Russell Beattie talks about the new firmware for Sony’s Playstation Portable. He likes it.
Sony just released a new firmware update v2.6 for the PSP with RSS(!) and Windows Music support. I’m downloading it to try now, but I think this is a pretty cool update. I have to say, besides Sony’s insistence on hammering the homebrew scene, they’ve done good things with the PSP firmware updates, adding a browser, LocationFree support and now this stuff.
As long as there’s not a root-kit installed, then I’m willing to give them two thumbs up! Nice job Sony!
The addition of RSS to this device is something I really wasn’t expecting. It makes perfect sense – the killer app for the browser has been Bloglines mobile, so now that I’ll be able to snag a bunch of feeds right on the device itself before walking out the door? That’s pretty cool.
Waiting…. Okay, it’s installed.
Hehehe. Surprise, surprise. So I immediately went to the “RSS Channel” app and started it up, and it gave me a message that I didn’t have any subscriptions, and asked me if I wanted to open up the browser so I could add some. I said yes, and arrived at this page. Awesome…
Update: 2.6 is very buggy, upgrading is not recommended yet.
I wonder if it works on the News4Neighbors feed…
Engadet says you can download videos directly to your Memory Stick Duo. Some of the rental videos are available at a resolution of 480 x 270, dispelling the rumors floating around that such video resolution wasn’t possible from a Memory Stick Duo. Watch out for the DRM, though.
The new Mac mini will feature an Intel processor, Front Row 2.0, TiVo-like DVR functionality, and a built-in iPod dock, according to Think Secret. Talks of an Apple-TiVo deal recently fizzled, according to Think Secret, prompting TiVo to independently announce the ability to move content to a video iPod (or PSP).
Intel, meanwhile, has persuaded TiVo to support its Viiv media center PC platform.
In related RSS news, Yahoo also announced the launch of two new RSS products today. They have integrated an RSS reader directly into Yahoo Mail Beta, and are expanding Alerts to include RSS feeds.
This afternoon I stopped in at NOAA’s Portland weather office just out of curiosity. After getting through the Homeland Security entrance, I was greeted by a friendly receptionist who gave me a badge.
A meterologist explained to me that all the National Weather Service products are free to everyone. TV stations use outside contractors for presentation enhancements.
One local station has their own doppler. That allows them to scan just to a neighborhood to produce a micro-climate in 3D.
It occured to me that weather overlays on Google Earth would be useful (they’re probably already being done). A wireless traffic gauge, News and Local Information, too. Of course, Google Earth doesn’t run on a PSP or PocketPC.
Yet. But I guess that’s what Google Maps for Mobile is for.
Speaking of browsers, Firefox 1.5 with faster performance and other goodies is now available for free downloading. Firefox extensions feature hundreds of free weather forecasting, music players, and other widgets. Firefox now has 11% of the market and has found a godfather in Google, which recently announced its Firefox affiliate program. Google will pay $1 to a web site for every referral to the Firefox site that leads to a user downloading and using the browser.
Leo Laporte and Amber MacArthur (left) interview the people who made it happen (MP-3) on their new podcast, Inside the Net.
