PlayStation®Portable (PSP™) in Education

PlayStation® in Education

Over the last 3 years, PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) has been purchased and used extensively by thousands of students in hundreds of UK educational and training institutions. The combination of the PSP system’s games heritage and its ability to capture and play open standard educational digital content via audio, video, and internet has made it a compelling mobile learning platform.

Students can now use existing ‘games based technology’ platforms like PSP to access real and engaging educational content. In the UK there are now over 3.6 million PSP systems in circulation and 56 million world-wide. The PSP 3000 provides students with a low cost, easy access route to rich media and compliments the new ‘high end’ PSP™go as well as integrating with the new slimmer PlayStation® 3 (PS3™) games and media console.

SECOND SIGHT on PlayStation®

Second Sight is a new ‘augmented reality’ programme for mainstream education and training, that enhances student and teacher’s access to audio, video and interactive educational content on PSP. This ground breaking new technology works with traditional printed content to trigger audio, video and interactive 3D images. Second Sight enables teachers to blend the use of their established text books, display materials and audio visual content in a way that has not been easy to deploy in the classroom before. Using Second Sight teachers and practitioners can easily create their own content for use. Second Sight comprises a PC based content creation suite and a second sight viewer UMD for the PSP.

Click here to watch Second Sight (Augmented Reality) in action on PlayStation

Click here to watch Second Sight teaching & learning Ideas, curriculum content on PlayStation

ConnectED on PlayStation®

ConnectED Services Ltd are SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT UK LTD’s accredited marketing and sales channel for PlayStation in education and corporate training. ConnectED provides specially discounted pricing for Playstation in the education and training sectors, combined with online and offline teacher training and support. ConnectED has also developed a range of complimentary software programmes, peripherals and resources that directly enhance the use of PSP in mainstream education and training.

Click here to watch our series of training and support videos

For more information please contact ConnectED at: T: +44(0) 844 800 9375

Email: info@connectededucation.com or www.connectededucation.com

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Find out which snackable games the PlayStation community has been filling its spare minutes with.

As February was minis month, the community at the official PlayStation Forums discussed which minis they have most enjoyed. Here are their favourites, in order of popularity, with quotes explaining why their choice is the tastiest morsel in the minis category on PlayStation Store.

1. Hero of Sparta

“This game includes epic boss fights, a lot of monsters and very large levels. The controls are excellent and God of War fans will enjoy this game a lot; they really should give it a go.” (Twilight_Rico, Netherlands)

2. VectorTD

“I love tower defence games and this one in particular is great. Graphics are not the most important thing but what is important is that this game can last for hours. The number of available towers and their prices are perfectly matched and bonuses appearing from time to time can be used in different ways, depending on your strategy. It’s a must-have for any fan of tower defence.” (artur1982, Poland)

3. Tetris

“Once you start, you can’t stop!” (fashion23gta, Portugal)

4. Zombie Tycoon

“It’s impressive how many zombies can fit in one minis title!” (Low_K0, Germany)

5. Mahjongg Artifacts 2

“You want a campaign mode? There is one in the Conquest Mode! You want to play endlessly and you do not want to be bothered by finishing a level? The infinite mode is the one you need. You like Mahjongg in solo mode but you want some more? Bonus pieces will make you happy. In a word, if you like Mahjongg, you will love Mahjongg Artifacts 2!” (Sanzein, France)

6. Fieldrunners

“Fieldrunners makes you try again and again to find the best strategy against various types of enemies. Each level gives you new challenges and even when you have completed a level, you can try again with different weapons and strategies. Fieldrunners give you a lot of play time for the money and it is my favorite minis title for both PSP and PlayStation 3.” (The_Alp, UK)

Thanks to all those who got involved – you will be receiving a PlayStation Network Voucher Code to download a copy of Tetris – and look out for another installment of Obsession Confessions, coming soon.

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Honestly, we can categorically state we played through Heavy Rain without any noticeable glitches. Sadly, that doesn’t appear to be the case for everyone though, as it appears some people are having technical issues with the game. From freezing, to out-of-sync audio, you can guarantee there’s someone complaining about it right now – most likely on the official Playstation boards where the community are being pretty darn vocal.

Sony’s responded to the community, stating:

“Hi folks, this is just to let you know that the issues reported in this thread and elsewhere are being looked into. We’re currently trying to establish any common factors for people who are experiencing game freezing so if you are having trouble please be as thorough as possible with regards to your PS3 setup – are you using a launch version of the console or a brand new slim, playing in standard or high definition (I’m not suggesting that these are potential causes, just making the point)… any information you can give may help to find where the issue lies.

One word of advice we’ve had already is to avoid switching off your PlayStation while the game is in black screen as this may be affecting your save game. There have been a few reports of incidents where game saves have taken longer than would normally be expected – and with a black screen present it may leave the assumption that the game has crashed. In these circumstances we recommend you wait at least 5 minutes before rebooting – while it’s highly unlikely a save will take this long, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

While incidents of problems with the game are very low we’re working to ensure that everyone gets the Heavy Rain experience they expect. As soon as there is any further information we’ll update further.”

In other disheartening news, those in Europe who ordered the Heavy Rain Special Edition are being advised not to claim their PSN special edition bonuses just yet. Indeed, there is a problem with the soundtrack that should come as part of the PSN redemption code included in the box. Those in the UK who ordered the Special Edition online will be sent a replacement code for the soundtrack, everyone else is advised not to claim the bonuses until next week.

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Folks who live on the other side of the pond (we’re talking about being in the UK) will definitely have heard of the globally acclaimed British sketch comedy sensations, The Mighty Boosh. Well, The Mighty Boosh and Tribal Games have come together with the latter being a mobile games developer, having worked on a new game known as The Mighty Decider. This new app is capable of delivering what this indecisive world has been waiting for – a life management tool which is capable of helping one in the decision making process while offering hour after hour of entertainment for any social network.

Boosh fans across the globe will revel in the fact they can turn to the quirky and surreal Boosh universe at a moment’s notice to assist in their life choices. Just as compelling for those not yet familiar with the Boosh, The Mighty Decider is the perfect introduction to the inventive and fantastical act of nature known as The Mighty Boosh. The Mighty Decider is now available worldwide from the App store for the iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. To download The Mighty Decider, go to www.mightydecider.com.

We sure as heck hope that government leaders won’t do anything silly like making decision on going to war using The Mighty Decider as much as they would like to. Celebrities themselves can now reach out to the “Crack Fox” and “Flip a Coin” to decide which scripts to accept, while couples and admirers can participate in a little bit of “Spin the Bottle” with a special love potion hand-mixed by “Bob Fossil”. As for the ordinary Joe on the street, he can head on to “Naboo The Enigma” and have him read his fortune.

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Warfare or fitness? It’s a chart of differences this week

Leisure software charts compiled by GfK Chart Track© 2009 ELSPA (UK) Ltd

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Discover which PlayStation Network games have most impressed the PlayStation community.

After two weeks of discussion over which games have proved the most addictive, the official PlayStation Forum regulars moved onto the next Obssession Confessions topic – their favourite PlayStation Store downloads. Here are their picks in order of popularity, with quotes from contributors across Europe.

1. Flower

“Flower is not just a game: it’s a story. The story of flowers telling their dreams in a universe of beauty and enchanting melodies. With exceptional SIXAXIS handling, it transports you to an adventure with no equal.” (aat08, France)

2. WipEout HD

“It has to be one of the most breathtaking games – it looks amazing in full HD and for the price it’s one heck of a bargain. Nothing out there can beat it for pure enjoyment. The visuals should be the benchmark for any game.” (Chris_D, UK)

3. Burnout Paradise

“Challenge your limits with stunning speed!” (fashion23gta, Portugal)

4. Fat Princess

“It’s a cool game… I liked it!” (TUHTA_1994, Russia)

5. Battlefield 1943

“Epic battles in Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal or the Wake Island; team game, tanks, jeeps, boats, planes, bombers and destruction. There’s nowhere for the enemy to hide!” (tabunet, Spain)

6. Warhawk

“Warhawk was number one when I bought my PS3. It’s a great game which everyone should play at least once. It may not be realistic but it’s loads of fun… I’ve spent many hours playing and they were all worth it.” (patrick1991groot, Netherlands)

7. Metal Gear Solid

“Simply because it is THE PS one Classic game par excellence and shouldn’t be missed. Since it is now available from PlayStation Store, it is a must-have.” (gamer4online, Germany)

8. Trine

“This game’s beauty, playability and originality make it one of the most attractive of the last year.” (elmosca, Spain)

9. Zen Pinball

“The file size makes it easy to download and it’s a well made game. It takes you back to the past when we used to play real pinball, and everybody in my house likes it.” (AlexTheStampede, Italy)

10. Bomberman Ultra

“There are many delicious downloads in PlayStation Store and, like in life, one candy is never enough. The one that nobody appreciates is Bomberman Ultra. That game is great and provides a lot of laughter.” (rabsonek, Poland)

Thanks to everyone that participated in the discussion. There will be more Obsession Confessions threads in the coming weeks; in the meantime, join the hundreds of conversations happening right now at the official PlayStation Forums.

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It’s actually not quite as exciting as it sounds…

For their respective press events at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show, Microsoft and Sony have emerged from some serious spreadsheet and calculator sessions with a collection of scintillating sales stats.

First up, Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer confirmed that Xbox 360 has now shifted 39m units worldwide since its launch in 2005. This combines nicely with sales figures just released by ELSPA which show that last year, Xbox games overtook Wii titles in terms of UK revenue. As industry news source MCV, reports:

Xbox 360 raked in £459m in sales throughout the period according to numbers from ELSPA, generating more revenue than any other platform. Wii still won in raw unit terms, however, with 18m games sold.

Over at Sony, there were no new total sales figures for PS3, but it was announced that over 3.8 million hardware units were shifted during the five week run up to Christmas – a 76 per cent increase over last year, and a record Xmas performance for the machine.

While we’re on a stat offensive, ELSPA has also announced its 2009 UK games industry sales figures. Total sales of all videogames software during 2009 amounted to £1.621 billion, with revenue on console hardware sales amounting to £1.06 billion. The latter figure represents a slight fall from 2008 (£1.905 billion), which ELSPA puts down to slashed retail prices. And of course, a big bugger of a recession.

Here are the rest of the numerical titbits:

Nintendo Wii stormed the field with software sales of over 18 million units in the UK, retaining the title of Number One software format by units sold. Sony’s PlayStation 3 also saw a dramatic increase by 14 per cent of software units sold, from 10.4 million units in 2008 to 11.9 million units in 2009. Overall, in 2009 UK consumers bought a total of 74.6 million videogame units – which works out at more than one per person in the UK.

However, it was Microsoft’s Xbox 360 which saw the biggest increase in software revenue in 2009, up four per cent from 2008 to earn £459 million and become the number one software format by revenue, overtaking the Nintendo Wii.

The Sony PlayStation 3 was the star console this year, posting a two per cent increase of units sold compared to 2008. However it still could not overtake the Nintendo Wii which retained the lead as the most sold console of 2009. In total, 6.7 million videogame consoles were sold in the UK in 2009, which is one console for every nine people in the UK.

The total value of console/PC gaming peripherals was £630 million in 2009, with total sales reaching 35.8 million units.

As for Wii, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata recently told Reuters that the machine had recovered from its mid-2009 slowdown, with sales topping three million in the US over the festive season.

It will be interesting to see how the consoles vie for sales in 2010. With Microsoft now confirming Natal for a Christmas release and Sony lining up its own motion controller as well as confirming that 3D stereoscopic gaming will be added to the PS3 firmware this year, there’s a serious specifications war still raging.

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We’ve got a Christmas cracker of a Clutter-Buster for you all this week. Microsoft has sent us through two Halo 3: ODST Xbox 360 controllers to give away and we couldn’t think of a better way to reward our loyal Twitter followers than to bundle them into this week’s Clutter-Buster competition.

If you’re not already au fait with the Clutter-Buster format, then here’s the deal. Firstly, you’ll have to make sure that you’re following us on Twitter, and then you can Tweet the following message from your account to be entered into the running for this week’s competition:Win #TVG_Clutter_Buster1 Giveaway (http://ow.ly/Nrb3) RT and follow @totalvideogamesThere are also five games in the Clutter-Buster this week, which come to a grand Clutter-Busting total of £174.95. As for the controllers, well they’re surely priceless as these bad boys are not being sold separately by Microsoft.

We’ll be running this Christmas special Clutter-Buster for a whole fortnight and one lucky winner will get the five games and both Halo controllers, so get Clutter-Busting – err – Clutter-Busterers…

TERMS & CONDITIONS For The TVG Clutter-Buster Giveaway:

This competition is not open to employees of TVG or anyone associated with this promotion.

There is one prize consisting of five games and two controllers.

The winner(s) must be UK residents aged 16 or over.

TVG reserves the right to change the prize set should any item become unavailable for any reason.

The prize will be despatched to a given address within 28 days of the winners being announced. The prizes are as stated, are not transferable to another individual and no cash or other alternatives will be offered. No responsibility can be accepted for entries lost, delayed or corrupted, or due to computer error in transit.

The winner(s) agree(s) to the use of their name, photograph and disclosure of county of residence and will co-operate with any other reasonable requests relating to any post-winning publicity.

The winner(s) will be chosen at random from all correct entries received by the closing date stated within the promotional material. Reasonable efforts will be made to contact the winner(s). Confirmation of the prize will be made in e-mail to the winner(s). Failure to respond and/or provide an address for delivery, or failure to meet the eligibility requirements may result in forfeiture of the prize.

If the winner(s) cannot be contacted, or are unable to comply with these terms and conditions, TVG reserves the right to offer the prize to the next eligible entrant drawn at random. Where applicable, the decision of the judges is final based on the criteria set out in the promotion and no correspondence will be entered into over this decision.

This competition and its prizes may be modified or withdrawn at any time.

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