So the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2011 is under way in Barcelona, and wouldn’t you know it there’s actually been something exciting announced?
Sony’s mega-hyped Xperia Play – the first PlayStation certified mobile – has been unveiled at long last, and she’s looking a doozy. Running Android 2.3 on a Snapdragon 1GHz CPU is a swish move, as is the 5MP camera and full touch screen. But the biggest hit has to be the full gaming controls – normal d-pad and Sony PSX buttons with, wait for it, shoulder buttons and analogue touch pads! Who’d have thunk it?!
Why so exciting?
Because if there’s one thing that top-end Smartphones don’t do – and here I’m totally looking at you iPhone – it’s gaming buttons. Touch screens are notoriously poor for proper gaming apps, requiring a big chunk of the screen – and the gamer’s patience – to operate via on-screen controls. They’re clunky, ugly, and unreliable – and it’s this reason that Angry Birds is the number one mobile app round the world, rather than a proper game (which the tech can easily handle) – because everything else is too fiddly to work.
So could it be bye-bye iPhone? Well, with Android coming on strong, the non-Apple app-base building fast, better tariffs, and more choice all-round, there’s always been that little snag of doubt as to whether iPhone would maintain it’s cherished place in my heart long term. But with its unique looks, feel, power, and seemless integration of web and music, everything else just lacked that killer USP.
But if there’s one thing that’ll always sell to me, it’s games. So yes, Xperia, you are looking pretty goddamn tasty right now. Except, I say “looking tasty” – but if you have one flaw, it is those looks. As a games machine, all slid out and silver, you’re not bad. But bunched up and closed, you kind of resemble an NHS glasses case c. 1976. And no one wants that.
But get me drunk, slag off the iPhone, and let me twiddle with your touchpads, and who knows where this might lead?
Could be ok, but people are already kicking off about it on CVG coz Sony are trying to get you to rebuy DLC content you may already own to use on this device. PSOne games for example on PSN wont work apparently so Sony have come up with the solution of buying it again. As one person pointed out, their first games specific announcement is a slap in the face to gamers! Gotta love Sony.
Still, it’s Android so people can just run PSOne emulators and cut that rubbish out as they are already discussing. Naughty gamers! Not that I care – i’ll never forgive Sony for the lies of the Sega battles so HA!!! I joke!
Yeah I did kind of gloss over the actual games releases – But hopefully by the time I’m out of my iPhone contract in 2086 they might have brought the prices down…
Haha, yeah, more money on old games, why bother. As for android, i really hate it, and totally do not trust it, why it’s so popular i don’t know. Yes egg timer app, you may have permission to access my contacts, my fine location, sd storage and other control. Please send all my data to some advertiser and then text a premium rate number. That’s what i want.
So we’re not feeling the love for this sucka huh? The games thing is basically one huge rip off – it’ll only be worth it if there’s good and new content. Otherwise, nada. But android aint bad – not as slick as ios4 by any stretch but way looser on development rules which makes you think it’s gotta be going in the right direction…
well although i am probably 5 time more paranoid about security than you are. its the ios strict development and vetting process that makes me trust them. and not so the android.
I think ideally i’d like a modern ipod touch for my apple needs, a new windows phone 7 as my main phone with a good processor for apps, thinking not getting the first released phones but wait a while, and lastly probably keep the same android i’ve got for testing my own apps if i ever do any for that platform but never to use as a phone again.