Company held 'respectful' meeting with the rebellious coder

Engineers at Sony Computer Entertainment invited George Hotz, the infamous PS3 hacker, to its US publishing headquarters in California to discuss system security, according to a new report.
Sony, which filed a lawsuit against Hotz in January 2011, met with the young hacker four months later, in May, to discuss how he broke past well-protected PS3 security technologies.

In the intervening months between the lawsuit and the “respectful” meeting, Sony had compromised about 105 million PSN and SOE accounts following an abysmal security failure that was exploited by an unknown hacker.
The two hacking incidents are not thought to be directly linked, though Anonymous – the online group suspected to be responsible for the PSN and SOE hacks – had previously declared it was attacking Sony executives and security in response to the firm’s lawsuit against Hotz.
Sony said it invited Hotz to its Foster City headquarters because the firm is “always interested in exploring all avenues to better safeguard our systems and protect consumers”.

http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...S3-hacker-Hotz
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The pejoratively branded 'b-team' could now become series' driving force

Activision has lifted the lid on its newest juggernaut in the lucrative Call of Duty series.
Call of Duty Black Ops 2 is in production at California studio Treyarch – which built the original title – and is set for release in November.

Its publisher Activision has launched the websitehours before the game’s worldwide reveal, either as an attempt to plug leaks in the media or due to error.
Game screenshots, videos and news pages on the Call of Duty Black Ops 2 website are not operational at the time of going to press.
The most recent Call of Duty title, Modern Warfare 3, was developed across four Activision studios.
http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...ps-2-confirmed

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As part of its investor presentation last night, Nintendo revealed that Sony’s PS3 has taken control of the European hardware market since the turn of the year.
Its data suggests that Sony has enjoyed weekly continental sales of between 100,00 and 50,000 units.
3DS is next in line with sales between 50,000 and 30,000 per week and Xbox 360 just behind, although Microsoft’s machine was selling far stronger until week six.
It’s a different story in Japan where 3DS is selling anything between 120,000 and 65,000 units per week – a decent performance considering the time of year. PS3 remains to sell strongly, too, peaking at nearly 70,000 unit sales in week nine.
In the US the Xbox 360 has maintained its now customary dominance, with PS3 the second best selling platform and 3DS the third.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/ps3-i...in-2012/095170 ...

Sony has announced PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, a fourplayer PS3 brawler featuring characters from Sony IP that owes more than a passing debt to Nintendo's Smash Bros series.
The game, unveiled last night, is in development at indie studio SuperBot Entertainment and features the likes of Kratos, Parappa The Rapper, Sly Cooper, Twisted Metal's flame-haired clown Sweet Tooth, and Fat Princess. Stages are mash-ups of Sony properties, with one showing God Of War's Hades invaded by Patapon.
On the PlayStation Blog, game director Omar Kendall writes: "The developers here at SuperBot really like fighting games. We set out to make an experience accessible enough for all PlayStation fans to enjoy while also creating something deep enough for the serious fighting game afficionado. We think this 'accessible yet deep' strategy is the perfect way to bring PlayStation fans of all stripes together."

http://www.edge-online.com/news/play...yale-announced ...

Activision could be preparing to shock the Call of Duty world with a surprise announcement next week – a near-future setting for the title currently known as Black Ops 2.
The hint comes from tongue-in-cheek YouTube show FPS Russian. The latest episode demos a quadrotor RC attack drone that bears more than a little resemblance to a quadrotor pictured in one of Activision’s Call of Duty teaser pics yesterday.
“Technology in this baby isn’t going to be out there for at least another decade,” the presenter is keen to press. “This is truly a weapon of the future.”
He adds: “If you can’t wait 10-15 years my sources tell me that this beauty might be in the next Call of Duty game.”
And the real kicker – the video signs off with the following message: “A big thank you to the makers of Call of Duty for sponsoring this video.”
Just in case you’re wondering – yes, the footage in the video is fake. Take a look for yourself:



http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/black...setting/094924 ...

The PlayStation 4, Xbox 720 and Wii U will fail to match the sales of their immediate predecessors, analyst Piper Jaffray believes.
In fact, analysts Michael J. Olson and Andrew D. Connor believe that between them the three machines will see an average software sales decline of 53 per cent compared to PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii throughout their first 14 months.
Gamasutra reports that the analysts add that they expect Wii U to be priced at $299 or more and sell only 35 per cent of the total units shifted by Wii in a comparable 14 month timeframe.
They go on to predict a summer 2013 launch for PS4 and for sales of that machine will be 50 per cent of its predecessor.
So what about the Next Xbox? 2014, the firm reckons, with sales of around 55 per cent that of the Xbox 360’s first 14 months.
"We believe console gaming will continue to be a time-share donor to social networks, mobile games and tablets,” it said. “We therefore favour companies with increasing exposure to social/mobile gaming, including Zynga and EA."

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/ps4-a...elieves/094858 ...

The PlayStation 3D display is essential equipment for players who are in search of serious 3D gaming experiences. The display is slim with a screen size of 24", and features full 1080p resolution (1920 x 1080). Its built-in Edge LED technology offers brilliant contrast, while a 240 Hz refresh rate ensures ultra-smooth play. It also has built-in speakers and a subwoofer to enhance the audio.

In addition, it can be connected to cable TV boxes, a PC or any other compatible device via the display's two HDMI ports or its single component HD port. Both of these input types are conveniently located at the side of the display.

The pair of PlayStation 3D glasses included with the display offer best-in-class Active shutter 3D quality and built-in USB rechargeable batteries. PlayStation 3D glasses are optimized to sync seamlessly with the PlayStation 3D display, but their universal design makes them compatible with a variety of Active Shutter 3D displays.* Active Shutter 3D technology offers superior image quality over competing Passive 3D technologies by means of the differing processes they execute. Both technologies create the illusion of depth by slightly altering what users' eyes are exposed to. Passive 3D glasses block different kinds of emitted light from reaching each eye. The result is a 3D effect, but one in which certain light data has been omitted. In some cases this can equate to up to half of the available lines of resolution, meaning that this type of 3D effect can not reach the level of true 1080p HD. Active 3D on the other hand does not omit light sources from the spectrum, instead producing its 3D effect through a subtle dimming process of the individual lenses. PlayStation 3D glasses manage this effect seamlessly through their infrared connectivity. The result is a superior 3D effect, at full HD quality. Infrared connections between glasses and other components, as well as other 3D processes are kept constant through the glasses 30-hour rechargeable battery life.

SimulView Technology Improves the 2-player Gaming Experience

Fans of co-op and competitive gaming modes are intimately familiar with local split-screen multiplayer functionality, which literally splits the visible display area of a single TV used in offline play to show the differing actions of individual players participating in the same game, at the same physical location. As advantageous as this is for group play, the quality of even the sharpest of HD television displays is compromised by the halving of the viewable area. SimulView Technology does away with this issue by enabling two players in a supported game to see their actions in-game displayed as full-screen projections** (the full requirement for the effect are: a PlayStation 3D Display, 2 pairs of PlayStation 3D Glasses, a PS3 system, a PS3 game that supports SimulView, and two players). Built on the Active 3D glasses technology and specially enhanced for gaming, SimulView technology brings players deeper in the game than ever before while still sharing the experience with a friend. Games supporting SimulView technology include MotorStorm Apocalypse, Killzone 3, Gran Turismo 5, Super Stardust HD, with more titles in development and coming soon.

Features

Best-in-class HD 3D display for the most immersive 3D gaming experience
SimulView technology delivers individual full HD screen visuals to each player in two-player mode
Connects to your PS3 system, cable TV box, and PC for all of your HD 3D content
Slim design brings true 3D gaming to smaller entertainment spaces
Built-in speakers and subwoofer enhance the audio and take you deeper in the game
Classic PlayStation inspired display design for the ultimate gaming enthusiast
Specifications

Display type: Stereoscopic 3D HDTV
Screen size: 24"
Resolution: 1080p (1920 x 1080)
Colors: 16.7 million
Contrast ratio: 5000:1
Backlight type: Edge LED, white LED
Digital inputs (side): 2 HDMI, 1 component
Refresh rate: 240 Hz
Sound output: speakers (3W x 2), subwoofer (1 x 5w), 3.5 mm headphone jack (1)
Remote support: IR remote control with BD remote control (sold separately)
Dimensions: 29.75"(w) x 17.06"(h) x 4.50"(d)
3D glasses
Type: Active Shutter 3D
Rechargeable battery life: 30 hr.
Dimensions: 3" (w) x 7-1/8" (h) x 2" (d)
* Compatible with Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, Mitsubishi, Toshiba, and Sharp Active Shutter 3D ready displays that use IR emitters.
** Playback in full (2D) HD, not 3D.

Product Dimensions (inc stand): 650mm(w) x 387mm(h) x screen 33mm(d) stand 280mm(d)
Screen Size: 23.5 Inches
Packaging Dimensions: 744mm(w)× 419mm(h)×109mm(d)
Packaging Type: Box with plastic handle (for all territories)

Additional Information:

All PS3s sold to date have capability of showing stereoscopic 3D contents.
There are currently over 30 PS3 titles which support 3D, plus more will become available around the launch of this monitor, including new releases like Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception.
Monitor Key Configurations:

23.5" Full HD resolution
240Hz Active Shutter
Best in class 3D quality
HDMI x 2 input
Component input for PS2 & PSP
2 pairs of ...

Patient PS3 players can now purchase the first DLC dump for Modern Warfare 3. Non-premium Call of Duty Elite members and stock Modern Warfare 3players can now download Content Collection #1, which includes a smattering of multiplayer maps and a pair of Spec Ops missions.

Content Collection #1 can be downloaded on PSN right now for $14.99. Within it you'll find multiplayer maps Overwatch, Liberation, Piazza and Black Box – plus Spec Ops missions Black Ice and Negotiator.

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/19/ps...on-1-on-psn-t/ ...

While the PS3's media abilities in the US are limited to what it can access via discs or over the network, in Europe / Australia (PlayTV) and Japan (Torne) TV tuners stretch things further. Now, Sony Japan has followed those up with the Nasne headless media box shown above. A combination networked recorder and media storage device with a 500GB SATA HDD and tuners for both antenna and satellite TV built-in, it pulls in broadcasts and either records it or streams to up to two other Sony products (Vita, PS3 with Torne app, Vaio PC, Sony Tablet or Xperia phone) on the same home network at once. It will also support streaming of stored media via DLNA, once its software is updated to version 1.5. The capabilities of the Nasne vary depending on the hardware it's used with: PS3 users can connect up to four of the devices to one console, however it can also export video files formatted for offline viewing on the Vita or transfer recorded files to PCs for Blu-ray archival.
Is this a promising example of the "One Sony" synergy Kaz so recently promised? We'll have to wait until the Nasne ships July 19th for 16,980 yen ($211) to find out for sure. Sadly, like the Torne (which will receive its own 4.0 software update this summer) and Blu-ray recorders that came before it's unlikely we'll ever this one in the US, but that won't stop us from dreaming. A press release with full specs follows after the break, check out Engadget Japan for a few more pictures.

http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/17/s...b-of-nas-gets/ ...