Firmware 3.10 – It’s Better, Innit?
Liking the XMB again, Sony.Published 19/11/2009 at 21:25 by nofi
PS3 Getting New Visualiser [30]
PS3 3D Firmware: June 10th? [41]
PS3: My Top 5 Wishlist [70]
I, like most people of reasonable disposition, didn’t like many of the changes Sony forced upon us in Firmware 3.00. Sure, the dynamic themes were cute but the bigger fonts were an issue and the Friends list was a design disaster. Thankfully, Sony seemed to have listened to our complaints (and we did complain in our masses, to be fair) and today, after installing Firmware 3.10, things appear to be on the up – the Friends list no longer has those ridiculous massive boxes around all the names and I now actually prefer the way the other options in each column fade away when they’re not the highlighted selection.
I also think the Trophy system has been tweaked a little too – I can now finally sync the damned things (haven’t been able to do for weeks) and a quick compare with a couple of PSN friends seemed much quicker, and I’m tempted to think the actual wi-fi has been tuned a bit too – the connection level seems higher, I’ve not had a drop-out yet and downloads are nippier than usual, although this could of course be the old placebo effect. I like the way your photos are now in a grid, too – makes so much more sense than listing the whole lot vertically.
I’ve not tried the Facebook option, and probably never will, but I’m aware this is just the start of that integration path so that’s cool, but pop-up Twitter notifications could be great if Sony pursue that line of thought. I think that’s most of the major things that are public facing (I’ve heard tonight about one thing 3.10 does some things differently but that won’t affect any end user, though) so overall, yeah, this is heading back in the right direction. The Video Store is utterly fantastic – my connection isn’t quick enough to really use the HD option, but the whole thing is slick and efficient and will hopefully be a big success for Sony.
Comments
Please note that all comments are the opinion of the individual author and not TheSixthAxis.
jaferris | 19/11/2009 21:27
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24 TSA Points | Member since: Jul 2009
i still have problems syncing my trophies
facebook feature is very cool , now for sony to include twitter
hunterstryfe | 19/11/2009 21:33
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570 TSA Points | Member since: Feb 2009
same here, i get to around 73% and get the same error over and over
jediryan123 | 19/11/2009 21:49
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22 TSA Points | Member since: Nov 2008
well you guys are lucky you get anything in the patch. In Australia all you get is polish language support.
carlosfilippsen | 19/11/2009 21:57
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1316 TSA Points | Member since: Mar 2009
I can sync my trophies just fine. Just keep trying.
cam the man | 19/11/2009 22:22
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2061 TSA Points | Member since: May 2009
I get to 6% then the error message, again, and again, and …………..
carlosfilippsen | 19/11/2009 22:56
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1316 TSA Points | Member since: Mar 2009
I had trop ofhy errors before and it took me almost a week just trying and trying loads every day till it finally worked and now i dont seem to have any more problems. Another thing is, to stop having these problems every time you get a new trophy try syncin because it will be much easier if you only sync once you’ve won too many trophies it will make it harder to sync as there is too many trophies to sync. I now sync every time a new one pops up and never had that problem again.
carlosfilippsen | 19/11/2009 22:57
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1316 TSA Points | Member since: Mar 2009
trophy*
BadBoyBoogie | 20/11/2009 14:40
Let There Be Rock
2689 TSA Points | Member since: Mar 2009
I’m still having problems syncing my trophies. If I wait until around midnight when the network is presumably quieter, it seems to work though!!
Argon123 | 21/11/2009 14:50
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242 TSA Points | Member since: Apr 2009
i get to about 44 – 47% then theres an error ive tryed over and over but still no luck
Ed the Penguin | 20/11/2009 10:09
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342 TSA Points | Member since: Dec 2008
I read somewhere to make sure all installed games are updated. That seemed to help me – or could’ve been coincidence?….
gnipper | 20/11/2009 12:31
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709 TSA Points | Member since: May 2009
me too. I was sticking all the time at 5% when i tried last night. I tried this morning and it did it – took 20 mins mind. I reckon it could be down to something simple like network congestion… Those of you having problems – try syncing very early in the morning…
aerobes | 21/11/2009 15:14
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678 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2009
I told my brother the exact same thing (about trying in the morning) and his worked.
I haven’t bothered for a while, PSN might not like me after my trophy sync, there may be around 150 to be logged.
I will try when Gravity Crash rolls around, I cant even look at screenshots without involuntarily developing a silly grin, LOL
Danlord | 19/11/2009 21:28
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111 TSA Points | Member since: Sep 2009
Glad someone else likes it, I think its superb. I especially like it on the friends list that even though a friend below isnt selected it has the coloured box around their avatar, I think it’s a small touch but a good one. Haven’t managed to try the Facebook integration it doesn’t allow people with sub-accounts to do so. [I was under 18 at the time of registering but now I am 18 but not been upgraded to master which sucks] but I expect it to do well
S1nghSat1onal | 19/11/2009 21:30
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73 TSA Points | Member since: Jul 2009
Ive not updated my ps3 yet, as I dont play during school days. Do you have any idea on how big or long the update takes? I’m looking forward to the enahncements though, makes me glad to have a PS3 becuase of the helpful additions.
Roynaldo | 19/11/2009 21:30
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2976 TSA Points | Member since: Nov 2008
Im happy with the improvements though im still having trouble syncing trophies so I cant access my profile to change the colour of my box.
Honestly would prefer it if the boxes were even more subtle, if thats possible.
Watchful | 19/11/2009 21:31
Team TSA: Writer
2084 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
Appreciating the fact that the browser is finally widescreen. It’s the littel things that matter.
Watchful | 19/11/2009 21:33
Team TSA: Writer
2084 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
Little things like spelling. D’oh.
dirtyhabit | 19/11/2009 21:35
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EH? Hasn’t it always been widescreen?
dirtyhabit | 19/11/2009 21:37
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Oh yeah. I like the update too!
theshockwave | 19/11/2009 21:37
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1873 TSA Points | Member since: Nov 2008
Was it not widescreen before?
Deathbrin | 19/11/2009 22:25
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940 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2009
I dunno, mine’s still 4:3 when zoomed out.
waddo_89 | 19/11/2009 21:31
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485 TSA Points | Member since: Mar 2009
Er, where is Facebook. I don’t have an icon in account management? And yes I defo have 3.10
Danlord | 19/11/2009 21:33
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111 TSA Points | Member since: Sep 2009
If you have a sub-account you won’t have access to it, unfortunately.
kevatron400 | 20/11/2009 11:07
Don't call him Kevatron400.
1742 TSA Points | Member since: Dec 2008
I didn’t have a major look, but I couldn’t see it at first glance either, and I’m definitely not sub-account…
haz360 | 19/11/2009 21:32
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421 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
I think the update is definitely a step in the right direction. Very good
Danlord | 19/11/2009 21:41
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111 TSA Points | Member since: Sep 2009
Couldn’t agree more.
cc_star | 19/11/2009 21:32
Team TSA: Writer
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It’s better – cause now I can choose pink – awesome.
Oh and they’re smaller
theshockwave | 19/11/2009 21:38
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You can choose pink and blame your daughter. Again.
SpikeyMikey23 | 19/11/2009 23:28
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I chose pink :-S
gnipper | 20/11/2009 12:40
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709 TSA Points | Member since: May 2009
Purple here
RadioactiveMouse | 19/11/2009 21:40
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547 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2009
I think the aesthetic changes have made it look really good. I haven’t tried the rent option yet but I intend to
Timesh1993 | 19/11/2009 21:43
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1178 TSA Points | Member since: Apr 2009
I don’t have the facebook icon and i know for a fact mine isn’t a sub-account.
Danlord | 19/11/2009 21:46
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111 TSA Points | Member since: Sep 2009
Hmm. At first when I installed the firmware I didn’t have the TV icon for BBC iPlayer but what I did was turned the PS3 off, turned it off from the back of the console and left it for a few minutes. Turned it all on and voila! it was back so maybe do the same for the Facebook icon, if that fails then I have no idea.
Timesh1993 | 19/11/2009 21:46
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1178 TSA Points | Member since: Apr 2009
Ignore me please everyone!
ME and technology just don’t get along
Apnomis | 19/11/2009 21:49
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724 TSA Points | Member since: Sep 2009
The Video Store is far too expensive to be a big hit – £11.99 for an SD film with STEREO sound? No thanks! £4.50 for a HD rental with stereo sound is ludicrous as well, as is £3.50 for the SD rental for that matter. When you can buy Blu-rays from numerous outlets offering numerous sales and special offers for sometimes as low as £7.50, you’d have to be crazy or have more money than sense to pay £12 for a compressed SD digital download that is tied to your PS3 and only has stereo sound…
As for the rest of the changes in 3.10 I like the new look friends list, and the use of colour selections was something I theorised would happen when 3.00 launched the grey boxes – I’ve grown to like the other things I didn’t like about 3.00 like the font size and startup sequence, it was more the shock of the transition from old to new with them. I don’t use Facebook so that doesn’t interest me, nor am I Polish so the language option doesn’t matter. The photo change is a welcome addition and makes a lot of sense – I think they should apply this grid design to other areas of the XMB too, like trophies and games and music etc, reduce the amount of vertical scrolling as your XMB content grows (especially since the names fade now anyway)…
Had a couple of weird bugs after updating though – the TV section (iPlayer) disappeared and the friends online count wasn’t adding up to the actual amount of available friends on my list! Restarting didn’t help – I had to turn it off with the switch at the back for 30 seconds and turn back on again before it fixed it.
minerwilly | 20/11/2009 00:00
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745 TSA Points | Member since: Feb 2009
I found that 90% of the SD films where £2.49 and HD £3.49 , im very happy with that . I will never bother with HD films , cant see the fuss tbh !
bunimomike | 19/11/2009 22:12
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4737 TSA Points | Member since: Jul 2009
I am of a reasonable disposition and enjoyed the previous firmware… but this one is good too.
Just a bit gutted about 2 channel sound with countless video rentals/purchases. It’s put me off completely. However, regarding everything else… top stuff, Sony.
skibadee | 19/11/2009 22:14
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3899 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2009
me too love the new firmware
gazzagb | 19/11/2009 22:24
Master of speling mitakse
2760 TSA Points | Member since: Feb 2009
This the colours are good, but would prefer it if you chose a colour for everyones id to display as. Atm, ive got a multi-coloured thing going on which doesnt look bad, but i would prefer to be in control
Forrest_01 | 20/11/2009 09:32
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77 TSA Points | Member since: Jun 2009
Agreed – I am of exactly the same opinion. I would like to be able to go down my friends list & change them all black so that i am not so distracted by all of the pretty colours in the corner of my eye. Looks like my PS3 has thrown up a rainbow at the moment!!
ANTS101 | 19/11/2009 22:34
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454 TSA Points | Member since: Jun 2009
I would like to support your improved wifi theory because I am now getting 20% more signal than I used too!
Which is great news for me because I am constantly changing my wifi router settings to improve signal and stop even the slightest bit of lag. I also think the coloured friends list boxes is a great idea and so is the new picture navigation.