Sony’s out with an interesting PS3 offering today. The Folding@Home download has been updated and rebranded as Life with Playstation. In addition to crunching away on molecular proteins, the add-on now presents current worldwide news (Google) and weather (Weather Channel) accompanied by music (bring your own). But I don’t really want to talk about the new features…
While I’ve played on the PS3 a decent amount, this is the first time I’ve lived with it. And Sony’s launch of Life with Playstation emphasizes the console’s UI issues. Microsoft, known for computer software, has done a much better job implementing the 10′ interface with the Xbox 360 than Sony, known for consumer electronics devices, has with the PS3.
When interacting with the PS3, I frequently feel like a PC is attached to the plasma – too much text, fonts are too small, poor use of screen real estate, too many download and installation screens, crash messaging, etc. I captured maybe only half of the screens below (unreadable from the couch) it took to get this app installed. Shouldn’t it really download and install automatically, perhaps even silently?
I seen this on the PS blog this morning. I think Ill download it tonight. A few things you forgot… The controllers don’t charge in standby, Downloads stop in standby, and system downloads take to long.
I have yet to download anything from the video store. So I can’t compare it with the 360. But the PS3 does make a nice Blu-Ray player and does have a few nice exclusive games :).
I suspected, but wasn’t positive about the controller not charging in standby. Dang. But thanks for the confirmation. I also noticed the slow downloads, but can live with them as long as online play is efficient – and it seemed to work just fine with CoD4. (SOCOM beta is another story… being pre-release, I won’t ding them on it.)
When in-game or in-movie, it’s fine – but the XMB interface leaves a lot to be desired as it’s currently implemented.
What drives me around the bend is how every time I turn on the damn PS3 I have to go through another excruciatingly painful, multistep, wait and wait update. Most of the decent games I played also must first be installed.
None of this happens on the 360. When an update is required on the 360, it just does it and a few minutes later I’m ready to go. I’ve never had to “INSTALL” a game on the 360. I’ve never had to click on “I accept” buttons EVERY DAMN TIME I do an update. I’ve never had to reboot the 360. It just rebooted itself if it needed to.
While I enjoyed a few of the exclusive games I’ve played on the PS3 (Drake’s Fortune is the best so far), I’ll choose the 360 every time if its a cross-platform game.
…Dale
I keep my laptop on my coffee table, and use that to charge my controller. I do wish the downloads would continue in standby mode (or at least an option to continue) then turn to the current standby when it’s completed.
The other wish I had was an automatic shutoff after x minutes after a BD or DVD movie has finished. That way, if I fall asleep, it’s not running all night.
I’ve not had any issues with Burnout online while downloads are running. If you haven’t looked at Burnout Paradise, I suggest you take a look at that game.
Oh, I definitely played Burnout Paradise (on Xbox) – Sling was a sponsor. :)
Dale, I played Drake’s Fortune until those demon zombie things showed up. Awesome animations, good control – well-balanced game play for a non-pro. Maybe I’ll get back into it.
Dave,
Just shoot from the hip (w/o aiming) and they go down pretty quick. Drake’s Fortune is a great game, albiet a short one. I completed my first run through with 50 of the 60 treasures found in ~11 hours.
I wasn’t a fan of the zombies either. I wrote a review of that game that I sent to my friends last December. I will, at some point, put it up on The Daleisphere. But what I liked most about it was the Hollywood-style character development. I really liked the lead character and the woman side kick. They seemed like real people. I much prefer women characters that are like real-world cute women vs. the over-the-top stereo-type that is Laura Croft and so many other video game vixens.
…Dale
I must be too used to PCs but I didn’t really mind PS3 quirks (owned 360 since Gears of War came out). I do wish they had background downloads though…
Alright, I popped Drake’s back in last night. I left it at the start of Chatper 22 – I think there’s 23 total?
THere are only 22 chapters.
Yeah, I finished this AM. Didn’t realize how close I was to the end when I dropped it and when I left off last night. I agree with Dale – the story-telling in this one was also good. Now I got to figure out what to play until some of the new games show up.