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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
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

[Discussion] Xperia Play's Future

Much has happened since we got our phones - awesome time, news, updates, hopes. But those things started to fade away and XPlay started to slowly be left behind. I consider we should draw a line up until now and reflect to what might happen afterwards. I'll list a few talking topics in which we should ask ourselves some questions.
1. About the ICS update
The ICS update promise and then denial surely was a great dissapointment for us all. I, for myself, somehow did manage to lose interest in the phone, the main reason being this old version. I wanted something new, something interesting for the phone so I can enjoy it even more. Although ICS was cancelled on purpose, I still feel that the main reason was laziness. Moving on...
2. Future GB updates. When?
So after the ICS dissapointment, we were promised the phone would receive some new GB updates to make up for it. But when? After 2 years when nobody is gonna use the phone anymore? I want GB 2.3.7, I want the new XPlay launcher seen on ICS beta, but not after the device will be long forgotten.
3. The future of XPlay. Is it bright?
Considering the two aspects above, who would want to buy XPlay anymore these days? Would actual XPlay owners consider keeping the device any longer? Until when? Consider the subsections below:
Xperia Play 2 not to be expected
Fewer XPlay optimised games by the day
No ICS, no new updates
Ouya to influence Android optimised games?
4. XPlay users past 6 monhs or one year
I would like to hear the current feedback of the device from other "veterans". From my perspective, it was an awesome year, although I'm starting to get a little bored by the device. Luckily, no buttons are scratched or fell off, although I could say my case isn't looking that good (it's scratched).
Let's discuss about this matters and see what is to be done with XPlay from now on.

I think it's been abandoned. I would upgrade to a different device when your contract allows it to.
Sent from my R800i using Tapatalk 2

5. As a gaming device. I don't think it has future since the modern games (batman - spiderman - Asphelt 7) run with a huge lag, future games will not run.

Xperia-Play said:
5. As a gaming device. I don't think it has future since the modern games (batman - spiderman - Asphelt 7) run with a huge lag, future games will not run.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cant speak for Spiderman/batman but Asphalt 7 plays smooth on mine...... then again I am running at 1.2ghz and supercharged. I will snag batman/spiderman some time later and test out

Geeve said:
who would want to buy XPlay anymore these days? Would actual XPlay owners consider keeping the device any longer? Until when?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The people who will want it will be the only people who wanted it in the first place, Gamers. The problem is you're thinking of the Xperia Play as mostly a phone. I don't know about anyone else, but the main reason I bought this phone was because I wanted something that could emulate all the old retro consoles after my PSP broke. The fact that I needed a new phone and the Play was cheap as hell was just a very nice bonus.
However, on the other hand, this is a phone, and it is running Android. And seeing as it's running Android, who the hell was expecting to use it as a phone for a long time in the first place?
I'm already looking for a new phone(The Play is too slow, the keyboard is ****ed now that it's summer, and I can't play and text all day from the same device at the same time) but i'm definately keeping the Play, it will always have a place as a dedicated emulation console.

Having owned mine for over a year it has not aged well in comparison to some handsets! But yeah when my contract is up looking to see what Samsung have on offer! But will be keeping my Play! Simply as an emulation engine! Even if it died! Still think I would pick up another along side a new handset! Just carnt beat the REAL controls!
Sent from my R800i using Tapatalk 2

The Alpha Gamer said:
The people who will want it will be the only people who wanted it in the first place, Gamers. The problem is you're thinking of the Xperia Play as mostly a phone. I don't know about anyone else, but the main reason I bought this phone was because I wanted something that could emulate all the old retro consoles after my PSP broke. The fact that I needed a new phone and the Play was cheap as hell was just a very nice bonus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
^ Actually that's my main reason aswel for buying the XPlay. I'm just saying how the majority of the consumers think nowadays.

This may sound odd but I'm getting a brand new XP tomorrow. For a hefty price too. Went through several ones, always regretted selling them. Don't ask me why I do this,it's some kind of a disorder probably But the last one was the worst - immediately after I sold it new games started appearing on the Store - Lara Croft, Dead Trigger, Broken Sword, FF 3. Well they are not 'new' but are sort of new to Android. I don't care if the support is waning (I don't see it that way) it's still a pretty decent device/smartphone and the emulation possibilities are awesome. I especially like how many PS1 games I could try on it, while my former PS Vita was still waiting for PS1 support. So, er, I hope one year from now they still make most Android games compatible with this awesome device. I am of the opinion that it must have sold more units than the PS Vita (so far), so it should be worth it to the developers.

I have now got myself a Samsung Galaxy S3 since my upgrade was due. Funny thing is that even though the S3 is much more powerful than the play, and has a much nicer screen, plus ICS on it is great, I don`t feel quite the love I have for my Play.
I have tried playing games using on screen controls and hate it so much! The S3 is great for other games such as Asphalt 7, Super Monkey ball, Broken Sword, Demolition Inc etc, but any games requiring a gamepad just don`t do it for me on the S3, I miss the feel of a true gamepad, the touch of real buttons, the feeling of a real directional pad.
My S3 is now king of media, net and games designed for touch screen, but when it comes to the crunch and I feel like playing some genesis, snes, N64 etc games my Play will always be with me, it will always rule for beat `em ups too.

As long as onlive is around, there should never be a reason to ditch the play.
I'll take emulation and onlive over any android game any day of the week.

Have had mine since launch, but didn't find the XDA scene til like January.
But yeah, it's failed. Especially the Verizon one. They updated it twice, and ****ing broke it in the 3rd update. Go die Verizon.

The custom ICS roms are the only thing making this phone bearable, was really upset when games like Mass Effect weren't optimized for this phone. But I was kinda disappointed from the start due to the average processing power for a phone that was meant for gaming. And the promised updates are still not here.

The Alpha Gamer said:
The people who will want it will be the only people who wanted it in the first place, Gamers. The problem is you're thinking of the Xperia Play as mostly a phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ditto. People wanna pretend that the lack of ICS is the ultimate omen of disaster for the Xperia Play when there's so much more truth slipping under the radar.
I bought the Xperia Play because it was the only phone on the market that had real gaming potential, and actually worked with a large amount of this-generation games (as opposed to everything else that fails from having sub-par touch controls, or fails because it's only good for emulation). For that purpose, it's been great. Sales are another story, but through some form of paradox, Xperia Play managed to get software support that's far above and beyond what we would expect with so many (non-owners) claiming it's commercially failed. It's software support has actually been so strong and diverse that I constantly question if I really needed to buy the PlayStation Vita I got some months back.
When it was revealed that ICS wasn't coming to Xperia Play, it seemed all too easy to jump on the bandwagon instead of actually paying attention. And those who actually pay attention have already realized that, from a gaming standpoint, Xperia Play's capable of getting all of ICS'es major features without dealing with the general higher memory consumption and crippled game compatibility that we've already seen in action on ICS beta & unofficial ICS roms.
Sure we'd be able to prance around clamoring about having 'the new thing' but pay attention and you realize we still have the cream ofvthe crop for tactile smartphone gaming. I'm still getting buttery smooth performance on stock 2.3.4, and as the person whose taken it upon myself to actively database Xperia Play's game releases, I can say with 100% confidence that the release schedule has not slowed down one bit. The phone's never demonstrated any level of falling behind or becoming too slow to handle any benchmark game thrown at it.
Furthermore, we've got to a point in which software options allow us to manually add controls to games, so all of the 150+ charted developers could hypothetically ditch the Xperia Play and we'd still be able to play future games.
Not to say anyone is right or wrong, but it's all about perception; if you want to believe Xperia Play's a sinking ship, there's a good chance that's something you've psychologically drilled into your mentality beyond a point of negotiation...and likewise the people who are copiously attentive to Xperia Play's news are swamped in more quality material than they can handle...and more importantly, they realize that ICS (or a lack thereof) isn't gonna stop their fresh, new Call of Duty: Black Ops.
Sent from my R800a using xda app-developers app

if you need ICS 404 on Play
i recommended CM9 Stable
My friend flash this rom it's work
Tounchpad is work too
but i still use Gb becuase i don't backup my phone

I just went from g2 to the xp. I don't know if any phone will be next or if there will be something in the future to replace the xp.
Sent from my R800at using Tapatalk 2

eventhough the SGS3's awesomely attractively big screen almost always makes me drool whenever i see it displayed in various malls, i'm not ditching the play anytime soon.. i just cant live with touhscreen gaming no matter how powerful a phone is..
you're a gamer and no physical gamepad? then your phone's lame..

narflynn619 said:
eventhough the SGS3's awesomely attractively big screen almost always makes me drool whenever i see it displayed in various malls, i'm not ditching the play anytime soon.. i just cant live with touhscreen gaming no matter how powerful a phone is..
you're a gamer and no physical gamepad? then your phone's lame..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The SIII is a great phone, but you are right though. Games made for proper controls just don`t feel right on it, this is the same for any device that does not have true physical controls. It is for this reason I got the SIII, it`s great for media and photo`s etc, but my Play stays by my side for dedicated gaming.

narflynn619 said:
eventhough the SGS3's awesomely attractively big screen almost always makes me drool whenever i see it displayed in various malls, i'm not ditching the play anytime soon.. i just cant live with touhscreen gaming no matter how powerful a phone is..
you're a gamer and no physical gamepad? then your phone's lame..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, that's about the way I feel too.
I've ogled the Galaxy Note, Galaxy S2 (and all it's variants), SIII, HTC Rezound, Nexus as well as quite a few others. All wonderful, wonderful phones!!
... and when I use them, it's quite amazing to see bigger, better screens with larger resolutions and all the wonders that come with NFC. Can't say I'm too fond of how "soft-hardware" keys have become the norm because that makes a rested thumb near the home key exit me out of a game, but there's a lotta beastly phones out there.
Yeah, I'll admit to getting to a point where I'd wanting them (mostly due to my previous lifestyle where I'd go through about 5 phones a year). But then we get to fluidity/smoothness and I notice my Xperia Play's already got that handled... while also having that bonus of a built-in gamepad. There's all kinds of external controller support to be found throughout various Android devices, but a not a single one that can touch how much developer support Xperia Play has under it's belt.
Ideally, that's the only needs Xperia Play needs to fulfill... games and developer support. ICS would've been nice and all just so we didn't get loads of (non-Xperia Play owner) troll communities going on about how we were "dropped," but realistically, the decision to oust Xperia Play from getting ICS proved a level of consideration and integrity that Sony typically does not exhibit...
...and when you look at the general consensus, we all see the recurring theme that all these awesome ICS roms are always followed by the people "in the know" telling us that GB is the best choice for Xperia Play owners who actually care about gaming.

You gave everyone a nice read again TLR. Nice one!
BTW, mind if I asked, you're on stock ROM right? Any fancy tweaks on your phone? Like OC? Just curious.

narflynn619 said:
BTW, mind if I asked, you're on stock ROM right? Any fancy tweaks on your phone? Like OC? Just curious.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, as of a couple days ago, I'm officially off TrueAncestor and back on stock 2.3.4 (no disrespect for Jikkyu - he's the man for that rom and all, but it was crippling my memory and eating my battery life alive)... and to be totally honest, I don't know the first thing about tweaks
I did root and debloat it, but that's about it unless we count "child's play"-level stuff like pushing a SystemUI that has toggles.

Anybody else feel like they have a dead phone?

Just like the title says guys, does anybody else feel like this thing in my hand died a long time ago? And to have a physical controller built in isn't enough to keep me on board maybe for alot of the simple minded folks out there but this xplay literally died once something better came my way. Opinions? I know there are haters out there so bring it!
Sent from my R800i using xda app-developers app

Re: Anybody weeks feel like they have a dead phone?
thatsupnow said:
Just like the title says guys, does anybody else feel like this thing in my hand died a long time ago? And to have a physical controller built in isn't enough to keep me on board maybe for alot of the simple minded folks out there but this xplay literally died once something better came my way. Opinions? I know there are haters out there so bring it!
Sent from my R800i using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, you're just spoiling for a fight. Perhaps you'd find one if your post made sense?
Sent from my R800x using xda premium

Re: Anybody weeks feel like they have a dead phone?
It make plenty sense buddy I've just grown up and gotten tired of the slow laggy unresponsive way behind the times that is the xperia play. Maybe you should wake up also. And to the people who are hoping, wishing, dying for an xperia play 2, you really need to give your head a shake and snap out of that dream your locked into cause it won't happen
Sent from the scary door....

Exactly the opposite for me... but then again my experience with the Xperia Play hasn't really left a lot to be desired.
First of all, there's a bit of irony here that kinda makes me grin... and it's that you're a huge part of the reason I've been getting nothing but flawless performance out of my Xperia Play. Do you remember being the creator of this topic? All since you posted that, I've been using, re-using and referring people to that particular ROM because it gave me level of consistent smooth function that can be described as nothing less than 'perfect'. Sure it's not Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean or whichever bundle of already-existing abilities that people decide to call new for whichever fad update people go wild over... but since these android updates are generally repackaged abilities that any owner of >2.1 Android can get, there's not much reason for me to sacrifice the polished stability of my GB build for anything else. Don't need to upgrade to ICS/JB for notification toggles, because we can already get something that includes far more customization than anything ICS/JB's stock options offer (LINK). Don't need JB's Project Butter because the performance was already silky smooth... we can the look of ICS/JB (LINK), we can get the data monitoring/data management of ICS/JB (LINK), the camera (LINK) and gallery (LINK) of ICS/JB, and even the power management (LINK)... all without ICS/JB.
The idea that this phone *died* because of slow-ness, lag or unresponsiveness always sounds odd to me because my Xperia Play hasn't really ever been slow or unresponsive. Like you though, I was always open to the idea of something better... which is why I reached out to more powerful phones like the Atrix, Evo 3D and Galaxy S3 - thinking that a paired PS3 controller or MOGA would give me a superior experience. Know what happened? The Atrix pretty much self-destructed, the Evo 3D's gaming worth ended up being a trainwreck with loads of games sacrificed the moment it was upgraded to ICS and the situation for GS3 gaming ended up being a frustrating mess. First off, having to pair the MOGA to it alone turns what should be quick and seamless into a chore - and that holds true regardless of whether we go through the MOGA App itself or the "alleged" universal IME. If the quotation didn't make it clear, there's a lot about the universal IME I dislike.
On paper, that should be the clear-cut killer app that totally makes the Xperia Play obsolete... yet it does everything but. It'll make the MOGA ideal for emulators, but by far and large - the appeal of the Xperia Play has been that it's so good at present-generation gaming that it doesn't need to piggyback yester-decade's antiquated games. Not only is the universal IME a ***** to set up, but there's so much sacrificed when trying to pretend the MOGA+uIME replaces Xperia Play. The lack of a d-pad automatically compromises it's practicality for many games where analog locomotion feels weird, and if we want the MOGA Controller that does have a d-pad, we'd be sacrificing portability even more than the existing MOGA (which is easily the bulk of two Xperia Plays even before a phone is put into it)... but for the sake of getting into just how horribly off it is to say MOGA > Xperia Play, let's pretend it isn't automatically on a lower level because of it's cumbersomeness.
Just as an example, let's cite Eternal Legacy. Eternal Legacy is natively a touch-only game that got a special edition for Xperia Play that makes it completely optimized... and by complete; I mean the physical gamepad can be used to manipulate the entire game from menu navigation, map navigation and combat. While it would seem like an RPG should be okay for a touch-screen, having physical controls is still much more precise and much faster way to perform multi-menu operations... so a gamepad is definitely the superior option. First of all, finding a working version of the damn game for the GS3 is annoying in itself... and since it was only truly prime with Xperia Play's gamepad, we have to resort to the only half-ass usable MOGA+uIME+GameKeyboard (or JC6) combination which requires tons of setup, and outputs an experience that's only half-workable (it really only works for field navigation... nothing else). We can plug any phone of any specs into that equation and get the same result, and plug many different games into that equation to also find games in high masses that are only half-playable.
If you see where this is going, you see that I just stepped up to the most well-known of the "steroid phones" and actually ended up making sacrifices... and for what? Fluidity? My Xperia Play experience has already been smooth... and on a stock ROM. We could revive the note that I'm a heavy supporter of GameKeyboard (which also delivers the same sense of half-playability to native touch games)... but Xperia Play's already got over 450 Android titles stacked under it's belt with the count still growing... so it's not only the most heavily supported physical gaming solution, but it's software support is very much so alive... and as the person who's taken on the tooth-gritting (often overwhelming) task of databasing Xperia Play's software releases, I can say from a very strong stance that it's support hasn't faltered.
From here, we could cite the Xperia Play's low internal memory... and to that I'd note how that's become a non-issue with MiniTool Partition and Link2SD. With that combination, I've amassed over 340 installs and I still have 85.4% of my phone storage free.
From here, we could note that Xperia Play's only rocking half a gig of RAM and a single-core processor with it's only real saving grace being an (outdated) Adreno GPU... yet we can have our minds blown as we see beefier phones like the Atrix struggling to run N.O.V.A. 3 as well as the Xperia Play does.
Of course there's stronger phones out there, but I've already got the prime for gaming. MOGA's doing quite well in it's own right and I love to see it getting out of the "only good for emulating old-ass games" category that so many other BT controllers tend to quickly fall into... but it doesn't compare to or replace the Xperia Play at all.
Another thing worth mentioning is just how far it's evolved. Look at any of the old reviews for Xperia Play, and we find that a lot of the original complaints aren't even valid anymore. It records in HD now, the prior complaints of auto-dimming have been handled, and while everyone loved to complain about the lack of integration into Sony's official gaming ecosystem - look at how quiet they've become now that it's been resolved.
Honestly, what puzzles me is exactly what one would be doing to get their Xperia Play to a point of being sluggish, slow or unresponsive. When people see my videos, I'm consistently bombarded with questions about what magic tweaks/kernels/whatnot I used to get my Xperia Play so smooth... and the answer's always the same... nothing. It's a simple stock ROM that I debloated through Root Explorer, paired with a carefully-chosen launcher that's optimal for fluidity and battery life... and it's been VERY smooth, fast and responsive.
Xperia Play's definitely not in the limelight, nor is it burning up the media... and from that it's easy to perceive that the Xperia Play's dead, but for anyone in the know... it's software support and fanbase are still stronger than any other physical gaming medium in the entire world of smartphones. This is why all my stronger phones have been sold or given away so that I can go back to my Xperia Play. No point in having a dual/quad core with as much memory as a desktop computer when my phone's already eating up any software I throw at it with ease.

Re: Anybody weeks feel like they have a dead phone?
Woww.. Just woww..
Regards,
Sdojoin

It's the best gaming phone and multiple-use device by far.
I've recently upgraded to an HTC One X for my daily use phone because it's faster for everyday tasks, but I keep my Xperia Play close by at all times, switching sims if necessary, because it's just so good for gaming.

Re: Anybody weeks feel like they have a dead phone?
I would Luke to add to TL's comment that I too have had the chance to play with (for about 2 days each) a GS3 and an HTC one x and yes they are sweet devices in their own right. But when push came to shove I bought a unlocked xperia play r800at. And have absolutely no regrets. Especially now that I am on or will be in three weeks a GSM phone, all these choices of roms. I've had a pre opus phone two years ago where I used a gamepad overlay for the phone hardware keyboard and sold it on a heartbeat to buy the Verizon xperia play. There too.... no regrets, except thy it's CDMA. But that's a other story. All in all I feel the play is the best multipurpose phone/gaming device out there. Yes its hardware is dated but that hasn't stopped of from still getting game dev love. And lets not even talk about the thousands of roms for emulators. Especially if you have the emus that have been modded to show up in the game launcher.
On a side note. TL what launcher you use on your phone ? I use an older version of go launcher before it became memory hungry. And my phone is super smooth and fast.
Sent from my R800x using xda premium

How many games don't run fluidly on the XPLAY? From what I have installed, none!! TDKR used to lag a bit, but now my phone runs at 1.8ghz it is smooth as silk!!
I have seen a lot of posts recently with people lambasting the XP saying something like their 10.1" tablet + PS3 dualshock is miles better etc, but these people seem to be missing the point of the XP. Portability!!
For example. If I go shopping with the missus, guaranteed she will go into a clothes shop, where she will spend at least an hour. Before I got my XP, I would be bored within 20 mins, get grumpy, start moaning about my feet, then she would get grumpy and we wouldnt talk for the rest of the day.
Now I have the XP, I merely find a seat, bust out Asphalt, Most Wanted, Mini Motor Racing or one of the other great games I have and wait for her to finish. I'm happy, shes happy, we have a good night!!
My point is that it isnt practical to carry a tablet and PS3 controller everywhere with you, and it would look pretty weird sitting in a shop using that combination anyway!! The phone is always there and always ready.

To each their own...
It all come's down to personal preference. I prefer Android gaming on my Galaxy Nexus or Kyros tablet with a Dualshock 3 and the Sixaxis app, but that doesn't mean i don't like my R800x or that the phone has some sort of "problem" or considered "DEAD". In fact I never had a problem with my R800x and it run's like a champ. There's ton's of great game's that are xp optimized, plenty of custom ROM's, and some awesome theme's. My son love's it and use's it all the time.

Re: Anybody weeks feel like they have a dead phone?
BensJammin said:
How many games don't run fluidly on the XPLAY? From what I have installed, none!! TDKR used to lag a bit, but now my phone runs at 1.8ghz it is smooth as silk!!
I have seen a lot of posts recently with people lambasting the XP saying something like their 10.1" tablet + PS3 dualshock is miles better etc, but these people seem to be missing the point of the XP. Portability!!
For example. If I go shopping with the missus, guaranteed she will go into a clothes shop, where she will spend at least an hour. Before I got my XP, I would be bored within 20 mins, get grumpy, start moaning about my feet, then she would get grumpy and we wouldnt talk for the rest of the day.
Now I have the XP, I merely find a seat, bust out Asphalt, Most Wanted, Mini Motor Racing or one of the other great games I have and wait for her to finish. I'm happy, shes happy, we have a good night!!
My point is that it isnt practical to carry a tablet and PS3 controller everywhere with you, and it would look pretty weird sitting in a shop using that combination anyway!! The phone is always there and always ready.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is so true
My xplay is a saviour in all the clothes shops or waiting outside a dressing room as she takes about a hour in on shop it crazy
Sent from my R800i using xda app-developers app

Whenever someone say this should go to the HD2 forum and say it to get flamed.
Also my brother have an iPhone5, but I got an R800 for him and the first he said was: COOL!

Re: Anybody weeks feel like they have a dead phone?
I feel like I should get rid of it, but then I just can't. I love this phone.
Sent from my R800i using XDA Premium HD app

Re: Anybody weeks feel like they have a dead phone?
TLR owned the OP sooooo bad.
I agree to every word he says.
+1 to you TLR.
/==(CyberScopes)==\

I don't think anyone can just knock the OP's post. Without some level of manual software installation or modding, the Play is not flawless. I can vouch for this and it's actually the reason my brother got rid of it once his contract expired. You shouldn't have to modify or custom install anything for your device to run smooth. Sure, stock GB is good, but it is not perfect or flawless like some are claiming. The PLAY is a fun and enjoyable gaming device, but its performance is not superb, it's tolerable. I do not think TLR's or some of these other guys' opinions are applicable to 100% Pure stock Xperia PLAY. One thing that pissed me off when I was pure stock was the internal memory running out. Come on guys and/or gals, stop practicing fanboyism and call a spade a spade.
In regards to the OP saying they're looking for something better. If you still wanna give Sony a second chance, check out the Xperia Z. It's between that and the yet to be announced Galaxy S4 for me. Both have pretty high price tags though if you're buying them unlocked.

Well said TLR and ozzmanj1
Without repeating the flawless statements they have already made , :good: to you guys, right on point!
Is the Xperia Play dead? Do XPlay owners need to grow up and move on? No and No, Im 26 and just got an R800at , ditching Verizon and went to Tmobile. I never found my Play to be slow , sluggish or un responsive. Im running a rooted stock debloated rom with holo launcher and I couldn't be happier, it does everything I need and then some (still to this day) and if were ever in discussion about "you have to root and debloat the XPLay to use it" I honestly root and debloat every android device I own, my entire family uses Droid branded androids and I rooted/debloated all of those as well. Rooted = Liberated !
The developer community here is strong, their are some great minds working on stuff for this device still. Cheers to all of them !
I just also built my 20yr old sister an XPlay and she loves it, she took it over the SG3 for the pure gaming factor (smart choice, especially since SG4 is in the works you would be a fool to buy a SG3 now, and of course I built it for her for free) and I even built one for my 7yr old nephew one, I of course removed and possibilities to make phone calls or text and its not in service, he is just gaming away on it. Hands down, the Xperia Play is a great device and I for one and damn happily to own / use it.

Re: Anybody weeks feel like they have a dead phone?
Whilst I'm not disagreeing with you (the xperia play is not a great phone in stock form, too much bloatware, Sony's stupid habit of low storage on every phone etc) I have to say that it does come into its own when modded, even just rooted. The thing is that most phones feel redundant after 6 months or so now and it seems to be a trend. Apple know it, which is why they release an iPhone every 6 month's. The difference is that some people with buy the new, others will mod the old and make it new again. When I had my iPhone 3g years back it was made redundant early on but after jailbreaking it did multitasking, background wallpapers, folders, everything apple said it couldn't!
The thing is that this is xda developers and the main use for this forum is modifying their phones so if someone criticises then it is obvious that other people will tell them to mod.
Talking of criticism, I have been on this forum for years modding various phones, but have never seen so many people criticising a single handset as they do the XP. It's such a shame as for me it is what I have wanted for so long, something that my N-Gage years ago never managed!!
Sent from my R800i using xda app-developers app

well, my first dissapointment was Gameloft games. Standard GL games like 9mm and shadow guardian run on low graphic while galaxy s get the normal version.

I still can't find in any way a good use for a phone with multi-cores, honestly. Faster with everyday use? Come on! As if you use your phone for cement mixing! The Xperia PLAY is just enough for my business and work needs. As for gaming, TOUCHSREEN GAMING SUCKS BALLS BIG TIME. Oh, get an external controller? Hell, no! I won't be lugging that around! I'd rather buy a gaming desktop rig with all that money spent on a high-end device and an external controller.

narflynn619 said:
I still can't find in any way a good use for a phone with multi-cores, honestly. Faster with everyday use? Come on! As if you use your phone for cement mixing! The Xperia PLAY is just enough for my business and work needs. As for gaming, TOUCHSREEN GAMING SUCKS BALLS BIG TIME. Oh, get an external controller? Hell, no! I won't be lugging that around! I'd rather buy a gaming desktop rig with all that money spent on a high-end device and an external controller.
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Click to collapse
I couldn't agree with this more ! :good:

Justinchi said:
I don't think anyone can just knock the OP's post. Without some level of manual software installation or modding, the Play is not flawless. .... It's between that and the yet to be announced Galaxy S4 for me. Both have pretty high price tags though if you're buying them unlocked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are comparing a 2 years old phone, one with single core old CPU technology against a newer gen quadcore device with highend GPU and 5 times the amount of ram.

Thinking about picking up a Shield

Been looking a the Shield for the last few days and haven't pulled the trigger yet. I have a Droid DNA and Moga controller, so I am not sure if its worth it on the Android side of the Shield. And then my main gaming PC is a laptop with a 750M GPU (kepler) and I don't want to get stuck with the mobile GPUs not being supported. So I am wondering if it is worth it for just he Android games (given I have a phone/controller already) or uif I should gamble that I would be able to stream PC games in the future?

Character Zero said:
Been looking a the Shield for the last few days and haven't pulled the trigger yet. I have a Droid DNA and Moga controller, so I am not sure if its worth it on the Android side of the Shield. And then my main gaming PC is a laptop with a 750M GPU (kepler) and I don't want to get stuck with the mobile GPUs not being supported. So I am wondering if it is worth it for just he Android games (given I have a phone/controller already) or uif I should gamble that I would be able to stream PC games in the future?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally I would wait. I bought it for both, but unless emulators of old games will endlessly occupy you, PC streaming is the star of the show (even though I'm having system requirement issues and haven't tried it yet).
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

Yeah that's what I am afraid of. Its a lot of money to spend to not know if I will be able to take full advantage of it (outside of building a PC).

Character Zero said:
Yeah that's what I am afraid of. Its a lot of money to spend to not know if I will be able to take full advantage of it (outside of building a PC).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are some other reasons just besides gaming device to buy this.
If you watch a lot of Netflix the Shield is worth it. You can prop up the screen, and watch videos without having to hold up a tablet. The miniHDMI makes it easy to plug the Shield into the TV and use apps like XDA. It could be used as a mobile home theater device. It's even great as a portable boombox because of the loud speakers.
In addition my PC streaming problem is processor specific.... My processor exceeds the requirements by almost twice what they say (I have two Xeon processors).
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

Character Zero said:
Been looking a the Shield for the last few days and haven't pulled the trigger yet. I have a Droid DNA and Moga controller, so I am not sure if its worth it on the Android side of the Shield. And then my main gaming PC is a laptop with a 750M GPU (kepler) and I don't want to get stuck with the mobile GPUs not being supported. So I am wondering if it is worth it for just he Android games (given I have a phone/controller already) or uif I should gamble that I would be able to stream PC games in the future?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a SGS3 and a GameKlip. So I kind of under stand where you are coming from.
IMO the shield is a premium device. Its like my SGS3/Gameklip is Folger's coffee and the shield is fresh ground Starbucks.
The controller. The speakers. The huge battery. Its all top notch stuff that may be overkill in most ppls mind but if you really enjoy gaming it might be for you. The PC streaming for me is a bonus. I may build a PC to get streaming set up on but its not a priority.
Mostly for me this thing was bought for emulation of old consoles, android gaming and as a media player for around the house (using to play Pandora around the house IS NICE). Sure my phone will do all that. But the shield will do it all so much better.

s0me guy said:
I have a SGS3 and a GameKlip. So I kind of under stand where you are coming from.
IMO the shield is a premium device. Its like my SGS3/Gameklip is Folger's coffee and the shield is fresh ground Starbucks.
The controller. The speakers. The huge battery. Its all top notch stuff that may be overkill in most ppls mind but if you really enjoy gaming it might be for you. The PC streaming for me is a bonus. I may build a PC to get streaming set up on but its not a priority.
Mostly for me this thing was bought for emulation of old consoles, android gaming and as a media player for around the house (using to play Pandora around the house IS NICE). Sure my phone will do all that. But the shield will do it all so much better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You make a good point about the media player aspect. I have a Vita and a 3DS along with all the consoles that I just have no time to play. I am kind of crazy with game consoles, but not sure if I need another one.

Character Zero said:
You make a good point about the media player aspect. I have a Vita and a 3DS along with all the consoles that I just have no time to play. I am kind of crazy with game consoles, but not sure if I need another one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol. you sound a bit like me.
I literally just bought a brand new in sealed box Nintendo DSlite to play slot 1 & 2 flash carts with. Then I buy this thing. To be honest every other console I own is about to get neglected for the foreseeable future. My phone is also starting to get neglected too. Browsing the web is much more fun with shield than my S3. Still not as good as my laptop but the using the anolog sticks and triggers make for a pretty nice way to navigate the web browser.
Posting this fro shield too FYI.

I've definitely enjoyed my Shield. Originally, I was planning to use it mainly for media consumption, but then I downloaded GTA III of the Play Store and it was on. I've spent hours playing GTA just messing around with the cops and driving around.
It still is a good media consumption device too. I can sit it down and watch it, or hold it up while keeping my hands comfortable by adjusting the screen. Once you get the hang of the little analog stick clicking and flicking to pull down menus, scroll, etc. it's pretty great.
The WiFi implementation is superb. It peaks at 300 Mbps on 5 GHz (full 2x2:2 802.11n). The speakers are very loud. I can usually keep my volume set at about 30% when using the device in my house.
The only drawback is that it's pretty heavy. It doesn't really bother me because I'm usually resting my arms on something when I use it, but if you're expecting the weight of a 3DS or Vita, you're going to be disappointed.

cgutman said:
I've definitely enjoyed my Shield. Originally, I was planning to use it mainly for media consumption, but then I downloaded GTA III of the Play Store and it was on. I've spent hours playing GTA just messing around with the cops and driving around.
It still is a good media consumption device too. I can sit it down and watch it, or hold it up while keeping my hands comfortable by adjusting the screen. Once you get the hang of the little analog stick clicking and flicking to pull down menus, scroll, etc. it's pretty great.
The WiFi implementation is superb. It peaks at 300 Mbps on 5 GHz (full 2x2:2 802.11n). The speakers are very loud. I can usually keep my volume set at about 30% when using the device in my house.
The only drawback is that it's pretty heavy. It doesn't really bother me because I'm usually resting my arms on something when I use it, but if you're expecting the weight of a 3DS or Vita, you're going to be disappointed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Speaking of the weight, based on the thread title, I was going to respond: It is 1.5 pounds- You can dooo iiiitt!
I am tempted to get this, but might wait for a price drop to $250.... I wish Best Buy stocked these puppies to try out in store.

rushless said:
Speaking of the weight, based on the thread title, I was going to respond: It is 1.5 pounds- You can dooo iiiitt!
I am tempted to get this, but might wait for a price drop to $250.... I wish Best Buy stocked these puppies to try out in store.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are lucky enough to have a Microcenter near you I believe they have them on display top try out. They did before launch anyway.

Unfortunately no Microcenter and no Gamestop with display for me. But all of the reviews are raving, I can't seem to find one bad review. Except the game streaming is a huge part of the glowing reviews, and since I have a laptop (with a Kepler GPU, so capable) I don't know if I want to gamble on being able to stream down the line. I do like the idea of a Dedicated Android hand held. Using a Moga with my phone just doesn't seem right, plus it kills battery.

Character Zero said:
Unfortunately no Microcenter and no Gamestop with display for me. But all of the reviews are raving, I can't seem to find one bad review. Except the game streaming is a huge part of the glowing reviews, and since I have a laptop (with a Kepler GPU, so capable) I don't know if I want to gamble on being able to stream down the line. I do like the idea of a Dedicated Android hand held. Using a Moga with my phone just doesn't seem right, plus it kills battery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Austin area has one at GameStop (as well as me having one)

Made the impulse purchase this morning. Newegg had the case in stock and had a bundle with the shield, case, faceplate, and HDMI cable for 347. Not a bad deal since I wanted the case anyway. Looking forward to using it when mobile GPUs are supported but for now I have some Android games I can't wait to play.

Check out Ebay guys, I just got the cheapest one posted thusfar (you can see all the old auctions by looking at the completed listings in the filters), an in-box shield in great shape which is already in the post for 250 flat, including shipping, and it has the receipt and hasn't had the warranty registered yet.
You may get lucky like me and find one that someone wants gone fast.

I thought about getting one of these things once. I was gonna beat the crap out of someone and take it so I could put it on eBay. ^_^

I am still waiting to get one problem is we need to pay about £55 custom fees to have it shipped to uk.

i have the first Moga controller + S3/S4. Also pair PS Dual Shock controller + S3.
Moga controller pairing is a nightmare.
With an additional controller, it always take time to setup the phone to play, with Shield you just need to open screen and play.
I can say Shield is definitely a much better experience IMO
The emulator runs great, no lag in controls (especially Mario)
I can finally play Dead Trigger with proper controls (weapon selection need a bit of tweak)
Also trying some of the Shield compatible games and was quite satisfied.
And i didn't even consider about the PC streaming feature.
Btw i have 3DS XL and Vita as well

xtrememorph said:
i have the first Moga controller + S3/S4. Also pair PS Dual Shock controller + S3.
Moga controller pairing is a nightmare.
With an additional controller, it always take time to setup the phone to play, with Shield you just need to open screen and play.
I can say Shield is definitely a much better experience IMO
The emulator runs great, no lag in controls (especially Mario)
I can finally play Dead Trigger with proper controls (weapon selection need a bit of tweak)
Also trying some of the Shield compatible games and was quite satisfied.
And i didn't even consider about the PC streaming feature.
Btw i have 3DS XL and Vita as well
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to agree, I never once wanted this for pc streaming. Got it for emulation. Not sure if i like it more than my 3DS but definitely better than my vita. I love mine but their are still people that wont like it because of looks or because it's because it's basically a phone/tablet and controller. I can't think of one thing negative about it. Best emulators in my opinion are DraStic and m64/Super N64 (anything but mupen) My Boy! and Retroarch. Also as far as android games go I like me some Shadow gun dead zone. Needs more levels though. Also I hope an update comes out soon to use the shield controller or emulate the touch screen controls with non-shield optimized games (Minecraft PE, Call of duty Zombies etc.)

I was worried about getting the shield at first aswell.... out of all my retro and new consoles it has been my goto console for the last month.... it me made respect android gaming, there are some really fun console quality games on the play and shield store plus more to come.... can't wait for Dead Trigger 2 to release.
I can emulate my entire retro console library, it has a beautiful retinal screen plus I use miracast adapter to game on my smart tv wirelessly. Plus I use Onlive to stream AAA PC titles..... the shield is a gaming beast.... as of right now it is also my mediahub for music and movies .... since my tv is connected to my sound system.... I sort of use it as my media remote control.... on top of all that it PORTABLE... no handheld right now packs as much power that can be carried around anywhere you go.
Don't think twice just get one, I promise you wont be disappointed.

james.wilder said:
I was worried about getting the shield at first aswell.... out of all my retro and new consoles it has been my goto console for the last month.... it me made respect android gaming, there are some really fun console quality games on the play and shield store plus more to come.... can't wait for Dead Trigger 2 to release.
I can emulate my entire retro console library, it has a beautiful retinal screen plus I use miracast adapter to game on my smart tv wirelessly. Plus I use Onlive to stream AAA PC titles..... the shield is a gaming beast.... as of right now it is also my mediahub for music and movies .... since my tv is connected to my sound system.... I sort of use it as my media remote control.... on top of all that it PORTABLE... no handheld right now packs as much power that can be carried around anywhere you go.
Don't think twice just get one, I promise you wont be disappointed.
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Click to collapse
What hardware do you use for miracast i want to do something like that wirelessly

[Q] One year later, what are your thoughts on the Ouya?

It's been a little more than 14 months since the Ouya was released last year on June 25th, 2014, which is a decent amount of time to let the device mature.
I bought the device with XBMC in mind, with a chance of a little game development if I ever had the time (I haven't had the time, unfortunately). Today, I still use my Ouya almost daily, but it's almost exclusively for XBMC.
As an XBMC box, I am fairly happy with it, although the streaming and overall UI performance of the overall device could be better. I was into emulation early on when I first bought the Ouya, and it played some retro games sufficiently although it wasn't spectacular with performance and bug issues in the emulators. The controller lag on my Ouya has been unbearable at times, but I had a few controllers replaced by Ouya Inc, which alleviates some of the issues.
As far as installing custom firmware and tweaks, I haven't had too much time to research into an effective combination to improve my experience with the device. In fact, I haven't had a chance to research into the cool things I can do with this little box yet.
All in all, I am fairly happy with my Ouya, and I don't regret the purchase at all, but I am curious what the community thinks of the Ouya after being out in the wild for a year.
Do you still use your Ouya? How so? What apps and programs are you running on it? What games do you play on it? What custom firmware do you run on it?

For xbmc it is OK, I upgraded to a chromebox for my main unit. Kids like playing with it. Emulators work decent. It is now in my kids playroom and they mainly watch cartoons on it. Some Mario and king of monsters. No custom software. I wouldn't say I regret it but I probably should of read up more before buying

nice paperweight
When I first got my ouya I tried some games from the Discover section. They were alright but overall I felt I was just paying too much for android games just because this was boasted as a console. I had hoped for controller support for apps like Minecraft PE or Terraria but neither ever came. It sat in my room for several months as a paperweight and a reminder to not be so quick to back things on Kickstarter. Finally I went to update it and then flash a custom rom onto it and the microusb port was shot. I had to get it replaced so they gave me a refurbished Ouya... not a new one, not even an old one with my KS case back, just a plain case. I updated it and honestly haven't done much with it since. I tried setting it up as a chromecast but it didn't work so it's back to being a paperweight and still works to this day when it comes to keeping me from binge-funding on Kickstarter.
Some games I have enjoyed on it are Amazing Frog, Final Fantasy III (even though it's the same graphics as the Nintendo DS... which I have), and a handful of emulators. I would've bought Towerfall if it wasn't the same price as the PC version. Nothing justifies paying $15 for an android app imo

I bought my Ouya a year ago and I never regret it. I use it every day with XBMC. But these days I tried to play some retro games on emulator SFC NES etc. Super Metroid is fun. Honestly,Ouya platform lacks amazing games. Townfall is great but will you pay almost $15 for it? The only app I bought on Ouya is a sleep app that can emulate sounds of sea waves and stream. The steam machine would replace my Ouya in the future. I'd rather pay money for PC games because of the quality and game experience.
Sent from my Galaxy Note 2

eluong said:
It's been a little more than 14 months since the Ouya was released last year on June 25th, 2014, which is a decent amount of time to let the device mature.
I bought the device with XBMC in mind, with a chance of a little game development if I ever had the time (I haven't had the time, unfortunately). Today, I still use my Ouya almost daily, but it's almost exclusively for XBMC.
As an XBMC box, I am fairly happy with it, although the streaming and overall UI performance of the overall device could be better. I was into emulation early on when I first bought the Ouya, and it played some retro games sufficiently although it wasn't spectacular with performance and bug issues in the emulators. The controller lag on my Ouya has been unbearable at times, but I had a few controllers replaced by Ouya Inc, which alleviates some of the issues.
As far as installing custom firmware and tweaks, I haven't had too much time to research into an effective combination to improve my experience with the device. In fact, I haven't had a chance to research into the cool things I can do with this little box yet.
All in all, I am fairly happy with my Ouya, and I don't regret the purchase at all, but I am curious what the community thinks of the Ouya after being out in the wild for a year.
Do you still use your Ouya? How so? What apps and programs are you running on it? What games do you play on it? What custom firmware do you run on it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I painted mine like rubix cube
So yeah its got XBMC on it ... but i dont know maybe throw KK on it if i can try to use it to play some emulators

Buh-bye Ouya...got an Amazon FireTV and never looked back. Dammit, I even paid 20$ to get a Noctua silent fan (the original was driving me nuts). Any takers?

One year later I'm still using my Ouya regularly.
I’ve had my Ouya for over a year and have had a great experience with it. The system was ‘as advertised’ where you get a base system and with research, effort, a “do it yourself attitude”, a little know how, and patience can get something good out of it. It was designed for the casual gamer, designers, and modders. A selective audience, so I wasn’t expecting the instant gratification of a 5 star product with all the bells and whistles or components that weren’t yet released. In the end, the system is as good as YOU make it.
Currently I’m using it as a media center as well as a gaming platform with CM11 being the primary OS with the Ouya Everywhere framework on top (it works!). When I’m not using a hub for keyboard and mouse I keep a micro 64GB Drive for additional storage in the USB port.
Additional Apks for performance and operation tweaking such as Folder Mount, Screen Rotation, RamExpander, Ouya Mod Collection, ES File Explorer, Clean Master, Air Droid, Shutdown Menu 2.1, Tincore Keymapper, and QuickShortcutMaker.
Media includes: XBMC, Crackle, Viewster, CW, Fox Now, CBS, NBC, History, PBS Kids, Watch Disney, UVideos, WatchESPN, Netflix, Hulu Plus, YouTube, FilmOn, Giniko TV, SPB TV, Twitch, AllCast Reciever
Games include (Note: no “tweaking” needed to be done. Just install and enjoy.): SoulCalibur (Android Version), Asphalt 8, Shadowgun, Dead Trigger 2, Dream League Soccer, Skiing Fred, Sonic CD(Amazon), Sonic 4ep I & II, Cordy 2, Tiny Little Racing 2, N.O.V.A.3, EDGE Extended(Amazon), Riptide GP2, ,Zen Pinball, PPSSPP, Neon Shadow(Ouya Store), Tetris Battle Fusion(Ouya Store), Other Emulators(Ouya Store)
Now there were some setbacks where there were some Google/Amazon games that have controller support but I have not yet been able to get to work on Ouya even with CM11. (Respawnables, Shadow Fight 2, Transformers: Age of Extinction, ShadowGun: DeadZone)
Are there better things out there now? Yes. With effort, can this product still be useful for video and gaming? Yes.

Not a gamer, well exceded my expectations for video/server
Very happy with it, played with games a bit but was underwhelmed. To be fair I get bored with current gen consoles too.
I've got CM11 with Kodi (XBMC 14), Netflix, google music, and assorted A/V apps.
Also have sickbeard, nbzget, transmission, and a few other Linux untils installed via optware.
I bought to replace a pogoplug running Arch linux and an older wd frontend device.
Works phenomenally, even plays 10bit mkv without major issue.
To be fair any decent current android stick/STB could likely handle what I need. When bought is was the best performance per dollar.
If buying now I'd get a http://www.solid-run.com/ cubox-1 eSata, 2 usb, gigabit lan.
Probably still run android on the top, linux userland on the bottom.
Controller is hopeless though. Hausbell h7 is good and only $15, just a minor twaek to the .kl file and great
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B9996LA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

How much?
Ipse_Tase said:
Buh-bye Ouya...got an Amazon FireTV and never looked back. Dammit, I even paid 20$ to get a Noctua silent fan (the original was driving me nuts). Any takers?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wouldn't mind another ouya for my camp. How much ya want?

dougunder said:
Wouldn't mind another ouya for my camp. How much ya want?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Would be too much trouble to ship to US...I am in Canada.

New to OUYA and loving it !
Goal:
To have media center and information KIOSK in Smart Electric Vehicle.
The OUYA is 12 volt and I am using Insignia HDTV also 12 volt.
Next step is to check power quality of DC to DC (12v) converter in car.
OUYA rumored to be at risk on noisy power in ICE vehicle.
Samsung Tab 2 on Verizon will be HOT Spot with Beagle Bone Black as Web Server.
Also installed XDA One with limited use due to navigation hassles.

I'm considering buying one soon

Was fun to tinker with, but gets no use now
The ouya was a cool idea that never really paid out. I bought mine last xmas, downloaded xbmc, rooted it and played a few ps1 games on an emulator and never used it again. It never receieved the support it deserved and was forgotten mostly because of that. I still check in on these forums time to time just to check if anyone has completed any useful custom roms, but no luck yet(still waiting on that Android TV port). I have a chromecast, netflix and a macbook so XBMC feels pretty bad to me tbh. Everytime I want to use XBMC it has to update all the addons, then half the time the primewire app doesn't even work, and I'll have to try project free TV(which only works about half the time as well). So netflix or streaming off my macbook via chromecast is almost always the better option. I would like to see some more life in my ouya again, but just about all my other devices function better. An Android gaming system is a very cool concept, it sucks that the execution was so poor/supporting apps are so few.

Disappointed...
The device has potential but or the lack of software or the fact that are cheap Android Sticks out there that can do almost the same makes me feel disappointed...
Have one and i only use it for XBMC/Kodi, but my Raspberry Pi is able to handle that too so...

Bought it like many others as the best hardware for the price at the time. Primarily for XBMC with the potential for Android Apks to unleash further potential
Probably wish I had gone with Amazon Fire TV in hindsight.
It now sits gathering dust - Chromecast is used for all the kids stuff - cartoons etc
And I have an AMlogic Minix X8H for XBMC/SPMC - which I like and may look to install alternative ROMs etc.

It's nice. I can't say I love it, but I don't hate it, either. I had some fun with three or four games, and I sometimes emulate something on it. I wouldn't recommend it to anybody, but I don't regret buying it.

The Ouya is a good dust-collector now.
The fan is too loud for using it as TV Multimedia player. The lags are too big for using it as SNES-Emulator. There is still no easy-to-install Linux port, since the community wasn't interested in the Ouya.
So all in all it is a big fail. But the controllers are good, I use them when I emulate SNES in Windows now (where it works fine and without lags).

Pkmns said:
It's nice. I can't say I love it, but I don't hate it, either. I had some fun with three or four games, and I sometimes emulate something on it. I wouldn't recommend it to anybody, but I don't regret buying it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nicely said. Never understood why they did not include Netflix, Hulu, Amazon? This made it so I had to shut off my Ouya and use another box for these apps or sideload them (much cleaner on Fire or android tv anyway). The lack of leadership in the public eye has really hurt them?Have heard next to nothing from Julie in a good while? Then there is the outdated chipset to me putting the old model back in stock would not be a good business move for Ouya just my opinion. I have had issues with there forum very poor additude!