Sony’s PSN service is slowly coming back to life, much to the enjoyment of those who have been without online access from those with PS3s for several weeks. It will take some time for everything to be back to normal, but until then, Sony is giving away a slew of free PSN items and two free games to PSP and PS3 users to make up for their disaster. Those in North America will have access to the following games PS3 games as part of their “Customer Appreciation Program”: LittleBigPlanet Wipeout HD + Fury inFAMOUS Dead Nation Super Stardust HD North American PSP owners will also have access to two PSP titles…

Sony was threatened, credit card numbers were stolen, gamers were frustrated, and Sony still doesn’t have a clue about what is going on. And yet the train wreck — also known as Sony’s PSN service — continues to take its toll on gamers. So, if anyone out there was hopeful for a return of multiplayer madness on your PS3 anytime soon, well, sorry, but you might have to wait a bit longer. Shigenori Yoshida, a Tokyo-based spokesman for Sony, stated that Sony does not know when it will resume PSN services. Of course, gamers are probably already used to being in the dark with their PS3s, as the downtime has…

Sony has been beaten up pretty badly lately, but this is kicking ‘em while they’re down: hackers have compromised Sony Online Entertainment, which provide access to several online MMOs. Not only that, but hackers could have potentially stolen credit card data from those accounts as well. Sony is still investigating. Sony was quicker to respond to this news than it was with the PSN security breach. It sent out an email informing customers of the news: Our ongoing investigation of illegal intrusions into Sony Online Entertainment systems has discovered that hackers may have obtained personal…

Oh, Sony. The venerable old company – who have actually done some smart things lately – have gone and shot themselves in the foot. First, they have demanded that Google hand over the IP addresses of anyone who commented on or like a private YouTube video detailing how to hack the PS3. They are also asking the same of Twitter for anyone who linked to the page. Sony will sue anyone who links to or spreads the hack. First, let’s keep in mind that the PS3 hack came about because of a glaring mistake in Sony’s security, and stemmed from an attempt to put back a feature Sony removed. Second, since when it is a crime…

Hey there. This is a photographic collection of pixels whose purpose it is to show you what the 33rd-largest computer in the world looks like. I hope it’s doing its job. Seriously, though, this thing is a beast. Made of 1760 Playstation 3s, the behemoth harnesses the power of “168 separate graphical processing units and 84 coordinating servers” to help the US Air Force perform AI research, process maps and enhance radar functionality. But even this killer rig is practically obsolete, with the Air Force’s Mark Barnell admitting that he’s “looking forward to working with the next generation of…

With the recent successful launches of Microsoft’s Kinect and Sony’s Playstation Move, it is now more likely that this generation of consoles will last longer than in the past. While previously, a 5 or 6 year cycle has been the norm, it’s conceivable that this generation might go longer – maybe 7 or 8 years – because of this new tech that appeals to a broader demographic, prolonging the sales potential of each console. Still, that hasn’t stopped speculation about what the next generation of consoles might look like. At hardcore gaming communities like NeoGAF, speculation rages about the kind of…

It is, I admit, sometimes hard not to feel sorry for Sony. The electronics giant, who own some of the most recognizable brands in the industry, is, to put it mildly, no longer the industry leader it once was. To be sure, they have gotten themselves out the rut they have been in for years. They’re embracing widely used formats like ePub or DivX; the PS3 is finally appealing; and their launch of Google TV is a sign of a company looking to change. But for at least a decade now, Sony has been hamstrung by a series of mistakes that have cost it its leadership position. Whether their disastrous early attempts at…

Though recently it has been the smartphone market that has garnered the most attention in the tech world, the arrival of a revamped – if slightly disappointing – Apple TV is a reminder that the living room is the next big play for digital transformation. Think about it: unlike so many other sectors of society, the living room is one in which traditional approaches to media still largely dominate. DVD sales still dwarf streaming and online video in both numbers and revenue, while the web has yet to make any serious inroads onto people’s TVs. So there is a massive market ready for the taking – if only someone…

The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) used to be the most important day within the game industry for publishers, developers, and consumers, but numerous issues over the years had taken away the spectacle’s appeal. This year’s E3, however, certainly had the emotion behind it to propel it back to its former greatness. Unfortunately, “great” isn’t quite the word I would use to describe it. There are three types of gamers in this world: the hardcore gamer is generally the teen or twenty or thirty something that is awake at 4 AM blasting away his or her buddies in Modern Warfare 2; the casual gamer…

Dear Game Publishers, what are you thinking? For years, loyal supporters of your games have dealt with ridiculous price increases, overpriced downloadable content, and silly DRM schemes. Yet now, in these most critical times for the game industry, your idea of repaying them is to make us pay even more? Really? Furthermore — stooping to an all-time low — EA has stepped up for your industry and decided that users should be pushed (if not forced) to purchase new games only, punishing gamers who legitimately purchase used games. The idea behind this is essentially to make them pay extra money…