【Deborah Driggs Archives】

The Deborah Driggs Archiveslatest PlayStation 4 update -- which brings the console up to system version 4.00 -- adds HDR support, but that feature isn't nearly as exciting as some of the other changes.

High dynamic range (HDR) imaging promises to provide a visual boost to all PS4 consoles -- not just the upcoming Pro -- so long as both the game and the display your console is connected to supports it.

While it's great news that this update allows developers to patch in HDR, it's also not a feature of any currently available PS4 games or media apps. Expect to see HDR patches start surfacing around the PS4 Pro's Nov. 10 release.

The 4.00 update adds plenty more, however. A new quick menu pops up whenever you hold down the DualShock 4's PlayStation button, replacing current the power options menu.

The quick menu does still provide easy access to all the same power options as before, but there's more. You can also quickly check on which of your friends is online, fire up new playlists (provided you're connected via Spotify), adjust sound settings and change your online status.

A "Customize" menu option allows you to further tweak the default quick menu by adding other quick access options, including party settings, streaming features, Share Play and more.

Also new in 4.00: folders. The unwieldy media bar that defines the PS4's dashboard interface automatically pushes older content out of the feed, dumping it into a larger "Library" menu at the very end of the media bar.

Now, you can take groups of app tiles and lump them together into organized folders. You still have to deal with the horizontal media bar, but at least you have a greater measure of control over what appears there.

PS4 users also now have the ability to create Facebook-style events for groups of friends. Say you want to put a plan on the books to get your crew together for Destiny: Rise of Ironon the Friday that the raid launches. You can do that with ease, and the created event will ping all included friends with notifications.

There are other changes as well. Updates to the user interface provide more information about games, friends and Trophies. Communities let players group up with strangers that share their gaming interests. Even just the basic iconography around pop-up notifications looks cleaner.

Version 4.00 is a significant update to Sony's console that does much more than lay the groundwork for PS4 Pro's imminent launch. Expect to install it the next time you fire up your console.

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