Sony has announced the launch of the Go! Cam, a camera that will allow PSP users to take pictures and videos. The camera, that has a 180-degree vertical swivel base, is very similar to the PS3 eye camera. The edit software bundled with the camera will allow users to edit photos, videos and audio clips on the PSP. Apart from these functionalities, the camera also has an in-built microphone.
According to sources in Sony, considering a 4GB Memory stick Pro Duo, the camera will be able to store up to two and half hours of videos and over 40,000 photos. And that’s not all. Users will also be able to upload all the pictures and videos on to the internet directly from the PSP.
Sony mentioned a few days ago that they were hard at work to make key 3rd and 1st party demos available for download. Well, today you can download an official Medal of Honor: Heroes demo directly to your system. I’m a demo whore and constantly download these onto my memory stick. I play them all a few times and then just leave them there, my spoils of war.
Follow the directions below to download them directly.
YourPSP users: (European users only)
Connect your PSP to your computer and visit YourPSP.com. You will be able to download and install the demo automatically.
Everyone else:
1. Download the demo ZIP file.
2. Extract the contents of the ZIP file.
3. Connect your PSP to your computer using a USB cable.
4. Go to the PSP/GAME folder.
5. Copy ULED90008 folder into directory.
Sony’s looking to make their latest PSP firmware upgrade, version 3.30, too appetizing for all the homebrew users out there to pass up. In addition to officially sanctioned (albeit tempermental) full resolution video support, Sony has upped the ante by offering 3.30 users 6-months of complimentary access to T-Mobile WiFi HotSpots, available at over 8000 locations across the US including Starbucks, Borders, FedEx Kinko’s, Hyatt, Red Roof Inns, Sofitel and Novotel Hotels, and select airports. Yeah, for free.
To access the service, follow this guide. Have an innate distrust of guides? We’ll condense it for you: turn on your PSP within range of a T-Mobile HotSpot, select the T-Mobile HotSpot icon under Network Settings, select [Use Promotional Access] if you ain’t got an account already, and then get your game on! Now, if only more PSP games supported Infrastructure mode.
The Noobz team (www.noobz.eu), building on the previous Illuminati exploit, have released a new PSP firmware downgrader, which can safely downgrade any known PSP.
This is an amazing breakthrough, and gives the freedom to all PSP users to use legitimate homebrew software.
read more | digg story
First I must say that if you ever plan on playing homebrew applications on your PSP then it would be unwise to ever update your PSP firmware unless you know exactly what you are doing.
On to the story.
Sony’s added some neat perks for PlayStation Portable owners with its announcement of the 3.30 firmware upgrade.
The latest upgrade allows PSP users to play compatible games online, do a bit of web surfing, download podcasts and more. The podcasts will be available at more than 7,000 T-Mobile HotSpot locations, which include some Starbucks, Borders, Hyatt hotels and about 70 U.S. airports.
The promotional offer also includes six months of Wi-Fi access at the T-Mobile spots. When the six-month trial is over, PSP owners will have to pay for the service. To get the deal, PSP owners have to login to the network by March 28, 2008.
“ This new offer enables SCEA to take portable gaming and entertainment to a new level of mobility and convenience for PSP owners,” said Peter Dille, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment America, in a media release. “With T-Mobile’s service, we’re making it possible for the PSP community to connect in new ways and access the online content they want in more places than ever before. More and more PSP users are going online to challenge each other in multi-player games, and we can now make it more convenient to access online gaming as well as the Internet, showcasing the rich feature set that PSP has to offer.”
The first game on the online list is Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters. More titles are expected soon.
The upgrade sounds like a good one that puts the PSP to greater use.
For a full list of 3.30 details, click here.
Tired of waiting for Sony to release your favorite classic PlayStation game for PlayStation Portable playback through the PlayStation 3’s Playstation store? Well you can now play a ripped copy of any PlayStation disc on the PSP.
PSP users that upgrade to the Dark Alex’s Open Edition firmware 3.02-B can play ISOs ripped off of PlayStation discs right from a MemoryStick. Commenters report that the emulation runs at full speed with perfect sound, but PAL games seem to have some graphical glitches. Still, a nice Christmas gift for the hacking/piracy community.
Click Here for full information
If everything goes according to play, eyeVio — the new video sharing service launched by Sony — will get bought out by Google, just like YouTube before it. Then again, I don’t think Sony is as willing to sell off portions of its business.
The eyeVio service is scheduled to launch in Japan (only) today, providing users with a space where they can share “my life, your emotion.” Whatever that means.
Videos can be remotely uploaded via portable devices (like cell phones and web-connected PDAs) using the mobile version of the site (m.eyevio.com). On the flip side, videos can be downloaded in PSP-compatible formats for later viewing. They’d probably work on iPods too, but Sony wouldn’t say.
Will this be another PS3? Powerful but with no one caring? Or will it be the killer app to revitalize interest in the PSP? Considering that Japan is currently Nintendo-land, I think it’s pretty safe to draw certain conclusions.
While Killzone: Liberation didn’t take PSP Game of the Year honors, it still has a legion of fans that love its action-packed top-down gameplay. If you missed this game last year, now’s your chance to try a sweet downloadable demo.
YourPSP users:
Connect your PSP to your computer and visit Killzone.com. You will be able to download and install the demo automatically.
Everyone else:
1. Download the demo ZIP file.
2. Extract the contents of the ZIP file.
3. Connect your PSP to your computer using a USB cable.
4. Go to the PSP/GAME folder.
5. Copy UCES00279-Demo folder into directory.
Source pspfanboy.com
Sony has signed a four yeal contract with VoIP company BT that would bring video and voice calls as well as messaging to Sony’s handheld, the PSP.
Using BT’s technology, PSP users will be able to communicate using wireless internet for now. The companies say they are working on PC, mobile phone, and fixed line integration for the future.
“The PSP is an excellent device for both gaming and communications because of its high quality screen and audio capabilities,” offered Steve Andrews, chief of mobility and convergence for BT.
“With over 8 million PSPs shipped across Europe, we are very excited by the opportunity to give customers a whole new communications experience, connecting and seeing friends across the world through BT’s technology.”
Sony also added that the service will begin in the UK, and then move to other regions.
“The opportunity to combine our market leading expertise with BT’s knowledge in communications opens up many possibilities and we look forward to bringing many exciting functions to PSP fans,” commented David Reeves, president of Sony Europe.
A piece of code referring to Skype has been found in the recently decrypted firmware version 3.10.
There is a rumour circulating that Sony is working to partner the PSP with Skype. Skype is a popular application that allows PC and Mac users to call one another for free based on P2P telephony technology.
A reference to Skype was recently found in a decrypted version of vshmain.prx from PSP firmware revision v3.10. It is worth noting that references to both POPS and GPS PRX’s were found in previous decrypted firmware versions and have both since emerged as new features included in subsequent firmware upgrades.
Less than two weeks ago, the internet was abound with rumours about Sony entering into a partnership with some new major software companies and at least one major ISP. This may well have been the smoking gun for an as yet unannounced union between Skype and the Sony PSP, although at present this is as speculative as the recent claims that Yahoo were a likely future business partner for Sony Computer Entertainment.
Unlike the DS the PSP is not equipped with a microphone and so would need a peripheral microphone in order to be used as a P2P telephony device. There have been a slew of mods that allow the DS to be used as a two way communication device and Nintendo themselves demoed an application of their own at E3 2005 (complete with lip synching Mario and Luigi avatars).
Considering the growth in Mobile games and the recently unearthed Nintendo phone patent, it seems that the major console manufacturers certainly have communication in mind as a key feature for the future of their devices. Sony may well be trying to ensure their future credentials in that area of the market.
