According to Sony Japan a new Play Station Portable (PSP) firmware 3.80 will be accessible for download on December 18th. Quick translation of the text leads to the following updates:

• You can now schedule 1Seg TV tuner to record your favorite show at a certain time (similar to Tivo). This feature will only work on the new slim (PSP-2000).
• PSP will now support streaming audio through the internet connection.
• PlayStation Spot is now also available at BB Mobile Point (only in Japan).
• You can now do a scene-search in video (search for beginning of each scene or clip). This is under the video feature.
• RSS will now support opml file. You can subscribe to multiple channels which is saved in opml file. And now, RSS will also support picture (photo).

The PSP Extended Life Battery Kit will work on both the old and new PSP-1000 and PSP-2000 models. This 2200mAh battery will offer 20% more battery life on the older models, and 80% more life on the new slim line. This battery will bulge out slightly on the slimmer PSP systems, so new battery covers will be included. However, those with Star Wars Ceramic White systems are out of luck: doesn't appear a new battery cover is being made for that particular model. The peripheral will be available in mid-December for a MSRP of $44.99.

Sony Corp said today sales in Japan of the new PlayStation Portable PSP-2000 game gear reached 1 million units in the two months since its launch, hitting the 1 million mark at a quicker pace than the original model. The new version, which is about 19 percent thinner and 33 percent lighter than the original, reached the milestone in just two months after its September 20th release in Japan. The original PSP needed an additional two weeks for the same amount, Sony says in a press release here.

Sony Computer Entertainment America has just launched the PSP version of the online PlayStation Store, allowing PSP owners to download everything from full-fledged PSP games to demos and themes. PC users can access the online marketplace from store.playstation.com. Those with an account for the PS3's online store can use their existing login, and downloaded content is transferred to an attached PSP via the PlayStation Network Downloader program available on the site. Initial offerings include downloadable versions of SCE Studio Liverpool's already-released Wipeout Pure and Gangs of London, at $14.99 and $19.99 respectively, as well as the $9.99 PlayStation Store-exclusive Syphon Filter: Combat Ops multiplayer game and free demos of Slant Six's SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Tactical Strike and Sony Bend's Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow. SingleTrac's Twisted Metal 2 and Insomniac's Spyro the Dragon, both of which were released for the original PlayStation, are also available for $5.99, and represent the only two titles to appear in both the PSP and the PlayStation 3's online stores.

A brand-new PSP system software update version 3.70 is available now through Sony's Network Update feature. The new additions of 3.70 include:

• You can now set custom themes in [Theme Settings] under [Settings].
• Support has been added for assigning buttons in [Remote Play].
• A scene search feature has been added under [Video].
• Sequential playback is now supported under [Video].
• Simultaneous playback of content under [Music] and [Photo] is now supported.

The update will work with both the original PSP hardware and the newer PSP-2000.

At the Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany, Sony unveiled the new features for it's hand held PSP gaming system. These new features include Go!Video, which allows users in the UK and Ireland to watch video on demand, Go!Explorer which is a GPS navigation package and Go!Messenger which allows web browsing, RSS feeds and use of the PSP camera.

Launching early next year, owners of the Playstation Portable (PSP) in the UK and Ireland will have access to Sky programing through a subscription or pay-per-view basis. A range of content will be made available to download either through a WiFi connection or through the PC. The joint venture between Sony and Sky is the first to bring video on demand to portable devices other than mobile phones. More details will be announced on August 22nd at the Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany.

Sony in an effort to upgrade the usability of psp to more than just a handheld console announced today in Tokyo the availability of a new Tuner addon ( 1Seg compliant only for now ) for which can turn the system into a portable TV that's capable of receiving digital television broadcasts.The TV Tuner will go on sale on 9/20 at a cost of 6,980 yen. It will only be compatible with the new PSP-2000 redesign, so current PSP owners are out of luck.

The specifications for the new PSP have found their way onto the internet, and it's generally good news if you're planning to buy one. Not only will the new version feature a video-out port, but it will have twice as much RAM as the original (64MB compared to 32MB), it can be charged via USB, it uses a 1200mAh battery (compared to 1600mAh on the original but apparently it lasts just as long), it has a WLAN switch on the top and is based on a TA-085 PCB (which apparently is good for homebrew applications). The downsides are that you can't use the original PSP remote with the new model and the AV cable is sold separately. So to sum up, the new PSP will be smaller and quicker.

During a press conference at E3, Kazuo Hirai, chief executive of Sony Computer Entertainment, unveiled an updated version of the Playstation Portable. While the form factor is virtually unchanged it will be 33% lighter and 19% slimmer. The new version will also come with a video-out port. There has been no release date or price announced yet. Sony has sold more than 25 million PSPs worldwide lagging behind Nintendo which has shipped over 40 million DSs.

The latest firmware update for Sony's Playstation Portable, made available last month, officially increases the CPU clock speed from 266 MHz to 333 MHz. While current games will not see any real improvement from the update, games in development will most likely utilize the boost at the cost of decreased battery life. Many enthusiasts were already running the PSP at the increased clock speed.

Critically Acclaimed Warhammer 40,000 Franchise to Make Handheld Debut

AGOURA HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 19, 2007--THQ Inc. (NASDAQ:THQI) today announced Warhammer(R) 40,000: Squad Command(TM) will bring the carnage of the 41st millennium to the popular handheld Nintendo DS(TM) and PSP(R) (PlayStation(R)Portable) systems, scheduled to be released in fall 2007. Taking full advantage of the unique capabilities of the Nintendo DS and PSP, Warhammer 40,000: Squad Command features a new and immersive single-player campaign, along with a robust global multiplayer component.

Nintendo has continued its recent console success throughout May, with the DS taking top spot and the Wii in a comfortable second in terms of sales. The Nintendo DS sold an impressive 423,000 units and the Wii 338,000 units, with the PSP next in line with 221,000 units, ahead of the PlayStation 2's 188,000 units. The PS3 and Xbox 360 are continuing to lag behind, with Sony's latest console on just 82,000 and the Xbox 360 on 155,000 units - the PS3 only beat Game Boy Advance figures by a mere one thousand units. Sales in May totalled $815.5 million, up 49% compared to figures from last year - a strong month for the games industry.

Sony has updated the firmware for the PlayStation Portable, enabling it to use Remote Play - a new feature which lets PSP owners remotely access media stored on their PlayStation 3 consoles. Users can stream videos, music and pictures from their PS3s directly to the PSP, but they can't play games remotely as some may believe from reading the name. Because the data is transferred via the internet it means users can access media on their PS3 from almost anywhere where they can get online, provided that the bandwidth is adequate. To use remote play, you will need to download the 3.50 firmware update for the PSP using the auto update feature, and you will also need the 1.8 PS3 firmware released just over a week ago. The 3.50 firmware update also provides a new RSS Channel Guide, offering improved support for RSS feeds.

Sony previewed an extensive software line up for its PlayStation platforms for the second half of 2007 and early 2008 at a media event in San Diego yesterday. More than 30 games for PS3 game console, including a strong first-party lineup of over ten announced titles, were shown during the event, along with a full library of games and services for PlayStation Portable handheld entertainment system, PS2 computer entertainment system and PLAYSTATION Network. Some of the key new titles for PS3 include: Warhawk, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, Spider-Man 3, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2, Pirates of the Caribbean At World's End, NBA'08 and MLB 07 The Show. Additionally sixteen exclusive titles for PSP from first and third parties were also unveiled at the event, ranging from Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow to God of War: Chains of Olympus and SOCOM:U.S. Navy SEALs Tactical Strike. The full list of games and services can be found at PlayStation.com.

You'd think that after America and Europe get a price cut for the Sony PlayStation Portable, the rest of the world would be entitled to the same treatment. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The Sony market in Australia has no imminent plans of changing the PSP price. Sony claims that they are not changing the price now because they are currently investigating the Australian markets, to figure out exactly what the new price should be set to. Time will tell what's actually going to happen with Sony in Australia.

Following a $30 price cut for the PSP in the USA earlier this month, Sony has now officially reduced the price of the handheld across Europe. The price in the UK will be coming down from £149.99 to £129.99, with the rest of Europe having the price slashed from €199.99 to €169.99. This comes after months of Sony ruling out any price cuts, with the changes being effective from May 4th (a week on Friday). There have also been five new platinum titles launched for the console at £14.99 each - Ridge Racer 2, Tekken: Dark Resurrection, Killzone: Liberation, LocoRoco, and MotoGP. With the DS being sold for £99 in most retailers across the UK, this reduced price gap gives Sony a better chance of competing in the portable consoles' market.

Sony has updated the firmware for its two most recent consoles, with a few improvements for each. The PS3 firmware has been updated to version 1.70, which will enable gamers to play PS1 software purchased from the PlayStation Store (previously only playable on the PSP) and will allow the use of the vibration function of accessories when playing PlayStation and PlayStation 2 titles (not PS3 games unfortunately, but a step forwards). The PlayStation Store still lists all classic titles as being for the PSP, but this may be changed when it's updated later this week. As for the PSP, the firmware has been updated to version 3.40, with the most noticeable changes being improved support for PlayStation Network titles and a changed method for managing certificates under [Game]. Apparently with the new firmware, gamers can share save data between both consoles allowing PS1 titles to be continued on the move and at home.

A Sony spokesperson confirmed to GamesInsdustry.biz that the price for Sony's PlayStation Portable Core package (includes a PSP, the battery and an AC adaptor) was cut to 169.99 US$. Last week the official retail price for the same bundle was 199.99 US$.
Asked for a similar European action the Sony Official said there is nothing like this planned yet.

Two weeks after Ray Maguire, the man in charge at Sony UK, told the world about a smaller and lighter PlayStation Portable he recently admitted Sony decided not to update its mobile gaming solution for now. In the interview with GamesIndustry.biz where Maquire spoke about Sony's recent change of mind he added they are instead focussing on the relationship between the PSP and the PS3. In general this interview, which is the second part already, is more related to the PlayStation 3. Maguire seems to be very talkative throughout the whole questioning - don't miss the first part if you are interested in the console market.

Any fan of the Final Fantasy series has probably heard of Final Fantasy Tactics by now. For anyone who didn't know, Square Enix has been planning a PSP version of the game for some time now. This game will have a feature that every Final Fantasy fan will enjoy: wireless multi-player combat. This will allow two Tactics players to link their PSP's sans cables, and duke it out with their teams of Final Fantasy characters. This PSP version of Tactics, called "Final Fantasy Tactic: The Lion War" will make it's way to Asian market next month, and possibly American market by the end of this year.

Ray Maguire, the managing director of Sony Computer Entertainment UK, confirmed that the current PlayStation Portable will appear in a smaller and lighter version. The overall design will stay the same Hartware.de was told and the price could be lower very likely.
The release date is unknown, a smaller PSP will surely fit nicely in everyone's bags but I hope the display won't get smaller as well.

Update:
Gamesindustry.biz has more details of the story, they say Sony will not change the size of the screen.

People who bought the PS3 got a very nice surprise yesterday, the PSP firmware has been updated. There are no really major changes from version 3.0, but some things to take note of if you do upgrade.

• Streamlined PlayStation Store downloads.
• New Location Free player, which supports MPEG4-AVC.
• The Network part of the Cross Media Bar now features a PlayStation Spot option.
• New "low memory usage" option for the internet browser.
• Dynamic Equalizer to balance audio.

Sony should also be patching a few security issues in this version of PSP firmware, and Spring PSP games should require it.

Sony will offer a video download service in the first quarter of 2007 for its PlayStation Portable (PSP) game device, the Financial Times reported in its online edition. The scheme involves downloading video content to a PC for one-time transfer to a PSP. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment developed the service to work with Sony's memory stick storage platform, the report said. A 4Gb Sony memory stick has the capacity to store 10 feature films. Sony is also negotiating with vendors like Amazon.com, Movielink and CinemaNow to provide the new service.

Sony has started offering old Playstation games for download to Playstation 3 owners. These games are meant for the PSP, so you need to own both to take advantage of this offer. Games cost $5.99 and can be downloaded from the PlayStation Store accessed through the Playstation 3. The current games offered are: Cool Boarders, Crash Bandicoot, Hot Shots Golf 2, Syphon Filter and Tekken 2. Sony will release another wave of games later this month.