A gaming console might not be the first “accessory” that comes to mind when talking about digital photography, but the Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) has some interesting features for the photo enthusiast. Every PS3 allows consumers to store their digital photos by connecting their cameras or USB storage drives directly to the console via a USB cable, with images then transferred directly onto the PS3’s hard drive. Once done with this, you can easily create playlists by grouping together photos. The PS3 system also offers five slideshow styles to show off your photos on your big screen, and you can set the slideshow to any music stored on your PS3.You can even upload your photos directly to a photo sharing site. Finally, with the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system, you can take your photos with you anywhere. Connect your PSP to any PC or laptop via a USB cable and upload your digital photos directly to the PSP’s storage card, the Memory Stick PRO Duo. You can also connect your PSP to your PS3 via a USB cable, and swap photos and photo playlists between the two systems.

Sony Press Release

PlayStation Takes Your Digital Photos to a Whole New Level

As video game consoles become more technologically advanced, they provide consumers with an array of features that span many facets of entertainment. One of the best examples of this is the PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3) system, which is much more than a gaming console through an array of multimedia functions that target a broad range of consumers. Several of these features are designed to appeal to digital photo enthusiasts of all levels, providing them with a multifunctional tool for storing, viewing and sharing their images.

Slideshows and Playlists

Every PS3 allows consumers to store their digital photos by connecting their cameras or USB storage drives directly to the console via a USB cable, with images then transferred directly onto the PS3’s hard drive. PS3s can also be connected wirelessly to any DLNA-compliant PC, with images stored on the PC then transferred via the PS3’s Media Server function. Once photos are saved on the PS3’s hard drive, you can easily create playlists by grouping together photos, perhaps from a recent vacation or a birthday party. The PS3 system also offers five slideshow styles to show off your photos on your big screen, and you can set the slideshow to any music stored on your PS3. Details and a video of how the slideshow functionality works can be found here.  In addition, select HP, Canon and Epson printers are compatible with PS3, allowing photos to be printed directly from the hard drive.

The PS3 supports the following digital photo and image file formats:
  * JPEG (.JPG)
  * GIF
  * TIFF (.TIF)
  * PNG
  * BMP

Photo Gallery

Each PS3 offers the ability to upgrade the system with free firmware updates, a feature that adds tremendous value to the system. These updates enhance and evolve the PS3 by adding new features and functionality, all at no cost to the consumer. When PS3 Firmware Update 2.60 went live in January 2009, it provided consumers with an intuitive and appealing new way to interact with the digital photos stored on their PS3 systems – the Photo Gallery application.

With Photo Gallery, consumers can take the digital photos they have stored on their PS3 hard drive and organize them by a variety of different criteria, including what type of camera was used to take the photos, the date and time of the event being shot, the colors present in the photos, as well as the number, ages, or facial expressions of the people in the pictures. Once their photos are grouped, consumers can then search and view them using the grouping categories and create slideshows set to music, displaying specific photo playlists or photos pulled from grouped categories.

If you’d like to see the Photo Gallery application in action, please go to http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/photogallery/index.html and check out the embedded video.

Photos on the Web

With PS3’s built-in Web browser, you can check out the thousands of digital photos on Web-based photo sharing sites like Flickr. You can even upload your own photos directly to the site, and show them off immediately – all in the comfort of your living room. Your pictures will come to life when displayed on the family’s HDTV!

Take Your Photos on the Go

With the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system, you can take your photos with you anywhere. Connect your PSP to any PC or laptop via a USB cable and upload your digital photos directly to the PSP’s storage card, the Memory Stick PRO Duo. You can also connect your PSP to your PS3 via a USB cable, and swap photos and photo playlists between the two systems. If you have access to a wireless Internet connection (Wi-Fi), you can even connect your PSP to your PS3 system through the Remote Play feature and access all digital photos stored on your PS3, without even being in the same city as your home! With PSP, you can take your photos and your memories with you anywhere.

See What Develops

Since PS3 and PSP are constantly evolving through firmware updates, new features are being developed and added routinely.  Expect more to come in the area of PS3 and PSP interoperability, which will allow you greater interaction and creativity with your digital photos!

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