Comic-Con: new firmware, new demo and new connectivity [Update 1]
by Andrew Yoon 
{ Jul 21st 2006 at 5:16PM }
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Comic-Con shouldn't be such a hotbed of video game news, but this year, it's proven otherwise. Sony revealed some crucial new features of the PSP today:- PSP will work as a remote for the PS3.
- Advertisements for the budget Greatest Hits collection will be released on July 25.
- PSP's firmware update next Thursday will offer RSS Video feed support for its web browser.
- Thursday's firmware update will also have a demo of World Tour Soccer 2.
- There are no plans to improve text entry on the PSP and no plans for a first-party keyboard.
- Sony's in talks with wi-fi providers to make it easier for PSP owners to connect. (Similar to Nintendo's deal with Wayport?)
- Video-out (to connect to a TV/computer) is a feature that they're working on.
- Connect wants to provide video content to the PSP, but can't seem to find the right way to implement DRM. (But doesn't firmware 2.6+ offer DRM video support?)
[Update 1: Removed bit about UMD movie support.]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Chris @ Jul 21st 2006 6:15PM
I can't wait until I can use my PSP as a rear-view mirror on a racing game. So damn cool!
Roopesh Sheth @ Jul 21st 2006 6:22PM
I can't wait till my PSP (still FW2.0) can do the dishes, vacuum, and clean the floors. I'm really looking forward to that release.
Matt T. @ Jul 21st 2006 6:33PM
I want all RSS feeds to work before,, I get video ones,
I want Joystiq networks RSS like my PC to work on my PSP,not certain ones.
Cameron Majma @ Jul 21st 2006 6:35PM
I thought Office Space was already on UMD. I saw it used at GameStop.
pixelator @ Jul 21st 2006 6:45PM
DRM can, in fact, kiss my ass. If Apple can have iTunes and there are already several sites offering PSP specific content like GUBA, then there's no need or huge mandate for DRM. Period.
Did Sony specifically say that they're not going to do a keyboard, or that they just won't comment?
Marco C Jr. @ Jul 21st 2006 7:26PM
Aww man I already have world tour soccer demo. I was hoping something along the lines of Killzone or Hot Pixel. I'm really surprised to see that they revealed this at comic con.
cbroz91 @ Jul 21st 2006 7:54PM
Are the only additions to the firmware rss video and a demo? I usually upgrade asap, but if that's all they are adding then i'm going to wait, at least until the new firmware is required to play a game.
Andrew Yoon @ Jul 21st 2006 8:09PM
DRM is incredibly important. It's why we don't have support for portable video on the PSP. While for many, having 320x240 video, or illegally ripped media is fine, but for a mass market, having access to 480x272 full resolution, copyrighted material will be a HUGE thing. I really wish Sony would get off their high horse and adopt a more common DRM: either Apple's or Microsoft's, so that we can have iTunes or Windows Media purchased stuff on our PSPs. NO ONE uses Connect.
daniel-kun @ Jul 21st 2006 8:42PM
Video streaming might be really cool. It may mean no more converting! I'd love to stream my whole anime-collection from my server while lying in my bed. Actually I find watching stuff on my PC in my bed far more comfortable than watching on a TV.
locoroco @ Jul 21st 2006 9:34PM
DRM is perfect for the PSP--If SONY wasn't so ignorant, they would've realized that video services like VONGO and music services like Napster and Rhapsody are DRM-encoded. The PSP could easily support these formats in a new firmware update. SONY wouldn't have to invest new money in the CONNECT service, etc.
I do disagree with Andrew Yoon, though--there is no way that Apple would support another device on iTunes. No way....at all...never kind of thing.
Andrew Yoon @ Jul 21st 2006 9:46PM
To locoroco (great blog, FYI):
http://www.cingular.com/SLVR_iTunes/
Apple has, in fact, put iTunes on another device. While I think Apple's iron-fist control on iTunes is also shameful, there's the much more open PlaysForSure solution from Microsoft. Too bad Sony and Microsoft are now "competitors."
locoroco @ Jul 22nd 2006 9:58AM
Oh, I know that. I said ANOTHER device. Anyways, about this easier-to-WiFi, it's needed. First of all, infastructure games and internet access is an important part of the PSP. And, in many areas, you have to use a phone # of your wireless company and you have to have a service plan to access wi-fi. Furthermore, many hotspots lead you to very informative websites but none of them are PSP-formatted. It'll be interesting to see what they might come up with.
pixelator @ Jul 22nd 2006 2:05PM
Well, it's not full resolution, but for now we do have sites like Guba (yes, they have lots of porn, but also an increasing library of mainstream movies and TV).
I don't see why something has to be DRM to be full resolution on the PSP. DRM is just another way to limit how and when you view your purchased media. The original DivX DVD format failed because people refused to sign on to it - and now it's being rammed down our throats by Sony, Microsoft, Apple, etc.
Call me a criminal, but I think that if I buy a DVD, I should be able to do anything with it that I want short of distributing or selling copies/photos/clips from it.
That said, I agree that indeed full rez downloads would be a big deal for the PSP, and if we MUST have DRM to have them, then I guess we have to have DRM and it's up to Sony to kick this into gear. With the failings of UMD, a nice high resolution library of video would really help the PSP scene.
pvilleSE @ Jul 23rd 2006 11:57PM
I am really disapointed with the PSP, I bought one the first week it was out. I plan on giving it to my nephew since it is fairly useless as a portable media device without a decent sized hardrive, 4gigs is not enough. What good are downloadable videos for the psp if you can only put a couple videos on it.
MaxSMoke @ Jul 24th 2006 4:18AM
Oh PLEASE! *NEVER* Upgrade your Firmware people!
It's clear this new "Firmware" is just a cheap shot to lock down the recent exploits like Dev Hook, that let you run FW 2.71 games on any FW 1.5 system. (Not to mention the FW 2.6 Downgrader, that let's you roll-back your PSP to FW 1.5)
They keep trying to cut off Homebrew games and ISO loaders at every turn, and this is just yet another cheap shot. NEVER UPGRADE YOUR PSP, NOOBS!
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