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109-487: As of December 2023, over 123 million users access the service monthly. PlayStation Network's services are dedicated to an online marketplace ( PlayStation Store ), a premium subscription service for enhanced gaming and social features ( PlayStation Plus ), music streaming (PlayStation Music, based on Spotify ), and formerly a cloud gaming service ( PlayStation Now ; folded into PlayStation Plus Premium in June 2022). The service

218-741: A web browser . The new service is an attempt at capitalizing on the growing trend, fostered during the COVID-19 pandemic , for businesses to adopt a hybrid remote work environment, in which "employees split their time between the office and home". As the service will be accessible through web browsers, Microsoft will be able to bypass the need to publish the service through Google Play or the Apple App Store . Microsoft announced Windows 365 availability to business and enterprise customers on August 2, 2021. Multilingual support has been built into Windows since Windows 3.0. The language for both

327-478: A PlayStation 5 would also get access to a collection of "generation defining" games from the PlayStation 4. In May 2023, the collection was removed. The PlayStation Plus collection included: On December 3, 2021, Bloomberg reported that Sony was working on a new subscription service codenamed "Spartacus" that would be a merger of the company's current services, PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now, with

436-550: A change which Microsoft promised would provide better performance over its DOS-based predecessors. Windows XP would also introduce a redesigned user interface (including an updated Start menu and a "task-oriented" Windows Explorer ), streamlined multimedia and networking features, Internet Explorer 6 , integration with Microsoft's .NET Passport services, a " compatibility mode " to help provide backwards compatibility with software designed for previous versions of Windows, and Remote Assistance functionality. At retail, Windows XP

545-961: A class-action lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California alleging that because Sony maintains a monopoly on PlayStation Store, the removal of third-party sales violated antitrust laws. A second class-action lawsuit was filed the same month alleging that Sony's decision to eliminate third-party sales has led to overcharging consumers by billions of dollars. Microsoft Windows 24H2 (10.0.26100.2454) (November 21, 2024 ; 5 days ago  ( 2024-11-21 ) ) [±] 23H2 (10.0.22635.4515) (November 22, 2024 ; 4 days ago  ( 2024-11-22 ) ) [±] 24H2 (10.0.26120.2415) (November 22, 2024 ; 4 days ago  ( 2024-11-22 ) ) [±] Microsoft Windows

654-486: A court of competent jurisdiction located in San Mateo County, State of California. You agree to be subject to personal jurisdiction and venue in that location. PlayStation Store PlayStation Store ( PS Store ) is a digital distribution service for users of Sony 's PlayStation 3 , PlayStation Vita , PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 game consoles via PlayStation Network . The store offers

763-747: A court of law in the respective country, in this case the US, would hold jurisdiction in regards to any rules or changes in the Sony PSN ToS: These Terms of Service and all questions relating to the performance, interpretation, breach or enforcement of these Terms of Service, or the rights, obligations and liabilities of you and us under them are governed by the laws of the State of California. You agree that all disputes, claims or litigation arising from or related in any way to these Terms of Service and our relationship with you will be litigated only in

872-433: A difficult level or defeating a certain number of enemies. There are four different types of trophy awarded: a bronze, silver, or gold trophy is contingent upon the difficulty of the accomplishment, with each reward contributing to a level system attached to a player's profile. A platinum trophy is awarded to the player once they unlock all other trophies in the base game ; smaller sized games, however, generally do not offer

981-613: A digitally downloaded game can be started, which also extends to virtually all physically released software for the PS4 and certain physical games for the PS5. Without a connection to PlayStation Network, consoles would rely on a CMOS battery to maintain the date and time. If a console is unable to obtain an accurate date and time from PlayStation Network due to loss of connectivity and CMOS battery charge combined, games can be rendered unplayable on it, leading critics to decry this anti-cheat system as

1090-400: A discounted rate without cloud streaming. The PlayStation Store is a digital media shop that offers a range of downloadable content both for purchase and available free of charge. This includes full games, free-to-play games, add-ons, demos, music, movies and background themes. The store accepts physical currency, PayPal transfers and prepaid network cards. PlayStation Network Cards are

1199-408: A fee. Users have the option to disclose their real name aside their Online ID, add a personal description, exhibit a profile picture or avatar, and list all spoken languages. Profiles also include a summary of a player's Trophy level and recent activity. Profiles can be viewed via the user interface or online through the PlayStation website. A Portable ID is a small infographic intended for use as

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1308-816: A form of always-on DRM and a threat to video game preservation upon discovery of this issue, known as the C-bomb , several months after the PlayStation 5 's launch, as Sony was contemplating an equally controversial decision to shut down the PlayStation Store for previously discontinued systems that used it. In late September 2021, Sony resolved the C-bomb issue for the PS4 with firmware update 9.0.0, so that an inability to obtain an accurate date and time from PSN would only disable time-stamping of Trophies instead of blocking startup of games. Sony later resolved

1417-484: A form of electronic money that can be used with the PlayStation Store. Each card contains an alphanumeric code which can be entered on the PlayStation Network to deposit credit in a virtual wallet. Sony devised the payment method for people without access to a credit card, and PlayStation owners who would like to send or receive such cards as gifts. In 2012 Sony introduced a cross-buy initiative whereby

1526-451: A forum signature. The graphic showcases a user's trophy level and number of trophies awarded. Each user is able to log into their PSN account using a web browser to access and customize their Portable ID, and are then given a unique URL which they can cut & paste to display their ID elsewhere on the internet. Trophies are in-game awards presented to gamers for hitting specific targets or reaching certain milestones, such as completing

1635-447: A full video walkthrough which can be pinned to the side of the screen to refer to while playing. Membership includes access to a rotating selection of games, with the selection varying based on PlayStation Store region. New titles are announced every month, to be downloaded immediately or added to a library for later access, before being replaced by a new selection of games. Members can keep all games in their library as long as they remain

1744-507: A game available for multiple PlayStation devices need only be purchased once. Players who download the PlayStation 3 version of a game can transfer to the PlayStation Vita or PlayStation 4 version at no extra cost, and vice versa. Users have immediate access to supported titles in their digital game library, even when they upgrade to the newest system. The initiative was later extended to include PlayStation 5 . The PlayStation Blog

1853-513: A large number of new features, Windows 7 was intended to be a more focused, incremental upgrade to the Windows line, with the goal of being compatible with applications and hardware with which Windows Vista was already compatible. Windows 7 has multi-touch support, a redesigned Windows shell with an updated taskbar with revealable jump lists that contain shortcuts to files frequently used with specific applications and shortcuts to tasks within

1962-414: A member of PlayStation Plus. If their membership lapses, these games will become inaccessible. Once membership is renewed, the games will become unlocked again. In late June 2020, it was announced that PS Plus will expand its capacity of accessible games from two to three for its 10th anniversary. In September 2020, Sony announced during its next-generation showcase that PlayStation Plus members who purchase

2071-610: A modular, portable kernel with preemptive multitasking and support for multiple processor architectures. However, following the successful release of Windows 3.0 , the NT development team decided to rework the project to use an extended 32-bit port of the Windows API known as Win32 instead of those of OS/2. Win32 maintained a similar structure to the Windows APIs (allowing existing Windows applications to easily be ported to

2180-459: A network disruption after a denial-of-service attack . Both services were flooded with millions of inauthentic connection requests, making it hard for genuine users to establish a connection. Functionality was restored on December 26, with some users experiencing difficulties in the days that followed. On January 1, 2015, Sony announced that users would be compensated for the downtime with a five-day extension to PlayStation Plus memberships. Formerly

2289-400: A new Windows 365 service in the following month. The new service will allow for cross-platform usage , aiming to make the operating system available for both Apple and Android users. It is a separate service and offers several variations including Windows 365 Frontline, Windows 365 Boot, and the Windows 365 app. The subscription service will be accessible through any operating system with

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2398-484: A platinum trophy. In addition, each trophy is graded by rarity—common, rare, very rare, and ultra rare—based on the percentage of people who have unlocked it. Developers can choose to make various trophies hidden so that their value and description are not revealed until after the user has obtained them. In an effort to discourage cheating in terms of how soon Trophies are awarded, the PlayStation Network requires consoles to maintain an accurate time and date setting before

2507-579: A program called "Interface Manager". The name "Windows" comes from the fact that the system was one of the first to use graphical boxes to represent programs; in the industry, at the time, these were called "windows" and the underlying software was called "windowing software." It was announced in November 1983 (after the Apple Lisa , but before the Macintosh ) under the name "Windows", but Windows 1.0

2616-433: A range of downloadable content both for purchase and available free of charge. Available content includes full games, add-on content, playable demos , themes and game/movie trailers . Following feedback from many PlayStation Network users, a redesigned version of PlayStation Store was launched on April 15, 2008, via a firmware update. The new design was OS based rather than the previous Store's web based design enabling

2725-510: A redesigned, object oriented user interface, replacing the previous Program Manager with the Start menu , taskbar , and Windows Explorer shell . Windows 95 was a major commercial success for Microsoft; Ina Fried of CNET remarked that "by the time Windows 95 was finally ushered off the market in 2001, it had become a fixture on computer desktops around the world." Microsoft published four OEM Service Releases (OSR) of Windows 95, each of which

2834-517: A result of the negative feedback, Sony announced on April 19, 2021, that they had reversed their decision to close the PS3 and Vita stores, leaving these available for the foreseeable future, though the PSP store will still close as originally planned on July 2, 2021. The day prior to the planned closure of the PSP store, Sony altered their plans again, and instead chose to simply disable PlayStation Store app on

2943-410: A single account can only be used on up to two consoles. This was previously five, but as of November 2011, Sony reduced this to two. The most recent firmware must be installed on the console to access the PlayStation Store. Each master account is associated with an online virtual "wallet" to which funds can be added. This wallet is then debited when a purchase is made from the store. Money can be added to

3052-465: A special version with integrated peer-to-peer networking features and a version number of 3.11, was released. It was sold along with Windows 3.1. Support for Windows 3.1 ended on December 31, 2001. Windows 3.2, released in 1994, is an updated version of the Chinese version of Windows 3.1. The update was limited to this language version, as it fixed only issues related to the complex writing system of

3161-543: A specific base language and are commonly used for more popular languages such as French or Chinese. These languages cannot be downloaded through the Download Center, but are available as optional updates through the Windows Update service (except Windows 8). The interface language of installed applications is not affected by changes in the Windows interface language. The availability of languages depends on

3270-416: A successor to NT 4.0. The Windows NT name was dropped at this point in order to put a greater focus on the Windows brand. The next major version of Windows NT, Windows XP , was released to manufacturing (RTM) on August 24, 2001, and to the general public on October 25, 2001. The introduction of Windows XP aimed to unify the consumer-oriented Windows 9x series with the architecture introduced by Windows NT,

3379-572: A user's right to trial by jury should the user opt out of the clause (by sending a letter to Sony), says: If the Class Action Waiver clause is found to be illegal or unenforceable, this entire Section 15 will be unenforceable, and the dispute will be decided by a court and you and the Sony Entity you have a dispute with each agree to waive in that instance, to the fullest extent allowed by law, any trial by jury. Sony guaranteed that

PlayStation Network - Misplaced Pages Continue

3488-549: Is a product line of proprietary graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft . It is grouped into families and sub-families that cater to particular sectors of the computing industry – Windows (unqualified) for a consumer or corporate workstation , Windows Server for a server and Windows IoT for an embedded system . Windows is sold as either a consumer retail product or licensed to third-party hardware manufacturers who sell products bundled with Windows. The first version of Windows, Windows 1.0 ,

3597-876: Is accessible through an icon on the XrossMediaBar on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable, via the Dynamic Menu on the PlayStation 4, and an icon on the LiveArea on the PlayStation Vita. The service is also available online through the Sony Entertainment Network website. A master account is required to access the PlayStation Store. A log of all previously purchased items, known as "Download List", records each PlayStation Store account's complete download activity. A guest user can use their master account's Download List to download free content or to purchase content on another console; however,

3706-435: Is an edition of Windows that runs on minimalistic computers , like satellite navigation systems and some mobile phones. Windows Embedded Compact is based on its own dedicated kernel, dubbed Windows CE kernel. Microsoft licenses Windows CE to OEMs and device makers. The OEMs and device makers can modify and create their own user interfaces and experiences, while Windows CE provides the technical foundation to do so. Windows CE

3815-491: Is an online PlayStation focused gaming blog which is part of the PlayStation Network. Launched in June 2007, regular content includes game announcements, developer interviews and store updates. A sub-site of the blog called PlayStation. Blog Share was launched in March 2010 and allows PSN users to submit ideas to the PlayStation team about anything PlayStation-related as well as vote on the ideas of other submissions. Beginning in

3924-450: Is an unofficial name given to the version of Windows that runs on Xbox consoles. From Xbox One onwards it is an implementation with an emphasis on virtualization (using Hyper-V ) as it is three operating systems running at once, consisting of the core operating system , a second implemented for games and a more Windows-like environment for applications. Microsoft updates Xbox One's OS every month, and these updates can be downloaded from

4033-412: Is available in 73 territories. Launched in the year 2000, Sony's second home console, the PlayStation 2 , had rudimentary online features in select games via its online network . It required a network adaptor , which was available as an add-on for original models and integrated into the hardware on slimline models. However, Sony provided no unified service for the system, so support for network features

4142-598: Is much less focused on text, and incorporates high-resolution artwork and smooth animations for featured content. The new redesign launched in Europe on October 22, 2012. Shortly after it was launched in the United Kingdom, the Store interface was reverted to the old design due to issues such as long load times and slow navigation, while other countries in Europe retained the new interface despite these issues. The redesign

4251-529: Is said to be available to update from qualified Windows 7 with SP1, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1 devices from the Get Windows 10 Application (for Windows 7 , Windows 8.1 ) or Windows Update ( Windows 7 ). In February 2017, Microsoft announced the migration of its Windows source code repository from Perforce to Git . This migration involved 3.5 million separate files in a 300-gigabyte repository. By May 2017, 90 percent of its engineering team

4360-573: Is the most popular desktop operating system in the world, with a 70% market share as of March 2023 , according to StatCounter ; however when including mobile OS es, it is not the most used, in favor of Android . As of today, the most recent version of Windows is Windows 11 for consumer PCs and tablets , Windows 11 Enterprise for corporations, and Windows Server 2025 for servers. Still supported are some editions of Windows 10 , Windows Server 2016 or later (and exceptionally with paid support down to Windows Server 2008 ). As of today,

4469-447: Is the last Windows client operating system to support Itanium. Windows Server line continues to support this platform until Windows Server 2012 ; Windows Server 2008 R2 is the last Windows operating system to support Itanium architecture. On April 25, 2005, Microsoft released Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 editions to support x86-64 (or simply x64), the 64-bit version of x86 architecture. Windows Vista

PlayStation Network - Misplaced Pages Continue

4578-711: The PlayStation Network via the storefront, although not all games are released physically. There are four different versions of the PlayStation Store: Asia, Europe (including Oceania and the Middle East), Japan and North America. There is no PlayStation Store localization in China and South America for the Vita. PlayStation 4 's PlayStation Store was released on November 15, 2013, along with

4687-585: The Start screen , which uses large tiles that are more convenient for touch interactions and allow for the display of continually updated information, and a new class of apps which are designed primarily for use on touch-based devices. The new Windows version required a minimum resolution of 1024×768 pixels, effectively making it unfit for netbooks with 800×600-pixel screens. Other changes include increased integration with cloud services and other online platforms (such as social networks and Microsoft's own OneDrive (formerly SkyDrive) and Xbox Live services),

4796-974: The Windows Driver Model , support for USB composite devices , support for ACPI , hibernation , and support for multi-monitor configurations. Windows 98 also included integration with Internet Explorer 4 through Active Desktop and other aspects of the Windows Desktop Update (a series of enhancements to the Explorer shell which was also made available for Windows 95). In May 1999, Microsoft released Windows 98 Second Edition , an updated version of Windows 98. Windows 98 SE added Internet Explorer 5.0 and Windows Media Player 6.2 amongst other upgrades. Mainstream support for Windows 98 ended on June 30, 2002, and extended support for Windows 98 ended on July 11, 2006. On September 14, 2000, Microsoft released Windows Me (Millennium Edition),

4905-505: The Windows Image Acquisition framework for retrieving images from scanners and digital cameras), additional system utilities such as System File Protection and System Restore , and updated home networking tools. However, Windows Me was faced with criticism for its speed and instability, along with hardware compatibility issues and its removal of real mode DOS support. PC World considered Windows Me to be one of

5014-578: The Windows Store service for software distribution, and a new variant known as Windows RT for use on devices that utilize the ARM architecture , and a new keyboard shortcut for screenshots . An update to Windows 8, called Windows 8.1 , was released on October 17, 2013, and includes features such as new live tile sizes, deeper OneDrive integration, and many other revisions. Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 have been subject to some criticism, such as

5123-451: The x86 -based personal computer became dominant in the professional world. Windows NT 4.0 and its predecessors supported PowerPC , DEC Alpha and MIPS R4000 (although some of the platforms implement 64-bit computing , the OS treated them as 32-bit). Windows 2000 dropped support for all platforms, except the third generation x86 (known as IA-32 ) or newer in 32-bit mode. The client line of

5232-446: The "Tablet PC" edition (designed for mobile devices meeting its specifications for a tablet computer , with support for stylus pen input and additional pen-enabled applications). Mainstream support for Windows XP ended on April 14, 2009. Extended support ended on April 8, 2014. After Windows 2000, Microsoft also changed its release schedules for server operating systems; the server counterpart of Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 ,

5341-736: The C development environment, which included numerous windows samples. Windows 2.0 was released in December 1987, and was more popular than its predecessor. It features several improvements to the user interface and memory management. Windows 2.03 changed the OS from tiled windows to overlapping windows. The result of this change led to Apple Computer filing a suit against Microsoft alleging infringement on Apple's copyrights (eventually settled in court in Microsoft's favor in 1993). Windows 2.0 also introduced more sophisticated keyboard shortcuts and could make use of expanded memory . Windows 2.1

5450-589: The Chinese language. Windows 3.2 was generally sold by computer manufacturers with a ten-disk version of MS-DOS that also had Simplified Chinese characters in basic output and some translated utilities. The next major consumer-oriented release of Windows, Windows 95 , was released on August 24, 1995. While still remaining MS-DOS-based, Windows 95 introduced support for native 32-bit applications , plug and play hardware, preemptive multitasking , long file names of up to 255 characters, and provided increased stability over its predecessors. Windows 95 also introduced

5559-471: The PS Store are non-refundable. The user can add funds to their wallet in a number of ways, the most common of which is by credit or debit card. Users in many regions can also purchase PlayStation Network Cards or Tickets in set denominations from retailers including supermarkets or video game stores. These funds are redeemed on the PlayStation Store when the user enters the unique 12-digit code found on

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5668-444: The PlayStation 3 on November 11, 2006. There are four different versions of the store on the platform: Asia, Europe (including Oceania and the Middle East), Japan and North America (including South America). PlayStation Store was supported on PlayStation Portable starting by October 2008 with 5.00 firmware update . The native PlayStation Store front on PSP was closed on March 31, 2016, while in-app purchases remained available after

5777-598: The PlayStation Store, the ability to upload up to 100 GB of saved game files to PlayStation servers, and three games available to download each month at no additional cost. These features are available to all subscribers. The "Extra" tier provides access to a wide catalogue of 400+ PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 games. Moreover, the "Extra" tier also unlocks a catalogue of Ubisoft+ classics. The "Premium" (also known as "Deluxe") tier adds access to downloadable PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation Portable games, access to limited trials of select games, and (in some regions)

5886-756: The Store to process information more quickly. A minor update to the store was released during Sony's E3 2009 press conference . This update makes the top page rotate pictures (including their links) regularly, and changes the navigation sounds. A major redesign of PlayStation Store was announced in September 2012, bringing with it a revised navigation structure and new search system. The new store has been developed to bring game and video content together and make it easier for users to find what they are looking for. Content will be integrated into each game's listing, rather than separate categories for items like add-ons, themes, and other downloadable content. The latest design

5995-588: The Windows NT family still ran on IA-32 up to Windows 10 (the server line of the Windows NT family still ran on IA-32 up to Windows Server 2008 ). With the introduction of the Intel Itanium architecture ( IA-64 ), Microsoft released new versions of Windows to support it. Itanium versions of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 were released at the same time as their mainstream x86 counterparts. Windows XP 64-Bit Edition (Version 2003), released in 2003,

6104-430: The Windows interface, and require a certain base language (the language which Windows originally shipped with). This is used for most languages in emerging markets. Full Language Packs, which translate the complete operating system, are only available for specific editions of Windows (Ultimate and Enterprise editions of Windows Vista and 7, and all editions of Windows 8, 8.1 and RT except Single Language). They do not require

6213-620: The Xbox 360's system is backwards compatible with the original Xbox. Up to and including every version before Windows 2000 , Microsoft used an in-house version control system named Source Library Manager (SLM). Shortly after Windows 2000 was released, Microsoft switched to a fork of Perforce named Source Depot. This system was used up until 2017 once the system could not keep up with the size of Windows. Microsoft had begun to integrate Git into Team Foundation Server in 2013, but Windows (and Office) continued to rely on Source Depot. The Windows code

6322-527: The Xbox Live service to the Xbox and subsequently installed, or by using offline recovery images downloaded via a PC. It was originally based on NT 6.2 (Windows 8) kernel, and the latest version runs on an NT 10.0 base. This system is sometimes referred to as "Windows 10 on Xbox One". Xbox One and Xbox Series operating systems also allow limited (due to licensing restrictions and testing resources) backward compatibility with previous generation hardware, and

6431-456: The ability to cloud stream certain PlayStation, PS2, PS3, PS4, PS5 and PSP games. For all tiers of subscription, users can choose between monthly, quarterly, or annual payment. Furthermore, all PS Plus tiers have the Game Help feature; a PlayStation 5 exclusive that provides spoiler-free hints and tips while playing supported games. Game Help can range from a nudge in the right direction, to

6540-457: The application developers themselves. Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 introduce a new Language Control Panel where both the interface and input languages can be simultaneously changed, and language packs, regardless of type, can be downloaded from a central location. The PC Settings app in Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 also includes a counterpart settings page for this. Changing

6649-437: The application, a home networking system called HomeGroup , and performance improvements. Windows 8 , the successor to Windows 7, was released generally on October 26, 2012. A number of significant changes were made on Windows 8, including the introduction of a user interface based around Microsoft's Metro design language with optimizations for touch-based devices such as tablets and all-in-one PCs. These changes include

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6758-718: The assets of Gaikai's market rival OnLive . At the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2014, Sony announced that Gaikai's technology would be used to power PlayStation Now ; a new cloud-based gaming service that allows people to play PlayStation games on a variety of devices. During 2014, Sony rolled out the service in North America on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 in beta form as a means for users to test performance and pricing structures. On December 25, 2014, PlayStation Network and Xbox Live suffered

6867-406: The card into the PlayStation Store. Nintendo themselves later adopted this currency system for their succeeding eShop . The Store's account, however, is region-locked and generally only accepts credit card that is billed in and PlayStation Network Cards purchased from the same country selected during the registration process, which cannot be changed afterwards. PlayStation Store was launched within

6976-506: The company reportedly set to keep the Plus branding. The service was reported as including three tiers, the first including all the benefits of PlayStation Plus, the second expanding upon the first by including a catalog of PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 titles, and the third expanding upon the first two by including demos as well as a catalog of games from the PlayStation , PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Portable. Bloomberg claimed

7085-473: The console in North America, and on November 29 in most of Europe with the console two weeks following the North American launch. The PS4 version of the PS Store uses the same overall design and interface to its predecessor, the PlayStation 3's storefront; however, the color scheme has been altered to match that of the console's theme, changing from black to blue. In January 2013, the PlayStation Store

7194-409: The design, mostly because of virtual memory and loadable virtual device drivers ( VxDs ) that allow Windows to share arbitrary devices between multi-tasked DOS applications. Windows 3.0 applications can run in protected mode , which gives them access to several megabytes of memory without the obligation to participate in the software virtual memory scheme. They run inside the same address space, where

7303-681: The desktop and mobile versions of PlayStation Store. PlayStation 5 's PlayStation Store was released on November 12, 2020, along with the console in North America, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea, and on November 19, 2020, in rest of the world (excluding China) with the console seven days following the North American and Japan launch. Prior to 2019, Sony had allowed third-party vendors such as Amazon and Wal-Mart to sell video game redemption codes for PlayStation Store. Sony removed this feature in April 2019, so third-party vendors can only sell virtual currency for PlayStation Store. In May 2021,

7412-516: The full Windows feature set. The early versions of Windows are often thought of as graphical shells, mostly because they ran on top of MS-DOS and used it for file system services. However, even the earliest Windows versions already assumed many typical operating system functions; notably, having their own executable file format and providing their own device drivers (timer, graphics, printer, mouse, keyboard and sound). Unlike MS-DOS, Windows allowed users to execute multiple graphical applications at

7521-611: The game will offer optional PSN integration, including an overlay with access to social features and Trophies. On October 1, 2024, the PlayStation Network had a global outage that suspended all of its services for all users for seven hours. Sony never disclosed the reason for the outage. Signing up to the PlayStation Network is free from monetary cost. Two types of accounts can be created: Master accounts and Sub accounts. A master account allows full access to all settings, including parental controls . Sub accounts can subsequently be created (e.g. for children) with desired restrictions set by

7630-561: The gaming provision of the much broader Sony Entertainment Network , the PlayStation Network became Sony's premier entertainment service in 2015, unifying games, music, television and video. While synonymous with gaming, Sony said the PlayStation Network had evolved to become a "comprehensive digital entertainment brand". The SEN name is still used in some places. In April 2024, Sony announced that it would begin to offer PSN features on PlayStation Studios-published games for Microsoft Windows , beginning with Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut ;

7739-532: The ideas would be turned into pilot episodes that will be voted on by the PlayStation community. A change to the PSN terms and conditions announced on September 15, 2011 required users to agree to give up their right (to join as a group in a class action ) to sue Sony over any future security breach, without first trying to resolve legal issues with an arbitrator. This included any ongoing class action suits initiated prior to August 20, 2011. Another clause, which removed

7848-436: The interface language also changes the language of preinstalled Windows Store apps (such as Mail, Maps and News) and certain other Microsoft-developed apps (such as Remote Desktop). The above limitations for language packs are however still in effect, except that full language packs can be installed for any edition except Single Language, which caters to emerging markets. Windows NT included support for several platforms before

7957-515: The keyboard and the interface can be changed through the Region and Language Control Panel. Components for all supported input languages, such as Input Method Editors , are automatically installed during Windows installation (in Windows XP and earlier, files for East Asian languages, such as Chinese, and files for right-to-left scripts, such as Arabic, may need to be installed separately, also from

8066-433: The last DOS-based version of Windows. Windows Me incorporated visual interface enhancements from its Windows NT-based counterpart Windows 2000 , had faster boot times than previous versions (which however, required the removal of the ability to access a real mode DOS environment, removing compatibility with some older programs), expanded multimedia functionality (including Windows Media Player 7, Windows Movie Maker , and

8175-547: The master account holder. A sub account holder has the option to upgrade their account once they reach 18 years of age. Sony encourages registrants to use a unique email and strong password not associated with other online services. An Online ID is one's username on the PlayStation Network, which is displayed when playing online games and using other network features. It can range from 3 to 16 characters in length and consist of letters, numbers, hyphens and underscores. Beginning in 2019, users may change their PlayStation Network ID for

8284-622: The only active top-level family is Windows NT . The first version, Windows NT 3.1 , was intended for server computing and corporate workstations . It grew into a product line of its own and now consists of four sub-families that tend to be released almost simultaneously and share the same kernel. These top-level Windows families are no longer actively developed: The term Windows collectively describes any or all of several generations of Microsoft operating system products. These products are generally categorized as follows: The history of Windows dates back to 1981 when Microsoft started work on

8393-435: The outage got 60 free days. After the disruption, Sony changed the PlayStation Network's license agreement to legally bar users from filing lawsuits and joining class action lawsuits without first trying to resolve issues with an arbitrator. In July 2012, Sony Computer Entertainment announced that they had acquired video game streaming service Gaikai for $ 380 million. The acquisition was later strengthened when Sony acquired

8502-403: The platform), but also supported the capabilities of the existing NT kernel . Following its approval by Microsoft's staff, development continued on what was now Windows NT, the first 32-bit version of Windows. However, IBM objected to the changes, and ultimately continued OS/2 development on its own. Windows NT was the first Windows operating system based on a hybrid kernel . The hybrid kernel

8611-470: The publisher's approach towards game preservation, as well as the limitations of digital-only media, and its potential anti-consumer implications. Several small developers who had been producing titles for the PS Vita were not forewarned by Sony of PlayStation Store's closure, requiring some to crunch to meet the deadline, while others whose games would not be ready made the decision to cancel them. As

8720-495: The removal of the Start menu . On September 30, 2014, Microsoft announced Windows 10 as the successor to Windows 8.1. It was released on July 29, 2015, and addresses shortcomings in the user interface first introduced with Windows 8. Changes on PC include the return of the Start Menu, a virtual desktop system, and the ability to run Windows Store apps within windows on the desktop rather than in full-screen mode. Windows 10

8829-754: The said Control Panel). Third-party IMEs may also be installed if a user feels that the provided one is insufficient for their needs. Since Windows 2000, English editions of Windows NT have East Asian IMEs (such as Microsoft Pinyin IME and Microsoft Japanese IME) bundled, but files for East Asian languages may be manually installed on Control Panel. Interface languages for the operating system are free for download, but some languages are limited to certain editions of Windows. Language Interface Packs (LIPs) are redistributable and may be downloaded from Microsoft's Download Center and installed for any edition of Windows (XP or later) – they translate most, but not all, of

8938-454: The same issue for the PlayStation 5 in November, allowing all physical and digital PS4 and PS5 games to run without any need for an accurate date and time reading from PSN, except for PlayStation Plus games, which require online verification to access them. PlayStation Plus (PS Plus) is a paid tiered subscription service that provides users with access to premium features. These features include access to online multiplayer, exclusive discounts on

9047-420: The same time, through cooperative multitasking . Windows implemented an elaborate, segment-based, software virtual memory scheme, which allows it to run applications larger than available memory: code segments and resources are swapped in and thrown away when memory became scarce; data segments moved in memory when a given application had relinquished processor control. Windows 3.0 , released in 1990, improved

9156-439: The segmented memory provides a degree of protection. Windows 3.0 also featured improvements to the user interface. Microsoft rewrote critical operations from C into assembly . Windows 3.0 was the first version of Windows to achieve broad commercial success, selling 2 million copies in the first six months. Windows 3.1, made generally available on March 1, 1992, featured a facelift. In August 1993, Windows for Workgroups,

9265-631: The service would launch within early 2022 and compete with Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass service. The revamped PlayStation Plus service with a three-tier subscription model was officially confirmed by Sony in March 2022 as launching in June 2022; the new service launched first in Asian territories excluding Japan on May 23, 2022, in Japan on June 1, 2022, in North America on June 13, 2022, and in Europe on June 22, 2022. The existing service became PlayStation Plus Essential, PlayStation Plus Extra additionally gives

9374-586: The spring of 2015, PlayStation Network began to produce and distribute their own original content. The first original scripted program, Powers , premiered on March 10, 2015 and ran for two full seasons. The series was cancelled on August 3, 2016. In June 2017, it was announced that Sony was launching the Emerging Filmmakers Program where members of the public can submit pitches for potential television series to be aired on PlayStation Network. Submissions were due on August 1, 2017 and five of

9483-507: The store closed. PS Store functionality on PSP was fully closed on July 2, 2021, except for the purchased items list which still allows to download previously purchased content or PSP content purchased from the PS3. PlayStation Store was launched on the PlayStation Vita on December 17, 2011, and is accessible via an icon on the LiveArea . As of December 2016, all Vita games were also made available to be downloaded digitally on

9592-564: The system, allowing PSP digital games to remain available for purchase on other systems. On March 9, 2022, PlayStation announced that it suspended operations of PlayStation Store in Russia in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine . PlayStation Store is available in 69 countries. '*' = Country where PlayStation Network and Store are officially available, but the Store is in Global currency (USD/EUR), not in local currency. The store

9701-408: The user access up to 400 PS4 and PS5 games as downloadable titles, and PlayStation Plus Premium further adds access to up to 340 games from the PlayStation, PS2, PS3, and PSP, streaming of all games mentioned above, and download of all but the PS3 games. For markets without cloud streaming, Sony offers an alternate version of Premium called PlayStation Plus Deluxe that includes the benefits of Premium at

9810-424: The wallet through different systems of payment, although some of these are not available in all countries. All purchases on the PlayStation Store are made in the user's local currency using a 'wallet' system whereby funds are added to the wallet—either in set denominations or an amount dictated by the price of the current transaction—then debited from the account's wallet when the user makes a purchase, funds added to

9919-465: The worst operating systems Microsoft had ever released, and the fourth worst tech product of all time. In November 1988, a new development team within Microsoft (which included former Digital Equipment Corporation developers Dave Cutler and Mark Lucovsky ) began work on a revamped version of IBM and Microsoft's OS/2 operating system known as "NT OS/2". NT OS/2 was intended to be a secure, multi-user operating system with POSIX compatibility and

10028-407: Was announced as the successor to Windows 10 during a livestream. The new operating system was designed to be more user-friendly and understandable. It was released on October 5, 2021. As of May 2022, Windows 11 is a free upgrade to Windows 10 users who meet the system requirements. In July 2021, Microsoft announced it will start selling subscriptions to virtualized Windows desktops as part of

10137-592: Was announced at the Tokyo Game Show later the same year. Sony launched an optional premium subscription service on top of the free PSN service in June 2010. Known as PlayStation Plus , the system provides access to exclusive content, complementary games, regular store discounts, and early access to forthcoming games. Following a security intrusion, the PlayStation Network had a temporary suspension of operation which began on April 20, 2011 and affected 77 million registered accounts. Lasting 23 days, this outage

10246-492: Was available in a number of different editions , and has been subject to some criticism , such as drop of performance, longer boot time, criticism of new UAC, and stricter license agreement. Vista's server counterpart, Windows Server 2008 was released in early 2008. On July 22, 2009, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 were released to manufacturing (RTM) and released to the public three months later on October 22, 2009. Unlike its predecessor, Windows Vista, which introduced

10355-517: Was designed as a modified microkernel , influenced by the Mach microkernel developed by Richard Rashid at Carnegie Mellon University, but without meeting all of the criteria of a pure microkernel. The first release of the resulting operating system, Windows NT 3.1 (named to associate it with Windows 3.1 ) was released in July 1993, with versions for desktop workstations and servers . Windows NT 3.5

10464-535: Was made available via Internet browser . Users can purchase content for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and PlayStation Portable via the online store, then download it (or put it in a download queue) via their respective devices. In October 2015, a "Wishlist" option was added. On October 15, 2020, in anticipation of the launch of the PlayStation 5 , Sony announced that users would no longer be able to browse, purchase and download PS3, PSP and PS Vita content, and PS4 avatars, themes and applications via

10573-462: Was marketed in two main editions : the "Home" edition was targeted towards consumers, while the "Professional" edition was targeted towards business environments and power users , and included additional security and networking features. Home and Professional were later accompanied by the "Media Center" edition (designed for home theater PCs , with an emphasis on support for DVD playback, TV tuner cards , DVR functionality, and remote controls), and

10682-698: Was not released until November 1985. Windows 1.0 was to compete with Apple 's operating system, but achieved little popularity. Windows 1.0 is not a complete operating system; rather, it extends MS-DOS . The shell of Windows 1.0 is a program known as the MS-DOS Executive . Components included Calculator , Calendar, Cardfile , Clipboard Viewer , Clock, Control Panel , Notepad , Paint , Reversi , Terminal and Write . Windows 1.0 does not allow overlapping windows. Instead, all windows are tiled . Only modal dialog boxes may appear over other windows. Microsoft sold as included Windows Development libraries with

10791-410: Was released in April 2003. It was followed in December 2005, by Windows Server 2003 R2. After a lengthy development process , Windows Vista was released on November 30, 2006, for volume licensing and January 30, 2007, for consumers. It contained a number of new features , from a redesigned shell and user interface to significant technical changes , with a particular focus on security features . It

10900-664: Was released in North America on November 2, 2012. In May 2020, PlayStation Store has been indefinitely suspended in China due to security reasons. On March 2, 2021, Sony announced that it would discontinue offering movie and TV show purchases and rentals through PlayStation Store on August 31, 2021. Later that month, Sony also announced that it would be closing down the storefronts for PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, and PlayStation Vita games in July and August 2021. Sony's decision to make many of its older games inaccessible for purchase drew criticism from many, with concerns highlighting

11009-518: Was released in September 1994, focusing on performance improvements and support for Novell 's NetWare , and was followed up by Windows NT 3.51 in May 1995, which included additional improvements and support for the PowerPC architecture. Windows NT 4.0 was released in June 1996, introducing the redesigned interface of Windows 95 to the NT series. On February 17, 2000, Microsoft released Windows 2000 ,

11118-675: Was released in two different versions: Windows/286 and Windows/386 . Windows/386 uses the virtual 8086 mode of the Intel 80386 to multitask several DOS programs and the paged memory model to emulate expanded memory using available extended memory . Windows/286, in spite of its name, runs on both Intel 8086 and Intel 80286 processors. It runs in real mode but can make use of the high memory area . In addition to full Windows packages, there were runtime-only versions that shipped with early Windows software from third parties and made it possible to run their Windows software on MS-DOS and without

11227-509: Was released on November 20, 1985, as a graphical operating system shell for MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces (GUIs). The name "Windows" is a reference to the windowing system in GUIs. The 1990 release of Windows 3.0 catapulted its market success and led to various other product families, including the now-defunct Windows 9x , Windows Mobile , Windows Phone , and Windows CE/Embedded Compact . Windows

11336-401: Was roughly equivalent to a service pack . The first OSR of Windows 95 was also the first version of Windows to be bundled with Microsoft's web browser , Internet Explorer . Mainstream support for Windows 95 ended on December 31, 2000, and extended support for Windows 95 ended on December 31, 2001. Windows 95 was followed up with the release of Windows 98 on June 25, 1998, which introduced

11445-545: Was specific to each game and third-party server, and there was no interoperability of cross-game presence. Five years later during the development stage for its third home console, the PlayStation 3 , Sony expressed their intent to build upon the functionality of its predecessor by creating a new interconnected service that keeps users constantly in touch with a "PlayStation World" network. In March 2006, Sony officially introduced its unified online service, tentatively named "PlayStation Network Platform". A list of supporting features

11554-586: Was the first client version of Windows NT to be released simultaneously in IA-32 and x64 editions. As of 2024, x64 is still supported. An edition of Windows 8 known as Windows RT was specifically created for computers with ARM architecture , and while ARM is still used for Windows smartphones with Windows 10, tablets with Windows RT will not be updated. Starting from Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (version 1709) and later includes support for ARM-based PCs. Windows CE (officially known as Windows Embedded Compact ),

11663-470: Was the longest amount of time the PSN had been offline since its inception in 2006. Sony reported that user data had been obtained during the intrusion. In June 2011, Sony launched a "Welcome Back" program following the outage, allowing all PSN subscribers who joined prior to April 20 to download two free PlayStation 3 titles and two free PlayStation Portable games. Users also received 30 free days of PlayStation Plus, while users who were already subscribed before

11772-556: Was used in the Dreamcast along with Sega's own proprietary OS for the console. Windows CE was the core from which Windows Mobile was derived. Its successor, Windows Phone 7 , was based on components from both Windows CE 6.0 R3 and Windows CE 7.0 . Windows Phone 8 however, is based on the same NT-kernel as Windows 8. Windows Embedded Compact is not to be confused with Windows XP Embedded or Windows NT 4.0 Embedded , modular editions of Windows based on Windows NT kernel. Xbox OS

11881-420: Was using Git, in about 8500 commits and 1760 Windows builds per day. In June 2021, shortly before Microsoft's announcement of Windows 11, Microsoft updated their lifecycle policy pages for Windows 10, revealing that support for their last release of Windows 10 will end on October 14, 2025. On April 27, 2023, Microsoft announced that version 22H2 would be the last of Windows 10. On June 24, 2021, Windows 11

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