We have been expecting the PS3 Update 2.5 Firmware for about a month now and same is the case with PSP 5.0 firmware. At last Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) has confirmed that the Firmware updates are coming this week. Sony has decided to skip the PS3 Update 2.43 Firmware they had been talking about and update the Firmware to 2.50 direct. There is a whole new set of features that will be added to the 2.50 firmware update. Some of the main feature and enhancements that will be added to the PS3’s 2.50 firmware update are:
>Support for the PS3 Official Bluetooth Headset – the upcoming Bluetooth Headset and SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALS Confrontation Bundle is reaching reality. This latest firmware installment enables High-Quality (HQ) mode, which delivers clear and wide-band Online voice chat. On top of that, an added on-screen indicator shows battery status, volume level and use of HQ mode.
>Friend status – Offline friends on your Friends list will have information below their avatars that will indicate how long it has been since they were last online.
>Video – This update adds the Scene Search feature similar to the feature on the PSP. Activating this feature while viewing a video on the PS3 will break the video up into scenes that you can quickly access by pressing the X button. You can break the videos into one, two or five minute intervals. In addition, you can now choose to have all of the videos under the video section of the XMB play in sequence. Go to Settings then Video Settings to turn this option on.
>Playstation Store – added are redeem codes options right on the store to make it easier to redeem your Playstation Network Cards and promotion codes. In addition, Playstation Network Sign Up and Account Management have been redesigned. Power Save Settings – You can now set your PS3 and wireless controllers to turn off automatically after set periods of inactivity. Go to Settings then Power Save Settings to turn on these features.
>Playstation Trophies interface enhancements – I know that many of you are busy collecting trophies and raising your Playstation Trophy level. This update makes sharing and comparing your trophies with your friends even easier. On the 1st part of the profile page you’ll see a symbol under level that represents level and the actual percentage towards the next level along with the existing level meter. The level symbol carries over to the trophy comparison screen where you will now be able to see your level, your friend’s level and the percentage towards the next level for both users along with all of the game by game comparison information you see today.
>Background Downloading – You now have the option to set the PS3 to turn off automatically after a background download or installation of content has completed. This option is available when you turn off the system from the button under [Users] while content is being downloaded or installed.
>In-game Screenshots – As we had heard earlier, this tool will allow everyone to capture, share and in other words, immortalize their favorite gameplay moments. This will be supported on a game by game basis. At last the PS3 firmware will include an auto shut-down power saving feature for the console and connected wireless controllers. There are rumors that the firmware will be launching today, i.e 15th October, however no official has confirmed this and neither have we seen anything like this yet. Expect the firmware to be launched this week and all those among you that have had the problem of frozen PS3 when a Blu-Ray is inserted can update to the firmware above and hopefully the error will be bugged out.
The PSP 5.0 Update Firmware:
As we posted earlier this month, the PSP 5.0 firmware update above will have all those features we talked about, including the PSN Wi-Fi store. This update will add the full size on-screen keyboard and a sleep timer feature to the PSP. After installing the new 5.0 firmware on your PSP, you will notice the addition of the Playstation Network icon on the XMB. You will now be able to sign up for Playstation Network, manage your account and access Playstation Store directly from your PSP. With the new PSN store, you can now download games directly to your PSP while connected via Wi-Fi access point. In case you missed our previous post on the PSP 5.0 firmware update, here are the three main features which will be added to the 5.0 Firmware:
>Access to Playstation Network: PSP owners can now compete with one another in almost all future game releases for PSP, thanks to the Sony PSN which will be adding the 5.0 firmware update. Although the French sources suggest that this feature will not necessarily include support for wireless connection to the Playstation Store but rather it may offer access to Online friend lists and trophy support within the Game. It may even support players communicating with each other all within their console.
>A new and improved RSS reader: People all over the Internet have been complaining about the bugs they have been facing in the RSS readers of the PSP. Sony has at last heard their complaints and has decided to act upon it. They are pushing in new RSS readers to the PSP that will allow the flow of reading text too. All the RSS readers in the previous firmware versions of the PSP support reading images, videos and sounds in RSS feeds but not the text which will be ironed out with the 5.0 Firmware release.
>Integrated Screenshot Capture support: The new firmware will allow users to take in-game Screenshots and save them directly to their Memory Sticks. However it is not clear if the in-game screenshot capability of the Firmware 5.0 will be dependent upon a particular game’s support or not.
A Senior Manager at Sony, Grace Chen, has posted a video (found below) in which she demonstrates the Playstation Store running on the PSP 5.0 update.
