Sony has updated the Folding@Home client for the PS3 to version 1.3. The improvements offered by this version are the ability to play music from the hard drive whilst folding and the option to turn-off the console after a specified amount of time or after the current work unit has been completed. Sony has also tweaked the code a little to allow it to handle more complex protein simulations. Version 1.3 requires you to install the recently released 2.10 firmware on your PS3.

If you are unfamiliar with the Folding@Home project, it is run by Stanford University and simulates protein folding in an attempt to find cures for diseases and illnesses including Alzheimer's, BSE, CJD, ALS, Huntington's, Parkinson's disease and a number of cancers. You do not need a PS3 to participate in the project; any computer connected to the internet is capable of running a Folding@Home client. For more information you may wish to look at the Folding@Home website and techPowerUp!'s Folding@Home team.