IGN (linked above) has posted its review of the official Sony wireless keypad for the PlayStation 3, and seems to have a problem with its general design more than anything.
They note that the biggest issue is the top mounted nature of it, but essentially QWERTY keypads for game controllers don't really work that well and its probably best to pick up a microphone and talk.
To quote: But regardless of the poor touch support and ill-advised key design, the biggest issue I had with the Wireless Keypad is that Sony opted to design it as a top mounted add-on. I don't want to seem partial one way or another, but I definitely think Microsoft had it right when they made their keypad attachable between the handles of the Xbox 360 remote.
The keys seem much easier to view and access when they are located just below your thumbs on the thumbsticks. To be fair, the choice in top versus bottom attachment may have been out of Sony's hands. It's possible that Mi... More »
Having not ever been an owner of a PS3 or PSP, I wasn’t aware of the bias that retailers are showing towards the PlayStation 3 console.
One of the guys that I work with is a huge PlayStation fan. Not a fanboy, mind you, but a normal person who happens to like the PS3 over the 360.
I’ve heard him talk about it before, but I’ve always passed it off as simple bad customer service or people just being overly hyped about a 360 game over the PlayStation ones, but after “Emergence Day 2″, I was shocked and appalled at the level of anti-PS3 sentiment he had to deal with.
It all started with him telling me that every time he went to his local game store, a small “mom and pop” type store where he has shopped for quite a while, they constantly bugged him to show up to the midnight release of Gears of War 2. On every visit, it seemed, he had to remind the shop owner that he did not have a 360 and had no intention of buying one.
... More »
Hey everybody. Today's European PSN Store Update brings a lot of stuff for purchase. New DLC for PAIN, LittleBigPlanet, Rock Band and more!
Check this list below:
Add-on Content
* PAIN David Hasselhoff add-on pack (£1.19/€1.49)
* PAIN Movie Studio add-on pack (£3.99/€4.99)
* 5x Soul Calibur IV equipment customization packs (£0.79 - £1.59/€0.99 - €1.99)
* Star Wars The Force Unleashed character pack 1 (£6.29/€7.99)
* Everybody's Golf 5 character pack (£3.19/€3.99)
* Civilization Revolution "The Terrestrial" map pack (£0.79/€0.99)
* Civilization Revolution "Elemental" map pack (free)
Videos
* 6x Shoot videos
* Bioshock 2 teaser trailer
* Shaun White's Snowboarding trailer
* 2x Soul Calibur IV trailers
* Tomb Raider Underworld trailer
* Tom Clancy's EndWar video
* MotorStorm Pacific Rift "Air Zone" trailer
More »
Many people have been wondering exactly what the differences are between Development and Retail PlayStation 3 Systems, and we figured now would be a great time to clarify these along with reporting some new findings.
Aside from the different hardware revisions of the PS3's motherboard, the systems are virtually the same as mentioned in previous posts. We have examined multiple PS3 TEST's, Retail PS3's, Demo Unit PS3's, and even Factory Mode PS3's, and found that there are no hardware differences between them at all.
Mind you, there are differences, but they are due to the hardware revision, not due to the systems themselves. To make that more clear, the units are identical to their counterparts of the same hardware revision.
So, the question is- what's the difference? Software!
We all know the difference is in the software, and after examining countless dumps from these systems, on top of flash dumps given to us by you, our loyal re... More »
Visit our Web Shop for the latest Deals on gaming gear today!
Use Coupon Code: holiday at check-out to get 15% OFF your order!
Per Grace Chen (Senior Manager, PlayStation Store) today:
Hey, everyone. It’s time again for the PlayStation Store weekly update.
Qore
Qore Episode 06: November, 2008 ($2.99 for episode / $24.99 for Annual Subscription)
Episode 06 of Qore: Presented by the PlayStation Network travels to Tokyo to take an up-close look at the gaming culture, but still keeps things close to “Home” with an exclusive peek at the new virtual community.
File size: 1.63 GB
Add-on Game Content
LittleBigPlanet Halloween Mask Costume (free) - Limited time offer
A seasonal exclusive costume for SackBoy!
File size: 1.04 MB
LittleBigPlanet Spaceman Costume (free) - Limited time offer
A new costume for Sackboy!
File size: 1.04 MB
Tom Clancy’s EndWar FirstWar Enlistment Pack (free)
Enlist for the FirstWar on PLAYSTATION Network! This FREE download unlocks thr... More »
Over the months there has been a lot of inaccurate information circulating in regards to how exactly the PlayStation 3's Service Mode works, and as promised in our previous Dev updates here are some of the facts to help separate the rumors and speculation.
It is a fairly simple process as follows.. For starters, the PS3 is powered off, and a special USB dongle, known as the Jig, is connected. The PS3 is then turned on, and then off, once it has detected the Jig.
After this occurs, the PS3 is then turned back on, into "Service" Mode. From here, the PS3 is re-flashed using a Firmware Update on a USB stick, specifically designed to only install from the Service Mode. Once the PS3 is re-flashed with the software, it is then used in conjunction with a PC running customized software, specifically the DEX.exe and CEX.exe's.
There are a multitude of special PS3 firmwares, basically three major ones. The first is a Core System, followed by the Service Sys... More »
Many users live with boot problems or re-install Windows and start again, but there is a better way. If you learn what happens during the boot process then you'll be able to diagnose and fix any issues that might arise.
The BIOS
The boot starts with your PC's BIOS, which grabs its settings from CMOS RAM before initialising your video adaptor and any expansion cards. A Power On Self Test does basic hardware checks, tests your RAM if required and usually delivers a single beep to indicate that everything is working.
If there's a problem at this point then the BIOS will display an error message or issue a number of beeps; check your motherboard manual to figure out what they might mean. If it's accessible, launch your BIOS setup program to confirm that no settings have been changed. If they have, this could mean that your motherboard's CMOS battery has failed, in which case you'll need a replacement.
If you've installed an exp... More »
Community Manager Bryan Intihar at Insomniac Games shared the following today via PS Blog:
With the Resistance 2 public BETA now in full swing, we wanted to make you aware of a few important dates for those in North America.
• The open application process will close today at 4 p.m. PDT. If you haven’t applied yet, head to http://beta.myresistance.net/apply.
• Today is not your last chance! Much like with the LittleBigPlanet BETA, USA Today will be distributing (hundreds of) codes on their site beginning next Tuesday.
• The download servers will shut down on Wednesday, October 29 at 5 p.m. PDT. What’s that mean exactly? You won’t be able to download the beta after this date.
• We’ll be shutting down the BETA servers on Thursday, October 30 at 11:59 p.m PDT. After that, you’ll need a retail c... More »
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