Sony's PS Vita TV Poised To Compete With Apple TV

Sony's new PlayStation PS Vita TV mini console, announced this week, surprised many gamer and tech experts as the compacted device seems positioned to take on Apple TV.

Tech news site TheVerge.com reported that the PS Vita TV's 6x10-centimeter console and set-top box connects to a TV and is based on PlayStation Vita hardware. That means users can play Vita, PSP and PS1 games and also get a variety of other entertainment services and PlayStation 4 cross-functionality.

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"The PS Vita TV matches the Apple TV on price while offering a far more robust gaming proposition," TheVerge.com's Sam Byford wrote Monday. "Apple may have a serious new competitor on its hands. And if nothing else, it's an unexpected lease on life for the PS Vita handheld, which has struggled to gain serious traction in the marketplace."

Colin Moriarty, of IGN.com, said PS Vita TV was the biggest surprise to come from Sony, saying the new console is the smallest ever made for PlayStation. 

"The idea of PS Vita TV is to let you play Vita games on the big screen using a DualShock 3 controller, but there's actually more to it than that," Moriarty wrote. "While PS Vita TV has a card slot for Vita games, and accepts Vita memory cards, it will also let you use video streaming services (such as Hulu) and more. It will even let you play your PlayStation 4 via Remote Play with DualShock 4; this functionality will come later via system update."

Sony did not make an announcement for when the PS Vita TV will hit American game stores but it will roll out in Japan on Nov. 14 for the yen equivalent of $95, according to CNET.com. 

"While a Vita redesign seemed inevitable, the Vita TV is mostly a surprise, though it does provide insight into how Sony will approach its campaign to invade your home when the PlayStation 4 launches Nov. 15," CNET.com reported. "Think of (PS Vita TV) as a Roku-esque box with a slot for Vita games and memory cards. Odds are it won't be as versatile as a Roku, but we don't have the specifics on which services will ultimately be available."

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