If still you haven’t been able to put your feet up on a PlayStation 5 (and you’re not alone) and get ready to join the party. Sony says it is increasing the production of the console, which has been notoriously difficult to obtain since its launch in late 2020 due to persistent supply chain problems.
In a call with investors this week, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan said that the shortage of materials that kept the PS5 off the shelves was “improving” and that Sony planned to “increase more” in production. .
According to a Reuters report of the call, Ryan says Sony expects to produce 18 million consoles by 2022, compared to 11.5 in 2021. That’s a 57 percent increase.
The news comes as some Chinese cities set up new blockades to curb the spread of Covid-19, which analysts fear could further disrupt manufacturing schedules and continue to increase global consumer product shipments. Sony says its own manufacturing pipeline is improving despite these new developments.
Sony also announced that another State of Play event will take place on Thursday, June 2nd. Tune in to the live stream to see trailers and teasers for new PlayStation titles, as well as game updates coming to PlayStation VR2.
Here’s what else happened this week.
Xdongle Cometh
Microsoft has confirmed that it is working on a streaming stick. Whispers from a Chromecast-like device that connects to Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming service have been floating around for years, and now the company has told Jez Corden on Windows Central that this will come.
The Microsoft code name for this device is Keystone. We don’t know what it looks like or any other details, but the concept is clear: connect a low-cost dongle to your TV’s HDMI port, and then use it to access Xbox games that live in the cloud. This would not only allow Xbox fans to play all of their games anywhere (in their bedroom, at home, at a friend’s house), but also open up console-style games (and Xbox Game subscriptions). Pass) to people who do not own it. an expensive Xbox console.
Microsoft did not provide any details on pricing or release date, though you shouldn’t expect to see this until next year at the earliest.
Look at this, Google
If you’re one of the millions of people who own a Samsung Galaxy Watch4, take a quick look at your wrist and check your notifications. A WearOS update has been released this week that adds Google Assistant support to your laptop. So now you can talk to your Assistant by talking to your car or holding down the home button. The update (which was available on May 23) also adds Google Pay, YouTube Music and Maps to the Galaxy Watch4 service list.
Our own Julian Chokkattu reviewed the Galaxy Watch4 and the Watch4 Classic last year. These watches were Samsung’s first after abandoning its self-produced Tizen mobile operating system in favor of Google’s WearOS. This change made the watches have a rating of 7/10 and the coveted “Recommend with cable” badge. Huzzah.
Surrounded by sound
In 2017 I visited a really cool music venue here in San Francisco called Envelope. It is a room designed to experience space audio, with 32 speakers built into eight batteries arranged in a wide oval around the audience. It is totally immersive and totally dreamy. One of the most interesting parts of attending an Envelope concert is that you can walk up to each stack of individual speakers to hear different details, and then find a place in the room to sit or sit that gives you a mix. unique according to your position in the room. 3D space.
Envelope, a nonprofit organization that manages Envelope, also uses software add-ons that digital musicians can use to organize their compositions for 360-degree audio environments. Now this same team has developed a streaming version of the experience called Envelop Stream that allows anyone in the world to attend virtually the concerts at the venue through a web browser.
Metaversal attendees can purchase a ticket for an event, browse a mockup of the Envelope space with stacks of virtual speakers, then browse the room and mix streaming audio on the fly by changing their position. Check out a demo. It works best with 5.1 surround systems or quad-tone settings, but headphones also work.
There are plenty of events during the summer, such as sound baths, immersive soundscapes, listening parties for popular artists and a DJ set by Tycho. Mushrooms are strictly BYO.
