Sony announced the release date today of the next firmware update for American Playstation Portables. Beginning August 12, 2005, users can download Firmware Upgrade 2.0, which gives westerners a web browser, photo sharing options, a customizable interface, broader network connectivity, and a few tweaks to the audio and video play back.
The release is going to include all the features that the Japanese got last week in their nifty upgrade. Sony recommends that if you have an American PSP and you downloaded the Japanese software, that you go ahead and download the American version. Operating under the Japanese 2.00 update on your American PSP voids its' warranty. In this case, the Japanese software is said to fall under the category of "unauthorized software." The 2.0 update has now been tested and authorized for use American PSPs specifically, and the NA version to be released will be fully authorized for use with your PSP.
There's no official word, but we're expecting Sony to populate the web with a few PSP-sized websites that view easy on the screen. They did it with the Japanese update, offering Sony sites that gave product info about the PSP. Sony has also mentioned that the 2.0 update will be made available (and, by that, will be required) in select PSP games released this fall.
Users will be able to download the update directly to their PSP through the Network Update feature under settings. An 802.11b hotspot connection is required for this option. Users can also download the upgrade file to their PC from link , and then upload it to their PSP through USB.
There will probably be a lot of people downloading the upgrade by USB, from what I've been hearing, if they got the Japanese version, it messed up their Network Update. Sounds like they're gonna give the people who jumped ahead not knowing it would void their warranty, a chance to overwrite the Japanese version with the English version. I wonder if people from Japan will try d/l the English version to theirs to see if it fixes some bugs that were in theirs....(just some food for thought)
One thing about this article I don't understand kinda bugs me though. It says that if you put the Japanese version on the US PSP that it voids your warranty. Well I called Sony yesterday, wondering if I should get the update from the Japanese site until the English version came out. The rep told me that it WOULDN'T void the warranty. I don't know though, they might have changed their minds sometime between late afternoon yesterday and this morning.
When I contacted Sony they, too, said that installing the japanese 2.0 patch would not void the warranty:
"If you have downloaded the 2.0 firmware update from Sony Computer EntertainmentcJapan's official website it will not void your warranty and it should not have any other negativecramifications.
However, if you require further support, please contact Sony Computer Entertainment" - link
I still have the e-mail from their tech support person in my inbox. Can they make ad hoc changes regarding what will and will not void the warranty like that? Could they say that if the user consumes fish their PSP warranty is void?
Lmao. Well, someone would have to read the warranty. I wouldn't doubt they'd have something in there about certain things being subject to change. But its hard to say if the firmware update is unauthorized software (for the US PSPs anyway). Sure it was made by Sony, which makes it authorized software. But at the same time, it was from the Japan site...They will probably do what they want. But since the US version will be able to overwrite the Japanese version, I don't see it being a problem. From what this article says, when the US version comes out, if you over write the Japanese version, then you won't have to worry about anything. Just seems like a good idea to do it anyway, US version will probably have some of the bugs fixed and will be easier to get Customer Support.
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