Hi everyone. We’ve been listening to all of your feedback about the PS3 and PSP, and with these next firmware updates (coming soon), we’ve added a number of new features and improved some existing functionality to make your PS3/PSP experience even better.
PSP (v5.00) update
Let’s start with the v5.00 update for PSP. 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.
The current PlayStation Store on the PC will be down in the interim as we take some time to revamp. Don’t worry, it will re-launch soon after we’ve made some tweaks. 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. You will be able to check out the PlayStation Store on the PSP soon, as we’ll have a video demo featuring Grace Chen posted soon on the Blog.
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. You’ll be able to find all of the information on Firmware v5.00 here once it goes live.
PS3 (v2.50) update
Now on to the PS3 v2.50 update. The latest features/enhancements include:
- Support for the PS3 Official Bluetooth Headset – we’ve told you about the upcoming Bluetooth Headset and SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation Bundle on the Blog. This latest firmware installment enables High-Quality (HQ) mode, which delivers clear and wide-band online voice chat. On top of that, an added on-screen indicator shows battery status, volume level and use of HQ mode.
- PlayStation Trophies interface enhancements – I know that many of you are busy collecting trophies and raising your PlayStation Trophy level. This update makes sharing and comparing your trophies with your friends even easier. On 1st part of the profile page you’ll see a symbol under level that represents level and the actual percentage towards the next level along with the existing level meter. The level symbol carries over to the trophy comparison screen where you will now be able to see your level, your friend’s level and the percentage towards the next level for both users along with all of the game by game comparison information you see today.
- Friend status – Offline friends on your Friends list will have information below their avatars that will indicate how long it has been since they were last online.
- Video – This update adds the Scene Search feature similar to the feature on the PSP. Activating this feature while viewing a video on the PS3 will break the video up into scenes that you can quickly access by pressing the X button. You can break the videos into one, two or five minute intervals. In addition, you can now choose to have all of the videos under the video section of the XMB play in sequence. Go to Settings then Video Settings to turn this option on.
- PlayStation Store – We’ve added a redeem codes option right on the store to make it easier to redeem your PlayStation Network Cards and promotion codes. In addition, PlayStation Network Sign Up and Account Management have been redesigned.
- Power Save Settings – You can now set your PS3 and wireless controllers to turn off automatically after set periods of inactivity. Go to Settings then Power Save Settings to turn on these features.
- Background Downloading – You now have the option to set the PS3 to turn off automatically after a background download or installation of content has completed. This option is available when you turn off the system from the button under [Users] while content is being downloaded or installed.
- In-game Screenshots – this tool will allow everyone to capture, share and in other words, immortalize their favorite gameplay moments. This will be supported on a game by game basis. Please check back to find out which games will support this feature.
- In addition to all of the features above there are some additional features and enhancements included in 2.50. Once the update launches, you can read all of the details here.
The support for the Bluetooth Headset will be of particular interest to all of you SOCOM fans. With the “Proximity Chat” feature, SOCOM: Confrontation gameplay is intensified as it allows you to experience high-quality voice playback in full surround sound. Whether the action is near or far, Proximity Chat clearly matches distance to sound effects and voiceovers within the game, putting you in the heart of the action.
Enjoy and please share your thoughts with us.
@699…
SONY has distribution arrangements in place for thier catalog…do you move that to exlusive and lose distribution on iTunes/Amazon etc? Future content I can see going this way such as what SONY did doing with Bravia and Hancock.
My only question is will you be able to take screenshots of blu-ray movies???? Does anyone know if this will be possible?
Could you tell us if you are ever going to support mkv files and srt subtitles ? This thing is getting very tiring. If for playing a video file in PS3 we have to make long hours processing and spending hours in the internet to find suitable programs, why not use the pc to see the files in the first place???? So please, if PS3 is not soon at least going to play mkv files with srt, tell us not to wait for it. PS3 will leave the living room , and go somewhere else , I don`t know where, perhaps be sold, and a HTPC will take its place. Or even better for half the money a PS3 costs, we can buy one of those hard disk media players, that play all stuff without complains. And they are not even one tenth as powerful as ps3.
The points you must have in mind
1) It doesn`t count if something is better or more powerful. It must show it in action
2) If something you provide with PS3 is not as good as the others that exist in PCs , is not worth giving it. For example the web browser, the software video player
Ok? Please, give your customers a peace of mind , at last.
@702…
Why do you insist on backing up your content to .mkv?
@ I thin your request are correct, a decent web browser and support for other video formats and subtitles are a must.
Cheers!
@ 701 kspraydad | October 14th, 2008 at 6:02 am
LOL! Yeah, why do people do that? Oh… wait…
There is actually not a legal way of playing back a .mkv file. Sony must be insane to support this codec…
@703 you’re talking rubbish. Matroska is an open container and a bloody good one. I suggest you read up on it before spouting further dribble. See: matroska.org
@706…I assume you mean @705?
@ 704 moog | October 14th, 2008 at 6:30 am
*Sighs* Again, technically, there is no legal way of playing back a .mkv file. Try to read what I said. Was fun reading your anger teen comment though. I’m on your side when it comes to wanting .mkv on the PS3, but its an illusion. Just don’t rip your movies to .mkv anymore. LOL.
Anyway, 2.5 update will be out 15th of November. For some of you gamer scrubs who stay up all night to wait for FW updates. Wait till the 15th of next month.
The European (Semi)Official Blog has the official SCEE press-release for this update, and it has a couple of interesting extras not included in this summary. The biggest addition that hasn’t been mentioned is…
SUPPORT FOR FLASH 9 IN THE INTERNET BROWSER!
Another minor tweak is that the Trophy notification popup will display the developer-created trophy icon for unlocked trophy instead of the generic bronze/silver/gold trophy icon.
Also the Nofication Board will contain direct links to the PSN Store.
http://threespeech.com/blog/2008/10/new-info-on-the-firmware-updates-for-ps3-and-psp/
@trat…
According to the PRESS RELEASE it is OCT 15 not November:
http://threespeech.com/blog/2008/10/new-info-on-the-firmware-updates-for-ps3-and-psp/
Quote:
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) today announced details of the next PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) and PSP®(PlayStation®Portable) system software updates, adding new features to both platforms to benefit consumers. The PS3 firmware update (v. 2.50) will include the implementation of advanced voice chat features for the PS3 official wireless headset, the ability to capture screenshots in-game with supporting titles in the future, and Trophy enhancements, among other new features. The PSP firmware update (v. 5.00) will add direct access to PlayStation®Store on PSP, enabling consumers to browse the store and download games whenever they’re at a Wi-Fi hotspot. Both system software updates will be released on 15th October.
hi to all,
it is possible to begin or enter to a voice chat of ps3 using the psp remote control?
I can`t, and if it is not possible why not?.
than you and regards
Flash 9 support is amazing news! Why would you mention that in your post? ;)
Either way, Im looking forward to this firmware even more now!
Maybe i’ll be able to access Veoh and other gaming sites!
Thanks m8!
This official put’s PS3’s functions no. 1 (not that it already wasnt).. now no1 can argue so ^^
Awesome! But, when is the FW update going to be available for download? I was checking other sites and they are saying “tomorrow” (Oct. 15th). Is that true????
@kspraydad Sorry, I worte that for Vademor, and must say that matroska files are very popular.
Cheers!
Great update Sony! I think I speak for a lot of people when I ask for “In-Game Chat” in your next update. There have been a lot of good suggestions on how to integrate this (i.e. skype). I’m not sure how the whole process works…but please, please, please make “in-game chat” happen Sony!!
They’re both coming out tomorrow(October 15th).
It’s official.
Sony please add .mov support and Skype for PS3!
Flash 9 support FTW!
Great update Sony! Wouldn’t it be possible to have a personal menu on XMB? we’re you can for example have shortcuts to websites, movies, pictures, games easy and quickly accessible?
Sony please add “In-Game Chat” so all PS3 gamers can finally be at peace :)
Sony please add a Copy and Paste feature!
Great update!!
Also the playback of xvid files with srt is also supported trough upnp media server
hi eric frist things frist the two updates are great man really i love the psp store and the trophies interface enhancements….but i hate how some people are not happy with the news that you guys give us like ross_k dude do you think they go and get ideas from one person,stop copying and pasting your comment all over this site…trust me i think eric and everyone over there knows what there doing with the updates.its simple if you dont like the new firmware updates they give us dont even be posting….well anyway keep on doing a bang up job guys : )
nobody got a psp and try to create a voice chat during remote control of ps3?,I can only create mine and intive friends but it is possible to listen them but mic isnt
work.
dont you?
thank you.
Sony please add something like Office reader so we can view docs and other word processing formats on PS3! :)
Does PS3 support the latest version of Java? If not please add support for Java 2 Runtime Environment Standard Edition 6!
plzz fix msg problem with this update….
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>make a system where all the clans you r in are viewable from xmb…u would be able to manage things from their….instead of having to go into each game to see whos on in your clan…ppl could view your clans stats your personal stats on xmb<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Sony I love watching those Apple Quicktme HD trailers. They are in a format called .mov
Please add this codec ASAP!
@ 728
gate1975mlm | October 14th, 2008 at 9:10 am
Hi, wat do we need Java for?
I own a Philips DVP5992 DVD player that can play almost all Xvid files. And it can also play a lot of those WMV files.
Sony please improve the playbck of Xvid and WMV files on the PS3!
If a cheap dvd player can play them back so should the PS3!
Because there are web sites that need Java to view.
Will in game private chat and the ability to join a friends game if there is an open spot be implemented at all in the future?
Oh, this is a great update btw.
Still no PS2 b/c for the PS3? What a shame….
ps3fanboy is reporting that we be getin a flash player 9 update with 2.5 update is this true i hope so i realy want this more then anything sony rocks peace out
Update will be tomorrow. Can’t wait, though I hope it won’t bring any problems, my PS3 including mailbox were working just fine again.
@Fed315, that’s true. About time! Now we can watch gametrailer trailers on our PS3 consoles :D
Great, glad to see these additions, I also wanna see the ability to have better avatars or upload your own pictures as avatars. PS3 is the best system out there, so now release the HOME feature also.
Come on Gracy Chen. What’s the hold up. And Eric come on too with the update. Thank You
Mine biggest question is why 360 fans comment on the playstion blog? But that can be answer at a later date. But to all you xbox360 fan writing on this blog about the things you can do on xbox that you cant do on ps3 , like playing music while playing games or in game chat those are ok things to have but really don’t make or break a game system. If you don’t know by now it’s the games, no one pay over 300 dollars on a game system to just play music or chat with someone, its good to have but really not a big deal. If I want to listen to music so bad I can listening to it on mine mp4, psp, computer, TV, or mine entertain center or ps3. I don’t know about you xbox fan but when I paid 60 dollar in a game i want to play the game not listen to music some of you I can tell really don’t buy your games and have someone else buying them for you because if you did you would see how important 60 dollar is. The second thing I want to address that xbox fan always over look is the games name me 5 big games on xbox that are must have that you can not get on any other systems in the next six months? Don’t worry I can wait for your answer. Ps3 must have that you cant get on any others systems are LBP,R2,SOCOM,KILLZONE,HOME,and infamous and by the way you couldn’t play these games on the xbox360 so please keep trying to sell us the ideal on why you got your xbox360 and comment on all the bells it have but still to this day none of you hard core 360 fan can name me five games and you will never will. Please if you hit me back with a reply please put my name on top of it am still waiting to here from xbox fan and oh yeah please don’t talk about down loadable content because that not what real people use in there thoughts when it come to buying a game.real people buy games to injoy when they put the game in there system by the way how that going with gta? you guys still waiting for that and that realy sad.
So theyre NOT putting support for managing PSN friends on the PSP after all? Thats a huge let down because at the moment its a real pain having to use a PS3 just to add a friend. Oh well, still looks good. To be honest Id rather have proper PSN support than the store. But oh well, cant wait!
If you want the PSP to supersede iTouch and the new DS… put a ‘True YouTube’ Interface into the PSP Slim. Many find the itouch to be a great entertainment device.. even with 32GB.. having youtube [with all those hacking] make more sense due to it small 4-8gb Memory cards. The Itouch YouTube interface is incredible.
application developer
This doesn’t apply to this update but Sony… you guys should also update the PSN web feature. Instead of just showing the PSN name , please add update to add trophies, and from PS3’s website after logging in be able to send messages to your PSN friends, would be + if that works with PSP without the PS3 remote play.
how about some bd to go?!? =D all this psp updates and new psp are just begging this question!
also,
-voice messaging
-cross game invites/messaging
Better Remote play support please. It rarely works.
I thought the screenshot feature was gonna be the best part of this update, until I read how it worked. Seriously, what’s the chances some of these games are gonna patch in screenshotting?
I was really expecting a feature where you would just hold down the PS button, and in the context menu, you’d get a “take a screenshot” option, which would’ve screened whatever was currently paused-in-background.
Honestly, your system takes all the wind out of the sails… Too bad.
great update, cant wait
read from some other sources that there will be flash 9 support.
is this true?
that would rock.
PSN= wyldekat
I have been waiting for a flash player for the longest time. Thanks