PS3 is Well Connected: More Users Online Than 360, Wii‎

There is no doubting that Sony was late to the game with the PlayStation Network. Even though the PS2 did feature some online gaming, albeit very late in its lifecycle, it didn’t feature a robust, feature-filled platform like Xbox Live. The PlayStation Network launched along side the PS3 back in November of 2006 and has since grown into a thriving platform that is rivaling Xbox Live’s paid service. Despite Xbox Live’s 4 year head start, the PS3 has more users connected online that any other console.

According to new data released by US analyst The Diffusion Group, the PS3 is the most well connected console on the market. This is quite a surprise considering the Xbox 360’s lead in the US, and the fact Xbox Live has been around for 8 years. The research shows that 78% of PlayStation 3 owners are connected to the internet. The Xbox 360 comes in a close second at 73% and the Wii a distant third place with only 54% of users connected online.

Could this difference between the PS3 and Xbox 360 be attributed to the cost involved with getting your Xbox 360 online? Granted you can be connected to Xbox Live via a Silver Membership using the console’s Ethernet port. However the idea of having to pay an annual fee for the almost necessary Gold Membership is enough to steer some people from ever checking out 360’s online features. Another issue, again having to do with the Xbox 360’s admission to play online, is the fact you need to purchase some sort of wireless adapter to connect the console to your home’s wireless network. Something that isn’t an issue with the PS3 nor the Wii, both of which come with built in Wi-Fi out of the box.

The Nintendo Wii could be suffering from the fact its user base consists mostly of casual gamers. Causal gamers may not be as tech savvy as hardcore gamer and might have trouble setting up a wireless network. That, or many of the Wii owners just aren’t aware that the console can connect online. Then again, it could be because all of those Wii sports playing grannies at the senior center never even heard of the internet.

Sentence

Does the battle sport a such contour?

Blu-ray Disc

Discover a whole new world of High Definition gaming and entertainment with Blu-ray Disc and experience movies like never before.

Blu-ray Disc is the new standard of home entertainment, with each disc holding up to five times more information than a Standard Definition DVD. That means Blu-ray Disc can store High Definition digital video, sound, pictures, PC files and stunning games such as Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, which a normal DVD simply couldn't do.

Experience the ultimate in picture quality

Remember the first time you watched a DVD and saw how the picture looked fantastic compared to those of an ordinary television transmission? That's because DVD uses a higher bit rate than conventional TV broadcasts, meaning better picture and sound quality.

Blu-ray Disc works just like a DVD, only more powerful, meaning you get better picture quality than High Definition TV transmission. And with the option of a 24-frame output, you can experience movies and games on your PlayStation 3 like never before.

High Definition sound

Experiencing High Definition is about the audio as much as the about picture. With Blu-ray Disc you get HD sound and a complete recreation of the original master recording. Now, thanks to the capabilities of Blu-ray Disc, that sound can be delivered straight to your living room when you're playing your favourite game or watching the latest blockbuster film.

This digital multi-channel sound is an integral part of the experience too - imagine playing a game or watching a movie without any of the bangs, crashes, rumbles and other effects that literally shake you in your seat. With HD sound you feel like you are part of the action.

Blu-ray Disc truly is the only way to experience the very best in home entertainment, be it movies or games, and with PlayStation 3, you get the best of both worlds, a entertainment system that delivers next generation gaming thrills and High Definition blockbuster entertainment right into your front room.

The future of home entertainment has arrived - experience it now on PS3.

The Game

Shine up your silky skills and prepare to pick a side – there’s a new game in town for you and your friends to show the world what you’re made of…

Crave a bit of entertainment? Fancy some excitement? Then welcome to your next challenge. Welcome to The Game, a free new site where you can go against others around the world for prizes and, more importantly, bragging rights.

The concept is simple. You pick from one of two teams to join and take part in Challenges, which consist of timed mini-games and quizzes. Do well and you earn points, and the team with the most points is declared the winner.

There are two types of rewards for taking part in The Game; Personal Rewards and Team Rewards. Personal Rewards earn you a Bronze, Silver or Gold level badge depending on how many Challenges you've played, how many Challenges you've created and the number of rounds you've taken part in. Team Rewards are only presented to the winning side, and come in the shape of various online goodies, such as screensavers and PlayStation Home gifts.

Joining is easy - just head over to The Game and pick whether you want to be in Team A or Team B. Then register your details, play some Challenges and bask in the glory of your victory. You can also create your own Challenges for others to try out (and if they do that earns you points), invite friends, follow team members and form your own leagues. The more you interact and play, the more points you gain and the more you'll become a hero to your team. You can also sign in using a Facebook account and see if other Facebook friends are part of The Game.

Don't miss your chance to become part of a global team and rub your rivals' noses in your brilliance. Head over to The Game and start your path to game greatness in front of the world.

www.Start-PS3.com

GTA V mentioned in Dan Houser Times Interview

In a recent interview with The Times, Rockstar Games’ Vice President of Creativity Dan Houser has let an infinitesimal cat out of the bag labelled GTA V – well, a whisker or two at least.

Post-Red Dead Redemption, Houser will begin co-writing the script for GTA IV’s follow-up title, which is anticipated to be approximately 1,000 pages in length. That’s ten times longer than that of a feature film!

Disappointingly, there is very little else to go on in the way of information at this time; Houser himself explains his team still need to think of a city. But it does look like there will be a GTA V. Someday.

We’ll be sure to keep you informed.

Borderlands to receive Zombie DLC

More and more first-person shooters are incorporating a zombie element these days. Following in the footsteps of Treyarch’s Call of Duty: World at War, Gearbox will be releasing a zombie-oriented DLC package for Borderlands, entitled ‘The Zombie Island of Dr Ned’.

The story goes: a moustache-touting doctor has accidentally zombified the working-class inhabitants of Jakob’s Cove. Predictably, it’s the player’s responsibility to go in and clean up the mess, dismembering, decapitating and decimating enemies of the crawling, stalking, spitting (how uncouth), suicidal and psycho variety across 50 new quests.

The package promises a deep, enjoyable and humorous experience lasting 6-10 hours, and will hit the PlayStation Store November 24th priced at $10 / £7.99. Click here to for a video preview. You’d be stupid not to.

Is Firefox coming to PS3?

Ah, we do love a good rumour…

PlayStation Insider recently posted that Sony and Mozilla have been ‘talking’, as per a tip-off from an external (and, might we add, anonymous) source. Could they be contemplating porting robust web-browser Firefox to the PlayStation 3?

This would be great news considering how many complaints Sony has received concerning the reliability and limited functionality of the current PS3 browser. However, a later added correction note states ’there was just a meeting between someone from PS division and someone from Mozilla’ – and nothing more, apparently.

The meeting had to be about something though, right? Perhaps if we cross our fingers and toes something along these lines might happen in the future.