PSP downgrader for firmware 3.50 released

Posted by multippt

Fanjita and co (the Noobz team) in just a short space of a few days since their latest discovery of the Illuminati exploit have released their downgrader. This downgrader allows you to downgrade from the official firmware, 3.50, to lower firmwares like 1.50.

Why downgrade you may ask? Older firmwares have greater support for homebrew. This downgrader is tailored for firmware 3.50, so if you want to downgrade your PSP which is at a firmware lower than 3.50 (and higher than 2.80), you will need to update your PSP to that version. The downgrader will automatically detect the correct motherboard type to downgrade the PSP appropriately.

Note that if you downgrade a TA-082 (or tA-086) PSP with this downgrader, you may not be able to update to the latest version, since firmwares past 3.11 (3.30 onwards) will have checks that prevent downgraded PSP using new motherboards from updating (the problem is some corrupted registry values). However, you can use new custom firmwares (like the OE series).

To use the downgrader, you will need:
-A PSP, with official firmware 3.50. The language settings should also be set to “English”.
-A legal copy of Lumines, either the Europe or US version.

The instructions for using the downgrader is provided in the “readme” text file.

As with any downgrader, there is a risk that you may accidentally render your PSP unusable, so always read the readme.

In addition to the downgrader, they have released a port of HEN (Homebrew ENabler), which allows the execution of homebrew on 3.50.

You can get the downgrader from Noobz.

Sony comfirms faster PSP CPU speed in firmware 3.50

Posted by multippt

A Sony Computer Entertainment representative has comfirmed that developers of games can take full advantage of the PSP’s CPU, following the release of firmware 3.50.

Originally, the PSP’s CPU speed was capped at a lower speed (266MHz), and usually homebrew was used (way before the firmware 3.50) to make the PSP run at full CPU speed (333MHz). Faster CPU speed meant that games will run and load much more faster (but at the expense of shorter battery life).

The increase in CPU speed affects newer games designed to make use of this “feature” in firmware 3.50. Older games still continue to run at the lower CPU speed they are originally programmed to run at.

*The change in CPU speed was first reported by Quick Journal members.

DNScoop updates

Posted by multippt

DNScoop has just updated its homepage. The homepage now shows latest domains for sale, as well as latest developed sites for sale, instead of simply a textbox where one would be able to get an appraised value of a domain.

The appraisal system was also changed (a few months ago, shortly after a pagerank update). Though, the appraisal system will fail against domains which cannot have their age determined (it will not give an appraised value). This problem would affect sub-domains of normal domains.

Adobe reader 8.1

Posted by multippt

Adobe has just recently released a small update to it’s PDF viewer. The update contains mainly of bugfixes.

Features added:
-Improve Windows Vista support
-Improved forms performance
-Acrobat 8 3D support
-Integrated FedEx Kinko’s Print Online
-Several bugfixes

You can download Adobe Reader 8.1 here.
More information on the update can be found at Adobe TechNote.

Firefox 2.0.0.4

Posted by multippt

Firefox has just undergone an update. This update basically has some small changes.

The changes are as followed:
-Security fixes
-Increased Windows Vista support
-New languages

This update was made available 2 days ago (can be accessed via “Check for updates”).

PSP official firmware 3.50

Posted by multippt

Sony has just brought up a new update (for the US) for the PSP. This time it’s firmware 3.50.

This firmware was released just yesterday (the US version was released hours after the Japan one), and an increase of 0.10 in firmware revision number tells us it’s going to add some nice features, and so it does.

Here are the features:
-Ability to connect the PSP to the PS3 via the internet (using “Remote Play”)
-New option in “Remote Play” (”Communication Settings”)
-New option in “RSS Channel” (”RSS Channel Guide”)

This firmware does not support homebrew (as usual), and once you upgrade to this firmware, you cannot downgrade to any earlier versions (for now).

Via PSP official US site

*We missed out the PS3’s firmware 1.80, but you can view the PS3 site to get more information as well.

Windows Vista Betas to expire today

Posted by multippt

The Windows Vista betas would expire today, 31st May 2007.

 If you want to save your data, you would need to upgrade/reformat your betas. Windows Vista Beta 2 requires a clean install, Windows Vista RC1 and RC2 could use an inplace upgrade (if you upgrade to Windows Vista ultimate) or clean install (you get to save about US$200) with the Windows Vista upgrades in the final release (RTM).

The in-place upgrade preserves all your data, while clean install will erase all your files and “repair” all settings [if needed].

Note that after this day, users of these betas would only be able to log in for 2 hours at any time to retrieve/backup data. After the 2 hours, the computer running the beta will shut down (without providing the opportunity to save data). During this period of time, you might be able to upgrade your beta to the final copy of Windows Vista (but, it is recommended that you have already upgraded the operating system earlier than the 31st of May). The 2 hour login sessions would be available for a while after the 31st of May for a limited amount of time (up till the 28th of August 2007).