PS3 gets Folding@Home update, enables PSP Remote Play

It's been a few months since the PS3's Folding@Home client received an upgrade, and thanks to heaps of complaints suggestions, the developers have finally conjured up another refresh. This go 'round, users will notice a "totally revised rendering engine for the molecules and a more sophisticated display format," but beyond aesthetics, the newest version now supports PSP Remote Play. Yep, this means that you can "now access FAH remotely from your PSP." So go on, Team Engadget, fire up your PS3 client and get to work with a newly revamped flavor, cool?

[Ike Turner @ Aug 21st 2007 9:48PM]

Finally some good PS3 news.
You gotta use that huge brick of a console for something usefull given the lack of...games..Oh well. Fold On! boys and girls!

[ark_v2 @ Aug 21st 2007 9:55PM]

Another comment of those...get your fact straight, there ARE many good games, and in the next months A LOT of great games will be hitting the market. Finally we're about to see real competition between the consoles!

[Doug @ Aug 21st 2007 10:30PM]

No, Ike got it right. My PS3 has been sitting idle for weeks except for the occasional Blu-ray movie. No games I'm interested in just yet.

[jroc @ Aug 21st 2007 9:52PM]

Hahahaha "heaps of (compaints) suggestions regarding ps3 folding@home" well done engadget.

[LiQuiD_FuSioN @ Aug 21st 2007 10:32PM]

I really can't be bothered to upgrade right now. But I'll do it sometime this week.

I'm already pushing 90k points which is an amazing feat. Had to leave my PS3 running almost non-stop for several months now. Hopefully, all my work units will be put to some good use in the future!

[Josh @ Aug 21st 2007 10:50PM]

It is good to see that people are still interested in folding@home ... it's about as noble a cause as any.

[JD @ Aug 21st 2007 10:55PM]

It surely takes some CPU power to render that image, right? So why not display a simple screen that says things like the Console version of the PC client? I realize the GPU renders it, but something has to feed directions to the GPU.... and I way out in left field on this?

[JD @ Aug 21st 2007 10:56PM]

Ah, meant to say "AM I way out..." instead on "And I..."... lol. Anyways...

[matjet @ Aug 21st 2007 11:46PM]

You'r sort of right. they mentioned in this update that when the screensaver turns on and the ps3 stops using the gpu, the performance of protein folding increases slightly. Unless you'r a totally hardcore folder however it probably won't make a difference.

[JD @ Aug 22nd 2007 12:00AM]

Ha well since I've been home from college for the summer, my computer has been running 2 instances of f@h essentially 24/7. I've been cranking the WU's out, and while I see why people would want some nice eye candy, I switched from the graphic version to the console version for the increased performance, and the fact I can set up 2 installs to run at one time on my Athlon64 x2. It just seems wasteful to me to set it so the CPU is set to help render that. Maybe make an option to have it always in screensaver mode? On a related note, I wish they would release a client for the 360- that'd be the first worthwhile pissing contest of this generation! Who cares about BD/HDDVD or which one has better games, I want to know which folds better! I'm sure the 360 could keep up since it has the unified shaders on the GPU... maybe run something like the ATI video card folding client? Full disclosure: I own a 360, which is why my computer has been folding all summer: I'm addicted to Forza 2. But it's for a good cause, right? :p

[Owen V @ Aug 22nd 2007 2:52AM]

@jd

I hate to say it cuz I love the 360, but all the overheating problems would probably be exacerbated if there was a folding@home version for the 360. I'm sure it would fold like hell though for the first half hour, all those 3.6ghz processors. But I'm not going to compare it to the ps3, who knows which would fold faster

[Steve @ Aug 21st 2007 10:57PM]

yay!! perfect excuse to spend $200 in September!!!

[Jonathan @ Aug 21st 2007 11:06PM]

soooo.... PS3 is now educational?

[Deluxe @ Aug 21st 2007 11:17PM]

Ugh, you fail.

[ark_v2 @ Aug 21st 2007 11:56PM]

There are some PS3's at my school to show how portable linux is, one of them was stripped to pieces so people could see the awesome CELL and how it works with the motherboard, another one for folding@home and I think the other one is just laying around.

[MxSix @ Aug 21st 2007 11:40PM]

Two things I am excited about in this release:

1. Advanced mode which lets the PS3 tackle proteins which take longer to compute for people who fold at least 8 hours a day.

2. Screensaver mode becuase it, accoring to Sony, lets the PS3 use slightly less electricity and allows faster folding (because of less graphics rendering).

[KratosAurion @ Aug 22nd 2007 12:04AM]

should I get a ps3 as well then?
*cries* no money!!

[stuckouteast @ Aug 22nd 2007 1:19AM]

Nice to have the additional info on which protein you're actually folding. I still think they need to add a little trumpet fanfare whenever you're done with a work unit though!

[Carnie100 @ Aug 22nd 2007 2:07AM]

Sweet.

[Rob @ Aug 22nd 2007 8:21AM]

To all of you Xbox 360 owners talking garbage, here's more trash talking, how about calling My Billy Gates and ask him why the Xbox doesn't participate in the FAH program. Is is because of the overheating issue or the high risk for the console's failure, or perhaps something else.

I really don't care if Gates orders a tweak on the Xbox to make it able to handle FAH, which is a very honorable program. But, stop the bs talking people. Enjoy what you like and have and let others do the same. Live and let die.

I know I'd be ranked the lowest. And I can live with that just fine.

[teej @ Aug 22nd 2007 8:52AM]

duh, Halo is the cure for cancer. MS doesn't need f@h, which is officially supported by Apple (hint).

and since you're so uber fanboyish: Sony added f@h just so you have a use for your console. how can i fold on my 360 when i'm constantly playing a plethora of games?

[safaria @ Aug 22nd 2007 3:37PM]

^^^^^


so true

[icr2 @ Aug 22nd 2007 9:55AM]

This is great, keep on delivering those updates Sony.

[Vekter @ Aug 22nd 2007 2:13PM]

o.o

Wow, I'm stymied. Even though I'm a Nintendo fanboy, I honestly can't say that the Wii can do that.

*swallows pride* Good on yah, Sony. Way to do some good for the Human race, for once.

[Jay @ Aug 23rd 2007 11:27AM]

to tell you the truth, i think it was microsoft that was behind paying dreamworks n paramount... on a different note. if you want to help save people and be a hero you could donate your time and electricity for folding at home and you could also go to your nearest hospital and donate some blood. someone out there needs it right now. thank you.