Talk Playstation 3 News

Yesterday we confirmed that firmware 3.10 was in the making. Now it seems the firmware might be here sooner then we think (we hope today rather then tomorrow).

In some parts of Europe special on-demand TV sites will be included in the firmware. Here the announcement slipped up on some info.

Television lovers in other parts of Europe can now enjoy faster access to catch-up on TV with the addition of the following on-demand TV sites to the XMB over the next few days

Depending on how you interpret it, this can mean that in following days they will be adding more TV sites to the working firmware. They will make more announcements on which TV sites will be joining or what we’re thinking after the release of firmware 3.10 they will be adding more channels.
The following TV channels will be included: RTVE, Antena 3 and LaSexta in Spain. NOS in the Netherlands. AXN/Animax in Czech, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania and Slovakia.

This move is centering the PlayStation 3 more and more in your livingroom, making it a device which will suit your everyday needs (except some).

Nothing so far on cross-game chat being included in this firmware. But as a EU spokesperson said, they’re working on it, but can’t give a specific date.

Source: EU PlayStation Blog

One of the many requests of PlayStation 3 owners is that you have the possibility to invite a friend to a game your playing. EU forum member BiosNova discovered discovered that SCE had added such a feature but with a small adjustment.

BiosNova discovered a new button in the players profile while playing Red Alert 3. We have seen this before with Resident Evil 5, but many readers on the European PlayStation forums found it strange that SCE nor EA told them about this.

When selecting this button you get a pre-written message to invite the person to the game. It’s not full automatic yet but it seems SCE is getting closer and closer to realising it to the taste of the gamers.

Source

Following the latest firmware announcement for the PlayStation Portable, Eric Lempel also announced the arrival of firmware 2.60 for the PlayStation 3. In this firmware the biggest additions are guest logins onto the PlayStation store and Divx 3.11 support.

But that’s not the only thing the update will include. Also included is a new Photo Gallery application. With this SCE is really focusing on getting the media side of the console to a proper level.
Digital pictures can be organized in groups according to various criteria, including the camera used to take the photos, the event date and time, colors in the photos, as well as the number, ages, or facial expressions of the people pictured. You can also create slideshows set to music and build photo playlists with an easy-to-use interface.

To use the application you will need to install it separately from the XMB after the update, just like with PlayStation Home and Life with PlayStation.

And with this announcement the PSN ID required login has gone active but it seems it’s still having some issue. People’s original blog nickname are still being shown instead of their PSN ID. According to Eric Lempel their working on it.

We hope the firmware has more features (including the cosmetic error of the battery icon over the clock) and fixes.

Source

TedTheDog posted some info about tomorrows release of Home Open Beta on the Official EU Playstation forum.

Home will be offline for a while so don’t try to hammer it. Once its back online we will be running version 1.03 and all those with the current version will be offered a patch. The patch simply supports the server changes being made to support Open Beta.
The age limit will be lowered from 18+ to 16+ (Sigh)
You will be able to download Home off the Playstation Store after you have opted to install it, you will find it under PlayStation®Network on the XMB.

Only one sad thing the Red Bull Air Race will not be included tomorrow, but will arrive a few days later.

And some last words from Ted

Please remember, this really is a Beta

Source

In Japan they can expect access from their PSP to the Playstation Store on October 15th. Making this possible is the 5.00 firmware update that will be included which will put the store under the new XMB category that will be added.

Also following the rest of the year through out the holiday season will be game releases of Bleach Soul Carnival, Secret Agent Clank and Patapon 2 to name a few.

The most important thing how ever is the ability to download every SCE game from the store which are meant for the PSP. So a title like Resistance Retribution will be found on there once it gets out.

Does this mean the end for the UMD disks. We don’t know, but it does send out a worrying signal for games from 3rd party developers.

No word on when Europe and North America can expect it.

Source

Neocrises has posted a nice big list of games that are compatible with the in-game XMB. Here’s the list:

Legend:

XMB = In-Game XMB Runs?
MUSIC = Custom Soundtracks?

Use this format: Game Name – XMB: YES or NO / MUSIC: YES or NO (notes)

• Assassins Creed – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO (XMB sluggish, moreso in 2.41)
• Battlefield: Bad Company - XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Bourne Conspiracy – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Burnout Paradise – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO (10th July for cagney should change this)
• CONAN – XMB: YES / MUSIC NO
• Call of Duty 3 – XMB: NO / MUSIC: NO
• Call of Duty 4 – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Dark Mist – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Dark Sector - XMB: YES / MUSIC NO
• Devil May Cry 4 - XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Eye Create – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Flow + Expansion – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO (XMB sluggish)
• Folding@Home – XMB: Yes / MUSIC: Yes
• Folklore – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Ghost Recon AW2 – XMB: YES / MUSIC NO
• Go Puzzle - XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Go Sudoku - XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Grand Theft Auto IV – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Gran Turismo 5 – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Guitar Hero 3 – XMB: YES / MUSIC NO
• Heavenly Sword – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Lemmings – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• LocoRoco Cocorecco – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Medal of Honor: Airborne – XMB: Yes / MUSIC: NO
• Metal Gear Solid 4/Online – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Motorstorm – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Need For Speed Carbon – XMB: NO / MUSIC: NO
  
• Ninja Gaiden Sigma – XMB: YES / MUSIC NO
• Oblivion – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• PES 2008 – XMB: Yes / MUSIC: NO
• PAIN – XMB: YES / MUSIC: YES
• PixelJunk Monsters – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• RaceDriver Grid – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Ratchet – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Resistance: Fall of Man – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Ridge Racer 7 -XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Rock Band – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Rub’a'Dub - XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Singstar V1 – XMB: YES / MUSIC NO
• SuperStardust HD – XMB: YES / MUSIC: YES (with addon only)
• Skate – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Sonic Superstars Tennis – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Super Puzzle fighter HD Remix – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• The Darkness – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• The Orange Box – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO (TF2/HL2/HL2-EP1&2 and Portal)
• Tiger Woods 08 – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• TimeShift – XMB: Yes / MUSIC: NO
• Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas USA – XMB: Yes / MUSIC: NO
• Top Spin - XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Uncharted – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• Virtua Fighter 5 – XMB: Yes / MUSIC: NO
• Warhawk – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO
• WWE Smackdown vs Raw – XMB: YES / MUSIC: NO

If you want a more up-to-date list then head over to Neocrises.

With the release of the Google Media Server for Google Desktop you can now stream YouTube videos directly to your Cross Media Bar (XMB).

Once you have Google Media Server configured you’ll get a one click access to the most viewed, featured, top rated content etc. A nice thing you can do is save the videos directly to your PS3’s hard drive.

Here’s a demonstration video of this.

Here’s part 2 of the ‘Firmware 2.4 video walkthoughs’. This time Eric will be taking on a tour around the Trophy system.

“But that’s only part of the story, as the next system software update also introduces the Trophy system to the PS3. This video demonstration shows the system in action.”

The following first-party games are also slated to offer Trophy support:

• BUZZ! Quiz TV
• LittleBigPlanet
• MotorStorm Pacific Rift
• NBA 09 – PS3
• PAIN
• PixelJunk Eden
• Resistance 2
• SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation
• Warhawk

Here’s part 1 to the video walkthrough of Firmware 2.4. This video takes you on a tour with the Xross Media Bar.

You are shown how to access the XMB in-game and what you can do.

Stay tuned for the Trophy feature in action.

The latest reports are suggesting that firmware version 2.4 won’t be available this week. Firmware 2.4 is on its way but no one knows when it will be released.

Jeff Rubenstein has responded to playstationlifestyle.net with:

“You know the drill – a few days before firmware updates, we give you the lowdown. That hasn’t changed.”

So i guess we will have to wait until they announce the release.

Even more evidence that firmware version 2.40 will contain the most wanted feature, in-game Xross Media Bar.

Moderators and EA employee’s are all confirming that 2.4 will indeed have in-game XMB. Take a look at the following screen grabs.

A moderator of NeoGAF started the revival thread for the in-game XMB rumor:

Not only that but an Electronic Arts employee also confirmed this rumor:

ANd lastly word for a second-party Sony official:

So it looks to be that these rumors floating around saying that in-game XMB will be included in the next firmware update are looking to be true. We can only wait and see.

Source.

There are a lot of rumors around reporting what will be in the upcoming 2.4 firmware update. The first rumor i came across is that the firmware will be released sometime in june – around the sametime as Metal Gear Solid 4 is released. Multiple sources have stated this so its most likely we will see it in June.

A ps3forums.com members called Doodlepants has reported that version 2.4 will feature a Multiple sign-in meaning it will be possible to have multiple local player sign-in, in multiplayer games that support it.

“What I know is that you will be able to access your information and upload your highscores.”

Another rumor we heard is that the Xross Media Bar will now have a clock and will display date and time in the upper right corner.

Last but not least the new firmware will allow us to access the Xross Media Bar in-game. This is the most wanted feature in an update and i think its going to happen in version 2.4.

Check out some videos of in-game XMB over at MaxConsole.

There are severals reports saying that the long awaited in-game XMB will be included in Sony’s next Playstation 3 firmware update that will take the number to 2.4.

“We aren’t yet 100% sure of the actual release date, but all signs point to sometime in June. We’re guesing that Sony will probably detail 2.40 in the coming weeks.”

Take a look at this video to see what in-game XMB would look like.

Source.

According to the latest rumors, firmware version 2.40 could include the massively wanted in-game Xross Media Bar. So what do we mean by in-game XMB? It means accessing the main menu of the Playstation 3 while playing a game. Why might you want to do this? To message friends, play some of your music, go on the internet etc. The list goes on.

Whoelse from sev1512.wordpress.com has been in contact with an insider and basically the insider said:

“2.40 should include:

* Access your XMB chat features from any game.
* 2D trophies from the XMB where 70% of current titles will support them straight away
* Video Coding and groundwork for the Movie Store (Out Sept)”

Whether thats true or not we will have to wait until firmware version 2.40 is released.

Firmware version 2.35 is now available to download. it’s not a major update just a minor that will improve stability of some PS3 titles, we don’t know which titles these are, many had hoped Grand Theft Auto IV.

Al de Leon on the Official Playstation Blog hinted that this firmware update is not releated to GTA IV:

“I just want to clarify that this upcoming firmware update isn’t related to GTA IV.”

Take a look here.

There will be a firmware made specially for people with early Playstation 3 models. Read the article here.