back to article Here's what YOU WON'T be able to do with your PlayStation 4

Automotive pioneer Henry Ford famously joked that any customer could order a car painted any color "as long as it is black." The same will be true of Sony's forthcoming PlayStation 4 video game console – "Jet Black" being the only color option at launch – but it seems the new device will come with plenty of other limitations, …

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  1. Chris 171
    Meh

    Storefront Technology

    Remember when as gadgets got better you could plug more things in, connect in different ways, plays all discs etc...

    Devices ability to do things are being devolved to enforce walled gardens and suit advertisers, seems a bit rubbish to me. Plus I'd have to duck tape every camera.

    Has it got a memory card slot still?

    All started by apple I might add...

    ....

    1. Chris 244
      Thumb Down

      Unwarranted Apple dig

      Sony CD rootkit predated the iPhone by a couple of years.

    2. ecofeco Silver badge
      FAIL

      Re: Storefront Technology

      I agree Chris 171. (Chris 244, I think he meant the whole walled garden thing)

      Which begs the question: why do people buy this crap?

      Seriously, who in their right mind is going to buy a product that will not work with the gear they already have?

      Sony has truly lost their minds in so many ways. They used to be the standard for all consumer and pro entertainment electronics, now they are just has beens who are coasting on their previous fame and screwing the hell out of their customers.

      1. DiViDeD

        Re: Storefront Technology

        "Seriously, who in their right mind is going to buy a product that will not work with the gear they already have?"

        Umm that would be the folks who bought the iPhone 5 and happily replaced their clock radios, stupid plastic floorstanding speakers and the other stuff they'd only bought because it had an iThing dock.

        I suppose they junked their BMWs at the same time

      2. NB

        Re: Storefront Technology

        > Which begs the question...

        No. To beg the question is to assume it has already been answered. This raises the question. It does not beg it.

        1. Sir Runcible Spoon

          Re: Storefront Technology

          Well M$ fucked me off with their bullshit, and I was on the verge of going back on my 'never buy Sony' vow that I made when the rootkit fiasco kicked off.

          Now I won't be buying PS4 either.

          Time to start building my dream PC again - fully watercooled, whisper quiet, overclocked to buggery (just for fun) - I may even start building my personalised cockpit chair ready for the OR & Starcitizen.

          The Steam effort may save the day for consoles in the end - especially if it drives games developers to code for Linux based systems from the off. That way we can have a streamlined system that isn't bogged down with unnecessary windows stuff. If I want something on my PC - I install it - don't bundle it and run a million services in the background.

          This locked down bullshit will come back to bite them on the arse majorly.

    3. Oh Homer
      FAIL

      Console for Convicts

      What's Sony's target audience? Prisoners?

      Seriously, those are are bloody ridiculous restrictions.

      No thanks.

      1. Cliff

        Re: Console for Convicts

        In other news...

        A bunch of MS execs are punching the sky with a 'fuck yeah', Sony seem to be handing them the market.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Console for Convicts

          Enjoy your 720p 60fps Xbox One games... my ps3 does that resolution already...

          http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-resolutiongate-the-fallout

          The Xbox One dodgy hardware specs can't be changed, dlna abs mp3 can abd will surely be implemented on the ps4.

          The real losers are those that bought a Xbox One which turns out to be a small incremental update if the Xbox 360

          1. h3

            Re: Console for Convicts

            Here is the thing basically nobody can get stuff to scale properly on AMD's architecture. (Even the bulldozer / piledriver one).

            The most important thing is making sure either of them is used properly. (Microsoft will make it easy / Sony won't do anything).

            They are both terrible compared to how good consoles have been in the past though at release.

            (And the dev's will always choose graphics that cannot be handled properly (At 30fps) over it working properly at 60fps).

            A £150 video card is loads better than either of the 2 consoles. (2 of them will guarantee being able to run anything they can run at 30fps at 60 for the whole generation).

            Within a few years the lastest ipad will destroy either of them as well.

          2. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Console for Convicts

            Thank you for actually doing some research. So sick of Microsoft raping everyone and getting away with it... Remember people we also had 3 red rings of death that killed 5 of my Xboxs and still you have people backing a shotty machine for what reason Halo????

          3. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Console for Convicts

            God you're an idiot.

            Why do ignorant tards incorporate resolution with graphics? Not to mention, do you even know the difference between native and upscale? Just because the XBox One is at 720 doesn't mean it will be playing at that since it up scales to 1080. Also, the games look better on XB1 because the hardware is rendering and aliasing faster.

            Nevertheless, are you playing on a 50 inch screen? The human eye cannot see the difference between 720 and 1080 unless the screen size is bigger than 42". BUT THAT IS RESOLUTION TO RESOLUTION. The Xbox will still be up scaling to 1080.

            You want a graphical experience? Get a PC. I'm here for the next gen experience. Which is why I'm getting XBox One.

            1. MJI Silver badge

              Re: Console for Convicts

              Upscaling from 720 to 1080

              Does it matter if the TV or the console does it?

              It is still upscaling rather than native resolution.

              Yes the XB1 is running at the same resolution as lots of current generation games.

              Also 720 and 1080 are obviously different on my 46" TV

              XB1 to me is not quite next generation, I am even wondering if it can beat this generation!

              1. Crookid

                Re: Console for Convicts

                It's a shame how ignorant posters as yourself will continue to down vote valid arguments and spew more lackluster information.

                Also, you act as if every game is going to be up scaled on a XB1. It was only the few such as BF4 and COD and there are already reviewer complaints about FPS instability on those games via PS4. DR3 and Forenza whatever (the racing game) are at a native 1080 60 FPS on the XB1.

                Nevertheless, it all comes down to software and what the machines are capably of achieving with a variety of inputs. Such as the Kinect 2.0 which is majorly superior to the PS Eye and what is being achieved from an entertainment standpoint. Incorporating that into playing games or interacting with your TV delivers an immersive experience. Which brings me to my point about PC for graphics and XB1 for the next gen experience.

                Smarten up and read. You'd be surprised at what you can learn by being objective and opening your mind.

            2. Piro Silver badge

              Re: Console for Convicts

              "Also, the games look better on XB1 because the hardware is rendering and aliasing faster."

              What does this even mean? You do realise the architecture of the GPU is literally the same, just the One has less power.

              That's literally the same as saying a Radeon 7750 is clearly the better graphics card over the Radeon 7850.

              You must be trolling.

        2. Oh Homer
          Terminator

          Re: "Sony seem to be handing [MS] the market"

          Hardly. The XBone is nearly as bad, as was originally intended to be even worse, until Vole was forced to do an embarrassing u-turn.

          Both Sony and Microsoft have just "protected" their consoles into oblivion. Good riddance.

          The last vestiges of non-mobile video gaming will be on what little is left of the dying PC market, and Valve's last-ditch effort with its forthcoming Steam Box.

          1. Anonymous Brave Guy

            Re: "Sony seem to be handing [MS] the market"

            The last vestiges of non-mobile video gaming will be on the ever lively PC market, and Valve's last-ditch effort to prop up the console market with its forthcoming Steam Box.

            FTFY.

            1. Oh Homer
              Mushroom

              Re: "Sony seem to be handing [MS] the market"

              @ Anonymous Brave Guy

              "The last vestiges of non-mobile video gaming will be on the ever lively PC market, and Valve's last-ditch effort to prop up the console market with its forthcoming Steam Box."

              Except the "ever lively PC" market is plummeting, and the PC games industry along with it, which now accounts for just 19% of the games market, whereas console games account for nearly half the total market. In fact even handheld games are now outselling PC games, indeed the only segment generating less revenue than PC games is mobile, and that's only due to much lower prices, not fewer units shipped. The fact that, despite this, the mobile market has nearly matched the PC market, is a testament to how dire things really are for PC gaming.

              And the Steam Box is not a "games console", despite the hype, it's a commodity PC running GNU/Linux, Valve's Steam client, and standard PC games. Although this false persona will no doubt encourage sales among those who might otherwise have steered clear of a PC, which is after all the whole point of this "console".

        3. Vociferous

          Re: Console for Convicts

          > Sony seem to be handing them the market

          They're basically playing tennis with the market, fumbling it between them. Microsoft goes Evil Empire at E3 and drives users over to Sony, then Sony remembers that, oh yeah, I'm a litigious passive-aggresive bastard, and drive them back.

          I hope the Steambox turns out to be all it's been cracked up to be, and I hope it utterly destroys PS3 and XBone. Because if it doesn't, we continue the slide into locked userspaces which are not so much a "walled garden" as a prison.

        4. Piro Silver badge

          Re: Console for Convicts

          You're kidding me, right? The PS4 has better hardware by far, and there's no changing that.

          Here I was thinking that consoles were about a simple way to play games. Not media streaming or any of that. I don't have a PS3, I have a 360. But the PS4 is clearly better value, and better hardware.

          The only problem right now is that the 360 has Forza 5 and the PS4 doesn't have anything to compete (to me, this is what matters)...

          1. Crookid

            Re: Console for Convicts

            Where I agree console decision should come down to the games or what you want out of your device, your mother point misses the mark completely.

            The specifications are remarkable similar with the MS decision considered "sub-par" to PS4, although extremely slight, are in-fact not sub par. Such as the DDR3 ram XB uses vs the DDR5 PS4 uses. DDR3 doesn't necessarily mean less capable. In-fact, it is the opposite. Read up on that.

            Nevertheless, it all comes down to software and Somy has never impressed me in that regard. The XB1 is simply more impressive giving the user and developers more freedom. Let alone Sony's attempt at cornering their users into paying more for peripherals and media.

            I'll gladly pay $100 more for better software, Kinect 2.0 and DLNA capability. Hell, I'd do it for DLNA alone since I'll save that streaming media I got for free on my PC.

    4. ThomH

      Re: Storefront Technology

      Blaming Apple for anything here is absurd — video games consoles have been a walled garden since the NES's lockout chip.

      1. DaneB

        Re: Storefront Technology

        True true. It was Nintendo all along. Japanese war-mongerers.

    5. rvt

      Re: Storefront Technology

      I down-voted you post only because you did bring Apple into the mix.

      This trend didn't really start with Apple. I remember a time that i had Cd's i could play anywhere in the world, until Hollywood decided that its a good idea to add regions to dvd. So, a DVD bought in the US couldn't be played in Europe, which is a huge restriction as far as i can see it the start of 'restrictions'.

      Just saying that its not fair to point fingers to apple here.

      Besides that, the game and software industry in general have been doing this already for year, way before Apple came with the iphone. Mac os/x doesn't have any of the restrictions, added so people won't forget.

      1. tom dial Silver badge

        Re: Storefront Technology

        Perhaps companies with management focus on the next quarter and next fiscal year bottom line tend more than they rationally ought to treat the enterprise as "manufacturing" process in which consumers are an input resource. This would lead naturally to vertical integration actions intended to ensure that the resource is is kept available for continued exploitation using such things as manufacturer specific hardware and software standards, and now locked down software stores. This is not materially different from vendor lock in as practiced, for instance, by document management system vendors who store the metadata using proprietary database schemas and thereby raise the cost to purchasers of switching to a competing product. Apple began it in the PC environment, I think, with or shortly after the Apple II, with longer run result of helping IBM, and the clone makers enabled by the open standards, to dominate the desktop market ever after. Based on sales figures, the same may be happening now with Apple/iOS v. Google/Android.

        Sony and Microsoft seem to be trying the same approach. We've seen what happened to the Surface RT; it was not good, and I haven't seen reports of impressive Surface 2 sales. Apple seems still to be enjoying a healthy revenue stream, but from a declining fraction of the cell phone and tablet markets. Treating customers as cattle to be milked may have limitations.

  2. Chris 244
    Trollface

    "Massive" 300MB update?

    Or almost 1/10th the size of the Windows 8.1update package! Anyone know what that is in Reg units?

    1. Jordan Davenport

      Re: "Massive" 300MB update?

      Codec packages for h.264, MPEG-2, MPEG-1 Layer 2, AC3, DTS, PCM, etc. should be rather small, less than 20MB, one would think. The actual player itself shouldn't be much larger than 50MB or so, and I'm being very generous here. For what it is, it is rather curious that the download would be so large.

      1. Chris 244

        Re: "Massive" 300MB update?

        "For what it is, it is rather curious that the download would be so large." Then what do you make of Win 8.1 needing 3.4 GB to add a crippled Start button?

        1. Jordan Davenport

          Re: "Massive" 300MB update?

          Windows 8.1 is more than just an added start button - it's a completely new version of Windows, with a new kernel version (NT 6.3), new driver models, etc. Windows 8.1 is to Windows 8 as Windows 7 is to Windows Vista. They just didn't charge money this time for the workstation version. The download for Windows 8.1 is the entire OS image.

          Could they have supplied it as an update or a service pack? Probably. They didn't, though, possibly so that using the built-in restore-to-default button would restore you to vanilla 8.1, not 8.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: "Massive" 300MB update?

            Completely new? I guess that means something other than completely new, unless you're suggesting that they started with a brand new project and carried no source over.

            FYI new versions mean a developer has incremented a number in source. Wow.

            Perchance you could explain some of the new features instead of putting "etc"?

    2. Vociferous

      Re: "Massive" 300MB update?

      Well, the Zune media player software bundled with my POS Windows Phone is 300 MB, so in the spirit of Zune I'm going to guess that it's a whole giant shedload of DRM with some codecs and software tacked on as an afterthought.

    3. MJI Silver badge

      Re: "Massive" 300MB update?

      Same as the X1 they are still finalising the OS and adding in features as they go, the hardware is ready, the OS was not, to make millions of consoles is not quick, so they make them then day 1 update

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: "Massive" 300MB update?

      And smaller than the gigantic day one update the xbone needs

      http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2013/11/08/xbox-one-wont-function-without-day-one-patch-no-uk-tv-guide-until-2014/

  3. Dave Bell

    Patent Medicine

    It looks as if Dr. Richard Gatling's patent toenail clipper has been bought by another customer.

  4. Jamie Jones Silver badge
    FAIL

    500GB

    I bought a cheapo laptop almost a year ago, and that came with a 750GB drive - you couldn't get smaller even if you wanted to

    1. jonathanb Silver badge

      Re: 500GB

      Lots of laptops come with less than 750GB, but it is usually in the form of a solid state disk.

    2. Slap

      Re: 500GB

      You could buy Apple gear which is notoriously stingy on storage, and yes there are currently a couple of models that only offer 500GB of spinning rust.

  5. This post has been deleted by its author

  6. zemerick

    300 MB update

    That update isn't just to activate playing DVDs. It's the day 1 update for the entire system.

    I find it really interesting though that you can not disable the recording. 15 mins suggest this has to be going to the hard drive as there isn't much RAM, and a large chunk of that will be used by the games and OS. So, the OS, this recording which needs to erase and write periodically ( it'll surely buffer some amount to RAM before going to HD. ) AND the game itself ( all games must be installed to the drive and played from there. ) are all going to be handled by....a 5,400 RPM HDD.

    If I get one I will definitely be getting at least a 7,200 drive for the poor thing.

    I also wonder how that'll impact the life of the drive. That could be a lot of work to do.

    1. Jordan Davenport

      Re: 300 MB update

      Writing isn't so much of an issue to a hard drive as it is to solid state media. Sure, there's some wear and tear, flipping electron alignment from one state to the other, but it shouldn't affect the lifespan that greatly. The thing that would concern me more is partition fragmentation. Surely the part used for recording would get its own partition to reduce fragmentation, though. I will grant that it's a strange choice.

      1. Jamie Jones Silver badge

        Re: 300 MB update

        " The thing that would concern me more is partition fragmentation. "

        No need to be concerned. Rumours say that the hardware runs on a customised FreeBSD - but even if that's not the case, it. isn't windows.

        Do any other systems use a "Try not to fragment disk " rather than a "Try not fo fragment files" algorithm?

        1. Vociferous

          Re: 300 MB update

          > No need to be concerned.

          Do you believe that Linux filesystems do not get fragmented? Because, you know, they do.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: 300 MB update

            @Vociferous, I've checked my Linux desktop with fsck.ext3 recently after daily use for about 4 years and it reported 0.1% non-contiguous. Are you sure Linux filesystems get fragmented? I run two Windows machines at the side of the Linux box too, one still on XP and one on 7 and they both need regular defragmentation. I could be wrong cos I really don't know much about Linux filesystems but mine at least seems pretty clean.

          2. Jamie Jones Silver badge

            Re: 300 MB update

            " Do you believe that Linux filesystems do not get fragmented? Because, you know, they do."

            I don't know enough about Linux filesystems to comment, but I'd be surprised.

            No proper fileststem suffers from major fragmentation issues if you use less than the recomnended 90% capacity.

            Of course, this dossn't mean that files don't get fragmented - sometimes it's necessary.

            None of the major unix systems I used to run suffered, neither did anyof the opensource offerings - indeed I remember being asked about this very topic, and on checking on a busy server that hadn't had a partition rebuild in 10 years, fragmentation was about 0.1%

            VMS often had issues - mainly because directories had to be contiguous,but I doubt (though don't know) that any Linux partitions suffer the same fate.

            And to be pedantic (before someone else says it) - the main thing that affects fragmentation isn't the filesystem type itself, but the driver that writes to it.

    2. SteveCo

      Re: 300 MB update

      7200rpm = more disk noise and heat = more fan noise.

      Personally I'd go for a 1TB 5400prm SSHD hybrid drive... assuming one can be found in 9.5mm thickness.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    brilliant!

    In fact, I genuinely believe, you'd find instant and financially lucrative employment with a marketing team of the evil MS (at least for a one-off Sony-bashing advert). Yours is much superior in style to their latest shot in the foot anti-apple advert :)

  8. pompurin

    Competition, or the lack of it

    There are only two companies in this market, Sony and Microsoft. They are both well known for this type of behaviour. The Cloud is a major marketing ploy. It's about losing control of your own data and putting it into the hands of major companies and having them charge you for the pleasure. All for convenience.

    I'll stick my hopes on Linux and hope they develop that into a decent gaming and media system at one point in the future. It has the potential to. XBMC is a good example of what can be done when people put their mind to it. The current XBMC is already more compatible than the PS4.

    1. SDoradus

      Re: Competition, or the lack of it

      My version 1 AppleTV runs XBMC. It sees my external 1TB USB hard drive on startup which has rather a lot of recorded TV shows on it - must get around to scrubbing that sometime. I understand later versions of the AppleTV are the size of a hockey puck and STILL run XBMC. That would be my choice for any media centre. Stick to games for the game console.

    2. Dave Stevens

      So much ignorance

      It looks like 90% of the comments are from people who have never owned a console.

      On the bright side, the article didn't try to explain why 720p is better than 1080p.

      No MP3 or DNLA but it's probably coming up later in a patch.

      The PS4 is significantly more powerful than the Xbox One and sells for $100 less, at a loss.

      It does not have a drive capable of reading a CD. (I've use the original Playstation to play music a handful of times in the late 90s... I can't remember why. I've never put a CD in the PS2 or the the PS3. )

      Very few consoles support previous peripherals--that adds to the bill of materials. The PS4 has USB 3.0 ports and a vastly improved controller. Pretty standard fare. The Xbox One uses proprietary connectors and good luck replacing the hard drive.

      1. Ian 55

        Re: So much ignorance

        Not supporting previous USB peripherals is purely about getting the suckers to buy new ones.

      2. Gav

        Re: So much ignorance

        If what you say is true about patched MP3 and DNLA support, then I agree, what' s the fuss? If it's not true, then WTF Sony? Why did they ship without something so commonplace and basic?

        Otherwise; the PS4 is a different console to your PS3. Why should it support obsolete peripheral hardware that most people will replace anyway? We went through exactly the same angst when the PS3 came out and PS2 peripherals weren't compatible. Did it matter?

        I have never played a CD in my PS3. I've never put a tape cassette in there either. CDs are, frankly, obsolete technology. If it costs to provide this functionality in a console, then it is no loss not having it.

        But seriously, is there any group of people on the internet that love a good adolescent whine more than gamers?

    3. naw
      FAIL

      Re: Competition, or the lack of it

      This is what happens when marketing people design product - so congratulations $ony and M$ you just created a market for a new player by focusing on your continued content revenues. These products deserve to fail and I for one won't miss them.

  9. Levente Szileszky

    This is definitely a DEALBREAKER, a classic sneaky, royally scumbag corporate move...

    ...from the old, mid-2000s rootkit-installing scumbag Sony I thought was gone forever - it seems they did NOT learn anything, it's time for another punishing backlash.

    They were out and loud touting their used-games support, (rightfully) making fun of MSFT's disastrous utterly incompetent marketing campaign of Xbone, led by Don Mattrick who soon left for Zynga (OT: a match made in heaven, between the most disgusting sleazebag of the gaming industry Mark "I Don't Fuckin Want Innovation" Pincus aka "Copycat King" and Don "Blast From The Past" Mattrick and his hilarious antics, see his 'sit-down' with the NFL Commissioner etc.)

    Anyone I talked to was convinced that Sony, after bleeding red for several years, finally learned the lesson and won't try to dupe its customers AGAIN. And it really looked like that.

    Until this week, only 14 days before the launch, they dropped the bomb and effectively killed PS4 as anything more than a dumb game console and a force-fed Sony-supplied streaming-only device.

    Let's face it: PS4 is a crippled *&^% at this point, at least for the next several months. There are only 2-3 meaningful games at launch and even that includes the current junk-quality FPS wannabes (eg Call of Duty XXVXVI or Battlefield 44445, both are being the lamest kind of junk), maybe with Killzone making a turnaround (doubt it, it's a SONY game after all, not exactly the brand of highly challenging, complex games)...

    ...and that's about it if you want to see the supposedly " most powerful console ever" to shine (PC-based player smiles or rolls eyes hearing this kind of crap.) You wanted to utilize it at least as a media player?

    Sorry, cannot do that.

    Or as Shuhei Yoshida had the audacity to put it: "Had a very good discussion w the PS4 Dev team today. We're happy & appreciative to learn so many people use and like PS3's media features." Here: https://twitter.com/yosp/status/395844205215363072

    O RLY? How nicely you can show your middle finger to everybody!

    What a smiling arrogant prick - welcome to the new-old SONY, it's 2005 all over again.

    1. Greg J Preece

      Re: This is definitely a DEALBREAKER, a classic sneaky, royally scumbag corporate move...

      How exactly did they dupe you if they never said it could do any of those things you're now complaining it can't do? I mean, in terms of media it sounds fairly similar to my PS3, which I use for media all the time, so...yeah, that's about the level I expected. It's a feckin' games console, and you're complaining that it focuses on games. I'm glad it focuses on games!

      1. Chet Mannly

        Re: This is definitely a DEALBREAKER, a classic sneaky, royally scumbag corporate move...

        "I mean, in terms of media it sounds fairly similar to my PS3, "

        You mean apart from the PS4 not playing MP3s, or letting you attach a HD with all your media files, or playing anything over DLNA/Allshare?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: This is definitely a DEALBREAKER, a classic sneaky, royally scumbag corporate move...

          Its coming in an update after launch:

          http://couchjockeyz.com/mp3-support-dlna-and-more-features-to-follow-on-2nd-ps4-update/

          1. Levente Szileszky

            Re: This is definitely a DEALBREAKER, a classic sneaky, royally scumbag corporate move...

            Nope, that's just a never-heard random site claiming they spoke to a "Sony rep" (sic!) who promised it's all coming in a later update...

            ...until they can get someone on the record it's nothing but attention-grabbing fake nonsense.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    One other thing missing is Gaikai which has an early 2014 release date in America and a "when your broadband infrastructure is good enough" release date in the EU.

  11. Hooch181

    Well that settles that for me!

    Here I was considering re-entering the console market. The way it looks for both the big offerings M$ and $ony I think I'll be staying out thankyouverymuch.

    Maybe the Valve Steambox can save the day, who knows?

    1. Thomas 4

      Re: Well that settles that for me!

      I already have a console that's upgradeable, lets me run the games I want and can be customized.

      I call it my PC. <3

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    CD support is an issue? Really??

    All CDs have either been ripped to MP3 or their owners care about the reproduction quality so they weren't planning on playing it through a game console anyway!

    Oh, the PS4 can't play MP3s either? Oh darn, guess you'll have to use one of the dozen other devices you own that can!

    Talk about first world problems....if someone comes out with a new TV that can't do Netflix people going to whine about that too, because they want their TV to do it in addition to their desktop, laptop, tablet, phone, DVR, Blu Ray player, and set top? This "all devices must be able to do everything" idea is stupid. Its a game console, it is for games. If you want a game console that tries to be the center of your living room, the Xbox One is there waiting for you, with its braindead HDMI passthru solution.

    1. Moeluk

      Re: CD support is an issue? Really??

      Pop quiz hotshot....I'm in my living room with one tv, one 6.1 surround system,a ps4 and a copy of FIFA

      I want to listen to my music from my pc upstairs, WHILST playing FIFA....

      What do I do? Supposing I don't want to listen to Geoff Shreeves, Martin Tyler and Alan smith? Hmm....

      Is that a really outlandish request? (Feel free to replace fifa with pretty much any game) mind you I know you playstation users have never had that option due to the feeble amount of memory handed over with your console...where as xbox owners have had that ability since the launch of the original xbox...but honestly, not playing mp3s is literally taking the Piss

      1. jai

        Re: CD support is an issue? Really??

        I want to listen to my music from my pc upstairs, WHILST playing FIFA....

        you stream it to your iPhone/iPad/etc surely

    2. scarshapedstar

      Re: CD support is an issue? Really??

      I think it's just a basic principle of expecting the newer iteration to do more as opposed to less. It's pretty clear that they actually went out of their way to disable bog-standard features that can be found on any modern smart toaster oven - why? Sure, you can use a Chromecast, but why should you have to?

    3. David Paul Morgan
      FAIL

      Re: CD support is an issue? Really??

      yes - it's an issue.

      My PS3 is the main 'computer' device that's plugged into the HDMI socket of the TV (ie, monitor).

      It's used for DVD/Blu-Ray/CD-Audio playback.

      It's used for youtube/netflix/BBC/itv/c4/c5 streaming tv.

      It's used for displaying my home movies - either copied to the PS3 or via the usb socket.

      It's used for streaming other audio from my Xperia, Windows machines or WD media drive.

      It was annoying enough that the PS3 was not region-free for DVD, so I had to buy a multi-region samsung disc player with hdmi out. (which also plays my hong kong VCD's)

      I only occasionally play games on it.

      If sony were smart with this, they would put Android 'kit kat' on this, and allow it to 'boot' into a media-player application.

  13. poopypants

    Neither PS4 nor XBox One are state of the art

    Neither has a hope in hell of ever rendering games at native 4K resolution. The XBox One in particular is rendering Battlefield 4 at 720p, while the PS4 is rendering the same game at 900p. The result in both cases is then upscaled to 1080p.

    In fact, the only current setup that has been shown able to comfortably render games at 4K and a steady 60 fps is a PC with dual NVIDIA Titans installed. (The new top of the range card from AMD should also manage.)

    As for the "massive" 300 MB download - most of the games in my steam account have sizes measured in Gigabytes. All were downloaded.

  14. Richard Crossley
    FAIL

    No clouds in my sky

    Sony is still on my "Don't Buy" list. The PS4 might have been granted an exception, but this isn't likely now.

    1) I don't put my personal stuff (mp3, videos etc) in a cloud where they can be inspected by corps, govs etc.

    2) Why would a buy a machine that does significantly less than the one I have

    3) I still haven't forgiven Sony for removing "Other OS" from the PS3

    4) Rootkit!

    5) Owning the content and the delivery mechanism could be a conflict of interests.

    Sony peaked with decent hifi and the Walkman 25 years ago, it's been largely down hill from there. Blu Ray and the PS2 & 3 are the exceptions.

    1. James 51

      Re: No clouds in my sky

      I'd like to add their ereaders to that list (even if the last model was restling on their laurels). Best on the market for note taking and annotation.

  15. david willis

    Mindsets

    i wonder how many people from Sony's music and movies division were involved in the development of this thing.

    Years ago developement would have involved asking the customer what they wanted - yes I would like to play games, but yes I would like to stream stuff from my DNLA server (cos I have a crappy 2Mb internet link and live in the sticks).

    Obviously people want to play games and everything else can be controlled by Sony through its stores, services and servers. Although Apple do try and get you to download music from their store, at least you can (at the moment) drag and drop your existing MP3s into iTunes to play on your i device.

  16. Neil Barnes Silver badge
    Alien

    If it can't play space invaders, not interested

    dup dop dup dop dup dop peeeew peeeew dup dop...

  17. Shane Sturrock

    Steam and WiiU for me then

    I'm going to try SteamOS on my PC (games being the only reason I have Windows installed) and buy a WiiU. Sony and MS are both shafting their customers and I'm not willing to pay them for a reaming.

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Commentards are xBots?

    I'm amazed that people are getting so worked up about this. They mostly seem like non-issues.

    1) They didn't bump up the cost of the PS4 by adding support for crappy old televisions that need to use svideo. Who cares?

    2) It can't play music CDs. Do people still have these things?

    3) You can't turn off game recordings. So what? Just ignore that feature and don't "share"

    4) You have to download a tiny update after buying the console. Big deal!

    5) Lack of support for old peripherals. Not too bothered although it might be useful if it supported old controllers?

    1. messele

      Re: Commentards are xBots?

      It's almost as if nobody was planning on plugging anything else into their TV and the lack of CD's etc. has dashed their dreams of having a one-size fits all solution therefore the PS4 must be crap.

      Hands up who ever used a DVD or BD to play CD's...

      I call bullshit. The PS4 could have all of these things and a little articulated arm that tickles your bollocks and NOBODY WOULD HAVE USED IT.

      Apart from the little arm that tickles your bollocks but even that would get boring quickly.

      Games consoles focused on games, what a novelty. If you want a console with a ton of half-baked ideas that don't work properly I'm sure Samsung will eventually release the Play Galaxy IV shit-flung-at-wall-edition.

      If that's what you mean by copying Apple then great, I'm glad somebody is focused on the end-experience.

      Until then if you don't like it...well you know.

      1. g e

        Re: Commentards are xBots?

        Agreed. The article does read like a clutching-at-straws last grenade to diss SONY and try making PS4 look crappy.

        I'm surprised it can't do MP3/CD and maybe one or two of the other things which generally get taken for granted these days but everyone knew from the get-go that previous PS games wouldn't work and that it does the sharesie recording thing all the time (it's a feature, geddit?), it's not really a surprise that the controllers don't either and it's not as if it doesn't comes with one in the box - you'll have to buy a second one if you want but big deal.

        When I think about how I use my existing PS3 all of these things are complete non-issues. My XBMC Raspberry Pi does everything else _better_ than everything else and is a button-press away on a remote control.

        As for pointing out that it won't have analogue out for TVs, seriously, WTF? You may as well complain it doesn't have a UHF out socket and black-and-white contrast mode so you can watch shit on a fucked old Bush valve TV in your gran's attic.

        Bit of a whiny non-article. I await the XBOX version for 'balance'. That should be a giggle.

      2. scarshapedstar

        Re: Commentards are xBots?

        I use my PS3 to stream movies from my media server all the time. *raises and waves hand around*

        Strange how all the people saying that these are the worst features imaginable and deserve to be axed weren't writing Sony to complain and demand that media server and external drive support be removed from the PS3...

      3. Ceiling Cat
        Pint

        Re: Commentards are xBots?

        > Hands up who ever used a DVD or BD to play CD's...

        Sheepishly raises hand.

        Not only have I done that, I have used my DVD players and BD players to play CDs full of MP3s. I'd have used them to play DVDs full of FLAC instead, but there's a shortage of reasonably priced gear with FLAC support. Hell, there's a shortage of audiophile-centric gear that plays FLAC.

        Loss of streaming support may well be no big deal - the current PS3 streaming options STILL struggle with subtitles. On last try, none of the streaming solutions could handle 1080p video with FLAC audio and "Advanced Substation Alpha" (ASS) subtitles. Hell, it was a toss-up whether or not it could manage subtitles from DVD VOBs.

        This new announcement means very little to me, as I plan on sticking with my PS3 for as long as possible. There are still LOADS in the supply channel, and it would be monumentally stupid to buy a first-run PS4 as the PS2 and PS3 both suffered from overheating problems on the first run - a problem they managed to fix in later revisions of both consoles.

        Beer, because breakfast.

      4. heyrick Silver badge

        Hands up who ever used a DVD or BD to play CD's...

        I used to, before I got kit that can play mp3s. Even a twitchy AAA-powered gadget can store dozens of CDs in a thing smaller than a C cell, and when it comes to the capabilities of smartphones and tablets, there is no place for CDs there. But it wasn't always like that. Using a DVD player for music isn't unheard of.

        My current stand-alone DVD player even has a CD ripping function. Insert CD, insert USB memory stick, let it get on with it. Okay, it is "only" 128kbps, but for times when I want to grab a selection of songs to listen to on a journey, it is acceptable. Oh, and nicely it encodes a far bit faster than real time.

      5. P. Lee

        Re: Commentards are xBots?

        The issue is probably a cultural one.

        Coming from a PC background, the overwhelming response to the PS4 is, "how much effort did it take to make something so crippled?"

        They appear to have put effort into removing features, not just been negligent about adding them. I think that is what puts them on the "do not buy" list - a lack of trust that Sony is trying to make a good product for my benefit. Most people see an optical drive and assume it will work. If you are playing DVD's, you've probably hooked it up to your lounge stereo, in which case, why not play CD's too? There is something soulless about scanning a music library and creating a playlist on a computer.

  19. Da Weezil
    Thumb Down

    Sheeple

    Only in gaming it seems, a *new* machine that is more restricted in function than the old... amazing. Streaming is not much use on many UK exchanges with ISP's imposing caps due to the punishing nature of the way BTw charge ISP's for data and lets not get into the many lines on Ally cable or that are 4miles or more the relatively large number of exchanges that are still running on ADSLMax upto 8 meg (but in actuality, usually a lot less) services, Even in London there are exchanges that have serious issues both with contention and line length. But hey that's not as important as it allows Mega corp to sell you a crippled box that forces you to allow them to screw you down with stupidity like cloud storage and streaming.

    The sad thing is the Sheeple will still rush to buy it... mindless in their quest for the latest shiny they will in effect say to the likes of Sony... "here I am ream me..... here's a pot of lube for you to use"

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Sheeple

      There I was thinking that the word 'Sheeple' was reserved for those who might have the temerity to buy anything with a Fruity logo on it.

      Sheeple really does not apply to those who buy Sony. Saddos more like.

      I don't buy anything from Sony simply because they make the controls on their cameras etc operable for small Japanese fingers not the huge plates of meat for hands that I have.

      1. Dave 126 Silver badge

        Re: Sheeple

        Mandatory downvote for using the word 'sheeple', regardless of the topic.

        It's a word that betrays a shitty attitude that says "I know better than than the great unwashed, my opinions are are a result of my superior powers of perception. It is obvious that the poor proles are merely following the herd and are incapable of weighing their own requirements against what is being offered to them by company X, because otherwise they would have the very same opinion as I do. Aren't I a smart and independent-thinking kinda guy?"

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Sheeple

          Mandatory downvote for using the word 'sheeple', regardless of the topic.

          Mandatory downvote for denying reality.

      2. g e

        Re: Sheeple

        They make more than cameras, y'know...

        You do know, right?

        Typed on my VAIO which, to be fair, is an epic machine and was bought for the spec not the SONY label.

      3. P. Lee

        Re: Sheeple

        > Only in gaming it seems, a *new* machine that is more restricted in function than the old... amazing.

        Correction: Gaming consoles and Fruity-logo'd computers.

    2. MJI Silver badge

      Buying one for games

      That is my main focus, my PS3 will not disappear if I stick a PS4 there, just as the PS2 still works, so why worry, DNLA will come along, I was surprised it was missing but no deal breaker.

      So why am I buying one?

      Well I like games from Naughty Dog and Guerilla

  20. Greg J Preece

    Hang on a minute...so of the "limitations" you're complaining about with the PS4, one is that it can potentially do 4K, but they haven't enabled it? OK, so it's vastly superior to the Xbone that's still upscaling 720p for some games, but that's a limitation?

    And it can do 3D, but no-one's making 3D games at launch because they're mostly pointless, and that's a limitation of the console?

    And it can't play CDs, like no-one in their right mind has for years (and I still buy CDs), and that's a limitation?

    It has features that you have no particular interest in using, and that's a limitation?

    Hey, El Reg, this just in - the PS4 can't play Betamax either! What a restricted, locked-down POS! Seriously, this article was straining for things to nitpick in the console. Face it, it's still a better prospect than its peers.

    The lack of backward compatibility does annoy me though. I mean really, how different is a Dualshock 4 to a Dualshock 3? If the Move can work with it, the PS3 controllers should be able to.

    1. Dave 126 Silver badge

      Thinking of the PS3-owning households I know, they are not going to be bothered by any of the points in the article, other than perhaps wanting to use a couple of their old Dualshock 3 controllers alongside the new ones for some 4-player splitscreen gaming.

    2. g e

      Don't the new controllers have coloured lights on the back so they behave as player-identifying Move thingies? That's one incompatibility right there but agreed, it'd not be a huge thing to support the PS3 controllers, you'd think.

      Perhaps margins are so tight they are relying on the second controller purchase most folks will likely make to help make up.

  21. John Robson Silver badge

    BetaMax comparison hardly fair...

    Find me another optical drive that can read bluray, but can't read DVD/CD

    The software to play them is hardly expensive/complex...

    1. messele

      Re: BetaMax comparison hardly fair...

      Do you really want to knacker an expensive games console playing legacy formats when there is a CD/DVD/BD player six inches away from the PS4 in your AV stack?

      Who listens to music through their TV anyway. Even MTV gave up on that idea.

      1. Conor Turton

        Re: BetaMax comparison hardly fair...

        "Do you really want to knacker an expensive games console playing legacy formats when there is a CD/DVD/BD player six inches away from the PS4 in your AV stack?"

        My PS3 is my CD/DVD player as it is for many people. Many of us used the fact the current gen games consoles could play CDs and DVDs as a way to get rid of another box under the telly.

      2. Vociferous

        Re: BetaMax comparison hardly fair...

        > legacy formats

        DVD and CD = legacy formats? Plus, Sony will have had to intentionally disable the support, which they do because they want to lock in users to Sony's online shops. It amazes me that people like you seem to think being locked in and deprived of options is _progress_.

        > Who listens to music through their TV anyway.

        Who doesn't have a surround sound system?

    2. Solmyr ibn Wali Barad

      Re: BetaMax comparison hardly fair...

      "Find me another optical drive that can read bluray, but can't read DVD/CD

      The software to play them is hardly expensive/complex..."

      Most DVD drives (if not all) have two lasers inside - red for DVD and infrared for CD. Optical paths are merged via complex set of mirrors and lenses. So it's not just software. Dropping CD optics would make it a bit simpler and cheaper.

      Haven't bothered to dissect BD drive, but I seriously doubt that BD could do all formats with just one blue laser.

      1. Sir Runcible Spoon

        Re: BetaMax comparison hardly fair...

        Does no-one else load their own music onto their consoles to play whilst playing games?

        1. MJI Silver badge

          Re: BetaMax comparison hardly fair...

          Apart from owning some 1980s VCRs of that format (still working) I have rarely tried to use any other sound track but that of the game itself.

          With the quality and suitability of the supplied ones, it would be wrong to do it.

          HOWEVER I did once try to use an external from game sound for multiplayer but it would not use it as I needed chat.

          The music was the download of the games sound track.

  22. jason 7

    I did wonder why.....

    ...Sony was keeping quiet on exactly what the PS4 could and couldn't do.

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    that settles it then...

    I had a ps1, 2 and 3.

    Especially the ps3 was a nice device. Games were good at first, Until after 2-3 years or so PC games just became better. (Bought a new PC at that time). So I stopped buying so many games for the ps3. I think I bought about 6 games a year at the start and that dropped to 1-2 a year after a few years.

    What still made me turn on the ps3 was movie streaming using dlna. So in the end my game console that could also play movies, turned into a media box that also could play a decent game. (last one I bought was gta5). This will be the future for the xbox one and ps4 as well. Because pc's games will just be better after a few years. So without dlna the usefulness of a ps4 for me has dropped from 6-7 years to about 3.

    Not to mention that I would have to keep my old ps3 around as a mediaplayer or buy a good mediaplayer myself for about 200 euros.. Suddenly the xbox one doesn't sound so expensive if I have to do that after all. Then it suddenly is 100 euro's cheaper and has a kinect for free...

  24. Sil

    Yes you can't

    The Playstation 4 is the new Obama: it's full of grandiose promises.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Yes you can't

      *tumble weed* ... what's that? snarky obama reference... no replies, it's almost like it's the wrong audience mate.

      hint: note the .co.uk

    2. Vociferous

      Re: Yes you can't

      > PS4 is the new Obama

      No, it's like a GOP shill: impotent, downgraded and in the wrong forum. Fuck off.

  25. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Great Zeus almighty !

    Fup that for a game of soldiers, i.e. fup Sony, and fup Microsoft too. They really haven't learned anything have they, but on the other hand I'll bet the sheeple will still buy these pieces of crap in the millions thus rewarding them for their shitty behaviour. Looks like the only hope for a possibly decent console is now Steam's.

  26. Innocent-Bystander*

    It's not that it can't do it...

    Sony just chooses not to... there's a big difference.

    It's looking more and more like I'll be sticking with my PC this round. I'll upgrade once GSYNC capable monitors come out and forget this whole console nonsense.

    Will keep the PS3 though. Hell of a media device and blu-ray player.

    IB

  27. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Won't Play CD's or MP3s?????

    Plus it only comes in black? This really is too much. It's the end of the world.

  28. Brian Souder 1

    Wouldn't Buy Either

    Well this is pretty disappointing info. Pretty much killed buying either one for me. I have two PS3 systems now.

  29. Howard Hanek

    Sony Bricks

    PS4's should be seen in your local landfill soon! Not content with their recent reported loss Sony appears to have decided that it was not large enough. They're unable to connect in more ways than just video displays or external hard drives.

  30. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Costs

    Perhaps all the features that are left out are to reduce costs. In the past when consoles were launched they cost more than they retailed (note 1). Only over time did the costs come down as manufacturing was changed and component prices dropped. Adding extra hardware for analogue TV support. and licensing for the software algorithms (e.g. MP3) may just be an attempt to reduce costs. Surely minimising cost (maybe minimising the power requirements too) would drive the choice of a 500MB, 5400rpm hard disk.

    Whether these cost-based decisions (my conjecture), ultimately pay-off only time will tell.

    Note 1 - iSuppli wrote on 11 Dec 2009:

    "The new PlayStation 3 with 120GByte HDD model is priced at $299 in the United States—which means Sony sells each PlayStation 3 in the United States for $37.27 less than its materials and manufacturing cost.”

    Source: http://www.isuppli.com/Teardowns/News/Pages/Sony-Gets-One-Step-Closer-to-Breakeven-Point-with-Latest-PlayStation-3-Design.aspx

  31. Trev 2

    CDs fair enough, but not compatible with PS3 games?

    I can get the lack of support for CD's and old TVs - fair enough.

    But not being able to run PS3 games or use PS3 hardware (controllers etc) sounds like a massive backward step alienating all the users who bought the previous product and would be more likely to be PS4 games and controller customers IMO,

  32. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Good

    none of that matters, no consoles nowdays are really backwards compatible Sony tried it but realized it was a waste of cash with the ps3 and dropped the emotion chip that hardware emulated the ps2 and 360 backwards compatibility was terrible.

    As to cd's and mp3s it's a games console. Unlike the xbox one which apparently is a machine for watching the superbowl. It isn't a media center. Most modern games wouldn't even work on a crt screen nowdays so who cares about that, also when it comes to a huge 330mb patch (so fuck all) oh nooooooooooooooo

    HOWEVER

    There is a real reason to feel a kick in the cock about the ps4, the whores at EA have evidently been bought out by MS so TitanFall arguably the best looking new game is a Microsoft Permanent exclusive.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Good

      However, another bit of relevant info, XBox one new Call of Duty game 720p, PS4 will be 1080p native. Sounds like the XBox one is lacking in its delivery.

  33. Lost in Cyberspace

    Let the PS4 do the gaming

    So that Sony can sell you a smart TV to do the rest

  34. The_Regulator

    Dealbreaker

    This just killed my console buzz, ps4 was looking like the way I wanted to go but no dlna is a killer for me, I stream movies from PC all the time instead of having to search through my physical discs to find the one I want. I will wait to purchase until they add this or I guess may look at buying an xb1 (seems underpowered if it can't run launch titles in native 1080p) or just wait a while for the dust to settle.

    1. Miek
      Linux

      Re: Dealbreaker

      Plug your HDMI cable from your TV into your PC (if possible) and just play your movies directly onto your screen instead of streaming. No remote ? Get a little wireless mouse (and keyboard if you wish)

  35. OnTheSpecialBus

    So its a games console and nothing else ?

    Good luck with that then Sony, it was nice knowing you

    Sod it I'll buy another Wii instead

    1. Hooch181

      I know right...

      It's like going back 20 years. Sure, back then all they really could be was gaming consoles. Todays consumer is expecting more, especially in this economic climate.

  36. john devoy

    blatant lies

    Sony are full of crap if they suggest not playing MP3 or audio discs is an oversight, it's a blatant attempt to force ps4 users into subscribing to the ps4's music streaming service.

  37. kato15

    ***I Know It's Long But Just Give It A Read

    Out of all of the articles I've read, this is by far one of the worst. When I look up information on something I'm interested in, I'm not looking for an article with a TON of bias, negativity, and blatant disrespect for whatever it is. And nobody should be. Who cares if the PS4 won't support certain media. It's a video game console, which is why I'm buying it, to play VIDEO GAMES. Cool the launch line-up doesn't meet your expectations, so wait until better games come out from developers like Naughty Dog or whoever else you prefer. Nit-picking about the color available at launch, seriously?! What does that have to do with playing video games? Pointing out it won't compatible with old T.V.s? It's a NEXT GEN console and if you can afford a PS4, you should be able to afford an HDTV. Newsflash, some brands aren't all that expensive. 4K? That's not even close to becoming mainstream yet, so why support it? Maybe after this gen, then I'd say yes for sure. 3D technology? Games are crap when trying to play in 3D; all it gives you is a headache. And games may support it later down the road. Complaining about the type of hard drive needed to replace it and that it won't support external hard drives? Solution: buy a 1 TB hard drive that meets those specifications (which isn't even a problem like you're insinuating) and that should be plenty of memory. If that's not enough, stop wasting your money on digital copies of things. Why would you need your PS4 to stream things from a computer to your TV? If it's a laptop, simple solution: use an HDMI cable from your TV to your laptop, I do it all the time. If it's a desktop, watch it on your monitor. If that's not big enough for you to watch things on (which is ridiculous in itself), use a TV as the computer monitor, I have family who do that and it's actually pretty sweet. Not being able to play your "sweet tunes" or load up your '90's Cds to the PS4? Isn't that what a stereo system or iTunes is for? Besides, Sony can always add an update in the future that will allow that kind of media. 300 MB update to include things like DVD and Blu Ray support being massive? That is .06% of the total hard drive and I downloaded the Uncharted 3 map packs the other day, and each one was over 300 MB; that doesn't look so "massive" now does it? I don't understand why it's a huge problem that the PS4 isn't backwards compatible. Isn't that what a PS1, 2, and 3 are designed to do, play their respective games? If you still have those older games, play it on those systems. Don't be lazy, plug that older console in and enjoy your favorite games from the past. And if you don't have the system anymore and only the games, I have no idea why you have those games in the first place. Complaining about PS3 "doodads" not working with the PS4? I understand the issue with bluetooth headsets (hopefully a future update will fix that, which I'm counting on) but the dualshock 3, bluetooth remote (which does the same thing as a controller can do) and even a mouse? Really? It's designed to use the DS4, obviously and why would you need a mouse on a console? That was the most ridiculous thing I've ever read about the PS4. Why constantly nit-pick the PS4 to death about things it can't do (yet) and not focus on ANYTHING that it can do? It's not only this article, but many others. I don't see Microsoft posting an FAQ about their console, probably because it would reveal information worse than what Sony has revealed (granted I don't think they revealed anything that bad even). Posting something like that shows a lot of confidence and pride in their work. There really are no secrets about their console anymore, which is what consumers want right? No secrets from a company? It's mind boggling how pessimistic everyone is about this. I can guarantee the Xbox One won't be any less restrictive (but they won't reveal ALL of their info so we won't know until launch). Just enjoy the thing and use it for what it's meant to be used for, again, which is VIDEO GAMES.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: ***I Know It's Long But Just Give It A Read

      Long posts are fine - but a few paragraph breaks would help us all.

    2. jmk89

      Re: ***I Know It's Long But Just Give It A Read

      I'm not reading all of that, can you tl;dr it?

    3. OnTheSpecialBus

      Re: ***I Know It's Long But Just Give It A Read

      TL;DR : Throw out your old crap, its 2013 Dude, stop living like its 2011 already

      1. kato15

        Re: ***I Know It's Long But Just Give It A Read

        Not sure if that's directed at me or to the people in general. If it's toward me, I don't have any "old crap". I try to keep up with the times haha

    4. Soap Distant

      Re: ***I Know It's Long But Just Give It A Read

      Leave out the spaces if you want to be really illegible :p Must try harder!

      On topic though, I can see the argument for a gaming box to be dedicated to gaming, but ... to leave out functionality that my (analog) toothbrush has seems a little odd. I'm a PC gamer when I do btw - never liked the limitations of any game console ever (although Sonic the Hedgehog was... just ace :)

      SD

    5. Zack Mollusc

      Re: ***I Know It's Long But Just Give It A Read

      I can see what you are driving at, bit what angers me is the way that things are _intentionally_ crippled. The developers don't have infinite resources, yet they choose to allocate time and money to screwing things up (usb stands for UNIVERSAL serial bus) rather than debugging known problems.

      Whatever, I will be buying a PS4. Well, I shall if Sony start accepting the new proprietary payment system I have developed and its restrictive EULA which I drew up.

    6. Carl

      Re: ***I Know It's Long But Just Give It A Read

      Gah my eyes.

      For the love of god man.

      Whitespace... WHITESPACE.

  38. IHateWearingATie
    Mushroom

    Grrrr

    I'll still probably get a PS4 as that is the one that my mates have pre-ordered (and sunday nights would be pretty bare without getting thrashed by them playng online Grid 2). However:

    PS3 games - very annoying, but at least that is something I can understand. New architecture, very difficult to make backwards compatible. They managed it for the PS3 ->PS2 games, but I guess things have got more complicated.

    Bluetooth - WTF??? Why won't my bluetooth headset work? Have they gone out of the way to cripple it???

    DLNA - I DONT WANT YOUR CRAPPY ONLINE SERVICE SONY! With your encoruagement (remember, Sony made a big play on the PS3 being a media hub) I made the PS3 the centre of my under-telly hub. I have music and films ripped to a server that my PS3 serves very nicely over my network to my sound system and TV. I could understand it if it was a feature that you were planning to put in later (like the PS3) as you con't quite get it done for launch day (like blu-ray films), but that doesn't seem to be the case.

    Music - Really?? I have 2 boxes in my unit under the telly - Sky and PS3. I don't want to add one or two more (play CDs, stream DLNA). Why they hell have you removed this? Again if it was coming later as patch, fine. But to cripple it to force me to use your crappy online service is terrible.

    I have a rasberry pi, and I've used it very successfully as a DLNA server but it makes hooking things up complicated (do I have enough HDMI ports, how do I rig the sound to make it easy to switch etc). I know there are solutions, but this is a real retrograde step. If my mates weren't getting a PS4, I think I'd go Xbox.

  39. Zot

    The game recording would be useful for debugging, maybe?

    If you're a dev trying to track down that illusive bug, that one a thousand rarely get.

    I won't be buying either console, not until the dust settles anyway. The Steam box and controller look more fun and probably with cheaper games and discounts. Although I use Steam in my fast PC and just bought Crysis Warhammer for a fiver, and of course keyboard and mouse are the best control system for first person games - with what else can you look instantly in any direction? The Steam controller still looks a bit fiddly.

    Meh, *shrugs shoulders and wanders off*

    1. Zot

      Re: The game recording would be useful for debugging, maybe?

      I meant Warhead of course. : )

  40. Dave 62

    I don't think I'll bother.

    The only question is, when PSN goes paid, what happens to PS3 online games?

  41. GazRTC

    How will we possibly survive!!

    - It only comes in black. OH NO WHAT WILL WE DO!!

    - You can't plug it in TV's that haven't been made in decades. GOOD GRIEF SONY HOW DARE YOU NOT MAKE TECHNOLOGY THAT IS HISTORICALLY VIABLE.

    - You can't plug it in a 4K TV set yet. OH MY GOD SONY I LITERALLY CAN'T PLUG THIS INTO A TV THAT I CAN'T EVEN BUY YET.

    - Nobody has made 3D games yet. DEAR GOD THERE WERE ONLY 3D GAMES MADE FOR THE OLD CONSOLE, HOW DARE YOU EVEN THINK THAT THEY WILL MAKE THEM IN TIME FOR THE NEW ONE, I MEAN COME ON!

    - You can actually swap your hard drive for a bigger one if you want BUT HOLY BATBALLS SONY HOW DARE YOU MAKE IT HAVE TO BE ONE THAT ACTUALLY FITS INTO YOUR MACHINE.

    - Sony hasn't done you any favours by making it a general purpose digital device. I MEAN SONY HOW DARE YOU NOT MAKE A GAMING MACHINE DO EVERYTHING. IT LITERALLY ONLY PLAYS NETFLIX ON YOUR TV FFS. AND DVDs. AND BLU-RAYS.

    - It doesn't play audio CDs. I MEAN COME ON NOW SONY HOW CAN YOU NOT PLAY THINGS THAT HIGH STREET SHOPS ARE GOING OUT OF BUSINESS BECAUSE NO ONE BUYS THEM ANY MORE.

    - You can only play music from Sony on it. HOW DARE YOU SONY. HOW DARE YOU TRY TO GET PEOPLE TO SPEND MONEY WITH YOU ON YOUR CONSOLE. WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, APPLE?

    - It doesn't play previous consoles games. GOOD GRACIOUS SONY I MEAN HOW DO YOU EXPECT TO MAKE NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT WON'T WORK WITH STUFF THAT'S YEARS OLD. IF ONLY THE PEOPLE THAT HAD THE OLD GAMES ALSO HAD BOUGHT THE OLD CONSOLE. OR IF ONLY YOU HAD ANNOUNCED THAT YOU WERE ACTUALLY BRINGING OUT A SERVICE THAT ALLOWED YOU TO DO THIS.

    - Why would other hardware manufacturers ever want to make their stuff work with yours instead of you doing it for them. DISGRACEFUL SONY, YOU SHOULD BE DOING OTHER PEOPLE'S WORK FOR THEM. I MEAN DO YOU THINK THEY WOULD WANT TO MAKE THEIR STUFF WORK WITH YOURS TO MAKE MONEY OR SOMETHING. RIDICULOUS.

    - The PS4 is always recording the last 15 mins of your gameplay and you can't stop it. OH. MY. GOD. IF ONLY THERE WAS A WAY FOR THIS NOT TO MATTER IN THE SLIGHTEST. LIKE, I DUNNO, MAYBE NEVER EVER SHARING IT OR SOMETHING.

    - You can only share your gameplay on Facebook. I MEAN COME ON NOW SONY, ONLY MAKING THE LARGEST SOCIAL NETWORK ON THE INTERNET AVAILABLE IS JUST SHOCKING. SHOCKING I TELL YOU.

    - Not everything will work immediately, it will be phased in. THIS LITERALLY NEVER EVER HAPPENS WITH ANY NEW TECHNOLOGY LIKE COMPUTERS OR OTHER GAMING SYSTEMS. EVER. NEVER EVER EVER.

  42. DEAD4EVER

    sony ps4

    Having now seen and heard about the ps4 I have decided not to go next gen simply due to cost reasons and such. I am sticking with ps3 and any games which some I have GTA 5 battlefield 4 and call of duty ghosts. If my ps3 dies then that's it for me and consoles as there getting expensive especially the games alone.

  43. Shugyosha
    Gimp

    HDD size an issue

    I can see the HDD being a problem here, I really think they should allow USB storage, or they should have gone for a 3.5" HDD. Or maybe two 2.5" bays, dedicating one to the OS.

    I currently have a 1TB drive in my PS3. I already use PSN the way Sony apparantly want more people to use it - to download their games. I haven't bought a physical game disk in 2 years, because I get everything from PSN+. Admittedly I have PlayTV so I am also using the device as a PVR, which takes up space, but I'm already at the point where I'm having to delete stuff from the PVR to download a new game. I'm looking to upgrade to a 1.5TB drive, but once I've done that, that's as far as I can go. No one is currently making a 2.5" drive in a 9.5mm form factor with higher capacity than 1.5TB.

    So I expect that PS4 games will not be any smaller than PS3 games, more likely the opposite. Hopefully someone will eventually bring out drives bigger than 1.5TB in this form factor, but I can see a lot of heavy users like myself running into storage issues.

  44. Unicornpiss
    Thumb Down

    You'll be comforted to know though...

    That it probably retains the annoying feature of forcing you to upgrade the OS if an update is available before you can do anything with it, even playing a Netflix video, and even if the update is for something as inconsequential as adding a different thumbnail view or another pointless photo sharing feature.

    Sony shoots itself in the foot once again...

    1. Jonathan White

      Re: You'll be comforted to know though...

      That would be 'probably' as in 'absolutely doesn't'? One of the things they've touted quite extensively about the PS4 is that is downloads patches (both game and OS) in the background and/or while the console is 'asleep'. Possibly also apply them, although personally I'd prefer it if it didn't do that bit without telling me.

      Honestly, if you're going to complain about what it doesn't do, at least first find out what it does do..

      1. Shugyosha

        Re: You'll be comforted to know though...

        "One of the things they've touted quite extensively about the PS4 is that is downloads patches (both game and OS) in the background and/or while the console is 'asleep'. Possibly also apply them, although personally I'd prefer it if it didn't do that bit without telling me."

        And if you're a PSN+ subscriber, then the PS3 already does this. The feature works quite well.

  45. Rattus Rattus

    Music Unlimited and Video Unlimited

    Who wants to bet that this will only be available in the US, Canada, and maybe three European countries. Anywhere else, I expect you'll just be shit out of luck.

  46. Kazriko Redclaw

    Homework

    PS3 also was limited to only Bluray discs for games. No games were ever released on DVD for it.

    Also, Music Unlimited and Video Unlimited were launched years ago. They're not at all new and aren't launching alongside the PS4.

    You can use SATA3 drives as well, they'll just operate at Sata2 speeds.

  47. Robert Grant

    History repeating itself?

    Is this a bit like the PS3 and the 360? Everyone loved the 100% backwards compatibility for PS2 games, and yet it turned out that the 360 probably had at least as much BC in practice. It just feels a bit like MS make all the gaffes, but respond to feedback and end up with a good product.

    I know they're both good, but you know what I mean - MS with the 360 delivered a better product than promised; Sony probably a worse one.

  48. A 31

    that settles it

    I think gaming shall be solely done on PC form now on

    PS3 was a fab media center (very little gaming), and that will remain as is

    Newell, play your cards right, and my gaming wallet is yours !

  49. Blacklight
    Mushroom

    Buh?!

    I read this and my eyebrows and chin parted company in opposite directions.

    After reeling them back in, I do ponder the sanity of this, or if it's a REALLY badly worded "at launch" statement, to indeed be followed up with "coming via updates".

    Our PS3 plays games, watches Netflix, plays BD, DVD and occasionally CDs (although mostly was used to rip CDs for later digital playback), plays music from the NAS via DLNA. The only thing I never did with my (old) PS3 was put Linux on it. I did use it for PS2 games, which the Slim can't do, sadly....

    ISTR the Wii didn't playback DVDs due to licence/BoM cost issues - and I'd be (sort of) ok with PS4 users being told "Pay as little as possible for the 'machine'" and then add the components you need later (i.e. transcoding/decoding licences, if not free), and download a DLNA "app" from the PS Store - but for Sony (who built their entire history on audio) NOT to include CD playback by default is a bit odd...

    And after the whole "always on" furore, the idea of streaming music might be an issue for some there too. I may have signed up for PS+, but I've not signed up for Spotify, Music Unlimited or the Google Play offering.

    I'm also surprised that DualShock 3's just "won't work" (or have been made not to). Put Sony's on PS3 keyboard on the DualShock and lo, you have a touchpad. As mentioned before, if Move works, the others should too....

    And PlayTV (whilst not HD) will be another dead duck to add to the pile.....

  50. Carl

    Have PS3, wont be getting PS4

    PS4 will be too restrictive so I will have to decline.

    Hell, if I had known they were going to pull Linux support I wouldn't have gotten a PS3.

    I sure hope Sony know what they are doing. Im hard pressed to think of a long-run successful technology that started out open and which subsequently got more restrictive.

  51. StampedChipmunk

    Music Unlimited and Video Unlimited already exist

    ... as anyone with a Sony mobile device can tell you. They're not bad, streaming quality is good, Video Unlimited suffers from not having as big a selection as, say, Netflix. Prices are similar to Apple, so you can definitely buy cheaper elsewhere.

    However I'm surprised PS4 isn't coming with PS4 equivalent versions of the Sony Mobile apps - Album/PlayMemories, Movies and Walkman ... somehow I suspect it will.

    On my Xperia I can have local music/video playing in the appropriate app, or I can tap Devices and select my home DLNA server and stream content form my NAS box. Provided the stream source is in a format the Sony app understands (which can cause frustration) it just starts playing it. I fail to see why Sony wouldn't include this functionality in the PS4. If the PS4 is willing to be my DLNA server, so much the better.

    Also what's to stop Netflix from writing a PS4 Netflix program downloadable from PSN? Nothing AFAIK.

    Sony smart TVs have tight integration between the Xperia apps and their own software, allowing me to throw content playing on my Xperia to the TV. I don't see any reason why Sony wouldn't put the same technology into the PS4 to offer Xperia users who don't have a Sony TV similar functionality - ultimately they'd love you to have Sony everything so why wouldn't they gear the equipment to do that.

    Lack of USB connectivity and a small HD are annoying. HDMI has been the standard video/audio connector for ten years or so I have no problem with that decision. There's any number of adaptors to break and HDMI stream out into DVI and AC3 (for example), both of which can be converted to analogue if you really need them to be run through your SCART plug - good luck with the resolutions though.

    No backwards compatibility with existing kit is irritating for previous fans. New adopters won't care.

    As for the 300Mb patch - have you used an Xbox 360 recently. Every time I turn it on the bleeding thing seems to be downloading an update. Some are tiny, some are huge. Most seem to add more Sky content to my homepage urging me to pay Rupert Murdoch for his substandard football service and nothing else.

  52. Miek
    Unhappy

    Sounds like the most retarded step-backward I have ever heard of. The PS4 < PS3 in terms of features, such as playing audio CDs, MP3s, external storage support, Media streaming from your PC (as long as you don't stream er, music and videos)

    What were they thinking ? I was very much decided that I probably won't buy a PS4 until a few years from now, but, after this article I probably will just ignore the very existence of the PS4.

  53. Sheep!

    Wow

    I'm actually amazed. What Sony really seem to be forgetting is there's a massive installed base of PS3s already in the market, which will be good for games for a few years to come yet and work brilliantly as as an entertainment hub. As far as I can see, those with a PS3 are likely to simply stick with it and not toss away their investment which means Sony is going to have to go after first time buyers who are just as likely to buy a PS3. There will always be those who have to have the latest console to play the latest games, but I'm pretty sure those people don't represent the vast majority of their market, I'd wager most are like me who wanted to play some games but also use it as an all round entertainment center, so for people like me there's actually no point whatsoever in getting the new console in its current form.

    Ah but wait a minute - you have to buy all-new, expensive accessories for it, It's not compatible with the rest of the universe, you can only play what they let you play and they have a locked-in ecosystem where they reap money from the applications developed for it.... They're going after the iPhone market!!

  54. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    My Amiga is better than your ST

    Also, my C64 is better than your Spectrum, my Megadrive is better than your SNES and my Gamecube is better than your PS2.

    Basically the same argument for 30 years...

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