When PlayStation Home finally goes live, a new icon will automatically appear under the [Network] category, without the need to update your firmware. Upon booting your PS3, the console does a simple check on two XML files to see if the service is active in your country. If it is active, the new icon appears and click on it will download the Home package to your PS3. After a bit of "hacking" using PS3 Proxy Server, we managed to get the icon showing on our console and even downloaded the Home beta file. Unfortunately, since the service isn’t yet active, we were unable to play. See the video below.

Video:

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How to download the Beta yourself (unplayable):

1. Download PS3 Proxy Server and install it on a Windows Machine (.NET v1.1 required)
2. Download the following two files:
   • http://select.ww.home.playstation.net/home/ww/product-select.xml
3. Edit the two above files so that all occurences of "off" are replaced with "on"
4. Use PS3 Proxy Server to redirect the locations below to the local file on your hard drive:
   • http://select.ww.home.playstation.net/home/ww/product-select.xml » x:/path-to/product-select.xml
   • » x:/path-to/country-select.xml
5. Configure your PS3 to use your Windows Machine as the proxy server. This can be done by setting the PS3 Proxy Settings to point to your PC IP Address (usually something like 192.168.x.x).
6. Start the server and then restart your console
7. If all goes well, the Home icon should appear under [Network] (between [Account Settings] and [PlayStation Store])
8. Click the icon to download PlayStation Home

UPDATE:

The above download method no longer works since Sony have taken the download link offline. As a result, you will be unable to try and download the beta yourself. We can confirm that Home was available to download yesterday but was unplayable (even though the video doesn’t show this part).

Basically, you can download and install home and can even connect to the Home server. However, once connected you are prompted to download an update before you can play. If you download and install the update, you receive a DRM related error and cannot start Home.

PSP Firmware 3.95 is now available to download, which makes a few minor changes to the system software. The changes include the ability to customise the controls when playing PS1 games, and the Remote Play quitting procedure has changes slightly allowing you to exit remote play mode by either shutting down the PS3 or leaving it on. See the changelog below:

Changelog:

• While playing PSone games on your PSP, you can now customize how the buttons are assigned by going to [Controller Settings] > [Assign Buttons] and select [Custom].
• You can now quit Remote Play and choose to turn off your PS3 or leave it on after quitting. This is useful if you are performing a download and want to quit Remote Play, but still want your download to continue on the PS3. Select [Quit and Turn Off the PS3 System] or [Quit Without Turning Off the PS3 System] from [Quit Remote Play] when you press the HOME button on the PSP system.

The Warhawk servers have gone down for maintenance today until 4:00PM GMT, after which patch v1.3 will be available to download. To update your game, simply start Warhawk and wait for the prompt to download the patch. The patch includes various new features including two new weapons and various other changes to the game. See below for a list of changes.

Changelog:

• Bio-field Emitter – creates a zone for healing allies and a zone for damaging enemies.
• Mechnical Field Wrench – can be used to repair vehicles and turrents and damage enemy vehicles and turrets.
• New insignias and paint schemes
• .50cal turret targeting enhanced
• Points for CTF defend and flag-carrier kill updated
• CTF sudden-death trigger fixed
• CTF flag throw/drop functionality disabled
• New VOIP functionality
• Home game-launching

As we previously reported, the new PlayStation Store will launch in mid-April, prior to the release of the new Warhawk booster pack, Operation: Broken Mirror. The store will come as part of PS3 Firmware 2.30, which will replace the current web-based store with a embedded store that will allow for quicker loading. As a result, the mouse pointer will be removed and navigating the store will be similar to navigating a menu (like the XMB). The standard definition version of the store will list more items than the current 3 item limit.

The content and categories for the new store will vary between the different regions, but this is mainly due to the different market needs. The new PlayStation Store will only affect the PS3 version, and not the PC version. The new store will dynamically update every time you visit, however, the background will remain the same for now. Due to regional licensing, legal logistics, language, and localization, a "global" PlayStation will not be created, so you will still have to wait until games are available in your region.

The new layout will mean that 20 items will be displayed on a page, compared to just 6 (3 for SD displays) items on the current layout. This will make finding what you want easier, and decreasing navigation time. More screenshots will be released before the final launch so look our for those.

Noel Silvia wrote on PlayStation.Blog (March 31st at 10:04 AM):

"The new Store will no longer be browser based in the same way the current Store is, making things A LOT faster and smoother; hence the required firmware update.

On the back end, this switch in systems means having to port all of the current code over to the new Store, and, since the new Store is less ‘texty’ and more ‘visual’, it also means having to create a whole bunch of new art assets just for this Store.
We appreciate everyone understanding that these things take time, and appreciate everyone’s patience. We’re just as excited about the new Store as you are!
Hope this helped to answer your question!"

Noel Silvia wrote on PlayStation.Blog (March 31st at 6:49 PM):

"That’s correct – the new Store will be mouse free, so it’ll be like clicking through a menu rather than looking at a web page.
One of the many great advantages of leaving behind an web-based Store."

Noel Silvia wrote on PlayStation.Blog (March 31st at 6:57 PM):

"You’ll see some dynamic changes each time you log in to the new Store, but the background will not change…for now.
Hope this helps answer your question!"

As you may already know, the PlayStation Store is getting a revamp in April, and will include a new interface design and better navigation. As a result, there will be no PlayStation Store updates for the next two weeks, while Sony work on improving the store. This puts the release date for the new store around middle of April. SCEE made the announcement today in an official press release, and released some photos of the new store (see below). The press release is also included below.

Screenshots:

Press Release:

This April, PLAYSTATION Store, the online content store on PLAYSTATION Network, is getting a whole new look and feel – and it’s in response to feedback from the millions of PSN registrants in the PAL region.

The revamp comes in response to a survey last year which showed that many PLAYSTATION Store users wanted a better interface and easier navigation. The new design will deliver a hugely improved navigation system, much greater scope for categorisation and a dynamic new user interface.

Content will be suspended for two weeks while the improvements are carried out but users can look forward to a special update in mid-April.

There will be no weekly content updates between now and the re-launch, although users can still download content from the back catalogue, such as Warhawk and Gran Turismo 5 Prologue.

The PLAYSTATION Store revamp will not affect PLAYSTATION Network accounts or the virtual wallet system.

Firmware 2.20 was released last week, and it seems that Sony has tweaked some code that is causing problems with streaming MPEG-4 videos. Usually, Firmware updates are released to fix bugs and errors with the software, but it seems Sony has managed to do a u-turn in this particular case. According to several posts on the Official PlayStation forums, MPEG-4 videos stutter to a point that the video is completely unplayable.

Aside from this, some even posted additional problems that they were experiencing. Streaming mpeg-2 files at 10x, 30x, and 120x speeds run only at a tenth of the designated speeds. Also, users have found out that skipping over unwanted content has become something that was very difficult to do. The issue is noting to do with the Media Server connection or the software itself. Media Server software such as TVersity and Nero Media Home have all tested fine with other content including DivX/XviD files.

Hopefully Sony are on the case and are preparing a fix for this issue. Look our for more details on this story over the coming weeks. We may just get a minor firmware update to fix this issue.

The April 2008 issue of the XTREME PSP Magazine is now available to download. This issue contains over 100 pages of PSP and PS3 related content with reviews of several high-profile games, previews of upcoming games and other articles. Check out reviews of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (PSP) and Gran Turismo 5: Prologue (PS3) in this issue. See the full content list below.

Content:

• Previews
  • Space Invaders Extreme (PSP)
  • Wild Arms XF (PSP)
  • PlayTV (PS3)
  • Civilization Revolution (PS3)
  • LittleBigPlanet (PS3)
• Reviews
  • Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (PSP)
  • God of War: Chains of Olympus (PSP)
  • PAIN (PS3/PSN)
  • Gran Turismo 5: Prologue (PS3/PSN)

[Download XTREME PSP Mag i033]

The US have received a massive update this week as part of this weeks PlayStation Network Store update. The US have received a new demo, plenty of add-on content for five different games, over ten new game videos and movie trailers, as well as a new theme and MGS wallpaper. Europe, on the other hand received a much smaller update consisting of a new playable demo, two news full games – the main one being Gran Turismo 5: Prologue, and some game add-on content and videos. Check out the list of new additions below.

European Additions:

• Playable Demos
  • UEFA Euro 2008
• Full Games
  • Gran Turismo 5: Prologue (£24.99)
  • Reel Fishing (£3.99)
• Game Add-on Content
• Unreal Tournament 3 Map Pack
• Eye of Judgement Bio Rebellion Set 2 (£6.99)
• Turok Maps Pack (£1.99)
• Video
• Everybody’s Golf World Tour Trailer
• Eye of Judgement Bio Rebellion Trailer
• GT5 Prologue TV Ad
• Dark Sector/Veggie Abuse Trailers
• DW6 Producer Q&A Trailer

US Additions:

• Playable Demos
  • R-Type Command Demo
• Downloadable Games
• flOw bundle ($8.99)
• Warhawk limited-time discount ($29.99 for 2 weeks until April 15th)
• Add-on Game Content
• Turok Multiplayer Map Pack 1 ($4.99)
• High Stakes: Poker Edition camera add-on (free)
• Unreal Tournament 3 Map Pack (free)
• Rock Band
  • "More Than A Feeling" – Boston ($1.99)
  • "Hitch A Ride" – Boston ($1.99)
  • "Peace of Mind" – Boston ($1.99)
  • "Rock and Roll Band" – Boston ($1.99)
  • "Smokin’" – Boston ($1.99)
  • "Something About You" – Boston ($1.99)
  • Boston Pack 01 ($9.99)
• Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore downloadable songs ($1.50 each)
• Game Videos
  
  • Gran Turismo 5 Prologue Mars Volta Video
  • Gran Turismo 5 Prologue Thin Lizzy Video
  • Gran Turismo 5 Prologue Weezer Video
  • Warhawk Update v1.3 Trailer
  • GTA IV Trailer 4
  • Winter X Games ’08 Play the Pros
  • God of War: Chains of Olympus – TV spot
  • Wyclef’s "Fast Car" Music Video (limited time only)
  • PURE Gameplay Trailer
  • PURE CG Trailer
• Movie and Blu-ray Disc Trailers
• Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Fall 2007 TV Spot
• PS3 Themes
  
  • Eye of Judgment Theme
• PS3 Wallpaper
  • Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots SNEAK OUT Wallpaper

UPDATE (March 28th 2008):

Sony features some technical difficulties in updating the European PlayStation Store yesterday, and as a result only a few items were added. The issue has now been resolved and we have included the complete list.