My PlayStation Vita

Bill Loguidice is a top business, technology, staffing, and creative professional, a noted videogame historian and subject matter expert, and a critically acclaimed author. Bill is also the cofounder and managing director for the online publication, Armchair Arcade, one of PC Magazine’s Top 100 Websites. As a renowned videogame and computer historian and collector, Bill personally owns and maintains more than 400 different systems from the 1970s to the present day, including a large volume of associated software, accessories, and literature. It is from these great resources and his sincere passion for the topic that Bill is often called upon to provide subject matter expertise to both public and private media interests. Bill has coauthored numerous books, including My Xbox: Xbox 360, Kinect, and Xbox LIVE; Vintage Games: An Insider Look at the History of Grand Theft Auto, Super Mario, and the Most Influential Games of All Time; Wii Fitness For Dummies; and Motorola ATRIX For Dummies. He is also a writer and producer on the feature film documentary from Lux Digital Pictures, Gameplay: The Story of the Videogame Revolution. Website: www.armchairarcade.com Christina T. Loguidice is a scientific, technical, and medical editor and writer. Over her publishing career, she has overseen numerous peer-reviewed medical journals and healthcare technology magazines, including Surgical Rounds, Cardiology Review, Resident & Staff Physician, Oncology Net Guide, and OncNurse. Christina is currently the editorial director of Annals of Long-Term Care: Clinical Care and Aging and Clinical Geriatrics, both of which are monthly peer-reviewed clinical journals that reach geriatricians and healthcare providers caring for elderly persons, including in the long-term care setting. She reports from several medical conventions annually. Christina has always had an interest in technology and in fitness and nutrition. She is the coauthor of Wii Fitness For Dummies and My Xbox: Xbox 360, Kinect, and Xbox LIVE. She enjoys working out in her home gym with her husband and using the virtual gyms afforded by various gaming platforms.

1  Getting Started   3
Unboxing Your Vita   4
  Understanding the Vita Models   4
  Breaking Down the Components    5
Charging the Vita   12
  Using the AC Adapter   13
  Using the USB   14
Setting Up Your Vita   14
  Beginning First-Time Setup   15
  Operating the Vita   16
  Standby Mode and Powering On or Off   20
Understanding Card Media   20
  Memory Cards   20
  PlayStation Vita Cards   22
  SIM Card   24
Understanding Your Warranty   25
Accessorizing Your Vita   26
  Cases   26
  Screen Protectors   26
  Docks   28
  Headphones   28
  Styluses   30
2  Understanding and Working with the Interface Screens   33
Unlock Screen   34
  Changing the Unlock Screen Wallpaper   34
Home Screen   37
  Examining Your Vita’s Preinstalled Apps   37
  Getting Into Edit Mode   40
  Moving App and Game Icons   41
  Deleting an App or Game   42
  Changing the Home Screen Wallpaper   43
  Obtaining Vita Wallpaper Online   44
LiveArea Screen   45
Application Screen   46
Info Bar   47
Index Screen   49
Playing in Welcome Park   49
  Digit Chase   51
  Snap + Slide   53
  Skate Axis   54
  Sound Loop   54
  Hello Face   55
3  Settings and Networking on Your Vita   57
LiveArea Screen for Settings   58
  Flight Mode   59
  System Update   59
  Connecting Over Wi-Fi or 3G   60
  Connecting to a PlayStation 3   61
  Connecting to a Computer   62
  Network   63
  Deleting a Bluetooth Device   67
  Finding IMEI and ICCID Numbers   70
  Purchasing a Data Plan Using Your Vita   71
  Purchasing a Data Plan Via a Web Browser   72
  Checking Usage Period for Your DataConnect Pass   72
  PlayStation Network   74
  Setting Up an Account on Your Vita   75
  Adding an Existing PlayStation Account   77
  Signing In to Your Account   78
  Signing Out of Your Account   79
  Account Information   79
  Application Data Management   82
  Notifications   82
  Sound & Display   83
  Location Data   84
  Security   84
  Checking an Apps Restriction Level   85
  Date & Time   86
  Language   87
  System   88
  Format   89
  Power Save Settings   90
  Using Safe Mode to Troubleshoot   91
4  Getting Oriented with Near and Maps   93
Accessing Near and Enabling Location Data   94
Touring Near’s LiveArea and Application Screens   96
  Near LiveArea Screen   96
  Near Application Screen   97
Near Settings   98
  Location Data   98
  Sharing Settings   99
  Establishing Private Zones   101
  Unit of Distance   103
  Game Good Settings   103
  Delete All “Near” Data   103
  Terms of Service and Privacy Policy   104
Getting Out and About   104
  Out-and-About History Screen   104
  Out-and-About Radar Screen   105
  Out-and-About and Local Charts   107
  Players’ Voice Screen   108
Checking on Friends   109
Viewing Discoveries   110
Working with Profiles   111
  Sending Friend Requests   113
  Updating Your Avatar and Profile   115
Finding Your Way with the Maps App   116
  Accessing Maps for the First Time   117
  Maps LiveArea Screen   118
  Maps Application Screen   118
  Searching for a Location   119
  Accessing the Information Screen for a Search Result   120
  Obtaining Directions   121
  Placing a User Flag   122
  Deleting a User Flag   123
  Bookmarking a Location   124
  Hiding a Bookmarked Location    125
  Viewing a Bookmarked Location   125
  Viewing Search History for Locations and Directions   126
  Editing Bookmarks and Search Histories   127
  Working with Maps Settings   128
5  Shopping in the PlayStation Store   131
Navigating the Online Shop   132
  Examining the Store   133
  Understanding Content Items   134
  Downloading Content   135
  Paying for Purchases   136
  Adding Funds   137
  Managing Sub Account Funds   138
  Checking PlayStation Store Usage   139
  Redownloading Content   141
6  Exploring Social Apps   143
Getting to Know the Party App   144
  Party LiveArea and Party and Application Screens   144
  Creating Parties   146
  Joining Parties   148
  Conducting Text Chats   150
  Recommending a Friend   151
  Approving Recommended Persons   152
Using the Friends App   153
  Friends LiveArea and Application Screens   153
  Sending Friend Requests   154
  Blocking Individuals   155
  Unblocking Individuals   156
Group Messaging with Friends   157
  LiveArea Screen   157
  Sending Messages   158
  Managing Messages   160
Connecting and Sharing with Facebook   161
  Facebook LiveArea Screen   161
  Navigating the Facebook App   162
Sharing and Discovering with Twitter   166
  Twitter LiveArea Screen   166
  Authorizing LiveTweet   167
  Navigating LiveTweet   168
Checking in with foursquare   171
  foursquare LiveArea Screen   172
  Getting a Handle on foursquare   172
Making the Call with Skype   177
  Getting Started with Skype   178
  Examining the Skype Application   179
7  Surfing with the Internet Browser   183
Using the LiveArea Screen for the Browser   184
  Surfing the Web   185
  Entering Web Addresses   186 
  Working with Pages   187
  Opening Multiple Browser Windows   187
  Saving Images   188
  Uploading Files   188
Working with Bookmarks and Browsing History   189
  Adding Bookmarks   189
  Opening a Bookmark   190
  Organizing Bookmarks   190
  Viewing Your Browsing History   191
Browser Settings   191
8  Managing Media with Content Manager   195
  Using LiveArea Screen for Content Manager 196
Working with a Computer 196
  Installing Content Manager Assistant for Windows 198
  Installing Content Manager Assistant for Macintosh 200
  Copying and Deleting Content 201
  Backing Up and Restoring Content 203
Working with a PlayStation 3 204
  Copying and Deleting Content 204
  Backing Up and Restoring Content 206
  Deleting Outdated Backups 207
9  Gaming on Your Vita   209
Trophies   210
  Using LiveArea for Trophies   210
  Synchronizing Trophies   211
  Viewing Vita Trophies   211
  Viewing Trophies for All Systems   212
Remote Play with the PlayStation 3   214
  Using LiveArea Screen for Remote Play   214
  Registering Your Vita with a PlayStation 3   215
  Playing Remotely via PlayStation 3 Wi-Fi   217
  Playing Remotely via the Internet   218
  Enabling PlayStation 3 Remote Start   219
  Controlling the PlayStation 3   220
Other Interactions with the PlayStation 3   222
  Cross-Platform Play   222
  Cross-Controller   222
  Cross-Save   223
  Cross-Goods   223
  Companion Apps   224
Must-Play Vita Games   224
Must-Play PlayStation Minis Games   231
Must-Play PlayStation One Games   234
Must-Play PlayStation Portable Games   237
10  Snapping Pictures and Video with the Cameras   241
Viewing the Photos LiveArea Screen   242
Getting into Shooting Mode   243
  Taking Photos   245
  Capturing Video   246
Looking at Viewing Mode   247
  Examining the Thumbnails Screen   247
  Deleting Images and Videos   248
  Viewing Individual Photos and Videos   249
  Adjusting Slideshow Settings   251
  Cropping Photos   253
  Sharing Photos   254
Getting to Know Flickr   255
  Examining the Flickr LiveArea Screen   256
  Touring the Flickr Interface   256
  Browsing Photos with Flickr   258
  Uploading Images to Flickr   259
  Taking a Picture and Uploading It   260
  Uploading a Stored Photo   261
  Adding Tags and Information to Your Photos   262
  Tweaking Flickr’s Layout on Vita   263
11  Viewing Video Content   265
Understanding the Videos App   266
Examining the Videos LiveArea Screen   266
Playing Video via the Videos App   267
  Controlling Playback with Buttons   269
  Adjusting Video Settings   270
Watching Netflix   270
  Getting Started with the Netflix App   271
  Navigating the Netflix App   272
Watching YouTube with the YouTube App   273
Video Sharing with Niconico   276
  Getting Started with Niconico   276
  Navigating the Niconico App   278
12  Tuning in to Music   281
Understanding the Music App   282
  Examining the Music LiveArea Screen   282
  Listening to Music via the Music App   283
  Playing Music in the Background   286
Getting to Know Music Unlimited   287
  Signing Up for Music Unlimited   288
  Disabling Auto-Renewal   288
  Understanding the Music Unlimited Interface   289
  Making Songs Available Offline   292
Getting Help with Your PlayStation Vita   293
Index   295