If using a PS3, your password can only be changed on your own PS3 (or a PS3 on which your PSN account was activated), as an added layer of security. If you have never downloaded any content using your account on the system, an email will be sent to the registered sign-in ID (email address) associated with your account when you first attempt to sign-in to PSN. This e-mail will contain a link that will enable you to change your password. In this email, click on the link and follow the instructions to change your password. Once you have changed your password you can sign-in to your account using your new password.

We strongly recommend that all PSN account holders with PS3s update their systems to prepare for when PlayStation Network is back online. The release of this update is a critical step as we work to make PlayStation Network significantly more secure. Thank you for your continued support and patience.

Main features in system software update version 3.50

• Blu-ray 3D disc playback.

The PS3 system can now play 3D content on Blu-ray 3D discs.

Note:

• A 3D compatible television that complies with the 3D standard and a high-speed HDMI cable are required to watch 3D content.
• Depending on the content, some elements may be displayed differently in 3D on the PS3 system than on other playback devices.

Other new or revised features in version 3.50

Friends

• You can now submit grief reports if you receive unwelcome or harassing messages.

Other

• You can now access public information on Facebook from Facebook-supported games.

Main features in system software update version 3.42

* A patch has been added to address security vulnerability in the system software.

Here are a few highlights from the new PS3 firmware update (v3.40):

• PlayStation Plus: PSN users will be able to purchase membership to PlayStation Plus which is a new premium subscription service on PSN that lets you expand and enhance your gaming experience and enable you to gain an exclusive set of features and content. Don’t forget though, all PSN users will continue to have free access to PSN’s existing and brand new features while PlayStation Plus subscribers will also gain access to an exclusive set of gaming features, content and functionality.
  • Games & Special Offers – access to great games every month worth over £200 a year, exclusive discount on PlayStation Store and early access to demos and beta trails.
  • Exclusive Content – download and keep loads of new and exclusive premium avatars, dynamic themes and game add-ons.
  • Full Game Trial – Try full games each month for a limited period before you decide whether to buy them.
  • Automatic Download – Set your PS3 to automatically wake up, download and install all of your game updates, new game demos and even download the latest system software. All without you lifting a finger.
  • Limited Special Offer – To celebrate the launch of PlayStation Plus we are also offering users the chance to get hold of LittleBigPlanet completely free. Simply sign up for a 1 year membership between now (29th) and the 3rd August 2010 and a downloadable copy of the award winning PS3 game is yours to keep forever.
• Photo Gallery: A new network based photo sharing feature is now available on the Photo Gallery. The enhancement allows you to upload, browse and comment on photos on Facebook and Picasa. You can also opt to share your photos between your PlayStation Network friends as well as print photos from Photo Gallery.
• Video Editor & Uploader: Video Editor and Uploader is a new function found on the XrossMediaBar (XMB), which enables you to edit, save and upload video files stored on the PS3 system to sites such as Facebook or YouTube.
• PlayStation Store Five Star Rating Support: Users can now rate PlayStation Store content they have purchased with one to five star ratings.
• Power Save Settings: The default setting for PS3 System Auto-Off will be set at 2 hours, providing you with additional power save options and further improving power save features on the PS3 system.

As well as the latest features introduced in PS3 system software update (v3.40), a separate, new PSN application will be made available on Facebook. This builds on the previous connection with Trophies and the ability to share purchases from the PlayStation Store. Now you can further integrate your PSN and Facebook accounts with this new application, which allows you to display your PSN profile on Facebook, send a PSN friend request to friends on Facebook and add the PSN application tab to your Facebook Profile.

We’re very excited to be able to provide you with continued system software upgrades, which ensure your PS3 and PSP systems remain compelling offerings for years to come with no additional investment from you. For more details and instructions on how to update the system software for the PS3 and PSP systems, please visit http://eu.playstation.com/ps3/support/network/detail/item48612/ and http://eu.playstation.com/psp/support/general/detail/item54261/.

Let us know your thoughts. Enjoy!

* Approximate value based on average RRP of available content in a one year subscription, excluding discounts, calculated using exchange rates as at May 2010. Actual value may vary. Access to some content, excluding discounted content, terminates at the end of the subscription period.

• Trophy enhancements –- Now you can more easily sort trophies in the [Trophy Collection] and [Comparing Trophy] sections. Sorting can be done with [Trophy Collection] in the [Game Category] and also when comparing trophies with your friends in the [Friend Category]
  • Trophy Folder (Title List) can be sorted by game name/ by title according to the date in which you earned your last trophy (ascending/descending)
  • Add-on list (Group list) can be sorted by original/the date in which you earned your last trophy (ascending/descending)
  • Trophy list can be sorted by original/trophy name/grade/date of obtaining the trophy (ascending/descending)

In addition, this update preps the PS3 system for some upcoming new features, including 3D stereoscopic gaming, which is coming soon to PS3, in time for the launch of Sony’s 3D BRAVIA TVs.

Let us know your thoughts and as always, we look forward to your feedback.

For most of you, this won’t have any impact on how you use your PS3. If you are one of the few who use the “Other OS” feature, or if you belong to an organisation that does, then you can choose not to upgrade your system. However, doing so will mean that the following features will not be available:

• Ability to sign in to PlayStation Network and use network features that require signing in to PlayStation Network, such as online features of PS3 games and chat.
• Playback of PS3 software titles or Blu-ray Disc videos that require PS3 system software version 3.21 or later.
• Playback of copyright-protected videos that are stored on a media server (when DTCP-IP is enabled under Settings).
• Use of new features and improvements that are available on PS3 system software 3.21 or later.

If you currently use the “Other OS” feature and you wish to update to system software 3.21, make sure you back-up any data stored within the hard drive partition used by the “Other OS,” as they will not be able to access that data following the update.

The next system software update for PS3 will be available very soon. Update 3.15 is an optional update and has two key features which are explained below –

‘minis’ come to PS3:

We launched minis for PSP back in October but from the 17th December you will be able to enjoy these bite size games on your PS3 as well as your PSP. This firmware update allows the minis emulator to work on PS3 and we are working on getting the majority of the current minis ready for the PS3 from the 17th December.

Check out great titles like ‘Blast off’ (8.5/10 – IGN), ‘Fieldrunners’, “a wonderfully crafted casual nugget” (8/10 – Eurogamer) or ‘Kahoots’, “a must-buy” (8/10 – Videogamer).

If you buy a minis game from the 17th it will work on both platforms so if you have a PS3 and a PSP you will only need to buy it once and it will be available to download to your PS3 and your PSP.

If you have already bought a mini for PSP and want to get it on your PS3 as well, just go to your download list in the Store and download it again for free. The game will then work on your PS3 as well.

PS3 Data Transfer:

This feature enables you to transfer all of your saved data from one PS3 to another. So if you decide to get a new PS3 you can make sure you don’t loose any of your existing content. Content such as games, game save data, and videos downloaded from PlayStation Network can be transferred to the new PS3 system and deleted from the current PS3. Other content, including personal media files (photos, music, videos), can be copied onto the new PS3 and remain on the current PS3 system.

Look forward to your comments and will reply to as many questions as I can.

Thanks

James

For those living in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa –
You can try Digital Comics now! Visit playstationcomics.com to get a free voucher for Transformers: All Hail Megatron #1 (12+) and twitter.com/Psncomics for Aleister Arcane #1 (12+) .

Hope you enjoy a completely new way of reading comics.

Hi everyone,

Today we are launching firmware update v6.2 for PSP. It is bringing some great new features to PSP, making it easier to organise all your media and also brings something great new additions to the XMB, comics and movies!

Firstly, let’s talk about Playlists. Now, as well as music playlists you can now transfer video and photo playlists from your PC to your PSP via Media Go 1.3. Check James’ blog for more info on Media Go 1.3 later today.

You can also now import photo and video playlists that you created on your PS3 to your PSP. Simply copy the playlists from the PS3 XMB.

Now for comics! The Digital Comics reader is now available to download for PSP – but please wait for the comic store launch in -December 2009, debuting in UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. We are planning to unleash it in other countries during 2010, and will update you as soon as we have more details.

Digital Comics is a unique service coming to the PlayStation family, where you can enjoy new and classic catalogues. Enjoy the amazing experience of auto flow which will take you frame-to-frame and zoom in and zoom out by clicking just one button. Read your favourite comics anywhere you want!

Plus, the PlayStation Network Video Delivery service is launching today in UK, Spain, France and Germany so you can now purchase or rent all the latest blockbuster movies! See Olga’s update for more information on the Video service.

Thanks!
Adam

As shown in the video and the screenshots below, the Photo view on the XMB has been improved. Your photos are now shown in a grid format rather than in one line to make it easier for you to skip straight to the photo you want or browse an album quickly.

We’ve added some links to the worlds most popular social network site, Facebook.

If you want to show your friends what trophies you’ve earned or brag about your gaming prowess, simply go to account management, under PSN, and turn this option on to share your triumphs with your friends

You can also share information about your PSN Store purchases if you want. Turn this on the same way and you will be asked each time you purchase from the store if you want to share it on Facebook or not. Let all your friends know what you’re playing and get them to join you online.

Television lovers in other parts of Europe can now enjoy faster access to catch-up on TV with the addition of the following on-demand TV sites to the XMB over the next few days–
RTVE, Antena 3 and LaSexta – Spain

NOS – Netherlands

AXN/Animax – Czech/Poland/Hungary/Bulgaria/Romania & Slovakia

No need to watch catch-up TV on your PC anymore, enjoy it in the comfort of your living room and on your big screen.

We are working on adding more of these as soon as we can

You will also see in the screenshot below, and the previous video post, that the next stage of the Friends list update is complete and, as you can see, only the profile that’s selected has the coloured box.

This brings us to the final part of the main updated features which is that you can now customize your PSN profile with your favourite colour. Just open up your profile and click X on the upper left tab to get the colour pallet and to choose your colour.

This is the colour that your profile will appear as on all your friends PS3’s.

Hope you like the new features and we will let you know about the next update as soon as we can

Cheers
James

Update: Hi Guys, just wanted to clarify a couple of things regarding the catch up TV icons for the XMB

There seems to have been some confusion that these might be access to the live TV stations but they are not. They are quick links to the broadcasters ‘catch-up’ TV sites that have been optimised for the PS3 browser and TV screen viewing. (programmes that have previously been broadcast live.)

Also I have been informed that Animax is not available in Poland and Bulgaria, as previously stated

Poland AXN
Czech AXN and Animax
Slovakia AXN and Animax
Hungary AXN and Animax
Romania AXN and Animax
Bulgaria AXN

I’m James and I’m really pleased today to finally be able to share with you more information on the Facebook functionality which will soon be available on your PlayStation 3.

Hope you enjoy the video and I’ll speak to you tomorrow morning to feedback on your comments.

- James

Hi everyone, here’s an early peek at PlayStation 3 (PS3) firmware update (v3.10). The latest update incorporates Facebook into the PS3 experience. By linking your PlayStation Network account to your Facebook account, you will have the option for the PS3 to automatically update your Facebook News Feed with Trophy and PlayStation Store activity. This update also enables developers to set specific criteria in their titles to publish additional game information to your News Feed. You can then check out your updates, and those of your friends, on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media favorites through the PS3′s built-in web browser.

This is just the beginning of our integration with Facebook and we are looking forward to adding new features enhancing the experience in future updates.

Additional highlights from update 3.10 include:

• The Photo category on the XMB has been revamped to make it easier to see more of your photos stored on the PS3.
• The PSN Friends List has been modified based on feedback we received after update 3.00. Additionally, you can now choose a color for your PSN ID on the XMB.

I just want to clarify a comment I made to this post yesterday about Cross Game Voice Chat, which seems to have caused some confusion. I can’t confirm if or when Cross Game Voice Chat is coming, but as I said, when I do have some information to share with you, I’ll let you know.

• For those of you looking to customize your XMB, a few new colors will be added under the Theme Settings.
• A security patch has been added.
• [Network Update] has been renamed as [System Update].

As always, we look forward to reading your feedback.

I don’t like the “Fizz”. How do I turn it off?

To turn the fizz off, go to the Theme Settings under Settings on the XMB, you can choose different themes from here. “Classic” is the default theme without the fizz.

Where’s the game start chime gone? Why would you remove it?

One of the reasons we removed the PS3 jingle is that it was created to indicate the start of a game, but now we’re offering non-game content such as Vidzone in addition to games. More importantly though, this change makes the loading time a bit quicker than before, which we think will be a noticeable benefit for all game users.

The BBC iPlayer icon hasn’t appeared on the XMB. How can I get it?

There are 2 criteria for the presence of the iPlayer icon on the XMB:

(1) A PSN account or guest account as a UK resident

(2) A PS3 console sold in the UK. If you don’t have either of them, the icon will not show up. You can access the BBC iPlayer without the icon, by using the PS3 browser. The quickest way to get around it, is to type “iplayer” in the Google search shortcut on the XMB and click “iplayer” from the search result. You will be redirected to the PS3 special site of iPlayer, where you can then press “Select” to add to your bookmark.

For a better experience in the future, we are looking at the possibility of removing point (2). However (1) is required to identify your country of residence.

I don’t like the size of the font and the icons. Why can’t I change it back to its old size?

Based on your feedback, we are looking at the possibility of making the changes optional.

The US and Japan have a few Dynamic Themes available already. Where are ours?

The Dynamic Themes were supplied to all three regions at the same time, but unfortunately, due to the complexities of the PAL region’s PlayStation Store publishing process, they missed our publishing window last week. (Remember, we have 29 stores across 25 countries, which require the use of 13 currencies and 8 languages, so it’s more difficult for us to publish last minute content than it is for either the US or Japan). We can confirm that some Dynamic Themes will be made available on the EU Store this week, and we have a little surprise prepared especially for our PAL readers that we hope you’ll agree is worth the wait!

I used to be able to surf the net and listen to music simultaneously. Now I can’t. Why?

The PS3 extended the upsampling capability to audio tracks stored on HDD and storage media with v3.00. Some function on the XMB such as the internet browser and photo gallery outputs with 48KHz only so you need to set audio outputs as 48Khz to enjoy music and net surfing.

The first thing I see when I turn my PS3 on is adverts. What does this offer me?

It’s not just about adverts — the primary role of the “What’s New” screen is to get you into the game more quickly. You’ll be able to jump straight into the last three games or applications that you’ve been using. It’s basically acts as a short-cut to the games that are resident on the HDD, so that they can be automatically booted up rather than having to go via the game selection icons on the XMB. In addition, “What’s New” will give you a chance to discover some of the best deals on offer, read about the hottest stories currently making news across the web or even give you a heads up about some exclusive content our own EU Blog. We’re planning to improve “What’s New” in the future with some exciting content and customisation, so we eagerly await your feedback and ideas.

Uncharted freezes ever since 3.00 was released. Is there a fix coming soon?

We’re aware of the problem with Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune following the latest system software update and have a team working hard to isolate the issue. We’ll update further information here on the blog, as and when we get it. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused and appreciate your patience and understanding.

–

Well guys, I hope that’s helped answer some of your questions. Thanks to all those of you who have provided positive feedback on 3.0.

As a wise person once said, “You can please all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot please all the people all the time” — We love hearing everyone’s opinion so keep the comments coming!

I also wanted to take some time to discuss one specific 3.00 feature with you – the What’s New Screen. By default, this is the first thing that you will see when you enter the XMB (though you can turn this off in the PS3’s settings). We’re aiming to provide links to content that PlayStation fans will find interesting. This content can be streaming video, a link to a webpage (such as a blog post, perhaps!) or a direct link to an item on the the PlayStation Store.

The aim is for the What’s New Screen to be a community tool. We’ve got some big plans already, but we also want to know what you, the community, want from it. Have a think and let us know in the comments section below.

Just a quick update this morning to let you know that a new PSP firmware update, version 5.51, is now available. The update improves PSP System software stability during use of some features.