new home develoments

Want to play podcasts off a virtual audio player, download demos directly from PlayStation Store, and communicate with a virtual pet from the comfort of your personal space in PlayStation Home? You may get that chance!

During a lecture at Japan's CESA Developers Conference (CEDEC) yesterday, Sony Computer Entertainment's Masami Kando provided a glimpse at what's on the way for the service. Famitsu.com provided a full report.

Kando said to expect a future Home update to allow for direct access to the PlayStation Store. This, he said, would allow Home dwellers to download demos and then proceed directly into online play sessions.

More enticingly, Kando introduced some of the new technology Sony is working on right now. He showed off two tech demos. One demo showed playback of net radio broadcasts, podcasts, and television commercials (running on a virtual Bravia), all of which could be synchronized across multiple users.

The second demo sounds like it's just screaming to be included in the service. How would you like to have a virtual pet waiting for you when you return to your room? Kando showed a demo of just that, a robot which could move freely about your room and react to your calls. This would allow for solo players to enjoy themselves, he said, and could be done without using a keyboard.

While the two tech demos aren't guaranteed for inclusion in Home (the pet demo was made in just five days, said Kando), they certainly have us excited about the possibilities for the service.