consoles

Four simple ways to overcome the PS4's challenges

It's been weeks since the PlayStation 4 event underwhelmed many people. Myself included. But as time has passed, my mind's become clearer as to why, exactly, I was so disappointed. It's a challenge for the PlayStation 4 to overcome, but it's also a challenge of all "next-gen" consoles.

I hate the term "next-gen" as much as anyone else, but that's what happens when you have one piece of hardware sit out on the market for six or seven years while you anticipate what the Next Big Thing will be. "Next-gen&… Read more

Console Wars 2013: Sony PS4 and its competitors

Sony PlayStation 4 The current hot topic in console gaming, the just-announced PlayStation 4, is still largely an enigma. We don't know how much the PS4 will cost, when it's being released (beyond "holiday 2013"), or even what it looks like.

For now, it's still the next-gen hardware to beat, and what little we do know sounds impressive, with an entirely new system architecture based on an X86 AMD CPU/GPU that should make the PS4 easier to develop for and more flexible (and, frankly, more PC-like).

But 2013 will take the traditional three-way console … Read more

How Microsoft can avoid the pitfalls of Sony's PS4 announcement

Editor's note: It's official. Microsoft has announced the future of Xbox (and the next console) will be revealed at an event in Redmond, Washington on May 21.

Press events are a tricky beast. No one ever said they were easy to pull off. But with Sony casting the first stone in the next-generation console gaming war, Microsoft can learn a lot from what worked and what didn't.

When the lights went up, Sony execs were shaking hands and congratulating each other. But the packed house at the Hammerstein Ballroom wasn't exactly participating in the same adulation. … Read more

Low Latency No. 52: The waiting game

Low Latency is a weekly comic on CNET's Crave blog written by CNET editor and podcast host Jeff Bakalar and illustrated by Blake Stevenson. Be sure to check Crave every Friday at 8 a.m. PT for new panels! Want more? Here's every Low Latency comic so far.… Read more

Sony reveals the PlayStation 4

NEW YORK--Sony has unveiled the PlayStation 4. But, we still didn't get to see what it looked like.

The PlayStation 4 was formally announced at an event in New York City. At least we know the name is definite. As for its features, the details came out eventually. Here's what you need to know.

Hardware The PlayStation 4, as you'd expect for a seven-years-later follow-up, has impressively bumped specs:

An eight-core X86 AMD Jaguar CPU 1.84-teraflop AMD Radeon graphics engine (with "18 compute units") 8GB of GDDR5 memory Hard-drive storage (not SSD) Blu-ray drive … Read more

PlayStation 4 to stream games in real time over Net, says report

Sony's acquisition last year of cloud-gaming company Gaikai may be reflected in a big way in the upcoming PlayStation 4.

The Wall Street Journal is citing inside sources in reporting that Sony's new gaming console, expected to debut Wednesday at an event in Manhattan, will let people play games streamed in real time over the Internet.… Read more

How to make a video game console patch bay

Over the years you may have accumulated a lot of old video game consoles and, naturally, getting rid of them is not an option. After all, you've spent so much time with your beloved console. Like an old friend, full of memories and adventures, it's hard to let go.

Or maybe you're a collector who likes to play older games every now and then for the nostalgia. I'm in both camps. And unfortunately my television is not equipped with enough inputs to have all my game systems connected at once and ready to play at a moment's notice.

There is a solution to this problem! … Read more

Xbox 720 could have 'Siri-like' voice control

Finally, we'll soon be able to yell at our television screens and have them respond... if the rumors about the Xbox 720 including a voice control feature similar to Apple's Siri are true.

Yesterday came word that the next-generation Xbox from Microsoft would update Kinect and require a constant Internet connection to function. Such integrated broadband dependence could have something to do with a report from the Verge today that Microsoft's next game console could feature Siri-esque voice control. Popular voice activated personal assistants like Siri and Google Now require a connection to the cloud, where the voice recognition and processing is actually performed. … Read more

Ouya chief: We'll launch a new console every year

Ouya's console will be updated each year with new and better components, the company's founder and CEO said earlier today on the sidelines of the DICE Summit.

Speaking to The Verge in an interview published today, Ouya chief Julie Uhrman said that starting next year and every year thereafter, the company will bundle the most powerful mobile processors available in its console.

"Our plan is to have a yearly refresh of Ouya where we leverage the best-performing chips and take advantage of falling component prices to create the best experience we can at the $99 price point,&… Read more

Ouya preorders start today; retail availability set for June

Ouya, the Android-based Kickstarter phenom that raised over $8.5 million from the community, will be available at a wide range of retailers in June.

Speaking to the Wall Street Journal in an interview published today, Ouya CEO Julie Uhrman said that the console will be made available at retail in June. At that time, a host of retailers, including GameStop, Best Buy, and Target, will be selling the hardware. Amazon will also be carrying the device. Until then, gamers will be able to place preorders starting today.

Ouya took Kickstarter by storm last year when it excited gamers at the prospect of bringing open-source Android gaming to the television. Since then, gamers have been wondering when the console will finally get into their homes.… Read more