PSP2 Not Planned, But Update to PSP Rumoured

- Word from industry magazine MVC is that a PSP2 is not planned right now.
- However there are rumors of a new PSP-4000 model.

PSP-3000 Harder to Hack

- Sony have done a good job of protecting their new PSP model from hacking, according to this post on Joystiq.

SNES Controller on PSP Mod

- HackADay has a great modification listed which lets you use a SNES controller with your PSP:

- HackADay has a great PSP modification which adds a SNES controller with a neat port on th

PSP Store Video Tour

- Want a tour of the PlayStation Store on PSP? Then cast your eyes upon the embedded video below:

PSP Firmware v5.00 Out Now

- PSP Firmware v5.00 is out now.
- For a reminder of what is in there, Sony let us know:

"In this version, you’ll notice the addition of the PlayStation Network icon on the XMB. You can now sign up for PlayStation Network, manage your account and access PlayStation Store directly from your PSP - meaning you can download games directly to your PSP while connected via Wi-Fi. Getting games, demos and trailers while on-the-go has never been easier! Check out the screen below.
...
Please keep in mind, if you already have a PlayStation Network account, simply sign in on your PSP using your existing information. The same account and wallet can be used on PS3 and PSP.
...
Update v5.00 adds a sleep timer option that can be used while you are playing music on your PSP. In addition, we’ve added a full screen keyboard option for text entry and have redesigned the background of the XMB."

Download Full PSP Games in Japan via WiFi Store

- From Joystiq

"Sony has announced that all future first-party PSP games will be available through download in Japan, beginning later this year via the Wi-Fi Store. The store is scheduled to open in Japan on October 15th with the firmware v5.00 update. Games to be sold by direct download include Secret Agent Clank (11/20), Patapon 2 (11/27), and LocoRoco 2 (12/4) (these titles will also be available on UMD).

There is currently no date for the release of the store in North America or Europe. We're also wondering how downloadable games' pricing will compare to standard UMD retail prices (considering that direct downloads save on packaging, shipping and a slew of other costs)"

Connect PSP and PS3 for Reistance Fun

- "PSP Plus" is a new tech being utilized in upcoming PSP game Resistance Retribution. Players will be able to connect their PSP to their PS3 via USB and then play the PSP title with their PS3's wireless controllers, complete with dual-analog control and rumble.
- On top of all that, if you also own a copy of Resistance 2 for the PS3 then you can enable Infection mode. After connecting your systems an option in the PS3 game's menu lets you activate Infection which will alter the PSP game by transfering the Chimeran virus. This gives your character regenerative health and the ability to breathe underwater which means you can access previously inaccessible areas of the game world and uncover extra secrets and details on the overall Resistance plot.

Xbox 360 Chatpad on PSP

- Check out this hack that lets you use an Xbox 360 Chatpad on your PSP:

PSP Brite's Battery Life Won't Suffer

- From Sony:

"Hi, everyone, there have been reports about the battery life of the new PSP system (PSP-3000) being shorter than the current model (PSP-2000), following an interview we recently did with Gamespot. I’d like to make a correction and clarify that the new PSP will have equivalent battery life to the current PSP, about 4 to 6 hours for games and about 4 to 5 hours for UMD videos. While the enhanced screen of the new PSP draws a little more power, our engineers in Japan worked to reduce the power consumption of the overall system including its components, so you won’t have to worry about losing any time when enjoying the more vibrant visuals displayed with the new PSP.

We hope this clears everything up, and we’re certainly excited about letting you all get your hands on the new PSP and checking out the enhanced screen when it hits retail next month."

Direct Access to PSN Store, Plus PSP-PS3 Interaction Expanded

- From IGN:

"This Fall, PSP will gain direct access to the PlayStation Store. This long promised feature will allow for PSP users to download demos and more directly to the portable without having to go through the PS3 or PC.

In Japan, Sony will commemorate the new PS Store-friendly PSP with the release of Mainichi Issyo Portable. The PS3 version of the Japan-only title is available as a free download, with Sony charging for items and gameplay modes that are added every month.

Perhaps more significant than both these developments, Sony will be offering PSP players some new connectivity options thanks to a new service that further ties the portable with the PS3. This Fall, select PSP titles will allow players to go through the PS3 to take their ad-hoc multiplayer modes online. When playing in this fashion, the PS3 can be used for text and chat messaging and also for matching.

Currently, Sony has confirmed that Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G will be compatible with this new service. In Japan, this is big news, as that title has sold over 2.4 million units.

Other titles, as well as further details on the service, will be announced in the near future.

Both these features will be compatible with all models of the PSP, from the original up to the new PSP-3000."

PSP-3000 Officially Announced

- The PSP-3000 model has been officially announced [1] [2] and will be coming to the US this Autumn [3].
- The new version includes a PS-button, (replacing the Home button to bring the PSP more in-line with the PS3,) and built in microphone, (older models can buy an external accessory.) [4]
- There is also a new LCD screen which is twice as fast and much brighter. [5] [6] [7]
- As such, some websites are dubbing this the "PSP Brite". [8]
- However, a better screen means more battery power drained. Sony are expected to resurrect the extended life battery. [9]

PSP-3001

- Engadget noticed that the FCC has a posting for a 3001 model PSP, but there is no news on any new features yet.

Touchscreen PSP Mod

PSP News Updates

- Time to catch up on a bunch of PSP news!
- Firmware v4.05 was released. New features were added including visualizations and a video store!
- There is a new Entertainment Pack bundle for those of you still looking to buy a PSP.
- Sony are so proud of their XMB interface, of PSP and PS3 fame, they have decided to port it to their Vaio Laptops.
- There may be a new model of the PSP coming. The 3000 model may add a microphone and PS button. Here is another version of the story.
- Someone got bored of waiting for Sony to get themselves together and release a PSP phone, so he went ahead and built his own.
- Another modder went ahead and added some features to the PSP that he thought should be there from the beginning. Changes include a touchscreen for his PSP.
- Finally, Sony have stopped making the extended life battery.

Sony Patent Handheld with "Digital Tactile Pixels"

- From Joystiq:

"Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) was granted a patent on Friday for a "hand-held [sic] device with touchscreen and digital tactile pixels." It'd be a stretch to say any of this is explicitly indicative of a PSP 2.0 or PSP phone, but it is interesting to note that "game device" is listed as one of the potential applications, alongside a plethora of other sony handhelds: phone, portable media player, email device, web browser device or navigation device.

As for defining "digital tactile pixels," claims 19 through 30 of the patent suggest that vibration acts as the "tactile" response. As our friends at PSP Fanboy point out, it could be a long time before we see anything to do with this patent (assuming we ever do).

Fun fact: The patent lists former Sony executive Phil Harrison as the inventor. Harrison, now the Directeur Général Délégué at Infogrames, was with the company when the patent was originally filed in January 2008."

Go! Series is Lifestyle Software for PSP

- Sony have announced their lifestyle app lineup for the PSP:

• Go!Messenger: Uses the PSP camera add-on for VoIP video chat.


• Go!Explore: gPs mapping software using the PSP GPS addon.


• Go!Cam: Turns the PSP into a digital camera


• Go!View, which uses the PSP antenna peripheral to turn the handheld into a wireless video-on-demand receiver. Sony is partnering with Sky in the UK for Go!View content.

PSP Firmware v4.01

- Sony have had to fix firmware v4.00 already:

"Hey everyone, here’s a quick heads up that a new PSP system software update, v4.01, will be released soon. This minor update includes the following:

* Display of search results under Internet Search has been improved for certain languages.
* Playback of video content under Video has been improved for certain file types.

Look for this update to become available during the next few hours."

PSP Firmware v4.00

- PSP Fanboy has the v4.00 firmware update.
- Google searching from the XMB and variable video speed playback have been added.

Happy Birthday PSP

- Three years old already?! PSP Fanboy put together a retrospective of the biggest 50 moments for the PSP since launch.

Dark-AleX Releases Time Machine

- Dark AleX is back on the PSP scene with a new release:

"TimeMachine 0.1
---------------

The Timemachine is a program to load previous firmwares and custom firmwares from memory stick using pandora. Like devhook, but working throgh pandora and custom ipl's, it would work even if the flash and nand ipl of the machine is destroyed.
The timemachine is useful to run software that is not supported anymore, and also as a way of booting psp's even if the internal firmware is destroyed. It can also be useful for developers to test their homebrew in different firmwares.

Currently the timemachine can install the following firmwares:

- Original 1.50 (can only be loaded on the phat)
- 1.50 with some 3.40 hw modules. Can be loaded on both, phat and slim.
- 3.40 OE (can only be loaded on phat)
- 3.60 M33 (can only be loaded on slim)

Rest of cfw will be added in the future.

Requeriments of time machine:

- The timemachine itself doesn't require any firmware, only a pandora battery.
Timemachine nand boot in slim, requires, however, 3.90 M33-2 or greater.
- The timemachine installer requires 2.71 SE or higher.

Instructions: Copy the TIMEMACHINE folder to /PSP/GAME and run.

All firmwares can be installed on whatever PSP (slim or phat), but they can only be used in the psp indicated in the option."

PSP Internal Hard Drive Mod Video

- PvP_LostKnight added a 30GB hard drive to his PSP! There’s apparently no size cap either, which means a hard drive well over 30GB in size can be installed. Files are accessed through the usbhost menu in iR Shell, as shown in the video below. It’s a very cool mod, but there is just one drawback. After installing the hard drive, you won’t be able to access the UMD drive anymore. So if you’re willing to do away with the UMD drive, then maybe this mod is for you. Enjoy!

PSP Firmware v3.80 and PS3 Firmware v2.10

- A little old this one, but from Joystiq:

"OK, Mr. Big Shot, so you already knew about the new, DivX-sporting PS3 firmware 2.1 going live today. But that's only because you read Joystiq. Never forget: We gave you that knowledge, and we can take it away. ... OK, so we can't do that. But we're working on it.

Perhaps a little more of a surprise for fans of Sony's small screen is the news that PSP firmware 3.80 has also appeared for you to download and enjoy. Most significant in this update is the new Internet Radio feature, which Sony says provides access to thousands of stations. The set-up instructions are pretty specific though, you can check them out after the jump."

Read - PSP Firmware 3.80 is live
Read - Firmware update (v2.10)

- Joystiq continues:

"DivX for the PS3 and internet radio for the PSP weren't the only treats buried in this morning's latest Sony firmware updates. Nope, they've got a little something special for those of you rocking both of Sony's latest consoles: PS1 games are now playable via Remote Play. What does that mean to you, Joe Gamer? You can download PS1 games on your PS3 through the PSN Store but, instead of swapping games on and off your no doubt ballooning Memory Stick, you can stream them straight from the PS3. You can also leave your favorite PS1 game in the drive and Remote Play that, if digitally distributed media ain't your thing.

Coupled with the PS3's recently acquired Remote Start capability and the PSP's internet-enabled Remote Play functionality, you can tap into that library of PS1 games at home from anywhere in the world. That's a pretty exciting feature ... but, there is one shortcoming: when's that library of PS1 games coming?"

PSP Media Manager now Free to Download

- From Engadget:

"The PSP Media Manager, which allows you to transfer files more easily to and from your Sony portable, is now available for free. The software is available via the Japanese website and installs with a Japanese menu, but after you get through all that hassle you'll discover the program runs in English.

The Media Manager is available for Windows computers only (sorry, Apple users). Now that it's free, is it too much to ask from Sony to have the software bundled with all future PSPs?"

Sony "planning" to bring Skype to PSP

- From Engadget:

"We won't call it "official" just yet, but it looks all but certain that Sony will indeed bring Skype to its famed PlayStation Portable. According to Reuters, Sony is "planning to add an internet phone function" (that'd be Skype) to its PSP in order to "stir up demand," which wouldn't be a half bad idea considering how the DS seems to be hogging the limelight of late. Purportedly, the software could become available "as early as this month," and while Sony spokesman Satoshi Fukuoka declined to comment on the rumblings, he did note that the company was "studying ways to add value to the PSP." Are you thinking what we're thinking?"