As a veteran PlayStation® gamer and customer I can honestly say that the console has greatly evolved since its first generation release. The PlayStation was my first ever console and I've stuck with it through the years through thick and thin, outright refusing to switch to Microsoft’s Xbox. Now that I have PS4 I can say I made the right decision. For full feature information start here, http://www.playstation.com/en-us/explore/ps4/features. As for the PlayStation camera you can teach your PS4 to recognize you, use voice chat in your games, access system commands, connect with the game world via broadcasts. You can broadcast yourself in play with the camera, add picture-in-picture video of yourself during game play live streams. Easily create then share a narrated game walkthrough in HD video. Voice chatting through four built in mics. The camera has 3D depth sensing and DUALSHOCK®4 wireless controllers light bar track a players movements throughout. It allows you to log in instantly with facial recognation and then navigate the system menu hands free with your voice input. Controlling in game actions through physical gestures puts your gaming in motion. PSVita features, that’s better left for someone else as I couldn't even begin to tell you anything about them as I have never owned one.
What's in the box?
The PS4 comes with the Playstation®4 system, DUALSHOCK®4
wireless controller, HDMI® cable, AC power cord, Mono headset, USB cable, and
Printed Materials.
What's new?
The PS4 has so many new and awesome features. The new
controller can be a bit jarring to use at first but it is clearly superior to
previous models. The DUALSHOCK®4 wireless controller feels very different but
yet familiar at the same time. The analog sticks and trigger buttons have a
better feel and are a vast improvement for those more competitive gamers on
games such as Battlefield 4 and other FPS games. They are easier to use and the
material on the analog sticks have a grip-like material eliminating the need
for grip covers without it being overly thick and clumsy, although being thin
this could lead to them wearing out faster on the down side. The biggest
difference is the all new touch pad. I'll be honest, when Sony unveiled its
first look at the PS4 and its controller, I had my doubts. To put it simply, I
thought it was ugly and looked so differently from previous generation that I
was afraid that they had changed too much. The touch pad isn't used in all PS4
games, and those that do utilize it have only positive effects. This touchpad
now in my opinion has just added value to this new controller.
The most exciting change to the controller is the all new
share button and built in gameplay recording function. Sony encourages PS4
users to share their experience with as many people as possible and thus added
a simple gameplay capture device into the PS4, allowing you to now record your
gameplay, edit it, and share it. The console even has a free basic editing application
called SHAREfactory for gaming videos. This is my favorite feature because like
a lot of people on the PS3, I can’t afford a professional capture device or the
software needed to edit and make gameplay videos. The recording function also
gives you the capability of live streaming your gameplay on Twitch or Ustream;
however I don’t recommend live streaming any online gameplay unless you have a
good internet connection as it can cause connection issues. Thus losing your
live streaming and causing lots of frustration.
As a more competitive gamer, the best change is the party
chat feature. PS4 has added the party chat feature that was previously unique
to the Xbox 360. The party chat makes communication in online gameplay with
friends much easier, and it’s even great if you just want to hang out with your
friends in a party chat while you watch Netflix, or edit a video in
SHAREfactory, or even play a single player game.
More than a gaming console!
The PS4 isn't just about gaming either. It has many other applications
such as Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, RedBox instant, Amazon and that is just the big
stuff. There are other various other television and movie applications, a
default web browser, even Music and live broadcasting features. All of these
applications are easy to access and are right there for you when you first
start up. I personally only use Netflix or watch my Blu-ray movies on it but it
has a large selection of different television applications. The only thing that
is missing is the YouTube application, which at the 2013 E3 conference Sony
stated that the feature would not be available at launch but would be added
soon, and was again confirmed at the 2014 E3 conference. While it is taking
longer than usual it isn't really Sony's fault as it has something to do with
licensing.
Gamer Focused, Developer Inspired
While Sony and the previous Playstation consoles have had
some problems, this next generation console trumps any doubts I have ever had
about the company. You can see that Sony has listened to its customers (and
still is), taken their positive and negative feedback about previous
generations, and adapted with its market. With PS4, Sony has made the users and
their experience its main focus. For them it’s about the gamers, which is a
breath of fresh air since most companies could seem to care less about their
customers these days, but Sony seems on top of all the bugs and fixes them
promptly from my experience.
Base price: $399.99 plus tax not including the addition fee for PSN membereship and is sold at most stores like Gamestop, Walmart, Target, Best Buy.
Conclusion
I look forward to everything PS4 will have to offer in the
future, and I have no doubt that the years to come will be exciting,
groundbreaking, and fun.
