So people who has been waiting for an update for VBAnext, we know we have been waiting for it.  This update has FBO and custom scaling working along with more revisions and fixes than you can shake a stick at.  You can view all the revisions here, the .pkg you can get from the download link below is rev 7a1e9f627f21.

There you have it, you can finally sink your teeth into some Gameboy games with dual shaders.  Thanks to the good folks at Homebrew Cafe for all the work they have done since the last unofficial build was released.

Download

Source VIA Elotrolado

PNM Project member No_One is off on his holidays for 3 weeks. Now that isn’t the sort of news we usually bother posting (even when the scenes quieter than a church mouse) but it looks like he’s been busy before he does his packing.

Using his PNM board (an open-hardware and open-source board allows NOR chips from the PS3 to be dumped and possibly allow dual booting PS3s) he is a step closer to obtaining the current holy grail of the PS3, the long elusive 3.6+ keys.

It will be sometime before all information is dumped and even longer before 3.6+ CFW see’s the light of day, but it’s a lot closer than it was just a couple of weeks ago.

Keep an eye on PS3SAGA for more news as we get it.

Hi mates,

I’m going to be on vacations for 3 weeks.
I just wanted to tell you that PNM project will be stopped during this period.

But, i’ve some great news for you.
I successfully dumped a 3.60 NOR flash using one of the socket !
The second socket has been validated too.
We are not far from our main goal : “jailbreak again the PS3″ !

Here are some snapshots :
- host console with a new feature (NOR FLASH details…),
- PNM with a NOR Flash on Socket #1,
- an extract of the 3.60 NOR dump as a proof

Cheers

No_One

Source

This is being reported as a fake, as I said I haven’t tried it so am unable to confirm either way. It is probably best for users to ignore for now and wait for Project PROGSKEET to become retail or go the infectus route.

Thanks to user Guest_1651 I bring you (pre 17th Feb 2009) PS3 owners good news. Clever so and so’s at thetechgame.com have found a way to downgrade PS3′s (made before the 17th February 2009) to OFW 3.21, meaning of course where you go from there is entirely up to you (REBUG anybody?)

The method is pretty long winded and will NOT, currently work on PS3′s made AFTER February 17th 2009 (did I mention that already?), also the only “registration codes” (the code that corresponds to the firmware you want to end up on) made public at the moment are for phats but slim ones are available by PM’ing the author of the original forum post here.

There are some issues to take in mind first though:

You need 2 wireless controllers and cables for each

You need 2 4gb (NO SMALLER) usb sticks

You need a CD or old game (they don’t say how old but I’m guessing the older the better, or just stick to your bon jovi best of album)

You probably want someone with you, to keep pressing O, and call an ambulance when your heart gives out from the stress of possibly killing your lovely PS3.

I haven’t tried it myself as I’m still on 3.51 but from other members of thetechgame.com it seems to work.

I’m not going to post the tutorial here as I figure if you can’t even find the link to it above you will no doubt screw your PS3 up :p

If any of you guys try it please let us know how it goes, and follow the instructions to the T.

It has been talked about for some time but it finally looks like Sony are fighting back against the evil second hand games market.

An image of the new PS3 Resistance3 bundle has been posted online and it shows a nasty little logo for “PSN PASS” and the words “Network features only available in countries that have PlayStation Store.”

IGN contacted Sony for clarification and were told the following:

“We are always evaluating new programs for our online offering, and starting with Resistance 3 this September, we will be instituting a network pass program for PS3 games with online capabilities,” the spokesperson said. “This program will be game-specific. Games that are a part of this program will include a single-use registration code that grants the account holder redeeming the code full online access for that title.

“This is an important initiative as it allows us to accelerate our commitment to enhancing premium online services across our first party game portfolio.”

If you buy a used copy of the game (and the PSN PASS code has been used also) you’ll have to log into the PSN store and give those hard working guys and girls at Sony (notice my sarcasm) some more cash or it’s single player only for you.

I presume this will also mean Sony can start making some $s out of the pirate game scene, although it is yet to be seen how much of this will actually go to the creators of the game and how much to Sony themselves.

Personally if Resistance3 is anything like Resistance2 then good luck to them, it was a terrible game, but that might just be my COD spoilt game sense.

Do you like windows high contrast theme? Well it will soon be your lucky day! Sony is in the midst of testing a new look and revamped PSN interface.

It appears Sony have listened to it’s users (first time for everything I guess) and decided to fix the text heavyness of the current layout. Currently in the “market-testing” stage (you know, focus groups etc) the new de-cluttered look has been quoted as “an aesthetic layout with logically marked sections and rolodex lists”. Replacing the frankly boring old blue feel with ” ultra bright colours on a black background.”, I could be picturing it wrongly but that does sound a little like “high contrast” to me.

The look is thought to borrow more than a little from IMDB with tabs of extra information on films and games on the right that allow the user to click through to more information on things like genre, publisher, developer, etc for games and actor, director, etc, etc for movies.

All I can really say is, as long as you keep users details secure and don’t act like power hunger nutters I don’t really care how PSN looks, maybe just me though.

Surprise, surprise, after my report earlier on the brand new CECH-3000 model, i missed some bits of interesting piece on Sony’s Japan official website. Recently, a report has discovered an added PS2 compatibility feature on the translated page of the new PS3 slim console. Specifically it says in the notes at the bottom of the CECH-3000B model page that:

“This product, “PlayStation 2″ are having a compatibility with proprietary software.”

It could just be a bad mistranslation from Google, or it may be Sony bringing back backwards compatibility now that their team of engineers know how to do it in software for PS3. Or, they pay Cobra USB for the code which the Chinese dongle maker would take because they’re cheap.

PS2 compatibility came as standard on the original PS3 due to the inclusion of the Emotion Engine chip. But with the revamped design on the new models, that chip was removed and with it, the PS2 video games compatibility gone.

Bringing back PS2 compatibility would be a great move for Sony. Their PR kind of, heading towards the bottom lately due to their breached PSN security, and they had already disappoint a lot of hardcore gamers as well as their long time users by removing the ability to play PS2 games from the PS3. Giving it a new life again on PS3 would be another feature Sony could promote with, and those still in love with their library of PS2 games might decide to sell their current PS3 console and get this new one instead.

We can expect for some announcements as Sony will confirm whether or not PS2 compatibility is included with the system later on as more mainstream news sites start asking about it. My gut feeling is this feature is indeed what we’re be looking forward to in the future, and I’m hoping it stays as it is.

UPDATE: soulbicycle, a Japanese PS3 user has confirmed that the correct translation is “This product, “PlayStation 2″ are having a compatibility “without” proprietary software.” So yeah, we won’t see a PS2 backward compatibility after all..

Deank the inexhaustible DEV over at the psx-scene has released another amazing improvement to MultiMAN.   The most maintained/updated piece of homebrew on the PS3 Scene.   This App is a Back-up Manager, FTP, and File Manager.  It has PS3 Showtime built-in. It has built in support for 5 awesome emulators.  The XMMB Display mode is amazing.  The Themes are top quality.  Deank and other’s devotion to furthering Deank’s hobby project is apparent in all the quality of the work put in to this amazing program.

MultiMAN 2.01.00 Changelog:

———————————————————————————–

2.01.01-
* Grouping by Genre for Game/Favorite Columns (SQUARE)
* Grouping by Emulator Type for Retro column (SQUARE)
* Grouping by title name (alphabetically) for Music column (SQUARE) and for Game, Favorites, Retro columns (SELECT+SQUARE)
* Info pop-up during music playback
* Removed duplicate entries (by name) in Photo and Music XMMB columns
* BD Remote: [SLOW<<]/[SLOW>>] will change playback volume
* BD Remote: [BLUE] will switch to File Manager and back
* BD Remote: [GREEN] will turn on the Screensaver
* SELECT+START will switch to File Manager and back

—————————————————————————————

The man is unstoppable and i can’t what to see what he will think of next!

Source PSX-SCENE

Downloads:

==================

BDEMU2

==================

For 3.41/3.55 KM/RB/MFW

MultiMAN 2.01.00 Full

Emulator Pack

MultiMAN 2.01.00 Update – Install after 2.01.00 full

===================

For 3.55 GH/WT
MultiMAN 2.01.00 Full GH/WT

Emulator Pack GH/WT

MultiMAN 2.01.00 Update GH/WT – install after 2.01.00 full

====================

Ubisoft CEO, Yves Guillemot told GamesIndustry.biz that Microsoft and Sony will be getting the much needed “pressure” after the recent price cuts from Nintendo for the Wii consoles, and that similar strategies would help push the console gaming market that is currently shooting their way down.

“The UK is declining quite fast,” he said. “It’s declining, if we don’t take into account the digital revenue.

“This year they will continue to drop the price,” he added of both Sony and Microsoft.

This is not the first time we heard of Sony’s price cuts this year on the PlayStation 3. Before this, similar stories has been reported that includes new security driven PS3 models revision solidifying the current epic fail loophole.

The infamous “Epic Fail” tagline in subject to PS3′s massive bug has first been outlined by fail0verflow last year followed by other prominent scene developers such as George Hotz and Mathieulh.

You’re wrong, that’s not typo, what? Oh, i mean the word GAEMS G155, the first strange word is an official name for this special portable gaming system that will serve both Xbox 360 and PS3 console addicts who doesn’t seem to like the idea of leaving their beloved console at home.

If you’re going to be as creepy as them below, you can shoot your pre-orders now at major online hardware retailers (GameStop, Amazon, NewEgg) where the shipping starts as early as June 23rd and onwards. So, you ask me what makes this GAEMS G155 portable gaming system so..i don’t know, different? Maybe if you look closely at the unique custom fit design, it delivers the much needed security protection for your precious gaming console whenever you are on the go, and also, it will come with a customized short HDMI cable.

Yeah, we look retarded aren't we?

The new revolution of gaming environment will cater exclusively for both Xbox 360 and PS3 owners, set gorgeously with a 15.5″ LED HD display, component stereo speakers, dual headphone jacks and sufficient internal storage to put away your controllers, power supplies, and an PlayStation 3 slim console or Xbox 360, your choice.

The downside from this madness is that you would need to be within vicinity of a power supplies to take part on the GAEMS G155 adventure party, while others who think that the $299.99 asking retail price is a bit too expensive, you might want to consider other graphically proven alternatives such as a Sony PlayStation Vita or Nintendo 3DS.

I’m not sure if this news will tickle your gentleman sausage but the Mass Effect series executive producer, Casey Hudson has confirmed the following in game options in his recent tweet.

Happy to confirm #ME3 supports wider options for love interests incl. same-sex for m&f chars, reactive to how you interact w/them in-game.

In addition to that, he has squashed the rumors that previously “straight” characters are now available for both male and female options.

Some game sites saying “previously straight chars now available for both m&f chars” not necessarily true. Will have some new LI’s in #ME3

Previously, Hudson has said that there will be no new love interest for our Captain Shepherd other than the ones in ME 1 and 2. Don’t be mistaken with it though, the new installment of course, has other characters for other part of the RPG based action game. You can read further explanation from Hudson below courtesy of his interview with PC Gamer:

In this one, we don’t really have new characters that are part of the romance stuff in the way that we did in Mass Effect 2, where we introduced a lot of characters…But we also have some interesting things happening, where you’ve got Ashley and Kaiden from the first game, you’ve got Liara, and there’s sort of a love triangle there. And then we gave people a bunch of new characters. People said “Well, I just want my Mass Effect 1 characters, and I’m not interested in any of these characters.” But then a lot of people had romances with those characters, and now the fun is bringing back some of those characters from Mass Effect 1 and putting them back in the mix, and looking at what you did in Mass Effect 2 and bringing some… interesting scenarios around those things.

Mass Effect 3 is scheduled for a release next year and will mark the third and final trilogy of the successful Mass Effect video games series.