Sony officially reveals PS3 firmware 2.40 features, coming July 2
Following months of rumors, speculation, and – most of all – waiting, Sony has officially unveiled version 2.40 of the PlayStation 3's operating system and XrossMediaBar (XMB) interface. Joystiq got a look at it in action last week and can finally unzip our lips about what we saw.
In a nutshell, the update introduces most of the features we've seen floating around as rumors for some time. Here's the short list of what you can now do without exiting from games:
In-game XMB (a quick tap of the PS button brings it up)
View game-specific Trophies (We'll have more on this major feature at 8AM EST / 5AM PST)
Time / date display
Send text messages to PSN users on your friends list
Access accessory settings, such as Bluetooth pairing and voice changer
View and manage downloads
Quits game directly from an icon under the "Game" section of the XMB
Search the web using the Google Search option under "Network" (similar to the latest PSP firmware)
Launch directly into another game from the one you're currently playing
Play music tracks stored on the HDD in games that support this feature
Access a new on-screen music player interface (when listening to your own tracks in supported titles)
Sony hasn't announced a release date for its latest firmware update, stating only that it will be "very soon." The official press release says the firmware is coming July 2 (this Wednesday!). There are quite a few rumored / hoped for features that aren't finding their way into this release. There are also a number of quibbles with the functionality of the features that did make the cut. We go in-depth with our likes and dislikes of firmware 2.40 right here.