher a return of rising sales after years of decline.

Apple's music-playing iPhone grabbed the headlines with its arrival in Britain last week. But music executives are just as excited about the new unlimited downloads service launched on Vodafone. Nokia, the world's largest maker of mobile phones, has also opened a digital music store here.

The world's biggest music company, Universal, is backing the MusicStation, the Vodafone service. Rob Wells, head of digital at Universal's international division, predicts the £1.99-a-week subscription service will have mass market appeal. "We are at a turning point in the UK," he says, predicting digital music sales here could offset falling CD sales within a year.

Global sales have been falling since 2000, down another 5% to $19.6bn (£9.4bn) last year, according to industry group IFPI. Although digital sales are rising fast, at a tenth of the total market, they have yet to make up for tumbling CD sales.

There are already indications that mobile music sales are picking up in the UK. The Orange UK network says its music sales jumped 70% over the past six months and it expects them to double by the end of 2007.

They expect the UK mobile music market to almost double from a predicted $83m this year to $156m in 2011. Four out of 10 UK mobiles can now play music.

There are hopes handsets will improve further from a music-playing perspective thanks to the iPhone. At £269 with an 18-month O2 contract, Apple's handset is not seen by the record labels as a big driver of revenues but it has been credited with raising the bar for phone manufacturers.

Jonathan Arber, analyst at telecoms experts Ovum, agrees, users want more simplicity in terms of being able to play what they buy across various devices. That is already happening with developments such as Sony Ericsson's Walkman phones, which synchronise with computers, he says.

1. What is it known as when companies mix 2 different applications such as phones and music players?

2. Will this service be good for CD sales or not? Why?

3. Who is this new service and new type of walkman phone primarily aimed at?

4. Why do you think CD sales have plummeted and sales of ‘digital’ mp3’s have boomed?

Playstation Threeeee

As i have already said, recently i got my self a 60 gb ps3 over a xbox 360.
And damn i am glad.
As soon as i got it out of the box you could just see it was made of win. Yes, it was bloody heavy, but o so shiny.
Plugged it in and off i went! Well kind of, that was after i went to 'Currys' and bought an extra 4 scart ports i didn't need dressed as a..person who dresses really stupidly.

When i plugged it in and it all got to work properly, i noticed some thing, it would not stop updating itself! I sat there for a good ermm 15 minutes waiting for it to update with the latest firmware. Days later i found out that the update was released on that day i got the ps3 and i was lucky as other stupider ps3 owners had been waiting a year for it
:D
I plugged in my ipod into one of the four usb ports and within 10 minutes i had all my music on it ready to go. Tested a blue ray dvd i got with it. Came out in black and white :| as i do not have a HD TV. What a con i thought. But still...this machine can deflect bullets....
With the new firmware came a series of new themes and abilities to change the back ground to the XMB screen (XMB- Cross Media Bar, the colours of which change with the time of day :O if wanted that is). Plugged in pro evo 2008 and off i went! Game wise it is quality. What i expected and more. Online, it is quality, what i expected and more. I was online within the day, easily, sooo sooo easily! Downloading demos from future games, its the mutts nutts! So after a few hours of hardc0re gaming i thought, 'this is living, how can it get any better?'

Alas! The ps3 read my mind and i give you, 'Playstation Home'

Basically, what it is is, 'The Sims' online really. If any one has ever heard of the PC game 'second life' it is like that, but free :D
What you do is sign up and what not, create a character avatar, get given your own online 'apartment' (how sad, yet o so great is that) and you can customise your apartment, adding in furniture that you can buy from the 'Playstation Store' or gain by completing certain games. Same with the look of your character, you can change its wardrobe with different clothes from default options, the store and/or completing games. People who enter each other's "homes" can stream the host's music and videos from their HDD. Videos are viewed via virtual Sony TV's, such as the BRAVIA. As well, pictures can be viewed via a virtual picture frame.
At the time being on release you will be able to play things such as pool and bowling with your totally real and not fake online buddies. But in the future Sony looks to integrate cinemas and live events such as sports and even concerts.

Communication will also be a doodle. You can use blue tooth head sets, USB keyboards, on screen keyboards and use emoticons like on msn.

It is scheduled to be released in Spring 2008. And after that, you'll never need to leave your house again.


Click the title for Wikipedia's all knowing view on it.

HAIL!