Posts tagged Sony at Switched

Posts with tag sony

Sony Deleting 'LittleBigPlanet' User Content At Will

by Kaiser Hwang, posted Nov 13th 2008 at 10:26AM

There's some dramatic irony going on here: Sony is deleting user-generated content created for its much-lauded 'LittleBigPlanet,' a game that heavily emphasizes user-generated content. Sure, the company does say the content violates its end-user license agreement (EULA) by including references to television shows and games, but Sony isn't even giving the users a warning to fix their mistakes -- the content gets automatically deleted, with no clear message as to why. If you're not familiar with EULAs, basically it's a contract between a software maker and you, the user, granting you a license to use the software. You know when you install software and have to click "Agree" to start the installation? That's the EULA.

In many cases, the offensive content found in 'LittleBigPlanet' is simply an item or character, yet Sony deletes the entire level causing, in some cases, users to have to spend hours recreating said level. From one player: "I had items ... that other people created of 'Sonic the Hedgehog' and a 'Metal Gear Solid' character. They couldn't just delete those items, they had to go and take the whole level?"

Even if users were given a warning, the EULA seems a bit flawed. It's sounds like (we don't have it here to get the details) it'd be comparable to posting, say, a videogame review on YouTube, and then having it removed because you didn't get permission to show clips of the game. The 'LittleBigPlanet' creations in question aren't official, but they couldn't they be confused as such either. On top of that, users aren't making money from it. If the content were pornographic, we could start to understand, but deleting peoples' levels because they have a character or level that resembles/was inspired, say, 'Super Mario Bros'? Isn't recreating the things we love part of the reason user-generated content is so great?

Head on to the official LittleBigPlanet forums for some frustration. [From: Wired]

Gamer Overcomes Disability with Custom PlayStation 3 Controller

by Engadget Staff, posted Nov 11th 2008 at 3:14PM

Yeah, we may be hardened cynics -- our cold, black hearts have closed off to all but the most extraordinary tech-related stories, and we don't talk about the triumph of the human spirit a lot, but PlayStation 3 forum user KitsuneYume has us stepping outside our usual box today. With the help of an engineer, he made an "adaptive controller" that allows him to game with the pros despite serious disabilities. 20 out of 25 functions are accounted for by the system, and he uses his fingers, toes, and even his tongue to play -- your regular, everyday controller mod it ain't.

The creator said he uploaded the pictures to make sure folks who might need it are aware the technology exists, as he contacted Sony a while back and they weren't able to tell him where to look. We hope this helps gets the word out, because we think everyone should have and chance to lie, cheat, and steal their way through 'Fallout 3.'

[Thanks, Jason]

Does 'LittleBigPlanet' Live Up to the Hype?

by Tim Stevens, posted Nov 9th 2008 at 4:09PM

'Little Big Planet'

What it is: 'LittleBigPlanet' is rather unlike anything else you've experienced on a video game console. It's Sony's hope to bring alternative gamers to the PlayStation 3 (PS3) this holiday season, and is a wonderfully charming game to boot. From a purely gameplay perspective, it's an evolution of the fairly standard side-view run-and-jump style games (like the old 'Super Mario Bros.') way back in the day. No two levels are alike, largely because the entire game is all about expressing creativity, whether it be customizing your character to look exactly as you like, or building your own level from scratch to be exactly how you want it.

Or, if you're not feeling so creative, you can just download the levels made by others online, or play through those that ship on the disc with the game. There's no real plot here, and no real point either except to do whatever you want -- and have fun, of course. It's all wrapped in a lovely hand-made aesthetic that includes characters who appear to have been stitched from burlap and the levels composed of cardboard and styrofoam. It looks fantastic, but that hand-made feel goes well beyond looks.

Why it's different: 'LittleBigPlanet' is at the forefront of a new movement in video games that focuses on user-generated content. In this case, that means that anyone who buys the game can create their own levels and post them online to play. In fact, all the levels that are included with the game for playing offline could also be re-created through the game's unique level editor tool.

What we like: While most level editors are imposing and technical things full of menus that take hours and hours to begin to figure out, LBP's level editor is an intuitive cinch. Creating levels is actually a fun thing, driven by your character who floats around on a blank template, dropping blocks here and creating obstacles there -- all at your direction, of course.

You can even get a bunch of friends (either sitting next to you or online) in there to create levels with you, helping you out to build that giant roller-coaster level. In fact, the entire game is very multiplayer-friendly, supporting up to four players online or offline to run through any level. The controls are simple (run, jump, and grab are really all you need to worry about) and the little sack characters so undeniably cute (little beggars with big grins and burlap textures donning top hats and goofy clothes), that it's hard to imagine anyone not wanting to have a go at it.

Gallery: LittleBigPlanet

Continue reading Does 'LittleBigPlanet' Live Up to the Hype?

New Sony Battery Recall Affects Acer, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Toshiba Laptops

by Thomas Ricker, posted Oct 31st 2008 at 9:35AM

One day later and Sony's battery recall has already tripled in size. What started as a recall of 35,000, just hit 100,000 (75,000 of which are HP related) and now includes Li-ion batteries used in some Lenovo and Acer laptops as well as the original list of Dells, HPs, and Toshibas. All the laptops were sold between 2004 and 2005, two-thrids or which were sold outside the US. What's most troubling is that Sony claims the faulty batteries are from the same unit that made the recalled batteries from two years ago.

So... Apple, you next?

[Affected models include: Dell Latitude 110L, Inspiron 1100, 1150, 5100, 5150, and 5160; HP Pavilion dv1000, dv8000, and zd8000, Compaq Presario v2000 and v2400, and HP Compaq nc6110, nc6120, nc6140, nc6220, nc6230, nx4800, nx4820, nx6110, nx6120, nx9600; Toshiba Satellite A70/A75, P30/P5, M30X/M35X, and M50/M55.]

New PlayStation 3 Game Delayed Over Potential Offense to Muslims

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Oct 20th 2008 at 2:15PM

PS3 Title 'Little Big Planet' Delayed Over Qur'anic Phrases

'Little Big Planet,' a new highly customizable platform game for the PlayStation 3, is garnering attention -- for all the right and wrong reasons. Initial reviews and reaction to the game have been very positive, but the game has also drawn attention for a potentially offensive song on its soundtrack that contains phrases from the Qur'an.

Sony was alerted to the potential problem by a Muslim beta tester who alerted the company that some Muslims may be offended by the lyrics, since the Qur'an is considered to come directly from God.

Sony has recalled copies of the game and producing a new version with out the controversy-courting track. Manzoor Moghal, of the Muslim Forum, told the BBC he praised Sony's decision and quick action. [From: BBC]

Sony Ericsson Patents Cameraphone Auto-Zoom Technology

by Chris Ziegler, posted Oct 3rd 2008 at 3:01PM

It's a beautiful autumn day, and you're out in the wooded path beyond the railroad tracks just taking it all in and killing some time. Hey, what's that? Why, it's the cutest bunny rabbit you've ever seen! Time to pull out that 8-megapixel C905 and... oh, this sucks, you actually have to press a button to zoom in and out! Screw this noise -- you're a visionary photographer, not a manual laborer.

Happily, Sony Ericsson feels your pain, and a new patent application reveals that they're hard at work on a system to control your cameraphone's zoom level simply by moving it back and forth. Just get the phone closer to the subject, and boom, welcome to telephoto city, population one. We're still totally cool with the old-fashioned way of capturing Pulitzer-winning shots, but we're happy that someone's thinking of this type of stuff so we don't have to -- that'd be work. [Via Unwired View]

Sony Shows Off Bent 0.3mm OLED Screen

by Joshua Fruhlinger, posted Sep 30th 2008 at 2:48PM

The last time we saw Sony's 0.3mm OLED protoype, it was encased in lasers and protected by deathbots in an underground prison of doom. This time around, Sony is showing off the razor-thin display for all at CEATEC to see, and they went all bendy on us. The new prototype has a curve to it, perhaps foretelling some curious plans for the technology in its expensive years ahead. Despite the curve, the picture remains as sharp and contrast-heavy as one would expect from OLED. Pictures and proof of the curved madness below.

For more images, head on over to Engadget to see a full gallery.

Sony Unveils World's Lightest Blu-ray Laptop

by Darren Murph, posted Sep 23rd 2008 at 4:37PM

It took a few ~~days~~ hours longer than expected, but Sony's VAIO TT is here. And it's sexy. This 11.1-inch beauty features a sub-1-inch thick, 2.87-pound chassis made from carbon-fiber, and Sony claims it's the lightest notebook on the planet to pack Blu-ray capabilities.

Arriving in a variety of configurations, the VAIO TT is available with an XBRITE-DuraView LCD, Intel's Centrino 2 technology, an HDMI output, dual channel 256GB (128GB x 2) SSD setup with RAID, Sprint WWAN (EV-DO Rev. A) and Windows Vista running the show. The Fall-bound TT -- which will arrive in premium carbon black, silk black, champagne gold and crimson red outfits -- will start at around two large, with the Blu-ray model going for $2,700 and the SSD edition demanding $2,750.

There's no direct mention of a battery life figure, which scares us just a tad, but you can dig into the full release just after the break.

Don't miss the gallery over at Engadget.

Continue reading Sony Unveils World's Lightest Blu-ray Laptop

'Life with PlayStation' Begins Today

by Thomas Ricker, posted Sep 18th 2008 at 1:15PM

After making a false start earlier today, Sony Computer Entertainment just announced the official, global launch of its free, Life with PlayStation PlayStation 3 (PS3) service. Initially, Live Channel will deliver worldwide news and information such as weather and live camera images from 60 cities around the globe -- more interactive content will be delivered in time. Check the video demonstration after the break for setup instructions and quickie overview.

[Via Playstation.Blog]

Continue reading 'Life with PlayStation' Begins Today

Sony Recalling VAIO TZ Laptops Due to Overheating

by Thomas Ricker, posted Sep 4th 2008 at 9:06AM

Own a Sony VAIO TZ? Well, we hate to be the bearers of bad news but your TZ is likely infected by a possibly dangerous manufacturing boo boo. As such, all VAIO TZ models sold between May 2007 and July 2008 are subject to overheating (unrelated to the Lithium Ion battery, mind you) and eligible for free repair. So far, the announcement only covers Japan, we have yet to see any announcements for the rest of world. However, we do have a reader tip saying that US-based Micro Center stores have pulled all the VAIO TZs from its shelves. We'll update you with US and European support information just as soon as it's available.

Update: And here we have it, the official statement of voluntary recall for the US. 73,000 VAIO TZs -- VAIO VGN-TZ100 series, VGN-TZ200 series, VGN-TZ300 series and VGN-TZ2000 series sold between July 2007 and August 2008 -- are affected after 15 reports of overheating resulting in one consumer who suffered a minor burn. Full notice after the break.

Update 2: UK recalled as well. Apparently, more than 200 laptops globally have overheated resulting in seven people suffering "light burns." The recall amounts to about 440,000 laptops.

[Via Impress, thanks BigDaddyM and Chris W.]

Continue reading Sony Recalling VAIO TZ Laptops Due to Overheating

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