Yeah Baby Yeah!

Hello,

Congratulations, you’re one of the We are PlayStation winners!

Thank you for your submission; we’re pleased to tell you that your photo has won third prize

Please note that, under the rules of the competition, you have given permission for SCEE to use your photo in any SCEE marketing materials including (but not limited to), posters, print advertising, online, TV and Cinema commercials and point of sale material. Under the same rules, if you do not claim your prize within 30 days of receiving this email then it will go to another entrant, so get back to us as soon as you can.

Enjoy your prize, and keep taking great pictures!

*does a happy dance*

[mobiletone]

we are all individuals!

except that GINGER! always one that's not playing the game ;)
where's my free Brutal Legend t-shirt?

Fans of Brutal Legend gathered in England over the weekend to rock out with EA, shattering the world record for the most people simultaneously performing air guitar. Such is the power of the gamer.

The record-breaking feat took place during the UK Download Festival in North West Leicestershire's Donington Park over the weekend. Kerrang FM's Christian Stevenson, 440 gamers gathered around the EA demo trailer, taking up imaginary axes in order to rock out to Motörhead's "Ace of Spades".

\m/ o_- \m/ RAWK! [mobiletone]

we've been picked to go on University Challenge! TO THE STATION!

Scratch

Not many of you know that Mister Jimmy was a first generation Hip Hop DJ before I got a job, got married, got a kid and a PS3. I still have my Technics 1210's and have been scratch mixing for 24 years, so I do know how many copies of a wrekkid to buy to make sure you NEVER wear out the good bits.

So, if anyone will be able to put this through it's tests, I'm your man. From this video, I have to say signs are promising. Watch this space.

(BTW I've never even tried a Guitar Hero or similar - closest I've tried is Samba De Amigo :) )

[MrJimmy]

serious PS3 lag issues

PRISON bosses have banned lags from using a top computer games console – because they fear it could help them to escape.

Inmates at HMP Rye Hill, near Rugby, Warwickshire, which holds 660 dangerous convicts including sex attackers and killers, have complained that guards have outlawed the state of the art Playstation 3 (PS3) devices.

The console contains a built-in modem and Bluetooth connection.

And it is feared this could allow prisoners to communicate, via the internet, with crooks on the outside, and organise escape plots.

One inmate at Rye Hill, which is run by private security firm G4S, was so incensed by the ban that he wrote to lags’ magazine Inside Time.

He moaned: “I am currently banging my head against the proverbial brick wall regarding Playstation 3.

“Along with others I am trying to have it included on the Incentives and Earned Privileges (IEP) list; however we are informed by the authorities here that the console has a built-in wireless modem.

“I managed to disprove this, but the security department insist the console has a built-in modem.”

The government has ruled that all prisoners must pay for their own computer games consoles, following revelations last month that £220,000 of taxpayers’ cash had been spent on the expensive toys between 2005 and 2008.

During those three years, two of Britain’s most notorious inmates were given entertainment systems.

Soham child killer Ian Huntley, 35, got a £179 Nintendo Wii for his cell in Frankland jail, Durham, while Shannon Matthews’ mum Karen had a £300 PlayStation 3 at New Hall Prison in Yorkshire.

Lags can purchase items from the Prison Service’s IEP list if deemed suitable for the prison environment.

When Sony launched their PS3 technology back in 2006, the main selling point was its use of interactive gaming that allowed players to play online against one another.

But the science behind the PS3 means it can be used to communicate with mobile phones, blackberry devices and laptop computers, leading to fears that lags could use it to organise escapes and hatch plots to smuggle drugs into prison.

A spokesman for the Prison Service said: “Playstation 3 (PS3) consoles are barred on the grounds that they have the capability to send and receive radio signals as an integral part of the equipment.

“This poses a significant threat to prison security due to the inherent wireless technologies built into PS3 consoles – enabling the user to connect to the internet for example for web-surfing and downloading games.

“The PS3 contains two wireless technologies, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

“These technologies pose a risk to prison security as they can be used to breach prisoner communications policy and are not permitted.”

[ben.goldby]

back-up system online

VidZone is awesome - it's official!

After a shaky start start with connection problems for most people due to high demand, VidZone seems to be working fine now and I'm really liking what I've seen so far.

It's very intuitive to use and navigation is similar to that of the PlayStation store (although the interface doesn't look quite as slick). Playlists are easy enough to set up or you can use a recommended one. I jumped straight into the music by selecting Playlists -> recommended -> Ibiza Party Videos (a winning combination of cheesy dance music, and scantily-clad hot women :)).

Controls are displayed on screen - press select for full screen for example (although truth be told I've not actually seen full screen - if the video is shot in widescreen, I get a black border around it on my 16:9 TV. If it's shot in "full screen" I get black bars to the left and right). Video quality is quite good and seems to vary from video to video - some look slightly worse than standard definition and some look a bit better. Audio quality is good too - seems comparable to what you would get on iTunes (the original 128kbps AAC tracks). I've seen no lag or jitter whatsoever on playback and I'm not on a particularly fast connection - around 2 megabit. If I manually skip between tracks in the playlist it takes a second or two to play the next track but I would expect that due to the nature of streaming media. Without skipping, the transition between tracks in the playlist is seamless. There's a huge selection of videos available as we were promised.

So all in all I'm really impressed and I think that SCEE should feel proud that they've managed to pull this off. I've tinkered with Sony's other "ventures" for PS3 - Home and Life with PlayStation for example. Both of those have just been a novelty to me and I haven't used either of them in months. VidZone I can see myself using regularly and in place of the music channels that I watch on Freeview. Here's hoping that Sony keep it well-stocked with up-to-date content.
[reakt]

GTpsp Hands on Gameplay

Ok, so they have it on the PSP, should it not just be a simple port job to get it running on the PS2? just think, it could have been the PS2s swan song instead of using it to push sales of the new PSPgo/3000, a good game gone to waste i feel. I have never really got to like using the nub on the PSP for driving, it's like pushing a penny around a table top. Now if they let you link your PSP to the PS3 so you can us a 'real' joypad then i'm sold as i'd have the PSP jacked into an HDTV via component too, THAT would be the cats whiskers! [mobiletone]

How was inFAMOUS for you?

I haven't a sodding clue, not having had the chance to play it due to TVs killing themselves and my insistence on playing FUEL until my wrists/brain/arse cramped last weekend. But our spunky antipodean mate has and here's what he has to say on the subject.

also, VidZone Launch.. Typical Sony Experience
– Update 6pm UK / 7pm Europe, Thursday 11 June –

Due to very high demand of the VidZone service, some people may be experiencing some problems when accessing the service.

Sorry for the inconvenience; we are working really hard to get it back online as quickly as possible and appreciate your patience. I will update you as soon as I have any further information.

Thanks!

Ben

Forza3 vs GT5, FIGHT!

Can You Tell The Difference?

"Forza Motorsport 3” offers more than 400 fully customizable and tunable cars from over 50 of the world’s leading manufacturers.

All 400-plus cars in the game have been built with more than 10 times the amount of polygons as “Forza Motorsport 2.” This includes painstakingly researched cockpits and interiors for every vehicle. But realism isn’t just about pretty graphics. Turn 10 takes realism to new heights, leading the industry with the most advanced physics model, artificial intelligence and damage calculations.

vs

Gran Turismo 5 remains the most likely candidate to be the first proper system seller for the PS3. But no released date has yet been confirmed and the game is almost guaranteed to be put back to 2010. The PS3 will be in its fourth year by then and approaching middle age - which is just too long to wait in my opinion. GT5 had better be something very fucking special when it does finally get here as other developers seem to be able to get games out to the same exacting standards and graphical prowess in a fraction of the time. To me, the new Forza3 is something we should have had at least a year ago if it were not for the detail obsessed freak behind GT5's developement. At the end of the day a driving game should be about driving above all else. Forza3 even has it's own in game editing. will GT5 have this? i doubt it very much. will GT5s crash damage look as good? i doubt it very much. will it allow you to customise your car further than a spoiler and a set of chrome rims? i doubt it very much.

Forza 3 has just handed Gran Turismos arse to it on a plate with a big steaming side order of 'what ever you can do we can do better and faster'. Polyphony Digital had better step up to the mark and save the one last thing we had as PS3 drivers. [mobiletone]

sack it to me

YAY, i found this in my stash hole when i got in from work today, it's the much fabled LBP t-shirt.. though i was kinda expecting an actual sack person. The thing is it's an 'L' adult and i, being the mutant barrel chested freak that i am, wear XL.. what to do, just what to do.. *thoughtful look* OK, so LBP is about creating stuff, so i am holding this sites first ever COMPETITION!!! i want you to photoshop, video or get the glue out and build something and show me just what Little Big Planet means to you. Once you have got busy post the resulting mess online and send the link to me: t.flaxman@ntlworld.com with the subject line: "THE SHIRT OFF YOUR BACK" and i shall decided the winner and post the results on June 24th, so that gives you all two weeks to get busy. good luck people.