Sony’s PS Vita reminds us a little of the inimitable comedienne from the 80’s, Rodney “I don’t get no respect” Dangerfield.

Like Dangerfield, Sony’s slick portable console doesn’t get the acknowledgment  it deserves, nor the abundance of crafted titles that we would like to see coming its way more frequently.

What it does get though, is frequent system updates, with the latest being v2.6. For those who own the PS Vita, the new update enhances the console’s functionality with a few nifty features.

The first of these is improved access to PlayStation Network (PSN) to enable players to more easily download or upload their saved data. While a PlayStation Plus membership is required, this is not only useful for cloud storage of one’s saved files, it is also used by cross play games to enable players to share their game progress between the PS3 and the PS Vita.   

The update also enables users to play content that is saved on a connected device, such as a PS3 or PC, without first having to copy that content to the portable console.

Living in a bubble

Additionally, the PS Vita’s home screen can now be customised using the system’s buttons. Pressing any button when on the home screen highlights a bubble cursor; and by pressing the triangle button, one then enters into edit mode and can create new folders or delete items.

Furthermore, each game can now be specified as to whether or not it displays trophy data,  while the update further offers the ability to adjust playback settings, such as those for the screen and subtitles, while watching a streaming video on a web page. Finally, we were happy to see that the bubble icons appear noticeably sharper.

To the point

Granted, for the most part these may be small tweaks, but it is still heartening to see that Sony at least is paying attention to making the PS Vita progressively better as a device. Maybe, with the launch of the PS4, Sony will have a chance to once again make a case for a broader adoption by both developers and players alike, and in a way, take each Back to School about the Vita’s viability for dedicated, portable gaming.

In recent news, Sony launched a dedicated channel for indie games on the PS Vita, in a bid to lure more independant developers to its console.