Hacking the PSP Blog

In Real Life: The White PSP Go!

Auri — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 00:19:00 GMT

Sony marketing man Peter Dille doesn't carry just any PSP Go around. He carries the white PSP Go, as he showed me today. No details on if/when a white one would be available for the masses.

Thanks to Kotaku

Tetris 25th Anniversary, this week!

Auri — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:04:00 GMT

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June 2, 2009 (from www.tetris.com)

Tetris 25^th Anniversary

ON 25th ANNIVERSARY, TETRIS® MORE POPULAR THAN EVER!

Over 125 million TETRIS® products sold with strong growth in mobile phones and online Plans underway for new TETRIS tournaments and “smart” products

Electronic Entertainment Expo, Los Angeles—June 2, 2009— Video game industry legends Henk Rogers and Alexey Pajitnov today announced the kickoff of the 25th anniversary celebration for TETRIS®. TETRIS is one of the world’s most popular casual computer games with over 125 million products sold on more than 30 platforms and available in more than 50 countries.

“TETRIS has driven the entire casual computer gaming industry,” said Rogers, President & CEO of Blue Planet Software, the company that manages the exclusive licensing rights to TETRIS. “One reason why TETRIS is so enduring is that it transcends culture. It is beyond language. It is part of a universal desire for order. Ultimately, it’s a mental sport – a mix of fun and mental stimulation.”

In June 1984, Pajitnov, a Russian-born mathematician wrote the program for TETRIS in his spare time. His love of puzzles inspired him to create a game where players arranged distinctive puzzle pieces in real time along the bottom of the rectangular playing field or “matrix” in order to clear lines. “For a short time, I was the best TETRIS player in the world,” he said.

Rogers and Pajitnov said TETRIS is not resting on its laurels. “We have exciting plans for the future of TETRIS,” said Pajitnov. “We want to make TETRIS more accessible to kids, boomers, and busy moms – everyone who enjoys a fun, stimulating and even meditative short escape from the daily grind.”

Said Rogers, “The best is yet to come. We’re working on versions of TETRIS that will make it possible to have ‘international’ games similar to the Olympics, or the World Cup. The next generation of TETRIS games will align themselves to the user – so they can always be exactly what best fits any specific individual – ‘smart’ TETRIS games that quickly ‘learn their partner’ and adjust to give maximum game play satisfaction.

“We have a vision of the future where people all over the world can meet and become friends without speaking the same language. TETRIS players can better understand each other through mutual game play and create a new world fabric of ‘likenesses’ instead of differences by being connected through the universal language of Tetriminos – the distinctive world-famous playing pieces of TETRIS.”

The popularity of TETRIS has grown every year since its inception with the game’s greatest growth occurring on mobile phones. EA Mobile™, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. holds the exclusive license for TETRIS on mobile devices and has sold over 75 million TETRIS® products on the mobile platform. Since debuting TETRIS on the Apple App Store in July of 2008, the game has become one of the top 10 game Apps of all time. AT&T, the exclusive carrier of the Apple iPhone™, named TETRIS as the highest selling game for the first quarter of 2009. Because of this special relationship, TETRIS is holding 25th anniversary celebrations at the Electronic Arts Inc. booth #1501 at E3.

“TETRIS is the best-selling mobile phone game of all time, showing continued growth year after year all around the world,” said Adam Sussman, Vice President Worldwide Publishing for EA Mobile. “We are proud to join The Tetris Company in celebrating the 25th Anniversary of TETRIS; a product that has had such a significant impact on the entire video game industry.”

TETRIS is also growing online. In March 2009, Rogers and Pajitnov teamed up with Minoru Arakawa to announce the launch of Tetris Friends Online Games (www.tetrisfriends.com), the first and only official Web-based TETRIS game destination in North America. The Website is home to seven single-player and multiplayer games, with more TETRIS games in the pipeline. Even though Tetris Friends is just a few months old, over 1 million TETRIS games are played per day on the Website.

Licensees of TETRIS have reported strong and steady sales because of the game’s universal appeal and enduring popularity. TETRIS is licensed to many of the most important consumer companies in the world, including: Electronic Arts Inc., Tetris Online, Inc., Tetris Online Japan, NHN Corporation, Mattel/Radica, Sega, DTI Software, Inc., THQ, Inc., Hallmark, Epoch Co., Ltd., Four Winds, Hand Held Co., Ltd., Kaon Media, TAG Networks, Sky Interactive, Imagination, and Men in Back.

About TETRIS®:

TETRIS® is one of the leading and most distinctive video game brands and franchises in the world. Loved globally by people of all ages and all cultures, TETRIS continues to be one of the most widely recognized video games of all time. Tetris Holding, LLC is the owner of TETRIS worldwide and The Tetris Company, LLC is its exclusive licensee. The Tetris Company, through its agent Blue Planet Software, Inc., licenses and manages the TETRIS intellectual property and franchise worldwide. Today, Blue Planet Software continues to work with licensees to deliver top quality TETRIS products that are relevant, fun and challenging for its millions of players. For the latest information about TETRIS and TETRIS products, please visit www.tetris.com.

Contact Information:

Curtis Sparrer

Connecting Point Communications

Phone: (415) 442-4034

Email: csparrer@cpcomm.com

Press Release

Video of New PSP Leaked Pre-E3!

Auri — Sun, 31 May 2009 12:12:00 GMT

digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gadgets/Sony_s_PSP_Go_leaks_out_before_E3_PICS'; Look up there, folks. That's the future of Sony's hopes and dreams in the handheld gaming sector. With just hours to go before the company's official E3 2009 press event, it looks like the pieces are all coming together. First a UMD-less game release, then a highly credible mole giving the PSP Go a name, and now -- live action shots. The images here were sourced from an obviously slipped June 2009 Qore video, and aside from giving us a look at the slider-based system (which, let's be honest, looks a ton like the questionably successful mylo), we're also told that it'll tout 16GB of internal memory, built-in Bluetooth and an undisclosed memory slot. If all goes well, it'll ship this Fall for a price to be determined, and it's actually not slated to replace the PSP-3000, as both of 'em will attempt to live on store shelves harmoniously... at least for awhile. Oh, and don't worry -- we'll be on hand in LA to bring you all the impressions we can muster early next week.

[Via PlayStation Forums, thanks Matt and A1]

Update: Video is now after the break! Thanks adizzy615!

Update 2: Official press shots have emerged. [Via Engadget Spanish]

Update 3: A few more official specifications are flowing from the full Qore video (pardon the sync issues). Here's the dirt:

3.8-inch display (resolution is undisclosed)
43 percent lighter than the PSP-3000
16GB of Flash storage
Bluetooth built-in; supports handset tethering and BT headsets
No UMD drive (this was expected... probably for integration with Playstation Store. I wonder if the PS3 will "hold all your games", eh? -Auri)
Memory Stick Micro slot
New Gran Turismo, Little Big Planet and new Metal Gear Solid (!) on the way
Full PlayStation Network support (movie and TV rentals / purchases)
Integration with PlayStation 3 (works the same as the PSP-3000 does)
Sony views each of its products as "10-year lifecycle products," so the PSP "needs to live on."

Read the whole article here...

Sony PSP Go! aka PSP-4000 supposedly detailed, dated for this fall

Auri — Thu, 28 May 2009 02:48:00 GMT

Gaming site 1UP claims to have seen the new PSP, which it says comes in a flip form factor without a USB drive. If the rumors are true, it will hit Japan and North America this fall.

Gaming website 1UP is making some big claims about the new model of Sony's PlayStation Portable game console. Its editors say they've seen the device and spoken with sources who've worked with it, and if what they say is true, you'll be able to pickup a radically rebooted version of the console this fall.

1UP says that the controls will slide out from beneath the screen (an old standard, as far as PSP rumors go), but that apart from that they'll be the same controls we've always known. That means no second analog stick for first person shooter fans. Sorry!

More interestingly, though, the new model will drop the physical UMD format for its games and instead download all its titles over the PlayStation Network. You will supposedly be able to download as many as 100 titles on launch day, including both classics and new games like a mobile version of the popular Grand Turismo racing game.

Sony is allegedly considering naming the console the PSP Go!, PSP Slide, or PSP Flip instead of PSP-4000 or PSP 2 as have been rumored in the past. Since Sony has already been promoting a Go! line of accessories, 1UP guesses that that's the most likely name.

The rumored release date is September for Japan, and either October or November for the United States.

[Mockup image courtesy of 1UP.]

Original Article Link: http://www.obsessable.com/news/2009/04/29/sony-psp-go-aka-psp-4000-supposedly-detailed-dated-for-this-fall/

Rumor: New UMD-Less PSP Hardware to Launch At E3, Christened "PSP Go!"

Auri — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 21:33:00 GMT

From Gizmodo:

We've heard rumblings of a new PSP sans UMD in the past, and sources have now confirmed the rumor and added a date of announcement: E3, merely a month away.

1Up's sources claim the new PSP hardware will adopt the moniker "PSP Go!," and yes, that exclamation mark is correct. They further claim the PSP Go! will boast 8GB or 16GB of internal storage, because the handheld will be doing away with Sony's UMD format in favor of downloadable games. More details:

- There will not be an added joystick (sorry shooter fans), but the controls will slide out from under the screen (see the mockup above)
- It will launch in September in Japan and late October or early November in the States
- The system will be unveiled at E3, which falls June 2-4 of this year

As always, Sony refuses to comment on these rumors, but they're not implausible, seeing as how they line up so nicely with what we've heard before. [1Up via Kotaku]

Sony unveils improved PlayStation Portable

Auri — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 12:40:00 GMT

From the Associated Press:

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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS September 2, 2008, 5:21AM ET text size: TT Sony unveils improved PlayStation Portable

By YURI KAGEYAMA

TOKYO

Sales are improving in Japan for Sony Corp.'s PlayStation Portable handheld video game machine, and a beefed up version with a clearer display is expected to add momentum, a senior executive said Tuesday.

The portable game machine faces tough competition from Nintendo DS -- the handheld machine from the Japanese manufacturer of Pokemon and Super Mario games. Nintendo also has a big hit in the Wii home console that's battering Sony's PlayStation 3 in sales.

The revamped PlayStation Portable with the improved liquid crystal display and a built-in microphone will go on sale Oct. 16 in Japan at the same price of the previous model 19,800 yen ($180), said Shawn Layden, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Japan.

The machine called PSP-3000 is also being promised for the U.S. and Europe next month.

Layden said the PSP was gaining popularity in Japan, nearly doubling in sales for this year's first eight months compared to the previous year.

People are increasingly using it to listen to music, watch video and access the Internet on the go, he said at a Tokyo hotel.

"The PlayStation Portable can be called a PlayStation Personal," he told reporters. "It has become a lifestyle tool for owners."

Sony also unveiled a service planned for later this year in Japan that will allow several PSP machines to play games together, even if they aren't in the same room, by connecting to the Internet through PlayStation 3 machines.

Layden said details will be released later.

Competition among game makers is intensifying ahead of the year-end shopping season.

Sony has sold about 41 million PSP machines globally -- 10 million in Japan.

Nintendo has sold 77.5 million Nintendo DS handheld devices worldwide, nearly 23 million in Japan.

On top of that, Nintendo has scored success with its predecessor GameBoy series, selling more than a 100 million GameBoys cumulative worldwide.

On Monday, price cuts for Japan were announced for Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360 home consoles. The Xbox 360 has been struggling in Japan, a market dominated by the locals, Sony and Nintendo.

Microsoft doesn't disclose how many of the cumulative 20 million Xbox 360 machines sold worldwide were Japan sales. But it is widely viewed to be fewer than numbers sold elsewhere.

The Wii console has been popular, selling 29.6 million worldwide so far. PS3 sales have lagged at fewer than half of the Wii at 14.4 million.

Also shown Tuesday was footage from game software planned for the PlayStation Portable later this year, including "Gundam Vs. Gundam" from Bandai Namco Games and "Dissidia Final Fantasy" from Square Enix Co. Both are part of a game series that are extremely popular in Japan.

Off Topic: If you have a Sony Rolly, check out MyRolly.net

Auri — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 02:53:00 GMT

Well, you should all know I'm a big fan of Sony's ingenuity. Their latest cool product, the Rolly, a robotic music player, is now available in the U.S.

I now have a site dedicated to the Rolly, with a Rolly Blog and Rolly Forums. If you have a Rolly, or are curious about it, check it out at MyRolly.net!

Best,

-Auri

Google search coming to Sony's PSP

Auri — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 02:51:00 GMT

Sony will soon add a Google Internet search feature as part of a software update for the PlayStation Portable.

Sony PSP

(Credit: Sony)

On the PSP blog Monday, Sony said the new upgrade, v4.00, "replicates the Google Internet search experience.

PSP users will need to be connected to the Web via Wi-Fi. The move represents Sony's continued efforts to expand the Internet features of the handheld. Of course, what users really want is an easy way to download movies off the Web.

Nonetheless, the company continues to force users to buy the much rejected Universal Media Discs (UMD), the mini DVDs that Sony built especially for the PSP, or hack the device with video converters.

Sony said the upgrade will also give users the ability to change speeds on playback of video stored on Memory Stick PRO Duo. This allows the viewer to scan quickly through a movie or slow it down.

Source: CNet

PSP Headset with Remote Control Launches for Skype Calls

Auri — Fri, 09 May 2008 01:55:00 GMT

Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) today announced the availability of the new Headset with Remote Control for PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, giving users a seamless solution for placing free calls over the Internet via Skype£. The new headset offers excellent stereo sound, an adjustable microphone, and a lightweight, comfortable design with soft ear cushions - all at an affordable price ($29.99 MSRP).

Earlier this year, the slimmer and lighter PSP-2000 opened up its capabilities as a social communications device and made Skype available to PSP users through a simple firmware update (ver. 3.90 or later). Skype enables PSP owners to make free calls over the Internet to anyone using Skype on a PSP, PC, or Skype-enabled phone, anywhere in the world. Skype on PSP system also allows users to call and receive calls from any landline or mobile phone with the purchase of Skype credit. PSP owners previously used two existing accessories, the PSP Headset and the PSP-2000 Headphones with Remote Control, to take advantage of Skype. Now with the addition of this new Skype headset kit, it's easier than ever for PSP owners to keep in touch with friends and family or contact fellow gamers to talk trash before inviting them to an online multiplayer game.

How to get Skype on PSP

Ensure that your PSP-2000 is running system software 3.90 or later. To download and install the latest system software, check out the instructions at http://www.us.playstation.com/PSP/About/SystemUpdate.
Connect the PSP system to the Internet at a Wi-Fi hotspot*.
Attach the headset to the remote control, and then connect the peripheral to the PSP.
Insert a Memory Stick Duo into the PSP to save the Skype software.
Access the Skype/Sign In icon within the Network category of the XMB menu. First-time Skype users need to create a free account, while existing Skype users can simply enter their username/password.
To make a call, either access the Contacts icon and click on a name or scroll to the Dial icon.

Source: Sony PR

New PS3 Hack from a PSP Team?

Auri — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:40:00 GMT

kid101skater let me know last night his team's working on "Project E". I'm not quite sure what it is, either, and I'd like to know how it enables things beyond running Linux on the PS3. Should be interesting!

Check out the info here.

(sorry it's been a week or two folks, I'm super busy at work!)

LuaPlayer GM v3.0 Released

Auri — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 02:14:00 GMT

Homemister has released a new version of LuaPlayer HM, bringing the application to version 3.0. The application has a couple of neat changes, though perhaps the most notable of them is the change that allows you to play all the sound files from old luaplayers.

Here's the current list of features in LuaPlayer HM v3.0:

    * Fixed old sound files from other Luaplayers now able to be played.
    * Can Run Eboot.pbp files now from lua code.
    * Mount and unmount flash and UMD's.
    * Free up unused memory.
    * Show what LuaPlayerHM version it is.
    * Put Limit on cpu speed set to 10mhz - 333 mhz.
    * Slim and Phat Enabled.
    * New Functions and ability to play new audio files

Installation procedures can be found in the readme included in the download. If you want to know more about LuaPlayer HM v3.0, or simply want to send HomeMister some much-needed feedback, feel free to join our forums and drop him a line via the link below.

Download Here

Source: PSPUpdates

Gamestop Weekly Deal: Super Smash Bros. Brawl trade-in, Patapon and more

Auri — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 02:12:00 GMT

The holidays may have ended (or may not yet have arrived, depending on how you look at it) but the gameplaying still continues. With that in mind, Gamestop is upholding its tradition of holding weekly deals, with the week of March 3 to 17, 2008 seeing some new games in the lineup.

Some of the deals that Gamestop is offering for the said week include:

Super Smash Bros. Brawl - US$ 49.99 (or US$ 9.99 if you trade-in two select Nintendo Wii games towards the reservation or purchase of this title)
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Strategy Guide - US$ 19.99, get 10% if you purchase it with the game
Patapon - US$ 19.99
Army of Two - US$ 59.99
NBA Ballers: The Chosen One - get an NBA licensed ball bag with a reservation of the game

As with all deals, Gamestop's offerings are available only while supplies last, so if you're interested in any of the products mentioned above, or if you'd like to check out the store's other wares, feel free to click on the source link below.

Source: Gamestop via PSPUpdates

Sony tests digital copies on DVD releases, puts time-limited play

Auri — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 02:11:00 GMT

It seems that Sony is stepping up on its efforts against piracy, as well as push sales of its in-house movies. This is through embedding digital copies of its movies on DVD with a digital copy ready to be watched on your PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 3, and even on your PS3.

This means that when you buy one of Sony's movies on DVD, that DVD will have a digital copy for you to take with you and watch on your other Sony gadgets, not just at your home player.

Where does the anti-piracy angle come in? It comes in the form of the digital copy having a shelf life. Buyers will have to register their purchased movie online first before being able to use the digital copy. Once registered, Sony will keep track of just how many days has passed since the registration. If the digital copy times out, then it's rendered unplayable.

That's all well and good, but how can one transfer content from the purchased DVD to the PlayStation 3 and/or PlayStation Portable? Simple - one only has to insert the DVD into their computer, let it bake for a little while, and then transfer the file onto a memory stick. From there, it's just a matter of sticking that memory stick either onto the PS3 or the PSP for on-the-go or console playback. Simple, easy and convenient.

And even though Sony is still in the experimental phase with the whole digital copy thing, they're pretty happy with the results. Resident Evil: Extinction, a recent Sony movie that also offered digital copies, generated 30,000 copy transfers. Not bad at all!

So, if you're thinking about buying DVDs, you might want to consider one of Sony's. After all, having the ability to watch it anywhere you go is a great plus.

Source: Videobusiness via PSPUpdates

Update Toolbox v1.0 - Easy Custom Firmware Updates and More

Auri — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 02:08:00 GMT

For the Sony PlayStation Portable homebrew novice, there's definitely a lot to learn even before installing the simplest homebrew game onto your PSP, even a lot more to install major homebrew such as custom firmware (i.e., CFW 3.80 M33). Sony PlayStation Portable homebrew developer Luv knows this and has made a homebrew just for this cause: the Update Toolbox, an application that streamlines and newbie-proofs the installation process.

So, just what does Update Toolbox do? It pretty much automates major homebrew installation processes and works with the homebrew that could potentially brick your PSP if you do your installation wrong. It copies firmware installers into the right place, checks if the firmware file is in the root before copying - that sort. A lot off your shoulders, yes?

Note that there are a few bugs with Update Toolbox, one of the major ones being that it will not start in CFW 3.71 M33. Not to worry, though, as Luv is definitely on the case in this one. In any case, enjoy, and be sure to check the readme file before doing anything!

Download Here

Source: PSP Updates

Take-Two's Strauss Zelnick on takeover deal, company consolidation

Auri — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 03:10:00 GMT

After Take-Two Interactive rejected Electronic Arts' US$ 2 billion dollar takeover bid, there have been quite a number of speculations regarding the decision. Strauss Zelnick, the executive chairman of TT Interactive recently gave a simple answer on why they didn't take the offer: the shareholders.

When asked by The Hollywood Reporter, Zelnick pointed out that they are here for the shareholders. EA gave a specific offer, and they rejected it. However, this doesn't meant that Take-Two's chairman doesn't see the value of consolidation in the gaming industry. In fact, he even expects it:

I think we can expect consolidation. I'd rather not speculate on the nature of value creation. It has a lot to do with the capabilities of individuals and the goals of employees. This is not just a math lesson, this is a creative enterprise.

Still, Zelnick posed a few important questions that he feels have to be answered before a company even decides to consolidate. In the same statement, he reiterated the need to take care of the stakeholders of the company:

Does consolidation create better games for consumers? Does it create better careers for the creatives? Those questions are just as important. If all stakeholders aren't taken care of, then none of the stakeholders will benefit.

At this point, many are probably wondering what's next for the company. Well, to answer your question, we'd like to leave you with some final words from Zelnick.

We've been at Take-Two only for 10 months and are really proud of the progress we've made. And we think this company has a really bright future as an independent company. In the absence of an opportunity that our shareholders value more than this approach, that's our business model.

Source: PSP Updates via Hollywood Reporter