PlayStation Network now back online in California and New York, other states to follow

The good news: PlayStation Network is slowly being restored across the country. The bad news: It will take some time and work to re-gain access to your account. Read on for more details.

As of 7:58 Pacific time on Saturday, users in the following states should be able to log back into the PSN: California, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. You can check this page for the most up-to-date network status for your home state.

But before you rush to share your latest creation in LIttle Big Planet, you will need to update your firmware to version 3.61, which is available for download on Sony's website or on your PS3 when you power it up.

According to a video message by Kazuo Hirai, Sony's representative CEO and executive deputy president, the services and functionalities being restored in this reboot include:

• Sign-in for PSN and Qriocity
• Online gameplay for PS3 & PSP
• Music Unlimited subscription for PS3 & PC
• Third-party Services: Netflix, Hulu, Vudu and MLB TV
• Social Functions: Friends list, Chat, Trophy Comparison and PlayStation Home.

The PS Store and purchasing functions in Qriocity are to come in a later relaunch. No time frame was offered.

Now, for the not so fun part. In addition to updating the firmware, all users must also reset their PSN and Qriocity passwords. The new passwords can only be changed on the original PS3 where the login was activated or via a valid email address.

According to Hirai, part of the delay with this relaunch was the implementation of updated security measures like "advanced security technology, increased levels of encryption, additional firewalls and early warning detection systems to warn of any usual activities that can signal an attack on the network." Although it is reassuring to hear Sony took its time to investigate and apply appropriate security measures to guard against future attacks, did it take this outage to make Sony prioritize the security of its customers' data? I hope other companies are taking proactive measures now before they too have to face down a cyber attack in the face of irrate customers and lawmakers.

In an effort to regain the trust and goodwill of customers, Sony is "offering [them] an opportunity to enroll, at no cost, in identity theft monitoring programs such as cyber monitoring or insurance in countries where such programs exist." In addition, Hirai also hinted that a "Welcome Back Package" will be announced in the coming days, but will these measures do the trick to win back customers?

Let us know in the comments whether the PSN is working for you. Do you still trust Sony enough to use the PSN again?