Sony's Bank holiday PR disaster on PSN

The Paystation Network (PSN) has now been down for almost a week, world wide. This effects PS3 PS2 and PSP's plus blue ray updates. Now this would be a disaster for any gaming network at anytime but in the UK bank holiday weekend which would of been for some, a big gaming weekend, its a growing nightmare for Sony.

The PS3 message (Network is down for maintenance), yeah right! Why not just admit it, your have been hacked.

Now I don't have the time to play games anymore but if I did, this would mean no online gaming, no downloadable films, no music videos and no downloadable games. You see PSN is not just about games, its about entertainment. Some games won't even work without an updated online PS3 (I discovered this myself). I imagine Sony have lost millions in lost sales.

But the real issue here for me is that Sony have just released information today that users idenities and more importantly, credit card details have been accessed. Wonderful, so now I have to cancel my credit card. But why not inform their users stright away, they must of known sooner than six days? It could already be to late!

Well done Sony, a total public relations cock up. Good job Xbox isn't free, oh dear I see it's free all bank holiday weekend. Oh dear!

It seems to me that Japanese companies are particularly bad at PR (ok I'm thinking of Toyota here).

News of the World wrong on PS3 in prisons and Sun Cable quotes misleading

My readers will know that I don't believe what I read in the press. I find some papers are too biased and full of half truths. Heres two examples

Todays News of the World 2nd page has a Story headline 'Luxury Lags get PS3 Perk' on page two

Now have a look at the photo. Thats not a PS3 controller the so called jailbird has. Its a PS1 controller. These are worth almost nothing now (selling for 99pence on ebay). If you are going to claim that half are allowed Playstations PS3 at least show the prisoner with the right controller when mentioning the PS3 several times in the article. Prisoners are not being given PS3 at tax payers expense. They maybe given a console by friends or family or perhaps donated one. But they are not siting there playing PS3 all day.

The other Story was in the Sun on bank holiday Monday called 'Unstable Cable' Catchy it maybe but the example in the headline is taken out of context.

Where in October 2008 Vince Cable said 'It is entirely wrong for the government to stimulate the economy by yet more public spending' he was referring to the spending by the government should be on capital projects not on normal public expenditure. Where Vince Cable said in February 2009 'We believe the government stimulus is right and necessary' Vince Cable was talking about the quantitative easing program not public spending, too totally unrelated types of stimulus'. Yes Cable is not perfect but if you are going to attack him atleast use the right quotes otherwise you may as well make the story up.

Vince Cable did not disagree with quantitative easing he simply warned about not over doing it he said 'Monetary easing may prove to be necessary but will have to be managed with great skill and care'. The situation in the economy was developing and Vince Cable did change some of his views based on the changing economic situation. I don't really see what wrong with that, surely its because politicians are not allowed to be fexlible that their hands become tied for fear of being seen to 'Unstable' and therefore can't respond as required by the situation.

Todays link is to The Norfolk Blogger who has done this little video on the 'Contradiction of the Tory Marriage Tax proposal'