The PlayStation Network or PSN allows users of the PlayStation 3 Gaming Console and the PlayStation Portable to connect to this Sony ran network to connect with games, find friends and make purchases as well as a wide variety of other tasks. There are currently over sixty million PlayStation Network accounts, and it is one of the most widely used services out there delivering digital media and providing multiplayer gaming to users of all ages all throughout the world, and creating a connection that was previously just accessible via the internet right through your television screen and PlayStation Consoles.

There are a wide variety of services that the PlayStation Network provides when you use the Account Services section of the network, including community and networking, entertainment and shopping on the network and features.  The first of these – account services, include the ability to browse instruction manuals online, and getting a user-profile card as well as creating a sign-in ID or login ID and creating extra, “sub” accounts. Also, you can view and use your PlayStation console warranties and find out answers to questions through the account services menu.

The PlayStation Network also provided a wide variety of community features including a one hundred person friends list and the ability to send and receive instant messages from these friends. Also, there are lobbies that match you up based upon the parameters that you set, so that you can join others for multiplayer gaming as well as connect up to seven different controllers. Also, you can see scores of other users on the PlayStation Network and be able to be represented by an Avatar, as well as voice and video chat in the chat rooms and the text chat can be used in game as well as an integrated internet browser and search engine.

The PlayStation Network also offers a great deal of commerce and entertainment venues including the PlayStation Store, which lists games that you can purchase and download, as well as music, movies and much more including real-world items that you can have shipped to you. Stores inside the PlayStation Network for those located in North America, besides the official PS Store include Qore, Netflix, Yudu, Hulu Plus, MLB.tv as well as various other venues for different parts of the country, mush of them for Europe and the United Kingdom like FirstPlay, LoveFilm, BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, QrioCity and VideZone.

Besides the rest of the PlayStation Network there are several features that are included for users including comments allowed on profiles and block lists, as well as features for parents of gamers like parental controls that allow them to restrict access to certain DVD and BD titles and restrict which websites are visited with the internet browser. You can also update your PS3 or Playstation Portable on the network, count your trophies and see an updated list of the latest Playstation news and features. The PlayStation Network puts connectivity in your hands.