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Android PlayStation (Games) Portables Sony Games

Sony's New Android-based Dual Screen Tablets 129

Posted by CmdrTaco from the i-got-double-vision dept.
trawg writes "Sony has officially announced a new line of 'Sony tablets.' There are two models, both offering 3G/4G and Wi-Fi running Android 3.0 — one is a typical tablet with a 9.4-inch screen and the other is an 'unprecedented dual screen' type. Digital content is a big focus: music, books and first generation PlayStation titles will all be available (subject to the usual region restrictions for content)."
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Sony's New Android-based Dual Screen Tablets More

Sony's New Android-based Dual Screen Tablets

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  • So Sony is marketing the PDS now? (Playstation Dual Screen) I wonder if I will be able to play NDS games on it.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by JavaBear ( 9872 )

      Probably not, at least not without a jailbreak, and we have seen that Sony reacts badly to those.

      • What company doesn't "react badly" to people trying to get around their DRM?

        • What company doesn't "react badly" to people trying to get around their DRM?

          Is putting on a different version of the Android OS breaking "DRM"?

          Sony seems like the company you'd least buy a device which is supposedly based on an "open" platform like Android and not expect to buy something locked down, proprietary, and that you can only use as they tell you. In fact, it seems like Sony would be bigger asshats than everyone says Apple is.

          I'm sure people will buy it, since not everyone seems to have realized t

          • The only reason I'd consider getting one of these is to get the PSX emulation, so I wouldn't want to load on something else. With my Streak I loaded on a custom ROM since Dell/O2 are so lethargic with updates, and I haven't had any reason to want a custom ROM on my Xoom yet. Someone has already posted up a link to a free Android PSX emulator anyway, so I'll probably have a look at that :)

            Never had an issue with putting custom ROMs on my Xperia either btw (and I didn't buy that device, I was given it by work

        • What company doesn't "react badly" to people trying to get around their DRM?

          I would expect most companies would react badly. However most companies would figure out a way to restore their DRM that didn't invalidate features promised at point of sale.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by mjwx ( 966435 )

          What company doesn't "react badly" to people trying to get around their DRM?

          Haven't seen Valve sue anyone yet.

          In fact Valve's Gabe Newell has openly called pirates "unserverd customers".

          Yep, no company likes copyright infringement but not all of them perform the massive dick move of suing their own customers.

        • HP/Palm for one. (in the context of WebOS)

          They recently donated servers to the 'jailbreak' community with no strings attached. They have invited the main coder of the community to speak at their events, and paid his airfare on at least one occasion.

          The jailbreak (or homebrew) community have released apps that allow you to tether your device (without paying the carrier excess), to access the app store from countries where it is not supported, and a gazillion other things.

      • Well they do have a website for it... http://unlockbootloader.sonyericsson.com/ [sonyericsson.com]

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by mlts ( 1038732 ) *

          That is fair. If it allows for a complete unlocking, even with purging the DRM keys, that is just fine with me. Android's Marketplace uses LVL for its DRM, which is not dependent on anything on the device.

          I just hope the production models allow for this method of unlocking.

    • Re:Dual screen game system? (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Znork ( 31774 ) on Tuesday April 26, 2011 @09:20AM (#35941012)

      One may also wonder what one will be able to do on it in a year. Maybe Sony suddenly realizes that Android uses Linux and decides to disable Android as a bootable option.

      No thanks to Sony products as far as I'm concerned.

      • Re: (Score:1)

        by Tsingi ( 870990 )

        No thanks to Sony products as far as I'm concerned.

        It's too bad, they make good products. But I'm with you on that, no more Sony for me either.

        Far too often they are asshats to their clientèle.

        :)

        • Absolutely. Some of their hardware is aesthetically quite compelling, but the potential for problems with being able to do things my own way are just too great. Sony has joined Apple in the control freak lock-down category. I'm sure it's a fine choice if you just want to use it as it is out-of-the-box, but I'm not an out-of-the-box kind of geek.
          • By definition? Or am I being too optimistic about the current definition of a geek?
            • I guess I'm old and just don't know anymore. Kids download executables from Anonymous or even just use google and call that "a hack" nowadays. o_0

              • Re: (Score:2)

                by smelch ( 1988698 )
                It always makes me feel dirty when I say something like "Hey, you can't just take these IDs from the client as good and not check that they have authority for those items, let me show you why with the querystring and Fiddler." and my boss calls me a hacker. I'm not a hacker, your software design is just shitty.

        • Re:Dual screen game system? (Score:5, Informative)

          by ciderbrew ( 1860166 ) on Tuesday April 26, 2011 @09:49AM (#35941376)
          It's only in the west that they enjoy a good rep. My wife, who is Japanese sees them as utter crap. Much better stuff to be had in Akihabara. A few friends think that too. (and I think 5 people sum up a nation, so there)

          • Re: (Score:1)

            by Tsingi ( 870990 )

            It's only in the west that they enjoy a good rep. My wife, who is Japanese sees them as utter crap. Much better stuff to be had in Akihabara. A few friends think that too. (and I think 5 people sum up a nation, so there)

            I've been to Akihabara, and I'd sure like to go there again some day soon. It should be a pilgrimage destination for every hardware geek.

            Awesome the stuff you can get in Japan, even in a hardware store.

            I hope they make it through this crisis OK.

            • I went 3 years ago and it wasn't as good as it used to be (13years ago). But that long out of Tokyo means it has all changed again anyway. Will they ever finish the place?

          • I think Sony's reputation, at least among the knowledgeable, has been slipping for a while now in the west, too: In fact, I've spent several thousand dollars recently on products, specifically avoiding the ones made by Sony because of how Sony treats their customers (examples: the PS3's OtherOS feature, the Sony Root Kit, or the AIBO hack).

            In the market, your money is your vote.

      • It could come with perpetual free beer and pizza and I still wouldn't buy it. I will not purchase another Sony product as long as I live. They treat people badly, and I've had quite enough of them.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by c0lo ( 1497653 )

          It could come with perpetual free beer and pizza and I still wouldn't buy it. I will not purchase another Sony product as long as I live. They treat people badly, and I've had quite enough of them.

          Not even if they release the source code of that beer?

        • If just once, there was a boycott big enough to make a major firm change its ways, or go broke, wouldn't that be cool? Their power exceeds that of most governments -- we should make them broke and powerless for being evil.

          • If just once, there was a boycott big enough to make a major firm change its ways, or go broke, wouldn't that be cool? Their power exceeds that of most governments -- we should make them broke and powerless for being evil.

            The fact that you can boycott them means they are less powerful than most governments. Regardless, how is a bunch of Sony haters going to boycott a company they don't patronize in the first place? And why should those Sony haters try to get people who like Sony to turn on them for the sole purpose of making them "go broke?" You are already making your choice by not buying their products. Please don't try to ruin it for the rest of us.

            • The fact that you can boycott them

              How do I boycott Sony when all the local grocery stores buy Sony Music to play over the speaker systems? And how do I boycott Sony when someone induces me to follow a link to a video of a song performed by Rick Astley and released on a Sony label?

              • Shit. In that case you better make sure you don't ever e-mail someone who may look at your message on a Sony computer. In fact, someone may have read your post on a Sony computer. I just typed "Sony" twice - no, three times including that one. Better not read this response.

          • Corporations, though powerful, aren't as powerful as governments. The most powerful governments can launch world-destroying nuclear attacks. I don't recall too many Fortune 500 companies with stockpiles of ICBMs and nuclear warheads.

          • http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exota-affaire [wikipedia.org]

            A dutch consumer watchdog raised a (false) alarm about exploding soda bottles. Nobody bought them anymore and the company went under. To bad it turned out to be a lie.

            And what would you buy instead? MS (lied so often in court the fanboys don't even bother denying it anymore) or Apple (just what is that location file for)

        • I will not purchase another Sony product as long as I live. They treat people badly, and I've had quite enough of them

          Every corporation treats people badly, I have never seen Sony do anything any worse than any other corporation.

      • And how ironic is that the photo in TFA is captionned :

        Design and specifications are subject to change without notice

      • It's always Sony vs. their customers, unfortunately. a shame because they have some incredible engineering talent. It will probably be beautiful device but will have a proprietary media format, proprietary headphone jack, proprietary charger, proprietary batteries. And media and peripherals will cost double everybody else's. Sony's scammer mentality is to screw their customers at every turn rather than build something beautiful and usable that will then become indispensable. Their Walkman music player p

  • But will they be able to produce these in any significant number, after the Tsunami?

    • first define significant. But looking at sales, they'll over produce by a factor of 5.


      no idea what a factor of 5 really means, just say it in meetings to sound wise.

  • Oh, it's Sony (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 26, 2011 @09:03AM (#35940856)

    Wow, those tablets sound interesting.

    Oh, wait. Sony makes them. I'll pass, thanks.

    • Re:Oh, it's Sony (Score:5, Insightful)

      by stonewallred ( 1465497 ) on Tuesday April 26, 2011 @09:05AM (#35940868)
      Yep. Nice big screen on one, portability and fun stuff on the other.

      But that big SONY name on them means I will never own one.

      • totally agree. My first thought was the warranty will never be honored, which is quickly followed by "why should I burn my money on their shitty stuff?"

        • Re: (Score:3)

          by Svartalf ( 2997 )

          My first thought was that of "When will they pull an "OtherOS Removal" on it or a "Rootkit" (if it's not already done...), which was quickly followed by your remarks.

          • Reminds me of their corporate slogans...

            "make.believe."... that OtherOS removal, CD Rootkits, Geohot lawsuit, etc never happened
            We'll screw all our customers... "like.no.other"
            "It's a Sony"... too bad, I would have bought it otherwise.

      • Yep. Nice big screen on one, portability and fun stuff on the other.

        And two screens should be great for people with split personalities?

        Having two screens certainly opens new possibilities. Maybe AT&T can charge for tethering twice?

        • Re: (Score:1)

          by c0lo ( 1497653 )

          Yep. Nice big screen on one, portability and fun stuff on the other.

          And two screens should be great for people with split personalities?

          My personality is split in more than 2, you insensitive clods!

    • Yeah, they might as well call them the CLIÉ 2 - Sony has a PC track record of great looking stuff that are not as well supported as one would hope.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by cusco ( 717999 )
        not as well supported as one would hope.

        And the winner of the 'Understatement Of The Day' award! You should see their security cameras. 10-15 percent dead out of the box, and there is NO advance replacement policy. You send the dead/sick one back, wait two to three weeks, and hope that when it comes back they actually fixed something. We've sent cameras back as many as three times before we finally got a functional unit, each time meaning an installer going to the customer site, installing the camer

    • Re:Oh, it's Sony (Score:5, Insightful)

      by logru ( 909550 ) on Tuesday April 26, 2011 @10:14AM (#35941672) Homepage
      I would just like to add a +1 to this, and would have loved to see a poll on the number of people who would just never buy a Sony device. After owning a Sony laptop (why do I want that memoryshtick shit and why is everything on it non-standard?), a minidisc recorder (why can I only upload to it, not even download stuff I recorded myself?), seen the crazy that was the rootkit (thankfully didn't happen to me) I vowed never to buy their crap again. The playstation nonsense proved that it was a good idea and I can't see it ever change. Friends don't let friends buy Sony.

      • a minidisc recorder (why can I only upload to it, not even download stuff I recorded myself?)

        Just because you recorded the song yourself doesn't mean you wrote the song yourself. Can you prove that your song isn't substantially similar to any of the songs controlled by Sony/ATV, a joint partnership between Sony and the estate of Michael Jackson?

        • See that's the crux of the decline of Sony. By your logic, can you prove what you recorded on Betamax doesn't fall under Fair Use? Today's Sony would have never taken the case to the Supreme Court and consumers would never have had VCRs. The Sony of old only had to worry about making good electronics. The new Sony has to protect content sales as well.

  • So this is why google kicked psx4droid out of the android market [engadget.com]

    Of course, that just resulted in the application becoming free [zodttd.com].

    • Thanks! Hope it works nicely with Honeycomb :)

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by tepples ( 727027 )

        Thanks! Hope it works nicely with Honeycomb :)

        That depends on to what extent Sony customizes the operating system to detect sideloading of blacklisted applications through "Unknown sources" or ADB installation.

        • I meant on my Xoom. Why would you need a 3rd party emulator on the Sony devices?

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by tepples ( 727027 )

            Why would you need a 3rd party emulator on the Sony devices?

            • To play ISOs of game discs that you own but Sony happened not to release on this service.
            • To play ISOs of game discs that you own but are not willing to re-buy at the prices that Sony is likely to charge for the games.
            • To play ISOs of game discs that you own that have been patched with a language translation or custom missions.

  • Don't forget! (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Zaphod-AVA ( 471116 ) on Tuesday April 26, 2011 @09:07AM (#35940888)

    Sony uses your money for things you hate. Fuck Sony.

  • Clamshells are back! (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward

    Hooray.
    I always thought that the clamshell was the best design for a portable device and never understood the appeal of all those slidey keyboard phones. Maybe enough people have had their shiny capacitive screens messed up that we can finally start returning to what we already knew was a superior design for something you carry in your pocket along with your keys.

  • Too bad... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Goboxer ( 1821502 ) on Tuesday April 26, 2011 @09:09AM (#35940910)
    This looks neat. But there is no way in hell I am buying anything from Sony. They've probably rigged it so that three days after you buy it a circus clown pops out of and tries to stab you in the face.

  • Baaaaaad timing (Score:3)

    by Dan East ( 318230 ) on Tuesday April 26, 2011 @09:13AM (#35940944) Journal

    In 2010, Sony launched a network platform called "Qriocity" which connects many of Sony's network-enabled devices, and has been expanding its services into global markets. Also, Sony Computer Entertainment has been providing various contents and services for PlayStation users through PlayStation®Network, which now has over 75 million registered accounts (as of March 20, 2011) worldwide.

    Uh, I don't think I would've mentioned either of those things at this specific moment in time. (And yes, the press release is dated for today, the 26th).

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by JavaBear ( 9872 )

      I can only agree, considering that PSN have been down for about a week now. So technically PSN have 0 subscribers as of 21 April..

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by c0lo ( 1497653 )

        I can only agree, considering that PSN have been down for about a week now. So technically PSN have 0 subscribers as of 21 April..

        Technically... it has zillions of subscribers to... nothing.

  • Hardly Unprecedented (Score:4, Informative)

    by kai_hiwatari ( 1642285 ) on Tuesday April 26, 2011 @09:18AM (#35940988) Homepage Journal
    The S2's dual screen form factor is hardly unprecedented. Sprint released a very similar Android device - Kyocera Echo - back in February. http://gadgetizor.com/kyocera-echo-is-a-dual-screen-android-phone/6820/ [gadgetizor.com]

  • So it's android based? Cool. This is more than a little surprising. I expect Sony not to use anything as open as android. (Okay, so they support Windows as an OS...) But where it comes to things like their PS1 games being supported on the device? Really? How do they plan to lock that down? I'm guessing a proprietary controller interface of some sort but maybe that is too simple.

    Anyway, I look forward to the knock-offs and work-alike devices. Not getting a Sony here. I expect anything Sony puts out

    • Re: PS1 Support. Maybe they'll have a specific "Game OS" and use Android as an "Other OS". Then when people figure out how the game OS works, they'll remove the Other OS in a mandatory firmware upgrade and claim that they never sold the device as a general purpose computer; they sold it as a game console only.

      • That would never happen in a million years! If Sony were to pull a stunt like that, everyone would hate them with such intensity that they simply couldn't stay in business long after that.

  • I want an S2 for Xmas Santa, kthxbai!

  • Tags (Score:2, Redundant)

    by Jaysyn ( 203771 )

    tagged: fucksony

    How appropriate.

  • That's no innovation (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward

    And, given the way Sony has acted in the past years, F U C K Y O U S O N Y

  • It still acts like two independent screens, call me when it unfolds to form one large screen. Besides its hardly the first, and I will never buy Sony again.

  • How much do they cost? This being Sony, I'm guessing 4 figures.

  • Two lessons I've learned in life... (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward

    1. Never stick your dick in crazy.
    2. Never buy a Sony product.

  • I've decided that Sony is crap. I own a PS3 (the console that does everything) and am constantly being plagued by incompatiblity problems. Not to mention the rootkits and otheros removal.

    I'm boycotting Sony.

  • Another thing I can tell anyone I know not to buy...
  • Design and specifications are subject to change without notice"
    boy ain't that the truth!
  • Poorly designed device, seriously. Would anyone take S2 as something real? as a competition to iPad?

  • Because, even folded, it is too big for a pocket and the only compartment that it will fit in that won't also hold a non-folding tablet is a purse.

  • [The Sony tablets] can also smoothly access digital content including videos, games and books through Sony's premium network services and more, on-the-go at any time.

    The recent PSN issues are not inspiring my confidence in these new tablets...

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