Yeah, I know it’s late, but I’ve been tied up. While I was detained, Sony updated the PS3 firmware to v2.00. The magic potion everyone was waiting for, in-game XMB access, was not included. But there are some cool new features to check out. Here’s what you can expect to find with the new firmware update:
- XMB Themes – you can now customize a theme for your XMB backround
- Playlists for Music and Photos
- Information Board to feed you news items in the PlayStation world
- New PlayStation Network category in the XMB
- Remote Start for Remote Play – you can now turn your PS3 on and off from anywhere in the world with the PSP and a WiFi connection
A few other minor things were included with this update. Overall, I’m a bit underwhelmed. I expected a lot more for such a major version number change. I was hoping for in-game XMB, custom playlists in-game, or something like that. I also found that having the Information Board running all the time causes some noticeable slow-down in the XMB. Personally, I don’t see a point in the Information Board if you use an RSS reader on your PC anyway.
Hopefully v2.1 will include some of the bigger features we’ve been waiting for.
That info board on the top right is a total waste of space. I played Ratchet and Clank, then when I was done, I quit game back to the XMB, and what do I see on the top right, “Ratchet and Clank – On Sale Now”. No shit?!
An in-game XMB is what everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) wanted. Sony really let us down.
But I have to admit, that pixellated font is great.