Sony

‘Controllers for All’ updated with improved game detection and fixes for disconnect issues

Good news for those of you who wish to use PS3 or PS4 controllers with games that include iOS 7 controller support: the Controllers for All tweak has been updated with lots of improvements and fixes.

As we told you via our two walkthroughs, Controllers for All is a jailbreak tweak that lets you use Sony's popular controllers with any game that features iOS 7 support. It's a great tweak, because most iOS 7 controllers are both too expensive and poorly designed. Most of the iOS 7 controllers that we've seen have received mediocre to bad reviews, so it's a breath of fresh air when using Sony's much-heralded hardware.

Just released today, Controllers for All version 1.1.2 features quite a few new fixes and improvements. Have a look inside for the full change-log.

iPad photography is now officially a thing…

You're already familiar with iPhone photography, aren't you? And I take it those among you who attend trade shows have by now caught wind of the rise of iPad photography, no? As if using an iPad to snap photos in public wasn't embarrassing enough, Sony has now produced a dedicated camera attachment aimed at tablet owners which allows its portable QX-10 or QX-100 lens to be snapped on.

The SPA-TA1 attachment is designed for tablets between 85mm and 190mm in width so it'll work with your iPad Air (169.5mm) just fine. Available in various sizes from April 4 in Japan and coming elsewhere soon after, it's bound to give iPad photography a whole new meaning, for better or worse...

How to use the PS4 Dual Shock 4 controller to play iOS games on the iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

Last week I was super excited to bring you a video walkthrough of Controllers for All, a new jailbreak tweak from Ori Kadosh, that brought true PS 3 Dual Shock 3 controller support to games with iOS 7 controller support. The tweak was pretty groundbreaking, in the sense that it meant that you no longer had to pay $100 for an officially sanctioned, and utterly subpar, MFi controller.

Now Kadosh is back at it again, with his first big update to Controllers for All. This time around, he's added support for Sony's latest offering—the much-hyped Dual Shock 4 controller for the PlayStation 4. The awesome thing about using the Dual Shock 4 controller is that you no longer need to use any outside apps, like sixpair, to pair the device with your iPhone or iPad. All of the pairing is done solely between the controller and your iOS device!

To make a long story short, Controllers for All is the ultimate jailbreak tweak for gamers wishing to have have a better gaming experience on iOS. Have a look at our newest video walkthrough for the tweak after the break

Controllers for All: a must have tweak that brings PS3 controller compatibility to iOS

Ladies and gentlemen, the moment that every jailbroken iOS gamer has been waiting for: the ability to use the Sony PS3 Dual Shock 3 with games enabled for controller support. This means that any game that supports a MFi (Made for iPhone) controller in iOS 7, is now fully playable with the Dual Shock 3, no cumbersome configuration required.

Controllers for All really is a game changing tweak for gamers, no pun intended. It also means that you no longer have to shell out your hard earned dough to support the half-baked hardware controller efforts we've seen thus far.

Folks, seriously; this tweak is reason enough alone to jailbreak. It basically turns your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch into a full-fledged legitimate gaming console. And this is just the beginning, as its developer, Ori Kadosh, promises that even more controllers, like the Dual Shock 4, will be supported in future updates.

We've got the full hands-on video walkthrough inside. Check it out, you don't want to miss this.

Apple’s ‘Rockstar Consortium’ considering Nortel patent sale

In 2011, Apple teamed up with a number of tech companies including Microsoft and BlackBerry to form what many called the 'Rockstar consortium' to purchase a collection of over 4,000 patents from Nortel, a communications company that went bankrupt in 2009.

Bloomberg is now reporting that the consortium is currently holding discussion regarding a potential sale of a portion of the patents—which it paid in upwards of $4.5 billion for—after several attempts to land large licensing deals from other companies have failed...

Sony releases ‘Ratchet & Clank: BTN’ game for iOS

In a bit of a surprise move today, Sony has released a new game for the iPhone and iPad called 'Ratchet & Clank: BTN.' It's an Infinite runner, much like Temple Run, with familiar elements from Sony's popular franchise.

The game's full name is 'Ratchet and Clank: Before the Nexus' and it features characters from the all new Ratchet and Clank: Nexus PS3 game. And bonus, you can actually sync earned Raritanium (points) between the two...

Sony launches new ‘PlayStation App’ companion app for PS4

Ahead of its big PlayStation 4 launch later this week, Sony has released a new companion app for the console, aptly named 'PlayStation App.' Sony says that the app will allow you to "take your PlayStation experience with you on your mobile device."

Part of that experience includes the ability to connect to the PSN network, meaning you'll be able to chat with your friends, see what they're playing, and open game alerts and invites. You'll also be able to browse the PlayStation store, and much more...

iPhone captures one-third of smartphone market in Japan

Apple is having great success in Japan. Not only is the iPhone maker surviving one of the most competitive tech markets on the planet, but breaking sales records. The company's smartphone now has 34 percent of the country's market, new research shows.

The figure - more than double that of just months ago - shatters a sales record that's stood for ten years. Apple's success in Japan even overshadows the world's largest market, China...

Sony introduces the PS Vita TV, an Apple TV competitor that plays games

It appears that the PlayStation 4 isn't the only new gaming hardware we'll be seeing from Sony this year. The Tokyo-based company has just announced PlayStation Vita TV, a 6 x 10 cm console and set-top box that can connect to your TV.

The device is based on PS Vita hardware, and besides playing Vita, PSP and PS1 games, it also offers access to a range of entertainment services and PS4-specific features. And, priced at $100, it's aimed squarely at Apple's set-top box...

Sony launches 21MP Xperia Z1 phone, sleek SmartWatch 2 and powerful lens attachments

The IFA 2013 show is now underway in Berlin, Germany and the consumer electronics giant Sony has just wrapped up its major keynote which saw the official announcement of a brand new flagship smartphone, the 4G LTE-enabled Xperia Z1. Previously code-named the Honami, the Android smartphone combines the very best of Sony’s technology and boats "a groundbreaking camera experience".

More on that a bit later. The Japanese company also unveiled a second-generation smartwatch and launched two all-new powerful camera lens accessories. Jump past the fold for cold hard facts...

Apple and Google push Nintendo and Sony into No. 3 spot in mobile gaming

We've seen how mobile killed traditional music, draining sales from retail CD stores. Console games appear headed for the same fate. Worldwide revenue for handheld console makers fell during the second quarter of this year, pushing companies like Nintendo and Sony into third place behind the first-place Apple App Store and No. 2 Android-based Google Play.

According to a joint report by research firm IDC and app analytics company App Annie, consumers spending on mobile games in the Google Play store rose during the quarter as Android games picked up 1.6 percent of the market between the first and second quarter of 2013. The Google Play store has taken steps to attract more gaming dollars by tailoring its service for developers...

Leaked manual details Sony’s upcoming iPhone lens accessories

A Sony-focused blog called SonyAlphaRumors on Monday published a few interesting tidbits regarding upcoming Camera Live lens attachments for smartphones that incorporate a standalone sensor with Carl Zeiss optics and built-in processing chips, normally seen on $500 point-and-shoot cameras. Details were scarce initially, but now we're offered additional glimpses into the the entry-level DSC-QX10 and the high-end DSC-QX100.

Thanks to a leaked manual, we know the gadgets will include advanced features such as focus ring control and expansive storage via memory cards. Go past the fold for the full reveal...