The iconic Sony PlayStation turns 20 today, and the company is celebrating with the launch of a 20th Anniversary Edition PS4 specially detailed as an homage to the console’s first version.
The main console, controller and PlayStation Camera are all decked in “Original Grey”, mimicking the body of the 1994 PlayStation. The lower console body panel, as well as the touchpad on the controller are etched with a pattern featuring the controller button symbols as well as a ‘2’ to signify the console’s 20th anniversary. There’s even a vertical stand for the console to prop it upright just like the original.
Only 12,300 numbered units of the limited edition PS4 will be available worldwide, at $499 in North America, €499 in Europe and 49,980 Yen in Japan. Pre-orders in the US and Canada open on Dec 6.
➤ PlayStation Turns 20, PS4 20th Anniversary Edition Revealed [PlayStation Blog via The Verge ]
Image credit: SCEA
Wrist-on with the Samsung Gear Live Smartwatch: Finally a smartwatch that’s not embarrassing
Ahead of actually getting a review unit for the new Samsung Gear Live, I was able to grab a few moments with the latest smartwatch from the electronics giant at Google I/O . Running Android Wear , the watch’s OS is still in its infancy, but the form factor is not only comfortable, it looks good.
The watch doesn’t have the tell-tale face bulge of previous generations of smartwatches. It’s not as thin as a regular watch, but the design is such that it flows into the band. The metal edge around the face isn’t garish and adds a slight bit of flair to the watch that the flat-black LG G Watch doesn’t have.
On my wrist it was surprisingly comfortable. The plastic band and watch are hug your wrist without pinching or feeling top heavy. It felt comfortable enough to wear all day. After trying multiple smartwatches over the years and being disappointed by how uncomfortable they were, it’s refreshing to find something that doesn’t make you cringe at the aesthetic or feel like you’re wearing a piece of lead.
Android Wear felt a little sluggish during taps and swipes, but the watch I tried was running in retail demo mode, so we’ll have to wait until tomorrow to fully test that. The screen was bright, but after years of high LPI displays, it can get a bit getting used to have a lower resolution screen on your body.
It’s nice to see Samsung finally create a smartwatch that might actually be worth buying. We’ll have a full review of the watch soon. Until then, the watch is available for pre-order today in the Google Play Store for $299 at 4PM PT and will ship on July 7.
Read Next: Everything at Google I/O and Hands on with the Moto 360: It’s as beautiful as promised and All the News Coming out of Google I/O #AndroidWear: Which smartwatch design do you prefer?
Ideal Gifts: Chromecast can change your TV viewing habits
In the Ideal Gifts series, The Next Web team shares personal recommendations for gifts to give this holiday season.
Arriving in the US back in the summer of 2013 , Google finally introduced Chromecast to international waters in March this year, arriving in Canada, the UK and nine other European countries . And for me, it has been something of a revelation in terms of how I watch TV.
Chromecast wasn’t the first peripheral to allow you to beam content from your phone to your TV. But at $35, and with a slew of big-brand broadcasters on board across Android and iOS, Google knocked the competition out of the water with an affordable, user-friendly ‘bridge’ between your mobile device and your TV.
For me, Chromecast has changed my viewing habits – I now mostly watch content that’s compatible with Google’s HDMI streaming dongle. This varies from country-to-country, but in the UK this includes YouTube, Netflix, Google Play Movies & TV, BT Sport, NOW TV (for Sky Sports), iPlayer, among others. If you’re in the US, this also includes the likes of HBO Go .
It hasn’t all been peaches and cream though. There have been innumerable times when I would previously have gone to bed rather than booting up my PS3 to launch YouTube or Netflix. But because I know I can now have a 30-minute comedy up-and-running on Netflix within seconds of the thought entering my head, I often stay up for hours longer than I intended to. Just that little bit less friction makes all the difference.
➤ Chromecast [$35 on Google]