Sony certainly is having a busy fall this year with their gaming hardware.The PS Vita is starting to gain steam as well because of the PlayStation Network’s Plus service and what it promises for the future and Asia is getting a surprise from Sony too, before the PS4 gets released in Japan. Sony will be releasing the Vita TV which is more mobile, versatile and even a bit more powerful version of the Vita.
It is going to help shape the way content is streamed, shared and even played. With so much content being available digitally these days it is just another option for some lucky gamers to have. Even though Sony has no plans to bring this device to the Europe or U.S. market yet, this is still going to make some waves from across the Ocean.
Sony’s Vita TV is a small 6cm by 10cm screenless box can fit in your pocket, but can do just about all the Vita can, and at what will be incredibly affordable. The price point starts for the Vita TV, at least in Japan for ¥9,480, or less than 100 dollars in U.S. dollars. The hardware is incredibly affordable and Sony is really pushing to lower the costs of multimedia entertainment devices around the world with this technology.
"What makes the Vita more attractive, other than it being a tiny bit cheaper is that it can not only play Vita games, but also will be able to play at least some PlayStation 3 titles at it's launch."
There aren’t many of these devices available yet and the big leaders for this kind of hardware are the major consoles manufacturers and Apple TV, which runs for a little over 100 dollars. What makes the Vita more attractive, other than it being a tiny bit cheaper is that it can not only play Vita games, but also will be able to play at least some PlayStation 3 titles at it’s launch. Currently, the Apple TV doesn’t play any games for the iOS, giving Sony a distinct advantage for anyone who is interested in at the very least having a few games to play.
Gamers who have a Vita TV will also be at incredible advantage with the PSN Plus service. At only $50.00 a year of service it’s a pretty sweet deal. With all the games that are released for free yearly, having an all encompassing device that has Netflix, a slew of TV shows and movies that are offered, the PlayStation Network is an great option for traveling gamers, or just people who want their multimedia device to do a little bit more.
Sony currently has no plans to bring this little beauty to the European or American markets at the time, unfortunately. Hopefully after some time and enough support we may see this device, or another similar piece of hardware coming from over the Ocean sometime after the release of the PS4 with any luck. It’s not like we can really complain too much though, the American and European markets are getting the PS4 before Asia as it is, this may be Sony’s way of making it up to them for that.
Sony coming out with this new hardware further serves to blur the lines between consoles, handhelds and media boxes. Hardware like the Vita TV is also helping to put another nail in the coffin of physical media. Digital distribution is the way the world is going as the older broadcasting formats like Satellite and Cable Television seem to be losing ground monthly.
"The more options that are available for hardware like this the better it is for digital distribution companies and there aren’t many other’s like Sony pushing for this "across the board," media distribution like they are. While it exists in services like Netflix, Steam and Xbox Live and more, Sony has really pushed forward with all forms of entertainment. "
The more options that are available for hardware like this the better it is for digital distribution companies and there aren’t many other’s like Sony pushing for this “across the board,” media distribution like they are. While it exists in services like Netflix, Steam and Xbox Live and more, Sony has really pushed forward with all forms of entertainment. Content like Music, Movies and obviously games can all be found on the PSN. While Microsoft’s services have certainly followed suit in the last few months, Sony has really started to actively reward people for using their service with things like free monthly games. Microsoft has actually taken a page from Sony’s playbook and recently began doing the same thing, and ultimately giving gaming features like this even more attractive, especially for gamers who may be on a budget.
It’s this kind of service coupled with many forms of portable and powerful hardware like the Vita, Vita TV, Ps3 and PS4 is what will push digital distribution forward. The conventional line of thinking with this sort of technology until very recently was to either watch content from your personal computer or using your DVD or Blu Ray player to connect to these digital services. The problem with using things like computers is that you most likely have to watch sitting at your computer desk, on a small screen; a lot of times making it difficult to watch with other people. If you are lucky you’ve got a PC hooked up to your TV in the living room, but there comes a slew of other headaches with that and frankly it’s not a very affordable option. While there are a number of options to do that but you would have to worry about the usual computer issues like viruses, updates, compatibility issues and pricing.
The DVD or Blu Ray option is obviously much more simple than running the PC, but what most people who utilize a lot of digital distribution services tend to find is that they’ve basically paid for a device that works with an entire format that is slowly fading away and doesn’t offer much in the way of “future-proofing.” Physical media is simply going the way of the dinosaur, and while it can certainly be convenient for people who have terribly slow internet connections or folks who are not particularly technically savvy, these problems are slowly diminishing year-by-year.
Just think of it, you may never have to set the timer on someone’s VCR or DVD player for them ever again! The entire philosophy of digital distribution is availability of content wherever you are and that is what Sony is attempting to achieve with the Vita TV as well as the rest of their PlayStation branded hardware. While plenty of folks have access to their services from things like their smart phones or tablets, they are for the most part stuck on their small screens as well as playing simple, mobile games. Sony seems to be sincerely trying make this kind of content available everywhere, and for folks to share too.
Sony’s Vita TV is also an incredibly flexible device. It can connect to the PS3 and PS4 through Bluetooth and is completely functional with the Dualshock 3 controller as well as the PS4 controller upon it’s official release. A very nice touch that is also coming with the release of the PlayStation 4 is that the Vita TV will support remote play if you have got it within range of one of the consoles.
"Flexibility truly is the name of the game with this new piece of hardware that supplements and combines your services with your games and hardware that previously could be scattered around the house. Sony’s brought a piece of hardware to the market that is incredibly powerful and portable. "
Flexibility truly is the name of the game with this new piece of hardware that supplements and combines your services with your games and hardware that previously could be scattered around the house. Sony’s brought a piece of hardware to the market that is incredibly powerful and portable. Any TV, or PS3 controllers in the area not only gives you the ability to watch a plethora of content, but to play over a hundred Vita games but some current generation PS3 titles to share with friends. Sony wants to marry their previously separated pieces of hardware with the services they provide and support and is a strong move for them in this coming generation of consoles.
The gamers that live in Asia have an exciting piece of hardware to look forward to in November other than the PS4 which is ready to work with any other PlayStation devices. Sony’s really making a move to be the entertainment center for not only the home and living room, but even your mobile entertainment world.
Sony’s got sleek, smooth looking hardware that is more capable than a majority of other options on the market now and they’re poised perfectly for being centerpiece of digital entertainment during the beginning of this new console war. Sony not only wants you to choose their hardware to game with, but to watch movies and even listen to music. So far, they’ve got a good thing going and the Vita TV makes it all that much more sweeter for them. Even if we aren’t going to see the Vita TV being released in other parts of the world it is certainly going to get Sony’s competitors thinking about mobility and digital content even more seriously than they already are.
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