Sony Reveals PS3 Firmware Update Details

Sony has released the first details of its 1.90 firmware update for the PlayStation 3, already made available in Japan. Semi official Sony weblog Three Speech has confirmed that the update will be launched in Europe on July 24th, and SCEA's PlayStation.Blog has said the update will be ready in "the next few days." The most significant changes brought in with the update appear to be customizable backgrounds for the console’s XMB interface, manually adjustable video scaling settings and a range of new emoticons for text entry and communication. PlayStation Network director Eric Lempel said on his PlayStation.Blog post that wallpaper customization was "one of the top three requests we received via the blog’s contact form." Players can set any photo as a wallpaper directly from the PS3's photo viewer. He also added on the new emoticon addition that "when an avatar is displayed during voice/video chat, the avatar will move in response to audio." No new security updates have been mentioned as being included in the update. The full list of new features are as follows: • Ability to rearrange games on the XMB • Option menu now includes “eject disk” • Press triangle to eject games/CDs/movies in the XMB • XMB backgrounds • Change the folder classification • Emoticons • Change CD output to 44.1/88.2/176.4kHz • Force 24Hz output for Blu-ray over HDMI • Change PS3 video settings in-game • “Bit Mapping” in the “Music Setting” • Save AVCHD type animations from a Memory Stick • Change settings like upscaling while playing PS and PS2 games • Add bookmarks • Web browser security function in the browser’s tool section