vita

The Medisana ThermoDock gets you one step closer to having a medical toolkit like Dr. McCoy on "Star Trek." This is an infrared device that plugs into your iPhone. Point it at your forehead, your dog, or your iPad 3, and take its temperature.

The nice thing about infrared is that you don't have to stick the ThermoDock where the sun don't shine. That means your iPhone stays at a safe distance from steaming coffee mugs, people carrying around flu germs, and grumpy children.

This gadget can also be used to check the ambient temperature of your room or the great outdoors. As we like to say here in New Mexico, "It's a dry heat!"… Read more

Russ Frushtick is truly the Steve Martin of The 404 co-hosts, but we keep asking him back because well, someone has to talk about video games with Jeff, and it's not me. Speaking of, don't forget to wish Mubakalar a happy 30th birthday tomorrow, because this one's going to hurt.

There's lots to talk about with Russ, and first in the rundown is the ending to Mass Effect 3 and the secrets revealed this week about who signed off on it.

We'll also get Russ's take on ethics in gaming journalism and the future of the industry with regard to the new Apple iPad.… Read more

Color me unsurprised that Sony's PlayStation Vita just got its own app for the company's cloud-based Music Unlimited subscription service, since a similar offering for the PSP already exists.

Nonetheless, the first version of the app for Vita features excellent aesthetics with the complement of intuitive and thorough controls (see if you agree with me after watching the demo video below). Album art and channel listings clearly pop on the large OLED screen. I found it easy to scroll around, explore music, and save tracks "from the cloud" to a storage card.

Overall, the experience seems very mature for a service often left out of the music service conversation.

Speaking of saving tunes, the Vita Music Unlimited app supports offline playback through playlist/channel caching. Users of the Android version of the music service can now listen to music offline through Music Unlimited as well. … Read more

When Sony made the decision to give the Vita dual analog sticks, developers must have salivated at the chance to make the ultimate portable shooter. Unit 13 marks the first attempt at a game that's strictly a shooter, and we've gotten plenty of hands on with the final build.

Is Unit 13 a good sign of things to come? Or are shooters doomed on Sony's new portable?

Jeff: Sure, the Vita's 25-game launch lineup was impressive, but it also left out one notable genre. You'd think there would be a third-person shooter in that lineup, what with the inclusion of dual analogs sticks flanking the Vita's massive screen.… Read more

This week, watch us get hands-on with the Razer Blade, a slim gaming laptop with a unique control pad, and with Mass Effect 3 rolling out, we show off all the ME3 gear we could find, from hoodies to light-up console cases.

… Read more

Hungry for more PlayStation Vita news?

A Friday Webcast hosted by Sony and titled "PlayStation Vita Game Heaven" will reveal "unannounced Vita titles, upcoming releases, Vita services, as well as new information about in-release titles," notes Andriasang.com.

A teaser video clearly hints at developer interviews and behind-the-scenes footage, but English-only speakers may have a hard time following.… Read more

While some think that Apple has run away with the mobile gaming market, Sony and Nintendo are boldly holding on to their gaming franchises with reinventions of their hardware.

The Nintendo 3DS, which debuted last year, is an improvement in terms of graphics from its Nintendo DS predecessor, but time has not been kind to Nintendo's hold of the casual games market--and, glasses-free 3D has been a gimmick, at best. Still, with Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart plus a price drop, the 3DS is on a rebound.

Meanwhile, the newly released PlayStation Vita has superior graphics and … Read more

Yesterday, we got some new numbers on the number of Vita hardware and software units sold, so I thought it would be a good time for a Vita launch recap, with a quick look at what's gone right and what's gone wrong.

First, the numbers Sony says it has sold more than 1.2 million Vita units worldwide since the portable launched in Japan on December 17. As CNET blogger Don Reisinger noted in his post, Sony didn't break down the sales figures by country, but acknowledged that this month's launch across the U.S. and … Read more

Accessories for Sony's PS Vita are starting to trickle out onto the market. Most are from Sony, but Waterfield Designs, which is known for its laptop and tablet cases, has made a surprise early entry with a trio of Vita case options.

Two of the models, the minimalist Vita Suede ($12 or $15 with stretch pocket) and the PS Vita Gear Pouch Pro ($45) are available now. Meanwhile, the PS Vita Case ($49), which has a leather flap and appears to be the best of the bunch won't be available until April 1.