THE PS3 NATION

Sony officially announced a redesign of the Playstation Network’s Store today. The changes will become visible to users in the middle of April, according to the press release. The interface, which will be added in a Playstation 3 firmware update, will be integrated into the XMB. The stand-alone website will still be available to PC users on the web. Sony says that the updating process will require the current store to be in active for the next two weeks. So no downloadable content will be available until this change has been implemented. Have a look at the pictures below for an idea of how the new Playstation Store will look.

Unconfirmed rumors and possible screens from Resistance 2 for the Playstation 3 seem to be swirling around the net. Details seem unbelievable here’s a summary:

* One campaign focusing on Nathan Hale across USA, 1 player
* One separate story based campaign supporting 2 players offline, 8 players Online
* Online Multiplayer (dedicated servers) supporting 60 people, lobbies for individual squads
* Classes for online, templates include Heavy, Special Ops, Medic
* New vehicles including Chameleon (Stalker with cloak)
* Partial randomized geometry in level spots
* Insane stat tracking coupled with MyResistance.net

And here’s some images found floating about…not sure where they come from or if they are real.

Thanks to NeoGAF for some of the info!

A new year has begun, and with it the wait for new games, features and announcements. Sony has made many promises for what the Playstation 3 can deliver. This year, with any luck, they can make good and deliver on those promises. The annual consumer electronics show in Las Vegas, Nevada has already generated some interesting news.

Sony recently announced that the PS3 will soon be capable of loading a portable version of any purchased Blu-Ray movies onto the PSP. This development promises to give gamers on the go added incentive to buy into the growing high-definition movie format. With film industry giants like Warner Bros. and Disney signing exclusive rights over to Blu-Ray, this news is the icing on the digital media cake.

Of course, the Playstation 3 wouldn’t be much of a gaming console without games. So developers are doing their best to keep the pipeline full of fantastic titles. This past holiday, we saw a surge of quality on the PS3. Games like Unreal Tournament offered gamers the first ever access to user-made gaming content on a console, as well as keyboard and mouse support for an FPS. These luxuries have been standard in PC gaming for a long time. So it’s about time we get them on a console. We PS3 gamers also got wireless guitar controllers to rock out with Guitar Hero III and Rock Band. We saw some impressive downloadable gaming like Pain and Stardust HD. Additional downloadable content for games like Warhawk and Motorstorm hit the PSN. There were amazing console exclusives too, like Uncharted: Drakes Fortune.

This year promises to be even better. Games like WipeOut HD, LittleBigPlanet, Metal Gear Solid 4, Tekken 6, Final Fantasy XIII, Singstar, and Killzone 2 are sure to attract even more gamers. Improvements in online interaction like Sony’s HOME should help bring them all together. In sort, we can look forward to some amazing content and an ever-expanding Playstation experience.

I was one of the first to own a PS3 when it launched and I endured a long while of people doubting my purchase. However, I enjoy my PS3 every chance I get. It continues to amaze me with its flexibility, solid hardware design, engaging games line-up and growing functionality. It can only get better from here.

Competition is good! Just last week I was admiring how awesome the addition of Divx playback to the Xbox 360 was. It allowed me to view downloaded content easily on a large screen, instead of my PC monitor. As a result of all the positive feedback, it seems that Sony has decided to follow suit with their console as well.

The new firmware revision 2.10 for the Playstation 3 will feature, among other things, full Divx playback functionality. This is a great step in the right direction and gives costumers even more reason to own the PS3.

Firmware 2.10 will also include some other interesting features. Among them, is Blu-ray 1.1 functionality, a voice-changer for video and audio chat, and BD Data support. I’ve copy and pasted the relevent info from the official site below.

The PLAYSTATION 3 system software version 2.10 update includes the following:

Voice Changer
The Voice Changer feature has been added to voice / video chat. Visit the Voice Changer guide in Help & Support under PS3 at eu.playstation.com for more details.

Using this feature, you can change the tone of a voice that is input from an audio device such as a microphone. High and low-pitched tones can each be adjusted to five preset levels. You can vary the tone when using voice / video chat under Friends.

Music
You can now select [Type 3] as an option under Settings > [Music Settings] > [Bitmapping]. This bitmapping process was developed specifically for the PS3TM system to enhance audio playback.

Video
DivX and VC-1 (WMV) have been added to the types of files that can be played. *
Blu-ray Disc Profile 1.1 is now supported. **
[BD Data Utility] has been added. ***

*- To play VC-1 (WMV) format files, you must go to Settings > [System Settings] and set [Enable WMA Playback].
- Copyright-protected files or files that were encoded by using DivX 3.11 cannot be played. - Files that are 2GB or more cannot be played.
** You may now be able to use several additional features such as playback of two videos at the same time with Profile 1.1-compatible Blu-ray Discs. The available features vary depending on the disc.
*** The management data that is used by the Blu-ray Disc is saved.

Come and discuss these update on our forums and let us know what you think of the Playstation 3.

We’re getting ever closer to the magic Firmware 2.0 that Playstation 3 owners are psyched about. In the meantime, Sony is adding functionality with the latest addition of firmware 1.9. Those who upgrade can look forward to using custom wallpaper backgrounds, similar to how it works on Playstation Portable. They will also be able to sort games listed on the XMB in whatever order they like.

Read on for more details and additional functionality that hasn’t yet been listed in other web updates.
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The Playstation 3 has enjoyed some amazing advancements in the short time since it launched last November. Now, with the downscaled E3 looming on the horizon, we are about to begin a flurry of activity in the video game world. The top three gaming companies will compete for our attention and dollars by unveiling new products and promises for the future. Read on to see how far we’ve come and get an example of where we’re going.
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As noted in a previous entry, my Playstation 3 had some Bluetooth problems and was voluntarily replaced by Sony. The entire process took about two weeks and wasn’t without frustration. During those two weeks, I actually got my PS3 replaced twice. I’ll explain the details in the rest of this article, including things you may not know about the exchange process. So keep reading…
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Promises Sony made ages ago are finally being fulfilled this week. Several new features have been added to the already feature-packed PS3 with firmware 1.6. After downloading the latest firmware patch for the Playstation 3, you will finally have background downloading, Folding@Home functionality, improved Remote Play, zooming while web browsing and more. For details, keep reading.
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During a keynote address at 2007 Game Developer’s Conference, Phil Harrison revealed details of Sony’s latest bid to create a unified digital world in which internet connected gamers can socialize, play, and share common experiences. The logo shown here will be added to the Playstation 3’s Cross Media Bar this Fall. It will be the gateway to such a virtual world offering custimizable realistic avatars, private and public environments, media streaming, mini-games, online commerce, game achievements and trophies. All this will be provided free to Playstation Network subscribers. Read on for further details, screenshots and a video demonstration courtesy of Gamevideos.com.
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Along with the announcement of Sony’s “Home” community, a new game was also unveiled. It’s called “LittleBigPlanet” and features a customizable 4 player co-op environment for side-scrolling platforming action. It’s very impressive to look at and seems to hit all the right notes for fun and original online gaming. Have a look at the video and see for yourself.