Hi everyone, the next system software update (v5.50) for PSP (PlayStation Portable) will be available soon, and I wanted to provide you all with a preview of some of the key features.
The firmware update will introduce an Information Board on the PSP system’s XMB (XrossMediaBar) interface. Those of you who have a PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3) may be familiar with this feature, which displays news and updates from the world of PlayStation in a scrolling ticker in the upper right-hand corner of your TV screen. Now you’ll be able to read up-to-date information about upcoming games, new content available on PlayStation Store, and other news right on your PSP whenever you’re at a wireless Internet hotspot.
In addition, we’ll be adding a few more enhancements with the 5.50 update:
- Memory Stick improvements – You’ll be able to create and access sub-folders on your Memory Stick PRO Duo for music, videos and photos. Separately, the available space required to download a file from PlayStation Store to your Memory Stick has been reduced significantly.
- Internet search for games directly from the XMB – You’ll be able to easily search the Internet for information about your PSP games. Select the icon for the game, hit the Triangle button, and then select [Internet Search] from the options menu to get search results based on the game title. This feature was added to PS3 with the recent 2.70 update.
- Trend Micro trial – PSP’s Internet browser is a great tool for checking out your favorite Web sites on the go, and we’re teaming up with the Internet security experts at Trend Micro to make the Web browsing experience safer and more secure. With the 5.50 update, you’ll have the option to access a free trial of two Trend Micro services:
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Trend Micro Web Security uses Web reputation technology to block PSP owners from accidentally visiting a Web site that may contain malicious content designed to steal personal information and confidential data.
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Trend Micro Kids’ Safety uses URL filtering technology to prevent children from accessing Web sites that feature inappropriate content.
We look forward to reading your feedback.
@ kasumakuma
In-game XMB is possible on the PSP, but many of the features will have to be removed and it will be PSP Slim/3000 only since they have more RAM memory.
Eric how soon will this firmware update be released?
i kind of feared that the coming updates could only be used by the rumoured psp2
thank u for heads-up, now i can smile
Here are some things that can greatly improve the stability, reliability and enjoyability of the psp.
UMD caching: user can allocate a portion of their memory stick to aid in the loading of UMD games. Sizes can be standard amounts of 32, 64, 128mb or custom based on percentage of free space to use (ex 10%, 20%).
Browser cache: Similar to the UMD cache except the reserved space allocated in the same manor will be available for the web browser. This means no more “Out of memory” screens. Web pages are cached to the MSPro/Duo and then loaded into local memory.
Updated flash support: Add support for flash 8 or 9 for use with youtube as well as other newer flash based websites when using the psp browser. Couple this feature with the browser cache idea and sites like youtube will be playable on the psp.
Expanded video/audio support: Divx and WMV playback from MSPro/Duo.
Those are a few of the ideas I have had for some time. Not sure why they have not been added as they seem to be possible to achieve.
needs to be able to send message to friends
@ 126 actually no the ps3 does not have subfolder support, you can have under your xmb only either
artist->track.mp3 or
album->track.mp3
you still cannot have
artist->albums->tracks.mp3
the last one is the only one classified as Sub-folders or folders within folders the other two are just primary folders with songs in them.
I can`t wait!
NICE!
When will the psp get friends list like the ps3??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
I think this is a well over due update. Especially the sub folders. The security I don’t really need because I don’t think the psp can get a virus. The message bar will be cool because it will make it more like the ps3. I’m glade this is coming out tommorow but theres many other stuff that psp owners are looking forward to. Like better internet, but I guess sony just likes making us wait.
One question: Do the subfolders apply to games?
If so, then this update will rule!
All I want is updated flash for the web browser like the PS3 but I don’t think it will ever happen, hopefully for the PSP 2!!! If the PSP 2 has touch screen, updated flash and a built in HDD, I’m totally buying it.
really? you can turn off the info board? imma do that right now. and the web browser does need an update.
I really can’t wait for this update another great job from Sony
and friend list would be awesome too.
Information b oard is useless on the PSP and PS3 give us features we ask for please!
Screen shot capture available when ever I know it can be done. PSN firends list and other GOOD PS3 features please.
Another thing who gives a flying poo about trenad micro secrutiy on the PSP, honestly. Using trend micro is just another way of selling out the web browser to some company so you can make a quick buck.
Sounds good so far.. I’d just like to see more action with the browser.. I mean, sure, if we’re getting security for it, why not increase the cache size or something (I’m not quite sure anymore on what the problem was with the browser.. Cache, right?) and.. and updated version for Flash(Youtube, etc.).. :O.
Also, PS3 like PSN? Chat, Trophies, Friends.. And stuff. I mean, with the release of the PSP3000, we could talk with friends and stuff. Anyways, looking forward to PSN updates and etc, and good job with the current sub-folders. :D
Okay, I really think you people should add more stuff to the information board. It would be useful if it linked every blog post, then I might have a use for it. As of now it serves me nothing on the PS3. Otherwise fine update, thxz Jeff
let me just say that the psp needs its ow attention. The sub folder thing is good but it doesn’t help when your just adding the features on the ps3 to the psp. the psp needs stuff that will make it better not just stuff the ps3 has. Good update could have had more though. Keep em comming!!
also @ D-Squad3 i like your thinking nicely said.
Not since John Madden / Brett Farve has there been a bigger man-crush than the one I have on Eric.
So any guess at what the release date for the update will be?????
How about subfolders on PS3 now?
Awesome update you guys! keep up the good work! although one feature i have been wanting to see on the PSP is the ability to change the pitch and yaw speed on the music tracks on the memory stick, like on the DSi. and maybe even a voice recording feature on all compatible models(3000) and save the sounds on the memory stick, well maybe you guys are already working on it I just have to wait and see.
P.S. great job on making the available space required to download a file from PlayStation Store to your Memory Stick has been reduced significantly!
lol the wait continues
I’ve waited a long time for the next update to come out and have really been hoping to see something big. And now that it’s here, I really feel like I shouldn’t be anticipating these updates anymore since they seem like they add so very little to my system.
Still, maybe this will be the update that finally lets us download videos straight to our PSP’s or adds some of the other heavily requested features to the system. And more then that the sub folder support has been rather long in the coming, so at least now I can rearrange my music closer to how it is on my PC, and the same if it supports more then one folder deep.
Post later continued, many times.
Something to note is that I fully agree with Xenostar, except that the PSP’s web browser has never been useful for checking any of my favorite websites. I’ve always had issues with Dig, never was satisfied with how Gamefaqs loads, and find both eBay and Amazon worthless since there is no keyboard to make it anywhere near comfortable. I have yet to check the DSi’s web browser, but from what I’ve heard it is fairly good and if I felt the gaming on the system was bearable I would carry one of those with me instead of my PSP. Also, the memory constraints of the original PSP seem to apply to the newer models and it feels like it’s about time that was changed so larger websites could work on the newer models, it’s not like there isn’t more RAM in them. Also something I think about often is that many request an update to the flash player, for the rather obvious reason that they wish to view websites such as Youtube from their PSP. I may not see it as something that will ever happen on this generations PSP, but it really is something that needs to be there launch day when the next generation hits.
Now a different area to explore in how to reach a larger audience was suggested by SalMoriarty, a good look into the homebrew scene reveals that there is tremendous demand for software on the device outside of what Sony is willing to provide. So I think that if not this generation then the next generation PSP really needs to have an application icon on the XMB, allow us to sort them as we want from the device and download them from the store (assuming the application in question was pre-approved, of course). I think the system has had a lot of untapped potential that still looks like it will never be used, from the IR port on the 1k series PSP to the TV out on the 2k and 3k (a small squire, is that the best that could be done?) since eventually people are going to want to do more and more with their PSP as is obvious the DS had been lacking and now (though peculiar in presentation) has gained.
mdeslaur makes a good request. Should not we see more toward making the system comfortably portable? And as dragonarya has requested, it’s about time we were able to rename files directly from the system. Not to mention sorting, which has been heavily requested in the past and as the system has been overlooked in recent years by Sony so have the consumers demand dropped off. Also noting that there are many other excellent requests, from being able to create playlists on our PSP’s to finally getting in on the digital copy that was more or less promised to come to the PSP and never materialized.
Finally, something close to my heart has been touched on by WeaponX32. I feel the photo viewer on the PSP could use some severe updates since it could easily be used for viewing comics or if tinkered a little also support text files (and hopefully pdf files) with bookmarking since that would make the system killer for portable entertainment. I’ve always loved the idea of using it as a comic viewer, and the features are so close to being usable, yet far enough away that they aren’t comfortable to use even for viewing normal photos.
Thanks for the update, and my apologies for the hazardously worded post as I typed it after reading sections in posts and do not feel that any of this is paid any heed anymore so I see no need to spend time really filling out the ideas. Oh, and upping the post length would be nice.
sweet update goodwork but plz plz plz make a friends and trophies tht would be soooo cool
We need more updates like this!
Here is an idea I came up with.PS3 and PSP update.
How about you can play PSP demos on your PS3 using Remote Play? Just incase you don’t have enough memory on your PSP you can play the demos using you PS3.
What is a subfolder???
@184..A folder inside a folder
Makes it easier if you want to put it like this:
Band>Album
Album
Album
Something like that
how much longer do we have to wait before this update is available?
woopty do
all this time and that’s all you have?
you really need to get more people working on your firmware updates for the features we’ve been asking for, for a long time now, uncle bill is probably laughing his a$$ off seeing the latest PS3 and PSP updates we’ve been getting lately. this is most likely to patch a new exploit that has been discovered, it’s not like kids have a crap load of sensitive data they need to protect thanks to a free trial web security, i bet the kids will sleep better at night now. what will happen when the trial is up, when we launch the browser, will we get an anoying pop-up telling us to purchase the full version?
Sony unusually late tonight.
When they anounce a firmware upgrade they are availabe around 7 pm est, but tonight they’re late.
This is a very cool update! The news ticker thing and the sub-folders on the memory stick (FINALLY!) are my favorites!
Although I was hoping for some more fun things… like the PS3’s photo application (just an example) It would be so cool to be able to access your PSN friend list through the PSP! Maybe we could even update the PSN icons to say whether we’re on the PSP or the PS3 when we’re online! That would be cool!
Oh well… I’m getting kinda carried away, back on subject: This is a nifty little update! Some well needed features were added and I’m sure that these features will come in handy! I’ll be sure to update my PSP as soon as the new firmware is available! Thanks!
when can i get it??
When is it gonna come out???? and by the way please add PSN friendlist and messaging PLEASE!!!!!!
if my time zones are correct, around 7 pm pst
well i hope dax makes a cfw for dis
No trophies? No Friends List? No Better Remote Play Support? Don’t get me wrong, these are good updates, but there is so much more.
PS3 firmware??????????????????????????
we should get friends chat and trophies and maybe home on umd (portion) and what i think of the new update since i dot own a ps3 but expecting one its cool we have these features and some people are complaining like saying this is a mini ps3 but i love the info bar thats a good addition and the trend security and browser nice job sony much love and support :)
when is this update going to be released
when is it coming out
man sony is very late.
I’m just guessing they’re having unexpected technical issues…thats the only thing that ever delays firmware updates. I bet it’ll be out sometime tonight or tomorrow. If it doesn’t come out tonight then they’ll say tomorrow that they’re having problems and that they’ll have it fixed asap.