Sony have today released an official PlayStation app on the Apple iTunes Store, which is destined to become a regular fixture in your gaming information gathering. The app is completely free and with it you can keep an eye on your friends status, view and compare trophies while also monitoring the latest news direct from PlayStation.com and the PlayStation Blog.
So let’s take a closer look at some of the features:
Once you have signed in to your PlayStation Network account, you can then visit the ‘My PSN’ section to view your friends and compare trophies. The friends list shows their online status, when they were last online if not currently connected, chosen avatar and of course whether they have signed up to the PlayStation Plus subscription.
Tapping the name reveals their impressive trophy collection with statistics on how many they have unlocked within each category be it Bronze, Silver, Gold and those elusive Platinum awards. Total number of trophies are also displayed alone with their overall level. A button at the bottom of the screen gives you the opportunity to gloat and compare trophies, which at the moment reveals an overall percentage rather than an individual trophy selection – maybe this will come later.
The next category on your main menu is the ‘News & Blog’ section. As the name suggests, this area gives you a mobile view of the official PlayStation.com news and PlayStation Blog websites. There are options to filter the news by Latest, PSN, PS3, PSP and even PS2. At the bottom of an individual post you can also share the news on Twitter, Facebook and by Email.
‘Browse all Games’ allow you to browse all the games available from their immense catalogue featuring screenshots, descriptions, release date, number of players and so on. Again the list can be filtered by platform and even genre.
Finally ‘More Then Games’ shows off the services, peripherals and more besides that you can enjoy with PlayStation hardware, which is just another filter really for the PlayStation.com news.
Conclusion
For a first release, the Official PlayStation app works very well indeed, with swish animations and the basic information you need to admire your prowess as a gamer and check whether your best bud is online for a game or two. I am sure in future updates the functionality and detail will increase and there is certainly no reason why any owner of a Sony PlayStation3 with an Apple iPhone or iPod Touch should ignore this free app release.
James is a Freelance Journalist, Copywriter, Author, Blogger & Podcaster specialising in gaming, gadgets and technology, both retro and modern.
Ever since he experienced the first controllable pixel movement on the television screen, he has been entranced by the possibilities and rewarding entertainment value generated from these metal and plastic boxes of delight. Writing hundreds of articles, including commentary and reviews on various gaming platforms, whilst also interviewing well-known industry figures for popular online publications.
Creator of the ScummVM Music Enhancement Project and host of the Game & Gadget Podcast.
View his portfolio here: James Woodcock's Portfolio.
Sony have today released an official PlayStation app on the Apple iTunes Store, which is destined to become a regular fixture in your gaming information gathering. The app is completely free and with it you can keep an eye on your friends status, view and compare trophies while also monitoring the latest news direct from PlayStation.com and the PlayStation Blog.
Once you have signed in to your PlayStation Network account, you can then visit the ‘My PSN’ section to view your friends and compare trophies. The friends list shows their online status, when they were last online if not currently connected, chosen avatar and of course whether they have signed up to the PlayStation Plus subscription.
The next category on your main menu is the ‘News & Blog’ section. As the name suggests, this area gives you a mobile view of the official PlayStation.com news and PlayStation Blog websites. There are options to filter the news by Latest, PSN, PS3, PSP and even PS2. At the bottom of an individual post you can also share the news on Twitter, Facebook and by Email.
For a first release, the Official PlayStation app works very well indeed, with swish animations and the basic information you need to admire your prowess as a gamer and check whether your best bud is online for a game or two. I am sure in future updates the functionality and detail will increase and there is certainly no reason why any owner of a Sony PlayStation3 with an Apple iPhone or iPod Touch should ignore this free app release. 
