WE RECOMMEND

Sony Plastation 3 Slim Review

Posted by deathbolt | Uncategorized | Wednesday 30 September 2009 10:45 pm

Back in 2004, four years after first launching the PlayStation 2, Sony brought out a new, much more compact PS2. Timed to come out just as Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was hitting stores, the redesigned console helped breath new life into the PS2 franchise. It remains on store shelves today

Needless to say, Sony hopes that a trimmed down–and less expensive–PS3 Slim will similarly invigorate sales of the PlayStation 3, which has lagged behind the Nintendo Wii and the Microsoft Xbox 360 and has taken some of the luster off the PlayStation brand (even as earlier versions of the PS3 received high marks from this publication). To many industry observers, the Slim PS3 represents a moment of reckoning for the PS3–a chance at redemption if you will–and clearly some serious engineering has gone into the creation of Sony’s latest black gaming box and media player.

If you’re a fan of the PS3 or have been sitting on the fence, waiting for its price to drop , the good news is that from a features standpoint, the 120GB Slim PS3 is nearly identical to the 80GB and the 160GB “fat” PS3 models that Sony’s in the process of phasing out. Aside from losing the capability to install another OS (Linux) on your PS3, nothing much else has changed. You still get built-in Wi-Fi connectivity , two USB ports for plugging in external storage devices and charging the PS3’s Bluetooth wireless controller (one DualShock 3 controller comes with the Slim), and the same built-in Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player with BD-Live capabilities.

Like its predecessor, the Slim also supports playback of MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and MPEG-4/h.264 video files from USB or disc-based media, as well as JPEG image viewing (the slideshow functionality is quite impressive). Like the Xbox 360, the PS3 can act as a digital media hub, with the ability to stream content from any DLNA-compatible network device, including PCs and network attached hard drives. And you also get a built-in Web browser (optional Bluetooth keyboards are available), which is serviceable, though not as good as any of the major browsers available for PCs.

Around back, you’ll find an Ethernet jack, an HDMI output (no cable included), an optical digital audio output (SPDIF), and the proprietary PlayStation AV output for analog audio and video. A composite AV cable ships with the unit, and because it uses the same connector as the PlayStation 2, that system’s S-Video and component cables should work with it, as well (to get HD video, you’ll need component or HDMI).

The bad news is that Sony didn’t add new features to the Slim. Alas, while we didn’t think the company would be nice enough to throw in an IR receiver so you could control the PS3 with a standard IR universal remote, Sony has eschewed IR again. Also, if you’re pining to play your collection of PS2 games on Slim, you’ll be disappointed to note that backward capability remains a thing of the past (the option only existed only on some of the earlier PS3 systems Sony released).

The story here, then, is all about design, and it’s generally a good one. For starters, the Slim is 33 percent smaller and 36 percent lighter than its predecessors, and it really does look significantly more compact when you put it up against the “fat” PS3. Beauty, of course, is in the eye of the beholder, and many people, including this reviewer, think the Slim’s new frame is fairly fetching.

Yet, we’ve also heard people say that the new “textured,” or matte, finish gives the system a cheaper look. Maybe so, but pick the Slim up and it feels quite substantial. And while we’re sure Sony doesn’t want people referring to the Slim using adjectives like cheap (except when it comes to the price tag), the company does want this PS3 to appear more “casual” and appeal to a wider audience.

If you are interested in buying Job Lots of Sony PS3 Slim to Resell on Ebay, Amazon or your own Webstore , See what PREMIUM WHOLESALE have to offer right now!

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/computer-games-articles/sony-plastation-3-slim-review-1286608.html

Sky TV coming to YOUR Xbox?

Posted by deathbolt | Uncategorized | Wednesday 30 September 2009 10:45 pm

The Xbox 360 has looked the poor relation when it comes to TV services. While both the PS3 and Wii can take advantage of the BBC’s iPlayer service, Microsoft’s console has never been able to take advantage of it, mainly because it lacks a Web browser. Luckily though, we believe Sky is set to announce that its TV content will soon be available to view on the 360.

The service could be similar to Sky Player, which currently offers live TV and a selection of pay-per-view content over the Internet. We’ve had a demo of Sky Player and have been very impressed by the picture quality of the live streaming. So its arrival on the 360 would only be a good thing. It’s worth noting that Sky Player uses Microsoft Silverlight, so it’s wouldn’t be a massive surprise for the two of them to be working together on this little enterprise.

If this were to happen, it’s reasonable to assume what’s currently available on Sky Player will be the same on the Xbox service. That would mean you’d get access to live sport, news and a selection of Sky’s partner channels, such as G.O.L.D and the History channel. That would bring the promise of pay-per-view TV too, which is great if you want movies on-demand.

There’s some interesting competition here. Microsoft already provides a selection of movies to download via its Marketplace, so we wonder how this crossover with Sky will work. Will Sky’s pay-per-view allow you to pay with pounds sterling, or will you need to use those idiotic Xbox points? There’s also been no word on HD content — we’re going to assume this will be a strictly standard-definition offering, at least at the start.

We have to say, the idea of being able to access Sky through the 360 excites us. It will bring Sky to more homes too, because people who can’t put up a dish might decide to use this system to get access to Sky’s excellent sports service. It’s also interesting to ponder how Virgin will react to this. Imagine that people who have a Virgin TV package decide to cancel it in favour of using this service, but use Virgin broadband to do it. Surely that’s going to test the already fragile relationship between the two companies.

There’s no firm word on a launch date, as yet, and no indication what it might cost. If the service is like Sky Player on a computer, it will need a multi-room subscription and you’ll get access to the same channels as you do on your TV. You won’t need an existing Sky subscription either, so anyone with a fast Web connection and some cash to spend will be able to sign up.

PREMIUM WHOLESALE now sell Xbox 360 Wholesale Job Lots to buyers who wish to Resell on Ebay , Amazon or even their own Website. Buy Wholesale Stock Today!

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/computer-games-articles/sky-tv-coming-to-your-xbox-1286673.html

Comments (0)
Next Page »