Review: PSP Firmware Update 2.80

[TeamOverload]

Alright, this is my first review and a Work In Progress, so please bare with me.

INTRO: In yet another attempt to stop homebrew, Sony released a new update, firmware version 2.80. The most publicized new feature about what would be in it, is RSS Video. Well, it's there alright,but not how it should.

THE FEATURES:
-Support for Video and Photo Downloading Via RSS
-You can now register devices via LocationFree Player
-Support for additional remote control data has been added to LocationFree Player
-You can now play AAC format files with a .3gp extension
-Automatic has been added as an option under Infastructure Network Settings
-Support for Picture, Music, and Video folders on the Root level

Thoughts on Features:

FEATURE 1: RSS VIDEO AND PHOTO
When I first heard about RSS Video support, I was excited. I would love to be able to stream videos via my PSP, and watch a lot of the G4TV podcasts. Then, when I read the update features list, I saw it said DOWNLOAD Videos via RSS, I got skeptcial, but continued the update anyways. As the update list mentions, you can only download RSS Videos. That is poor, and Sony should have done better. There are homebrew apps that handle streaming videos, so it is possible. I guess it is just Sony's way to make us go out and buy bigger memory sticks. Anyways, that was poorly done, and I am dissappointed in it.

FEATURE 2: LocationFree Changes
Since, I do not have a LocationFree, I have not been able to try these out. Personally, they don't seem like very exciting features and not a big deal. Who wants to go out and buy a $300US base station anyways? Certainly not me.

FEATURE 3: .3gp Extension
.3gp can be a good format, and it is always good to get more extensions, so these feature is ok. Most people will use standard .aac though, or just stick with .wma/.mp3. It would have been good to see .3gp videos as well, since those if encoded correctly, can get up to High-Def or near High-Def quality.

FEATURE 4: Automatic Network Setup
Sony adding the AOSS was a good idea. Setting up a connection isn't hard, but this makes it easier. I believe the DS has supported this though, so maybe Sony is just jumping on the bandwagon. Anyways, it does make things easier, so this is a nice added feature.

FEATURE 5: Support for Video, Picture, and Music Folders
Finally. Sony has finally relized what they did wrong, and added support for a video folder. What a concept! I don't see why they didn't do this all along, my guess is to make it harder for people to get videos, and so that would make them buy UMDs, I don't know. From what is said(I haven't tested out yet), the folders can be placed on the root of the memory stick. Even simpler now that we only have to go to the root and no need to go to the PSP folder. This is a change for the better and I like it.

Overall: Overall, the update isn't amazing, and won't blow you away, but it does make some changes for the better. If you are on 2.6 or lower, obviously, I would not recommend updating. If you are on 2.7x it is up to you. You can wait for a possible 2.7x exploit that may never come, or you can get some new features in the mean time. It is your decision. Sony could have done better with this update, but I think they are saving all the good stuff for 3.0. We will see then what happens and how they do.

[benh]

Great review, Im sure that this will help out quite a lot of people in deciding weather to update or not