The first mobile phone from Sony to allow remote play from the PlayStation 3 is heading to the UK in early October. The new phone, called Aino will allow you to access the PS3’s XMB and all content from anywhere in the world (much like the PSP), using build-in WiFi or 3G connections. Remote Play with Aino lets you turn your PS3 on and off, browse and control the XMB and access the internet browser from anywhere in the world.
With Firmware 3.00 now available, you can spice up your XMB with new animated themes. The first animated XMB theme (if you don’t include the stock XMB ‘wave’ theme) is now available on the PlayStation Store. But for a price. The LittleBigPlanet XMB Theme, showcased at GamesCom last month can be purchased for $2.99. Although it’s fairly cheap, Sony should have just given away these theme for free.
Firmware 3.00 for the PlayStation 3 is now available to download, but only via the System Update feature as the regional websites have not been updated yet. Firmware 3.00 introduces a number of great features, including “What’s New,” a redesigned status indicator and Friends List, and support for new avatars and dynamic themes.
The God of War collection is coming to the PlayStation 3 this holiday season, thanks to overwhelming feedback from fans. The Blu-Ray disc will contain God of War and God of War II in 720p HD form. Both titles have been remastered with anti-aliased graphics, running at 60 frames per second for a smooth gameplay experience, only on the PS3 system. Additionally, the Blu-ray Disc compilation will bring the PlayStation Network (PSN) trophy support to the franchise for the very first time.
The Yellow LED/Light of Death (or YLOD) on the PlayStation 3 indicated a hardware failure. It’s similar to the Red Ring of Death (RROD) on the Xbox 360 but less common, according to Sony. It’s frustrating if you have ever experienced this problem before, as you cannot start up your PS3 or even eject the disc. The YLOD can mean one of several things: faulty power supply, disconnected CPU/GPU, fan/cooling failure, or excess dust/dirt.
As you may already know, OtherOS support on the PlayStation 3 is being dropped by Sony when the PS3 Slim launches on September 1st. The OtherOS option allows PS3 owners to install various version of Linux on their consoles and use it like a PC. All older PS3 models will continue to support OtherOS for the foreseeable future. According to Sony, the main reason for dropping OtherOS is cost.
IL-2: Sturmovik: Birds of Prey brings the hit flight game IL2-Sturmovik to console owners for the first time, with all new graphics, missions, physics and planes. The game includes large-scale aerial combat and ground based military operations from World War II. Players will participate in some of the war’s most famous battles piloting fighters, battle planes and heavy bombers across a range of thrilling missions.
During E3, Sony showcased a prototype for a new motion controller launching next year. To answer some of your questions, SCEA sat down with Richard Marks and Anton Mikhailov, two of the main brains behind the new controller, to get some insight on the E3 demo, the back-story behind development, and the future of this new technology (video below). This is part one of a series of behind-the-scenes which Sony is planning to release.
This week on the PlayStation Store, I LOVE YOU, MAN, is now available on the Store which is now available for rent in HD and SD. Loads of new movies and TV content is has also been uploaded for you to enjoy, including Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and 300. As for this week’s top downloads, The Last House on the Left is on top followed by Race to Witch Mountain and Obsessed.
An image has surfaced on the internet indicating that a Gran Turismo 5 beta is coming soon, and could already be in the private beta stage. The image clearly shows a PS3 download screen for the highly anticipated Gran Turismo 5. A beta for the game, due to release this winter, hasn’t been officially mentioned or announced yet. However, it’d be no surprise that a game on this scale would need some sort of beta testing phase to make sure that the online mode was up-to-scratch.
