Weighing in at a mere 4 ounces and barely bigger than a deck of playing cards, Sony is set to release this tiny piece of tech in North America on Oct 14 with the hope this is the start of an invasion into every home TV. Sony has crafted what may turn out to be the smallest sized but biggest impact tiny technological trojan horse. WiFi and ethernet capable, as well as able to handle PS Vita Memory cards, this diminutive device is a PS console in disguise. Throw in an USB port and HDMI out and such a conclusion seems even more apt even though Sony has labelled it as the Playstation TV.
The Playstation TV is a multi-purpose device that will offer TV, movie, and gaming streaming services. Which streaming will be available outside of Sony’s streaming services such as Music Unlimited and their video service is not known but it was just reported recently that Sony signed an agreement with Viacom that will allow the streaming of over 20 channels, including MTV and Nickelodeon. Excluding Netflix seems unimaginable but given Sony’s propensity for proprietary accessories such as their memory cards and power supplies it is not unthinkable. Tactically, this would be a big mistake especially since Netflix is already accessible with the PS3 and PS4.
Where the real power of this device lies in it’s capability to interface with Sony’s other consoles like the PS4. For a quarter of the cost the consumer gets another PS4 console. Very handy as it allows them to hook it up to their alternate TV and game if the primary one is being used by someone else. This mini-console not only handles PS4 streaming but it also plays Vita games too. And there’s even more. It also has Sony’s game streaming service – PS Now too.  This gives the Playstation TV access to over 1,000 games for it’s launch date.
The PlayStation TV has a lot packed into it considering its size. The hardware features:
-
a Cortex A9 processor,
-
1 GB internal storage
-
Ethernet
-
USB 2.0
-
HDMI ports
-
802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi
-
Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
It will work with either PS3 or PS4 controllers.
Sony’s PlayStation TV is being released in two configurations. Â A $99 stand alone bundle the contains nothing but the PlayStation TV or a bundled for $139 in the US. That one comes with a Dualshock 3 controller, an 8GB memory card, and a copy of the Lego Movie Vita game.
 
This little rose has a major thorn though and an unnecessary one at that. Yes, the PlayStation TV will accept Vita game cards but in that obstinate Sony way, those same proprietary – and expensive – game storage cards must also be used to supplement the single gigabyte of internal storage. No SD or micro-SD cards allowed here which are much cheaper.
Opinions vary of course on how successful this device will be. One of the silliest points I see being argued is that Sony is doing the same thing with the Playstation TV that Microsoft tried at launch with the Xbox One; Selling a console with integrated TV services yet instead of being slammed for it like Microsoft did when they presented the Xbox One, Sony is getting praise.
Plain silly. This is not a mandatory purchase. The PS4 was positioned and sold as a gaming console first. Microsoft’s messaging about the purpose of the Xbox One confused consumers as to what the new console was all about – and it can be argued is part of the reason why MS is now playing catch up to PS4. No, Playstation TV is all about offering the consumer choice. If they are interested in the functionality it provides they will buy it.  If they are not, they will not. A purchase of the Playstation TV is not a requirement to enjoy a Sony game playing experience but it is one that offers the consumer new services outside of the core gaming one… and that is always a good thing.
It will be interesting to see how well the Playstation TV does at launch. My gut feeling is it will do quite well. Maybe not at launch but definitely over the long haul. This is an excellent extension of the current Sony Playstation gaming environment. A mini-console could lead to every home TV being hooked up to Sony’s online and digital content. A Trojan Horsed all purpose device.