PS Suite is MONO!

GDC 2011 conference video #1 PS Suite is Mono

GDC 2011 Conference PS Suite #1

GDC 2011 Conference PS Suite #2

GDC 2011 Conference PS Suite #3

Mono is a Gnome technology!
PS3 Development is primarily in Tokyo
PS3 PS Suite support is still under evaluation

This I think puts a period to speculation. Sony IS supporting Gnome on the PS3 and PS VITA. Vita is Custom toolkit with roots in GTK (guess from the POSIX theme changes to GTK chrome for the PS3 GTKwebkit port), Gstreamer, Pulse Audio, Cairo-Pixman, glib, Telepathy, Mono and a FreeBSD kernel (POSIX). PS3 is the same except (Mono/PS Suite to be determined) a custom FreeBSD kernel (POSIX).

Vita and PS3 are getting a WebkitGTK+ browser. The GTKwebkit browser uses most of the Gnome Libraries, I.E. once you port GTKwebkit to a platform you can support a Sony Flavor GNOME technology Desktop.

Gnome Mobile and embedded initiative + Webkit (WebkitGTK) = PS Suite & PS3, Vita and PS4 OS UI and AV (Gnome Browser Desktop)



+



=



Finding Key Gnome Libraries on multiple Sony platforms that are also needed by the WebkitGTK port to the PS3 and Vita and reading that Mono can use those libraries to support applications leads to speculation that crosses from the PS3 webkit thread to the PS Suite-Mono thread and back.

Even the Sony Google TV & Google TV Blu-ray player has those libraries. Of note is the GTK toolkit is missing. It's recommended that the GUI toolkit used by Mono be chosen to match the platform so there is a similar look and feel.

Using Android's UI toolkit would make the PS Suite application platform specific as far as look and feel but Sony is saying the PS Suite applications are use-able on any PS Suite platform. Going back to the PS3 GTKwebkit port, Sony modified many of the GTK menus (Pop-ups, buttons, etc. (first reported by androvsky) and changed the theme name for the Chrome to POSIX. They did this by changing the Cairo routines that draw the Chrome. Is this a clue that PS Suite is to have a common POSIX drawing theme across all platforms? Is this tied to Sony providing their own Console I/O. Edit: Confirmed in PS Suite video 3.

androvsky, Patsu and I in our back and forth in the PS3 webkit thread speculated that the changes to the GTKwebkit Chrome and the POSIX theme name might indicate GTKwebkit would be used on multiple platforms (PS3 & Vita) and the GTK+ toolkit with POSIX changes to Buttons and Popup menus for PS Suite. theBishop keyed on me and to this day still thinks I am mistaken in this when the three of us agree that the Sony webkit DIFF file clearly has changes to the Chrome and the ChromeclientGTK name was changed to ChromeclientPOSIX and contains RendererthemePOSIX references.

Native Gstreamer, Glib, Cairo-Pango and Javascript engine support are in the Sony Google TV Disclosure, I assume these will be used by PS Suite in a manor similar to Mono's Moonlight (Linux version of Silverlight) for Streaming video applications. (Sony has already purchased the rights to Silverlight's Playready DRM.)

Mono requires Cairo for Drawing except on windows platforms.

Gstreamer is required because Microsoft Codecs can't be used or rather require a Fee for use and Sony is, I would guess, already paying for codecs and if I understand correctly, this gives them an advantage as there is a one time per year fee of max $2 million for use of the codec or a minimum fee per device that uses the Codec. With a Gstreamer codec purchased from for instance Fluendo who purchases the rights from Mpeg LA, the cost is amortized across all Sony platforms.

The JSC engine required by Moonlight (not used by Google TV) also included is a 2002 version 1.5

GTK+ toolkit is NOT part of the Key Gnome libraries found on Sony Networked platforms a custom POSIX theme version may be part of PS Suite to be included later.

Gstreamer core, Cairo and Glib must be integrated into the platform's hardware, in the PS3 this happened in 2009 according to Charles Ying and provides, in the case of the PS3, a "highly optimized framework using the PS3's Cell SPUs and RSX" that the GTK+ toolkit can use to render to the screen and the Gstreamer upper level player can plug into. This also provides WebGL support for the PS3 GTKwebkit javascript engine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonlight_(runtime) said:

Moonlight is a free and open source implementation of Microsoft's Silverlight for Linux and other Unix based operating systems, developed by the Mono Project. Like Silverlight, Moonlight is a web application framework that provides functionalities similar to those in Adobe Flash, integrating multimedia, graphics, animations and interactivity into a single runtime environment.

Click to expand...

Mono's Moonlight supports deep Zoom which is needed for Sony PlayView Media.


***********************************

Miguel De Icaza one of the Co-authors of the Gnome initiative and developer of Mono is now announcing PS Suite is powered by Mono.

migueldeicaza Miguel de Icaza
Founder Xamarin, Ximian companies; Software programmer, founder Mono and Gnome projects. http://tirania.org/blog

Click to expand...

http://twitter.com/#!/migueldeicaza said:

migueldeicaza Miguel de Icaza
EGO JUICY PlayStation Suite talk from GDC: C#-based, Open, Xplat (Android, Vita, PS3), AppStore model: youtube.com/watch?v=clk3uu… (via @SoftSavage)
18 hours ago

Click to expand...

Sony is stating PS Suite for the PS3 is under evaluation but de Icaza above mentions the PS3 as a platform. His company is writing the JITmono VM for the PS3 so he should know.

Now go back and read a previous post about Mono development on the PS3 and the Sony Phyre engine in 2009. Ask yourself why it's not done if they started this in 2009 and had JIT routines using the SPUs + showed a non-JIT version running on a PS3 (Linux OS assumed). The reason is because the PS3 OS was not finished. The 2009 PS3 Firmware 3.0 had the optimized frameworks using CairoGL, Gstreamer and Glib but Gstreamer, GTK, webkit, Glib and Cairo were not finished or at a development level needed for Sony's plans. A demo JITmono (development proof of Concept ) version could be created and that needed the confirmed by the 2009 Charles Ying hardware accelerated (Cell SPU-RSX) framework (CairoGL & Gstreamer). 2009 shows up everywhere in these quotes!!!!!!! GTK3.2, Gstreamer 1.0 and a newer version of Glib is now or soon will be available, these newer versions have API changes. With those final versions in the PS3 and properly optimized using the PS3 Cell & RSX, a release JITmono VM can now be developed.

I find it interesting that the 2009 Sony patents have User support web pages with Flash Games mentioned. This is my understanding of what was happening from 2007 to the present.

Microsoft created Silverlight to provide support for the WEB only provided at that time by Adobe Flash. Mono's Moonlight was an attempt to provide Open Source Silverlight (Flash) support for Linux by creating a version for Linux called Moonlight using Gnome GNU Linux libraries. Microsoft cooperated with this for it's own reasons.

In the mean time the W3C created standards that would provide open source support for Flash functionality. Apple and others created webkit and in the Linux community the open source support libraries (Gnome) to support Webkit started to be developed.

Early versions of Moonlight used software owned by Microsoft but with Microsoft's permission for non-commercial use and only on Linux (skipping a lot of history). Today Gnome (Cairo-pango, Glib, Gstreamer) have evolved allowing support for Flash functionality on their own when combined with webkit. Mono now using those new updated libraries (almost there) can support Moonlight without using any Microsoft code (except it appears for DRM).

The Gnome Mobile initiative was a recognition of the cross platform uses beyond supporting webkit of the Gnome technologies and an effort in these technologies was made to insure efficiency and cross platform compatibility.

PS Suite uses Mono and I think is going to use Moonlight to support applications and games. Similar to Flash supported Games and web applications. Moonlight does the same in a manor similar to Flash. Sony is putting their own twist on this with custom support for games.

So Sony now has Cross Platform Game support similar to Cross Platform Adobe Flash games as mentioned in their 2009 patent but without having to pay for Adobe Flash and with more control.

The above is a simplified version. For instance Cairo existed before webkit but has evolved to support webkit. Part of the logic was to support webkit, part was to provide a complete rendering package with both SVG and Pixel support so Pixman was merged with Cairo.

When the WebGL committee announced a final standard for WebGL Sony disclosed Cairo in the PS3 as well as their WebGL port of WebkitGTK+. The webkitGTK port to the PS3 contains almost everything necessary to support PS Suite on the PS3 as it's supported with Gnome technology (GTK, Cairo-Pango, Gstreamer, Glib). Mono is also considered a Gnome technology but is not necessary to support webkit.

I really want to see the room you conduct your research in.

There's so much here that just looks like a stretch I don't know what the hell is going on.

Does anyone, anywhere, know a friendly neighbourhood PS3 OS developer that could just say:

jeff_rigby, he so crazy

or something?

Dr Frasier Crane said:

There's so much here that just looks like a stretch I don't know what the hell is going on.

Does anyone, anywhere, know a friendly neighbourhood PS3 OS developer that could just say:

jeff_rigby, he so crazy

or something?

Click to expand...

That's the only way to get an easy answer but they all sign NDAs. Confirming for your self requires reading and understanding just about the entire thread. A key point that might convince:

Sony Playview looks similar to Moonlight's or Silverlight's Deep Zoom as it's originally a Flash feature (article with demos). That's documented by me in this thread. http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=29016214&postcount=556

Click on the browser link below for a Silverlight Deep Zoom Site

jeff_rigby said:

Something similar at a website http://memorabilia.hardrock.com/ to Playview (Cairo SVG (contains Pixman) and hyperlinking), at this site totally supported in a browser with Silverlight. So from functionality it appears that Cairo is being used to support Playview in the PS3. Again from Sony, the Playview library can be called and used by a game as well as webkit and webkit support libraries which includes Cairo.

Click to expand...

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=32636645&postcount=215 said:

Moonlight 2
Deep Zoom -> (Cairo and Gstreamer with Cairo bindings = Sony's Playview)

Click to expand...

But Jeff, honestly.. do you really think that Sony is EVER going to change the PS3 webbrowser..? after all, that is what this thread started out with..

Hanmik said:

But Jeff, honestly.. do you really think that Sony is EVER going to change the PS3 webbrowser..? after all, that is what this thread started out with..

Click to expand...

Yes, it's in their interests to do so. When has a lot of factors I'm guessing at. Sony will release the new browser when it's in their interests to do so. Gesh, it's only 20 days since I thought Sony might release the new browser.

The big picture contains more than a new browser and impacts everything in most Sony platforms including future platforms. It's all tied together.

You have seen in the pictures of the new Vita browser that Sony websites are going to more picture based SVG menu options. Those will be in place before the new PS3 webkit browser is released. They are also needed for the Vita release so that will be in place Dec 17 at least for Japan. They can't or shouldn't be used with the old PS3 browser as it doesn't support SVG. That alone should support a new browser is coming.

There are many many changes and dependencies with those changes that require a timetable. I can only guess at some of them and look at Collabora and Gnome sites to determine when; GTK3.2 (done), Gstreamer 1.0 (partially done as far as we know and NOT updated in the Google TV disclosure which might indicate it's not ready), Cairo (done and Version 1.8 in the latest Sony Google TV disclosure), Glib (I think done) Webkit 1.7 broken waiting for 1.8......

As to Sony sites and ecosystem upgrades, that information is totally inaccessible.

I haven't mentioned this before as it's one of those weak proofs but the recently released Sony Picture cameras also now support 1080i video and one of the new Gstreamer 1.0 features is going to be automatically up-converting 1080i to 1080P as interlaced video can not be edited properly in Gstreamer supported video editors. Gstreamer 1.0 also supports 3-D video streams.

Another fact not impacting the browser but impacting us: Sony is supporting (Collabora too) an industry standard for codecs and meta data. Not all cameras support the same standards, for instance Panasonic camera's don't support the one accepted by Sony. IF there is interest I'll post more.

The Web and TV, Home networks device discovery HTML5 new features.....
Sony represented
Standards are not in place yet but are being proposed. This is big.

Third W3C Web and TV Workshop

In the above is a description of the Time Warner Cable and Samsung multi-room DVR

jeff_rigby said:

Gesh, it's only 20 days since I thought Sony might release the new browser. .

Click to expand...

Yeah, I was assuming October as well, but I figure the OS teams are busy with the Vita and integration features with the PS3 (there's yet another new feature announced where you can move your downloaded games from the Vita to the PS3 for storage so you don't have to download them again later).

Basically, whenever the firmware comes out that gives the PS Video Store the Video Unlimited Preview app's interface would be when I'd expect a new browser. We might not even get it then (or ever), but that's the most likely I think.


Btw, nice work on the PS Suite and Mono running on PS3 findings. I still can't figure out why they're being coy about PS3 support, even in the youtube video they were reminding developers to be mindful of different inputs (touchscreen and dpad/analogs). Probably some politics with publishers not wanting to compete with free/cheap apps and games on an established platform.

androvsky said:

Yeah, I was assuming October as well, but I figure the OS teams are busy with the Vita and integration features with the PS3 (there's yet another new feature announced where you can move your downloaded games from the Vita to the PS3 for storage so you don't have to download them again later).

Basically, whenever the firmware comes out that gives the PS Video Store the Video Unlimited Preview app's interface would be when I'd expect a new browser. We might not even get it then (or ever), but that's the most likely I think.

Btw, nice work on the PS Suite and Mono running on PS3 findings. I still can't figure out why they're being coy about PS3 support, even in the youtube video they were reminding developers to be mindful of different inputs (touchscreen and dpad/analogs). Probably some politics with publishers not wanting to compete with free/cheap apps and games on an established platform.

Click to expand...

Me either....wild speculation would be cost/benefit or security. Assumption is there are two layers of protection on the Vita, OS and Mono signed (authorized by MAC address?) to run on only one machine. PS3 is cracked and anything run on that can be easily examined and maybe eventually cracked. As I said wild speculation and many times I have trouble with Sony logic because there is too much not known to us.

"Btw, nice work on the PS Suite and Mono running on PS3 findings" Thanks but it's just on-going Google searches. It was suggested by a more knowledgeable person in a PS Suite thread here on NeoGAF that "C# and VM might be Mono. I researched Mono and saw the Gnome tie-in and started searching for Mono on the Internet. It proved fruitful.

Notice that de Icaza waited till after the Sony GDC developer videos became public (he posted hours after I posted in NeoGAF and several days after it hit YouTube). He might also be using Google to see if news had become public. He must have signed a NDA with Sony which also supports behind the scenes development we are assuming is happening. Oh, in his tweet he did let it slip that the PS3 is a supported platform along with the Vita and Android <grin>.

"We might not even get it then (or ever)" This FEELING has affected me also and then I think about it....it comes from no applications (well very few and only those supporting Sony cameras) in 2 years. Understanding why is a big part of why I've dug into this Webkit browser. I know you don't believe this but it applies to the Linux Gnome Shell also.

There are complaints about the limited applications for the Linux Gnome Shell. The reason is that new ones have to be written or rewritten to take advantage of the inter-process communication between applications and the API changes with supporting libraries. The same thing that makes a Gnome Desktop browsing environment attractive is limiting or retarding application development.

Same thing applies to the PS3 but Sony didn't even supply applications that could run stand alone except for those that would make them money or support their cameras. And those stand alone applications were HUGE because they had to have within themselves what would normally be called from an OS that for the most part didn't exist in the PS3.

Both of us at one time thought the browser might be released soon after the March WebkitGTK disclosure because the website contained TEST suites for various features of the browser front end. If they are testing then it must be released within a few months. When that didn't happen we jumped to the Vita release date (ecosystem features needed and both of us know that Gnome and eLinux developers release new features in October and the first rumored Vita release date was October). I went further and made a wild assumption that it might be tied to a version with features Sony wanted as Webkit and supporting Gnome libraries were evolving. I'm most likely correct in this because Gstreamer 1.0 is needed to display 3-D video which a Sony employee stated would be coming using "the Browser" within a year. Delays for PS3 applications using Gnome libraries used by webkit have the same logic; everything will come at the same time because of API changes with Gstreamer 1.0!

Point in bringing this up is to confirm the reason for the delay and that TESTs for browser functionality, new Playstation websites using SVG icons and the 3-D viewing from within the browser absolutely confirm a new browser is coming. (Geoff Levand in an email confirmed more LGPL disclosures are coming for the PS3)


On our continuing discussion about Cairo and Gstreamer in the PS3 with Firmware 3.0. Pixman does not require disclosure and the early versions of "What's New" seen in the US after Firmware 3.0 would be using Pixman which is at the same time a separate application and part of Cairo. So Sony could use Pixman everywhere but Cairo only outside the US. Gstreamer core and limited plugins were probably purchased from Fluendo. This explains everything I assumed Sony was violating LGPL. Cairo and Gstreamer were in the PS3 for use outside the US were it did not require disclosure, Japan with Torne for instance. Eyepet and PlayTV were using Gstreamer "Bad" plugins that were legal outside the US but could not be used in the US. The IPTV Gstreamer DASH player with Marlin DRM was purchased from Fluendo or Collabora along with the Gstreamer core and was usable everywhere.

After the Cairo disclosure in March 2011, "What's New" is using both Cairo and Pixman. Cairo to draw a box with curved corners with Text in the box around the previously existing Pictures. Prior to the Cairo disclosure "What's New" were pictures (pixels) manipulated with just Pixman, at least in the US. The following picture is a Firmware 3.0 early "What's New" but for Japan. While most of the windows comply with US LGPL (No Cairo) the center picture has a box drawn with Text below the picture. It is probably using Cairo for the text, Box and fill and we in the US did't get anything like that till after the March Cairo disclosure.

First (Firmware 3.0) What's new pictures, compare to today's version.



There is no reason for doing this, everything including the box and text could be done with Pixman and a picture that includes the text and box, except to provide us with clues as to what's coming. Curved edges on the box drawn with Cairo have no AA issues as Cairo SVG includes AA as does the Pixel (Pixman) routines (the Curve is Sony showing off AA support). Proof (not absolute) Cairo is being used is Text is now printed after the Pictures are displayed and if you click on "What's New" before it draws the default "What's New", boxes are drawn and then pictures fill into the boxes. Now release dates (text) are printed character by character (no reason to do that either except to show off SVG text or prove it's text not a picture) under many of the boxes and if you wait long enough they rotate, tilt and move up the screen using the trapezoid functionality in Pixman and Cairo with both picture and text absolutely tracking each other. That's easy for Cairo-Pixman to do but difficult for an "Intern" <grin>, again Sony showing off features supported by the Cairo surface or giving us clues.

It appears as if < tongue in cheek> some Sony programmer is reading our posts and is constantly updating the XMB "What's New" to prove to you it's a Cairo surface <grin>. Post here what would convince you and let's see if that will be implemented <big grin>. How about text printing character by character as it's tilting and rotating? That's possible if around each of the "What's New" boxes is a defined separate Cairo surface. Within that Cairo surface any text printed takes on the attributes of the surface at that time and is modified along with the rest of the items either picture or SVG on the Cairo surface.

Gesh the fog, X&Os and their ability to be manipulated/animated in the Firmware 3.0 default XMB theme was a big clue also.

And yes an Intern using OpenGL could do the above with lots of work or someone without programming experience can do it in Python/Mono calling/using Cairo routines with a little reading. Remember the Charles Ying Post, "Give this power to our UX developers and designers. Let partners easily build their own PS3 apps with little knowledge of PS3 architecture. Rapidly develop with a flexible environment." Our UX designers....is that only limited to IPTV applications or does it apply to the XMB. If it applies to the XMB, that could also include webkit features provided by a javascript engine and we then have a browser desktop.

Remember the Minority Report like demo posted by SolidusDave, It's Cairo and Gstreamer with Cairo bindings or rather the Pixman part of Cairo and Png, video would be Cairo-Pixman and Gstreamer. This is what Hiari was talking about when he referred to Firmware 3.0 as a complete rewrite to support video. A Cairo surface is defined bound by the two move controllers and parameters are fed to that cairo surface based on the position of the two Move controllers. Cairo and Pixman can expand a picture like iOS does with their two finger pinch and expand or rotate and twist the surface and thus the objects on that surface.





Re: Torne, notice that Sony chose to call the upgrade to Torne version 3.5 that will allow video streaming from the PS3 Torne to the Vita. Remember that PS3 firmware 3.5 gave the PS3 a HTML5 javascript engine and streaming IPTV similar to Adobe version 3.5 streams. This is probably another of those too subtle clues that Sony likes to give us.

Sony reportedly wants to be a virtual cable provider

This comes after Microsoft plans to roll out a huge update to the Xbox 360 that will allow gamers in the US with an active cable TV subscription to access their cable TV channels directly from the console. Only a couple cable providers have signed onto the deal so far.

What Sony appears to want is to cut the middle man - the cable guy - and offer content directly to users.

And unlike Microsoft, Sony also has the benefit of offering several other devices that connect to the TV, including Blu-ray players and home theater systems. The company also has several TV models that can connect to the Internet directly. All of these products could reportedly take advantage of a Sony-powered TV content service.

This all shows how the traditional game "console wars" have expanded far beyond gaming. The Xbox 360 and PS3 are both now competing for total entertainment dominance, with social networking, video streaming, and digital music all part of the offerings. The competition even spreads outside of the actual physical console as well, as both Microsoft and Sony are working to incorporate their respective mobile divisions with their game console services.

Click to expand...

Also read this: http://www.w3.org/2011/09/webtv/minutes.html#session2 HTML5 browsers are key to this.

jeff_rigby |OT|

But crazy awesome work diggin' up all the info.
Have you tried just asking someone from Sony about the browser? XD

I don't understand what this thread is about. Official jeff rigby thread of posting random crap?

Fersis said:

jeff_rigby |OT|

But crazy awesome work diggin' up all the info.
Have you tried just asking someone from Sony about the browser? XD

Click to expand...

Sorry you got in before I edited, HTML5 web browsers are key to this and the link I provided at the bottom proves it. There are many models being proposed and the links and proposal papers by the leaders in the industry are awesome.

Fersis said:

Have you tried just asking someone from Sony about the browser? XD

Click to expand...

Yes I emailed Geoff Levand and have received two replies. He has to be very terse. I've already posted what he said and it amounts to less than we can figure out from looking at the Sony required disclosures. There have been several Sony developer posts in the last 30 days and there were NONE the previous year. I've posted all in this thread.

Jett said:

I don't understand what this thread is about. Official jeff rigby thread of posting random crap?

Click to expand...

It's pretty much all connected. Follow the logic:

Supporting a WebGL webkit browser requires support from an OS for a number of features. The support for the WebkitGTK+ browser gives the PS3 OS new UI and AV tools. The New PS3 GTKwebkit browser supports SVG, WebGL and HTML5 and those features in mobile devices, Game consoles and TVs (No WebGL) is getting ready to revolutionize the CE industry.

jett said:

I don't understand what this thread is about. Official jeff rigby thread of posting random crap?

Click to expand...

Pretty much.

another of those too subtle clues that Sony likes to give us.

Click to expand...

is the overstatement of the year.

jett said:

I don't understand what this thread is about. Official jeff rigby thread of posting random crap?

Click to expand...

Yes. It's the mod-friendly version of the Super PlayStation 3.

jett said:

I don't understand what this thread is about. Official jeff rigby thread of posting random crap?

Click to expand...

Jeff is playing the most elaborate arg known to man. Sony did this to keep web browser aficionados busy until the PS4 releases.

Jeff, i was rooting for you before about this......stuff, but i don't think anything is going to happen with the PS3's browser, OS, or whatever it is your talking about.

Whatever sony's working on changing its going to happen with the PS4 i think. And it'll have nothing to do with what your speculating.

Home Team Advantage: 0

10 bucks no updated browser will be released for the PS3. We'll see a new browser on Vita and PS4, that's obvious.

snoopeasystreet said:

Jeff is playing the most elaborate arg known to man. Sony did this to keep web browser aficionados busy until the PS4 releases.

Click to expand...

So you think the PS4 is going to be released soon? There is support for that now.

I guess this is why Sony never announces anything, Sony is waiting on others to finish Webkit and supporting libraries before they release on the PS3. This in contrast to Google which helps write webkit and provides unfinished versions incrementally for multiple platforms including Android.

Sony has a set of features in mind that they can use to make money and is not going to release incremental versions of a browser just so we can be happy or to support my position.

If Sony were releasing new versions every two months or so like Google we would be hearing many of you cry about that.

Is Jeff Rigby the same guy who was begging and pleading (and annoying) everyone here to see that Sony should change their GPU in the Vita or something?

jeff_rigby said:

If Sony were releasing new versions every two months or so like Google we would be hearing many of you cry about that.

Click to expand...

Considering Google updates Chrome in the background, no one would complain or notice. And WebKit won't ever be finished. Just like every other rendering engine out there. There's always new features to implement and existing features to improve.

Datrio said:

10 bucks no updated browser will be released for the PS3. We'll see a new browser on Vita and PS4, that's obvious.

Click to expand...

$100 and I'll give you 10:1 odds. I.E. I pay $1000 and you risk $100.

It's not a good Idea to bet on something you haven't researched.

typo said:

Considering Google updates Chrome in the background, no one would complain or notice. And WebKit won't ever be finished. Just like every other rendering engine out there. There's always new features to implement and existing features to improve.

Click to expand...

Absolutely correct, Sony has a plan for webkit and when it reaches a state of development that will support their plans, they will take a snapshot of the supporting libraries and webkit and port to the PS3. Since the Vita is being released December 17th and will have a webkit browser, I suspect it's browser will have the required by Sony features.

We don't know what that plan is and part of what I'm providing is Sony news on the potential uses. 3-D streaming IPTV for Video Unlimited is something I think Sony is going to support and that requires Gstreamer 1.0 which may be done or soon done. Since there are API changes between the 2009 version of Gstreamer and the 2011 Gstreamer 1.0 a wait till that is available.

Kyoufu said:

Is Jeff Rigby the same guy who was begging and pleading (and annoying) everyone here to see that Sony should change their GPU in the Vita or something?

Click to expand...

No, that was some other guy.

jeff_rigby said:

$100 and I'll give you 10:1 odds. I.E. I pay $1000 and you risk $100.

It's not a good Idea to bet on something you haven't researched.

Click to expand...

This thread...my god.

Kyoufu said:

Is Jeff Rigby the same guy who was begging and pleading (and annoying) everyone here to see that Sony should change their GPU in the Vita or something?

Click to expand...

No, I think that stephencolbert.

Jeff, I really hope you're right. I would really like to see Sony overhaul the PS3 interface. hopefully this takes them in that direction.

pharmboy044 said:

No, I think that stephencolbert.

Click to expand...

Stephencolbert cited me as we both argued the PS4 would support 4K media. That's pretty much been confirmed as the PS3 early 2012 is going to support 4K monitors by outputting video of pictures at 4K. Stephencolbert I think also argued that the PS4 would use project Denver GPUs. I don't have any argument with his statements as speculation and in doing research on what he proposed I only had a problem with what it might cost.

Jeff, I really hope you're right. I would really like to see Sony overhaul the PS3 interface. hopefully this takes them in that direction.

Click to expand...

Should be soon now, "What's New" on the XMB is also what's new with the XMB. I just can't believe others don't see it.

Edit: in reading over what I've posted I don't think the readers may have caught what I was saying: "There have been several Sony developer posts in the last 30 days and there were NONE the previous year." Which means we are nearing a point where this will be released and developer NDAs are satisfied.

PS Suite is Mono; from Jan 27 2011 till this week we didn't know what PS Suite was just that it would support PS1 games and applications. Sony released at GDC March 2011 to developers the information that PS Suite was based on Mono but didn't allow anyone to talk about it till this week. Hours after it became public the creator of Mono is Tweeting about the Mono-PS Suite connection.

The Charles Ying Post and his work on a IPTV framework for the PS3 2009 was not allowed to be released till this last 30 days.

Get it guys, No news except speculation here until late October and then multiple articles and they are all interrelated to Webkit and support libraries. I expect more are coming.

I love reading this thread...I don't understand it but I still enjoy reading it.

Gstreamer Talk Videos are up.

Gstreamer 1.0 Keynote Not too technical and with a little thought explains WHY Sony has to wait for 1.0 before using this for PS Suite and for any embedded (Vita) platform.

Video Unlimited and Music Unlimited on multiple platforms are going to be PS Suite/Mono probably Moonlight applications; they will use Gstreamer for AV. Gstreamer has had essentially the same API for 5 years and this is changing to a new API with Gstreamer 1.0. 1.0 works better with embedded platforms and simplifies coding as well as improves the performance on embedded platforms.

JITMono will be written with Gstreamer 1.0 APIs and Sony will update all platforms to use the new Gstreamer 1.0 libraries. PS Suite can not be released until this happens.

For the PS3, both API version of Gstreamer can coexist and a smooth transition made. For the PS3 and Webkit which uses Gstreamer as well as future applications it's probably a, why write the coming applications twice. If there is no profit in it why do it.

Good news is:

Gstreamer 1.0
Core.... ..........Done
Base ..............Done
FFmpeg ..........Done
Good plugins....68%
Bad Plugins......27%

Which means the JITMono VM can be developed to support Sony Media.

jeff_rigby said:

$100 and I'll give you 10:1 odds. I.E. I pay $1000 and you risk $100.

It's not a good Idea to bet on something you haven't researched.

Click to expand...

This sounds really, REALLY, REALLY tempting. Datrio I'd take that bet.

jeff_rigby said:

$100 and I'll give you 10:1 odds. I.E. I pay $1000 and you risk $100.

It's not a good Idea to bet on something you haven't researched.

Click to expand...

Holy shit. :O

Balls of steel.

PetriP-TNT said:

This sounds really, REALLY, REALLY tempting. Datrio I'd take that bet.

Click to expand...

you need some guidelines for a bet like this..

PetriP-TNT said:

This sounds really, REALLY, REALLY tempting. Datrio I'd take that bet.

Click to expand...

Gesh, do the research! There is more in the March disclosure that includes the Chrome which would not be done if a browser wasn't coming.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=27024165&postcount=269

Subject: Add PS3 target to Webkit build configure

Signed-off-by: Geoff Levand <geoff.levand@am.sony.com>
---

configure.ac | 15 ++++++++++++---
1 file changed, 12 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -170,13 +170,13 @@ AC_SUBST([PNG_LIBS])
# determine the GDK/GTK+ target.................................This is the key to understanding what's coming *GTK+ webkit* http://www.webkitgtk.org/
AC_MSG_CHECKING([the target windowing system])
AC_ARG_WITH(target,
- AC_HELP_STRING([--with-target=@<x11/win32/quartz/directfb@:>@],
+ AC_HELP_STRING([--with-target=@<x11/win32/quartz/directfb/ps3@:>@],
[Select webkit target [default=x11]]),
[],[with_target="x11"])

case "$with_target" in
- x11|win32|quartz|directfb) ;;
- *) AC_MSG_ERROR([Invalid target: must be x11, quartz, win32, or directfb.]) ;;
+ x11|win32|quartz|directfb|ps3) ;;
+ *) AC_MSG_ERROR([Invalid target: must be x11, quartz, win32, directfb, or ps3.]) ;;
esac

AC_MSG_RESULT([$with_target])
@@ -196,6 +196,8 @@ if test "$with_hildon" = "yes"; then
AC_SUBST([HILDON_LIBS])
fi

+if test "$with_target" != "ps3";
+
# minimum base dependencies
LIBSOUP_REQUIRED_VERSION=2.28.2
CAIRO_REQUIRED_VERSION=1.6 After Cairo 1.6 Glitz is not needed as a wrapper for OpenGL, Cairo can use OpenGL as a backend directly.
@@ -281,6 +283,8 @@ AC_SUBST(GTK_LIBS)
AC_SUBST(CAIRO_CFLAGS)
AC_SUBST(CAIRO_LIBS)

Click to expand...

You guys keep forgetting it's more than a browser coming and the Webkit core is already being used for IPTV now and used to support Portal2. Webkit is in the PS3 now, ONLY the front end and 70K or so UI needs to be turned on. They can use the Vita front end with minor changes. The only thing we can't know is how much console I/O is going to be supported, I.E. it's probably going to be a deliberately crippled port.

grep -r --include=*.* ps3 . > lunacy.txt

The PS3 uses the Netfront browser because it has a tiny memory footprint. Some games call Netfront in-game to display online content such as account signup pages (Burnout Paradise springs to mind).

Webkit requires more memory. It would simply fail.

:. this isn't happening.

herod said:

The PS3 uses the Netfront browser because it has a tiny memory footprint. Some games call Netfront in-game to display online content such as account signup pages (Burnout Paradise springs to mind).

Webkit requires more memory. It would simply fail.

:. this isn't happening.

Click to expand...

So you don't think "Live" is coming to the PS3 or don't understand how Live is to be implemented? Is no one reading this thread?

Edit: Sorry, research Snapshot boot which Sony has been doing for most of their platforms and then Snapshot swap. Put Snapshot Swap together with some custom Hard Disk routines and you have how Live is to be implemented on the PS3, Do the same with games calling webkit or support libraries to display Playview media for instance.

With a Console like the Amiga, Atari ST or PS3 all hardware registers and memory usage is known. A picture can be taken of registers and Known blocks of memory to swap to hard disk. So Sony can release a SDK that a game developer can use to call Webkit routines into memory and at the same time swap to hard disk game code not used at that time. So lets say 30 megs needs to swap to support the core webkit code. Optimally you have pre-chosen an outer track with fast sectors to read webkit from and on another platter/disk at the same outer track an area to write/copy the game code to.

Isn't PSN, at least in some shape or form, is also part of the bigger network Sony uses for all it's internet connected devices?

Is it possible that if Sony has plans to upgrade PSN on PS3 that will make it harder for them?

M.D said:

Isn't PSN, at least in some shape or form, is also part of the bigger network Sony uses for all it's internet connected devices?

Is it possible that if Sony has plans to upgrade PSN on PS3 that will make it harder for them?

Click to expand...

IF I understand you correctly, you have it backwards. Sony plans to upgrade their entire network, is in the process of doing that. The PS3 must be updated to work with the new PSN.

This is inside Sony

Closing date: 30/11/2010

SCEE World Wide Studios are looking for an dynamic accomplished web developer to work with the Senior Developer on Intranet/Extranet projects within the game development studios. The ideal candidate will be a great troubleshooter, be passionate about working for Sony and have a keen eye for design and detail.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

To support existing web form applications using NET Framework 2.x, SQL Server 2005, VS 2005.
Perform T-SQL programming; create tables, stored procedures, triggers, indexes, user functions, views
1st and 2nd line application support
Design and implement SQL reports and modify existing reports.
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE:

ASP.Net web development with C# (minimum 6 months)
Experience of SQL Server 2005 including stored procedures and of developing web applications with SQL 2005
CSS
Reporting, including generating the dataset.

Click to expand...

This is PSN and what we will see.

WEB DEVELOPER II- Contractor
San Diego, CA

SUMMARY

Build and maintain cutting edge, state-of-the-art web applications that support Sony's network entertainment initiatives including the PlayStation Network.


RESPONSIBILITIES: (include, but are not limited to the following)

Develop user interfaces using HTML5, CSS3 and Javascript.
Develop application view tiers using server side scripting languages such as velocity.
Develop web applications as an embedded resource in cross-functional scrum development teams.
Assist in resolution of client display issues related localized messaging or web browser inconsistencies.

Qualifications

4+ years of experience in a web development position.
Extensive knowledge front end web development including XHTML, CSS, XML, and XSLT with a focus on semantic markup.
Server side scripting experience with any of the following languages Velocity, ASP.net, Freemarker, JSP, PHP, Cold Fusion.
Web application development experience using one of the following programming languages: Java, C#
Javascript framework implementation experience with frameworks such as dojo, jquery and prototype.
Knowledge of graphic design and image manipulation. Working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop.
Server configuration, IIS, Java, Tomcat, Apache, Eclipse, Maven, ANT.
Ability to prioritize and perform multiple projects at various stages of completion.
Knowledge of the modern web browser inconsistencies with sufficient ability to recognize and correct browser display issues.
A demonstrable portfolio of prior websites.

PREFERRED:
HTML5 and CSS3 experience desired.
Experience building and maintaining large scale web sites.
Understanding of Content management systems, content types and email formats.
Experience with localization, internationalization and ISO language and country code standards.
Experience with internet media applications such as DRM based video, television and music content delivery systems.
XML, XSLT, SQL, database schemas.
Source control applications.
Experience developing software using the scrum methodology.
Documentation, diagramming and flow charts using Microsoft Office or Visio

Click to expand...

Notice NO Flash experience needed!!!!!! It's going to be HTML5 with SVG.

Infinite Justice said:

Holy shit. :O

Balls of steel.

Click to expand...

Not really, remember I've done the research and have read and understood the email from Geoff Levand (person in charge of the GTKwebkit port to the PS3, or rather the person signing off and posting the required LGPL Disclosures on-line). It's coming but he cautions to not have high expectations, he wrote that after reading my posts on the Sony Blog where I stated we might get a Sony flavor multi-media version of the Gnome Shell.

That's why the 10:1 odds and I would still feel guilty if I took the money.

Sony programmers can be justifiably proud of what they accomplished with Firmware 3.0 but they can't talk about what that firmware and Gnome libraries are going to enable on Sony platforms and that must create frustrations. Charles Ying was able to post about what he did and that was only possible after Firmware 3.0 in 2009.

What could Sony ever want with web devs and dba's?
I must consult the chicken entrails again, but all the signs are pointing to a new browser.

StuKen said:

What could Sony ever want with web devs and dba's?
I must consult the chicken entrails again, but all the signs are pointing to a new browser.

Click to expand...

Notice the SVG icons on the left, that's the new PSN Picture based Navigation Menu. This was shown first with the Vita Browser pictures. Notice the items in the browser are PS3 games, it's a PS3 site. In order to display these SVG Picture Menus we need a new browser on the PS3.



Again, we've gone over this already in this thread.

jeff_rigby said:

Notice the SVG icons on the left, that's the new PSN Picture based Navigation Menu. This was shown first with the Vita Browser pictures. Notice the items in the browser are PS3 games, it's a PS3 site. In order to display these SVG Picture Menus we need a new browser on the PS3.

Again, we've gone over this already in this thread.

Click to expand...

lol, are you seriously using place holder assets in a demo screen for a device that at the time didn't have a finalized OS as proof?

You do realize you can hop on your PSP right now and there is PS3 content displayed on Sony's site. This is hardly anything to stand on. I simply don't think this is happening. PS3 is 5 years old, and stands very little to gain from a new web browser, if anything at all.

MrPliskin said:

lol, are you seriously using place holder assets in a demo screen for a device that at the time didn't have a finalized OS as proof?

You do realize you can hop on your PSP right now and there is PS3 content displayed on Sony's site. This is hardly anything to stand on. I simply don't think this is happening. PS3 is 5 years old, and stands very little to gain from a new web browser, if anything at all.

Click to expand...

1) development for the Vita is taking place in the UK and the website is EU, there is ringing around some of the SVG icons in the right with black outlines indicating it's a video image and the lack of detail in the SVG icons on the left wouldn't be a mock-up, they look like simple SVG icons to conserve bandwidth. In my opinion this is a picture of a Vita browser accessing a PSN EU website.

"Didn't have a Finalized OS", the OS is a port from an existing Game OS, in my opinion OLPC. Extremely easy to port software to the Arm SOC in the Vita, MUCH easier than to the PS3.

PSN is going to picture based navigation. Your arguments are irrelevant as to this being real or not....it's coming and the PS3 has to support SVG. This has been known for more than a year.

2 years and 3 months before DTCP-IP is going to be used Sony had a use planned for it. Copy protect video streams from PS3 to Vita and/or RVU & Allvid to the PS3.

3.21 had several DRM upgrades and we lost Other OS. Speculation put the two together and assumptions were Other OS was removed from the older PS3s (New Slims were announced as not having Other OS Support and they came with Firmware 3.0) because it created DRM issues.

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2010/03/28/ps3-firmware-v3-21-update/ said:

Playback of PS3 software titles or Blu-ray Disc videos that require PS3 system software version 3.21 or later
Playback of copyright-protected videos that are stored on a media server (when DTCP-IP is enabled under Settings)

Click to expand...

The next couple of months is going to see many new features implemented, as we've expected.

Home already has Sony Crackle (Select Sony movies free) and is soon to get 60 Internet Radio stations. Of course you used to have to buy Loot Properties to view Crackle and a few other "Free" video IPTV sites. Point is Home is client based and the tools to access and display the IPTV and Radio stations are native in the PS3. Why aren't they available from the XMB....because Sony makes money from "Home". Most of the support for a PS3 GTKwebkit is done and in the PS3. The Chrome changes in the already published GTKWebkit diff file would indicate that the front end is done also. Why isn't the new GTKwebkit browser available, for the same reason...they don't YET have in place a use that can make them money? They don't want the PS3 purchased by those who's primary use isn't for games?

I'll spell this out for others because androvsky already knows this; Firmware 3.0 was released in 2009 with frameworks in place to support the coming GTKwebkit browser. That's two years before October of this year when we suspected Sony would release or announce the browser.

There have been no new applications released using the frameworks already in place since 2009 and Valkyr Junkie, androvsky, Patsu and myself discussed this as "Sony has been sending out surveys that they still have plenty of plans for upgrades to the various XMB apps" and Sony had a job listing for a Software engineer to develop PS3 Apps using the existing frameworks and webkit. Why have't those been released or at least released as they are completed as more than one is coming?

Big questions with no easy answers but we are starting to see that plans were in place 2 years in advance (2009) to support what we are soon to get. (One might note that Music unlimited in it's present form is not possible in Home so RadioIO can be implemented in Home but not from the XMB where it's a competitor).

http://pshomegazette.com/2011/11/19/loot-crackle-its-on/ said:

Ustream: Real-time interactivity around live broadcasted shows
The Ustream network features online lifecasting and live video streaming produced by more than 12,500,000 registered users. PlayStation®Home will now feature a broad range of live Ustream events. Ustream content will be available in both public and personal LOOT spaces, allowing PlayStation®Home users to enjoy the entertainment of their choice, the way they choose.

RadioIO: Streaming music pioneer takes listening social

RadioIO (IWDM.OB), PlayStation Home and LOOT bring another option for &#8220;Social Listening&#8221; to PlayStation®Home by recreating the social experience of listening and discovering music with your friends. The new LOOT virtual item called Entertainment On Demand Active Radio lets PlayStation®Home users invite friends into their private spaces, or listen on their own in the LOOT Space Station public space, to enjoy high-quality Internet radio from RadioIO with their choice of more than 60 music and talk channels from Classical, Jazz, Rock, and Pop to Hip Hop, R & B, Country, Electronic, Dance and many more specialty niches including live shows from nationally syndicated radio talk show host Bubba the Love Sponge® and additional programming from Shannon Burke and Dangerous Conversation with Scott &#8220;Ledge&#8221; Ledger. Concerts and sporting events will be available in the future, as well as virtual goods to extend the fan experience.

Crackle content is available now in PlayStation®Home. Ustream content and RadioIO and the Entertainment On Demand Active Radio will debut in December.

About Crackle, Inc.
Crackle, Inc. is a multi-platform next-generation video entertainment network that distributes digital content including original short form series and full-length traditional programming from Sony Pictures&#8217; vast library of television series and feature films. Crackle is one of the fastest growing entertainment destinations on the Internet today, offering audiences quality programming in a variety of genres, including comedy, action, sci-fi, horror, music and reality. Crackle reaches an impressive audience through its diverse online and mobile distribution network. Visit Crackle&#8217;s site at www.crackle.com

About Ustream
Ustream, Inc. is the leader in live and interactive video streaming. The interactive platform connects broadcasters and viewers of unlimited size through innovative technology, including: Facebook and Twitter social engagement tools, real-time chat and notifications, custom-designed channels, and embeddable features across multiple websites and platforms. Users are also able to broadcast, view, and engage with others in real-time, directly from mobile phones, tablets, computers, and smart TVs. The company attracts millions of high-profile brands, celebrities, musicians, athletes, politicians, animal enthusiasts, and gamers. Ustream recently earned the Guinness World Record for the &#8220;Most Content-Ingested by an Online Video Service&#8221;. For more information about Ustream, visit www.ustream.com and follow us on our socials: Twitter (@Ustream); Facebook (www.facebook.com/Ustream).

About RadioIO
Streaming pioneer, RadioIO, has been streaming internet radio made for individuals, by individuals since 1998. Each channel is an independent, original creation, featuring handpicked music sets crafted by stream hosts &#8211; not computers. RadioIO currently delivers in excess of 15,000,000 monthly stream initiations across all distribution platforms. Channels provide users a variety of listening choices from Classical, Jazz, Rock, and Pop to Hip Hop, R & B, Country, Electronic, Dance and many more specialty niches.

Click to expand...

DTCP-IP is for in home use only!

http://www.intel.com/standards/case/case_dtcp.htm said:

To serve as this common denominator in the home, Intel had to work out an interesting localization problem: How do you determine whether or not a DTCP device is communicating with a device within the same home rather than a neighbor's device or something across the country? Intel, with the 5C, developed a number of solutions. One was a limitation on how many routers an IP packet can travel before being eliminated. Another was a "round-trip timer" that measures the latency between the source and receiving devices. If the latency period is too long, then the exchange isn't permitted because the receiving device is probably outside the home.

Click to expand...

RVU Time Warner proposal http://www.w3.org/2011/09/webtv/papers/webandtvSept2011-twc-v1.0.pdf requires DTCP-IP, HTML UI and DLNA

DLNA now includes Direct WIFI discovery: http://www.itproportal.com/2011/11/18/wi-fi-direct-tags-along-dlna/ Sony already advertising this is part of some of their Bravia TV features.

The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) has announced the inclusion of Wi-Fi certified Wi-Fi Direct platform in to its interoperability guidelines. Wi-Fi Direct allows Wi-Fi devices in a home, office or hotspot network to connect with each other. DLNA said that the technology will build on the extensive portfolio of Wi-Fi certified devices supported by DLNA in order to provide a high level of connectivity to consumers.

Click to expand...

I hope all of this is being added to the PS3 SDK for all new games & not just home.

Stunning 4K Sample image from a PS3

There've been previous reports that a PlayStation 3 will soon be able to output ultra-high-resolution 4K (4,096x2,160) still photos, and we finally got to see some samples at the recent Sony VPL-VW1000ES media launch. They were breathtakingly detailed and faithfully rendered by this $24,999 4K home theater projector.

Pardon us for the washed-out colors in the above screenshot captured under room lighting, though the tiled roofs and road still demonstrated the extra clarity offered by 4K technology. The PS3 software upgrade to enable this feature is due to be released in early 2012, according to Engadget. No news on 4K video support, yet though.

Who knows what else Sony has in store for the PS3?

Click to expand...

So much for the argument that the PS3 is 5 years old and Sony is not going to update it with New Features (GTKwebkit), they will wait for the PS4. The planned for 2 years features are just now being released! Release PS3 4K resolution output when Sony has a Home projector that displays 4K not before!

You know what would be awesome? if SONY would add somekind of HTML5 support.
At least on a sandbox so small devs can put games on PSN without worrying for QA certification and what not.

jeff_rigby said:

Stunning 4K Sample image from a PS3

Click to expand...

That's nice. But what happened to the GTK webbrowser that was supposed to replace netfront?

TheSeks said:

That's nice. But what happened to the GTK webbrowser that was supposed to replace netfront?

Click to expand...

androvsky said:

Basically, whenever the firmware comes out that gives the PS Video Store the Video Unlimited Preview app's interface would be when I'd expect a new browser. We might not even get it then (or ever), but that's the most likely I think.

Click to expand...

Gstreamer 1.0 required and that's now done as of October. So any time now depending on Sony and their use of the new GTKwebkit browser to make them money. This is essentially what androvsky is saying. WebGL support for GTKwebkit enabled 5/14/2011 which I think is the March 2011 standard which is evolving.

Sony is not just PS3, Vita and PSP. Uses for a webGL browser for Games has been speculated for years.

The Khronos group released the WebGL standard at the 2011 Game Developers Conference March 2011 and Sony the same month published the PS3 LGPL disclosure for Cairo, the GTKwebkit (HTML5, SVG, WebGL) disclosure and their 2009 patent for Browser based On-line games & user interfaces. Watch this video! What is WebGL from June of 2011 by a Nvidia employee.

In video above: WebGL according to the video, is still evolving as developers, NVida and others determine what is needed to support ON-LINE games using WebGL. Nvidia is soon releasing a 1.4 Ghz GPU for handhelds (PS3 RSX is a 500 Mhz with 800 Mhz GDDR3 memory). OpenGL ES 2.0 is the graphics requirement for WebGL and OpenCL is the Physics support for WebGL (new-coming). Collada is a Sony Open Source standard for game assets that is used by WebGL as a standard. Part of WebGL coming is video editing in the browser (now being worked on by Collabora). Flash is supporting a standard that has a lower common denominator when compared to WebGL.

If you understand what the above video implies, PS Suite in going to be made redundant by WebGL. It's just about the same model relying on the same native libraries.

Cairo is used by the PS3 GTKwebkit browser to render. Remember SNAP mentioning Cairo evolving over time to use the Collada file format (game assets)! Cairo has to be OpenGL ES 2.0 supported for the PS3 GTKwebkit browser to support WebGL. Gstreamer has to have Cairo bindings to support HTML5 and WebGL.



Found this when I was researching the Sony EMERGENCY maintenance. Seems Sony has a MMORPG called Everquest 2 that went down for emergency maintenance at the same time the Sony Playstation networks went down.

Most MMORPGs are deployed using a client&#8211;server system architecture. The server software generates a persistent instance of the virtual world that runs continuously, and players connect to it via client software. The client software may provide access to the entire playing world, or further 'expansions' may be required to be purchased to allow access to certain areas of the game. EverQuest and Guild Wars are two examples of games that use such a format. Players generally must purchase the client software for a one-time fee, although an increasing trend is for MMORPGs to work using pre-existing "thin" clients, such as a web browser.

Click to expand...

According to a Tweet by Sony Online Entertainment's Jon Smedley, over 120,000 new users have registered for DC Universe Online. DCUO officially went free to play earlier this week.

This amazing number of new users has put US game servers under a tremendous burden and they were brought down late last night to address some recurrent issues.

As of 9 hours ago, this was the latest from the DCUO team:
Update from DCUO Exec. Producer: "We will be reopening the server soon. Although we do not have a fix yet for this problem we have added additional code to try and catch and diagnose the problem. I apologize in advance if we crash again, but know that the information we get will help to make sure we solve this problem as quickly as possible."

Click to expand...

Sony Online Entertainment: SOE gains the rights to DaoC and WAR, and will be continuing those services but on their own server systems. Migration to the SOE servers for current subscribers to those games should begin by January 31st, 2012, with the new services opening up for new subscribers shortly thereafter.

Click to expand...

http://www.scirra.com/blog/56/html5-gaming-the-future-is-now said:

We're particularly interested in WebGL not because of 3D, but actually for 2D gaming. WebGL is even better for 2D games than the 2D canvas, for two reasons: first, you're pretty much guaranteed hardware acceleration - no slow software renderers. Second, WebGL means using shaders for effects. If you used Construct Classic much, you'll have seen the 67 shader effects that ship with it and can easily make beautiful and eye-popping effects in 2D games. None of this is possible in the 2D canvas. Everything from subtle blends like Screen, gaussian blurs, glassy distort effects and stretching warp effects make for incredibly creative and immersive 2D games probably unlike many 2D games you've ever seen. This is why we can't wait to support WebGL, and why we're particularly disappointed with Microsoft's reluctance to support it. Still, it's their loss! It would mean 2D games just look far better on all browsers other than Internet Explorer.

Click to expand...

WebGL camp videos and slides

Sony Prepping a &#8220;Four Screen&#8221; Strategy that May Include PS3 and Vita to Rival iOS

While the tech world holds their collective breath as they await for the highly speculated &#8220;siri-powered&#8221; TV from Apple, one that the late Steve Jobs himself has hinted at, other companies already in that competitive space aren&#8217;t exactly resting on their laurels while the Cupertino based company moves in on their territory.

Among them is Sony, who&#8217;s TV business alone is expected to lose 1 billion dollars in the current fiscal year, is looking for something to bring some new found life, one that will lift that area of the company out of the red and into the black again. In an effort to stay competitive in the space, Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer described to The Wall Street Journal that the company has &#8220;a tremendous amount of R&D going into a different kind of TV set.&#8221;

Stringer addresses the success of Apple and their iconic mobile phone by saying &#8220;The beauty of the iPhone is it&#8217;s really well organized.&#8221; And with that idea in mind, the electronics giant has it&#8217;s eyes set on a &#8220;four screen&#8221; strategy. One that will bridge the gap of network services across a line of products in Sony&#8217;s portfolio, whether they be tablet computers, personal computers, mobile phones, and TV&#8217;s.

So said CEO Sir Howard Stringer, speaking to the Wall Street Journal. Unfortunately, he didn't detail the new kind of television he has in mind.

But he said: &#8220;I spent the last five years building a platform so I can compete against Steve Jobs. It&#8217;s finished, and it&#8217;s launching now.

"There&#8217;s a tremendous amount of R&D going into a different kind of TV set."

Sony has already begun to lay down the foundation on the PlayStation 3 through it&#8217;s Qriocity services. Just how far they take those kinds of services and spread them around is still up in the air. Is this a brand new begining of a new content delivery platform for the company? I guess we&#8217;ll have to wait until CES in Las Vegas to find out the answer to that one.

Click to expand...

PS Suite applications from Sony may be demoed at CES 2012 Jan 10th They will probably be Sony Video & Music apps using webkit, Cairo and Gstreamer Gnome libraries we have seen in 2011 Networked TV, Blu-ray, Google TV, PS3 and most likely Sony Android phones, Vita and Tablets. To WOW, multiple attractive utilities will probably be included. They have to compete with Kinect voice and motion detection and Apple's Siri powered TV.

PS3 serving media to Vita and possibly Sony tablets and phones, 4K pictures and possibly the new PS3 GTKwebkit browser displaying @4K on a new Sony 4K TV.

CES is the best place to expose the press to the NEW Sony ecosystem.

Sony has nabbed the first ever Tablets, E-readers and Netbooks CES 2012 Best of Innovations award for its intriguingly designed Sony Tablet S, beating out a host of Samsung slates.
Hailed as one of the Best of Innovations 2012, the Tablet S won out thanks to its ergonomic design and entertainment know-how, including PlayStation certification.

Click to expand...

The Sony Ericsson Nozomi is rumored to feature a 4.3-inch screen with a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels, resulting in the impressive 342ppi pixel density. Under the hood, a 1.5GHz dual-core chip and 1GB of RAM are expected to make Android Ice Cream Sandwich tick on the Nozomi. On the back, a 12MP Exmor R camera underlines its photographic ambitions. Release date is Jan 10th the same day as CES and is rumored to be shown there.

Click to expand...

New Sony Bloggie Mobile HD Snap camera gets bowed design, FCC inspection

Sony has already delivered its Bloggie cameras with 3D video and even dual screens, and now we've got the first hint at what's next. The MHS-TS55, going through its FCC testing as the Mobile HD Snap camera, carries its own 802.11n connection. We don't know exactly what Sony has in store for this curved mystery cam, but with WiFi on board, wireless sharing or even live video streams wouldn't be out of the question. Sony typically unveils its latest offerings at CES, and this filing chimes well with the chance of us getting the full skinny at January's annual tech binge

Click to expand...

Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are expected to launch Google TV next year. But only LG will show its models at the 2012 CES in Las Vegas.

Click to expand...