Hasta La Gadget!

Yesterday, Sony took the wraps off a PlayStation-branded 3D TV and gave us our first serious look at the Vita, but our friends across that big wet thing we call the Pacific scored an extra little hardware goody — an official PS3 keyboard. If you’ve ever seen a Bluetooth keyboard there isn’t much surprising here, though it does feature a PS button for powering the console on and off. Instead of a touchpad Sony went with a Thinkpad-style nub which will be loved by some, but loathed by others. And don’t worry, pairing this thin one-pounder with other devices should be quite simple. Folks in the Land of the Rising Sun can pick one up on June 30th for ¥5,000 (about $62), but there’s no word on a stateside release. Treat yourself to the machine translated PR and another pic after the break.

Continue reading Japan scores official Bluetooth PS3 keyboard for ¥5,000

Japan scores official Bluetooth PS3 keyboard for ¥5,000 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Jun 2011 17:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony planned the PlayStation 3 from the start as a movie playing powerhouse, but it may not have predicted so many would end up using it for Netflix streaming. CEO Jack Tretton just hit the stage at the company’s E3 keynote to announce it is the leading Netflix streamer, accounting for 30% of the video watched on the service. While this is somewhat surprising maybe it shouldn’t be — consoles far outpace other TV connected streamers in install base, and between the Xbox 360, Wii, and Sony’s box, the PS3 is the only one that lets you watch without an additional subscription and in HD. Also announced is a new partnership bringing video on-demand movies from the Best Buy-owned CinemaNow service. With any luck, the retail giant will add a subscription element or partner with Redbox and make this interesting, but until then it’s just another footnote on the list of providers currently offered on the PS3.

Continue reading Sony’s PS3 claims the lead in Netflix streaming, adds VOD from Best Buy’s CinemaNow

Sony’s PS3 claims the lead in Netflix streaming, adds VOD from Best Buy’s CinemaNow originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Jun 2011 20:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If multiple batmobiles, a bat-usb stick, and a bat-puter aren’t enough to convince you Bruce Wayne is a vain egomaniac, maybe these Batman: Arkham City batarang controllers will give you pause. In traditional bat-gadget fashion, these Xbox 360 and Ps3 controllers boast a cheesy bat-aesthetic (such as bat-start and select / back buttons), dual rumble motors, comfort-soft grips, and seven switchable splashes of LED color. Although physically the two controllers are pretty similar, Ol’ Bats seems to favor the PlayStation 3, giving its controller not only the popular Xbox 360 button / analog layout, but an internal battery, detachable charging cable, and batman-themed USB RF receiver, to boot. The Xbox variant? A dated, wired affair — but hey, at least it’s got that Xbox guide button, right? The controllers will be on display next week at E3, courtesy of Power-A, and will hit store shelves when Batman: Arkham City ships in October, leaving you little excuse not to be geared up and ready when the bat-phone rings. Hit the break for the official press release… or, you know, have Robin do it for you.

Continue reading Batarang controllers to be thrown at E3, come back in October

Batarang controllers to be thrown at E3, come back in October originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Jun 2011 21:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you work for Sony you might want go watch TV right now — there’s something on Discovery about ostriches and sand. Meanwhile, Microsoft just let us know that it’s sold 55 million Xbox 360s globally, which is very probably enough to maintain its lead over the PS3. Moreover, 360 sales in the US are still accelerating six years into its life-cycle, thanks largely to updates like Kinect — and Microsoft boasts that “no other console in history can make that claim.” Huzzah. Now, we’re not ones to snatch the pen from the victor’s hand, but remember: this claim is based on US stats, whereas the PS3 has generally been doing better in other regions. What’s more, neither the Wii nor the PS3 has yet reached its sixth birthday, so the story isn’t over. Nevertheless, the chart after the break does make Microsoft’s performance look damn impressive. Why is it that when you’re down, life just keeps on kicking?

Continue reading Microsoft sells 55 million Xbox 360 consoles, claims that’s console history

Microsoft sells 55 million Xbox 360 consoles, claims that’s console history originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Jun 2011 13:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Nintendo DS line has had many redesigns up to the present 3DS, but one thing that hasn’t changed are the tiny, easily lost cartridges. Enter Memorex’s $20 Universal Game Selector Case, announced as part of its gaming accessory lineup for E3. The UGSC stores up to three games and hooks up to the cartridge port on any DS, letting you swap between them using a signal routing switch. We’ve seen cases similar to this in the past, but Memorex’s take is the first to support 3DS titles as well. Based on the renders, the unit looks to make for a weird fit and some noticeable extra thickness (10.5mm to be exact), especially on the DSi XL, but hopefully we’ll get a better idea of how it feels in hand at E3. From a functionality perspective, the case does seem rather useful for those with forgetful tendencies, if a bit underwhelming for anybody else. Memorex will also be displaying its new third-party PS3 and Wii motion controllers at the E3, which are viewable in the gallery below, and there’s a press release with details after the break.

Continue reading Memorex intros Nintendo DS game-changing case, other not-so-game-changing accessories

Memorex intros Nintendo DS game-changing case, other not-so-game-changing accessories originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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