If you're a busy body with an infinitesimal attention span, Sony's added a feature to the PSP Go that should land squarely in your wheelhouse. First unveiled during a Gamespot UK unboxing of the new handheld (around the 10:00 mark), the Go allows players of any game to save their progress and perform other functions on the device. Upon returning to the game, you can instantly hop right back into whatever it was you were doing at the time of your save.

In the aforementioned unboxing video, Gamespot UK's Guy Cocker saves his progress during a Motorstorm: Arctic Edge race in order to watch a trailer for Motorstorm: Arctic Edge. Rarely do we get urges to watch trailers for games we're currently playing -- but we suppose we've succumbed to stranger impulses before.

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/17/ps...-resume-state/ ...

The first Zune HD commercial came out today, and it's an extremely brief look (more like a list, really) at a few of the PMP's main features. I really like the Zune HD, but this ad doesn't get me excited.

This is especially disappointing not just because the Zune HD is a great device that deserves a great commercial but also because Microsoft is definitely capable of pumping out interesting, memorable advertising. This older Zune ad has great visuals, a killer soundtrack ("Lake Michigan" by Rogue Wave) and a high adorability factor. The new Zune HD ad glosses over the killer design of the device and very prominently (and mysteriously) features "Games," accompanied by a racing game that definitely isn't actually available.

The ad is so short that I'm sure it's just a teaser, to be upstaged by a legit ad soon, but seriously, Microsoft: The Zune HD has a ton of personality. Show it off.

http://gizmodo.com/5361278/first-zun...rwhelms-teases ...

The xpPhone has a 4.8-inch touchscreen, GPS, notebook-specs, and runs a full-blown copy of Windows XP. Seriously. And while I'm still skeptical about the use of XP, the phone has come a long way since I saw it at Computex.

http://gizmodo.com/5361497/itg-xppho...one-and-orange ...

ShopTo has empathised with European retailers boycotting PSPgo, and reckons the format "is almost dead before it has arrived".

Analyst Michael Pachter, on the other hand, thinks they're all being "foolish", and calls the entire situation "ridiculous".

"It's just silly for a retailer to say that they won't sell a big ticket gaming device because they can't sell the games. Consumer electronics stores sell refrigerators and not food, everyone sells iPods and not the music for them; this position is just ridiculous," Michael Pachter, analyst for investor Wedbush Morgan Securities, told Eurogamer.

"I think that it's foolish for a retailer to be selective about what they carry, unless they truly don't believe it will sell well."

A much better course of action, he argued, would be to buy limited stock and then re-order if appropriate. "Refusing to carry them subjects them to the risk that Sony will bypass them for Gran Turismo or Uncharted, in which case they lose," he said.

The ball began rolling when Dutch outlet Nedgame publicly opposed the PSPgo for being too expensive and for not featuring a UMD drive, thus providing no opportunity to sell games. And controlling all sales via PSN gives Sony a "monopoly" on software sales, argued the shop.

Media Markt, a German retail chain that spans Europe, took up a similar position, with Spanish and Italian (and no doubt other regions) outlets prohibited from selling the device.

ShopTo will not follow suit, but agrees with the sentiment. "We do have it listed on the site, but we are not concentrating any big marketing behind it," boss Igor Cipolletta told Eurogamer.

"Sony has decided to cut publishers and retailers for the software of the PSPgo and deal direct with developers, giving them a 70 per cent margin for any items sold on Sony PSN. I believe if they had lowered that to 50 or 60 per cent, and given the opportunity to online retailers, it would have enjoyed greater success and retailers would attempt to promote the console to the market."

Cipolletta, however, feels the damage may have already been done, and the format - which launches here on 1st October for GBP 224.99 (EUR 249.99) - will be a flop.

"I have the feeling that as a format it is almost dead before it has arrived, and it relies far too heavily on a customer base that is prepared to pay more for download content than the equivalent disc based product, and I suspect this market will soon dry up based on the technical limitations of the hardware," Cipolletta shared.

But, Pachter added, while retailers wield "some power" now, their foot-stamping won't be entertained for long.

"As far as the argument that 'it's about time' retailers received their comeuppance: I think that will occur soon enough anyway, as the large hard drives in the PS3 and 360 (and the larger ones coming) will encourage a greater number of downloads in the future," he offered.

"Retailers have to face the fact that games will be increasingly offered over Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, and cope with the outcome. "To draw a line in the sand," Pachter said, "is wrong."

Sony has currently not responded comment on the matter.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...it-has-arrived ...

Sony has issued an unprecedented defence of its PlayStation 3 console amid claims that it is suffering from inherent hardware failure issues, and that Sony's out of warranty repairs service is inadequate.

The BBC's Watchdog programme will tonight air a report claiming Sony "refuses to fix" systems suffering from the so-called 'yellow light of death', which forces the console to shut down immediately after booting up.

In response, Sony's has issued a detailed six page document, reprinted in full on GamesIndustry.biz, questioning the accuracy and research of the Watchdog report.

"From the correspondence to date, I have serious concerns as to the accuracy of these allegations and the likely tone of the Watchdog report," wrote Ray Maguire, MD of Sony UK, in response to Watchdog's allegations.

"The information that you have provided suggests a fundamental misunderstanding of the technical issues and a mis-characterisation of SCEUK’s Out of Warranty repairs policy."

As a stunt for the show, Watchdog set up a van outside Sony's UK headquarters – dubbed the PlayStation Repair Action Team – earlier this month and offered to fix consoles suffering from the hardware problem for free.

Watchdog received 155 complaints from viewers, with 10 viewers showing up for the street stunt. Watchdog also issued a technical report to Sony, based on only three home consoles, one of which had already been subject to an attempted repair by a user.

"The testing concerned a sample of only three PS3s, which cannot, on any basis, be deemed to be representative of a UK user base of 2.5 million," stated Sony. "One of these had in addition been materially altered by the owner."

A third-party refurbishing company repaired consoles for Watchdog, with the firm usually charging around GBP 103 for repairs on a PlayStation 3, compared to Sony's cost of GBP 128, charged once a console is out of its one-year warranty.

"Importantly, it is clear that third party repairers will profit from any public concern that is raised about the reliability of the PS3, and have an interest in criticising SCEUK’s after sales service (despite the relatively small price differential in their own service offering). "The BBC will therefore doubtless wish to exercise caution before relying on anecdotal evidence, provided by them, concerning the extent or cause of these issues," offered Maguire.

It's expected Watchdog will attempt to compare Sony's issues to Microsoft's now infamous Xbox 360 'red ring of death' problem, which prompted the company to extend the warranty of the home console to three years from the purchase date.

The show will air this evening in the UK at 8pm. The official website explains that "Iain Lee solves a problem with one of the best known gadgets in the world - which the manufacturers refuse to fix."

Presenter Iain Lee is no stranger to the videogame business, having fronted corporate events for the likes of Capcom and Microsoft. He has also been employed on a freelance basis by Microsoft, according to his work for MSN's Tech and Gadget site.

Maguire concluded his correspondence by warning the BBC that it will take "all necessary steps" to protect the business and the PlayStation brand

"I regret to say that neither the correspondence to date, nor the 'PlayStation Repair Action Team 'stunt, have given me much confidence that you are treating this issue fairly. If the report is broadcast in what appears to be its current form, SCEUK will scrutinise its accuracy and will take all necessary steps to protect its reputation and that of the PS3."

A spokesperson for the BBC told GamesIndustry.biz that "Watchdog is investigating this matter, but the programme makers will not comment on stories before transmission as it can jeopardise the investigation".

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...failure-report ...

Microsoft has revealed another 250GB Xbox 360 bundle following yesterday's announcement of a Modern Warfare 2 deal.

The Forza Motorsport 3 Super Elite Bundle will be released on October 23 and comes with a standard edition of the game, the 250GB HDD, headset and two controllers, and retail for £249 in the UK.

Yesterday, Microsoft revealed a limited edition Modern Warfare 2 Xbox 360 SKU, although no European pricing has yet been confirmed for the package.

Microsoft has also said it would not be selling the 250GB drive separately.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...r-GBP249-in-uk ...

PSP Mini games won't be allowed to have wireless multiplayer functionality, downloadable content or software updates, Sony has confirmed.

The barring of these additional features has been decided on in order to quicken the approval process, SCEA senior account manager Justin Cooney has revealed. As such, the QA process for PSP Minis will take between three and five days compared to up to two weeks for full-sized PSP games.

"When you look at it from a testing perspective, you have to do more QA. [Allowing those features] would defeat the purpose of having a dedicated service for smaller content. It increases the barriers," Cooney said, speaking to Gamasutra at GDC Austin.

"From our perspective, if we're going to reduce the time it takes to get through our internal process, it helps that we don't have to check the multiplayer features."

While these guidelines will mean that Sony's QA process differs from Apple's - which does allow games to contain wireless multiplayer features - Cooney doesn't believe this will prevent iPhone developers from bringing their game to the Sony platform.

"I think from an iPhone perspective, you can create a Minis product from your iPhone product, or create a [full size] PSP game," he stated. "Nothing stops you from bringing an iPhone product to the PlayStation platform. It's just really up to the developer to decide if they want it to be a regular title or a PSP Mini title."

PSP Minis games, which Sony announced at Gamescom this year, are digital games restricted to a 100MB download size. They're due to launch alongside the new PSPgo hardware on October 1 with 15 titles initially being made available.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...from-psp-minis ...

PSP Mini games won't be allowed to have wireless multiplayer functionality, downloadable content or software updates, Sony has confirmed.

The barring of these additional features has been decided on in order to quicken the approval process, SCEA senior account manager Justin Cooney has revealed. As such, the QA process for PSP Minis will take between three and five days compared to up to two weeks for full-sized PSP games.

"When you look at it from a testing perspective, you have to do more QA. [Allowing those features] would defeat the purpose of having a dedicated service for smaller content. It increases the barriers," Cooney said, speaking to Gamasutra at GDC Austin.

"From our perspective, if we're going to reduce the time it takes to get through our internal process, it helps that we don't have to check the multiplayer features."

While these guidelines will mean that Sony's QA process differs from Apple's - which does allow games to contain wireless multiplayer features - Cooney doesn't believe this will prevent iPhone developers from bringing their game to the Sony platform.

"I think from an iPhone perspective, you can create a Minis product from your iPhone product, or create a [full size] PSP game," he stated. "Nothing stops you from bringing an iPhone product to the PlayStation platform. It's just really up to the developer to decide if they want it to be a regular title or a PSP Mini title."

PSP Minis games, which Sony announced at Gamescom this year, are digital games restricted to a 100MB download size. They're due to launch alongside the new PSPgo hardware on October 1 with 15 titles initially being made available.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...from-psp-minis ...

PSP Mini games won't be allowed to have wireless multiplayer functionality, downloadable content or software updates, Sony has confirmed.

The barring of these additional features has been decided on in order to quicken the approval process, SCEA senior account manager Justin Cooney has revealed. As such, the QA process for PSP Minis will take between three and five days compared to up to two weeks for full-sized PSP games.

"When you look at it from a testing perspective, you have to do more QA. [Allowing those features] would defeat the purpose of having a dedicated service for smaller content. It increases the barriers," Cooney said, speaking to Gamasutra at GDC Austin.

"From our perspective, if we're going to reduce the time it takes to get through our internal process, it helps that we don't have to check the multiplayer features."

While these guidelines will mean that Sony's QA process differs from Apple's - which does allow games to contain wireless multiplayer features - Cooney doesn't believe this will prevent iPhone developers from bringing their game to the Sony platform.

"I think from an iPhone perspective, you can create a Minis product from your iPhone product, or create a [full size] PSP game," he stated. "Nothing stops you from bringing an iPhone product to the PlayStation platform. It's just really up to the developer to decide if they want it to be a regular title or a PSP Mini title."

PSP Minis games, which Sony announced at Gamescom this year, are digital games restricted to a 100MB download size. They're due to launch alongside the new PSPgo hardware on October 1 with 15 titles initially being made available.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...from-psp-minis ...