SEN (formerly Qriocity) is the name given to Sony’s online streaming services – games, music, movies, and ebooks. Now, users will have to use their SEN accounts to sing into PSN.

According to Sony, this is a rebranding exercise with the explicit purpose of pulling everything under one umbrella. They want everything that they offer to all run through the same account.

So, what’s going to change for PSN users? Not much, really. This is a change in name only – usernames and passwords will all remain untouched. A software update will bring the name change on both the PS3 and eventually the new Vita handheld, but interestingly enough, not the PSP.

This rebranding comes after a tough 2011 for Sony’s Playstation Network. A giant hack took down the PSN for weeks last Spring, and users were less than pleased regarding how Sony handled the whole situation.

Check out the full email to users for details on a few policy changes:

On February 7, 2012, Sony Network Entertainment International LLC (“SNEI”) will update its Terms of Service and User Agreement and its Privacy Policy. As a part of this update, your “PlayStation®Network account” will be renamed a “Sony Entertainment Network account”

The first time you sign in to your Sony Entertainment Network account on or after February 7, 2012, you will be asked to agree to the new Terms of Service and User Agreement and Privacy Policy with SNEI if you wish to continue using your Sony Entertainment Network account. Please review all changes to the Terms of Service and User Agreement and Privacy Policy carefully before indicating your agreement.

In particular, these are some of the additions and changes we have to these agreements:

New terms for parents of minor, subaccount holders regarding the limitations of chat parental controls. Your reacceptance of the Terms of Service and User Agreement and Privacy Policy affirms your consent to the sharing of your child’s data that may occur if your child utilizes certain communication functionalities on PlayStation devices such as PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita systems.

New terms that explain the location-based services offered through the PlayStation Vita system. For parents of minor, subaccount holders your reacceptance of the Terms of Service and User Agreement and Privacy Policy affirms your consent to your subaccount holder’s user of these services on the PlayStation Vita system.

A description of our “What’s New” section, which provides topical information about our services and advertisements.

Information about pre-ordering content.

The name of your “PlayStation Network account” is changing to a “Sony Entertainment Network account.”

You may click here to review the changes to the Terms of Service and User Agreement and you may click here to review the changes to the Privacy Policy.

The rebranding of PlayStation Network accounts to Sony Entertainment Network accounts is a change in name only. Your username or password will not change, nor are we asking you to change them. On Sony Computer Entertainment’s PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita systems, this rebranding will occur in connection with software updates for these devices. (Note, this change will not be applied to the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system at this time.)

This transition is based on Sony’s goal to enhance its unique digital entertainment offering. As a series of these activities Sony started last September, PlayStation Network will be aligned with “Sony Entertainment Network.” This helps us get closer to our goal of establishing a global comprehensive network platform of services across games, movies, music and more, all accessible from one convenient account.

The Sony Entertainment Network account also enables use of Sony’s compelling non-game services such as Music Unlimited, Video Unlimited and PlayMemories Online (currently called Personal Space) across a variety of network-connected devices. If you do not agree with the new Terms of Service and User Agreement or Privacy Policy, you may decline to accept them, and you will no longer be able to access your account.

If you wish to close your account or request a refund of your wallet balance, or have any questions, please contact Customer Service by clicking here. For more information, please click here.

Thank you very much for being a customer!

The line consists of three controllers – two assault rifles and a sniper rifle – and a range of peripherals. The two assault rifles are designed to work just like the PS3’s DualShock controllers, with buttons positioned in such a way as to be comfortable for both right and left-handed players. The sniper rifle is only compatible with PlayStation Move and its corresponding games. Other accessories include a universal gaming backpack designed to accommodate any of the three major consoles – Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii – with a padded main compartment and multiple pockets. The line also includes three headsets: a Universal Gaming Headset with 3D Effect that appears to be compatible with pretty much anything with a 3.5 mm headphone jack (including Xbox 360, most computers, and even iOS devices), a bluetooth Throat Mic Headset compatible with the PS3 and any bluetooth-equipped computer, and a wired Throad Mic Headset with a 3.5 mm headphone jack.

CTA’s announcement does not give any pricing or release date information on any of these items, saying only that they “will soon be available at major retailers.” Given the criticism that has been leveled at violent video games in the past, it will be interesting to see what kind of reception these accessories receive. Rest assured that there will be at least a few accusations of the Army using these controllers to try and sway impressionable young gamers into enlisting. Personally, all I really want to know is whether that bluetooth throat mic will work with my iPhone.

What do you think of these controllers? Will you buy them? Should the Army be in the business of making video game controllers? Sound off in the comments.

[Source: CTA Digital]

“The PS Vita has had a terrific launch and sold in large numbers. We’re annoyed with these stories, because we can’t find any evidence of widespread glitches. The stories even said that Sony has issued an apology for PS Vita glitches, which simply isn’t true – there’s an apology on our Japanese website for people who are having trouble getting through to our technical help line, but that’s it.”

Apparently, this could be a case of something being lost in translation.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Sony just launched their brand new handheld device, the Vita, in Japan last Friday and although the initial sales figures looks promising, the device sort of stumbled out of the gate.

Customers flooded Twitter and YouTube with complaints about the new gaming system. Users reported numerous problems like lagging out, freezing and even all out crashes during gameplay. Some users reported unresponsive touchscreens as well.

Another issue seems to involve the registering of PlayStation Network accounts. According to Computerworld, there was a little bit of over-complex tooling necessary to fix the problem:

The process of configuring a PlayStation Vita is excessively complex. Cheap Ass Gamer founder David “CheapyD” Abrams uploaded a video explaining how he had to set up a temporary PSN account to download the update due to a glitch stopping him from using a pre-existing PSN account. While the update only took a few minutes and fixed many of the problems, the process involved is something that’s bound to infuriate many new Vita owners until it’s rectified.

And while some kinks are expected on a huge gaming system launch, these problems have more than annoyed customers in Japan.

PlayStation’s Japanese site has issued an official statement on the problems, saying that they are sorry and that some problems can be fixed from home. (Translated)

Currently, our information center regarding PlayStation Vita as well as our usual customer service center are receiving many inquiries. We apologize if your phone isn’t connected straight away. Some issues regarding PlayStation Vita can be addressed by simple procedures at home.

PlayStation has given Japanese customers a FAQ database for getting their device up and running.

Good news for Sony, however – the Vita sold incredibly well in its first two days. According to initial estimates, the Vita sold a little over 321,000 units over the weekend. By comparison, the Nintendo 3DS sold 371,000 in the same timeframe and the PlayStation Portable only sold 166,000.

The PlayStation Vita is set to launch in the States on February 22nd. Let’s hope that it isn’t marred with the same issues when that time comes.

The Vita is Sony’s handheld PlayStation gaming device. “The new PS Vita 3G/Wi-Fi, powered by AT&T’s Mobile Broadband Network, will change the way you game with real-time scores and game ranking news feeds, competitive multiplayer game sessions, and cross-game text messaging with Party.,” Sony says.

Here’s a video showing off the device:

The PlayStation Vita hits the U.S. on February 22. I guess Sony is hoping people are tired of the gadgets they got around the holidays by then. It’s an interesting move considering that last year, 40% of Sony’s Christmas revenue came from the U.S and Europe.

It’s available to pre-order online through Sony, Best Buy, Amazon and Gamestop for $299.

Sony then wants to integrate that into its own platform of network-connected consumer electronic products.

PlayStation Network anyone?

“This acquisition makes sense for Sony and Ericsson, and it will make the difference for consumers, who want to connect with content wherever they are, whenever they want,” said Sony President and CEO Sir Howard Stringer. “With a vibrant smartphone business and by gaining access to important strategic IP, notably a broad cross-license agreement, our four-screen strategy is in place. We can more rapidly and more widely offer consumers smartphones, laptops, tablets and televisions that seamlessly connect with one another and open up new worlds of online entertainment. This includes Sony’s own acclaimed network services, like the PlayStation Network and Sony Entertainment Network.”

Stringer added that the acquisition will afford Sony operational efficiencies in engineering, network development and marketing (among other areas).

“We can help people enjoy all our content – from movies to music and games – through our many devices, in a way no one else can,” he said.

Ericsson President and CEO Hans Vestberg said “Ten years ago when we formed the joint venture, thereby combining Sony’s consumer products knowledge with Ericsson’s telecommunication technology expertise, it was a perfect match to drive the development of feature phones. Today we take an equally logical step as Sony acquires our stake in Sony Ericsson and makes it a part of its broad range of consumer devices. We will now enhance our focus on enabling connectivity for all devices, using our R&D and industry leading patent portfolio to realize a truly connected world.”

The transaction awaits regulatory approvals, but has been approved by the “appropriate decision-making bodies of both companies”. The two companies expect the deal to close in January.

The PlayStation Vita will launch in the U.S. and Europe sometime in early 2012. Sony had previously planned to launch the Vita in 2011. Of course, this push-back will means that the Vita will not be available for purchase during the 2011 holiday season – a big loss for Sony.

Except in Japan. According to Bloomberg, the initial launch of the Vita will occur in Japan “before the end of December.”

The PlayStation brand has become a bigger part of Sony’s revenue over the last few years. Last year, 40% of Sony’s Christmas revenue came from the U.S and Europe.

“The PlayStation business is a key pillar,” said Sony’s Kazuo Hirai. “The video-game industry is evolving constantly. My expectation is for the PlayStation business to remain at the forefront of this very dynamic industry.”

If his name sounds very familiar, it’s because he was one of the main PR voices and man-of-apology during the PlayStation Network hacking debacle that crippled Sony’s online gaming community for weeks.

The Vita will launch (eventually) with a 5-inch OLED touch screen and a rear touch pad. It will feature GPS and wi-fi capabilities along with a front and rear camera. As long as you are playing compatible titles, you will be able to enjoy continuous gameplay between the Vita and your PS3.

Unlike Nintendo who recently said they will slash the price of their handheld Nintendo 3DS from $249 to $169, Sony says that they won’t be lowering the price of the Vita. It will start at $249 and go up to $299 for the 3G and wi-fi model.

On Tuesday, Sony promised that the PSN would be fully restored by the end of the week. Yesterday, the PSN was down for a bit for the massive update that unveiled today. Users yesterday were unable to log in for several hours as Sony prepared for today’s big re-launch and the final piece of the “full restoration” puzzle that was promised by the end of May. Sony was pretty close to hitting their mark.

From the PS blog:

The PlayStation Store is back online and thank you everyone for your patience. You will notice a huge lineup of new downloadable games, demos, add-on content, themes, avatars and videos. Also, PlayStation Plus has been updated with new full game trials, free games and DLC, free avatars and even more discounts.

You may have noticed that the content promised as part of the Welcome Back offer is not yet live. It is currently in the final stages of testing and will be available to download soon; we’ll be sure to let you know when.

The “Welcome Back offer” is Sony’s apology to customers, an appreciation program that when live, will offer users free PS3 and PSP games, free movie rentals, trial memberships to PlayStation Plus and free virtual items available on PlayStation Home.

It has been an incredibly tough stretch for Sony in the past month and a half. With the restoration of the PlayStation Store, everything is now back up and running. After the initial shutdown that lasted multiple weeks, Sony first restored online multiplayer on May 16th.

While today is a pretty good day for Sony, having fully restored their embattled PlayStation Network, we’ll have to wait and see how hackers respond. Sony is still a popular target. The hacker group responsible for the weekend hack of the PBS website, LulzSec, has begun what they call #Sownage. They said yesterday that they were “making off with a bunch of [their] internal stuff.” They have also said that it is the “beginning of the end” for Sony.

Just a couple of hours ago, the group posted these two tweets:

Image Courtesy

The latest official update posted to the PlayStation blog takes the form of a Q&A, much of it mirroring questions outlined yesterday in an offical Sony FAQ page that was linked to from the blog.  Here’s what now-very-widely-known Director of Corporate Communications Patrick Seybold has to say:

First off, we want to again thank you for your patience. We know that the PlayStation Network and Qriocity outage has been frustrating for you. We know you are upset, and so we are taking steps to make our services safer and more secure than ever before. We sincerely regret any inconvenience or concern this outage has caused, and rest assured that we’re going to get the services back online as quickly as we can.

We received a number of questions and comments yesterday and early today relating to the criminal intrusion into our network. We’d like to address some of the most common questions today.

We are also going to continue to post updates to this blog with any additional information and insight that we can over the next few days.

We are reading your comments. We are listening to your suggestions. Please keep them coming.

It’s good to see that Sony is at least feigning a dialogue with users.  Besides the obvious frustration of not being able to play your games online, PS3 owners have been the most frustrated with that lack of transparency regarding the “external intrusion.”  Users were not notified until a week after the initial outage that their personal information had been compromised. 

The latest update from Sony reminds users that although no evidence is yet available that their credit info was stolen, users should brace for that likely possibility.  One bit of good news – even if the credit card numbers and expiration dates were stolen, the CVC security code from the back of your card were not obtained because the PSN and Qriocity does not ask for it.

The real news from this latest blog post is that there is a very soft time-frame for when the PSN will be restored.  I repeat, WoW Gold Guide, very soft:

Our employees have been working day and night to restore operations as quickly as possible, and we expect to have some services up and running within a week from yesterday. However, we want to be very clear that we will only restore operations when we are confident that the network is secure.

Late yesterday, the news surfaced that users’ personal information had been compromised during the attack.  This announcement simply confirmed already existing fears that PS3 users had been talking about since the outage began.  Sony was quick to assure users the there is no evidence that credit card numbers were compromised, they didn’t rule out the possibility that it had happened.

We believe that an unauthorized person has obtained the following information that you provided: name, address (city, state/province, zip or postal code), country, email address, birthdate, PlayStation Network/Qriocity password, login, password security answers, and handle/PSN online ID.  It is also possible that your profile data may have been obtained, including purchase history and billing address (city, state/province, zip or postal code).  If you have authorized a sub-account for your dependent, the same data with respect to your dependent may have been obtained. If you have provided your credit card data through PlayStation Network or Qriocity, it is possible that your credit card number (excluding security code) and expiration date may also have been obtained.

Well, hell.

The latest update on the PlayStation Blog says that the network was shut down for “forensic analysis” once the breach was discovered and that they only came clean about the information theft yesterday because they didn’t understand the scope until yesterday.

I wanted to take this opportunity to clarify a point and answer one of the most frequently asked questions today.

There’s a difference in timing between when we identified there was an intrusion and when we learned of consumers’ data being compromised. We learned there was an intrusion April 19th and subsequently shut the services down. We then brought in outside experts to help us learn how the intrusion occurred and to conduct an investigation to determine the nature and scope of the incident. It was necessary to conduct several days of forensic analysis, and it took our experts until yesterday to understand the scope of the breach. We then shared that information with our consumers and announced it publicly this afternoon.

For those who were looking there’s also an FAQ with some more frequently asked questions

Thank you for your continued patience and support.

The Playstation EU blog adds this tidbit:

Update: Due to ongoing work to bring PSN back online there will be no scheduled content publish this week for PlayStation Store or PS Home. We will resume our scheduled publishing as we bring services online again.

The above link to the FAQ page provides some new info, but very little.  There is still no definite timetable for when the PSN is set to go back online.  Sony says that they will keep the PSN down to “verify smooth operation” when “security concerns are addressed.”

FAQ #16 mirrors a topic that has been debated thoroughly in our comments, “I Want My Money Back.”  Sony says that once services are restored they will “assess the correct course of action.”

The fact that it took  a whole week for Sony to announce that user info was compromised has to incense the PS3 community.  The fact that that admission is the most transparent, detailed statement to come from Sony in over a week must incense them even more.

What a week it has been for PlayStation fans. It’s day seven for most users of the PlayStation Network being down. People are understandably frustrated. Now they get to find out that their personal information is at risk. This includes info like: name, address, country, email address, birthdate, PlayStation Network/Qriocity password/login/PSN ID.

Sony is sending customers emails similar to the following, which the company has posted on the PlayStation blog:

Valued PlayStation Network/Qriocity Customer:
We have discovered that between April 17 and April 19, 2011, certain PlayStation Network and Qriocity service user account information was compromised in connection with an illegal and unauthorized intrusion into our network. In response to this intrusion, we have:

1. Temporarily turned off PlayStation Network and Qriocity services;
2. Engaged an outside, recognized security firm to conduct a full and complete investigation into what happened; and
3. Quickly taken steps to enhance security and strengthen our network infrastructure by re-building our system to provide you with greater protection of your personal information.

We greatly appreciate your patience, understanding and goodwill as we do whatever it takes to resolve these issues as quickly and efficiently as practicable.

Although we are still investigating the details of this incident, we believe that an unauthorized person has obtained the following information that you provided: name, address (city, state, zip), country, email address, birthdate, PlayStation Network/Qriocity password and login, and handle/PSN online ID. It is also possible that your profile data, including purchase history and billing address (city, state, zip), and your PlayStation Network/Qriocity password security answers may have been obtained. If you have authorized a sub-account for your dependent, the same data with respect to your dependent may have been obtained. While there is no evidence at this time that credit card data was taken, we cannot rule out the possibility. If you have provided your credit card data through PlayStation Network or Qriocity, out of an abundance of caution we are advising you that your credit card number (excluding security code) and expiration date may have been obtained.

For your security, we encourage you to be especially aware of email, telephone, and postal mail scams that ask for personal or sensitive information. Sony will not contact you in any way, including by email, asking for your credit card number, social security number or other personally identifiable information. If you are asked for this information, you can be confident Sony is not the entity asking. When the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services are fully restored, we strongly recommend that you log on and change your password. Additionally, if you use your PlayStation Network or Qriocity user name or password for other unrelated services or accounts, we strongly recommend that you change them, as well.

To protect against possible identity theft or other financial loss, we encourage you to remain vigilant, to review your account statements and to monitor your credit reports. We are providing the following information for those who wish to consider it:

U.S. residents are entitled under U.S. law to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit bureaus. To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call toll-free (877) 322-8228.

We have also provided names and contact information for the three major U.S. credit bureaus below. At no charge, U.S. residents can have these credit bureaus place a “fraud alert” on your file that alerts creditors to take additional steps to verify your identity prior to granting credit in your name. This service can make it more difficult for someone to get credit in your name. Note, however, that because it tells creditors to follow certain procedures to protect you, it also may delay your ability to obtain credit while the agency verifies your identity. As soon as one credit bureau confirms your fraud alert, the others are notified to place fraud alerts on your file. Should you wish to place a fraud alert, or should you have any questions regarding your credit report, please contact any one of the agencies listed below.

Experian: 888-397-3742; www.experian.com; P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013
Equifax: 800-525-6285; www.equifax.com; P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
TransUnion: 800-680-7289; www.transunion.com; Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790

You may wish to visit the web site of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission at www.consumer.gov/idtheft or reach the FTC at 1-877-382-4357 or 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580 for further information about how to protect yourself from identity theft. Your state Attorney General may also have advice on preventing identity theft, and you should report instances of known or suspected identity theft to law enforcement, your State Attorney General, and the FTC. For North Carolina residents, the Attorney General can be contacted at 9001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-9001; telephone (877) 566-7226; or www.ncdoj.gov. For Maryland residents, the Attorney General can be contacted at 200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202; telephone: (888) 743-0023; or www.oag.state.md.us.

We thank you for your patience as we complete our investigation of this incident, and we regret any inconvenience. Our teams are working around the clock on this, and services will be restored as soon as possible. Sony takes information protection very seriously and will continue to work to ensure that additional measures are taken to protect personally identifiable information. Providing quality and secure entertainment services to our customers is our utmost priority. Please contact us at 1-800-345-7669 should you have any additional questions.

Sincerely,
Sony Computer Entertainment and Sony Network Entertainment

Based on comments we’ve received on our previous coverage, it looks like Microsoft’s Xbox may be emerging as a big winner from the ordeal.