Unless this is the first time you’ve ever visited this site* – you probably noticed that we’ve inverted the color palette on the Blog. The aim wasn’t to save your eyesight (though this configuration apparently is easier on your eyes), and we didn’t just make a change for change’s sake.
Rather, we “bleached” the Blog to match our big brother, us.PlayStation.com. In case you haven’t clicked over to the homepage (and you should right now), we’ve redesigned the site to make it easier for you to use.
There are lots of changes – this isn’t just a re-skinning:
- New navigation makes it easy to find games, TV series, movies, and original shows from any page and browse the entire site from one interface.
- New search is powered by Google and lets you find what you’re looking for, instantly.
- Interactive marquees give you video, screenshots and more info about our most exciting content.
- You can easily share anything from videos and screenshots to whole pages with your friends using the “Share” icons on each page.
- Our new Web platform is keeping everything running fast and smooth.
- Finally, and most importantly :-), the PlayStation.Blog is more prominent. You’ll spot new posts on the homepage and throughout the site.
This is our baby, so obviously we think it’s beautiful and perfect, but there might be some hiccups as we get everything up and running. Please be patient while we iron out the inevitable kinks.
Please note that this is just the first phase of improvements we’re planning to make the site easier to navigate, faster to use, and more interesting to visit. And right now we want your input – what do you love? What do you hate? What suggestions do you have?
As far as the Blog is concerned, we’re currently gathering ideas for a full-on redesign, but in the meantime we hope you enjoy the lighter, more readable PSB.
*If this is indeed the first time you’re visiting the PlayStation.Blog, welcome! We’re not always this self-referential.
this [DELETED] hurts my eyes go back to black or let us pick the color we want
The blog looks bad with the white background especially on a 24″ monitor at 1920 x 1200 resolution. But I found a way around it. There is a firefox plugin called greasemonkey and it lets you install user scripts either make your own or use the ones in the library. I have a script that i made that turns the background image into a solid color, and has a dialog input so if you want red you type RED into the prompt. and the background (sides around the blog turns that color. The middle is still white but believe me the contrast of having dark sides and a white middle section is much better then it is now! I am a web designer so I know how these things work, this site has no contrast right now.
Jeff please change the background color (not the middle where the text is but the background(sides of the blog) to Black Hex #000000 , it makes the blog look so sweet like that, and it’s easier to see.
I can enable this script to run when ever i come to this site so for me its fine but other people probably aren’t liking blog site like this.
Only problem with the White is that its harder to read the text. Perhaps if the text was a bit darker. Either way as long as the site keeps updating I’m happy.
Black was better, all this white is harder on the eyes.
Not a fan of the new change in color. White is just too bright honestly. I nice shade of blue like the PSN store for the US would have worked better on my system.
Ugh, this new color change sucks. Well good bye playstation blog. The only reason I checked your site is because it has official news and the web site was very very well designed, at least from an aesthetic standpoint. Guess I’ll just go back to reading n4g exclusively.
Your studies may have shown that white with black text increases eyestrain, but I’m betting that that’s only the case if you’re reading it at day time, not at night, which is probably the time people most visit your web site.
Oh well, just yet another web site with a crappy design that thinks they have to copy everyone else I suppose. I shouldn’t be surprised.
*deletes ps blog from bookmarks*
Gah, read the blog before work like 10 hours ago and my eyes still hurt, no joke. Just thought I’d come back and point that out.
Been following the blog for a long time and this is the first time I’ve felt the need to post a comment. Not a good sign IMO.
Black is beautiful! Please give us the option to change it back. Drastically changing a website like this with out at least having a [Old Version] button is never good. Just look at gamefaqs, I dont even know what it looks like now cause I only see the old version because they gave users the option to change it back.
Im sorry but the BRIGHT white makes my head and eye hurt. I can’t look at bright colors very long at a time. :*(
Finally! White! Why is it that so many game-related websites think that a black background with dark text colors is good to read? People probably just sit around in the dark… Get out sometime, will ya!? The light won’t burn you.
its a new look but its nice makes it look bling bling
the color seems a bit ps one!!!
Jeff Rubenstein | March 8th, 2010 at 11:01 am
That’s not what studies show…
…then you looked at the wrong info….black text on a white background is the best color combination for your eyes based on the high contrast, HOWEVER, seeing that most individuals have the brightness and contrast off on their PCs (and/or TVs), any prolonged exposure will cause strain to the eyes as the white background is too white(ie. – bright) and will cause strain.
Jeff Rubenstein | March 8th, 2010 at 11:02 am
Pass these studies on, will you?
…did SONY become a teenager on the net? The Mayo clinic has some good research…google it.
finally I can comment using my ps3 now only if remote play had a remote restart so everytime my ps3 freezes I didnt get so _ _ _ _ angry that I have go restart it
I sorta like it but I liked the black background better. I actually think black backgrounds put less strain on your eyes if used correctly, no matter what your “studies” show. If anything, I think people should be given the choice to choose between the two colour schemes. It’s really not that hard and shouldn’t affect the design of the blog which seems to be unchanged. If you care about people’s opinions, give them a choice.
Comment #16: “Jeff Rubenstein: Might be easier to read, but we’ll have a more comprehensive PS3-browser version coming later this year.”
Could you please clarify a bit, now there is ps3forums full of speculation. You could mean two different things, which one is true?
a) PS3 browser’s engine is updated later this year
b) blog.us.playstation.com website layout is taylored to suit better for current ps3 browser engine
thx
White on black: perfectly readable. Black on white: perfectly readable as well.
The font colour used on this site however, is #3B3B3B; more of a grayish tint than black.
It may look fine and dandy on one persons’ monitor — but as long as nobody calibrates the colours — it’ll may potentially look different for everyone.
Use black for the font-colour and everything should be reasonable good on the eyes for anyone.
(Oh and by the way, the Blackle-idea will be valid again for future displays, with “light emitting pixels” rather than being “backlit” will use less power if the overall colour is black.)
PLEASE READ:
With all due respect, I would love to take a look at some of those studies you mentioned. Actual studies show that it is easier on the eyes when the majority of the screen is a darker color (black) with illuminating text (white). Having a very bright white background only harms the eyes as it puts a lot more strain on it, aside from the fact that it downgrades the overall image the site built professionally. You say that these “studies” say it’s easier, well listen to the people. I think we can come to a conclusion that it is obviously not true and the fans don’t like it. Are you not trying to please the loyal PS fans? Note that to be able to read posts now I must dim my screen on a severe level and I have to have all the lights around me completely on to reduce the strain this site puts on my eyes. Thanks, but no thanks. If this doesn’t change back very very soon, I cannot personally visit the PS blog. I will just stick to my black-screen account on GameSpot and wait till someone links the articles there. Thank you for the attempt, but it wasn’t a good one.
I say this mainly because most computers (especially the ones in the Hospital I work at- and all the ones I’ve been to) operate on black monitors because of the constant eye strains white backgrounds provide. I am a medical science researcher.
P.S.S. I HATE the new PS website. I think it lost it’s fundamental touch as a primary gaming site. I really hate to say this, but now Xbox site looks a lot better (and I hated that one, too). So it didn’t just drop it’s standards as far as design, it fell off the grid.
Please go back to the white on black. This new look is not going to make me visit this site anymore.
And it’s especially hard to read white sites on my PS3… everything is uber bright for some reason.
Hey Jeff,
I think the white should be the default since you want a new look but you should also give users a theme choice option of different color themes,I like the new site but i had to dime my background lights cause the white is too bright maybe if u make the letters darker and the white little dime it will look good
and I have a firmware Update request
I am a person who spend most of my time on the computer because i like using AIM, YAHOO AND MSN Messengers, But I hate the fact that i have to go back and forth from my ps3 to my laptop to text my friends who don’t have a ps3.
So in a future update Sony, can The playStation 3 have all Instant Messengers AIM, Yahoo, MSN ect… Plus can user’s also have them on the psp , i have the psp go best psp out.
And also can we use them in remote play.
Thank YOU
I actually find this new layout being used here (and the PS Forums) to be really slow.
Also, my eyes hurt more with all the white than it did with the black/gray. Maybe I’m the exception to the rule though.
oh god… not here to! WHY! white is so.. BLEH! come on! the ps3 is the dark side damn it! everything that has to do with the playstation should be black!
first the forums now this?!?!
DONT FIX WHAT AINT BROKEN D:
ee who am i kidding? whats done is done. i would suggest to make an option to change the background to black or white.. but i know that would NEVER happen… -_-
what else you going to turn white? you going to make the xmb white as well?
Why don’t you try to have the 2 color esquemes like Gamespot?
I think white is burning my eyes.
But it’s clean and sexy. Congrats
I wonder if the site can play nice with the PS3 web browser now.
PS: Please update the PS3’s web browser, it’s almost like using IE.
I liked the black just because it kind of went with the look of the PS2, PS3 and PSP stylings.
Hi Jeff,
I have to admit I stopped reading comments when they have so many pages so I hope I am not repeating another comment.
I have a suggestion. I would like the ability to find all the comments I make by clicking on my name. It would be a useful tool when I am going back to see if my comment was chosen for a responce from you. Thanks.
Its ok jeff but I think we should have a option to use both, if we want white ok, if we want blk ok, no problems, ease all the moan and grown, .. I saw on us playstation underground, they have a option to use the older series shemes, maybe ya’ll can do the shame
mcbuttz78 aka the eric lampel spokesman but nothing to do with eric lampel
For the record, I really hate this new look- it’s painful. I’m very unlikely to spend any time here or on the forum anymore.
i mean same, not shame lmao.. sorry
mcbuttz78
The grey on the Hustle Kings post today is perfect.
Not too bright.
I use my PC on my 42in. Sony Bravia, and this white really hurts my eyes.
Not even Facebook does this to my eyes. I’m guessing it’s because Facebook have many things on the page and not too much white.
Please make at least a bit darker or something. My hurts on this site now. I love the PS.blog don’t **** it up when there was nothing wrong with it.
It would be helpful if we could choose the background colour as white background on a monitor makes the page overall too bright & in turn makes it harder to read.
I couldn’t find a blog about the new forum, just the blog to match the forum, but could you guys fix the problem with the friend counter on the ps forums at the top? It shows your friend when you’re on the PS3 Main site, or when you view your trophies, but when you’re in the forums your friend list stays at 0 even if you have friends online.
err, thank god for the Mac’s ability to invert colours with command+option+control+8. Honestly the white is terrible. I generally have Facebook and the Playstation Blog opened all the time on my iMac while im playing PS3, but the brightness is always down all the way because i hate the white on Facebook. The new blog sceme just ruins it all for me. I’d rather not have a massive white light spraying glare at my face while im doing stuff. Not to mention i practically never wear my glasses, so it doesnt help at all.
Seriously. I really do hate it, but its not THAT big of a deal since i can just invert the colors and its all pretty much back to normal except for the logos.
I am stuck with a half-assed mobile browser on my ps3.
It constantly freezes my system, forcing me to restart by holding the power button on my 80gb metal gear bundle. All us loyal customers had was each other seeing as sony is a brick wall doing everything in secret. This blog is merely a news outlet and the ps forums are now completely useless 2 ps3 owners. We only get commercials about the ‘biggest’ games in hopes we buy. I miss being able to learn about the technical side of the industry instead of just walking in to a store and trusting salespeople. I’m not a hater but I’m frustrated at the lack of communication. Looking forward 2 the premium service though.
I miss the white on black, can we possibly get skins?
Ok, SERIOUSLY hating the white. It’s killing my eyes just to try to look at this site. PLEASE change it back or at least give us the option to change it ourselves!
I don’t much care for this, but by the handful of replies this has gotten it’s plenty evident that the PlayStation Blog people don’t particularly care about any dissent.
Which is alright, it’s their blog. But it used to be better.
I am wondering is there any way for people that are logged in to set a preference. I for one liked the darker look more but may be other people do not. This way people can view the PS Blog the way they would like too. The Preferences could also be used to show things people want to know more about and if they do not care that much about it could hid it if they like. Just different things like that would be great for people that want to have an easier viewing of the blog.
Think it did the exact opposite of what I think Sony’s intentions were. It’s harder to read now… (TOO MUCH WHITE SPACE ON RIGHT HAND HALF OF THE SCREEN >>>)
There’s an old adage: If it ain’t broke…Don’t fix it…
Would love to have some sort of option to make it usable and readable…
Change it back! This is killing my eyes, and looks cheap.
I’m sure Jeff will never read my comment, but I just conducted my own study about 10 minutes ago, and I came to the scientific conclusion that looking at a website with a dark background for a few minutes is much less straining on my eyes than looking at a website with a white background (like this) for a few minutes.
Personally, I prefer the old site design, the black looked more professional and more “Sony” to me. I suppose I can turn the brightness on my monitor down, but the odd thing is that I can stare at the Yahoo and Google pages for a long while without feeling much eye strain so I’m wondering if it’s just that there’s too much white space on this site.
Anyway, Sony has many issues to deal with in the marketplace, I think rebranding Playstation should be the least of their worries.
I prefer the high-contrast white text on black background.
Any chance we could get the old color scheme as a preference? This setup hurts my eyes, and if I turn the brightness down, I can’t read the text. :(
I’m not too fond of the white background myself (doesn’t feel easier on my eyes). Just a matter of personal taste for me but I prefer some color that complements the layout of a site. White can work, but here it seems to share the bland look of so many others.
I’m also for optimizing the site for the PS3 browser—-or optimizing/updating the browser itself. Before the 3.15 update I could watch the videos on here with no problem, but not now.
It doesnt show my friends list on playstation.com
It’s a good thing the hyperlinks are in bold. I can’t imagine that dusty blue would be distinguishable from black in standard text.
i preffer when it’s black
At least the blog isn’t as troublesome to use as the official forums are. The official forums load so slow now they are just unusable for me now. They’ve completely and utterly ruined te forums. Blog is fine though.
Terrible …!!!
Give me BACK my BLACK !!!!
NOW !!!!
By the way – has anybody tested this “greatness” on a HD TV ??
(heck …since we’re in an HD times you guys actually might …)
I know , I know – this is an idea idea of one of your retarded VP’s who just for the sake of keeping their jobs keep comming with some riddiculous changes (change for the sake of change isn’t always good) , and you guys just have to follow the suit … Well let them read the blog on 42′ TV or higher … and don’t forget to smile … it’s a pure joy …:)