June 27 - 2:40pm EDT   Sony today prepped its PlayStation 3 audience with official details of its official Bluetooth headset. To be packed in with the retail copy of SOCOM Confrontation, the earpiece works with any game or software that supports voice chat on the console and includes extras that aren't always standard with most headsets for cellphones, including a mute button to prevent unintentional noise outside of normal use and a USB charging cradle to power the headset either from the PS3 or a computer. [full story]

June 27 - 12:40pm EDT   The PlayStation 3 is already using some 65nm manufacturing, says Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Kaz Hirai. The technology has actually been used in the PS3's Cell processor since the last holiday season, Hirai confirms, and the full switch from 90 to 65nm should be complete by the fall, when the RSX graphics processor will make the leap. Manufacturing of new RSX chips has already begun, but the company is waiting until later this year to install them. [full story]

June 27 - 9:30am EDT   Sony's PlayStation 3 video service (now part of Life on PlayStation) may not have extra support from other studios and will rely tightly on integration with Sony's own formats, according to sources speaking to Variety editor Ben Fritz. The console maker has allegedly talked to major studios about offering their movies through the PS3 and PlayStation Network but so far hasn't negotiated any deals, leaving the current offering only to Sony Pictures titles. [full story]

June 26 - 10:15am EDT   Sony will expand its PlayStation 3 system with a video download service in the summer, the company has confirmed both through an official document on its company strategy as well as statements made by Sony Computer Enteraintment chief Kaz Hirai. The electronics giant's PlayStation Network will be one of its first services to start offering downloadable video and should start with a US-based service for the PS3 in the summer; the PSP will also have access to a service available later this year. [full story]

June 18 - 5:00pm EDT   An entry on Sony's PlayStation Blog by Eric Lempel, Director of PlayStation Netowrk Operations, today revealed the electronics giant will soon launch a couple of software updates for its PlayStation 3 gaming console. The first update, version 2.36, will reportedly fix some bugs users experienced when playing certain PlayStation titles. The one to wait for, however, is 2.40, which will bring the long-anticipated XMB in-game main menu interface, as well as a Trophies feature previously undescribed by the console maker. [full story]

June 17 - 9:15am EDT   Toshiba this morning revealed a near-total overhaul of its Qosmio notebooks with three new models, all of which are the first with new features. The Qosmio G55 is the first-ever notebook to build in a variant of the Cell processor from Sony's PlayStation 3. In the portable, the chip is set to use just four cores but uses them to transcode video far faster than would be possible using the main processor. A 10-minute video that would take an hour to process takes just one minute to handle on the G55, the company says. It also upscales DVDs to 1080p to minimize the low-resolution artifacts that creep up on an HD-capable screen. [full story]

June 16 - 11:35am EDT   Microsoft's heavily rumored 60GB Xbox 360 Pro could make its appearance at the company's E3 keynote next month, claims a source for TrustedReviews. The upgrade would allegedly be announced at the start of the show and would at least replace the existing 20GB console when it ships in early August, providing a heavily requested boost to the storage of the default console without pushing users to the Elite model. [full story]

June 13 - 3:45pm EDT   Sony is developing a unique controller that would help the PS3 offer motion-based games like those found on the Nintendo Wii, GamesIndustry claims. Anonymous sources allege that the gamepad would act as usual in most cases but separate into two distinct parts, each of which would have a built-in accelerometer that recognizes movement. The pad is already said to be in the hands of some companies producing games for the PS3 and would let them implement code to support the controllers in advance. [full story]

June 13 - 2:25pm EDT   EEDAR analyst Jesse Divnich today said that an Xbox 360 price cut or model change is very likely to take place by the E3 gaming expo next month. The researcher doesn't point to specific sources but is confident that Microsoft will either drop prices on the consoles at the event, introduce at least one new version, or combine the two in a single update. It's unknown whether Sony will follow suit with the PlayStation 3, though the company is predicted to respond to any Microsoft cuts with one of its own within two months. [full story]

May 12 - 5:00pm EDT   The Magnavox and Sylvania brands are already selling a Blu-ray player that breaks past the $300 price range, according to tips passed along by Blu-ray.com forum members. Made by Japanese company Funai, the Magnavox NB500MG9 and Sylvania NB500SL9 have both been found selling at Wal-Mart stores for $298, or a full $100 less than Sony's PlayStation 3 and other more common players. [full story]

May 9 - 12:25pm EDT   Toshiba has announced plans to launch two new commercial products based on Sony's PlayStation 3 technology, according to a Japanese news site. Tech-On! writes that a forthcoming TV will use the PS3's core Cell processor, in order to enable some high-end features; among these are real-time upscaling of SD signals into HD resolution, and the ability to play and record multiple TV shows at the same time. Unusual is the description of another option, "displaying video as if it is being viewed through opera glasses." This may simply refer to a zoom function. [full story]

May 6 - 4:45pm EDT   Musician Neil Young today said he would take the unusual step of releasing his entire music catalog on Blu-ray discs, making him one of the few artists to make the jump to the standard so far. The extra space on each disc will let the rock musician both boost the sound quality above CDs and downloads but will also give room for extra material such as videos and previously unpublished material. The discs will also be some of the first music-focused Blu-ray titles to use BD-Live and will let users download extra tracks and photos to PlayStation 3s and other players that support Internet access and storage for Blu-ray titles. [full story]

May 6 - 2:35pm EDT   Sony Computer Entertainment Europe on Tuesday announced release dates for its long-awaited PlayTV add-on for the PS3 and Go!View video service for the PSP. PlayTV will enable the PS3's hard drive to record TV shows thanks to its dual TV tuners. The included software has a 7-day programming guide, and the recorded programs can be viewed remotely over Wi-Fi or transferred to the PSP as well. [full story]

May 5 - 4:55pm EDT   Microsoft today repeated its past denials that the company is developing a Blu-ray drive for the Xbox 360. Following a report on Friday which said Microsoft had contacted ASUS for drives to be used as add-ons for the game system by the fall, Microsoft has echoed its past approach and says that it has "no plans" to launch a Blu-ray reader add-on in the near future. The company prefers to focus on the core gaming of the Xbox, according to a statement. [full story]

April 28 - 12:20pm EDT   A German accessory maker, Fanatec, says it has developed a new gaming wheel in collaboration with the country's most famous sports car builder, Porsche. The 911 Turbo Wheel is based on Porsche's most popular vehicle, and includes not just a wheel but a 6+1 gearshift, along with gas, brake and clutch pedals. Force feedback is provided by three different motors, and the wheel's handle is covered in "automotive-grade" leather. [full story]