PlayStation 3 owners should feel OK with snickering at their Xbox 360 counterparts who are finally getting to use Twitter and Facebook on their consoles. That functionality has been available for years on the PS3, and not through neutered, console-friendly adaptations. The system's built-in browser offers up the real deals quite nicely. That's not to say that the folks at Sony are content with being the best in that arena, though.
According to the PlayStation Blog, the upcoming 3.10 firmware update will add a few new Facebook hooks, including the optional abilities to automatically post about new downloaded content and trophy information to a user's Facebook profile. Additionally, developers will be able to incorporate Facebook updates into their games, similar to how Uncharted 2: Among Thieves works with Twitter.
In addition to the social-media updates, the photo browser will display clusters of images in a space-saving thumbnail format. Friends lists are also getting a do-over, based on feedback from the 3.00 update.
Update: Wondering when you'll be able to check out the update? You'll have your chance sooner than you may have thought. According to Sony, firmware 3.10 is releasing today, Nov. 18.
I like the changes they're making to the way stored photos appear and the changes in appearance to the friends list, however I'm less than enthusiastic about the potential of sharing my PlayStation Store downloads and newly unlocked trophies.
As far as the downloads are concerned, I personally don't think that's anyone's business but mine. If I really wanted to share that information on facebook, I would do it myself.
As far as sharing newly unlocked trophies goes, it's no secret that I don't give a flying rat's ass about trophies/achievements, and I imagine that most of my friends on facebook probably care even less (if that's possible).
Out of the 391 friends I have on facebook (of which I've kept up with maybe 20 of them) I imagine that at most 4 or 5 would even remotely care, and even then they're probably more interested in what game I unlocked the trophy in instead of the actual trophy itself (congratulations, you just unlocked that trophy that anyone who plays this game through to completion is guaranteed to unlock, now let's plaster this insignificant achievement all over your facebook feed for all to see!)
Thanks but no thanks on the facebook stuff Sony. I might test it out but the moment I start thinking it's stupid/annoying then it will go the way of Yuffie and Cait Sith, available but never used.
Any idea when we get this update?
Sony always seems to be behind x box on these things. Better late then never.i really do not think it will make a diffrence
screw the facebook bull ***, they finally updated the photo browsing and gamercards.
@ the jackal- no, this is on of the few things we are behind on since the ps3 has a web browser and stuff like twitter and myspace from the beginning, now if only someone besides fanboys gave a *** about these usless websites.
@ The Jackel
Did you not read the first paragraph of Jeff's article at all? We've been able to use twitter and facebook with the web browser all along, heck I bet the Nintendo Wii's browser can do facebook and twitter as well.
Hate to burst your bubble but the Xbox 360 is extremely late to the party on this one; they hardly pioneered using facebook and twitter on a console, they were just the first to make a big deal about it, and for reasons unknown to man Sony decided to also make a big deal out of facebook when we've had access to it all along.
In the end though, I see this having little to no impact on the way we play games, it's just some extra fluff that's going to take up a little bit of space on our console's hard drive.
Nice. When's this new update available?
PS3 is improving everyday.
Microsoft needs to stop being so arrogant with their online services... Sony is slowly catching up on them.
I must say I am a Social Network fiend, I am happy about this.
It's amazing how they think up this useless stuff. Though I guess the option to change the color of your...whatever it's called, is pretty cool.
ehh... not interested. if i wanted Facebook i would use it on my laptop.
While I do like the whole Facebook thing, I more excited about how the pictures will look now and the way I can make make gamercard a different color. I know mines will either be red or a color to match my theme(FFVII at the moment so it would be blue)
Sounds good, i'm into the Facebook integration, a little late, but still welcome to me. Now the photo and gamer card update is the real news. i'm really happy about that.
I do like the idea behind being able to automate postings on game progress. That could be interesting.
who cares?
I restate a questions previously asked, anyone know when this update should be expected?
and when will this new update come out... please tell me so I have time to check it out...
I'm downloading the update right now... It didn't mention anything about the facebook stuff or the color changing, just that the photo view was going to change. That doesn't mean it won't be in there anyways.
Oh my god, can Sony do something original for once?? This is why they launched their system last, so they can attempt to copy and redo everything another company does. If you need anymore proof, look how they announced a 250gb slim after Microsoft announced the 250gb Modern Warfare 2 console.