Hasta La Gadget!

Late last night / very early this morning, Sony’s PlayStation team finally unveiled a release date for the PlayStation 4 in Japan: February 22, 2014. That’s just short of 100 days after the company’s new game console launches in the US, and nearly as far away from the console’s arrival on European shores — a far cry from the PlayStation 3’s launch strategy, which put the console in Japanese gamers’ hands first.

Instead, Sony’s got another idea for Japanese gamers this holiday in the PlayStation Vita TV. The $100 set-top Vita hooks up to televisions and functions as a Vita does, albeit with a DualShock 3 paired for control. It’ll even act as a Remote Play device for the PlayStation 4 when that console eventually launches in Japan. Unlike some Japan-only PlayStation hardware from Sony’s past (PS3’s Torne DVR device, for instance), Vita TV seems bound for an international release.

In Sony’s official PR, the company says, “PS Vita TV will be available first in Japan prior to any other regions, on November 14, 2013.” Prior to any other regions, eh? PlayStation’s US counterparts are keeping coy. We asked if the console was being considered for release in North America and were told, “We are considering every opportunity, but have nothing to announce at this time,” by an SCEA rep.

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals, Software, HD, Sony

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Orb Audio clearly subscribes to the “do it right the first time” school of thought: Since 2003 it has released exactly one product, the Mod1 speaker. That changes today, because the funky modular audio system is getting both a refresh, and pair of subwoofers to celebrate the firm’s 10-year anniversary. The Mod1X satellites sport a new aluminum driver the company says can handle higher power and has improved midrange and high frequency performance. For aesthetics, they’re available in black, white, “hammered Earth,” polished steel and antiqued copper and bronze finishes.

If you like your bass down low, Orb has you covered here too. The subONE is a 200-watt subwoofer squeezed into a cabinet measuring less than 12 inches on each side, and it features anti-clipping and thermal overload circuits as well as auto voltage-sensing tech — just in case you use it abroad. A small room doesn’t mean you don’t need big sound, so it’s nice to see Orb address that with the 100-watt subMINI that’s tucked into a dual ported 9-inch cabinet. Sure, an $889 starting price for surround sound is a little pricey, but, unlike other aspects of your home theater, good speakers can last a lifetime.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Source: Orb Audio

Sony’s mini-console has certainly got our attention. It’s a bold and relatively cheap new way of entering the world of PlayStation, but it won’t work with all your Vita games. The company has published a list of compatible titles and we can already spot that the likes of Gravity Rush, Wipeout and Uncharted are absent from it. Fortunately, the list of Japanese titles we’ll be able to play on the $100 device is still pretty lengthy, and some exceptions were to be expected in any case — the Vita TV is controlled with a a DualShock which lacks the Vita handheld’s touchpanels. Check out the full list of compatible titles at the source below, but remember — these are Japan-only details for now, and the list could well grow by the time there’s a global launch (assuming that one is indeed on the way).

Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD, Sony

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Source: PlayStation (Japanese)

This tiny 60mm x 100mm wonder is the PlayStation Vita TV. Not only is it a miniature console that plays Vita games and connects to PlayStation controllers, it also offers access to Sony’s Music Unlimited, Video Unlimited service, karaoke and more — all for 9,954 yen (around $100). It’s a knowing nod to the likes of Ouya, NVIDIA’s Shield, and even Google’s Chromecast although it’s a little bit different again, attempting to broach both gaming and online media consumption. Other services ready for the PS Vita TV include Twitter (through Sony’s own client), Hulu and NicoNico Douga, with even more media providers signing up to offer their services on the new device, at least in Japan. Up close, you can see it includes HDMI output, space for a (proprietary Vita) memory card, a slot for Vita games (on the side), plus USB, power and ethernet ports.

You will also be able to buy a set with a controller and storage card for 14,995 yen ($150) and it’s set to go on sale (in Japan at least) on the 14th November. And there’s another key feature: the PS Vita TV will also allow you to connect to PlayStation 4 (when it arrives) for remote play, acting as a secondary terminal for gaming when you’re not in the same room as your next-gen console. You’ll find a promo video showing off the new device right after the break. %Gallery-slideshow83439%

Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD, Sony

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Those who shelled out big bucks for one of Canon’s Cinema EOS cameras will be glad to know they’ve just been blessed with a significant firmware upgrade. Owners of the EOS C500, C300, C100 and 1D C 4K models will all see a huge increase in light gathering, with the maximum ISO jumping from 20,000 to 80,000. That’s one of the highest ISO settings on a pro camcorder, and you’ll now be able to roll through the entire ISO range in 1/3 stop increments instead of a full stop at a time, too. Meanwhile, the top of the line C500 model will get new DCI-P3+ and Cinema Gamut color options, along with a new high-speed, 120fps shooting mode at 4,096 x 1,080. The C300 will also get a new Wide DR color gamut and all the models will get various tweaks and bug fixes. For the finer details, check the source.

Filed under: Cameras, HD, Canon

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Via: NoFilmSchool

Source: Canon Europe