This week, both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable received system updates, which you'll need to download before accessing the online store again. Here's what is new in PS3 v3.1:
- Facebook linking. This is tucked away under Account Management and lets you choose whether to share Trophy, purchase and any specially designated in-game events to Facebook. To access Facebook in its entirety, you'll still need to use the Web browser.
- Improved Photo section with a grid that displays more images at a time.
- PSN Friends List improvements with color selection for your friend bar.
- Digital Comics Reader, which you'll download when you click on the reader icon in a new section called Extras. Alas, the service doesn't launch until December (and you'll likely have to pay for most comics) but a free sample is promised "soon."
- Video/photo playlist sync from PC to PSP using Media Go v1.3.
- Ad Hoc Party (free) allows PSP games with ad hoc features to play online via PS3.
- Peggle ($10) plus Peggle Nights add-on ($5)
- Pain Flavor Flav character ($2)
- High Velocity Bowling Psychedelic '60s and Techno Modern ball packs ($1 each)
- Way of the Samurai 3 Accessories (free)
- PS1 for PS3/PSP: Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver ($6) and Resident Evil 2 ($6)
- Guitar Hero 5 Kiss Track Pack ($5.50 or $2 each) with "Modern Day Delilah," "Lick It Up" and "I Was Made For Lovin' You"
- The Beatles: Rock Band remainder of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album ($13.50 or $2 each) with "Fixing A Hole," "She's Leaving Home," "Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite!," "Within You Without You," "When I'm Sixty-Four," "Lovely Rita," "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)" and "A Day In The Life"
- Rock Band/Rock Band 2 AFI Pack 01 ($8.50 or $2 each) with "Beautiful Thieves," "End Transmission," "Love Like Winter," "Medicate" and "The Leaving Song, Pt II" plus track ($2) "Walk Like an Egyptian" by The Bangles - Note: "Family friendly" tracks also work with Lego Rock Band.
- PSP: Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines ($40), Circles ($4), D-Cube Planet ($4), Echoes ($4) and Rock Band Unplugged tracks ($2 each) "California Über Alles" by Dead Kennedys and "You're No Rock 'n' Roll Fun" by Sleater-Kinney
- PS3 Demos: Smash Cars
- PSP Demos: LittleBigPlanet, PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe and Promethus
- Game Videos: Army Of Two: The 40th Day, Assassin's Creed II, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Critter Crunch, FIFA Soccer '10, Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier, Madden NFL Arcade, Pain Flavor Flav, Peggle and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
- Themes: Peggle (free) and Celtic Maidens 2 Premium Plus ($2)
- Wallpaper: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Peggle and Topatoi
