Sony’s War Against Unofficial PS3 Hardware & Software Continues to Heat Up

If your gaming outlet of choice is the PC, then you should take this next story as just one more example of why you should be thankful you choose to kill your spare time on an open platform. According to user reports Sony’s new 3.50 mandatory PS3 firmware update is killing off support for third party USB devices, a move that will no doubt simply convince more users to jailbreak their consoles. The update adds support for 3D Blu-Ray, a report abuse option for PSN, along with the ability to link certain game features to Facebook.
The disabling of USB devices wasn’t mentioned specifically in the patch notes, but Sony did warn users on their website "SCEA does not support continued functionality of counterfeit or unlicensed controllers in system software updates and these devices may cease to function in the future because of system software updates." The PS3 was always the geek’s choice for console gaming since it allowed users to upgrade their own hard drives, and even install Linux. Sony however has slowly been taking back control as the platform matures, and seems to be doing so unapologetically.
So if you download the official Sony update you can watch 3D Blu-Rays, and spam your friends on Facebook. On the other hand if you jailbreak your console you gain access to SNES and Dreamcast emulators. What would you choose? I think I’ll need to find a TI-84 to help me tally up the votes.
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February 21, 2011 at 6:42pm
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December 08, 2010 at 9:52pm
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Jox
September 28, 2010 at 3:27pm
On a side note, inane updates like 3D functionality should be optional. I don't own a 3D television. I don't want a 3D television. A gaming console capable of displaying 3D images is of no real value to me. All it does is add further bloat to the system.
-Jox
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tydude121
September 28, 2010 at 9:35am
yeah i gave up on sony after they made the ps3 and ditched my ps2 for a xbox 360 which i think is better than sony. GO MIRCOSOFT!!!!!!!!!
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ShadowDragoonFTW
September 28, 2010 at 3:01am
Yup. Think I'm done with Sony. Frankly, I hope the rumor that Sega is coming back to making consoles next gen is true. If so, I'm hopping back on their bandwagon and leaving Sony in the dust. If not, I think I may be converting to Nintendo... I already like the DS (that I got this year) better than my PSP (that I've had for several years)...
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sniggler
September 27, 2010 at 10:10am
Yay, Sony. Way to go!
Seriously, this is just another example of when a company is big enough, and once they've sold enough product, they can basically screw their paying customers however they so choose.
How is this any different from M$ jacking XBL prices a few weeks ago?
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m31337
September 27, 2010 at 9:31am
If these things hadn't been available at launch this would be a non issue as we all would have viewed it as another console. It seems that part of the draw to the PS3 was the extra options you had to use it the way you wanted to; gaming console, media center, etc. Taking away something a person could do, even if they never used the feature, will cause the person to feel cheated.
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LatiosXT
September 27, 2010 at 7:21am
Am I the only one here who really doesn't give a damn? I always saw the PS3 as a game console first and everything else second. And all those secondary features I couldn't really give a damn about because... oh wait. I have something called a PC that does all of those secondary features for me! Why do you need your PlayStation 3 to do all the crap listed?
Want a media server? Build a cheap $300-$400 machine and use MythTV, Windows Media Center, or something else. Put your movies/music on a HomeGroup (if the other computers are Windows 7) or some other method of sharing.
Want your emulators too? PC emulators I would argue are much more mature than console ones.
Besides, have you people even tested out which devices are locked out? Go on, try it. I seriously doubt that the keyboard driver is locked out. Or the mouse driver. Or the mass storage driver. You can come back and complain the Sony locked out all your peripherals when you've tested them.
Excuse me while I go apply a wall or desk directly to my forehead now.
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Redworm
September 27, 2010 at 6:49am
I just recieved a PS3 as a gift about 8 months ago, and now I want to sell it on E-Bay. I havn't bought a single game for it because the games all suck. I was using as a media server, but now what, I can't plug a usb keyboard or thumb drive into it now! Sony: &*$#ck you!
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mesiah
September 26, 2010 at 10:30pm
Sony continues to alienate their customer base. When the next round of console wars heats up I have a feeling sony is going to look back on the decisions their making now with some regret. You can't burn your hard core customers time and again without some repercussions.
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September 26, 2010 at 8:34pm
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chronium
September 26, 2010 at 3:41pm
This really isn't a surprise when they announced the warning for exploding counterfeit controlers and that they were going to disable them. So of course 3rd party controlers are going to suffer some collateral damage.
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evolution76
September 26, 2010 at 3:16pm
Sony it is going to happen, just let it happen, I remember back in the day sony try to stop people from copying there cds (what a joke that was, people got passed it so easy).....Sony lower the price for PS3, and the games, then people will buy the games!..........Sony just let it happen!
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Lorondos
September 26, 2010 at 2:16pm
This is just gonna be like DRM...easily broken but for those who live with it...75% of their USB devices will not function correctly and a lot of people were being sarcastic (because they would not be insane enough to do that) they were gonna drop USB device support after the whole "other OS" backfire.
But here we are lol
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