PlayStation 2 reaches retirement age, is discontinued in Japan

Sony's PlayStation 3 has been on the market so long you'd think that production of the relatively ancient PS2 stopped some time ago. Well, that wasn't true, but according to the Japanese PlayStation website, the PS2 has now officially been discontinued in the region. Japanese site Famitsu adds that shipments of the console have ended, so once the remaining stock has been depleted in Japan, there'll be no replenishment. It's a sad thought, but let's remember the good times-- the PS2's various iterations have been entertaining gamers for 12 years, and with over 150 million units purchased worldwide it's become the best selling console in history. We're not sure if the PS2 is still shipping to other regions, but its retirement in Japan is probably the beginning of the end globally, so we'd recommend you pick one up now if you intend to explore that extensive back catalogue one day. The PS2 era may be drawing to a close, but its legacy will live on and it can now rub controllers with the other greats in console heaven -- we still miss you, Dreamcast.

[Source: Engadget]

PlayMemories Studio update for PS3 brings 4K image support, cloud features and more

Sony has been continually pushing its PlayMemories brand of apps across its hardware offerings, and this latest update falls at the feet of PlayStation 3 owners. It's PlayMemories Studio in particular, and a forthcoming patch that adds new functionality. The meat of the update centers around PlayMemories Online integration for added cloud-based photo and video sharing options, with slide shows. Other revisions include support for "improved" resolution of exported videos (up to 1080p), faster thumbnail display, more choices of background music, improved editing features and -- of particular interest to early adopters -- support for 4K photos with Bravia TVs. The version 2.0 release is slated for release "soon" but in the meantime head to the Sony Japan source link for a little more info in the interim.

[Source: Engadget]

Sony outlines Jelly Bean update schedule for 2012 Xperia smartphones

Sony's chimed in with an update regarding Jelly Bean upgrades for its 2012 Xperia models, and the Xperia T, TX and V are right on time, set to receive Android 4.1 beginning in February and March. Xperia P, J and Go owners will see Google's latest confection-themed OS land on their devices starting at the end of March, while those who call the Xperia S, SL, Ion and Acro S their daily drivers will receive the update in the weeks after. Unfortunately for the Xperia U, Miro, Tipo, and Sola, Hirai and Co. have seen fit to keep the hardware on a steady diet of Ice Cream Sandwich.

[Source: Engadget]

Putting the cassette to bed: Sony to discontinue handheld tape recorders in 2013

The Walkman's retirement wasn't quite the death of the cassette tape, but the format's final days aren't far off: Sony's calling it quits on the tape recorder. Final shipments for the company's TCM-400, TCM-410 and TCM-450 cassette recorders are due early next year, marking the end of the product line. Despite the shunning of magnetic tape from Sony's portable line up, the company still has a slot in its heart for the old cassette, and will continue to sell boomboxes with CD / tape deck combos. Even so, rewindable media seems to be on its way out the door -- maybe its time to build a better mixtape.

[Source: Engadget]

Sony and Box extend BFF status, offer 50GB free storage to Xperia owners through 2013

When Sony and Box came together last year to offer Xperia owners a tantalizing deal of 50GB of free storage for life, the promotion was only set to run for a year. Now that shopping season is upon us once more, however, the holiday spirit must've moved them to extend the partnership for yet another year -- that, or Sony needs any edge it can to move those Xperia devices to consumer hands. Just as with the prior promo, Xperia and Sony tablet users can snag 50 gigs of cloud storage completely gratis just by signing up or tapping into existing Box accounts on their devices before December 31st 2013. However, do note that the offer doesn't extend to the Xperia X10 mini, the X10 mini pro and anything that has firmware older than Android 2.1. Now that Sony has this going for two years straight, maybe they should extend this to a lifetime scenario, or as long as Box sticks around to offer up that sweet storage in the sky.

[Source: Engadget]

Sony launches web store for PlayStation games, movies and TV shows

Catching up to Microsoft's own web-based Xbox store, Sony's unleashed a new online store for its movie, TV and video content-- but neglected to mention it. Titled the Sony Entertainment Network, and separate to its own book store we were able to login to the UK site and found that content pricing matched what we've seen on the PlayStation Store and other Sony digital shops. As an example, the complete Mass Effect trilogy rings in at £60 ($96), although Sony is kind enough to offer links to discounted titles, PlayStation Plus highlights and other offers at the top of the browsing sidebar -- Tokyo Jungle is today's holiday deal at £5 ($8). Purchases can be done through the store, with the product downloaded to your game console when it's turned on next. Video content, meanwhile, can be purchased and then played on your PC, as well as on the PlayStation 3, PS Vita,PSP, Sony Tablets and compatible Xperia smartphones. Even if you're balking at some of those early prices, it might be worth browsing through some more palatable festive deals by visiting the source below. We'll have more when we hear the official line from Sony.

[Source: Engadget]

Sony reveals 3.5-inch Xperia E single or dual-SIM Android phone, coming early next year

Sony has just announced the new Xperia E smartphone sporting a 3.5-inch HVGA 320 x 480 display and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean (though the specs indicate ICS), available with single or "Xperia Edual" mode SIMs. It's touting the new handset as a way to "stay on top of your data and battery usage," sporting special software that disables WiFi and data traffic when the screen has been asleep for more than a few minutes. With the dual-SIM option, you'll also be able to switch between carriers with a single touch "to stay on the most cost effective plan." It'll come with HD Voice and Walkman xLOUD technology for optimal sound quality, according to Sony, and other specs include a 1GHz processor, wireless DNLA connectivity, a 1500 mAh battery and black, white or pink color options. Pricing has yet to be announced, but it'll launch in Q1 2013 according to the PR, which you can find along with a video right after the break.

[Source: Engadget]

Sony patent application details hybrid DualShock / PlayStation Move controller

If you think Sony's DualShock and Move controllers are two halves of a well-rounded gaming experience, you might be pleased to know that the firm has dreamt up a hybrid. A patent application filed last year by Kaz and Co. for a "Hybrid Separable Motion Controller" has just surfaced, and it describes a controller that can function as two independent parts or locked together as one. The application also suggests that the location of the controller's halves could be independently tracked when separated and that video games played with the Franken-hardware could switch to configuration-appropriate control schemes. A similar concept has popped up before, but that's no guarantee the contraption will ever see the light of day. In any case, you can hit the bordering source link to dig into the filing and fantasize what such a piece of kit could mean for gaming.

[Source: Engadget]

Sony tries to patent stylus with friction-based haptic feedback

There's a certain disconnected feeling that comes with using a touchscreen, and Sony isn't content with vibration being the sole standard for haptic feedback. The company has filed a bunch of patent applications for a stylus which instead uses artificially generated friction to make it harder or easier to move across the screen. It works using a "rolling contact ball gripping mechanism," which responds to instructions from the phone or tablet and employs actuators to increase or decrease friction on the roller ball tip. The various filings outline some potential benefits of this stylus-based haptic feedback, including being able to feel yourself "carving and molding" 3D objects in a design application, or understanding your character is "fatigued or damaged" while playing a game. We know that Samsung increased the friction of the Note II's S-Pen to make it feel more like writing on paper, but Sony's approach would potentially bring a whole new layer of interaction.

[Source: Engadget]

Sony discounting one year of Music Unlimited Premium to $12 for PlayStation Plus members, $60 for everyone else

Looking to get your Jazzy Jeff on at the family Thanksgiving get-together? Starting on November 20th, Sony will reward its loyal PlayStation Plus members this holiday season by offering a year of its Music Unlimited Premium service at the discounted rate of $12. Regularly priced at $10 per month, this plan allows users to stream ad-free music across multiple devices, including: PS3, PSP, PS Vita, PC, Mac, iPod, iPhone, Android devices and more. For those without a PlayStation Plus subscription, you can pick up the service at a reduced premium of $60 for the year. Since Sony hasn't detailed how long this promo will run, we suggest that you move swiftly if you're looking to take advantage.

[Source: Engadget]

Xperia Tablet S gets firmware update with VPN fix

If you picked up a Sony Xperia Tablet S before it was recalled over water resistance concerns, you'll be pleased to learn that the tablet has just received an over-the-air update. The patch to 'release6a' is still based upon Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich -- no Jelly Beanyet, unfortunately -- but it does fix a few problematic bugs with VPN connectivity on the Sony tablet, which could be useful if you're connecting the tab to a corporate network.

Xperia Tablet S owners can pick up today's update by heading to Settings > About tablet > Software updates. The Sony-made tablet is expected to go back on sale soon, presumably with fixed water-resistant capabilities.

[Source: Android Central]

PlayStation 3 global sales hit 70 million, over 15 million Move controllers sold

Sony has announced that it's now sold over 70 million PlayStation 3 consoles -- matching the number of Xboxes sold according to Microsoft's latest financial report. Direct from the Japanese console maker, it also revealed that more than 15 million PlayStation Move motion controllers have been sold since its launch over two years ago. Meanwhile, the slightly aging (but constantly tweaked) base console is now approaching its sixth birthday, but there's no word yet on its hardware successor, with Sony preferring to focus on new connectivity features between the PS3 and its handheld relative.

[Source: Engadget]