Tag: 2

PSP firmware 2.0 is out

psp_browseri.jpgFirmware 2.0 is out for the PSP and it has a wide range of new functionality.

  • A web browser has been added. It is fairly modern and supports CSS, HTTPS (secure browsing), JavaScript and graphics intensive web sites. It does not support Flash. GMail works but Ebay doesn’t.
  • You can customise your PSP with themes and wallpapers
  • WiFi networking now supports WPA (much better security than WEP).
  • Atrac3+, WAV and MP4 (AAC) support (you may have to change the extension of your tracks to *.mp4)
  • UMD video viewing enhancements (go-to, 4:3 mode and more)
  • Support for more image formats (TIFF, GIF,PG, BMP)

To update: download the file from the Japanese site (translated press release). Transfer the file to your PSP and place the file in F:\PSP\GAME\UPDATE\EBOOT.PBP. Restart your PSP. It will detect the new firmware and proceed to update. Your media files (mp3s, photos, videos) will remain intact during the update process.
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The Japanese update even works on US PSPs. It is reported that the US 2.0 firmware will be identical, it is just being held of for “political” reasons. I guess this means that the UK PSP will be shipped with 2.0 and all this new functionality as well.
If you own an US PSP, then use the IGN version of the firmware instead (a few people have reported The game could not be started. (80020148) errors when using the Japanese firmware on their US PSP).
One possible drawback with the 2.0 firmware is that Sony has locked down all the loopholes that people were using to run unauthorised code. Home brewn code such as emulators (ScummVM), utilities and pirated games that worked on versions up to 1.5 will not work. It may however just be a matter of time before people exploit some buffer overflow in the new browser or other design flaws.
Now back to the garden and reading /. on the Sony Playstation Portable (PSP).
Update 25/08/05
Comments have been closed. Any more questions see the PSP forum!

Kill Bill vol. 2

I was like a kid on Christmas waiting to see Kill Bill vol. 2. Volume 1 with its roaring soundtrack and cool characters had left me wanting so much more.
Vol. 2. starts of with a flashback to that interrupted wedding. The various characters are presented in much more detail and more time is spent on each one of them.
We are shown how the bride acquired her skills through some harsh training. She picks up two martial arts techniques that will save her life twice.
The movie has a very slow pace, especially compared to part one. Maybe this is why it was such a disappointment for me. The Japanese influence was replaced with gritty surroundings of some Texas outback.
While I loved the soundtrack in part one, the soundtrack was non-existent in this one.
Some hard core Tarantino fans will argue that the second part was more true to his style; volume one was more a tribute to Asian movie making. I however found volume 2 to be artificially pro-longed.
One special edition I would like to see is one 3 hour movie where volume 2 has been cut down majorly. Just my ¢2.