SCEE has revealed more information about the joint venture between themselves and British Sky Broadcasting (Sky). The service will offer PSP owners in the UK and Ireland the opportunity to watch videos on demand and on the move. The Go! branded Video Download Service will launch in early 2008, and will be the first official PSP video download service anywhere in Europe.

Unlike other services, the Video Download Service will launch with a rich selection of high quality entertainment. The choice of programmes available will include a diverse mix of Sky content, spanning sports, entertainment, movies, music and animation. In addition to a selection of some of the best content from its own channels, Sky plans to work with third-party channel brands and content owners to create an even more comprehensive service. This is the first time Sky will offer video content through a non-Sky branded service.

The very latest premier movies and high profile sporting events, normally only available to Sky subscribers will be available on a pay per view basis, allowing users to choose their preferred way of using the download service. Customers will be able to download their choice of programmes direct to their PSP via a Wi-Fi connection or, alternatively, transfer content that they’ve downloaded to their PC.

“Both truly mobile and with a best in class high-quality screen, PSP delivers a great on-the-move video experience. Working with such a well known content brand, we will be able to offer PSP owners access to the best in cross-genre Sky content, available through the first official video download service. This really will make PSP the standout all-in-one portable gaming, video and music device”, commented David Reeves, President of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.

The PlayStation 3 Folding@Home client has been updated to version 1.20. A significant number of additions have been made to the client including a Advanced Particapation Mode, more folding visuals, and support for Remote Play for PSP. You can check out the full list of new and improved features below.

Improvement: Support for Remote Play for PSP (PlayStation Portable)

Folding@home can now be remotely operated through the Remote Play feature of your PS3 system. When you use this feature, the Folding@home help screen will be specific to your PSP system’s controls. Use this screen if you need help in navigating Folding@home from your PSP system.

Note: PSP system software should be version 3.50 or higher.

Note: To use Remote Play for the first time, you must first register (pair) a PSP system with a PS3 system. For setup details, see the “Remote Play” section of the PLAYSTATION 3 System Software User’s Guide: http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/network/index.html

Improvement: Visibility of Donor Locations on the Globe

The markers indicating PS3 system donor locations on the globe have been improved to differentiate between daytime and nighttime areas.

Improvement: Support for Additional Protein Simulations

Additional computation cores are now supported. This allows Folding@home for PS3 to support a wider range of protein-folding simulations.

Improvement: Advanced Participation Mode

An advanced participation mode has been added to Folding@home for PS3. This mode allows Stanford to send simulations of varying computational lengths to users of Folding@home for PS3. Because the simulations in this mode can take significantly longer, Advanced Mode is only recommended for contributors who run Folding@home for PS3 for at least eight (8) hours per day.

Note: In Advanced Mode, an energy graph during the simulation will also be displayed. In this graph, the blue line represents the total energy level of the protein over time. The red line represents the average temperature level at which the current simulation is run.

Improvement: Screensaver Mode

A screensaver mode can now be activated via the Settings menu. After no controller input has been detected for three (3) minutes, the screen will go blank except for a logo that periodically moves to avoid screen burn-in. Any controller input will exit the screensaver mode. This feature allows your PS3 system to consume slightly less power and to increase performance of protein-folding simulations.

Improvement: Link to Project Description

A link has been added to the Information menu that allows you to quickly obtain additional information about the specific research project that you’re currently contributing to.

Improvement: Protein Visualization Enhancements

All visualization modes have been enhanced with improved shading, highlighting, and focus effects. In addition, four new visualization modes have been added:

• Tapioca – Displays the protein as a smooth surface with improved shading and depth. (Tapioca replaces the “ISO Surface” visualization that was available in earlier versions.)
• Caviar – Displays the protein as a smooth surface with defined edges.
• Licorice – Displays only the protein’s bonds.
• Backbone – Emphasizes specific sections of the protein that are of the most scientific interest to researchers.

Note: The Backbone visualization is not available for all proteins.

[Via: Sony Folding@Home Website]

UPDATE (August 21st 2007 at 18:23):

Screenshots of Folding@Home on the PSP:

Team M33 has unexpectedly updated their custom firmware to version 4. The update is not a major one and includes mainly bug fixes to Custom Firmware 3.52 v3, released earlier this week. You can check out the changelog below.

Changes in M33-4 (mainly bugfix)

• Fixed the bug that caused CRC error when writing to flash usb in the XMB. Now writing is OK.
• Added the new speeds to vshmenu and core, because we forgot in recovery.

Also, a few notes from Team M33:

• As we didn’t want to release a new update without something new, we worked in making 3.10/3.11 to work with popsloader, and that’s it, the new popsloader plugins supports them.
• Instruction for 3.10 and 3.11 are same as 3.30: you need pops.prx, popsman.prx and pafmini.prx with the correct names in popsloader directory. And remember that savedata of 3.10-3.30 are incompatible with those of 3.40 . We’ll research if a solution for this is possible.

[Download Custom Firmware 3.52 v4]

During the Folklore presentation by the game’s designer Yoshiki Okamoto at Sony’s PR space, 3Rooms, some details on planned downloadable content were revealed. Six download packs, or “Quest Packs” as they are known, have been planned for the game. Each pack will contain the following a number of new quests, new costumes and new enemies.

Each Quest Pack will contain:

• 4 new quests
• 1 new costume
• 1 new monster

The first Quest Pack is already available from the Japanese PlayStation Network Store, it weighs in at about 24MB and is downloadable for free.

[Via: PS3FanBoy]

The release dates and pricing details for Tekken 5: DR Online have finally been revealed. According to SDTekken, the release dates and pricing information for US has been confirmed, but details for Europe are still to be confirmed. Tekken 5 Dark Resurrection can out in Japan earlier this month, and will head to the US this week. See the full details below.

Release Dates

• Japan August 1, 2007
• Honk Kong: August 1, 2007
• North America: August 23, 2007
• Europe: Summer 2007

Pricing

• Japan – JYN 2,800 (JYN 1,000 for upgrade).
• North America- $29.99 ($9.99 for upgrade).
• Europe – TBA

[Via: SDTekken]

It seems that one of the most anticipated titles for the PlayStation 3 will also be released on the PlayStation Portable. The news was revealed by Sony Game Producer Bill Ritch. While Ritch was reluctant to elaborate on Folklore PSP, he mentioned that video game creator Kouji Okada will be heading the development team in charge of the PSP build.

There is no mention if the game will be a ported version of the PlayStation 3 title. Also, could there be some sort of connectivity between the PSP and PS3 implemented in the game? Folklore for PlayStation 3 will be making an appearance at the Leipzig Game Convention this week.

The Metal Gear Online beta started today in Japan. The beta runs from August 20th 2007 to September 3rd 2007, with only 3000 players taking part. Beta registration closed on August 6th 2007, so if you didn’t get in then its too late. Only two maps are available to play in the beta. Look out for details on the beta throughtout the beta trial, for now, see below for some juicy details discovered so far.

Details:

• Different lobbies, each named after a MGS character; Snake, Otacon, Liquid etc.
• First-Person mode can be accessed by pressing L1 + Triangle
• There are only two maps in the beta. One looks like the arctic and the other is something like the middle east that we see in the trailers and gameplay footage.
• Voice chat is supported as well as typing. To bring up chat window, press left or right on the D-Pad.
• To change to the position on your back once laying down is triangle, tapping triangle and holding the analogue stick in whatever direction will allow you to roll in that direction.
• No slow down, solid frame rate.
• The camera control can be customized in the options menu. You can invert etc and if you so wish, have it player controlled entirely.
• The visuals are ‘nice’ but they seem to be a bit unpolished, character models are very detailed.
• Character customization options: you can alter how fast you run, skill with certain weapons and whatnot.
• No ‘hacking’ ability yet.
• Controls
  • X – Crouch > Crawl positions (while running: diving roll)
  • O – Reload
  • Triangle – Standing: salute, Crouching: point remote
  • Square – Toggle Auto-Aim
  • D-Pad:
    • Left and Right: Toggle chat window
  • Analogue Stick: Left – move character, Right – move camera
  • R3: Toggle over shoulder view in aim mode from left to right.
  • R1 – Rire
  • R2 – Secondary fire while in aim or toggle weapon menu
  • L1 – Aim
  • L2 – Toggle item mini menu

[Via: Gamers Creed]

The EU PlayStation Network Store will get an update this coming Wednesday night, instead of the usual Thursday afternoon update. Why you ask? Because that is when Sony is having their Press Conference at the Leipzig Games Convention. The update will contain a number of new trailers from the Games Convention, as well as the Folklore Demo, however, the demo will only be available for a limited time only.

The Folklore demo will only be available on the PSN Store for a limited time only, so be quick about downloading it. We are not entirely sure why it’s limited, but you have been warned. If you haven’t got a EU PlayStation Network account set up, then now is the time to do it.

[Via: PS3FanBoy]

According to PlayFrance, Sony is planning to release a second starter pack for the PlayStation 3 in Europe. The original starter pack comes with the PlayStation 3 Console, two SIXAXIS controllers, Resistance: Fall of Man and MotorStorm. The new starter pack will contain the same content, however, the two free games will be replaced with Heavenly Sword and Formular 1. The second starter pack is scheduled for launch on September 19th 2007, retailing for EUR 599 (GBP 407).

Althought the news has not been confirmed by Sony, we antisipate more details to be revealed at next weeks Leipzig Games Convention in Germany.

[Via: PlayFrance]

The Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction demo has been completed for some time now, however, it will not see the light of day until closer to the launch of the game, which is on October 27th 2007. According to Jennifer Clark, Senior PR Manager, the demo will be available to download from the PlayStation Network Store just before the game launches. This is despite many complaints about the lack of content and playable demos on the PSN Store.

The release date for the demo has not been confirmed, but more details should be available soon.

[Via: PlayStation.Blog]