Sony Europe Blowout: PS3 to get TV PVR, PSP to get Camera services and GPS

Originally Posted by GameInformer

At Sony Europe’s packed GC press conference in Leipzig, the company gave players a general overview of the PlayStation landscape—and also announced a number of new add-ons for its PlayStation 3 and PSP platforms.

Shortly after the assembled crowd settled into their seats, the company announced it will be launching a new service in Europe that will enable users PS3s to become digital video recorders. Titled Play TV, users will be able to record live television – either HDTV or Standard Definition television. This new service is said to be live in Europe in early 2008.

By the use of an over the air antenna and a USB 2.0 peripheral, users will be able to record and playback TV shows through their PS3. The antenna will be able to record from a new format in Europe called DVDT (or also known as DGTV, Freeview Playback, TDT, and more.)

Users will be able to schedule recordings up to 7 days in advance, switch live TV channels, and record shows either from the channel you’re watching, or shows programmed to record ahead of time.

Users will be able to browser their already recorded video by using something much like SingStar’s album browse function, and see a quick snapshot of the recording. By clicking on the recording users will be able to see a quick preview clip that’s 15 seconds in length so they can determine whether or not they’re going to select the proper recording.

Better yet, users will be able to play their recorded programming from their PS3s onto their PSP systems by using the remote play function.

Currently, there’s has not been any announcement on what will happen with this technology in North America, but it’s indeed promising, especially if it gets hooked up with cable, satellite, or IPTV services instead of open air antennas.

Surprisingly enough, most of the announcements were geared toward the PlayStation 3’s little portable brother. The company announced that it was adding a few more products that will fall under its Go! brand, which is the umbrella that the PSP camera—the Go!Cam—fell under.

First up is Go!Messenger, a voice, video and text chatting program that will be available worldwide. After a PSP firmware update in January 2008 and an additional software download, users will be able to keep in touch with their friends using their PSP systems. It should come as no surprise that Go!Messenger is fully compatible with the Go!Cam. While you won’t need to own the camera to receive videos, you will obviously need the accessory to send vids to your friends.

Second, a product called Go!Explore will turn your PSP into a fully functional GPS system. With Go!Explore, Sony says users can plot out routes for either vehicular or pedestrian travel—which are then charted out in animated and interactive maps. Users can zoom in, rotate the view, check out a sped-up virtual trip and even suggest alternate routes. The system requires a special GPS adapter, which plugs into the system. We didn’t get to see it up close, but the external antenna appears to flip down and is about the same size as a PS2 memory card. There also wasn’t any firm information about a release date, pricing info for the adapter or whether it will even work in North America.

Today’s press conference gave PSP owners another reason to be particularly excited—providing they like movies and television and also happen to live in the UK or Ireland. If you can check all of those boxes, you’ll soon be able to take advantage of a new PSP video download service. Through the service—in an exclusive partnership with European satellite service Sky—PSP owners will be able to download sports events, movies, TV shows and music presentations directly to their systems. Some of the specific examples shown in a brief montage included the comedy film Superbad, a football match, Lost, Ice Age, Ghost Rider, Rescue Me and a cricket match. While the service is rolling out in the UK and Ireland first, Sony says that the company is in active discussions with potential partners in France, and that Spain and Germany are next on their list. No mention of North America, eh? We see how you are…

We’ll let you know more about these interesting new accessories and programs as details are made available.

Source

It's sad that the PS3 can only record through antenna broadcasting; Europe broadcasting for that matter. . . If it does well in Europe, I'm sure Sony will eventually have it cross over to the States and inevitably onto Cable boroadcasting. Surprisingly enough, there was no confirmation about if PlayTV would be used in Japan either. To my understanding, it seems that only be used it'll only be used in PAL territories.

Words cannot express how excited I am for the PSP's new features. God only knows how long I've been waiting for Sony to release some good software that utilizes the PSP camera. They've couldn't have done anything better. Go!Messenger it a great concept. This will take communication with consoles to the next level. However, once again, this technology (including the Go!Cam) has yet been released in the USA. How unfortunate for us Americans. I for one think that this technology will easily catch on with the American market and will appeal to the masses.

The GPS is a nice addition as well. The only problem is how will Sony make it so that the PSP needs little physical interface to navigate the Go!Explore software. I imagine Sony will probably release some sort of car GPS-esque car attachment that holds the PSP to a position so that the driver will be able to see it clearly without having to hold it themselves. A bit unnecessary, but a nice alternative to those expensive car GPS's nonetheless. Plus it just makes the PSP more appealing to the average consumer.

I honestly have expected for a while now that Sony will release some sort of downloadable service. Hopefully they'll eventually add video game demos and downloads in the near future. And once again, hoping that they release the service for the US as well. . .

It all sounds very fantastic -- for Europe that is. . . Besides mentioning the self-explanatory upsetting thought of all these features being for Europe (or PAL) territories only; it just goes to show how adaptable and upgradeable Sony's consoles are. They truly are next-gen systems and it is apparent that these Sony systems will stand the test of time and will still be used for future years to come. That said, I'd obviously very much like all these services and add-on peripherals to eventually hit the states.

It appears as though the PSP can do nearly anything at this point. It truly defines the term "multimedia." Now I'm just waiting for a non-home-brew PS1 game emulator for the PSP. . .

Props to Sony for creating such an adaptable/upgradeable portable.

Its sad that they give us this crap as opposed to a price drop for both systems and a version of the ps3 with proper backwards compatibilty

The PS3 has failed...no matter how much awsome stuff they add on to it...It has failed *sniffle*

No i just don't like the fact that they think that they think that adding loads of gimmicks will make up for the fact they are screwing us over , im sorry i could care less about this news and more about a price drop

Originally Posted by Jägermeister

Its sad that they give us this crap as opposed to a price drop for both systems and a version of the ps3 with proper backwards compatibilty

Well, for one, a price drop has already happened (not sure about Europe though, you'll have to enlighten me on that matter). At least we now know they created a 80GB hard drive for something (that being PVR). And two, Sony (as of lately) have been pushing the envelope to release firmware updates that fixes the PS2 compatibility issue.

Eventually Sony will release the 80GB model (which uses emulation instead of hardware) to the PAL territories and periodically release firmware updates.

Honestly, do you really base a next-gen system/console on its backwards compatibility? Hell no. Sony could of just done away with the compatibility entirely if they felt like it.

Originally Posted by lavmiester

The PS3 has failed...no matter how much awsome stuff they add on to it...It has failed *sniffle*

Do I detect a hint of biased?

Need I remind you it's only been about nine months (US/Japan) and five months (Europe) since the PS3's launch?

Its the fact we pay more and get less , there was no price drop here in europe i pay double for what america and japan pay for it. There has been no price drop here , its also why a new ps2 costs 250 usd here

Im tired of the psp getting new little things i dont even need. I want some more games for mine!

oh, you got me there dark link...
but I had hopes for the PS3 until the pricetag on the console AND games went sky high!
if they lower the price, Lavvy will buy

And joeyholler...I feel your pain

Originally Posted by joeyholler51

Im tired of the psp getting new little things i dont even need.

Well good news! It's Europe only. Don't complain. . .

I want some more games for mine!

If you haven't gotten any of these games (which were all released this year by the way):

• Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
• Lumines II
• Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters
• The Warriors
• Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception
• Prince of Persia Rival Swords
• Metal Slug Anthology
• Burnout Dominator
• Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars
• Tomb Raider: Anniversary
• Jeanne D'Arc
• Crush

(Along with probably a few other games I forgot to mention) then you are seriously missing out. Plus with games like:

• Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions
• God of War: Chains of Olympus
• SOCOM: Tactical Strike
• Alien Vs. Predator
• Destroy All Humans: Big Willy Unleashed
• Silent Hill Origins

coming out, there's not much room for complaint. Not to mention all the other games that have been released for the PSP before 2007.

Of course, I do agree that Sony does needs to start getting even more support (although I say it's fairly adequate right now) with their games if they hope to get on par (sales wise) with the DS.

Originally Posted by Dark Link

Well good news! It's Europe only. Don't complain. . .

If you haven't gotten any of these games (which were all released this year by the way):

• Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
• Lumines II
• Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters
• The Warriors
• Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception
• Prince of Persia Rival Swords
• Metal Slug Anthology
• Burnout Dominator
• Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars
• Tomb Raider: Anniversary
• Jeanne D'Arc
• Crush

(Along with probably a few other games I forgot to mention) then you are seriously missing out. Plus with games like:

• Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions
• God of War: Chains of Olympus
• SOCOM: Tactical Strike
• Alien Vs. Predator
• Destroy All Humans: Big Willy Unleashed
• Silent Hill Origins

coming out, there's not much room for complaint. Not to mention all the other games that have been released for the PSP before 2007.

Of course, I do agree that Sony does needs to start getting even more support (although I say it's fairly adequate right now) with their games if they hope to get on par (sales wise) with the DS.

That stuff will come to america eventually. and yes i know all about the current games and ones coming out. (BTW you forgot the syphon filter games, if you dont have those check them out.) but it seems like they never release any new information on new psp games, just new features

Eh, not one of those features makes me eager to buy a PSP. (Granted, I'm not in Europe, but still.) I'm much more interested in the Tales games, and FFTactics. But, still, when you consider that these multimedia features are the Sony equivilent of Nintendo's "casual" strategy, you've gotta give them props for doing a good job with it.