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Sony talks spring cleaning, major PS3 firmware update in the works
During his appearance at a meet-and-greet for semi-official Sony blog ThreeSpeech, Phil Harrison allegedly confirmed a major PlayStation 3 firmware update would be rolled out in March to coincide with the console's launch in Europe (should the delay rumor prove false). According to an unidentified attendee, Harrison outlined some of the features to be included in the update, expanding on SCEE VP of Technology Paul Holman's hint that the update would focus on improving PS3's capabilities as a media center: Multi-tasking; includes voice/video-chat while browsing XMB Auto-resume for downloads from PlayStation Store PSP Remote Play upgrade (access PS3 media via WiFi connection) New animations during audio playback Enhanced photo album functionality Additional XMB display options While still vague, these features definitely focus on PS3's non-gaming abilities. Anything you'd like to see added to the list?[Via 1UP]
A beautiful Remote Play video [Update 1]
Remote Play really is quite an amazing feature, for those of you with PLAYSTATION 3s. PSP GadgetZ took this lovely direct-feed video of the PSP accessing the PS3's XMB, and it's amazing how quick and seamless the transition is. The video shows you the PS3's impressive Photo slideshow playback, and music visualizations (which easily trump the PSP's new visualizations). It also shows you how videos play with absolutely no lag or loading at all. Wow! I'm very impressed. The PSP really has become a "virtual PS3." Now, how do I get a PLAYSTATION 3 without selling one of my body parts? [Update 1: Gizmodo unfortunately tells us that the PS3 is non-functional while in Remote Play mode. What? I hope Sony fixes this in a future firmware upgrade. You would think with the massive power of Cell, it can send a signal to the PSP AND do other things.]
PSP Media Manager 2 reviewed
Sony really dropped the ball early on in the PSP's life when there was no official media software available. However, Sony finally came through when they released the PSP's Media Manager, but like many other available software programs, it had problems, too. Well, Sony is giving it another shot with Media Manager 2, and CNET has had a chance to take it for spin.Positives The new interface is "pretty stylish and sleekly designed." Features XMB crossbar. Better access to system's multimedia capabilities. Ability to transfer word documents and view them in HTML. Negatives Most of the functionality is available in other freeware programs. Somewhat high system requirements. Can't transfer copy-protected DVD's or audio files. Won't encode at 368x208 size. Overall, CNET gave Media Manager 2 a 6.3 and said if you have a decent understanding of how to run a computer, you'll be better off with a third-party software, such as PSP Video 9. While it looks like Sony didn't do much better with its latest media software incarnation, its release really begs the question "Do we really need it at this point?" I manage to do all my file transfers and video encoding through freeware just fine, so I see no reason why anyone should spend the $17 to download the software or especially the $25 for the boxed version. But if you really feel the need to pick this up, you can buy it here.
PS3 XMB walkthrough reveals updated Flash client for PSP
Our sister site Engadget has been giving its readers an extensive look into the upcoming PLAYSTATION 3. We've seen the sleek PSP-inspired XMB of the console before, but this goes into a lot more depth about the system's functionality. Interestingly, a Sony employee talks casually about a new Flash player in the PSP browser in a future, unreleased firmware, at around 12:20 in the video. With the firmware upgrade, PSP owners will be able to watch Flash videos used on sites like YouTube, and here at PSP Fanboy. This makes us very happy. When this firmware upgrade happens, you'll be able to watch all the videos we put up here when you access PSP Fanboy through the PSP (via m.pspfanboy.com). Hopefully, the PS3 launch later this month will reveal even more functionality for our system.[Thanks, Jess!]
PlayStation 3 XMB walkthroughs
Engadget and IGN hit us with some Cross Media Bar (XMB) love. These previews of the PlayStation 3 interface, which is adapted from PSP, show how strikingly different Sony's design is from its competitors'. The no-frills UI is easy to navigate, but it's also cold and doesn't invite users to spend time with it the way Xbox 360's "fun" presentation does -- it doesn't shove ads in our faces either. Still, buried within the simple row of icons and menu stacks are some valuable applications. IGN previews the slick Photo Album feature, which boasts an impressive automated layout mode that puts 360's simplified slideshow tool to shame. Early indications suggest Sony didn't lose sight of the importance of a well-designed multi-tasking interface.
PlayStation 3 menu / interface complete video walkthrough
In the second part of our pre-release PlayStation 3 videos, we've got a full walkthrough of the XMB menus and user interface of the console. No, sorry, no gameplay -- why bother when our video camera wouldn't show the graphic subtleties anyway? -- but we've got the A-Z on almost everything in the console, including the new and improved Sony browser, the Folding@Home client, and even a tiny preview of the PlayStation Network's friends and messaging features. Check it out!P.S. -Our flash video isn't the highest quality / res. If you want the best looking video, check out the VGA h.264 file below.Download videoMOV (h.264) - VGA, QVGAAVI (DivX) - VGA, QVGAMusic: Christopher Willits - Orange Lit Space, Colors Shifting, Finding Ground (Ghostly International)
"Remote Play" function explored!
So we got a lot of comments asking what this "Remote Play" feature was on the PS3 as listed on its translated interface menu. Thanks to our fellow Sony-addicts over at PSPFanboy, we've got a little more to tell you. With "Remote Play", you can stream data onto your PSP from your PS3 -- both video and game content. Does this mean you can take your PSP into the bathroom and continue playing the PS3 game in a more, erm, private setting? No time to waste, right? We're not sure if you can do that yet, but it seems fairly likely, so long as the image is all that's depicted on the PSP, leaving all the processing for the bigger, badder PS3 a room away.Will we be able to stream Blu-ray movies onto the PSP, or UMD movies onto the PS3? Don't really know. But we do know that this capability is thanks to Wi-Fi, meaning you'll have to scrounge up that extra $100 for the premium PS3. Not like you'll find any of the 20GB models anyway. So there's your answer! Remote Play is streaming data between PSP's and the PS3.
Is that a PSP in your PlayStation 3?
Sony's been hyping up PlayStation 3's connectivity with the PSP. Game Watch took this picture of the PS3's XMB, revealing a happy PSP icon in the Network menu called "Remote Play". As previously stated, you'll be able to stream data onto your PSP from your PS3, such as video and game content. For example, if you want to throw one of the most expensive console multiplayer games ever, you could wirelessly connect four PSPs to your PSP and start playing (that's $1400 of hardware, baby! Of course, this is just speculation, and will most likely never happen). PSP-Vault also goes into some speculation, hoping for the ability to stream Blu-Ray movies to the PSP, and UMD movies to the PS3. The possibilties are endless, and we hope that Sony takes advantage of that huge potential.PSP fans better start saving up: and they better save up a lot. The $500 PS3 does not feature wi-fi capabilties, so for PSP-PS3 connectivity to be fully realized, you'll have to go all the way.
PS3 interface -- some details/theories revealed!
The Playstation 3 interface is just about as close as we've gotten to seeing the online service. This is kind of sad, what with launch nearing, but worry not! This interface demo reveals a few interesting things that, while not related at all to the online service (still promised to be up and running upon launch day!) it lets you have an idea what to expect with your options. A friend who bought the 360 upon launch spent an entire day just combing through the interface, so there's always something to look for!Read on, friends, read on... for a large bulleted list awaits you...
Sony's BDZ-V7 and BDZ-V9 Blu-ray and hard drive recorders
Blue laser shortage or not, Sony's hoping to avoid the delay bug with its first Blu-ray disc recorders, just announced at CEATEC 2006 for early December release in Japan. Both models will record two TV programs at once via their two digital and one analog tuners. Backing up video to Blu-ray discs is limited to 25GB -- no 50GB BD-R/BD-RE writing or reading here -- but it will play cartridges from the old Blu-ray recorders, as well as the new AVCHD discs. With the right NTT cellphone you can schedule recordings from anywhere, but at home owners will enjoy the slick PSP-style XMB crossbar menu like other Sony products. The high-end BDZ-V9 is the only choice if you must have 1080p output, DLNA streaming to connected PCs or compatible displays and video conversion to MPEG-4 to transfer directly to a PSP. All the connections you'd expect are a go, including HDMI out, plus i.Link and USB inputs to hook up digicams and make as many sentimental James Blunt-soundtracked slideshows as you can with the included x-Pict Story HD software. The BDZ-V9 will set buyers back a cool ¥300,000 ($2,543 US) or so on December 8th, with the value-priced BDZ-V7 only expected to go for ¥250,000 ($2,119 US) when it hits on December 19th. They may not have the 4x Blu-ray recording of Panasonic's lineup or the soul-crushing bulk of Toshiba's 1TB RD-A1, but with a simple menu system and joystick based remote control Japanese gamers who didn't get one of the 100,000 launch PS3s will still bring Blu-ray to their living room this year.[Via Impress]
TGS 06: PS3 XMB gets very sexy
We all know the PlayStation 3 will have the same XMB as the PSP. However, there are some very pretty improvements. Phil Harrison demoed the console's photo ability and it is absolutely beautiful. Unlike the PSP, the PS3 can manipulate your photographs and make them appear as physical photos in a 3D environment. With upgradeable firmware, the PS3 will be able to have even more functionality as well.The browser will also have multiple tabs, a la Firefox. The console will also support one universal login for online games (according to the 1UP Show). Hopefully, the improvements made to the XMB on the PlayStation 3 will find their way over to the PSP in a future firmware version.
Launch homebrew from 2.71 XMB
Haven't you wanted to launch homebrew games directly from the XMB's "GAME" folder? No need for eLoaders, or TIFF exploits. Well, Dark Alex has come to the rescue. His latest homebrew solution allows you to boot newly-coded programs directly from the XMB. Pretty cool, huh? This homebrew will write to your PSP's flash memory, meaning there's a small chance that you can brick your system. Make sure you're willing to take that risk before running this app!Unfortunately, the "standard" homebrew that's out there right now won't work with this method as they are in "elf" format. New homebrew will have to be developed in "prx" format to run using this method.[Via DCemu]
Save penguins, fight aliens & change fonts in new 2.80 homebrew
We've been reporting on new homebrew on a nearly daily basis ever since the libtiff exploit was discovered. There are two more games to report about today. First is Penguin Scramble, which has you saving penguins Al Gore style. As with all of these TIFF games, it should be fairly simple to play. Another addition to the ever-growing collection of TIFF games is Space Invaders. This classic arcade game has you fighting off an incoming alien invasion, and as an episode of Futurama has shown us: the skills you learn from this game can be life-saving. Finally, we have an application to present to you: Font Hack Installer, which lets you change the fonts used on the XMB screen [screenshot]. While not revolutionary, it's nice to see more inventive ideas coming for users with 2.80 firmware. As always, save the appropriate files to your PSP's PHOTO folder to launch these applications. See also:TetrisPongSnake [Thanks steve!]
Sony reveals new 3200ES, 5200ES 1080p A/V receivers
Sony has dropped two new 1080p A/V receivers, which should go well with the new Bravia LCDs that the company also announced today. First up is the STR-DA5200ES (pictured), a 1080p upscaling 7.1 channel receiver with 120 watts of power per channel which is coming this October for $1,500. Thanks to a Cortez Advanced controller chip the 5200ES can upscale any source connected via HDMI or component inputs: the chip also supports on-the-fly color correction, picture-in-picture, and second room video sources. The other feature that Sony is keen to promote is the new menu system inspired by the Cross Media Bar (XMB) used on the company's PlayStation 2 and PSP game consoles, but the 5200ES also comes with a 30-second auto speaker calibration system and a USB port for hooking up your flash-based PMP for some spontaneous tunes. Sony has also revealed that it is shipping the $900 STR-DA3200ES this month, a receiver capable of passing-through (not upscaling) 1080p signals via the HDMI and component inputs. Like its bigger brother, the 3200ES will also pump out 120 watts over each of the 7.1 channels, although it doesn't come with the 5200ES's funky XMB-inspired menu system. Peep the STR-DA3200ES and the menu system after the break.
PSP XMB crosses over to home theatre
HD Beat is one of my favorite blogs here at Weblogs Inc, and they recently called something "a bigger revolution in home theater than the Nintendo Wii controller is to gaming." Can you guess what they were talking about? They're referring to the XMB interface, but adapted for the home theatre environment. As you know, the PlayStation 3 will also be using a similar design to the menu we've come to love on our PSPs and the upcoming STR-DA5200ES (catchy name) will take the idea one step further. CNET has tons of pictures of the menu in action, and I have to say: it looks pretty sweet.[Via HD Beat]
Watch a video of the PS3 interface, pretend it's you
This is a pretty neat video to watch. Not for the narration or the visuals, but to just picture yourself browsing through the deep blue... XMB (cross media bar). IGN got permission to show off the PS3 menu system and you know what? It's kind of bland. Bland does not mean bad, however. It is extremely user friendly and incredibly simple to navigate (both in game and out). Near the end of the video, we're told we can customize our wallpaper and whatnot. Give the thing a little more flavor. It's good, though. Some of us don't like big, flashy bubbly menus and worthless accessories in our interface. It's a man's interface! Right? Maybe not.Don't be fooled by the video -- the resolution (at least from this laptop) was pretty bad, so most of the icons seemed very pixelated. The final version we get to play with will be a lot sharper, unless you cross your eyes. Basically, ignore the visual aspect of the video and focus on the ease of navigation, which isn't necessarily hampered by the poor video quality (at least, from this laptop). Watch the video, share your thoughts, but again, it is boring visually because you haven't had the chance to spice it up and personalize it.
Extensive look into the PS3 XMB
Joystiq loves stories about the PS3's XMB... and so do we. IGN got their hands on direct-feed footage of the XMB in action, and it shows you how simple everything is on the PS3. You'll notice the return of the homebrew-hating "Network Update" icon, and a list of System Settings that's more than eerily similar. Almost everything is ripped from the PSP, right down to pressing the Right button to continue in menus, and the little clicking noises that are made when selecting an option. If anyone makes fun of your PSP as just a "Portable PlayStation," feel free to tell them that no... it's a portable PlayStation 3.[Via IGN]
PS3 developers share same XMB as PSP owners
Last E3, we saw how the PS3 would share the same XMB (menu system) as the PSP. You'd be able to look at photos, listen to music, watch videos, surf the internet, and I guess you could play games too. Well, thanks to a video from 1UP, it looks like the final PS3 devkits share the same interface. The menu isn't as fancy as what PS3 players will experience, but I guess it gets the job done.[Via Joystiq]
