Sega to launch PSP beater in 2009 Sega will next year launch a portable media player boasting enough functionality to threaten Sony’s PlayStation Portable, the Register Hardware can exclusively reveal. Sega_vision_01 Sega Vision: up to eight entertainment features The PMP is to be called the Sega Vision and it’ll work as a videogames machine, in addition …
Its Sega, after the 32X and Sega CD, anyone who decides to buy *any* Sega console needs their heads read. Their monster cockups are one of the reasons that Sony were able to attack the market and go straight to the top, if Sega had built quality systems, with support, and games and not the terrible ones they did make, maybe we'd still be playing Sega consoles today.
It's worth mentioning from that youtube video that the "games" that is plays are described as "Java mini games" so not quite the PSP beater that the article title implies.
I would say that this is first a portable TV, and second a media player, but with only 2Gb of memory its going to be limited at that.
So Sega are going to release a new handheld console, despite having been out of the hardware market for the last two generations of consoles? The same Sega that basically admitted their hardware business died on its ass because they tried to over-saturate the console market with too many options, and then failed to properly support and promote the one console they'd come up with in years that people actually wanted to buy?
It's got less chance of beating the PSP than the Pandora, I'd say...
While I'll admit I always loved the Sega consoles over the competition, this is a bad idea. The market is has too many consoles of any kind and, in case Sega didn't notice, the economy is bad worldwide. Your biggest market, the US, is really suffering. Because of that, Americans have changed the way they lived by spending less. This thing is doomed to failure and Sega will once again be an afterthought. Focus on your games, because if you try again, you may lose everything.
That really is butt ugly. While I'm not a huge PSP fan (more of a Nintendo man), the PSP is a nice piece of kit. Oh, and the 1990s called, they want their 4:3 screen back.
I doubt that Sony's eBook division is quaking in their boots. Simply no comparison with the Reader. Just because the iPhone has a camera, doesn't make it a competitor to Canon and Nikkon.
Paul
It looks like it can do little more than your average smartphone, only without the actual phone bit.
"Mini java game", so its not actually a portable Dreamcast then, its just plays mobile phone games if we're lucky.
Screen looks wrong for movies too, and i hope that 2GB memory is expandable.
No threat to the PSP if you ask me, this is a very niche device. The phone world has learnt that portable live TV is one thing that sounds great but few people actually need, especially with our 5 crappy channels.
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Sega's last memorable entry in the hand held market was the battery munching and yet oh-so-very good Game Gear. Granted it was huge, and ate batteries faster than a taser set on 'extra crispy'. But it had a nice back-lit color screen, which compared to the dinky and rather dingy Nintendo of the time was a triumph. Sadly it was expensive and Sega simply couldn't compete with Nintendo.
In fact the PSP is the natural successor to the Game Gear, it's structural form is similar. It's build around the screen, you hold it at the sides and the controls are at each side of the screen.
But this 'new' device from Sega looks for all the world like a souped up handheld TV. The TV is presumably analogue so it's not like that will sell well in the US come Feb 2009. But come on, java based minigames? Between ElReg and the INQ the amount of pointless, heavily spun articles always picking away at Sony is just plain tiresome. This device from Sega is not and will not be a PSP beater. For a start it's not a game console, it's a pocket TV that also plays JAVA based minigames. The PSP is a handheld game console that also plays movies and music. These devices aren't even aiming at the same market.
I wonder when it is that small minded fanbo....er...journalists can put their bias away and start reporting facts and providing real analysis. Honestly the standard of journalism here is no better than the partisan journalism seen in the US analyzing the vice presidential debate.
Perhaps the author of this piece can look once again at the information being reported and do the factual and objective analysis, and edit this piece into something that actually reports without applying the author's own personal anti-Sony bias?
If you want a pocket portable with Alex Kidd in Miracle World, import one of these, it runs on 3x AAAs, TFT screen and has TV output!!!111eleven!! (NTSC, looks terrible though) I got one for mainly playing Columns on:
http://www.gamersquad.com/category/Gadgets/Coleco-handheld-console-at-Target-(US)/
Oh and has anyone told Sega that they're turning off the analogue TV transmitters? Their new device better have a Freeview tuner, not that it'll be able to pick up that signal in most areas of the UK anyway...
I'll wait for an actual Sega press release before believing that they're launching a major handheld games platform. As far as I can see, you've taken a photo of a gambling machine that has as a prize a basic media player, that happens to be Sega branded, and happens to play basic games; and read into this that Sega is going to launch a major new strategy, going head-on against Sony, despite the fact that they have recently stated that they're concentrating on making games for other platforms, not making another console.
I'd like to know what you're on.
Oh, sorry, it's Friday afternoon - I understand ;-)
I may have picked this up wrong but in the video the Sega is compared to the size of a credit card - does this mean that it is the size of a credit card? Along the short edge of the Sega are six buttons, now, go to your wallet and pull out a credit card. Imagine trying to press one of six buttons on that card.
Paris, as only she has fingers small enough to use the thing.
The selection over-the-air is pretty paltry where I live, and that's in a city. Thing is, most US television stations are non-broadcast (part of this is regulatory--being non-broadcast means the FCC can't touch them--for now). Barring a few Superstations, only big network affiliates and independent local stations broadcast.
It's small, easily lost, no doubt expensive, and if that vid's anything to go by fugly. The screens to small, the camera will no doubt be pathetic, as will video capture on something like that. And game play looking at the controls (again judging off the button placement on the vid) are such it will be nothing but frustrating (adding in java games thats even more frustrating). The screens too small for TV also. It's trying to be the next iPod, but its not. Don't even bother Sega, it's a flop waiting to happen.
To come up with a lack lustre product.
TV? What standard, and would it work on your travels?
Unlikely!
PSP has evolved into a pretty good piece of kit; all that's missing is touch screen, and then phone functionality to complete the geek requirements.
Too late to market in its current specification I'm afraid.
Must try harder.
3/10
Wasn't the last Sega portable actually the Nomad? I have one of these, and I quite like it. It plays the full-sized Sega Genesis carts with a built-in LCD screen and 6-button controller, with a port for a second controller. It also has a video output port capable of S-VHS output (IIRC, it has RGB on the port, too) and an RF adapter accessory.
You really need to use the NiMH battery pack, as the thing just sucks AA's in no time.
No TV tuner like the Game Gear, though.
Anyway, this looks like a paltry entry from a once-great console maker, and like some other people here, I want to cry "fake." I cannot imagine that the formerly great Sega would produce such a gadget which runs "the Java mini game" without a slew of titles to go with it, and great fan-fare.
No. Indeed, I call Shenanigans on this. Although I would love to see Sega introduce a PSP-killer... it would really piss off the console makers for which it develops software. Probably not a prudent move without a HUGE secret undertaking.
Paris, she has a second port so a friend can join in, too.
Screw you. Pull your damned finger out of your employee's collective bumholes and release a thing that I can play decent games on. Damn I miss the dreamcast... Well, I don't miss mine, I don't have to, it's sitting right here in front of me. However, I do miss its activity.
But yeah this does look like a fairly pathetic excuse for a piece of hardware. :(
I mean come on James, since when has Java Mini games been anything like PSP games? My £30 phone does Java Mini Games, and I rarely use it for that purpose. Also the PSP already does pretty much everything on that list, including eBook reading, if you know what you are doing. I think the onlt think missing is the TV tuner, but when you already have the PlayTV Slingbox style usage, it's not really that important to view LiveTV, when you can view LiveTV, including Satellite and pre-recorded TV on a PSP already.
This is just Sega and James trying to convince the world they are still relevant... James, go back to UKResistance...
This is an aftermarket knock off
The "Sega Vision" trademark that is shown in the picture died in 1985!
SEGA VISION----(CANCELLED) IC 009. US 021. G & S: TELEVISION PROJECTION UNIT INCLUDING A VIDEO PROJECTOR AND VIDEO SCREEN. FIRST USE: 19761019. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19761019
Filed in 1977.
Some back alley Hong Kong knockoff artist can use that "trademark" and slide through legal loopholes.
fifty thumbs down for posting this rubbish as news.
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