PSP homebrew Tagged Stories

The makers of the PSP, Sony have announced that PSP piracy is on decline from the last few months. The company says that more and more people are opting for original PSP content. This may be because of the reduction in the price of the original UMDs or because of the fact that the PSP 3000 is comparatively harder to hack. However Sony has not specified any reason for this decline

The company’s officials are tracing the online forums and they concluded that there is a virtual war going on between the original game developers of officially licenced games, like Steel Horizon, and the homebrew content makers. According to the company the consumers too are supporting the original content developers, which is a nice thing but as usual the other side remains stubborn and in justifies the pirated content.

Sony’s marketing guy John Koller said, “We’ve made really no secret. Certainly has been some piracy on the PSP. We’ve seen that as a significant issue - it’s trending down right now, we’ve seen the piracy not be as such prevalent in the last month to two months. We’ve noticed there’s kind of a ‘good v/s evil’ battle that we track on many of the forums and many of the pirated websites. There are certainly people that are standing up and fighting for what we consider the good side, the rights of developers and publishers to make money on their IP. And then there’s certainly the other side that believes that they can take as warranted. It’s kind of been nice to see other consumers going and help and fight the battle for us.”

But will this actually eliminate piracy? Many gamers feel ‘NO’. The recent example regarding this is the Datel releasing a new device that allows the users to alter the PSP 3000 firmware and play homebrew games on it.

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The Sony PSP is getting an upgrade from its homebrew developers. The focus is now on making the PSP a touch screen enabled device and calling it the iPSP. Up until now PSP homebrew developers have successfully integrated a touch screen keypad into the PSP. They have designed a special keyboard that works on the commands of fingertips and stylus. This keyboard will be available on the Internet for download soon. Apart from this keyboard you will also find additional software code, which has to be installed on your PSP to make it touch screen compatible. However, this is not an easy task and must be done very carefully. Also, it will void the warranty of the console. So, one has to try it at his/her own risk.

The homebrew developers are now aiming to further enhance the touch screen capability of the PSP and are now finding a touch screen solution which will help one play games and access the handheld’s other functions, like music, or photos, all with the stylus. This will also lead to the modifications in the PSP games and the internal hardware and firmware so that they can be made compatible with touch screen operations. While some PSP fans believe that it cannot be possible, the others claim it can be achieved.

Overall, if successful, it would be a great revolution for PSP fans. Once the PSP is transformed into a hundred percent touch screen console then it can be used and enjoyed in the same way the NDS Lite is used. However to enable the touch screen in the PSP an additional screen has to be fit on to its original display, which takes much of the charm. So, it will definitely take some effort to make your PSP touch screen capable, but it is definitely possible.

(1 votes, average: 4 out of 5)

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We all must have at some time or the other encountered the game named Sudoku. With the success of its previous version developer, EvilDooinz who also created the PSP WOL or Wake-on-LAN homebrew, has announced that SudokuZen Release 2 is now available for download. So all game players who feel a need to solve this mystery puzzle, can begin downloading immediately. As its name of course suggests, this homebrew is actually a PSP version of the highly popular Sudoku, which is a number puzzle originally created by Howard Garns in 1979.

The game’s rules are as follows:

• Fill in the grid so that the numbers 1 through 9 appears in each row.
• Similarly fill in the grid so that the numbers 1 through 9 appears in each column. Again fill in the grid so that the numbers 1 through 9 appears in each 3×3 box.
• A complete Sudoku puzzle comprises the numbers 1 through 9 in every row, column, and 3×3 box.
• A number of minor updates and new themes still need to update in SudokuZen Release 2.
• How to play? This question can be answered as you look into all the details of controls and other important information regarding the game available in the file bundle’s read me file. As you download this game, just be careful as your Sony PSP can be harmed against various viruses and also be sure to download the file bundle as is appropriate to your PSP’s firmware.

The PSP is hugely successful and obviously a major reason for this success is the popularity of its games. The entire gaming world thrives on this highly sophisticated gaming console. It keeps you glued to it and provides you with unlimited fun. SudokuZen is a great mind boggler which will enhance your capability in solving mysteries. There a lot of games which give you fun but the addicting Sudoku is surely something special to look forward to.

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Everyone is talking about the PSP and what a nifty gadget it is, but then here is a fresh look on some of the things you can do with your PSP without getting too technical (we like to get straight to the point here).

1. Change the look of the PSP entirely: This is one of the coolest things you can do to your PSP. Change the way it looks by using pre-fabricated skins or decals. They are available for purchase from various retail points or even online. Amazon itself has thousands of listings and we haven’t started talking about eBay and the online shopping stores.
2. Surf the Web: I am sure you know that your PSP is internet surfing- ready. You could use the wide screen feature of the PSP and its innate internet browsing prowess to surf the web, read news directly, download files, music, MP3s, listen to the radio, or just check your email. All of that can be done with your PSP, turning the device into something of a mini-computer.
3. Read books: Earlier we covered the fact that you could even browse, download and read some of the books available online on your PSP. Some of the formats like PDF and the like are easy enough, but there are some large files that would have been a problem — even these can be read on the PSP. Some of the sites mentioned before have loads of Literature content that you can actually download and read.

Some of the applications come with the Sony’s handheld and most of them can be picked up from the homebrew community. With a live and thriving community of rabid PSP fans and equally enthusiastic developers, there is just no limit to what you can do with your PSP.

(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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Homebrews are the juice of the PSP community. An ever-growing suite of all applications that are almost free and what’s more you have a thriving community to back you up with any technical problems you might face. Much better than some commercial software available, we must admit. There are lots and lots of such homebrew applications that can literally change the capabilities of your PSP overnight, but you should look to the very best for starters. Please do note that you must have homebrew-capable firmware on your PSP for these applications to run. Also, note that Sony doesn’t support your homebrews and you bear all risk after voiding your warranty.

Do you smell something? — The Wifi Sniffer : How about letting your PSP sniff around and pick up other PSPs nearby? Won’t it be fun to check them out and monitor your status? This homebrew works only with firmware 1.50. You can also use this application to connect to open networks and take your PSP online.

Your PSP as a remote control: Ever wanted to have a single remote control for everything you wanted to operate. You can now do so by using this homebrew and the PSP’s infrared port. A cool application to control most of your other electronic gadgets with and there are detailed guides and tutorials to help to install and run it. This application also requires firmware 1.50.

Always be connected with AFKIM (Away from keyboard Instant Messenger): It is an instant messenger program for PSP and is almost universal — in the sense that it can handle MSN, Gtalk, Yahoo Messenger, AOL and more. You can’t get more connected that this, can you? So, like its name says, if you’re away from your keyboard, you can still instant message with your PSP. Guess what? It seems to work with version 2.0 firmware — the one that your Latest PSP comes with.

(2 votes, average: 2.5 out of 5)

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This is a continuation of our previous posts on some of the best Homebrews for the PSP ever. Most of these applications are not functional on every firmware and you need to take care when installing them because Sony doesn’t give you a warranty if something were to happen to your PSP after using a homebrew (not that it is bound to happen, but it is just a warning) .

Here are some amazing homebrew applications that can change your PSP overnight.

Share your snaps with PSpoof: How would like to share your photos with another PSP, seamlessly - like you do with Bluetooth on a cell phone? PSpoof is an awesome application that uses the PSP’s Photo Sharing function to send any file (under 2 MB) from your PSP’s Memory Stick to another PSP.

PSP as a web server?- PSP-httpd : How cool is that? You can turn your PSP into a portable web server and this would let you browse your PSP’s files wirelessly from your PC or laptop, cell phone or any other wireless enabled device. What’s more, you could even host a website or a blog and run it straight from your PSP.

Want radio on your PSP? –PSPRadio: It is a music player for PSP, but it’s more than just an MP3 player (though it does that, too). Using the Wi-fi capabilities of the PSP, you can tap into the infinite number of music radio stations available online and listen to all of that music with this nifty application. It just works like it would if you connected your PC to the online radio station and check some great numbers out.

The Internet has become a great avenue for enthusiastic communities like PSP and PSP homebrew to thrive and help each other; and better still, make the PSP more popular than what it was intended to be.

(2 votes, average: 3.5 out of 5)

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Homebrew is the raving rebel community that thrives to make your PSP stretch beyond its capabilities and do things that you never thought your PSP would do. Games, utility software, and a lot of other applications are coded and made underground so as to make your PSP a truly versatile animal. It is much like an open source community full of enthusiastic PSP aficionados.

However, Homebrew isn’t a new phenomenon. It started with the now ubiquitous PC– in the form of freeware and shareware applications– and then moved on to many other systems. More recently we have homebrew communities for the iPhone, Gameboy Advance, Xbox, cell phones, and every other gadget ever made. Sony’s Playstation Portable has plenty of these stealth developers working away furiously on a wide range of Interesting applications.

An extract from an article from about.com on how Homebrew is made possible:

“The first Japanese PSPs were sold with firmware version 1.00, which could run unsigned code (that is, programming code that was not “signed” or approved by Sony or a Sony-authorized
When the firmware was updated to version 1.50 (the version that the earliest North American machines were released with), homebrew was slightly more difficult, but thanks to an exploit it is also possible to run unsigned code on PSPs with this version. In fact, version 1.50 is considered to be the best firmware for running homebrew, as it can run all homebrews without major problems. (Unfortunately, many newer games require at least version 2.00 to run, but a way has been found to make a 1.50 machine look like a 2.xx machine to a game.) “

Now is homebrew good or bad? There is really no way to tell. While scores of PSP users are happy playing what is available, there are just as many people who would always want more. Greed is universal and it hasn’t spared the PSP community. There are people who want more and the more adventurous types crave to make their PSPs beyond mere gaming devices. Bad it certainly isn’t. Sony isn’t happy about it, but there is nothing they can do. Rather, theys should perhaps join the forces since it can’t beat it.

(2 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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The great thing about homebrew is it gives everyone the freedom to develop their own software, and one excellent consequence of this is the huge array of different and interesting games being produced. People seem particularly fond of porting classics, like the Game&Watch Parachute title. It is based on a Nintendo game from 1984, named parachute, and now a clever developer has brought it back to life for the PSP. The gaming concept is very simple: save the paratroopers from drowning. Game and Watch might say nothing to you, but it is in fact the predecessor to Nintendo’s Game Boy and, dare we say, one of the founders in handheld gaming. Now of course games from this mythical console can be enjoyed on the PSP, thanks to homebrew.

However, there are many other interesting new games, including another throwback called Beaverzpsp. As the name already signifies, the game has to do with beavers and the game play is similar to games like Arkanoid. The beaver hops around on your screen and you have to make sure it doesn’t fall below the screen and die. The sound remains somewhat poor, but the developer, Kenny.psp, has promised to fix that in an update. A readme is also missing, but it is installed in the same manner as all other homebrews.

The old school games just keep on coming, and Tank Attack 2 V1 provides some excellent PSP entertainment for two players. In fact, two players can even play on the same PSP, which is very practical when there is only one PSP around for two people. You simply turn the PSP sideways and one person uses the key pad to control their tank, while the other person uses the arrows. The goal is of course to destroy your opponent’s tank first. It’s a nice game to play with friends during downtime at school and work.

(1 votes, average: 3 out of 5)

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There are many numerous benefits to hacking your PSP and perhaps the best is using all the different homebrew applications that then become available. New homebrews are being released daily, and we will offer a recap of some of our favourites from the last few days. The first is PSP Maps 1.0, which essentially turns your PSP into a GPS device. The second is the unofficial adhoc messenger version 2.6, that makes communicating with friends via your PSP easier than ever. And finally, the last useful application that we’ll be detailing is PreSS v0.3, which allows you to read your RSS feeds with the PSP.

The 1.0 version of PSP maps was released yesterday. This homebrew allows one to access Google maps via WLAN on the PSP. Using Yahoo Maps and Virtual Earth is now also possible. The already examined map segments can then be saved on a memory stick for viewing later.

Changes:

• Google Moon
• Google Mars
• Google Sky
• Various bug fixes
• Small fine tuning

It is available for download here.

A new version of Adhoc Messenger was released by the developer “Aldostools”. As the name suggests, you can use the messenger to communicate with other PSP users via adhoc. The developer did not actually originally develop the homebrew, but he has helped to further develop the open source application. Despite the similarities with fundamental functions, some new features have been added.

Changes:

• Media player (supports MP3, MOD, XM, S3M, IT, 669, etc)
• Lyrics from songs can be displayed (only in the offline mode) when a text file with the same name as the music file is located in the ms0: / LYRICS folder
• 8 visualisations (if no text file is available)
• File browser (copying, erasing, renaming)
• Text editor with text scrolling and the ability to add or delete lines (supports TXT, LUA, INI and JS)
• Picture viewer (supports JPG and PNG)
• PBP and ISO files can be started
• USB connection (with a memory stick, flash 0-3)
• Ability to start and shutdown the PSP
• User names can be saved and shown in the history
• PSP users can be notified when a user goes online
• Two languages available (Spanish and English)
• GUI imitates the MSN Messenger
• The source code is not encrypted

You can also view this programme as a shell application. You can simply see for yourself.

The next application, namely PreSS, allows you to read RSS feeds with your PSP. With the new version it is now possible to read so-called ATOM feeds. Different websites are actually based on these ATOM feeds. With this tool you are always up to date.

Other changes:

• The PSP Slim is now supported
• WPA and other encryptions are no longer a problem
• MP3 download and playback
• MP4 and AVC video download
• The XML standard has been added
• Faster feed saving
• Large pictures are supported

It is available for download at its homepage.

(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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PSP is gaining popularity now-a-days among youngsters, and PSP hacking is a process we ought to know something about.

Ripping a PSP UMD

PSP fillers can be used for dumping UMD directly to the memory stick which creates an ISO-9660 compliant image so there is no need for USB port connection. There is one point to remember before playing that “No UMD” mode is to be set. This ripping process is really worth as there is no need for switching the USB DEVICE to UMD Disc and then copying the data from UMD to PC and then into the ISO folder.

Running a multiplayer game with only one UMD game disk is quite challenging and is perhaps the best of all hacks!

1.50 Kernel-enabled homebrew, on PSP having custom firmware 3.90 M33 is released now. How exciting! How to upgrade is really cool! Copying the folder to PSP/GAME and executing it does all. There are also 1.50 Kernel Add-ons v2 updates available which you must be aware of:-

Firstly there is an added support for memory sticks that have memory more than 4 GB. There is also a download available for Add-on v2 for 3.90 M33 at the following URL: http://www.psp-hacks.com/file/1414. Secondly the black out which appeared when recovering from sleep mode is now fixed.

Our discussion on PSP hacks would be incomplete if we do not talk about PSP 3.51 M33 Custom Firmware that’s out now! It contains the best of both the worlds- the “Homebrews” and “Sony”. If you encounter problems with your WIFI on homebrews then this firmware package suits your requirements. There are few links which can really help you:-

http://www.psp-hacks.com/file/1200 (with WiFi fix)

http://www.psp-hacks.com/category/60

http://www.psp-hacks.com/category/43

Do you know that we can actually use PSP for saving Xbox games too! A word of caution! Before continuing with the entire process, please do create a back up of your PSP saves or else you may end up in a severe loss!! The process is really simple:-

Fetch a USB adapter for the Xbox controller and after firing the Xbox go the memory area. After that a connection of PSP USB cable is required to USB controller adapter. Let the PSP be in USB mode and after that when Xbox detects it the next step is “Erase”.

Now you are ready to copy any Xbox game to your PSP. Isn’t the process so simple and exciting!

If you are still lacking in Xbox games to copy then consider a price comparison site to help you select the right games.

(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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