Hardware WTF is Sony thinking?

[CCNaru]

May wait til next year. I still remember the PS3 fiasco and I don't actually think I could even get one if I wanted (I'm lazy)

 

[Cortador]

I may have money for Vita but tbh I'd like to get a PS3 instead, so if there's a price drop for that I'd get that first.

TV, Internet and Phone, the only problem I had was with AT&T, and them only. that's why I'm so against this... :

 

[VashTS]

the first question on setup should be "do you fear your identity being stolen?"

if user selects yes, the machine bricks.
if user selects no, you input your personal info and its transmitted without encryption to a public database. the user name and password for the database is "random", since everyone thinks its a randomly generated string, no one will figure it out.

sony security in a nutshell.

srsly, everyone should not buy this and teach sony a lesson. maybe buy it in the future but not immediately. they need to reassess their security issues. they have shady business practices and i for one am never buying a sony product from sony. maybe used, but not from a store where sony profits.

[/rant]

it looks ok, but im not very impressed.

 

[ViRGE]

It makes perfect sense from a technological standpoint.

For 3G systems virtually everyone else in the world besides North America uses GSM exclusively (NA is mixed GSM and CDMA), so if Sony is only to produce a single Vita then they need to use GSM, reducing their choices to AT&T and T-Mobile. From that, only AT&T uses frequency bands compatible with most of the world. The bands T-Mobile uses are at a higher frequency and fairly unique, so supporting them normally requires a different radio that works on T-Mobile's bands and loses support for several AT&T/world bands in the process.

This is almost exactly what Apple did with the iPhone for years. They produced a single world GSM model which only worked in 3G mode on AT&T (and unofficially worked in 2G mode on T-Mobile). Bringing on Verizon this year required that they produce a new iPhone specifically for that market. I can't imagine Sony wants to take the risk of producing what amounts to an American-only Vita given that they'd sell far fewer Vitas than Apple sells iPhones.

So while it's possible there was some kind of bidding war among carriers, I believe that they're using AT&T because they're the de-facto GSM 3G carrier. Perhaps in 3-4 years when LTE is widely deployed and cheap enough to integrate, Sony can upgrade the Vita to LTE and by extension add support for additional carriers.

 

[FireGrey]

AT&T hmmm just another thing they copy from Nintendo.
Wow front & rear cameras hmmm Nintendo first,
hmm phones first
Gyroscopic hmmm Nintendo,
hmm GPS
Connect to other players (Near) hmmmm Nintendo spotpass.
hmm blue-tooth
$249 hmmmm Nintendo.
must i say how many things cost $249?
Well at least the rear touch is an origional idea.

 

[damedus]

dunno whats wrong with ATT and 3g where you guys live but 3g from ATT here is better than verizons and cheaper too plus I have unlimited internet with tethering and verizon isn't offering that in our area.

 

[prowler]

Depending on how this year goes for the 3DS in the UK, I will be selling my 3DS for Vita.

I never really liked the 3DS, the only game I bought it for is Zelda, the other games announced are pretty poor. Graphics wise the 3DS is on par with the PSP right now but the Vita just kicks the 3DS ass.

I can see 3G models being with O2, their network is great, just that their mobile plans and mobile internet limits suck.

 

[Deleted member 473940]

Depending on how this year goes for the 3DS in the UK, I will be selling my 3DS for Vita.

I never really liked the 3DS, the only game I bought it for was Zelda, the other games announced are pretty poor. Graphics wise the 3DS is on par with the PSP right now but the Vita just kicks the 3DS ass.

I can see 3G models being with O2, their network is great, just that their mobile plans and mobile internet limits suck.

3DS graphics are "just about" as good as the PSP. Nothing impressive so far though(graphics wise).
Well, unless you are a fan of a particular nintendo game "POKEMON(example)", the 3DS didnt bring anything impressive and not sure what will be the upcoming stuff

I hope its not O2! Three's internet offers are pretty good! Network has improved by a lot.

I woudnt probably sell my 3DS, but seeing the PSV in action yesterday, I feel sort of let down and dissapointed. Alone the "3D" effects arent REALLY that impressive...

 

[Paarish]

I plan on getting a Vita. But depending on my financial situation, I don't plan on getting it initially at launch. That way it'll be cheaper when I do get it and it'll have more interesting games.

 

[slayerdx]

I plan on getting a Vita. But depending on my financial situation, I don't plan on getting it initially at launch. That way it'll be cheaper when I do get it and it'll have more interesting games.

older editions are always easier to crack, but newer ones typically have new stuff, like brighter LCD, and typically more slim. So I'm still debating if I want to get one at release, or pick it up after the series is almost done.

 

[Rydian]

It makes perfect sense from a technological standpoint.

For 3G systems virtually everyone else in the world besides North America uses GSM exclusively (NA is mixed GSM and CDMA), so if Sony is only to produce a single Vita then they need to use GSM, reducing their choices to AT&T and T-Mobile. From that, only AT&T uses frequency bands compatible with most of the world. The bands T-Mobile uses are at a higher frequency and fairly unique, so supporting them normally requires a different radio that works on T-Mobile's bands and loses support for several AT&T/world bands in the process.

This is almost exactly what Apple did with the iPhone for years. They produced a single world GSM model which only worked in 3G mode on AT&T (and unofficially worked in 2G mode on T-Mobile). Bringing on Verizon this year required that they produce a new iPhone specifically for that market. I can't imagine Sony wants to take the risk of producing what amounts to an American-only Vita given that they'd sell far fewer Vitas than Apple sells iPhones.

So while it's possible there was some kind of bidding war among carriers, I believe that they're using AT&T because they're the de-facto GSM 3G carrier. Perhaps in 3-4 years when LTE is widely deployed and cheap enough to integrate, Sony can upgrade the Vita to LTE and by extension add support for additional carriers.

Informed posts like this are what the site needs more.

 

[ViRGE]

It makes perfect sense from a technological standpoint.

For 3G systems virtually everyone else in the world besides North America uses GSM exclusively (NA is mixed GSM and CDMA), so if Sony is only to produce a single Vita then they need to use GSM, reducing their choices to AT&T and T-Mobile. From that, only AT&T uses frequency bands compatible with most of the world. The bands T-Mobile uses are at a higher frequency and fairly unique, so supporting them normally requires a different radio that works on T-Mobile's bands and loses support for several AT&T/world bands in the process.

This is almost exactly what Apple did with the iPhone for years. They produced a single world GSM model which only worked in 3G mode on AT&T (and unofficially worked in 2G mode on T-Mobile). Bringing on Verizon this year required that they produce a new iPhone specifically for that market. I can't imagine Sony wants to take the risk of producing what amounts to an American-only Vita given that they'd sell far fewer Vitas than Apple sells iPhones.

So while it's possible there was some kind of bidding war among carriers, I believe that they're using AT&T because they're the de-facto GSM 3G carrier. Perhaps in 3-4 years when LTE is widely deployed and cheap enough to integrate, Sony can upgrade the Vita to LTE and by extension add support for additional carriers.

Informed posts like this are what the site needs more.

 

[Fluttercry]

Given AT&T is shit, this is still a PSP, not a phone. As far as I can tell, 3G is just for web browsing/PSN.

Its not like there will be any dropped calls. But its still a major inconvenience for other people with other contracts.

What I'm most disappointed about is 3G. Why not 4G? Depending on the RADIO, 4G can be 3-5 times or more than the fastest 3G. Those high speeds would be a necessity for high-content pages and online multiplayer.

I'm curious to how pricing will be too. If you have to commit to a 2 year contract and still pay the price of the PSV, then its a huge ripoff. They give out $400 and $500 phones for free with a 2 year contract. So I expect a free PSP if I were to sign up with ATT&T.

 

[ViRGE]

Given AT&T is shit, this is still a PSP, not a phone. As far as I can tell, 3G is just for web browsing/PSN.

Its not like there will be any dropped calls. But its still a major inconvenience for other people with other contracts.

What I'm most disappointed about is 3G. Why not 4G? Depending on the RADIO, 4G can be 3-5 times or more than the fastest 3G. Those high speeds would be a necessity for high-content pages and online multiplayer.

I'm curious to how pricing will be too. If you have to commit to a 2 year contract and still pay the price of the PSV, then its a huge ripoff. They give out $400 and $500 phones for free with a 2 year contract. So I expect a free PSP if I were to sign up with ATT&T.

4G (LTE) radios are expensive, large, and power hungry. Just look at the phones that use them; the battery life is terrible due to just the radio.

 

[Maedhros]

Given AT&T is shit, this is still a PSP, not a phone. As far as I can tell, 3G is just for web browsing/PSN.

Its not like there will be any dropped calls. But its still a major inconvenience for other people with other contracts.

What I'm most disappointed about is 3G. Why not 4G? Depending on the RADIO, 4G can be 3-5 times or more than the fastest 3G. Those high speeds would be a necessity for high-content pages and online multiplayer.

I'm curious to how pricing will be too. If you have to commit to a 2 year contract and still pay the price of the PSV, then its a huge ripoff. They give out $400 and $500 phones for free with a 2 year contract. So I expect a free PSP if I were to sign up with ATT&T.

4G isn't available around all the world, neither will be for a while.

 

[Guild McCommunist]

Solution: Buy a WiFi-only model, save yourself $50, and stop crying.

The 3G honestly doesn't look like that big of a feature. You won't be able to game online, do voice chat, or join parties with friends probably. You'll, at most, be able to send/receive messages, keep leaderboards updated, and update any trophies you got on-the-go. I'd rather just wait until I get to a WiFi spot to do all that and more.

Or, if you have a 3G/4G phone, use it as a hotspot and get WiFi. You'll probably be able to do most of the stuff the normal 3G would do.

 

[TheDarkSeed]

I was kinda thinking the same thing about the AT&T and all. Why would they do that to the Playstation Vegita(

)?

I say there will bee lots of those 3G models still on the shelves...

 

[Rydian]

Isn't 4G mostly bandwidth improvements? I'd think that cellular latency would still be crappy.

 

[jlf278]

Yeah, I can't imagine playing anything but turn-based games on a 3G network. There's no QWERTY keyboard and I'm not going to wear a headset so I can talk to people online while playing a portable system. The only thing having 3G is good for is email and internet and I already have that on my phone. Maybe if they put a really nice browser on the Vita, it could be worth it for some, but I think the wifi model will be much more popular. Another generation or two down the road, maybe wireless data will have low enough latency

 

[indask8]

Selling such a powerful, technologically impressive console at 250$ (299$ for 3G), without huge lose, there is a trick...

The trick is: Wifi version is sold at loss...

3G version is sold with pretty big profit... then the games sale does the rest.

How? Thanks to the contract: The 3G version is certainly sold at 599/699$ to the operator (At&T here), then they offer a 1/2 years contract on it, everyone makes profit, everyone is happy.

And if Sony choosed At&T it's certainly because they were the only one to accept/gave the best offer per PS Vita.