Sony has officially announced the release of the 40GB PlayStation 3 model. The new model will be available from October 10th and will retail for GBP 299. In addition, the current 60GB Starter Pack will be reduced to GBP 349. Apart from the smaller hard drive, the 40GB PS3 model will have a number of other modifications.

The 40GB model will come with only two USB ports and will not come with Memory Card slots. Also, the new model will not be backwards compatible with PlayStation 2 titles. The 60GB Starter Pack will continue to have backwards compatibility and will come a SIXAXIS controller and two PS3 titles.

UPDATE:

Following the announcement of the 40GB PS3 model, SCE Australia has stated that the 40GB model will be available in Australia from October 11th, retailing for AUS 699. The specifications for the 40GB model are same as above.

The European PlayStation Store has been updated with several new demos, including Jericho, Suntman, and Bladestorm. In addition to four new demos, new videos and wallpapers have also been added
to the store. The US gets Go!Sports Ski, a new downloadable game as well as two new demos and a number of new videos.

Europe Update List:

• Playable Demos
• • Clive Barker’s Jericho
  • Stuntman: Ignition
  • Bladestorm
  • Skate
• Videos
• • Snakeball Trailer
  • GRAW 2 Trailers
  • Haze Gameplay Trailer
• Wallpaper
• • Blast Factor Wallpapers
  • FlOw Wallpaper

US Update List:

• Playable Demos
• • The Simpsons
  • Bladestorm: The Hundred Years’ War
• Full Game
• • Go! Sports Ski
• Videos
• • NBA 08 key control play calling tutorial video
  • Eye of Judgment tutorial video
  • Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune BTS
  • Haze Dev interview
  • Tekkonkinkreet video
  • Surf’s Up Blu-Ray trailer

A new version of Team M33’s Custom Firmware has been released, however, Dark_AleX was responsible for the new version. 3.71 M33-2 corrects a few bugs and adds a few new features and
modifications. See below for the complete changelog.

Changelog:

• There was a bug that caused corruption when writing files of more than 32256 bytes using usb flash. The bug has been corrected, and now the implementation is as reliable as it was when it was
  based on 1.50 kernel. (tested with a full restauration of a dump)
• PSP Slim: a functionality to let the charge of battery when connecting a usb cable has been added. This feature is based on Noobz plugin code. By default is not enabled, you can enable it in recovery. Note that the charge of battery may be delayed some
  seconds since the moment you plug the cable.
• After installing this update, program at /PSP/GAME/UPDATE will always be executed on 3.71 kernel, despite configuration.
• VSHMenu: vshmenu will not be executed when onscreen keyboard is active, to avoid the lost of the select button function in the keyboard. An option to reset the PSP has been added.
• VSH plugins are not longer executed anymore in recovery mode, that was the cause of pseudo-bricks.

[Download Custom Firmware 3.71 M33-2]

Some of you are aware that the staff here at XTREME PSP are away visiting Australia. As a result, we don’t have a lot of time to work on the magazine, so the next issue has been prosponed until November. If you happen to live in Australia, we have included a short list of places we will be visiting.

Itinerary

• Oct 2nd to Oct 6th – Melbourne
• Oct 7th to Oct 11th – Canberra
• Oct 12th to Oct 15th – Sydney
• Oct 16th – Oct 19th – Brisbane
• Oct 20th – Oct 25th – Perth

If you are interested in meeting the team, send us an email using the contact form.

UPDATE (Posted on Oct 1st 2007 at 11:00 GMT +9:00):

Some of you have been asking why we are visiting Australia. There are two main reasons: firstly, we needed a much needed vacation, and secondly, to meet some of our fans downunder.

We will update the website as often as we can, however, you may notice some delay between news articles since will be on the road mostly, with limited Internet access. You may spot some of the staff in Oz wearing XTREME PSP and XTREME PS3 T-Shirts. We will also be giving away some freebies to anyone intetested.

As promised, Dark_AleX has released the 1.50 kernel add-on for Custom Firmware 3.71 M33. The add-on works only for the older PSP models (PSP-1000), and installation instructions are included in the zip package. The add-on allows you to run homebrew that runs on the 1.50 kernel, which was not included in 3.71 M33.

“The program will reject PSP Slim, due to the 1.50 kernel not working on it.” So, this is good news for those who are on the older PSP model who are craving some 1.50 homebrew.

[Download 1.50 Kernel Add-on]

Dark_AleX has released his latest project: Despertar Cementerio, a universal unbricker for both the PSP-1000 and PSP-2000. The application returns your PSP back to firmware 3.71. To use the application, you will need Official Firmwares 1.50, 3.40 and 3.71. Dark_AleX also mentions that only firmware dumps from your own PSP should be used to unbrick, or it could lead to idstorage corruption.

Installation instructions are included in the zip package.

[Download Despertar Cementerio]

Sony have released an official theme maker for the PSP in Japan. So, if you are bored with the pre-made themes from Sony, why not create your own. The details about the application are still sketchy (since it?s in Japanese) but hopefully a similar application will make it to the US and Europe.

Some of the features include custom icon editor, theme converter among others. If you understand Japanese, why not download a copy from the Official Japanese PlayStation Website.

Team M33 have released their new custom firmware, based on Sony’s official
2.71 firmware. The team have made a number of changes to the firmware,
including the use of firmware 3.71. According to the team, this will be their
“last but one release”. The team also plan to release a PSP slim and fat
unbricker, and a 1.5 kernel patch. Check out the change log below.

Changelog:

• Now uses 3.71
• VSH Menu is not longer launched using HOME key, but using SELECT now. This
  is to not interfere with the XMB
  function of home, which is now more useful in this firmware.
• Psp Slim: umdcache was allocating memory even when homebrew was
  launched, wasting memory that homebrew programs may want to use. Now
  umdcache module is stopped before it can allocate any memory, only in
  the case homebrew is launched.
• Also, memory is unprotected for user memory usage by M33 core (only
  when homebrew is launched).
• Developer, for a sample of how to use the extra memory, see the
  extra ram sample of the M33 SDK
• Both version boot now from 3.XX ipl, and are independent of 1.50.

Important to note would be the following:
The main installer will not install 1.50 kernel anymore.

• A 1.50 kernel addon for 3.71 M33 that will install inside 3.71 M33 will
  be released in a few days (for fat PSP only)
• due to some changes in kernel nids by Sony
  you can expect a lot of kernel plugins not working anymore.
• Programmers: refer to the sdk readme for details.

As for the installation procedures, a step by step guided is
provided:
First method for both psp, the preferred when possible:

• Requeriments: a fat psp slim with 3.52 M33-3 or 3.52 M33-4. Previous
  versions of M33 won’t work, due to a bug that affects them and OE; or a psp
  slim with 3.60 M33.
• Copy the UPDATE directory into /PSP/GAME/UPDATE and copy the EBOOT.PBP of
  the 3.71 Sony updater there but with name “371.PBP”. Note: the program
  will not even show if you copy it to a different folder than that.
• If you are in the fat psp, make sure you have configured the psp to run
  the game folder in the 3.XX kernel.
• Press X, and the Sony updater will begin. Sit and enjoy while Sony
  code installs 3.71 M33
• When finished, the updater will ask you to reboot (pressing X or O).
  DO IT. Do not skip this step as shutting down the psp by yourself
  will end with a brick.
• You should be now in 3.71 M33

[Download
Custom Firmware 3.71 M33]

The PlayStation Network Store has been updated once again this week. The US
has received two new playable demos, including Clive Barker’s Jericho. For
Europe, two new demos have also been included as well as a number of videos,
game add-ons and wallpapers. Check out the complete list below.

Europe PlayStation Store Updates:

• Playable Demos
• Folklore
• Sega Rally Revo
• Game Add-ons
• MotorStorm Castro Capitano Vehicle
• Ninja Gaiden Sigma Speed Master
• Videos
• Feel Ski Trailer
• InFamous Trailer
• Heavenly Sword Videos
• PES 2008 Strailer

US PlayStation Store Updates:

• Playable Demos
• Clive Baker’s Jericho
• NBA 2K8
• Game Add-ons
• MotorStorm Castro Capitano Vehicle
• Ninja Gaiden Sigma Speed Master
• Videos
• NBA 08 Upside Progression System tutorial
• Eye of Judgement Overview
• Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock trailer
• Iron Man trailer
• We Own the Night trailer

During the Sony keynote speech at Tokyo Game Show 2007, it was revealed that PlayStation Home will not be released this year as previously reported. Home is now planned to be released early next Spring. Sony didn’t elaborate on whether or not the Spring release will be for all regions or if it only concerns Japan. Sony originally planned to release a Home beta later this fall but didn’t go into details on whether or not the open beta will be delayed as well.

It is speculated that the open beta is not cancelled and PlayStation Home will be released directly for download in Spring 2008, if all goes to plan. The exclusive beta will most likely continue to run until the public launch.