Sony Unveils Smaller, Cheaper PlayStation 3

(NEWSER) - Sony has slashed the price of PlayStation 3 by $100 in advance of holiday shopping; the cheapest console will now be a 40-gigabyte model for $399—down from $499 for a 60-gigger. PlayStation is the priciest of its rivals, and sales have lagged: Compared with 404,000 Nintendo Wiis and 277,000 Xbox 360s, only 131,000 PS3s sold in August, the Journal reports. More»

CEO apologizes to shareholders over PlayStation cyberattack

(AP) - Sony Chief Executive Howard Stringer credited "very loyal" PlayStation Network gamers for flocking back to the service in big numbers, as he sought today to reassure shareholders following a series of embarrassing hacker attacks. The CEO apologized for the data breach in April , which compromised personal data from more than 100 million online gaming and entertainment accounts. Sony was subsequently criticized for lax security, and acting too slowly to inform customers. More»

It will be out for $249 later this year

(AP) - Sony has unveiled its new portable gaming machine—the PlayStation Vita, a touch-interface and motion-sensitive handheld expected to outplay the enormously successful PlayStation Portable. The Vita will go on sale before the winter holidays, starting at $249. The device will allow gamers to be connected with one another over cellphone networks and Wi-Fi hotspots, and use GPS location-tracking technology. A pricier version will have cellphone service (retails for $299), and buyers will have to subscribe to a cellular data plan. (In the US, Sony will partner exclusively with AT&T.) More»

But full service won't be restored until end of May

(NEWSER) - Sony started restoring limited service to its online networks yesterday after taking its popular gaming system offline nearly a month ago after a massive security breach that affected 100 million users, reports the Wall Street Journal . Internet gaming, movie rentals, music services, and online video streaming are the first operations to be restored; full service should be restored by month's end. While the partial service allows users to play video games and chat online, Sony said consumers still cannot buy video games or other content using credit cards. More»

Console controller linked to painful hand sores

(NEWSER) - Dedicated gamers beware—researchers have identified a skin disorder just for you, the BBC reports. “PlayStation palmar hidradenitis” is characterized by painful lumpy sores on the palms. British researchers think it's caused by gripping the controller tightly with sweaty hands for extended periods. Good news, though: Symptoms appear to clear up—if gamers can go cold turkey for a while. More»