3D TV Area

The Sony Playstation 3 is much more than a gaming console. There would be a fair share of users who would be using it in the form of a device to stream media and as a DVD/Blu-Ray player, apart from the gaming features. 2010 was always going to be a big year for the 3D technology with the launches of major high end 3D enabled television sets. Also, there were eyes set upon the PS3 think tank, which was expected to do its bit in contribution to the 3D entertainment world.

The huge customer base of Sony Playstation 3 waited for a long time with bated breaths for the company to announce its plans as regards the 3D abilities of the PS3. There was always the buzz that a firmware upgrade that would elevate the status of the PS3 in the 3D world would hit the markets sooner than later. However, the company’s release in June did not cater to the needs and aspirations of the customers. But they were shown a ray of light when Sony CEO Howard Stringer went on record saying that October would witness the release of the firmware labeled 3.50 which would give the 3D capability to PS3. And there was an obvious logic in this course of action. There was not a sufficient supply of 3-D content to watch! Releasing the firmware would have been pretty futile in such a scenario. Rightly so, the company decided to wait a little longer. However, there was no consoling the hardcore 3-D fanatics. They had no option but to stick to the other routes to 3-D pleasure. It is almost ironic that the PS3 that was causing the butterflies in the stomachs was also the device for their solace as they could still amuse themselves by playing 3D games with the PS3. There had been the word in the air that the June firmware release would let the users of PS3 play 3D games.

The company delivered on its promise and sky rocketed its reputation by offering the scintillating experience of 3D gaming for those who possessed the PS3 and a 3D television. Wipeout HD, a pulsating racing game has been a hot favorite amongst gaming enthusiasts. It takes them to a 30D world of futuristic race courses without even budging from their soft couches. The full version of this game is available and is attracting many buyers. Another racing game, Motor Storm Pacific Rift, has had its demo released. This one takes the adrenalin rush to the boiling point by adding many additional twists and turns to the conventional racing scenarios. And the fact that all of this happens in 3D just breathes new life into the whole pleasure of gaming and the player finds himself engulfed in a completely real looking virtual world. Among the other full version 3D games is the Super Stardust HD, where the player enters the outer space to fight the battle for the survival of the native planet. It is mind boggling to even imagine the cosmic entities circulating right inside your living room, and it is an absolutely overwhelming experience to be a part of the cosmic battle field. Another game, PAIN, is one with 3-D on the mind of the makers.

This stereoscopic production includes a few modes devoted whole-heartedly to the power of 3D. In this way, the month of June was a milestone in the 3D journey of the next gen entertainment market. Not only did they unveil the 3-D enabled Bravia HDTVs, but the promises regarding the proposed 3D movies endowment on the PS3 were also made. By the succeeding month, the PS3 was all set and running with respect to 3D gaming. The owners of PS3 and the new BRAVIA series HDTVs were also showered with Playstation network vouchers, which entitled them to download the four above mentioned stereoscopic games. Combined together, this meant a 3-D gaming environment for more than a hundred hours for the proud PS3 owners. Obviously, Sony wanted the people to have a taste of what all lies in store as regards the 3-D gaming industry goes.

The 3D bug kept on spreading the buzz all around, and the HDTV market remained thronged for a good part of the year. The month of October came and so did the day of reckoning when Sony announced the launch of the firmware update 3.50 for PS3, thus enabling them to play 3-D movies along with all the other features. This firmware comes as a boon for the 3-D movie fans possessing a PS3, or planning to buy one. The firmware update 3.50 adds many additional features to your already loaded PS3 device. The gaming and social networking enthusiasts have access to a Facebook integration module with the updated PS3 which allows them to interact with the Facebook community to their heart’s content. They can choose and control their information such as user names and photos etc on Facebook and take their game play to a new level of entertainment. Also, in case the users have any qualms or issues with the messages sent by other network users, they can file claims easily from the appropriate button in the options menu of the messages area in their friend categories. Thus, it is pretty conclusive now that PS3 is one of the more efficient 3-D packages you can think of purchasing, as it integrates the gaming platform with the movies and digital content now, after the firmware 3.50 release. In fact, buying a PS3 is much better than spending money on a pure movie player, and there is actually no second opinion if you also happen to be a gaming enthusiast. If you have a 3D television already, and have the necessary HDMI cables, you can be witnessing a 3D spectacle in your house within no time after purchasing a PS3.