141w ago - Sony's PSN Marketing Manager Lex Scheuble has updated the PlayStation Plus FAQ today, covering usage, available content and more as follows:

Today we'd like to present some answers to some of the common questions we've heard.

Q: What is PlayStation Plus?

A: PlayStation Plus is a subscription service offered to enhance your experience on the already free PlayStation Network. It offers you, the user, exclusive services for added convenience:

• Automatic downloads where select game demos and other content get delivered straight to your PS3 system, so you don't have to think about it.
• Full game trials which allow you to play up to 60 consecutive minutes of a game. When you purchase the full game (or when you insert the Blu-ray disc of that game), you will get the PSN trophies that you earned during the trial.
• Special discounts on the PlayStation Store and exclusive opportunities like select betas and select early demos.

Our goal is to deliver a valuable enhancement to your gaming experience.

Currently, you can purchase a three-month subscription at $17.99 or an annual subscription at $49.99 with an additional three months free. Subscriptions can be downloaded from the PlayStation Store, or you can purchase PlayStation Network...

243w ago - SCEA has announced that they are expanding the availability of the PlayStation Network cards. As of October, the cards will be available from popular retailers such as Walmart, Best Buy, and select Sam's Club outlets.

To quote: Today, Sony Computer Entertainment America has announced they're "expanding the availability of the popular PlayStation Network Cards to additional major retailers nationwide this holiday season."

The cards allow you to bypass the Need for a credit card; you simply purchase the Network Card at the retailer (sure, use cash), bring it home, then dump the money into your virtual wallet for the Store.

And starting in October, these Cards will be available at Walmart, Best Buy, and select Sam's Club outlets. Sony will add Barnes & Noble College Bookstores in November, which should come as good news to all you university students out there.

259w ago - A Qore introduction video is available below, and Sony rep amurphy has already responded to some of the angry comments on its US Blog about its monthly lifestyle gaming program 'Qore'.

One comment asked if demos were going to be exclusive to Qore from now on, or if they will still be free. Sony replied: "If you purchase Qore, you will have access to exclusive content that would not be available otherwise - it does not impact the availability of the great content found on PSN, nor does it change our free play model."

The response probably won't mean much to most people who feel they are basically taking stuff that would have been free normally and charging for it.