With the PS3 Firmware 3.30 update, Sony has introduced a new Terms Of Service and User Agreement – Version 6.0 (April 21, 2010).
The most interesting is paragraph 11, to cite:
11. MAINTENANCE AND UPGRADES…
PlayStation LifeStyle writes:
"A few weeks ago, a trademark filed by Sony was uncovered. Dubbed Qriocity, the title alone piqued our "curiosity". It seems as though Qriocity is Sony’s first attempt at bringing PlayStation Network ID services to other Sony products including network enabled Bravia HDTVs, VAIO PCs, and Sony’s upcoming line of Blu-Ray players."
"Another interesting point to note, the service will use the PlayStation Network ID system to sign in"
Sony filed a "curious" trademark in USA for something called Qriocity.
Two things caught Siliconera’s attention. Qriocity is registered for use with "portable gaming machines" and "game services provided on-line from a computer network."
* Firmware 3.10 Has Arrived
* Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Beta Impressions
* IBM To Pull Out of Cell Processor Development
* Sony to Offer Premium PSN Service
* GT5 to Get DLC?
* Killzone 2 & inFAMOUS Excluded from Game of The Year Category for Spike VGA’s
* MUCH MUCH More
Owners of bricked systems file suit on behalf of everyone who downloaded system update 3.0 or 3.01; demand unspecified damages.
The ability of console makers to update their systems’ firmware has a number of benefits, as evidenced by the continually expanding capabilities of the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii. However, the updating of firmware on all three platforms is sometimes associated with reports of systems being broken by the updates, or "bricked."
In some cases, the owners of ruined consoles do more than make angry message board posts about their misfortune. In late 2006, an Xbox 360 owner sued Microsoft over a system update rendering his console inoperable. That suit was dismissed in mid-2007 when Microsoft and the plaintiff reached an agreement out of court.
Now it’s Sony’s day in court, as last week a pair of PlayStation 3 owners who had their systems bricked by the September 3.0 and 3.01 firmware updates filed suit agianst the company. The two gamers–one from Texas, the other from Iowa–allege that the updates caused PS3s to malfunction, with problems including loss of controller use, malfunction of the Blu-ray drive, and bricking of consoles. When they contacted Sony’s customer service representatives, the pair were told that the system failures were coincidental and unrelated to the system update. Furthermore, Sony would charge them a repair fee of $150 in order to fix the systems.
Square Enix is the next company to join the growing number of developers and publishers pledging their commitment to Sony’s PSPgo handheld and, it is likely, Sony’s new Minis service.
Speaking to Develop, German ratings board USK confirmed that Square Enix had submitted a game for classification early in August.
That game is Crystal Defenders, a Tower Defence title published digitally across the PlayStation Network, WiiWare, iPhone and XBLA.