Tag Archives: handsets

Playstation Suite SDK Coming In November to Playstation Certified Devices

The Tokyo Game Show is taking place right now in Japan and Sony is dropping a world of hurt on the gaming industry thanks in part to their new PlayStation Vita handheld gaming device. To help capture the mobile market, Sony is introducing the Playstation Suite SDK for developers to be available this November. This new SDK will allow developers to make cross platform games and apps that work with any Playstation Certified device like (of course) the PSVita as well as Android powered devices like the Xperia Play and Sony’s new brand spankin’ new Tablet S and Tablet P. Sony expects C# developers to have some content up and running by Spring of 2012. This is HUGE news for Android as Sony hopes to have their own Android game market for all Android users regardless of your device. Check out the full press release below. Sep 14, 2011 23:37 ET Sony Computer Entertainment to Offer Software Development Kit for PlayStation®Suite Starting This November SCE to Provide Strong Support to Content Developers for PlayStation®Suite With the Distribution of the Newly Developed Content Starting Next Spring TOKYO, Sept. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) today announced that it will offer software development kits (SDK) for PlayStation®Suite (PS Suite), called “PlayStation®Suite SDK,” *1 for content developers starting this November. PS Suite is an initiative solution to deliver the world of PlayStation® to Android™ based portable devices. Through PS Suite SDK, content developers can create content for PlayStation™Certified (PS Certified) devices, hardware certified through the PS Suite license program, as well as for PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita). Supporting C# as the programming language, PS Suite SDK can run programs developed in C# on virtual machine equipped on both PS Certified devices and PS Vita. By supporting development for multiple devices and by adopting libraries to create a variety of content not only limited to games, PS Suite SDK will not only help developers save their cost in creating new content but also allow them to efficiently create their content on one SDK and without having to create on several different SDKs. Through PS Suite SDK, SCE will provide to game developers and publishers the potential to further expand their business opportunities to Android based portable devices. In addition, SCE can approach to a wider range of content developers, non-gaming developers and individual programmers. The detailed information of PS Suite SDK, including how to download, will be announced via a dedicated PS Suite section on SCE’s official website. As of September 15th, 2011, PS Certified device line-up includes Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB’s Xperia PLAY, Sony Corporation’s “Sony Tablet” S, “Sony Tablet” P, and SCE will continue to further accelerate the expansion of PS Certified devices in addition to the current hardware line-up. Furthermore, SCE will provide a variety of content towards these PS Certified devices from end October through PlayStation®Store*2 on PlaySation®Network, starting with original PlayStation games (PS one® classics). The service will start in nine countries including Japan, United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Australia and with more countries to follow. In next spring, SCE will enhance the PS Store for PS Certified devices and provide content created by PS Suite SDK, further prevailing the world of PS Suite. Through PS Suite, SCE will deploy various measures to support content developers in their business for rapidly prevailing Android based portable devices and will expand the PlayStation entertainment experience on an open operating system. *1 Software Development Kit is a set of development tools and software libraries. Developers are able to obtain this SDK by signing a license agreement with SCE and by purchasing tool products. *2 Users can download vast digital content including games through PS Store for PS Network for PS3, PSP, PS Vita and PS Certified devices. *3 Number of content differ by regions. [Via Engadget ]

Deal Alert: Radio Shack Offering $100 Off Their Best Selling Verizon Wireless Smartphones

It wasn’t too long ago when we learned Radio Shack would be giving T-Mobile the boot and making room on store shelves for their new buddy, Verizon Wireless. Well, to help celebrate the new venture, The Shack will be offering $100 on all of their Verizon smartphones from tomorrow September 15th, through October 22nd. Here’s the full lineup: HTC Droid Incredible 2 Samsung DROID Charge HTC Thunderbolt Motorola Droid X2 Motorola DROID 3 LG Revolution Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Droid Bionic by MotorolaHTC [sic] LG Enlighten Pantech Breakout That means there’s no better time to pick up any one of those fancy 4G “Droid” doohickeys the kids have been talking about nowadays. Still, makes me wonder what Verizon could have up their sleeves the day after this sale is over..? [Via Droid-Life ]

More Samsung Prime Rumors – This Time Spotted In The Wild?

Another day, another dose of Samsung Prime rumors. Alright, out of all the rumors we’ve heard so far — this one deserves to be taken with the smallest grain of salt. Apparently, TheDroidGuy was traveling through Las Vegas this week for Verizon’s developer conference when he ran into a Samsung employee. He noticed the guy was holding a nondescript Android device and asked if he could take a look at it. After a bit of persuading, the Samsung employee paused, looked over both his shoulders and finally agreed. The Sammy employee took them into his private office, where he instructed TheDroidGuy (Kyle) to remove his bags, cell phones and possibly all articles of clothing before he could proceed. Once Kyle complied, he whipped out the phone and let Kyle manhandle the device. Identified as the Samsung Nexus Prime the device was described as looking very similar to the Nexus S only bigger and with a home button smack on the front. The device also had an 8MP camera on the back, 2MP front facing camera and running Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Wait- what? Yeah, apparently Ice Cream Sandwich is still getting the bugs ironed out and isn’t ready to come out of the freezer, hence the reason for the homescreen button on this early, presumably developer handset. Probably the most interesting bit of information he was able to squeeze out of the Samsung employee was the fact that there would be both a GSM and CDMA version of the device, meaning you can look forward to a Nexus Prime no matter which carrier you’re on. Alright guys, for the final verdict I’m turning this over to you, the jury. Bogus? Real? Was this really the Samsung Prime? Keep in mind Kyle made no mention of his face melting off or hair turning white and last time I checked, that was one of the features of the Nexus Prime… [Via TheDroidGuy ]

Samsung Infuse 4G Receives Maintenance Update, Still No Gingerbread

Though owners of the Samsung Infuse 4G are itching for the promised Android 2.3 update for their AT&T handsets, a maintenance release has been pushed to the smartphone. The 14.5MB file provides bug fixes primarily, though it likely also comes to make the necessary preparations for the move from Froyo to Gingerbread. That is supposed to happen sometime this month, though the exact timing isn’t quite known. [via AndroidCentral ]

HTC Runnymede Sense 3.5 ROM Ported to the Desire S

While HTC Sense 3.5 has yet to make its official debut, the underground Android dev scene has been busy porting the updated user interface to the currently available lineup of HTC devices. The latest port comes on behalf of the upcoming HTC Runnymede and XDA member proxuser. What we see here is a version of Sense that looks slightly different from the one ripped from the HTC Bliss the first phone found to be running the altered UI. The Sense 3.5 ROM is in its first release for the HTC Desire S and runs on top of Android 2.3.5. Based around the WWE RUU 0.82.401.1, there are still some kinks to be worked out. The ROM is expected to find its way to other handsets in the near future. [via XDA ]

[Update: Early October UK Availability] HTC Sensation XE is the First Official Beats Smartphone

[Update]: We have a solid price and date from retailer Clove UK. They’re expected to begin shipping the device October 7th and all it’ll cost you is £492 inc.VAT. Keep an eye out on their site later today to secure your preorder. [ Clove ] It’s like I said – HTC seems to have something to announce nearly every other week. This time, it’s the Android-powered HTC Sensation XE, the first phone infused with the Beats technology HTC acquired when they acquired the company itself. More than Beats integration, though, it bests the HTC Sensation in a few different areas. You’re getting a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, a 4.3 inch qHD display, a 1750 mAh battery and an 8GB or 16GB microSD card. You’ll also be getting a pair of in-ear Beats by Dre headphones that has an inline remote control. If I were looking for a new dual-core HTC phone I would not sneeze at this offering. This one’s going to Europe, Asia and the Middle East starting at the end of this month. Read on for full press details. HTC AND BEATS INTRODUCE NEW HTC SENSATION XE™, THE FIRST PHONE WITH INTEGRATED BEATS AUDIO™ New 1.5 GHz dual core processor and longer battery life extend the HTC Sensation XE’s sophistication and overall experience. TAOYUAN, TAIWAN – September 14, 2011 – HTC Corporation, a global designer of mobile devices, today unveiled the new HTC Sensation XE – the first in a new line of HTC smartphones to feature Beats Audio technology to deliver studio quality audio. Taking HTC’s flagship handset to a new level of high fidelity audio, the HTC Sensation XE offers consumers the ultimate multimedia experience, setting a new standard for audio quality in the mobile market. In addition, the HTC Sensation XE boosts performance and battery life even further with the addition of a blazing fast 1.5GHz dual core processor and an extended battery that enables you to listen, watch, speak and browse for even longer. “Audio is a crucial part of any consumer’s mobile experience and we are continually pushing the audio boundaries to encompass not only improved voice but music, movies and games,” said Jason Mackenzie, president of global sales and marketing, HTC Corporation. “The HTC Sensation XE offers a truly incredible experience that demonstrates our commitment to place consumers at the center of their mobile worlds.” The ultimate audio experience The HTC Sensation XE is the first handset to offer a Beats Audio experience – a combination of software & hardware that allows you to hear music the way the artist intended. When used with the exclusive Beats by Dr. Dre in-ear headphones, the handset automatically switches to the bespoke Beats by Dr. Dre sound profile, delivering audio tracks tuned specifically for the headphones. Whether you are using any of the many music services available in the Android market you will notice fuller bass and crisper vocals and a new level of clarity and range offering audio the way the artist intended it to be heard. Beats Headphones The HTC Sensation XE also ships with a microSD card (8GB/16GB) allowing you to carry thousands of songs. The exclusive Beats by Dr. Dre in-ear headphones feature a remote control, allowing you to pause, play or skip through tracks and answer/end calls while the phone is in your pocket. Availability HTC Sensation XE will be available across EMEA and Asia Pacific from late September

HTC Kingdom Could Be Headed To US Cellular As HTC Hero S

The HTC Kingdom has been leaked for awhile now, showing up in leaked ROM and images like the one above. While it was hard to peg the device to a specific U.S. release, we’ve pretty much known all the in’s and out’s as far as specs go. A 1.2GHz single-core Snapdragon will be powering this thing along with 768MB of RAM, a 4.3-inch qHD display and 5MP rear/1.3MP front facing cameras. So where’s this device headed? Well, apparently the Kingdom could be on it’s way to Alltel Wireless as the HTC Acquire, Sprint as the HTC Evo Design 4G and now — thanks to a custom gel case that appeared online — US Cellular as the HTC Hero S. You’ll notice the gel case in question is compatible with all of those devices and although the site doesn’t specifically link the “Hero S” to US Cellular, Pocketnow is reporting that one of the tipsters has confirmed it. [Via Pocketnow ]

HTC Runnymede and Bliss Get Detailed in New Specs Leak, Beats Audio Inside

New leaks are drawing light to the many rumors circulating around two upcoming HTC handsets, the HTC Runnymede and the HTC Bliss The Bliss will feature a 3.7-inch WVGA display and 1GHz Qualcomm CPU. It features dual cameras on the front and rear, with the latter snapping at 5MP and the former featuring a VGA resolution. The specs are similar to what we would expect out of a high end device coming out sometime in 2010, but in 2011 they create a device on the upper end of the mid-range scale, totally serviceable and most likely at a fair price. It fits the mold that has been cast for the Bliss, a handset designed to be appealing to the fairer of the two sexes. A glowing “charm” indicator is ideal for dangling outside of a purse, alerting the user to calls, texts, and notifications while the handset remains muffled deep in the bottom of the bag. The Bliss is known to be outfitted with Android Gingerbread and a freshly updated version of HTC Sense. On the other end of the spectrum is the HTC Runnymede, a phone which borrows heavily from the recently announced WP7 HTC Titan. It is similar in size with a gargantuan 4.7-inch display and waistline measuring only 9.9mm thick. Tucked inside you will find a single-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm chip. An 8MP camera is capable of 720p video capture. A big addition, as displayed prominently on the back of the handset in a newly-leaked promo shot, is the inclusion of Beats Audio. HTC sure has a knack for covering every niche in the smartphone market, and with dual-core beasts like the HTC Vigor also in the lineup it looks like it could be another big holiday season for the Taiwanese manufacturer. [via ThisIsMyNext , UnwiredView ]

Vodafone UK Now Offering Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray Starting at 20.50 Quid Per Month

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray’s mid-range aspirations shine through with Vodafone UK’s official pricing following immediate availability. You can now purchase the Xperia Ray for 99 quid on a 20.50 quid two-year contract, or free on a 26 quid per month two-year contract. As with most Sony Ericsson phones, you’re getting a great phone for the price. Inside is a 1GHz processor, an 8.1MP camera with Exmor technology, a 3.3 inch 854×480 display with Bravia Engine technology in more. This one’s more about style + substance for Sony Ericsson so it’s quite thin, sleek, good-looking and will slide in and out of your pocket with comforting ease. Have a look at Vodaphone UK. [via EuroDroid]

Verizon Catalog Lists HTC Thunderbolt With Android 2.3 Gingerbread – OTA Update Coming Soon

Looks like Verizon is already listing the HTC Thunderbolt as coming equipped with Android 2.3 Gingerbread in their upcoming fall catalog. The catalog should be arriving in stores any day now and with only a few more weeks left in September, we’re getting closer to that deadline HTC promised us about back in August. T-Bolt users shouldn’t have to wait much longer for their Gingerbread treats. Hang tight. [Via Droid-Life ]