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.
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.
Can you also play videos in sequence when playing videos on your Home network?
@152…it isn’t live yet.
Nice Update. I’m at the point where I don’t sit around and wait for updates anymore so I’m making progress. or is it the other way around? It’s the PS3 thats making progress!
Finally! THANK YOU Sony, really, now I see, that you keep every (nearly) promise that you made :)
Nice cant wait for the update. For the future I would like to be able to copy music to/from my walkman mp3 player. Also it would be sweet if there were new visualizations for music playback.
Finally the power saver features for idle controllers. If only you can include the recharging during standby mode and then shut off once they are charged.
Also I’d rather see idle time and auto-away for friend lists than seeing how long someones been offline. Still nice to see the friendlist being fleshed out more. If only you guys released a “PSN Messenger” for PC. :)
Good stuff! Lots of nice improvements. Thanks guys.
Internet Radio for PS3 would be great!
Very good! can’t wait.
Thanks for the update Eric. Only a couple of requests from me for future updates:
1) Full PSP+ (If the PSP video could be streamed through the PS3 for upconversion, that would be awesome)
2) BC across the board.
great firmware update…the only thing we now need is HOME.
“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.”
I really like that you added that, but… I still want a sleep timer option. I want to know that if I am watching a movie late at night that my PS3 will turn off if I fall asleep. It sucks having yout system on all night :(
@148 Yup, thats exactaly what I mean :)
One feature I think should be included is the ability to save media that is being streamed from the ps3 to the psp over direct play. Seeing as the data is being sent to the psp anyway i wouldn’t have thought it would be that hard to add this in.
that way the psp would become an amazing media player that people can update from any wifi spot when they connect to their main media server – their ps3!
@ Eric Lampell
Don’t mean the one to complain as there’s always someone, and even thou there have been awesome things that i would never think of that are super cool.
ONE THING to a LOT of people rises above most… IN GAME – MUSIC please, please if it’s possible add it.. if not please let us know so that we can stop asking…
Thanks for the great update thou
nice update! but we still need game invites and cross chat!!
Thank you, all at SCE. To prove my gratitude, a wishlist…!
* Video scene search is great (finally!) but I’d like more: The ability to set markers during a video, the ability to jump between those markers, AND the ability to split the video file at such markers – just like MiniDisc can with audio.
* Artist -> Album -> Track. It’s very important. Please find a way.
* XMB during DVD and BD playback. Surely not hard?
* WMA support for in-game soundtracks, or a built-in converter please.
Many thanks.
Great, Thanks for the heads-up ^^
Awesome! Really looking forward to this, but you know what would also rock sock<
VOICE MESSAGES!!! DEAR GOD, SET UP SOME SERVERS ON PSN TO ACCOMMODATE THIS NECESSITY!!!
but i’m sure all in good time, but seriously, if you want people to communicate and socialize more, you have to make it as easy as picking up the phone.
It’s sad to say, but some people can’t type, nor can they read all that well which makes it less appealing to them.
But hell, I love what I got so far, keep it up!
Thanks for listening the community requests!
:)
I would like to add some features that I think will improve the PS3 experience very much:
– Skype video chat/conferences: oh man, a lot of people will say that one can use your home phone, mobile, etc. But its another very different thing in my opinion. If you can do a video chat/conference with other pc/ps3 skype users with your ps3 eye/big screen the same way you doing psn video chat then… LOL. It is kind of jetsons thing you calling some one that has not a PS3 in your big screen and giving him a awesome image/sound quality/effects that would make him want a PS3 too to use in his 42″ LCD TV as communication device :) Very easy to convince your dad or mom to buy one PS3 to you too =D Video chat is a very nice feature of PS3 but I think its not used very much because probably you would like to use it to talk to non players like family and real world friends.
– PS2 greatest hits at PSN and BC to all PS3! Yeah guys, I think this is a must have. I am not buying a PS2 since I have a PS3 but I would like to buy good PS2 games if I had that option at PSN.
– New browser: As a lot of people talked here, you could talk with google and try to bring their chrome code to PS3. It sounds great fo both parts.
– Standalone Youtube: Since google has a optimized standalone nice version of youtube for mobile phones I think we should have one too. Easy and fast youtube at PS3 is a thing that can impress a lot other people (see apple tv). I would use more than the search thing!
– Opengl/hardware access in linux: I really don’t know what are you gaining bring that software layer to emulate hardware. In my opinion you are losing a lot more of things making the system slow and losing all nice free 3d gnu games and features, tons of more games and no costs to you at all. We do play and have fun with Linux 3d games and effects for free in our PC, what is the problem doing it in our PS3 too? You lose nothing but community will love do it and a lot of people will jump to our bandwagon.
thanks for the good work
Oh, I almost forgot could u please guys update it the Divx codec on the PS3 with MPEG codec(the last ones) and the Divx please… mabe for the next update or anytime soon.
These are amazing updates. Seeing PSN go mobile is truly special. The new keyboard for the PSP is much appreciated.
Wow, way to address many small issues to make the over all experience much better. Bravo Sony
Auto Shut-off is the best feature of this update! I’ve been waiting for this one for a long time. Keep up the good work.
yay! :)
sweet thanks
So I take it this will be released along with SOCOM on the 14th? If not, will we still be able to use the mic for chat, just not its nifty features?
ahhh. this reminds me of the good old days when every wendsay(?) we would get new updates that would change the xmb. WOOOOOOOOOO
Pretty nice update, a lot of things we’ve really needed for a long time.
Great update but I was really hoping for better folder handling on the XMB. I really don’t want all my photos on the PS3’s HDD in one big list. I’m not about to go through 3000 jpegs adding the album name to each. Why can’t I copy them to the PS3 the way they are arranged on my PC? Surely this can’t be that difficult to do?
Sony please fix the clock over controller charger graphic bug!
Sounds like a great update, thanks! It’s been a year since I requested that screen shot feature, and I’m looking forwared to finally using it =) Thanks again!
Valid question:
While I’m excited about the ability to download straight to the PSP, I’ve been using my PS3 to download PSP games so I can use the PS3 as a storage and swap device for my PSP memory card.
Much like an iPhone/iPod touch, will you be able to download content to your PSP then transfer it to your PS3 as storage?
Thanks
Awesome! I love these firmwire updates. I’m glad about the power save features, friends list with last login, and blutooth. You guys are doing a great job. I don’t see how the PS3 can get much better honestly. There’s only a couple of more features you guys could really add, and that’s voice messages and being able to send game invites through the XMB. That would make this system perfect.
Being able to segment my videos like on my PSP was enough for me to get excited about his firmware.
Now all we need is trophy auto-sync, controllers to slowly charge while PS3’s on standby mode & better looking notification boxes.
Love the UI support Eric!
Great update for PS3!
Let’s hope it will arrive this or next week.
my linger of shadows screen shots look awesome
WOW! Great updates! Thanks for the info!
Why no word of the updates at the Tokyo Game Show.
Wow!!! Nicely done, Sony! Thanks!! Keep those PS3 updates coming :).
In-game screen shots are awesome. In-game video recording is a billion times better. =)
@188…yep..it is my wallpaper now.
will there ever be a feature where more than one profile/psn account can be logged in at once?
so everyone can play with eachothers profile on 1 ps3
All I can say is WOW!!!! I’m lovin the upadtes, especially the Friend Status, Headset, and PSN Store. That’s what I’m talking about Sony. Keep’em coming. :)
First of all, great features added so far!
Secondly, there is only one feature that I actually *miss* for my PS3: I would like to make video playlists like I can make music playlists. (For series like firefly, etc).
>.> Just a playlist would be fine, although if someone wanted to add in “Change which audio/subtitles to use per video” or “Make bookmarks in video”, that would be fine also.
Some awesome stuff, hey Eric do you guys have any news regarding to fix the in-game XMB? I mean its freakishly slow man?
Also some other stuff I want:
1: Cross-game invite
2: Voice channels
3: Connected to PSN and download stuff while still playing DVD ( I dont understand why it keeps disconnected).
Thanks Eric glad to hear from ya
This Firmware update is get
all i want now is:
1) *****CROSS VOICE CHAT (ACROSS ALL GAMES) I know this is difficult, but please add……
2) *****CROSS GAME INVITES (ACROSS ALL GAMES) I know this is difficult, but please add……
@ 123
****STOP TRYING TO SCAM PEOPLE******
It looks great. Looking forward to that in-game Screenshot feature.
But one thing that you didn’t really emphasize much on, was the music-while-playing-feature, that was added along with the trophies. I haven’t discovered one game supporting it, yet. Except perhaps Burnout, but I don’t have that =P
I think it’s great the big support, you’ve put on trophies already, but some pressure on the developers for in-game music would be nice.
Thanks.
Be able to access the XMB from PS2/1 games sony!
Sweet update! Keep up the great work work guys!
IF all goes as was planned, this update will come tonight..being that the headset was to be released with the game (Socom). Unless the game has been delayed?
Time will tell.
Fix the browser..kind of embarrassing that even THE VERY LINK YOU PROVIDED for more 2.50 details, tells me the browser isn’t supported..on a Sony site..from my PS3..ummm huh?
PS2 games in PSstore..or @least Ehrgeiz :