PS3 Fanboy

It appears that speculation has become truth: the official PS3 Bluetooth headset will be available in North America with a MSRP of $49.99. For only $10 more, players will be able to get the SOCOM Confrontation bundle, which includes the headset and a copy of the upcoming shooter on Blu-ray disc. Although PS3 is compatible with most Bluetooth headsets, a new firmware update will enhance the experience when using the official headset. A new High-Quality (HQ) mode will use "advanced wireless technologies and the Headset's dual-microphone design to enable clear and wide-band wireless voice communication with the PS3 system."

Sony is promising future titles will support HQ mode. For example, future games may have voice animation where the in-game character will mimic your speech. Proximity chat will offer voice playback in full surround sound, to match the sound effects featured in the game.

The $50 headset will also be compatible with most cell phones. In addition, it will also work as a desktop microphone when docked with the supplied charging cradle. However, note that HQ mode is only available on the PS3, for titles that support HQ mode.

The official PS3 headset, which will be bundled with SOCOM Confrontation, really may be as high as $50 when it releases as a standalone product later this year. This would make the $60 SOCOM bundle an obvious deal, as it would give players both the headset and access to the online shooter for only $10 more than the headset alone.

The headset, which will debut on October 30th in Japan, will cost 5000 yen (~$45.93). It is supposedly of a much higher quality than the headset included with Warhawk last year.

The Blu-ray retail version of SOCOM Confrontation will include a Bluetooth headset. However, expect something much classier than the one included in the Warhawk bundle so long ago. This one is made specifically with gaming in mind -- and as such, earns the official PlayStation branding. The headset, which will also be available seperately from the game, is designed for long use and even includes a much-needed Mute button, a feature uncommon to most Bluetooth headsets. The device will also include a USB cradle, so that it can be charged via the PS3.

While neither the design and price have been completely finalized, Sony plans on pricing this quite competitively. From the looks of its quality, we believe Sony will charge more than what they did for Warhawk.

We were originally excited about the official Metal Gear Solid 4 headset. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear as though the headset is worth the money. Gadget Madness has posted an incredibly helpful video review of the device, and it highlights the rather poor audio quality produced by the device. The recordings are very fuzzy, to the point where words blur and become indecipherable. Yikes! While this headset may not do the trick, we're confident that Sony's official SOCOM headset will blow away the competition in both quality and value.

A few months ago, we reported that SOCOM Confrontation will release in retail stores with a brand new Bluetooth headset for $60 -- it's a similar package to the one crafted for Warhawk, but this new headset will be officially PlayStation-branded. An e-mail about an upcoming SOCOM media event made quick mention of the device, confirming its existence, but offered no new details. We hope to get some pictures and some ears-on time with the new headset later this month.

The last time we saw this stylish Metal Gear Solid 4 headset we were only treated to a drawing of what the product would look like. It wasn't the actual thing. The picture above, however, is a shot of the real piece of equipment. Isn't it beautiful? Don't you just want one? We know we do.

The headset is a Bluetooth 2.0 device and will work with both the PS3 and mobile phones. The headset is priced at $59.99 in North America and should be available alongside the launch of MGS4 on June 12. If you want to see more pics of the headset and its carrying case, head on over here.

[Via Engadget]

Looks like a Metal Gear Solid 4-branded Bluetooth headset is about to come out, just in time for the release of the game. For a MSRP of $60, this gray over-the-ear headset will allow you to trashtalk opponents in Metal Gear Online. The device has 8 hours of talktime, a 30 foot range, and comes with a carrying case. Obviously, it'll work for all PS3 games, not just MGS4.

[Via Digg]

A supposedly leaked PowerPoint presentation revealed a new official Bluetooth headset for PS3. Set to launch in July/August, the headset would retail for $50 individually. More exciting, however, is SOCOM Confrontation bundle that's mentioned: both the game and headset would hit retail for $60.

The design of this rumored headset is an improvement over the one offered with Warhawk. However, don't get your hopes up quite yet. When asked for comment, a SCEA representative told us that "we have currently made no announcements for a new PS3 headset so any information is speculation and rumor."

Need more accessories that match your PS3's sexy piano black coat? Logitech has got your back. Coming soon are a Bluetooth gaming headset and a Bluetooth keyboard with touch pad, both in that shade of black that PS3 owners can't get enough of. The laptop runs on 2 AA batteries, but the headset comes with a rechargeable battery. The Cordless Vantage Headset and the Cordless MediaBoard Pro will retail for $79.99 each.

Just a guess, but maybe this Logitech headset is higher quality than the one bundled with Warhawk? Hardcore Warhawk fans (or those who bought the download version) might want to keep an eye out for this headset.

[via Pocket-lint]