One thing that Microsoft's Xbox One has been able to boast over Sony's PlayStation 4 is the console's ability to "snap," or transition back and forth with ease between listening to music, playing a game, watching television, or doing some of those activities on the same time. Because people like to party. Now, a new app is bringing the PlayStation to the Xbox One's level.
Post Kinectless Xbox One, Microsoft Still Claims They'll Win Race Thanks to Games, Not Lower Price
As of today, owners will be able to use their PlayStation 3 to watch television, and not through some kind of streaming service like Netflix or Hulu. According to a post on the PlayStation Blog, "PlayStation fans who are DISH subscribers can now take control of their Hopper Whole-Home HD DVR with the new DISH 'Virtual Joey' app."
Yes, that hopper, the one with all the commercials where everyone sounds like Peter Griffin (see below). It already works with tablets and smartphones, so a console must've seemed like the next logical step.
You've Seen South Park's Take on the PS4 Vs Xbox One Battle, Now Here's Ron Burgundy's
Rob Sadler, DISH Product Manager, broke down how it all works: "Virtual Joey allows you to seamlessly tap into your Hopper using your PS3 without additional wires or boxes. The app communicates with Hopper over your home Ethernet connection, providing an easier, clutter-free way to watch your favorite shows, live sports, thousands of On Demand titles, and DVR recordings."
If you're a DISH customer, you can grab the app from the PlayStation Store. DISH also has plans to bring the feature to the PlayStation 4 sometime down the road. Granted, that makes it a little less accessibility than the snap feature of the Xbox One, but if other cable providers follow suit, it could spell trouble for the boys at Redmond.
Under the hood, the PlayStation 4 boasts Supercharged PC architecture, X86 CPU, Enhanced PC GPU, and 8GB Unified Memory. It supports the same PlayStation Plus service as the Vita and PlayStation 3. Sony has also updated the Dual Shock controllers with a touch screen and improved shoulder triggers, and bundles the console with a headset. Its exclusives include inFamous: Second Son, MLB 14: The Show, and The Last of Us.
In the opposite corner, Microsoft's Xbox One claims an 8-core x86 processor and Microsoft hopes it will take the place of the family room cable box by letting you watch Blu-ray movies and TV through the console, in a "seamless transition" that lets players switch from playing games to watching shows and/or movies. It will come fully loaded with 8GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive. The console's exclusives include Dead Rising 3, Killer Instinct, Ryse: Son of Rome, and more recently, Titanfall.
