PS3-D In September

Source: CrunchGear

It is no secret that Sony is making itself out to be the champion in all things 3D. They have some of the first 3D TVs on the market, 3D cameras, 3D video recorders and last but not least the PS3.

Over the coming few months you will start to notice a few PS3 updates for various 3D game demos, but come September the PS3 will have full 3D Blu-ray functionality. Not long after you can watch 3D Blu-rays expect to see other features compatible with their 3D cameras, and if you think you can do better than Shyamalan 3D home movies!

I am going to be honest, again (sigh), I am not an advocate for 3D movies in their current form but if I could make a 3D home movie about a family vacation to the Grand Canyon I might have to switch teams.

E3: Sony Move

Source: Crunchgear

Well everyone is officially in the motion controlled video games business. The Nintendo Wii started the party while Microsoft and Sony chose to be fashionably late.

We all got to see the unveiling of Microsoft Kinect (formerly known as Project Natal) for the Xbox 360 yesterday at the E3 expo and it was really impressive. The thing that set itself apart on is the fact that no controllers are required as a camera just motion tracks your body for a whole new gaming experience.

Now Sony is in the fray with the Playstation Move. The move is much more like the Wii setup, where you have a controller (read: ice cream cone) in your hand that tracks full 3D movement. But before you think that it is nothing more than a Wii clone (I admit the article pic doesn't help matters) there are some differences in quality and functionality. So while it is similar to the Wii controllers but is far more accurate and has a wider range of motion sensing capabilities.

Totally nothing like the Wii ... we promise!

It is also worth noting that Playstation Move still has buttons, unlike the Xbox Kinect, which should be a relief for more traditional gamers who were starting to get concerned about actually getting off the couch to go to war or play in the Rose Bowl. It will also have a secondary attachment for "navigation" much like the Wii has the little nunchuk.

If the PS3 is your console of choice Move will be hitting shelves on September 19th. The pricing is pretty standard as the primary Move controller will cost you $50 and the optional navigation controller will put you back another $30, but that is just over half of what Xbox Kinect costs so it is fairly reasonable I guess. There will also be a bundle that comes with a Playstation Eye (camera) and the game Sports Champions for $100. There will initially be about 20 games that utilize Playstation Move but they hope to have at least 40 available by the time the holiday’s role around.

As a PS3 owner, not fanboy, I will be interested to try this out come September, especially if they can put together a halfway decent lightsaber dueling game. But I will probably be doing it when no one is watching ... just in case.

New PS3 to be Unveiled at E3?

Source: Engadget

Don't worry, that isn't it. That was actually one of the original PS3 designs a few years back, how about that controller? I apologize for the scare.

With the week long E3 Expo starting next Monday developers and companies will surely have announcements and surprises in store.

For the past several years E3 has been the place to announce the launches of new gaming systems and this year may not be different.

Some rumors are floating around that we might be seeing some new or updated version of the PS3. This speculation is backed up with an FCC report that confirms that they were testing some type of PS3 system with a new debugging unit.

What does this mean?

Well, you would generally need a new debugging unit only if you are using new hardware. If the new PS3 has significant hardware differences than the current model who knows what we will see? My guess is something involving 3D.

All this speculation on the new PS3 and more should be revealed next week during the E3 Expo; be sure to check back in then for updates!

3D Gaming

Source: Playstation.com

We have 3D movies, now we have 3D porn what did you really think was the next logical step?

In truth 3D gaming has been floating around the past several years but never has really caught on or had the technology really in place to make it affordable, but with the massive 3D typhoon that has hit theaters there has been a significant push into the home market, and Sony wants to lead that charge.

With the release of new 3D Sony Bravia this summer the hardware will be available to make 3D home viewing a reality. Andrew House, president of Sony Entertainment Europe, summed up their hopes best:

"3D is a very exciting technology that has the potential to redefine how people consume their entertainment. More specifically, games are a perfect fit with 3D and I truly believe that it will be games that will lead the way in consumer understanding of how 3D enhances the entertainment experience. Games can be adapted into 3D relatively easily and with this technology we can add depth and make games more immersive than ever."

There are a few games already slated for a 3D upgrade for the PS3 in June including WipEout HD, Super Stardust HD, Pain and a demo of MotorStorm Pacific Rift. I feel it is important to point out that these games are 2D being converted to 3D, which we all know does not make for a good movie experience so I have my reservations.

I will reserve my final judgment until I get to play and actual 3D game made in 3D for a 3D TV set ... man, that is a whole lot of 3D and for that I apologize.

World Cup in the Third Dimension?!

Source: PR Newswire

Didn’t get tickets to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa? Well that sucks. Thankfully FIFA has teamed up with Sony to make you feel less left out and more like you are right there in Soccer City, Johannesburg when ball meets foot. That’s right, this summer an unprecedented global 3-D event will be going down, and if you get your hands on the right technology you can participate.

The plan is to film over 25 of the games in 3-D and create a feed to be broadcast on special 3-D channels. According to FIFA TV they already have found a partner in the US with ESPN and in Spain, Sogecable and they expect more networks to follow. A live feed is also in the works, with the possibility of public theater screenings for select matches.

If you have a 3-D capable TV by the time this summer roles around (and who won’t!) you should have the opportunity to partake what Hiroko Saito of Sony proclaims as a “entirely new viewing experience”. Don’t plan on having a 3-D TV in time for the World Cup? You will still have the chance to visit one of the over 4,000 Sony stores worldwide in which Sony, tenaciously on the forefront of 3-D technology, will use this as a promotional tool for their new 3-D Bravia TVs.

In case you thought that was all, Sony has also has revealed that they will be releasing an official 3-D FIFA Blu-ray later this year. For more information and a preliminary schedule of what games will be in 3-D visit PR Newswire.

Nota Bene: Personally, I just can't wait to experience a real soccer riot without the messy side-effects like being trampled to death.

And You Thought it was a Gimmick!

Source: Wired.com

3-D may be seeping into the home theater market sooner than you thought! While there have been various attempts to bring the home viewer into the next dimension for years it is safe to say the powers that be didn’t back the format with full force. That has changed with Sony’s next generation of Bravia TVs.

Due out this summer the Sony Bravia 3-D TVs, combined with a special set of glasses equipped with lenses will flicker in synchronization with what is being seen on screen, promises an un-paralleled visual experience for home viewers.

This news may not come as a huge shock to you, but 3-D is a format that will be sticking around for awhile for better or worse. And Sony has placed itself on the forefront of implementing new technology to support new formats such as Blu-Ray and even though the home 3-D push may be gamble Sony CEO Howard Stringer vows “I’m going to get 3-D right, one way or another, and then I can make life miserable for the competion.”

Nota Bene: Sony also promises to offer consumer grade 3-D cameras, just the extra punch my home movies need!