PSP Firmware (v5.50) Update

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Hi everyone, the next system software update (v5.50) for PSP (PlayStation Portable) will be available soon, and I wanted to provide you all with a preview of some of the key features.

The firmware update will introduce an Information Board on the PSP system’s XMB (XrossMediaBar) interface. Those of you who have a PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3) may be familiar with this feature, which displays news and updates from the world of PlayStation in a scrolling ticker in the upper right-hand corner of your TV screen. Now you’ll be able to read up-to-date information about upcoming games, new content available on PlayStation Store, and other news right on your PSP whenever you’re at a wireless Internet hotspot.

In addition, we’ll be adding a few more enhancements with the 5.50 update:

  • Memory Stick improvements – You’ll be able to create and access sub-folders on your Memory Stick PRO Duo for music, videos and photos. Separately, the available space required to download a file from PlayStation Store to your Memory Stick has been reduced significantly.
  • Internet search for games directly from the XMB – You’ll be able to easily search the Internet for information about your PSP games. Select the icon for the game, hit the Triangle button, and then select [Internet Search] from the options menu to get search results based on the game title. This feature was added to PS3 with the recent 2.70 update.
  • Trend Micro trial – PSP’s Internet browser is a great tool for checking out your favorite Web sites on the go, and we’re teaming up with the Internet security experts at Trend Micro to make the Web browsing experience safer and more secure. With the 5.50 update, you’ll have the option to access a free trial of two Trend Micro services:
    1. Trend Micro Web Security uses Web reputation technology to block PSP owners from accidentally visiting a Web site that may contain malicious content designed to steal personal information and confidential data.
      Trend Micro Kids’ Safety uses URL filtering technology to prevent children from accessing Web sites that feature inappropriate content.

We look forward to reading your feedback.

Comments are closed.

319 Comments

  • Sony, why aren’t you making the most out of Remote Play!? PSP guys will buy a PS3. PS3 guys will then all buy a PSP.

    Also, the Internet Browser is terrible on the PSP. That needs fixing if you’re going to be using it more so now!

  • PSP needs friends list!

    PSP needs Ad-hoc Party!

  • Some great features but I think the security should be free. I wonder how many kids out there use their PSP to look at [DELETED]. I bet a lot do and a free blocking tool would be idea for parents to use instead of making them pay for it.

  • looks like a good update for the psp…Next friends list.

    also how about folders for the ps3 i think it’s a must for music and vids…if the psp can do it than so can the ps3.please include in next ps3 update.

  • @ Enigma777
    I second the edit song names/album info, but don’t forget the vids and pics name edits.

  • Nice – time to pull out the PSP! Just waiting for the good games to arrive too….

  • i want friends list and trophies updates thatll be cool

  • hey just a thought here but how bout sony stop with this failed multimedia attempt. i mean that what killed the psp in the first place and what is killing the the ps3. playstation is a VIDEOGAME brand so how all these resources and development hours be spent focusing on i dont know…..GAMES maybe. Its great that the psp and ps3 will soon be robots serving us dinner and doing homework for us but how bout we just make games( great games not shovelware crap and incomplete dlc rape shows i.e. prince of persia)

  • an ok update with noting significant to really wow anyone though :(

  • Woah for a split second I thought it was a new PS3 firmware upgrade. Had me excited for a bit haha. But anyways too bad I can’t download this because my PSP is broken. Jeff or Chris, or you Eric Lempel, can I have a PSP from you guys? Thanks!

  • thx sony all i need now is voice chat room as i play my games!! i know u can do it sony!!!
    ill b waiting!!! ur # 1 fan

  • Now we can know all about the non-existing content in the PSN store for the PSP

  • Just reminded me…here are some feedback I would like to see:

    – Trophy support! why isn’t this in now? we’re using our PSN ids and linking is enabled. This would be great to have…maybe affect overall trophy levels if one has a PSP. A great reason to buy a PSP and a great marketing tool for Sony!

    – When is the bluray and/or dvd feature from the PS3 to the PSP coming? Out of all the hype/talk that was mentioned, so far this is vaporware. Please get this going! Along the same lines, how about digital file playback from movies that include the movie for device playback. Another area Sony needs to address.

    Those 2 areas are my biggest gripes with the latest firmware missing these.

  • “Memory Stick improvements – You’ll be able to create and access sub-folders on your Memory Stick PRO Duo for music, videos and photos. Separately, the available space required to download a file from PlayStation Store to your Memory Stick has been reduced significantly.”

    YES!!!! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes – oh happy day!

    Sub-Folders!!! Jesus Christ; finally!

    So, with all these new PSP games coming this year, and the rumored new hardware being announced at E3, can the US get Ad-Hoc party on PSN now? I’m not messing around with the JPN program; I want it in English, I want to be certain all my friends can have it, and I want to be able to play Patapon 2 over the PSN.

    Can we make this happen?

  • Things I want for psp:
    *Full implementation of PSN
    — friends list with ability to send text messages, invites, and possibly voice chat from the xmb.
    — online games to use PSN ID from now on.
    *Change some of these firmware features like location free and skype into apps that run from the memory stick in order to free up room for other firmware features like more codecs, PSN, etc.
    *A youtube app that plays the &fmt=18 (h.264) version of videos natively (aka not using the browser or flash) just like the iphone.

  • any updates are good to me, maybe this will help with the freezing problem on WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2009 in career mode, cuz that thing freezes up and my PSP shuts off, really annoying, and i hope it doesnt affect my psp, that would suck…anyways, look forward to the update good work Sony/Playstation….

    Pc,
    Syt

  • I dont really care about this update as long as they stream line the system by the time the psp 2 comes around.

  • This isn’t really related to firmware, but it would be nice to see some of the movies coming out with digital copies work on the psp. Currently, digital copies are either windows media drm or itunes fairplay drm, neither of which work on the psp. New dvds coming from sony should either come with a code for the video store or an option to put the dvd in the ps3 and download the digital copy from the video store. (in SD of course)

  • I will second the Blu-Ray to PSP comment. That got me as excited as the GPS feature.

    A simple explanation that the movie industry opted for the Digital Copy disc instead would suffice.

    But as I said before, this update is good, and as someone hoping to become a parent in the next year or so I do find the Trend Micro features to be a nice touch.

  • PSP2…thats just speculated right? Sony has given no confirmations of this being an actual project being worked on right….it’d surprise me if it gets announced at E3(or ever)…Improving the recent model(s) of the psp would help longevity of the handhelds…just my opinion i suppose though…

  • Do you think this will improve the browser so its able to play Youtube videos and such?

  • Subfolders and better memory stick management. ..SWEET!! The Info Bar, could be more useful honestly. I agree with the sentiments that it should be tied to the PSBlog instead of the feed it’s connected to now. I mean you guys usually tell us the same info on the blog as that board does just with greater detail.

    I’d have suggest a convert to true RSS support but the PSP already has that so it’s not as bad as the PS3 version.

    Also I too vote for Ad Hoc Party being put on the PSN for other territories, also for Subfolders to make their way to the PS3.

    Good update guys, can’t wait to see the rest.

  • Thank Jebus for Sub-Folder support. :)

    All I want now is on-the-go playlists and broader video codec support.

    Trophies for PSP games would be awesome too, especially if they tie into the unified PSN id.

    Are people really using that Trend Micro stuff? Seems like a big waste of money for a closed game platform.

  • Sub folder nice!

    Internet search for games = absolutely useless, so is the information bar. And instead of adding funny trend micro support you should really consider of a complete overhaul of the browser. its slowwwwww

  • And please add “Coverflow” to the PSP/PS3!!!

  • Thanks Man Im So Glad

  • I think the antivirus thing is overkill. I mean, I’m pretty sure that people understand that the PSP is essentially running on a custom Linux OS. That said, it’s rare for a virus/worm to be able to infect a Linux machine in the first place, mostly because Linux users are still in the minority. Also, surfing online on the PSP takes quite a bit of effort so I doubt that people would use the PSP to surf the internet on a regular basis. All in all, it’s a bit weird to see an antivirus program on the PSP.

  • And how about an alarm clock!? would be cool to wake up to the internet radio (you already can tell the psp to shutdown after X minutes…why not wake up?)

  • Agreed with the Info bar. I turn it off on my PS3 since it has pretty useless information on it, and when it does have good stuff on it, it has already shown up here in the blog about a week prior.

    It should be tied to the PS Blog.

  • It’s not really antivirus. It’s actually an IP adress filter that prevents connection to blacklisted IP adresses. (there’s no way true AV would be able to run well on the psp anyway)

  • Things that are in PSP that has to come to PS3:

    Subfolders
    RSS
    Radio Stations
    Colors, themes, etc…

    BTW, good point with the subfolders thing guys, that’s a good point for you ^^.

  • Eric,

    Now that the downloads will be reduced significantly from the Playstation Store will we finally get to see the Playstation Store with video rental and purchase from our PSP instead of having to always use the PSP Media Manager? I love the PSP Media Manager but at the same time I would love to be able to download video without the need of a pc or laptop. Thanks for the new update!

  • Information Board ???

    that has to be the most underused feature on my PS3, please, just give us a proper RSS feed reader, that would be so useful to be able to keep a track on all our favorite sites that way.

    i’m not updating my PSP until you give us something worth having in the Firmware.

  • I’d like to see Friends list and Trophy support.

  • Subfolders? Sweet! Now will it ever be possible to enable that feature for games/save files? As of now trying to put any of them in a subfolder makes them appear corrupted. And I’m not sure how games will read save files exactly..

    All updates are really awesome, even if I might not use half of them. Just always nice to know there will always be something new to look forward to :D

  • Music store and more PSone suport. You guy’s add 10+ movies a week and can not get 1 PSone game up on the PSstore? What is up with that?? I’m not complaining but I think it need’s look into.. I know FFVII is coming out this week or next but what is after that?

  • Love the updates. One request for Comic reader. I’d love to read my comics on my PSP.

  • Interesting update.

    Security on the PSP browser? Didn’t think that was an issue with a device that is on and off the internet in short amounts and has limited memory.

    Thanks…

    Can you tell us when the GPS PSP is being realing in North America?

  • Good update. Keep em coming. Now just give me
    access to my PSN friend’s list/messaging from my PSP and I would probably never leave home w/o it.

    That’s all I want now. Thanks!

  • Great update guys hopefully the sub folders will be added to the ps3 as well,thanks again.

  • Sony, please, take into account the following improvements for PSP:

    1. Text RSS client
    2. Email client managing several accounts (POP, SMTP)
    2. Videostreaming client to see videos from youtube, dailymotion sites…
    3. WebBrowser (better javascript and flash support)

    I guess PSP can execute this kind of application… sure!!

    Or let the community to make theses applications by themselves providing a free SDK.

    I hope you consider some of theses ideas..

    thanks!

  • “Trend Micro Web Security uses Web reputation technology to block PSP owners from accidentally visiting a Web site that may contain malicious content designed to steal personal information and confidential data.”

    Interesting indeed.

    Any bets that this is simply intended to block PSP users from going to homebrew sites?

  • Great update!

    The PSP needs trophies!(They should be universal with PS3 trophies and PSN accounts)

    Can you bring sub-folders to the PS3?!
    Also can we get album art for the CD’s we import(if we have an internet connection)?
    You guys should also have increased compatibility with ipods.

    Can you link game saves with PSN accounts so we can put our saves and still get trophies on our other PS3s?

  • i want them to add your psn friends list. like on ps3

  • Also the PSP should have the friends list on the XMB. All the communication features should be available!!

    The video store should be on the PSP!!!

    The PSN account should be used when playing games online.

  • Thanks for the sub folder support, I have been needing this for awhile.

    @ Eric,
    Anyway we can get a post for Dissidia: Final Fantasy on the blog. And again, the PSone Classic Final Fantasy VII on the US store front;)

    Peace.

  • pretty cool update keep up the great work guys

  • Yes!!! I would love to see my PS3 friends list via the PSP, so i wouldnt need to remote in and find out….

  • im excited about having to have less space open for downloads from the playstation store.

  • I was hoping there would be an announcment of support for PSP trophies, maybe e3? Would love to have trophies on my ps3 and psp together.

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