PlayStation Store Celebrates 10th Anniversary With A Sale

This month marks 10 years since Sony launched the PlayStation 3 and with it their very own online store. To celebrate, Sony has announced they will be offering up discounts on several of your favorite iconic game and movies titles in a massive two-week “PlayStation Store 10th Anniversary Sale.” The sale will feature some of the biggest hits from the past 10 years and will cover the PS4, PS3, and PS Vita.

Games can be had for up to 60% off for none PS+ members and up to 70% off for PS+ Members. Game titles can be found from almost any gaming genre and include several top titles. The full list is available on the PlayStation Blog:

Example game deals (less w/ PS+ membership):

• Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy (PS4) $24.49
• The Heavy Rain & BEYOND: Two Souls Collection (PS4) $19.99
• Far Cry 4 + Zombi Bundle (PS4) $29.99
• Wild Arms 3 (PS4) $5.99
• Rogue Galaxy (PS4) $5.99
• XCOM: Enemy Unknown Plus (PS Vita) $6.99
• Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories or Vice City on PS3 (PS2 CLASSIC) $3.99
• Metal Gear Solid VR Missions (PSONE CLASSIC) $2.99

Movie Titles:

• Man Of Steel (2013) $8.99/6.99
• Taken Trilogy $23.99
• Wolverine Double Feature $17.99
• 21 Jump Street $9.99

Sony’s initial deals will run from now until 8 a.m. PT on Nov. 15, at which point a new set of discounts will go live for the second week of the sale. To recognize and acknowledge those who have been with PlayStation Network from the very beginning, members with accounts of 9.5 years or more will receive an exclusive PS4 avatar. Details will be sent to those eligible via email. Additionally, there is a special edition 10th Anniversary PS3 and PS4 theme for all. You can download those here: PS4, PS3.

Sony Drops PlayStation 4 Price to $349

Sony is giving gamers an early holiday present with the announcement of a pre-holiday price cut on the PS4. According to today' post, starting tomorrow, October 9th, you gaming geeks out there will be able to pick up the PS4 starting at the new price of $349.99 USD / $429.99 CAD (MSRP).

In addition to the $50 price cut for basic systems and lower priced bundles, you'll also see price cuts to some of Sony's other more popular bundles in the near future as shown below.

Clearly Sony is hoping that these price cuts will entice gamers looking for hot deals for the holidays to join the PlayStation family. Unless otherwise noted the cheaper consoles are expected to be the standard 500GB units and this price cut is presumed to be permanent, not for the holidays only.

“Our goal at PlayStation has always been to offer the best place to play at a compelling value to gamers,” said Shawn Layden, president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America. “We’re continuing to deliver on that commitment with this new price for PS4, making the console even more accessible to a broader audience this holiday. With highly anticipated games like Call of Duty: Black Ops III and Star Wars Battlefront launching soon and blockbuster exclusives like Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End on the horizon, there has never been a better time to join the PS4 community.”

PlayStation Plus Free Games For October 2015

The rewards for PlayStation Plus members are stacking up, with loads and loads of new free games each month. This month Sony promises the PS Plus lineup will have a great mix of flavors with games from several different genres! Starting on the first Tuesday of the month, a new lineup of free games comes to PlayStation Plus members.

For October 2015 we will see new games released on Tuesday the 6th and those games will including the following:

• Super Meat Boy, PS4, PS Vita
• Broken Age, PS4, PS Vita
• Unmechanical: Extended, PS4, PS3
• Chariot, PS3
• KickBeat, PS3, PS Vita
• Kung Fu Rabbit, PS3, PS Vita

Unfortunately Sony has also announced that Driveclub PlayStation Plus Edition will no longer be available as a free download for Plus members starting on October 6th, 2015. If you haven’t downloaded it yet, be sure to go to PlayStation Store and get it now! For more details or to sign up for a PlayStation Plus membership, check the official page on PlayStation.com (it will update soon).

PlayStation Plus Members Vote For Your Next Free to Play Game

A newly announced program by Sony offers PlayStation Plus members the chance to vote on which games they want as a 'Free to Play' for the coming month. This new program, dubbed Vote to Play, offers gamers the chance to chose between a few different options, with the game receiving the most votes being added to the monthly line-up of free downloadable titles that PlayStation Plus members already receive as a perk for membership.

Sony will officially be kicking off the new program this week and accordingly has has announced the three titles that will be released, which include Armello, Zombie Vikings, or Grow Home as well as brief introduction trailers for each one with their respective developers explaining what their games are all about; you can watch those below.

Armello

A grim fairy-tale board game come to life, combining deep, tactical card play, rich tabletop strategy, and RPG elements. Set in a vibrant magical world with a tinge of darkness, Armello thrusts players into an epic struggle for power as they quest, scheme, explore, vanquish monsters, perform the mad king’s royal edicts, and face off against other players, with one ultimate end goal in mind — storming the palace and becoming King or Queen of Armello.

Grow Home

You play BUD (Botanical. Utility. Droid), a robot on a mission to find the Star Plant and save his planet. Discover a strange open-world: a planet of floating islands, with precipitous drops, caves and waterfalls to navigate, all rendered in a minimalist but beautiful art style. Grow the giant Star Plant and use your unique climbing abilities to reach ever higher ground, but be careful as you ascend because one wrong move and it’s a long way down!

Zombie Vikings

From the creators of last year’s indie hit Stick It to The Man! comes a new co-op, four-player stab-you-in-the-gut-a-thon with a dead-funny adventure. Hack through the boiling gingerbread swamps of Molgaga, take a cruise through the intestines of the Midgaard Serpent, fight giant troll poultry, and find out how Söccer was really invented.

Voting begins at 8:30 AM PDT on Thursday, August 13. If you're a Plus subscriber, you can cast your vote by accessing Vote to Play from the PlayStation Store's Plus section on PS4, or through the What's New or Notifications areas of the PS4 dashboard. Voting will continue until August 24 at 8:30 AM, with a winner being announced sometime after that. Whichever game wins will be free for Plus members throughout September, who will also be able to get the other two games at a discount.

If you don’t already have a PlayStation Plus account and would like to learn more on the benefits of PlayStation Plus, such as the Instant Game Collection, access to online multiplayer on PS4, exclusive member discounts, cloud game saves and more, click here.

PlayStation Plus Members Get These Games Free For May

Sony has announced another collection of great games that will be available for free of charge to all PlayStation Plus members to download this month. As always the collection features a wide variety of gaming genres with some popular titles mixed with a couple maybe lesser known games.

All the games listed below will be available for subscribers starting next week on May 5 when the PlayStation Store refreshes. If you haven't already done so, now is a good time to download April's free games.

PlayStation 4

• Ether One
• Guacamelee Super Championship Turbo Edition
• Race the Sun
• Hohokum
• The Unfinished Swan

PlayStation 3

• Hohokum
• Race the Sun
• The Unfinished Swan

PlayStation Vita

• Hohokum
• Murasaki Baby
• Race the Sun
• The Unfinished Swan

PlayStation Plus has been a big hit with gamers since its launch last year. The membership program which can be joined for as little as $5/mo with a yearly subscription, or $9.99 for a month to month basis, offers gamers not only free games each month but discounts on titles, free online games saves and other features.

Folding@Home Now Lets Your Smartphone Cure Diseases While You Sleep

For most of the world, when you sleep your electronics do too. However, for those of us that are geeky enough to know you know that doesn't have to be the case. Thanks to some amazing distributed computing projects you can use those 'sleeping' devices to actually do some really important work!

Distributed computing uses the power of a network of connected devices to spread out the workloads needed to solve computational problems. One such problem is that of protein folding, which happens in only a few milliseconds, too fast for even the most powerful lab computer. While the immediate answer might be "build a more powerful computer", another solution is the more efficient use of building a DC project. Folding@Home is one such project.

While we are all aware of the raw computing power of our PCs, devices like your Sony PS3 actually pack a great deal of computing prowess. For years Folding@Home users have connected these devices to the distributed computing network to help Stanford University scientists studying Alzheimer's, Huntington's, Parkinson's, and many cancers by simply running a piece of software on their devices.

Now, thanks to a partnership between Sony and  Dr Vijay Pande, a doctor in biology and structural chemistry at Stanford, and a key member of the Folding@Home team – the collective power stored in your smartphone can be used to dramatically speed up the fight against diseases like Alzheimer’s.

The team hopes that the new Folding@Home Android app will significantly reduce the time needed to conduct their research. “In order to publish a new paper, something that represents a genuine step forward, we would need about 150,000 “phone – days”, according to Dr. Pande that’s one phone running 24/7. Split that up amongst 10,000 phones though and all of a sudden you’re looking at two weeks.

For now, the beta version of the Folding@Home Android app will only be compatible with Sony Xperia Z series smartphones as well as the Xperia T3, T2 Ultra, M2 Aqua and C3. It is available for download from Google Play here. Following the initial Beta release, it will be made available for all smartphones running Android 4.4 and above early in 2015.

For those of you that are looking for more information or would like to use your PC or PS3 checkout the Folding@Home Wiki or the Folding@Home main site. If like me you are a Samsung owner and want your phone to 'do good while it sleeps' you can checkout the Samsung Power Sleep app which is a similar project backed by Samsung and the University if Vienna.

Source: Sony Mobile Communications

PlayStation Plus Members Get Six Free Games to Kick Off 2015

Sony's PlayStation Plus subscription service has been a hit amongst gamers and for good reason. Last year alone gamers were given the opportunity to snag 71 free titles worth almost $1400. Not bad for an optional subscription which costs $49.99 when purchased annually.

For those that didn't get in on last year's freebies there is no time like the present! To kick off 2015 Sony has officially released the list of free games you gaming geeks can snatch up for January starting on Tuesday January 6, 2015.

There is a great mix of games for each of their three platforms with a great mix of a little something new and a few older classics.

• PlayStation 4: Infamous: First Light and The Swapper
• PlayStation 3: The Swapper, Prototype 2, DuckTales Remastered and Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition
• On PS Vita, Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition and Woah Dave

inFAMOUS: First Light, is a standalone expansion to inFamous: Second Son that outlines the backstory of the troubled conduit, Fetch. The Swapper, is a highly reviewed puzzle game that allows gamers to solve puzzles in an attempt at exiting a space station. Prototype 2 is the sequel to Radical Entertainment’s best-selling open-world action adventure game of 2009. Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition is the definitive compilation of the landmark first-person shooter that includes enhanced versions of Duke Nukem 3D and three classic expansion packs, as well as the original version of the classic game.

If you want to see these titles in action, check out the video below.

Warning: Sony Recalls VAIO Flip PC Laptops Due to Fire Danger

Due to the potential fire danger and risk of harm to consumers, Sony and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, have issued a serious warning to consumers who have purchased Sony's VAIO Flip PC laptops with model number SVF11N13CXS. Owners of this laptop should immediately stop using the device, shut it down, unplug it and contact Sony for instructions on how to return the product for a free repair or a full refund.

According to the alert Sony is aware of at least four incidents, which occurred in Asia, of computers overheating, resulting in units smoking, catching on fire and melting. No injuries have been reported.

Affected laptops were sold via Sony retail stores nationwide and online at www.store.sony.com from February 2014 to April 2014 for about $800.

The computers were sold in three colors silver, black and pink. They have a Panasonic-manufactured lithium-ion battery and a folding touch screen that measures about 11.6 inches diagonally and a backlit keyboard. The VAIO logo is etched on the outer top of the computer, near the hinge. The model and serial numbers are printed on a black label with white lettering on the underside of the screen. To locate the label, consumers should open the computer, move the switch from the lock to the release position and flip the display.

Consumers who believe they own one of these units can contact Sony toll-free at (866)702-7669 anytime or online at www.sony.com and click on the Support tab, then on Electronics and then on Product Support. Once on the Product Support site, click on the Computers & Tablets tab, then on VAIO Laptops & Desktops and scroll down to Product Alerts for more information.

PlayStation Plus Members Get Access To Up To 6 Free Games Each Month

Sony is making some major changes to the way the way the company offers up free PlayStation Plus games. The new program, announced today, will kick off in June and will offer PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita users the ability to download two free titles from the PlayStation Store each month.

June will bring six new free games to Plus members. PS4 owners will get Trine 2: Complete Story, the puzzle platformer from Frozenbyte, and PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate, the twin-stick shooter from Q-Games. On PS3, Plus subscribers will be treated to Visual Concepts' NBA 2K14 and Sanzaru Games' Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time. And PS Vita owners will receive Renegade Kid's Mutant Mudds Deluxe and Engine Software's port of Re-Logic's Terraria.

Checkout June's free titles in the video below:

Starting in July, every title in the Instant Game Collection will be available the first Tuesday of the month, and will be free for the month, until the first Tuesday of the following month, taking the guesswork out of how long the game will be available for free. In the coming weeks, you’ll see that several of the titles that have had a nice, long stint in the Instant Game Collection will be phased out, so if you’re new to the service and haven’t had a chance to download all of the titles available through PS Plus — or if you’ve been thinking about subscribing but haven’t yet — now is the perfect time to get all the great games available with PS Plus.

Protip: you don’t have to download the game to your hard drive (or memory card) to gain the entitlement — you can also go to the web store, add them to your cart and check out. Once the game says “Purchased” below it when you’re logged in, you’ll be set for the future as long as you’re a PS Plus member.

Source: PlayStation Blog

Sony: PS4 Launching Nov.15th Priced at $399

During the Gamescom game industry convention in Cologne, Germany Sony confirmed the release date and pricing of the company's next-generation video game console, the PlayStation 4. According to their press conference the new gaming unit will ship November 15th with a starting price tag of $399.

For those gaming geeks looking to be amongst the first to own the new PS4 Walmart has already confirmed, starting Saturday, August 24, customers can visit Walmart stores nationwide to pre-order the console. "We know millions of our customers can't wait to get their hands on the Xbox One and PS4," said Laura Phillips, senior vice president of Entertainment for Walmart U.S. "As the current market share leader in video game hardware and accessories, customers can trust Walmart to have the latest gaming consoles and new releases available at a great low price."

Customers simply need to see an associate in the Electronics department and take the following steps to secure the PS4:

• Provide a 10 percent down payment – $40 for PS4.
• Make payments over time or in full when the console becomes available.
• Pick up the console on the launch date. Walmart will hold pre-ordered consoles for customers wanting more time to pay it off until December 13, 2013.

According to Sony they hope to have more than 33 titles available for PS4 by December, including NBA 2K14, Call of Duty: Ghosts, Skylanders Swap Force, Need for Speed: Rivals, Battlefield 4, Madden 25, FIFA 14, NBA Live, Killzone: Shadow Fall, #DRIVECLUB, Knack, Assassins Creed IV Black Flag, Watch_Dogs, Just Dance 2014 and Lego Marvel Super Heroes.

Sony also dropped the price of its PlayStation Vita mobile gaming console from $249 to $199, though didn't specify if the $299 PS Vita model, which also features 3G network connectivity, will have a similar price drop to the $249 Wi-Fi version.

Sony Shows Off PlayStation 4 In Teaser Video

Details about the new Sony PlayStation 4 are still fairly sparse, however thanks to today's PSN blog post gamers get a sneak peek at the new gaming console and some of its accessories.

The short,39 second video, shows the camera slowly honing in on a blurry image of a black box amidst flashes to close-ups of the console and related hardware such as the new DualShock 4 controller and the PlayStation Eye camera. Gamers wanting to see more of the new device are asked to RSVP via an event page on Facebook. The event will be a live viewing of PlayStation’s E3 2013 Press Conference on 6/10 starting at 6:00pm Pacific Time.

To see more on the new PS4 checkout the official PlayStation page: http://us.playstation.com/ps4/

Sony Officially Announces PlayStation 4

No more rumors or speculations need as the wait for the PS4 announcement is over, now gamers will just have to wait for the PlayStation 4 to actually hit stores later this year.

Sony officially took the wraps off the PlayStation 4 last night in New York in front of a crowd of more than 2,000 developers, partners, and reporters. The two-hour event included details on the platform's hardware architecture, upgrades to the PlayStation network, and a sneak peek at upcoming games. During the unveiling Sony slipped in a few of the more important details while omitting some of the exactness.

Here is what we know:
The PS4 Will Be Available by Christmas, there was no word on the exact release date. No doubt Sony is trying to position itself against Microsoft and its upcoming Xbox launch. We shouldn't expect a firm launch date until E3, at the earliest.

The system will run an x86-64 AMD Jaguar CPU with eight cores. It will also come with a 1.84 teraflop Radeon graphics processor and 8GB of RAM. Despite the increased focus on downloadable content, the 6xCAV Blu-ray drive stays. The system will also come with USB 3.0, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, as well as the predictable HDMI, Analog AV out, and Digital Output.

The PlayStation 4 is receiving and updated DualShock 4 controller! Perhaps one of the most anticipated and highly speculated parts of the new console was the controller. Sony confirmed the PS4 will feature s new DualShock controller, with a touchpad, share button, and a headphone jack directly on the controller. A light bar on the back of the controller identifies players, and a 3D camera on the console will track the controllers connected to the console. One unique PlayStation 4 feature: a share button directly on the controller that lets you share gameplay with friends and even allows friends to help you get through tough spots in games.

With this new sharing feature you can ask a friend on the web to virtually take over your controller and get you through those sticking points. Friends can also watch you playing a game, virtually "over your shoulder," and comment on your screen — if you allow them — while you play using the share button and the console's "broadcast live" functionality.

We also know the PS4 is NOT BACKWARDS COMPATIBLE with the PS3, at least not yet. Sony says PlayStation 3 titles will not natively be supported, however, Sony says that it is exploring "advanced technologies" to bring backwards compatibility to the console in the future. All existing PlayStation titles will be playable via the PlayStation cloud service.

What we don't know:
Last night's event included lots of details, but it left many of the big questions unanswered. When exactly is the PS4 going to hit shelves? Sources suggest it should be out in time for the holidays, which makes sense. But we could also see it arriving late this summer and before back to school season. What is it going to cost? There have been reports that it will costs $400, but there will undoubtedly be multiple configurations and what those might be and what sort of pricing they have we don't know. And, what exactly will it look like? Sony only hinted at the devices features and specs. While Sony has release details and images of the DualShock 4 there were no official pictures of the console.

Source: Sony Computer Entertainment International (PDF) | PlayStation Blog.

New Sony Patents Could Kill Used Games Market

The ability to buy and sale your used games has often come under fire. But never before has it faced the challenge it might soon see from Sony and a new patent that would seemingly block a gamers ability to re-sale their games.

According to reports at GameSpot.com Sony has submitted and application for an "Electronic Content Processing System" that would tie individual game discs to one user account. The original article cites reports posted by a NeoGAF user, detailing patent application number 20130007892 for an "Electronic Content Processing System" and "Use Apparatus" would associate individual game discs with matched user accounts.

A game playing system includes a use permission tag provided for use in a game disk for a user of a game, a disk drive, and a reproduction device for reproducing the game. The disk drive reads out a disk ID from the game disk. When the game is to be played, the reproduction device conveys the disk ID and a player ID to the use permission tag. The use permission tag stores the terms of use of the game and determines whether a combination of the disk ID and the player ID conveyed from the reproduction device fulfills the terms of use or not.

In essence games would carry a unique use tag and would need to be matched to a single console. Any use ID tied to another user's account could potentially be rejected by the online tracking system. The system works, according to the document, by attaching contactless RF "tags" to each game, which can be read without a network connection.

In the patent filing, Sony said in a content business like the games industry, it is "vital" to redistribute a portion of the proceeds from sales to developers, who do not see a dime from secondhand sales. Sony said though the secondhand market may expose new gamers to a particular title, in the long run, this does not benefit developers. Sony said this patent would effectively "suppress" the secondhand game market if it ever comes to fruition. This technology would also be applicable to other forms of electronic content, including images and music.

New Windows Based Convertible Laptop-Tablet Hybrids Debuting At IFA 2012

The 2012 IFA consumer electronics show is under way in Berlin, Germany with several top companies showing up to showcase their latest and greatest tech hardware. We only have a few more months before the official launch of Windows 8 and Windows RT, so it was expected that many of the major PC players would have next-generation Windows equipped hardware on display. And so far they have not disappointed!

So far this year we've seen an incredible influx of Windows based devices as many manufactures are looking to cash in on not only the expected release of Windows 8 and Windows RT but the largely successful tablet market. We are seeing a strong push for Windows based tablets, mainly convertibles or hybrids whichever label you prefer to slap on the laptop-tablet combination. Asus, Dell, HP, Samsung, Sony, and Toshiba all had models on display.

Looking to build on the strong foundation that the ASUS Transformer and Transformer Prime have laid down Asus showcased a pair of Vivo Tab models. The first is running Windows 8 with a dual-core Intel Atom processor and the other is coupled with Windows RT and a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 chip. Not only do the two Asus offering offer a detachable keyboard dock but they also offer a pressure-sensitive stylus which would be perfect for note-taking and sketching. The Vivo Tab offers an 11.6-inch display while the Vivo Tab RT measures 10.1 inches. It’s also the thinnest and lightest of the bunch, measuring just 8.3mm thin and weighing 520g. (more details via Asus)

Dell’s offering comes int he form of the new XPS Duo 12 and XPS 10. The XPS 10 will run an ARM SoC and Windows RT. The XPS Duo 12 (which actually measures 12.5 inches on its display’s diagonal) will run Windows 8 and an unspecified Intel chip. Unlike most of the other models shown the Dell XPS Duo 12 is more of a clamshell laptop and a tablet in one. It offers a swiveling screen rather than the detachable keyboard. The XPS sticks with a more conventional design with the traditional tablet look and feel as well as a more traditional keyboard dock. (more details via Dell)

Dell XPS Duo 12

Looking to re-enter the tablet market after the much maligned HP Touchpad, HP has introduced the company's first Windows 8 hybrid the new HP Envy X2. The Envy X2 is powered by an Intel System-on-Chip (aka SOC) Atom based processor, features and 11.6-inch screen with 64GB of internal storage, microSD expansion, NFC support, and, of course, integrated Beats Audio. Its detachable keyboard also incorporates a giant powerpack, and it should comfortably provide all-day battery life. HP has also made sure that the dock won’t accidentally dislodge by building in a mechanical latch to supplement a pair of strong magnets. (more details via HP)

HP Envy X2

Samsung introduced the new Windows RT based ATIV Tab  which features a 10.1-inch display, 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, 2 GB RAM, either 32 or 64 GBs of internal storage and a microSD slot for expansion. For those looking for the full Windows 8 experience as well as the option of a keyboard Samsung also revealed the Samsung ATIV SmartPC and the ATIV SmartPC Pro. Both feature an 11.6-inch HD display, S Pen integration, and a 60-day free trial of Microsoft Office, but the Pro packs a much more powerful platform. While the SmartPC boasts a 1366-by-768 display, 2GB of RAM, and a next-gen Intel Atom processor, the SmartPC Pro offers up a 1920-by-1080 display, 4GB of RAM, and an Intel Core i5 chip. (more details via Samsung)

Sony has opted to take its own approach the a "hybrid" laptop tablet combo with a slider type device it is calling the Sony Vaio Duo 11. You can either use it as a tablet or slide back the display up at an angle locking it in place to make use of the hidden keys. Sony has decided to pack the Vaio Duo with tons of fire power giving consumers  the choice of processor with options ranging from a Core i3 all the way up to an i7, up to 256GB of SSD storage, 1080P displays, NFC, GPS, HD-ready cameras, and stylus input. (more details via Sony)

Toshiba’s taking a similar approaching with the Satellite U920T slider. It’s matching the XPS Duo with a 12.5-inch screen, and options will include Core i3 or i5 processors and SSD storage up to 256GB. You’ll also get an HDMI port and SD card expansion with the U920T.

Conclusions

With all these devices coming down the line one thing is for certain, consumers are going to have a ton of choices and some tough decisions to make. I'm personally not a big fan of Windows 8 on a desktop, but some of these convertible tablets look amazing. In fact they are just what I've been looking for for the past couple of years. You get the portability and ease of use of a tablet along with the productivity of a full fledged laptop.

It looks like I might have to pony up some of that hard earned cash and join the portable revolution!

Sony's Back To School Deal A Free PS3 or PS Vita With Sony Vaio Purchase

Companies are looking to cash in on those back to school shoppers and hope to sweeten the deal a bit by offering discounts on their other devices. Not only gaining a PC or laptop customer but gainign a gamers. So many are now offered free gaming consoles or even free software. If you are a Sony fan, and a gamer, that is looking for a new laptop or Ultrabook to take to school with you this year you could walk away with a free gaming console.

Microsoft might best be known for back to school promotions with the company's Xbox promotion. But this year Sony is offering up a deal that might lure away some shoppers. Sony announced that students and faculty who purchase an eligible VAIO machine will get to choose between a free PlayStation 3 160GB, a PlayStation Vita Wi-Fi, a $200 discount on select PlayStation gear, or or 8% off a Vaio PC purchase.

Several Ultrabooks and laptops qualify for the offer as well as a few all-in-one machines. The cheapest deal we could find is the Vaio 13.3″ T Series Custom Ultrabook that includes a Core i5-3317U running at 1.7GHz, 4GB RAM, 320GB hard drive, Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU, and 13.3-inch display. All for just $749.89 including a free carry case worth $50. The prices escalate beyond that right up to the $2,999.99 for the Vaio Z Series featuring a 13.1" Full HD display, 3rd gen Intel Core i7-3612QM (2.10/3.10GHz) , 8GB RAM and a 512GB (256GB x2) SSD. But in all cases you have the option of an additional device for free or discount off another purchase.

You can get the PS3 and Vita with a coupon code (FREEPS3 or FREEVITA), but you'll have to call Sony for more options (1-877-647-7699). Alternatively, CAMPUS8 offers a flat 8% discount on your purchase. Either way if you’re interested in seeing what Sony’s VAIO PCs have to offer or to get more info on the current promotion, pop on over to Sony’s website for the details.

Sony Releasing Two New Waterproof Smartphones, Xperia Go and Acro S

Summer is right around the corner and what could be better than a new smartphone? How about one that is not only sleek, stylish and packed with all the right components but waterproof too! Sony has introduced two new phones, the Xperia go and Xperia acro S – which pack not only stylish exteriors, impressive specs but a durable and water resistant outer coating that might be perfect for you water loving geeks!

Xperia go

Xperia acro s

Now we realizes waterproof Android based smartphones are nothing new, after-all Samsung has the Samsung Rugby Smart and Motorola has the Motorola Defy. Both are great phones in their own right, but both leave some room for improvement. Enter Sony and the two new Xperia phones. While we haven't got hands on either phone yet, from the specs and the pictures they already have me sold!

Xperia go Features and Specifications

• 3.5” Reality Display powered by Mobile BRAVIA Engine gives razor sharp clarity
• 5MP 16x digital zoom fast capture camera goes from sleep to snap in just over a second
• Scratch resistant mineral glass display with wet finger tracking
• Highest level of dust and water resistance in a smartphone – IP67 Rating
• 1 GHz STE NovaThor U8500 Dual Core Processor
• ARM Mali 400 GPU and NEON CPU extensions.
• Quad EDGE/GSM/GPRS 850, 900, 1800, 1900.
• 8 GB (up to 4 GB user-accessible memory) internal phone storage.
• 512 MB RAM.
• Memory card slot: microSD, up to 32 GB
• Launching on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), upgradeable to Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
• Available in black, white and yellow colors

Xperia go also offers access to Sony Entertainment Network, including Video Unlimited and Music Unlimited, Sony's PlayNow service, TrackID music recognition, MediaGo and Facebook inside Xperia

Xperia acro S Features and Specifications

 

• 4.3” 720p HD Reality Display powered by Mobile BRAVIA Engine gives razor sharp clarity
• 12MP 16x digital zoom Full 1080p HD video recording and 720p HD front camera
• PlayStation Certified
• Scratch resistant mineral glass display with wet finger tracking
• IP55 and IP57 Ratings for dust and water resistance
• 1.5 GHz Qualcomm MSM8260 Dual Core Processor
• Adreno 220 GPU
• GPRS 850, 900, 1800, 1900 W-CDMA Band I, II, V and VIII
• Internal phone storage 16 GB (up to 11 GB user-accessible memory)
• 1 GB RAM.
• Memory card slot: microSD, up to 32 GB.
• Launching on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
• Available in black, white and pink colors

Xperia acro s also offers access to the Sony Entertainment Network, including Video Unlimited, Music Unlimited, and the PlayStation Network for PlayStation-certified content, Sony's PlayNow service, TrackID music recognition, Facebook inside Xperia and the Sony channel in Play Shop.

For more information, check out the official Sony press release or view all the Xperia go and Xperia acro s features at "Xperia go and Xperia acro S brings extra durability and stylish water resistance"

Apple, Sony Sued Over iTunes, Playstation Network Systems

Inventor Benjamin Grobler alongside intellectual property attorneys from the office of The Lanier Law Firm have filed lawsuits against Apple and Sony alleging infringement of Grobler's patents relating to the way systems such as the iTunes and Playstation Network work.

The lawsuits filed on March 27, 2012, alleges that Apple and Sony are infringing U.S. Patent No. 6,799,084 which describes a system in which digital data is distributed to an electronic devices called a "data depot" for storage and management. The IP also calls for a remote database that maintains ownership and user records. According to the lawsuit, Apple and Sony have infringed the patent by making and offering infringing data vending systems such as iTunes and the Playstation Network, and that the companies are inducing their customers' infringement by using these systems.

According to the patent date it was filed on January 31, 2001, three weeks after Apple first launched iTunes and ten months before the introduction of the iPod.

The cases are Benjamin Grobler v. Apple Inc., No. CV-12-1534, and Benjamin Grobler v. Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC, No. CV-12-1526. Both are pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Full detail of the filling can be found here.

This geek's opinion:

The details of this post were in part grabbed from this press release which was put out by The Lanier Law Firm. Sorry to say it but when you read the full release it looks like nothing more than blatant advertisement for their firm. While the case might have merits (I'm not sure it does) I'm thinking this is nothing more than another patent troll trying to use the broken patent system for personal gain and a law firm jumping on the band wagon to garner some attention.

Now all that said, I have to ask: What is it with Apple and a their lack of patents in some areas and over usage of patents in others? This report came out a bit on the late side so I haven't seen a response from Apple. Nor have I seen any other reports discussing Apple possibly having prior patents to these types of systems. But I have to wonder.

Sony Tablets Making Their Debut In September

Sony has confirmed a solid release window of (sometime in) September for the new Sony S1 Android tablet, and most likely the new S2 dual screen device.

The Sony Tablet S features a 9.4-inch 1280×800 touch display a NVIDIA Tegra 2 CPU processor, Sony Tablet S allows consumers to enjoy the web and their favorite content and applications on its large high-resolution screen. Weighing in at just about 590 grams, it has a unique asymmetric design (curvy form factor) which purportedly allows for hours of comfortable use.

The Sony Tablet S runs on the latest version of Android – version 3.1. This model features front and rear facing cameras that allow for video recording and capturing still images. The device also supports USB (micro A/B) interface and SD card for transferring files and data.


The Sony Tablet S comes complete with a full suite of Sony’s network entertainment services.

• Sony Entertainment Network Services: Video Unlimited is your ticket to the latest releases from every major movie studio to rent or own. A partial service will be available at launch with full service available in October.
  
• PlayStation Certified: Sony Tablet S is the first PlayStation Certified tablet providing out-of-the-box gaming with included favorites Crash Bandicoot and Pinball Heroes. Consumers can also download more classic PSone and PSP game titles online.
  
• Reader Store: Access bestsellers, new releases, classics, magazines, comics and more from more than 2 million titles at Reader Store by Sony. The Sony Tablet S’s intuitive reading interface is ideal for on-the-go reading, allowing book lovers to set bookmarks, make highlights and adjust font sizes as they read. A free eBook download is included with the purchase of the device.
  
• Personal Space: This free service allows consumers to easily share pictures and videos captured on the Sony Tablet S. Consumers can access albums that were previously uploaded from other devices.

Cross Device Functionality

One rather interesting feature of this device is it's built in compatibility with several of Sony's products including TVs, Blu-ray Disc players and home theater receivers.

The Sony Tablet S allows consumer to “throw” personal pictures and video to DLNA compatible televisions such as BRAVIA with the touch of a button. Users can also throw music to wireless speakers such as Sony’s Homeshare. The Sony Tablet S is equipped with infrared technology and can act as a remote control for multiple home entertainment components such as TVs, Blu-ray Disc players, receivers and more at once. The Sony Tablet S is also compatible with “Media Remote” allowing consumers to control Sony devices, including BRAVIA televisions, through Wi-Fi.

The tablet is available for pre-sale today with the option of a 16 GB and 32 GB model for $499 and $599, respectively – you can find them both in the official Sony store.

Via: Sony Press Release

Sony Cuts $50 Off The PS3 Prices Drop To $249

Sony announced today that the company is discounting the price of the PlayStation 3 by $50 in North America and Europe, effective immediately.

Starting today the 160 GB PS3 and the 320GB PS3 will be available for $249 and $299, respectively. In addition, a limited edition inFAMOUS 2 bundle is now available at participating retailers across North America. The bundle retails for $299 and includes a 320 GB PlayStation 3, a copy of inFAMOUS 2 and a 30-day membership to PlayStation Plus.

"The new price will make the PS3 more accessible than ever before, so there’s never been a better time to join PlayStation Nation. We know that while future-proof technology is important to you, content is still king — that’s why we continue to focus on bringing you exclusive “must have” titles that are unmatched by anything else on the market. With games like Resistance 3, Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One and one of my personal favorites, Uncharted 3, all on the horizon, there’s a lot of great entertainment in store for you."

The new price is most likely designed to help spur sales of the PS3, which according to sales data provided by analyst group NPD, and released by Microsoft, has trailed behind the Xbox for 13 out of the last 14 months. This move may also help Sony recover some of the bad press and mounting costs associated with the company's infamous PlayStation Network hack. The company said the bill for that would top $140 million.

Sony's PlayStation Welcome Back Program Now Online

Good to it's word Sony has launched the Sony Welcome Back program today offering all those affected by the recent hacking and subsequent outages free games and other perks. PSN users will have until July 3 to take advantage of the program so you better hurry up and get in on the offer while the getting is good! Side note to that Sony has warned that due to high traffic volumes users are experiencing issues so you might want to wait until after the weekend.

What’s in the Welcome Back Program?

To start, all PSN members who had signed up before the outage (April 20, 2011) will be able to select two games for the PS3 system and two games for the PSP system.
For PS3 owners, go to the ‘Welcome Back’ section in the PlayStation Store, and select 2 titles from the following list:

• Dead Nation
• inFAMOUS
• LittleBigPlanet
• Super Stardust HD
• Wipeout HD + Fury

For PSP owners, go to the ‘Welcome Back’ section of PlayStation Store on your PSP system and select 2 titles from the following list:

• LittleBigPlanet (PSP)
• ModNation Racers
• Pursuit Force
• Killzone Liberation

Select your first game from “Game 1”, then return to the Welcome Back page and go to “Game 2” to select your second game out of the remaining choices available. This goes for both PS3 and PSP.

All users can also take advantage of a free month of PlayStation Plus service. This premium offering comes with exclusive games, demos, and discounts on purchased content. Sony is also providing some free streaming movie rentals this weekend where video services are available.

Hit the PlayStation Blog at the link above to check out the full FAQ with such gems as “When does the 30 days of my PlayStation Plus access expire?” Hint: in 30 days.