There were high hopes for firmware v2.70 for the PS3. Sadly, almost none of those features have made the cut as Sony announced the official release of firmware v2.70. Here’s all you’ll get:
- Text chat with up to 15 friends
Friends list on the XMB (XrossMediaBar)
- Sort your friends via their online status
- Attach larger files to the messages you send to your friends (file size will increase from 1MB to 3MB)
Video delivery service on PlayStation Store
- Video files you’ve purchased from the PlayStation Store can be backed up to an external storage device and then restored to PS3’s internal hard drive for playback – so you can clear up space on your hard drive and then restore the video anytime in the future
- Videos you’ve purchased for PSP (PlayStation Portable) system can now be transferred to PS3 for playback
Not that big a deal. I was hoping for more, but I guess we’ll have to wait. Maybe Sony will announce a huge v3.0 update for E3 that will blow the doors off this bitch. Maybe? No?
We’re taking this one with a gigantic grain of salt, but it sounded fairly interested so we figured we’d share. A user on the GameTrailers forums says he has a friend in R&D at Sony and this friend shared with him all the stuff coming in firmware 2.7 for the PS3. Here’s the feature list:
Friends List:
- Voice Messaging is now available as an alternative to text after selecting a user on the friends list. Voice message recordings are capped at 30 seconds.
- Home Integration: Saved Playstation Home avatar photos can be selected as photo ID for Gamer Card/Friends List.
- Trophy number and Gamer Level are listed under Friend names for quick reference.
Gamer Card & Trophies:
- Gamer Card layout has been changed to more closely resemble the Playstation Store aesthetic.
- Past Trophy information can be viewed in detail by selecting “Recent Trophy History” option.
- Newly aquired trophies auto-sync in the background
- Server infrastructure for Trophies has been optimized. Resulting in faster retrieval time for Gamer Card and Trophy information.
In-Game XMB:
- Loading time for In-Game XMB has been drastically reduced, resulting in a more seemless in-game experience.
- “Theme settings” options while in-game is now available, allowing custom themes to be applied to the In-Game XMB.
- Internet Browser can now be accessed while in-game.
- Voice messaging and voice chat options can be used while in-game.
- Options that cannot be used in the XMB during game sessions are grayed out (but still selectable) to eliminate user accessibility confusion.
Misc:
- Other slight UI tweaks and enhancements.
Not anything overly crazy, so it’s definitely plausible. Having the Internet Browser available in-game does seem a bit of a wish, though, due to bandwidth issues. We’ll see what happens. Sony isn’t commenting on this rumor, as usual.
After yesterday’s PSP firmware update, the PS3 gets one today bringing the system to v2.60. Did Sony introduce some new features? You bet! Will you care even the slightest about them? Not a chance! Are you required to get this update to connect to the PSN? Yup. So go ahead, spend about 10-15 minutes downloading and installing this update.
With v2.60, Sony has introduced a Photo Gallery service. While it’s impressive that you can sort on so many levels, including average age of the people in the photo and number of smiles, it’s still something that won’t get touched by the majority of PS3 gamers. Hell, I don’t even have any photos on my PS3 other than the wallpaper I made. In an even more useless note, you can now browse the PlayStation Store without having to signup for the PSN. Again, something that just isn’t going to make a difference to hardly anyone other there.
Hopefully Sony can drop some decent updates next time, like having Trophy information sync automatically and speed up Trophy comparisons (they’re slower than hell, in case you weren’t aware). Maybe some cross-game invites too, who knows.
Sony dropped a firmware update for the PSP today, bringing the system to v5.03. According to Sony PR, this update “improves system software stability during use of some features.” That’s some detailed explanation there.
Digging a little deeper, it looks like Sony pushed this update out after all the hoopla with the hacking scene getting homebrew to run on the PSP-3000 (aka Brite). There was an exploit in Gripshift that looks to have been patched in this firmware update.
It’s always a cat and mouse game with the hackers and Sony to get homebrew on the PSP. I’m sure the scene will find a new way to get homebrew running soon enough.
With the PSP now semi-utilizing the PlayStation Network, Sony has the unique opportunity of branching out their Trophy system to the handheld platform. Both upcoming retail and downloadable titles could feature Trophies that, when unlocked, could sync up to the PSN to add to your total level. But will they make it happen?
Of late, Sony has been slow on the uptake when it comes to enhancing the features of the PlayStation Network, especially on the PSP. With the PlayStation Store now running natively on the handheld, there’s no reason other PSN features couldn’t be worked in as well, particularly friends lists and messaging. There’s really no technical reason these features can’t be added. The same goes for Trophies. There is enough internal flash memory to store that information along side the firmware or even on the memory stick. The network functionality is in place to keep everything synchronized. It’s not a matter of logistics, it’s a matter of putting in the work to get it done.
Hit the jump for more »
You’re going to have to spend a good 15 minutes or more updating your PS3 again. Firmware update v2.53 is now available. What exactly does it bring? Well, it gives you options for viewing Flash on websites.
- Full-screen mode playability
- Live movie (using RTMP format) playability
As someone who never uses the PS3 web browser, I’d like to say “who gives a shit?”. Whatever your preference, you’ll have to get the update if you want to connect to the PSN. So plan some extra time before you fire up Resistance 2 or LittleBigPlanet or whatever your game of choice is currently.
Sony yesterday released a new firmware update for the PS3, bringing the black beast to v2.52. Nothing huge here, so you don’t need to rush to fire up the console if you haven’t already. Here’s the changes:
- The playback quality of some PS3 format software has been improved.
- A text entry issue that occurs when using the on-screen keyboard, USB keyboard or Bluetooth keyboard with some PS3 format software has been addressed.
You need to grab this to connect to the PSN, so fire it up whenever you get a chance. I’d suggest doing so before the PlayStation Store update later today when the servers start getting hammered.
Lots of new features coming to the PS3 and PSP this week. The PS3 will hit v2.50 and the PSP gets to v5.00. What’s new that you can expect?
Let’s start with the PSP, where the biggest change is the addition of the native PlayStation Store. A new PSN icon will be available on the XMB and you’ll be able to sign it, manage your account, and grab all the PSP goodness without the need of the PC Store. Other minor tweaks include a full screen keyboard and a redesigned XMB background.
More important, for many of you out there, is the PS3 firmware update v2.50. A lot is going on under the hood here, so expect some changes. Support for the new official PS3 Bluetooth headset is being added as well as interface enhancements for Trophies. It’s a pain comparing Trophies now, so hopefully it gets sped up. You’ll now be able to see Friend Status for offline friends, use power save options for your PS3 and controller. enter PSN Codes directly in the PlayStation Store and use Scene Search in videos. Another new big addition is the ability to take in-game screenshots for games that support it. Don’t expect any old games to get this functionality, but new games will be able to rock it out if they so choose.
No word yet on an exact release date, but expect to see these updates either Tuesday or Wednesday this week. That’s what a little birdie told us
Late last night, Sony quietly dropped firmware v2.42. This looks like a maintenance and security release to us. No Life with PlayStation or anything major from what we can tell.
Since you need this to play online, go download it. I’m really surprised they released this one without Life with PlayStation though…
I have a very strong feeling this has to do with the recently released homebrew hacks for the PS3 where you could play Pong and other things via an image exploit. Who wants to bet Sony patched this hole ASAP?
Ok, these firmware updates need to slow the hell down. Every time I turn around, I’m updating my PSP. The newest, v4.05, adds some new visualizers for music playback. Yeah, good times. A quick trip through all the menus didn’t turn up any blatant new features.
If you use your PSP for music a lot, fire up the network connection and download the newest update. If you have an iPod, you can skip this one or wait until you need it.
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