Database Users

Xperia Play: the next five years

When OnLive, the popular cloud gaming service, released a version of their client for Android phones and tablets last year, they offered a potential vision of the future, one where any mobile internet-connected device – no matter how gutless - gave you full access to top-tier games that looked just like current-gen PC and console games. Notice I said ‘potential’, for while the technology behind it is stupendous and its implementation is mind bogglingly effective, for all that it is hampered by one big downside: smartphones lack anything in the way of actual real buttons, d-pads and the like, so getting a complex FPS or racing game to work on something with just a touch screen is, as they say, nontrivial.
The insurmountable problem here is that touch-screen mobiles and tablets are not good platforms for traditional PC and console ports. “But what about Angry Birds, or Fruit Ninja, or any number of games that have earned Millions on mobile?” Well, yes, if you create a game from the ground up that takes advantage of what controls are there (gyroscope, basic touch gestures and so on) then it’s quite possible to craft an effective (albeit lightweight) game that’ll go on to sell like hot cakes. But just try playing R-Type with virtual controls: you can do it, but it’s no fun. It lacks any tactility and sooner or later you’re going to get wiped out once your finger reaches for a control but misses because your muscle memory just isn’t that good. Ok, there’s an OnLive gamepad in the wings which you’ll be able to tether to your device and while that will solve that problem, really, who is going to carry a gamepad around with them?
However right at the end of the year, OnLive then did something that inadvertently – almost accidentally – gave rise to one of, if not THE most significant gaming event of the year: one that went totally under everyone’s radar. You see, they very quietly pushed out a version of their Android client that had been tweaked to take advantage of the slide-out gamepad on the Sony Ericcson Xperia Play phone. Wait, what? That’s the most significant gaming event of the year? Bigger than the Wii U reveal? More important than the 3DS? Well, I think so. Read on.
Now I am aware that the Xperia Play has had a bit of a torrid time in its short life. It’s something of an oddity in the realm of smartphones: somewhere between a phone and a handheld console, it’s struggled to find purchase with gadget lovers and gamers alike, for a variety of reasons. From an insane price point at its release in May 2011, to criticisms on its sheer bulk, button placement (I’m looking at you, power button), down to the middling hardware specifications that were already outdated on release day.
If we were being particularly mean we could even try to draw parallels to Nokia’s implementation of a similar game-as-phone concept a decade or so back, the hideous N-Gage, a concept so poorly received and so badly implemented that they probably had to bury five million of the things next to the pile of Atari ET Cartridges buried in a Texan landfill. But the combination of the Xperia Play and OnLive – though both individually flawed in certain ways – together produce something utterly mesmerising, somehow more than the sum of its parts. Quite simply, it’s a revelation.
For, you see, all of these pros and cons paled into insignificance the moment OnLive ported their client to the Xperia Play. Suddenly there was a single solitary handheld mobile device, unique and distinct from anything else on the market, that could play current-gen console-standard games, and more to the point could deliver them without silly pretend on-screen controls, or wiimote hacks, or external controllers, or compromises. You just slide that slick gamepad out, launch OnLive, fire up your copy of Batman: Arkham City or Saints Row: The Third and enjoy high-fidelity PC-quality gaming.
For you see, this killer combination of OnLive, the Xperia Play and a capable internet connection delivers something you can’t get anywhere else: proper, full-fat, platform-agnostic gaming in one unit that will fit in your pocket. Nobody else does it. It’s a game-changer. It’s so ahead of its time that I suspect that no amount of waxing lyrical will alter the fact that this devastatingly effective combination will be totally overlooked by all and sundry. (That is, presumably, until Apple ‘invents’ the concept of integrated mobile cloud gaming in five years’ time – iPlay anyone? – everyone slaps their forehead, wonders why no-one else thought of the concept and we buy them in their millions.)
The Xperia Play needed OnLive, and OnLive needed the Xperia Play, though neither would have admitted it. The Xperia Play has finally found its raison d’être, a unique reason or "killer app" to buy it over any other phone, or portable games console for that matter. And in OnLive’s case, it gives it a reason for existing: what’s the point of playing games through OnLive on a computer that probably could have played those games natively anyway? It only begins to make sense in environments away from the raw processing power of your Desktop Computer, and never more so than on the Xperia Play.
While there are certainly plenty of devices that will run OnLive, none do it with the ease, perfection and panache of this quirky little device. It also future proofs it: If Sony stopped selling it tomorrow, even if everyone stopped writing games that support it, as long as OnLive keep going you’ll get a constant stream of bona fide, triple-A games coming your way. And for Xperia Play owners, it even puts an end to the mobile arms race – it simply doesn’t matter that newer phones with faster dual and quad core processors come out every other five minutes. As the games are rendered on OnLive’s servers rather than on the device, it means that you can ignore all of that nonsense as it simply isn’t important any more. Now that’s a game changer.

Our device is not perfect until the Playstation suite is out.

Thats very fanboi of you to say. Fck $ony

I agree that services like OnLive greatly expand gaming possibilities.
I would like hardware updates that improve style and also non-gaming functionality. Plus there will be games that just won't work with an OnLive type of setup.
An HDMI port would be great in the next iteration as well as more RAM. A better camera would also be great.

flat_steve said:
When OnLive, the popular cloud gaming service, released a version of their client for Android phones and tablets last year, they offered a potential vision of the future, one where any mobile internet-connected device – no matter how gutless - gave you full access to top-tier games that looked just like current-gen PC and console games. Notice I said ‘potential’, for while the technology behind it is stupendous and its implementation is mind bogglingly effective, for all that it is hampered by one big downside: smartphones lack anything in the way of actual real buttons, d-pads and the like, so getting a complex FPS or racing game to work on something with just a touch screen is, as they say, nontrivial.
The insurmountable problem here is that touch-screen mobiles and tablets are not good platforms for traditional PC and console ports. “But what about Angry Birds, or Fruit Ninja, or any number of games that have earned Millions on mobile?” Well, yes, if you create a game from the ground up that takes advantage of what controls are there (gyroscope, basic touch gestures and so on) then it’s quite possible to craft an effective (albeit lightweight) game that’ll go on to sell like hot cakes. But just try playing R-Type with virtual controls: you can do it, but it’s no fun. It lacks any tactility and sooner or later you’re going to get wiped out once your finger reaches for a control but misses because your muscle memory just isn’t that good. Ok, there’s an OnLive gamepad in the wings which you’ll be able to tether to your device and while that will solve that problem, really, who is going to carry a gamepad around with them?
However right at the end of the year, OnLive then did something that inadvertently – almost accidentally – gave rise to one of, if not THE most significant gaming event of the year: one that went totally under everyone’s radar. You see, they very quietly pushed out a version of their Android client that had been tweaked to take advantage of the slide-out gamepad on the Sony Ericcson Xperia Play phone. Wait, what? That’s the most significant gaming event of the year? Bigger than the Wii U reveal? More important than the 3DS? Well, I think so. Read on.
Now I am aware that the Xperia Play has had a bit of a torrid time in its short life. It’s something of an oddity in the realm of smartphones: somewhere between a phone and a handheld console, it’s struggled to find purchase with gadget lovers and gamers alike, for a variety of reasons. From an insane price point at its release in May 2011, to criticisms on its sheer bulk, button placement (I’m looking at you, power button), down to the middling hardware specifications that were already outdated on release day.
If we were being particularly mean we could even try to draw parallels to Nokia’s implementation of a similar game-as-phone concept a decade or so back, the hideous N-Gage, a concept so poorly received and so badly implemented that they probably had to bury five million of the things next to the pile of Atari ET Cartridges buried in a Texan landfill. But the combination of the Xperia Play and OnLive – though both individually flawed in certain ways – together produce something utterly mesmerising, somehow more than the sum of its parts. Quite simply, it’s a revelation.
For, you see, all of these pros and cons paled into insignificance the moment OnLive ported their client to the Xperia Play. Suddenly there was a single solitary handheld mobile device, unique and distinct from anything else on the market, that could play current-gen console-standard games, and more to the point could deliver them without silly pretend on-screen controls, or wiimote hacks, or external controllers, or compromises. You just slide that slick gamepad out, launch OnLive, fire up your copy of Batman: Arkham City or Saints Row: The Third and enjoy high-fidelity PC-quality gaming.
For you see, this killer combination of OnLive, the Xperia Play and a capable internet connection delivers something you can’t get anywhere else: proper, full-fat, platform-agnostic gaming in one unit that will fit in your pocket. Nobody else does it. It’s a game-changer. It’s so ahead of its time that I suspect that no amount of waxing lyrical will alter the fact that this devastatingly effective combination will be totally overlooked by all and sundry. (That is, presumably, until Apple ‘invents’ the concept of integrated mobile cloud gaming in five years’ time – iPlay anyone? – everyone slaps their forehead, wonders why no-one else thought of the concept and we buy them in their millions.)
The Xperia Play needed OnLive, and OnLive needed the Xperia Play, though neither would have admitted it. The Xperia Play has finally found its raison d’être, a unique reason or "killer app" to buy it over any other phone, or portable games console for that matter. And in OnLive’s case, it gives it a reason for existing: what’s the point of playing games through OnLive on a computer that probably could have played those games natively anyway? It only begins to make sense in environments away from the raw processing power of your Desktop Computer, and never more so than on the Xperia Play.
While there are certainly plenty of devices that will run OnLive, none do it with the ease, perfection and panache of this quirky little device. It also future proofs it: If Sony stopped selling it tomorrow, even if everyone stopped writing games that support it, as long as OnLive keep going you’ll get a constant stream of bona fide, triple-A games coming your way. And for Xperia Play owners, it even puts an end to the mobile arms race – it simply doesn’t matter that newer phones with faster dual and quad core processors come out every other five minutes. As the games are rendered on OnLive’s servers rather than on the device, it means that you can ignore all of that nonsense as it simply isn’t important any more. Now that’s a game changer.
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tldr
Sent from my R800x using xda premium

Great post, and very well written I might add. Props sir!

This is the first post that actually sucked me in. I had to read the rest of it. Great writing! You should start a blog and get paid son. I was really excited about this phone but being the hardcore gamer I am I will stick to my PC and 360. I bought the phone mainly because I had alot of dowtime at my job and what better way to kill time than to beat the hell out of people online with a physical game pad. I no longer have the job so why play dead space when both 1 and 2 can be played on my big ass flat screen. Phone to the left and 360 to the right hmmmm!
Sent from my R800x using XDA App

I just don't understand why they released the xperia play with a single core and 512mb ram.
this phone with a dual core and 1gb of ram would be perfect. I'd almost prefer to see it running on Tegra instead.
I'll just sit back and wait for the Xperia Play 2(hopefully) and hope that they get it up to date.

1 ghz with adreno 205 is still great for gaming, we dont need superb graphics on 4" LCD screen. Except for 512mb RAM in PLAY, i think 1gb RAM is better.

That was an impressive read. You should really start blogging. To be honest I was looking for someone like you to start a Xperia/android games based blogging site/portal. I'll pm you the details =)
Sent from my R800i using xda premium

Its only a matter of time before Steam join the party. Sony need to get there suite sorted as soon as they can. If they fail to bring there games to the masses it could stop plans for future handsets.

CapNM77 said:
This is the first post that actually sucked me in. I had to read the rest of it. Great writing! You should start a blog and get paid son. I was really excited about this phone but being the hardcore gamer I am I will stick to my PC and 360. I bought the phone mainly because I had alot of dowtime at my job and what better way to kill time than to beat the hell out of people online with a physical game pad. I no longer have the job so why play dead space when both 1 and 2 can be played on my big ass flat screen. Phone to the left and 360 to the right hmmmm!
Sent from my R800x using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd think myself as a gamer but after
Getting this phone my time on the xbox has reduced
Sent from my R800i using XDA App

I wrote a similar piece, well really a review of OnLive on the PLAY the other day.
Its here:
onlivefans.com/reviews/2012/01/28/onlive-review-xperia-play-with-the-android-client/
(apologies, it would appear because I don't post often URLS are beyond my powers)

I still like the Xperia Play even though it has it's flaws. The games that have come out up until now have been very good.
GTA 3 and reckless racing 2 is awesome on the Xperia Play. ( I know there are more but just can't be bothered mentioning them )
But when the PS Suite will be officially released which will be in a couple of weeks
then you'll realise why we have the Xperia Play and how awesome it is !

Forget the emulators, thousands of old school games,
Forget the phone, gps, display and speakers,
A portable onlive with a built in gamepad is worth the price alone.
Who cares if sony brings out ports to psp games, onlive destroys psp games.
Im very happy i have this ridiculously awesome device

hairdewx said:
I agree that services like OnLive greatly expand gaming possibilities.
I would like hardware updates that improve style and also non-gaming functionality. Plus there will be games that just won't work with an OnLive type of setup.
An HDMI port would be great in the next iteration as well as more RAM. A better camera would also be great.
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Click to collapse
why are so many people desperate for a hdmi port i honestly dont get it fully.
case 1
video playback on a larger screen (ok this one makes sense) but hey you could copy it to your computer so its backed-up and then play it on a tv which is a better choice really unless your round a friends
case 2
play games on your tv screen - this really makes no sense to me if you have a full hd tv surely your better off playing on a proper console or have a pc connected and play proper games.

Sniper Spr3e said:
why are so many people desperate for a hdmi port i honestly dont get it fully.
case 1
video playback on a larger screen (ok this one makes sense) but hey you could copy it to your computer so its backed-up and then play it on a tv which is a better choice really unless your round a friends
case 2
play games on your tv screen - this really makes no sense to me if you have a full hd tv surely your better off playing on a proper console or have a pc connected and play proper games.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True. But the only reason i'd want a HDMI output for the Xperia Play is so that I can view my photos and videos on a big screen.

Sniper Spr3e said:
why are so many people desperate for a hdmi port i honestly dont get it fully.
case 2
play games on your tv screen - this really makes no sense to me if you have a full hd tv surely your better off playing on a proper console or have a pc connected and play proper games.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree our website has tested many devices with HDMI like our Asus Transformer and all Xperia 2011 range handsets with HDMI out and others even are plarc which we turned an arc into a play micro console. But in are testings none could upscale the screen to a reasonable quality (for game's and onlive), it looks so blocky and streched. Not to mention getting set up each time is so not as easy as pressing home on my ps3 controller. To sum it up hdmi out is cool but when you really going to bother using it. BTW the origianl post really intresting thanks for writing.

Agreed with everything you said.

Sniper Spr3e said:
why are so many people desperate for a hdmi port i honestly dont get it fully.
case 1
video playback on a larger screen (ok this one makes sense) but hey you could copy it to your computer so its backed-up and then play it on a tv which is a better choice really unless your round a friends
case 2
play games on your tv screen - this really makes no sense to me if you have a full hd tv surely your better off playing on a proper console or have a pc connected and play proper games.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are more uses - especially when traveling. Website browsing on a larger screen, music, youtube, netflix, Amazon prime video, presentations, etc.
My TV can connect to a webserver and stream movies directly, but only a few formats are supported.
I have a PC but I don't want to hook up a PC in my living room. Thing is too big and ugly. There are also times when I'd rather be on my couch than at my desk in my office.
When my wife replaces her Droid 3 I'm going to use it as a tiny media center box that I can connect to one of my HDTV's and it will be very easy to hide.
poo-tang said:
I agree our website has tested many devices with HDMI like our Asus Transformer and all Xperia 2011 range handsets with HDMI out and others even are plarc which we turned an arc into a play micro console. But in are testings none could upscale the screen to a reasonable quality (for game's and onlive), it looks so blocky and streched. Not to mention getting set up each time is so not as easy as pressing home on my ps3 controller. To sum it up hdmi out is cool but when you really going to bother using it. BTW the origianl post really intresting thanks for writing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Setting up my ASUS Transformer Prime was as easy as plugging in the HDMI cable. It's truly plug and play. Connected my Xbox 360 controller and it was good to go with no set-up required.
As for game playing quality on a large HDTV, you can judge from my own video

Has XPlay bombed?

How many here think the XPlay has been a flop? I look at the list of XPlay optimized games, and I don't that much high quality console like games for it...at least any that I really REALLY I to play...

No
Maybe the Xperia Play has not done too well in terms of good quality games released on the Games for Playstation or any other Xperia Play optimized games but it still has its pros. It's perfect for a guy like me who loves to play NES and SNES games with emulators or even PSOne games on FPSe.

neverwinter said:
How many here think the XPlay has been a flop? I look at the list of XPlay optimized games, and I don't that much high quality console like games for it...at least any that I really REALLY I to play...
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Click to collapse
Blablabla "Xplay with one year old = Xplay is a fail, is ****, is horrible".
If you get a Samsung Galaxy S3 you will find the same games but with some better graphics. And you will have to play using the touchscreen. xD
I'm tired of all people that thought that the Xplay is some kind of console. The Xplay is a normal Android mobile, with gaming controls to play more confortably the same games for another normal Android mobiles. END. It wasn't going to have exclusive games made only for it and it will never have them. So now you know what it really is, has it really been a fail? It has tons of games compatible with its physical controls (few phones have this preferent treatment). Stop just seeing the dark side of all!
If you want high quality console games and a phone then glue your desired mobile phone to a Playstation Vita or a Nintendo 3DS.
Oh, and learn to enjoy what you buy. People is begining to think it's normal to throw away their smartphones (and other similar devices) after one year (or less!) of use just because they are tired of them. That's an enormous waste of resources.

Miles Wolf said:
Blablabla "Xplay with one year old = Xplay is a fail, is ****, is horrible".
If you get a Samsung Galaxy S3 you will find the same games but with some better graphics. And you will have to play using the touchscreen. xD
I'm tired of all people that thought that the Xplay is some kind of console. The Xplay is a normal Android mobile, with gaming controls to play more confortably the same games for another normal Android mobiles. END. It wasn't going to have exclusive games made only for it and it will never have them. So now you know what it really is, has it really been a fail? It has tons of games compatible with its physical controls (few phones have this preferent treatment). Stop just seeing the dark side of all!
If you want high quality console games and a phone then glue your desired mobile phone to a Playstation Vita or a Nintendo 3DS.
Oh, and learn to enjoy what you buy. People is begining to think it's normal to throw away their smartphones (and other similar devices) after one year (or less!) of use just because they are tired of them. That's an enormous waste of resources.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well said
Oh and one more thing I just wanna thank Sony Ericsson for making the Xperia Play cause this is the only smartphone out there that has a physical gamepad unless of course if in the future HTC or Sony come out with something.
But for now I can boast that I have smartphone with a gamepad !

sufy1000 said:
Well said
Oh and one more thing I just wanna thank Sony Ericsson for making the Xperia Play cause this is the only smartphone out there that has a physical gamepad unless of course if in the future HTC or Sony come out with something.
But for now I can boast that I have smartphone with a gamepad !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Although HTC said it will no longer be making slider phones, I doubt they will make a new Play
Sony seems to be running out of design ideas, so I hope they see the Play as a new opportunity to get back into the playing field. Xperia Ion looks like its going to bomb 10x harder than the Play ever would.
If Sony/Microsoft can create another good Gaming Phone, I would love to purchase it.

Leraeniesh said:
Although HTC said it will no longer be making slider phones, I doubt they will make a new Play
Sony seems to be running out of design ideas, so I hope they see the Play as a new opportunity to get back into the playing field. Xperia Ion looks like its going to bomb 10x harder than the Play ever would.
If Sony/Microsoft can create another good Gaming Phone, I would love to purchase it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah but a new gaming smartphone looks a million miles away unfortunately.

Miles Wolf said:
Blablabla "Xplay with one year old = Xplay is a fail, is ****, is horrible".
If you get a Samsung Galaxy S3 you will find the same games but with some better graphics. And you will have to play using the touchscreen. xD
I'm tired of all people that thought that the Xplay is some kind of console. The Xplay is a normal Android mobile, with gaming controls to play more confortably the same games for another normal Android mobiles. END. It wasn't going to have exclusive games made only for it and it will never have them. So now you know what it really is, has it really been a fail? It has tons of games compatible with its physical controls (few phones have this preferent treatment). Stop just seeing the dark side of all!
If you want high quality console games and a phone then glue your desired mobile phone to a Playstation Vita or a Nintendo 3DS.
Oh, and learn to enjoy what you buy. People is begining to think it's normal to throw away their smartphones (and other similar devices) after one year (or less!) of use just because they are tired of them. That's an enormous waste of resources.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your post is completely wrong. The device was supposed to be a gaming device. They promised us the PlayStation store and lots of PS titles but we never got them. Also if it wasn't supposed to be a gaming device then why did they even waste their money and time on a gamepad for the device. A device with PlayStation controls is a gaming device. Personally I like my play. Many games are out for it and are play optimized. So people saying there aren't many games for it need to search a little more. There is tons. And I haven't found another device with better sound than the play. Those stereo speaker have such a clear sound to it and have amazing bass. All other devices sound like they are being played underwater or sound like they are being played through a tin can. Yes SE scammed us all by not giving us what they said they would. And also the play had many games threat were play exclusives like minecraft and a few games from THD devices. If Sony were to keep up and give us what they said they were then maybe the device would've done better. If they brought more ps titles out then yes it would've done well even with outdated hardware which to me doesn't bother me in the slightest as there are very very very few games or apps that need a quad core with 1gig of ram. It's a phone not a laptop or pc. The Play is what you make of it. And mine is good as like what I have got. ICS not being given does not bother me in the slightest as ICS isn't all that great anyway. It lags because it's a RAM hog. And it's a juice drinker. GB runs better and uses less power as it isn't constantly trying to sort background processes out etc.....
Anyways that's my two cents or should I say two dollars
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God damn to many aspiring writer's on here. It's a first generation phone the one and only with physical pads. I'm thirty and hopefully will live another fifty years and ya its done. Technology is moving fast. Oh my God there will never be another phone with game pads. Look further into the future and not just a year or two ahead. I can't wait. Hopefully I can get a new liver in twenty because I drank my away.
Sent from my R800x using XDA

Commercially, I'd say so. But for those ill-concerned with sales, Xperia Play brings a LOT to the table that'll make the sales-counters stop caring. You can find other physical controller solutions out there for other smartphones, but they don't really do much aside from let you play emulators with buttons. That's good for classic games, but we're in a modern era.
Xperia Play's the absolute best smartphone gaming option for people who want MORE than classic gaming. Yeah, it's good for emulators... but you can beat dead horses with a PSP, GP32, OpenPandora, Dingoo A320, JXD S7100, Yinlips YDPG18 or any smartphone on this planet that has bluetooth... Xperia Play's about the only one that's good for people who don't just want to beat dead horses... but rather want to take advantage of that 854x480 screen and modern day improvements in game mechanics.
And when we insert that factor, no other gaming phone allows us to play MODERN games like Dead Space, Sonic 4, Shadowgun, King of Fighters, N.O.V.A. 3 and the like as well as Xperia Play does... they'll, at best, have under 50 "general d-pad compatibility" titles under their belt, but not a single one of them has hundreds of games relieved from lame-ass touch controls like Xperia Play does.
...and as crazy as it sounds, my fresh, revolutionary, beautiful Vita is getting monumentally less playtime than my Xperia Play. So yeah... might not be doing hot in sales, but as far as software support goes... I don't see this locomotive stopping any time soon.

TLRtheory said:
Commercially, I'd say so. But for those ill-concerned with sales, Xperia Play brings a LOT to the table that'll make the sales-counters stop caring. You can find other physical controller solutions out there for other smartphones, but they don't really do much aside from let you play emulators with buttons. That's good for classic games, but we're in a modern era.
Xperia Play's the absolute best smartphone gaming option for people who want MORE than classic gaming. Yeah, it's good for emulators... but you can beat dead horses with a PSP, GP32, OpenPandora, Dingoo A320, JXD S7100, Yinlips YDPG18 or any smartphone on this planet that has bluetooth... Xperia Play's about the only one that's good for people who don't just want to beat dead horses... but rather want to take advantage of that 854x480 screen and modern day improvements in game mechanics.
And when we insert that factor, no other gaming phone allows us to play MODERN games like Dead Space, Sonic 4, Shadowgun, King of Fighters, N.O.V.A. 3 and the like as well as Xperia Play does... they'll, at best, have under 50 "general d-pad compatibility" titles under their belt, but not a single one of them has hundreds of games relieved from lame-ass touch controls like Xperia Play does.
...and as crazy as it sounds, my fresh, revolutionary, beautiful Vita is getting monumentally less playtime than my Xperia Play. So yeah... might not be doing hot in sales, but as far as software support goes... I don't see this locomotive stopping any time soon.
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Click to collapse
Amen, well said. I absolutely love my Xperia PLAY. Yeah it doesnt have the top of the line specs but who cares. This things rocks. I hate touchscreen controls. Absolutely hate them. However on my phone......awesome. Love it. Nuff said. Appreciate what you have and enjoy it.

Only God knows where the next PLAY, or PLAY-like device will come from. It could be Nintendo of all people, I mean they really don't have anything to lose. Either way, the PLAY, in my mind is falling short due to the fact that you can now use wireless gamepads on their tablets or phones, the PLAYs lack of HDMI compatibility, and other unnecessary features like HD sound, although HDMI should have been added to non-dev phones. So in other words the plays capabilities can be achieved by buying some additional accessories. So, unfortunately, I doubt that Sony alone will attempt to develop a PLAY 2, unless it turns into a last resort, as it is obviously not their biggest concern. I would try to keep som hope though.
I do agree that the play is the most supported phone when it comes to games like N.O.V.A., but as time passes, the hw gets a little more outdated, and after so long android 5.0 will come along, and gb will more or less be phased out by developers. Aside from that, it definitely rocks, especially when people look and ask "Woah, what is that?". Makes my day.
Sent from my PD_Novel using xda premium

Leraeniesh said:
Although HTC said it will no longer be making slider phones, I doubt they will make a new Play
Sony seems to be running out of design ideas, so I hope they see the Play as a new opportunity to get back into the playing field. Xperia Ion looks like its going to bomb 10x harder than the Play ever would.
If Sony/Microsoft can create another good Gaming Phone, I would love to purchase it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was hoping HTC and Sony might possibly collaborate, but I hadn't heard about their slider discontinuation. Hopefully, they'll make an exception. Samsung wouldn't be bad either, but I doubt they have any interest in such things.
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IanPPK said:
I was hoping HTC and Sony might possibly collaborate, but I hadn't heard about their slider discontinuation. Hopefully, they'll make an exception. Samsung wouldn't be bad either, but I doubt they have any interest in such things.
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Click to collapse
http://www.smartkeitai.com/microsoft-windows-phone-patent-with-interchangeable-keyboard-gamepad/
Microsoft could be our best hope

i'm still hoping to have new xperia play (( mybe by other name : xperia PSP , psp phone ... ))
i'm wondering , there is so many eager people that count the days and crossing finger for next (high-end) gameing phone , but sony still haven't plan on that .
i'm really in love with my beautiful xperia play , but i will it could be possible to change the CPU and RAM , like desktop , couse today , it's really out of date( H/W )

Portable emu.
On live.
Best in class GPS
Awesome android smartphone
720p camera and video
Game pad.
Low price in 2012
Who can ask for anything more?
Psp games? Who gives a crap because I sure don't.
Haters who own one there are few and mostly just forum trolls. How's your HDMI mehdi?
Hater who don't have one. Just jelly I got one and you don't. Oh look another head shot, ya man that's a play owner.

Xperia Play is now an outdated phone. New games doesnot seem to support play because it has an old gpu and only a single core cpu.
I think sony should come up with a new "XPERIA PLAY 2" which should have a 4.8" 720p HD screen, 1.5GB RAM, 1.6GHz Quad-Core CPU and TEGRA 3 GPU. It will be a beast, even better than PS vita...!!!!
P.s: I dont know why you people hate touch screen gaming. I love it. I reached "Rank 70 with more than 6000 kills" at modern combat 3 multiplayer" within only a month on my S2...!
Sent from my GT-i9100 equipped with Grenade Launcher and Remote Explosives

DD-Ripper said:
Xperia Play is now an outdated phone. New games doesnot seem to support play because it has an old gpu and only a single core cpu.
I think sony should come up with a new "XPERIA PLAY 2" which should have a 4.8" 720p HD screen, 1.5GB RAM, 1.6GHz Quad-Core CPU and TEGRA 3 GPU. It will be a beast, even better than PS vita...!!!!
P.s: I dont know why you people hate touch screen gaming. I love it. I reached "Rank 70 with more than 6000 kills" at modern combat 3 multiplayer" within only a month on my S2...!
Sent from my GT-i9100 equipped with Grenade Launcher and Remote Explosives
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We hate touch screen gaming cause we are all gamers and need physical buttons !

i love the play.
it would have been perfect for me if it had launched with 1giga Rams and at least 2gb storage.
I'm kinda over the low RAM and will most likely upgrade to the hayabusa when it becomes available.

If Microsoft made a gaming phone..... It would dominate and blow away all competitors, even phones like the S3. But they don't even have a foot in the handheld battlefield YET. So it's probably not gonna happen for a long time. Xplay is cool and yeah people get bored of it quite easily. But I look at it as the stepping stone for much greater things ahead. Just hope I'll be alive and not have crazy arthritis or something to be able to enjoy it. Our kids are gonna have some crazy high tech stuff when we're all old and they'll take our places in these forums lol.

sufy1000 said:
We hate touch screen gaming cause we are all gamers and need physical buttons !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then why you people buy touchscreen phones??
Whats wrong with qwerty keypad phones..? They have physical buttons.!
Sent from my GT-i9100 equipped with Grenade Launcher and Remote Explosives

Why are (or aren't) you getting a Project Shield?

Nvidia's first in-house android device is due out Q2 of this year (it seems they are aiming for a June release date) - and I am a bit surprised by the lack of conversation going on here at XDA about this device!
Why are (or aren't) you getting a Project Shield? Right now everyone is only able to speculate on price and exact availability, but as it draws closer to June we are sure to get loads of more information.
I'll go first!
I will be ordering one as soon as they become available. This is exactly the device I have been waiting for, for several reasons.
First, I have always never enjoyed on-screen joysticks/buttons as a control for touch-based games. It seems like a backwards way to do it. This eliminates that issue and will make me actually purchase some of these neat Android games.
Secondly, I am a PC gamer at heart, and the one thing I have always been jealous of the XBOX/PS3 guys is that they can lay back on the couch when they get home from work and relax while playing their favorite games. I already use a controller with a bunch of games on my PC (exclusing FPS and Strategy), so this seems like a natural fit for me! As well, once Nvidia gets the streaming to TV working, I can leave my big PC rig in my office while still being able to play my games on the nice HDTV in the living room, using this as the controller. I could not ask for it to be easier, especially with Steam's lovely new Big Picture mode.
Lastly...emulators. Lots and lots of emulators. Nvidia's Tegra 4 seems to be one powerful chip, certainly powerful enough to run all of the emulators on the play store. This will be perfect for SNES/NES/PSX/N64 emulation on my tv..
I'm interested to hear your guy's opinions! Hopefully we can bring some life to this board over the coming months.

Basically you gave every reason i will also purchase one
Can't wait ehehe

I think the Nvidia Shield is a very good idea, as long as you fit within it’s very, very narrow niche targets. Most people won’t, which is why I think it will sell in low numbers despite being some decent hardware. I think I will be buying one though. I’ll explain.
I fit into one of the very few practical uses for this device. I have a high-end (for now) gaming PC with a GTX670 installed. This gaming PC is in my front room, behind my TV. It is there because my PC room became a nursery when I became a dad in 2011. There is no other room in my stupid tiny house for a PC desk. It has to be behind the TV.
To compound matters, I foolishly went and signed up for TiVo. (Freeview reception is woeful in my area). Now my wife has a hard drive chock full of hour after hour of mindless tat (I hate TV. 99% of it bores me silly) which I end up having to watch most nights. It’s driving me mad. I’m frequently sat there just waiting for her to p*ss off to bed so I can start my evening and bleed off the frustration built up from watching 4 hours of sh*te. This is typically around 11pm, by which time, any of my friends on Steam have also gone to bed.
(Apparently this TV consists of “quality time together” in her mind. When I asked her if she would like watching 4 hours of gaming each night and have to wait until 11pm so she could watch her recordings, she thinks this would be unfair and selfish. But I never have to raise a finger around the house and she brings me cold beer so it’s swings and roundabouts I suppose.)
When I read about Shield it seemed to answer the problem. I would be able to sit on the sofa, next to my wife, (quality time) and play on my PC titles whilst she absorbs hours of Celebrity Pets On Ice Makeover Factor. Whilst I am a little unconvinced that I’ll be able to play games like Planetside 2 on a 5” screen, at least I will have the option to play smaller scale stuff like Skyrim or Sim City. Games I can easily pause when she has something to say!
As I already have a nice setup for my keyboard and mouse and headset already able to reach my sofa, all I really needed was the small, portable screen. I thought I could make my own solution for a lot less than the Shield is likely to cost, and get a slightly larger screen. I was wrong. All small 7” to 10” screens were unsuitable for one or all of the following reasons;
1. USB input only, meaning my CPU would be driving the display, not my GPU. Also possible latency issues depending on drivers.
2. Awful resolution. They can all support up to 1080p inputs, but natively they are rarely above 480.
3. Terrible response times. They seem to be ok for desktop computing or widget monitors, but high speed gaming would be motion-blur city.
4. Cost. The only small, portable, high resolution LCD/LED displays with HDMI input and decent response times were for high-end professional photography DSLR camera rigs, costing around £1200.
Anyone with their own computer desk won’t need an Nvidia Shield. Anyone who wants an Android gaming experience can already do so for £30 with an Android device they already own and a PS3 or Xbox360 controller (http://buy.thegameklip.com/) and won’t need an Nvidia Shield. Anyone who wants the hand-held PC gaming experience and doesn't already have at least GTX650, is looking at a starting cost of an additional £200 on top of the eventual cost of the Shield. How many people are going to go for that?
If I could have found a separate small screen that would have been up to spec, I wouldn’t be looking at a Shield either. I’ll be amazed if Nvidia shift many of these upon release. If they cost it much above £250 I’m going to have a hard time justifying it myself.
I am looking forward to being able to lie in bed and play Sim City before going to sleep. There are plenty of Android apps (I use Unified Remote) that can remotely shut down/hibernate your PC over network. I suspect the Nvidia Shield (if they’ve though this through) will also have this though.

I am not getting one but I hope it does well... here's why:
I bought a Moga Pro (which has not arrived yet as their free shipping is the slowest domestic service I've ever experienced). With the controller combined with the LGOG (and it's Tegra 4/Snapdragon 800 based replacement this fall), I expect it to match most of the Project Shield functionality.
I own a high end phone (LG OG + 64gb card) and a high end tablet (Nexus 10 32). To the extent I want a 3rd piece of portable electronics, It would need to do something that the LGOG/Nexus 10 can not do or play a game my devices cannot play. I'd sooner get a 3DS XL for the exposure to a unique gaming library.
The PC gaming has zero value to me (I have a modern laptop (Vaio i7 14" touch screen) but it's graphics are by ATI. There's no way I would get a bulkier laptop (for the 660 graphics) to stream to a more portable.
On the other hand, I hope it succeeds. The better shield does, the better the games android will recieve. I don't particularly like tegra exclusives (expecially since Chainfire's mod doesn't support JB) but most likely my next phone or tablet will have the Tegra 4

one simple reason why not.. thats because i don't own a nvidia GPU. im currently using AMD and don't plan on changing to nvidia anytime soon. from what i understand you can't use the project shield to stream games from PC without having a decent nvidia GPU

I will not be getting it either for the simple reason like stated above have an AMD card. This card is very capable of running games like this to a little device such as the Shield but they will never do it. Given I just bought my rig with some killer specs I am not willing to pay another 300 dollars for a nvidia card ton a system I already spent over 1000 on just to see the same performance out of the card. Its pretty pointless to me plus the precision you have with a mouse is far better then joysticks.

I'm still on the fence. If it's under $200 I'll definitely consider it. I'm basically looking at it as a higher quality alternative to something like the JXD S5300. I want it primarily for emulators, but also some Android games that I think would work well with a controller. If the JXD S5800 actually comes out and doesn't have any major issues I'll probably go with that, as I think that the layout (PS Vita like) would work better for games that still need some help from the touch screen.

I won't get it as it's the first time a device like this is being made, and there'll be unpredictable problems with the device. Sitting on the fence, and I'll be waiting for shield 2. Also, because I'm in no hurry.
One more reason is that I have gtx 560 ti and not 660.
Sent from my C6602 using Tapatalk 2

Def getting one here, I think it's a novel concept and I applaud Nvidia (and any other company) for trying to make a product that is unique. I do have a drawer full of "unique devices" though so it will really be up to Nvidia to stick by the device to make it successful. It is for sure priced at a premium and I believe that will be a barrier for many but, if you are a real hard core PC gamer you are used to spending pretty big bucks for a fast setup so from that perspective the price might be ok.

I pre-ordered one because it has physical buttons. I've been using an Asus Transformer Infinity tablet with a PS3 controller to play emulators when I'm bored at work. Not very Ideal. This morning I sold the infinity on craigslist, took the cash over to gamestop and pre-ordered a shield.
Android Emulators
PC Streaming
Opening new worlds with Root access
These are my reasons OP. I'm hoping that with root access we will find a way to stream the PC games without being on the same wifi network. I have amazing internet at work and at home. My gaming desktop is HUGE.
This is my steam library I have an extremely beefy desktop with an Nvidia card I built.

Well, I saw this section on XDA, and thought it was quite interesting, but I'm definately not going to buy the shield.
- It's marketed by Nvidia, I expect huge prices.
- I'm an eyefinity gamer (this means I play on a resolution of 5760x1080), scaling down to a -7- 5 inch device, while I'm even on the same network? My chair is as comfortable as the couch :/ so I see no reason to stream. (Also, I use ATI cards as Nvidia ones are overpriced over performance. "But ye, I don't have to bull**** about drivers and it just works" - You know what kind of people have that argument as well? People that buy apple)
- It's not even out yet, and pre-ordering is just insanely stupid. You're laying down money for a product that is not even tested, and you're purchasing it for the highest price possible, as products only get cheaper over time. I will even go as far as simply declaring people that pre-order products, may it be games or actual products are extremely retarded.

Svardskampe said:
Well, I saw this section on XDA, and thought it was quite interesting, but I'm definately not going to buy the shield.
- It's marketed by Nvidia, I expect huge prices.
- I'm an eyefinity gamer (this means I play on a resolution of 5760x1080), scaling down to a 7 inch device, while I'm even on the same network? My chair is as comfortable as the couch :/ so I see no reason to stream. (Also, I use ATI cards as Nvidia ones are overpriced over performance. "But ye, I don't have to bull**** about drivers and it just works" - You know what kind of people have that argument as well? People that buy apple)
- It's not even out yet, and pre-ordering is just insanely stupid. You're laying down money for a product that is not even tested, and you're purchasing it for the highest price possible, as products only get cheaper over time. I will even go as far as simply declaring people that pre-order products, may it be games or actual products are extremely retarded.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, that's a pretty large set of arrogant statements with no good backing. Why do you have an ATI card? If you stuck with a Trident card for longer, the price on that ATI card would come down even more! Calling people who preorder "extremely retarded" only means you're completely removed from rational discussion. I pre-order games if I don't want to have to worry about them on launch day. I pre-order hardware that may be hard to get on launch day (or shortly after). Maybe the real problem is that you can't afford to pre-order products, and you're jealous of people who can? Maybe you're happy with older technology until the dust has settled? Those are good reasons to claim you're not going to pre-order a product. But to announce that everyone online is "extremely retarded" is really just showing your own ignorance and cry-baby mentality.

Svardskampe said:
- It's marketed by Nvidia, I expect huge prices.
- I'm an eyefinity gamer (this means I play on a resolution of 5760x1080), scaling down to a 7 inch device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you call us retarded but can't get any facts for yourself before commenting.
A) price is already up. There is no price to expect when it has already been announced.
B) its 5 inches not 7.
C) It doesn't just dream, its a fully fledged android device and very capable of playing games offline, there are quite a few good games coming out on android now.
I want go get shield but its not up for pre order in the UK yet, looks to be around the £230 mark if you do a straight price conversion although if you follow existing trends they will charge £300 or more in the UK because everyone hates us and charges us more for no reason. I can't afford the £230 price tag right now, let alone if it does get a price bump.
If I get one it will likely get loaded with emulators and then it might make an interesting device to make apps for. I couldn't care less about streaming. I just see it as what the PS Vita should have been, a high end android device with a gamepad (yes it is my opinion that the vita would have been much better if it was an android device).

Oh I'm sorry, this is the internet, I need to back up the fact that a cigar is a cigar on every post I make?
The US prices are released, not any international ones. With the current rate, it should come down at €270. Hell no, it will get that tag in Europe. It could go as far as €300 to €400. That's still a huge difference.
And yes, I would go as far as claiming that pre-ordering products is an extremely retarded action. Why would you pay the royal jackpot for a product, that has no one ever reviewed yet, that no one ever put to day-to-day use and could report how it functions. You pay that royal jackpot for a mere idea or concept, led by marketing and manufacturers claims. I cannot see how this could be a good decision in any daylight.
"But to announce that everyone online is "extremely retarded" is really just showing your own ignorance and cry-baby mentality."
Why would that claim be untrue? I see no valid reason why you would not be retarded if you just believe a manufacturer by the nice blue colour of their eyes. I see no ignorance from my side, only those of who pre-order stuff. I see no cry-baby mentality in that statement, only from you who are quite tense in defending your purchase.
It's alright though, it's your purchase, your good decision to do so, and I do not say you can't do that. You're just not that sane in my opinion, just as you think negatively about me. I see you are quite tense. Don't get pushed that much by someone on the internet.

See, I know a lot more about the product than you. I've been playing with it for months. My decision to pre-order has nothing to do with marketing or hype. I choose to pre-order the product based on solid facts, hands on testing, specific knowledge of the features, and specific plans of what I intend to do with it. When I pre-order software, it is generally after either beta testing it or careful homework on the software in question with the knowledge that my friends and I will be playing it on release day together. Since I live in the US, I know the price, and I know whether it will be coming down any time soon. And they aren't allowed to charge me until they ship, so it's not profit to them yet either, I can cancel at any time.
I pay a premium to remain on cutting edge technology, and because of it, I have done well in my career. I owe my current position on getting involved with Android earlier than most people, and diving into the technical aspects of it. That's what I do.
So you can think of me as retarded all you want. I'm thinking you're just too lazy to be an informed buyer until after everyone else already has it.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app

PR0XIDIAN said:
I have an extremely beefy desktop with an Nvidia card I built.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dat misplaced modifier
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Jsusgarcia179 said:
Dat misplaced modifier
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
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Click to collapse
LOL! you are right. I was tired when I wrote that. I built the desktop not the Nvidia card

I will definitely be buying one as well. I have already pre ordered the shield. Some of the features that I like are obviously streaming PC games to the device so I can play them while sitting on my couch or in another room. I also like the shield for the controls so I can play games like Shadowgun, modern combat and other games like those. I also like that I can also use it just like any other Android device.
The speakers are here are incredible and it was shown that you can actually play music and use as a speaker alone which I think is a neat idea as well. Lastly I think a lot of developers are going to be making some pretty awesome games for this device and this device especially has endless possibilities.
I already have a set up that will provide a great experience for streaming PC games so don't need to buy anything extra for it to work right out of the box. I currently use Moga pro to play games on my Nexus 10, but it is a pain to carry around both devices for this to happen.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2

I`ve pre-ordered mine on May 16, 2013 for a fun reasons like to help developers in test with custom recoveries, kernels, systems or such things. I hope there is going to be guys who willing to develope for this thing something because it got some good potential.

Ixz said:
I`ve pre-ordered mine on May 16, 2013 for a fun reasons like to help developers in test with custom recoveries, kernels, systems or such things. I hope there is going to be guys who willing to develope for this thing something because it got some good potential.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Recovery looks like it will lack touch for a while, but developing ROMs for it shouldn't be overly difficult.
Sent from my HTC One using XDA Premium HD app

Xperia Play Alternative? Not Even Close!

So i was just browsing around and apparently XOLO is releasing a new gaming phone. At first i was excited cause the name was "XOLO Play" and i don't know about you guys but that very sounded familiar. So yeah with my heart full of hope and my head full of dreams i clicked on the link, and thats when i got angry. NO PHYSICAL CONTROLS!!!!!!! Come on now, just cause you call it a gaming phone doesn't make it a gaming phone, and if you are going to call it a gaming (no physical controls) phone at least give is some out of this world sick specs. These don't even compare to the latest phones let alone make it a genuine gaming phone. Compare this to the HTC ONE, Sony Xperia Z, or the Samsung GS4 and it pretty much nothing.
Are you guys feeling the same way about these so called "Gaming Phones"?
http://www.techtree.com/content/news/4114/xolo-play-nvidia-tegra-3-smartphone-launching.html
XPERIA PLAY 2 WHERE ARE YOU?

yeah it's a pity
i would use my old nokia and buy a gcw zero handheld instead of buying a high-tech phone when my play dies. just bought the play for emulation on the go.
it's my new n-gage (had both of them ) as it should be - just a lot more fragile

i'll buy that on first day , if that has physical gamepad.
but how ! how a phone can serve to gamers without pgysical game pad ????!!1
suerly , without gamepad , xperia ZU is much better that it ....
where is xoeria play 2

I think there will be no Xperia play. Sony decided to join that race for fast and thinner handset, there no room for chunky gaming phone for nerds
But seriously, if not Sony there will be other manufacturer. When you look how games develop on Google Play market. I know majority of people play Angry birds, Candy crush saga etc. so they don't need pad to play. But from other side you got games like MC, NOVA or even DH, that games played smearing your fingers on screen seems wrong and these games need proper gamepad.
Btw. found this on YT, interesting concept:

at the moment i don't think there is a profitable market for aaa console class games. since android seriously has to deal with piracy and every dev seem to push the price even lower. it came so far that newer games have to use in app purchases to get the development costs back in.
a market could be created however. when some bin manufactures decide to do real gaming devices like a psp vita.
or we need something like steam on android where the consumer base is already there (linux gaming is coming because of this - so will the 3d drivers for linux be improved over time because the market is there).
there are actually a few android gaming devices (especially in china). also the new handheld from nvidia is based on android. i wouldn't say there won't be any real gaming phone in the future.

I believe there will never be another phone with gaming controls built in. As far as buying a regular phone to game on, you can't beat an inexpensive Nexus 4. There's lots of them used up for sale. With a Snapdragon S4 Pro quadcore and 2Gb of ram, it really is a gaming powerhouse. You can't get anything close to that price.

bartmw said:
I think there will be no Xperia play. Sony decided to join that race for fast and thinner handset, there no room for chunky gaming phone for nerds
But seriously, if not Sony there will be other manufacturer. When you look how games develop on Google Play market. I know majority of people play Angry birds, Candy crush saga etc. so they don't need pad to play. But from other side you got games like MC, NOVA or even DH, that games played smearing your fingers on screen seems wrong and these games need proper gamepad.
Btw. found this on YT, interesting concept:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
konstruktor said:
at the moment i don't think there is a profitable market for aaa console class games. since android seriously has to deal with piracy and every dev seem to push the price even lower. it came so far that newer games have to use in app purchases to get the development costs back in.
a market could be created however. when some bin manufactures decide to do real gaming devices like a psp vita.
or we need something like steam on android where the consumer base is already there (linux gaming is coming because of this - so will the 3d drivers for linux be improved over time because the market is there).
there are actually a few android gaming devices (especially in china). also the new handheld from nvidia is based on android. i wouldn't say there won't be any real gaming phone in the future.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting video but a few thinks wrong no L/R triggers and no joystick/touchpads also its windows but still interesting.
Yeah there are ALOT of android gaming devices but we want a android gaming phone.
Also the xperia play 2 could be thin if if they wanted too. That would also make the phone slightly uncomfortable though, but thats the good thing about android customization and variety it fat phones just down right sicken you then go get a different phone, but i want gaming controls so a fat phone sounds fine to me.

.......................

I'm so confused...
How can they label that a 'Gaming' smartphone? Specifications of other smartphones far surpass that of the XOLO Play and considering it lacks any form of hardware controller it is no different to every other phone that is released at the moment.
Not to mention the 12 core ULV GPU is seriously crap in the Tegra 3. It's not much better than the Adreno 205 in my opinion. CPU is great though...

They got peoples attention lol

I think i'll keep my money for something else

konstruktor said:
yeah it's a pity
i would use my old nokia and buy a gcw zero handheld instead of buying a high-tech phone when my play dies. just bought the play for emulation on the go.
it's my new n-gage (had both of them ) as it should be - just a lot more fragile
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here, had both N-gages as well.
Sent from my R800i using xda app-developers app

Really a shame they haven't updated the specs on the 2nd generation

I was really looking for a gaming tablet (mainly for world of tanks blitz) and the shield k1 was a very viable option for me because of the gaming controller, but when I heard they didn't upgrade the specs I was really disappointed.
So I eventually went with the iPad Air 2, and soon planning to buy a steel series nimbus controller. The price is more then twice as much, adding the controller and the oem Apple cable to be able to connect the tablet to my tv, but in the end I believe it is the better option for gaming and future proofnes.
Or is it? What do you think I should have gotten?

lvnatic said:
I was really looking for a gaming tablet (mainly for world of tanks blitz) and the shield k1 was a very viable option for me because of the gaming controller, but when I heard they didn't upgrade the specs I was really disappointed.
So I eventually went with the iPad Air 2, and soon planning to buy a steel series nimbus controller. The price is more then twice as much, adding the controller and the oem Apple cable to be able to connect the tablet to my tv, but in the end I believe it is the better option for gaming and future proofnes.
Or is it? What do you think I should have gotten?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The K1 isn't a 2nd Generation device it's just an makeover! Have the original one and also play Wot Blitz, works great on max settings with an average of 60 fps. Don't use the controller for it, because as i tried it some time ago the game wasn't optimised for it.

So you essentially wanted a more expensive Nvidia option perhaps with the the X1 chip? I think Nvidia wanted to sell more K1 inventory and keep the price at $200. I imagine there will eventually be something new from them though.
The only reason I own the K1 is because of the low-ish price. I don't see value in more expensive tablets.
The Apple products might have a better game library.

lvnatic said:
I was really looking for a gaming tablet (mainly for world of tanks blitz) and the shield k1 was a very viable option for me because of the gaming controller, but when I heard they didn't upgrade the specs I was really disappointed.
So I eventually went with the iPad Air 2, and soon planning to buy a steel series nimbus controller. The price is more then twice as much, adding the controller and the oem Apple cable to be able to connect the tablet to my tv, but in the end I believe it is the better option for gaming and future proofnes.
Or is it? What do you think I should have gotten?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's no such thing as future proof in regards to technology. I have the k1 it's a steal for 200.
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Well, the x1 does look promising, but if there's no news about it in the next 28 days before I can return this ipad, i guess I'll have to stick with it.
I really hope they announce something, ios is very optimised but is also extremely limited, even jailbroken.

Read something about Nvidia saying that they had been shut out of the tablet market and were going to focus on gaming devices instead. I'm not sure how accurate that is, but I wouldn't count on a Shield Tablet 2. They only sold something like 88,000 units of the Shield Tablet 1.
It's too bad, I just got one and am loving it. Head and shoulders better than my Nexus 7 and I'm really impressed with the stylus. Really impressed. I'm not an artist, but I feel like I should start doodling or something just because I can.

soap_and_dish said:
Read something about Nvidia saying that they had been shut out of the tablet market and were going to focus on gaming devices instead. I'm not sure how accurate that is, but I wouldn't count on a Shield Tablet 2. They only sold something like 88,000 units of the Shield Tablet 1.
It's too bad, I just got one and am loving it. Head and shoulders better than my Nexus 7 and I'm really impressed with the stylus. Really impressed. I'm not an artist, but I feel like I should start doodling or something just because I can.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's really bad news. I'm guessing because they sold in limited countries and really didn't advertise the product at all, which is a shame because they definetly have the budget to do so.
At that price and performance, they could rock the market.

Yeah, no device is perfect, even iPad has it's own cons.. but having the shield tablet is worth the $.

The ipad air 3 should come out in the next few weeks, if it will have the same a9x as the pro i think that i will give it a try( would be my first ios device). Thought first about the pixel c, but well tegra chips arent that good in google devices. I owned a nexus9 and compared to my shield tab it didn't played wot blitz that good on max settings, heats and throttles a lot which leads to frame drops(30fps)although it scored higher in Benchmarks. If you want an Android device for media and gaming there is still nothing better than this 2 year old shield tab.

cyraxx84 said:
The ipad air 3 should come out in the next few weeks, if it will have the same a9x as the pro i think that i will give it a try( would be my first ios device). Thought first about the pixel c, but well tegra chips arent that good in google devices. I owned a nexus9 and compared to my shield tab it didn't played wot blitz that good on max settings, heats and throttles a lot which leads to frame drops(30fps)although it scored higher in Benchmarks. If you want an Android device for media and gaming there is still nothing better than this 2 year old shield tab.
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That's my problem with android, even if it has the horsepower, sometimes the device just won't perform as it should, probably because of lack of optimization.
The iPad 4 still runs games better then most high end android devices.

Wot blitz crash on stock firmware, aoo stay with apple

The shield for the money is amazing. The shield compared to tablets twice it's price is still pretty amazing. I wouldn't get something twice as much just because it's twice as much. I also wouldn't want anything other than Android for a tablet.
Sent from my SHIELD Tablet using Tapatalk

OmenHTX said:
Wot blitz crash on stock firmware, aoo stay with apple
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No it doesn't. Happened sometimes on 5.1.1 Lollipop but since 6.0 crashes are gone. Btw saw people with ios devices where it also crashed, so it was more a problem of the servers.