Sony PSP, a toy or gadget?

Is the Sony PSP (PlayStation Portable) a toy or an electronic gadget? Well, it depends on the person using this device, but most of the persons I've met who owns one usually consider this as a plaything. Few ones in the Philippines like the community in http:\\www.pinoypsp.com knows it's a lot more.

Standard PSP features or capabilities using official firmware (currently version 3.93):

• View pictures from your memory stick (Jpg, gif, png, & bmp)
• Play MP3 & WMA audio music files
• Play videos in MP4 format files (converted from pc)
• Play games/movies from the UMD drive
• Play downloaded demo/purchased games online from the memory stick.
• Remote control of PS3 console
• Web browsing using it's built in wifi
• Listen to Internet radio (shoutcast)
• Read RSS feeds
• Voice, video, text Chat using Go messenger with go!cam or skype.
• Watch videos using Location Free Player thru streamed video by using Sony's expensive Location Free Base; with this device, you could connect satellite receivers, or any video player device and stream its output thru wifi and still have remote access to the device like changing channels, etc.
  

But, if you are using a custom firmware (currently 3.90 m33), its like unleashing the full potential & capabilities of the sony psp, like:

• All features from the official firmware except Location free player (removed to save memory. Besides, theres a cheaper better way of streaming videos from your pc to the psp)
• Run your legally owned games from the memory stick to save the PSP's UMD laser from wear and tear. (Remember PS1 & PS2 laser problems)
  
• Run homebrew applications made by lots of people from all over the world which extends the psp's capabilities
  
• Play ogg, flac, mod, stm & other audio file formats.*
• Play PSX(PS1) games by converting your psx iso images to eboot
  
• Watch videos from youtube.com*
• IRC chat*
• Plug-ins or add-ons*
• Use the psp as a universal remote control*
• Emulate different old computer systems, game consoles & scientific calculators like the amiga computers, Texas Instruments calculators, Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Genesis/Megadrive, PC-Engine(Turbo-Grafx 16), Capcom Arcade System, Neo-Geo, etc..*
• Manage files in your memory stick**
• Stream video/audio files from your pc thru wifi just using your pc and wifi router.***
  
• And a lot more thanks to homebrew and the people who made them.
  

* Possible with homebrew apps
** PSPFiler (homebrew too)
***PimpStreamer (what do ya think, its also homebrew)

If you want to learn more about the psp, google it. I also suggest you visit pinoypsp.com and qj.net .

SMS Scam beware!!!

I know its old but I just want to share this to people who haven't received this message. Always remember to check where the message came from and they should be the one calling you thru voice and not on sms only. If they're giving out prizes then it means they have funds for making phone calls whether its NDD/IDD etc. Here's an example of one the messages I received, "Congratulations; ur sim # won cash prize fr. PCMC thru CPV electronics raffle draw. Call me up now for d mechanics to claim ur prize. I'm Ed Robles.", his/her mobile number is +639296932911, haven't called nor even thought or sending a sms to this scammer. Reports from victims who tried to meet with these people where robbed (hold-up at gunpoint) of their belongings, others ask for enormous amounts of phone loads before you meet them.

Midi Karaoke disc sold in Raon, Sta. Cruz, Manila, Philippines

Karaoke Midi Disc for Hyundai/Karavision systems sold in Raon has bad sectors in them, these pressed CD/DVDs have a scratch on the reflective layer to dissuade copying said media. By deliberately making a specific scratch on the disc's reflective layer, the shops thought that it wont affect the operation of the players, and deter copying of the disc. Thats what they thought, but did it ever occur to you when we play audio/video disc on our dvd players, we always check the disc for dust and scratches before we insert the media for playback, its because it may affect the performance of the unit(dvd player/deck) if the laser is exposed to some stress due to unreadable parts of the media.

Now what do you think happens on a Hyundai/Karavision midi karaoke player when reading these media. From our experience, after 2-3 months using these disc, 2 (two) of our units displayed problems in reading the CDs and tried even audio CD, but still displayed disc error. other units using copied version (CD-R copies I made) of the disc were still operational and showed no problems.

I suggest that you just buy 1 copy of the pressed disc(silver ones) and copy them on your pc. But dont use the usual software people use like Nero, I suggest using Alcohol Soft 120%. Nero cant read bad sectors and copy protected disc, unlike Alcohol soft. Also if you're more of the adventurous type, try using isobuster, it's capable of reading and skipping specified sectors. With this, you could recover damaged areas from the midi disc using older versions of the disc. Maybe someday if I have enough bandwidth, I'll share the midi CD/DVD iso image through torrent or setup a ftp server.