10 Things We Still Want in PlayStation 3 Firmware (i.e. NOT In-Game XMB)

Sony's latest PlayStation 3 firmware update 2.4 brought what the fanboys have been crying about since the console's inception-in-game access to the console's Cross Media Bar (XMB). In-game XMB is fine and dandy, yes, but there were more pressing issues that Sony should have fixed first. Here are 10 of them.

[Jamie Foxx]

the rest are just silly and being overly picky

background folding at home is a really smart idea though

[Lifendz]

but having in-game xmb was my major concern. Everything else is icing on the cake.

[xhairs9]

None of those points (including the background folding at home) was more needed than In-Game XMB. Though the folding at home background would be sweet, I have yet to even use it once.

[boodybandit]

These are lame.
The only thing I want for PSN is in game private chat. I prefer private chat to the open mic. Cross game invites would be nice as well but private chat is a real need for me personally.

[Jack Meahoffer]

Next would be auto shutdown after downloads completed or game controlers charge.

Those and the already announced video store and HOME. Then the PS3 will be complete.

[AceLuby]

I personally hate (absolutely hate) private voice chat. It's on the 360 and is one of the reasons I don't play on live anymore. You join a team game where your team consists of private chats so you can't communicate w/ your teammates... Might as well not have mics. I also had a couple times where I only heard one half of the conversation. It was incredibly annoying.

Why not use mics for what they are used for (communicating w/ teammates) and PHONES for what they are intended for. Hell you could have one bluetooth for your PS3 and another for your phone... problem solved... though you may look like a cyborg ;)

[IanTH]

"The PS3's primary standby mode is super low energy. But if you want to access Remote Play (XMB, pictures, etc) through the PSP, it's suddenly sucking as much power as five refrigerators just sitting there."

If you turn on the wake-on-lan ability it's not just sitting on and it's not in the full blown, energy bill dominating fridge killer mode either. It's not as super low energy as primary standby, but it isn't *that* much more to have the wifi running.

Now, what I agree with is auto-install, controller charge w/o PS3 having to be completely on, and that account access should be moved to (or at least accessable in) the Store. It is annoying to go buy something, get to checkout and realize that your a buck short or something and then have to leave the store, open up another page, scroll to the option to add funds, leave, go back to store and then get your content. Just throw the ability to add funds to your wallet from the store and I'm set.

Everything else he brought up was pretty lame. In game access to the web? Yeah, it'd be nice but that takes a lot of memory man. Nor is that something I want them to waste time on. If you really need a walkthrough just get out your laptop/desktop and print something if necessary (heck, PSP even works for that if you've got one since most walkthroughs are just text documents).

Honestly, this isn't constructive, it's just a list comprised mostly of unnecessary niceties. Instead focus other things. Focus on Home. Heck, focus on improving the dev kits to make devs lives easier and our games better. I'd say that I could use the majority of these suggestions to make a "Sony, focus your energy on areas OTHER than these" list.

[iamtehpwn]

Due to RAM constraints. Consoles(360/Ps3) don't have enough RAM to support Web browsing and gaming at the same time. Or other In-game features, all difficult to do, due to small amount of RAM.

[Doppy]

I agree we don't NEED any of this, but it would be nice to have.

[Salvadore]

Some points are understandable, but the rest are just plain stupid, like for example "real keyboard support" for titles. There are 3rd party peripherals and ok, suits some titles, but if you want that, go play games on the PC instead.

[Panthers]

Yup. Plus it could unbalace online games.

[whoelse]

The problem with articles like these are that it makes you appreciate the current firmware less.

[The Wood]

auto shutdown for pads and download in standby mode and if that isnt possible an auto shutdown after downloads are completed and maybe a expandable xmb similar to windows start menu where only the most used lines in the xmb are shown but the others can be brought up with some kinda prompt

[PikkonX]

I also would like an auto shutdown for the system itself after a certain timeframe. That way I can put in a Blu-ray movie while I'm going to sleep and doze off comfortably, knowing that my room won't transform into a sauna by morning time.

[jamesrocks3147]

1. voice chat over all games....... i mean come on sony
2. video store
3. screenshot/record video in game (youtube)
4. improve the look of the trophie cards a bit maybe
5. not FW related but... sony should push developers for trophies and music in game off the XMB and also sony needs to advertise PSN more also with a PS3 price drop and to explain why ps3 is more expensive then xbox they need to stress out ps3 comes with blu-ray ,wifi, bigger hard drive and free PSN bulit in.

if these are done with action sooner better then later ps3 is going to rock who agrees?

[Rich1631]

Yeah, I want your point 1 so bad. My friend and I like to chit chat while playing different games.

[AllroundGamer]

yeah voice chat is pretty much the top priority for many PS3 owners (and i hope for Sony too), it should work just like the private chat functionality on Xbox360, you send chat request, and then it doesn't matter what you are doing on the console, you will stay connected to that person till someone ends the Chat. That is the one feature i really like on the xbox360.

[Jack Meahoffer]

Nice list. No question real voice chat is number 1.

[rucky]

Sony has implemented Skype on the PSP, I don't see why they can't use their program here.

[ActionBastard]

I'm shocked that the listed features actually make sense. It's apparent Sony is listening and I'm willing to be patient.

[PimpHandHappy]

i was going to type something but Action Bastard sums up my feelings on what 2.40 has done

I dont have to quit my game anymore to respond or get a response

On a scale from 1 to 10 on how i feel about 2.40

9.5 all day

[Nitrowolf2]

@6.1
i agree it gets pretty annoying wen you wait for a friend to come into a game and then they send you a message and you quit and it says wait a while.

[Nitrowolf2]

some of those things are rediculas
but what i would like are
1 Flash upgrade for web browser
2.video store
3.auto shut down when download is complete
5. In-game: unlcok more option to use online and in-games like see saved game data and utitly
wat if i have 4GB on my HDD and a game requires 4.5GB i have to quit and exit and then relaunch the games i know it isnt much but it would still be useful

[PimpHandHappy]

that would be nice

[PimpHandHappy]

if your waiting on them to just allow friends list and music your wasting your time..

Sony wants all those icons to work online! Its why its a work in progess!

[Nitrowolf2]

?.
is it true that this is a 3 part installment thing with the in-game?

[doG_beLIEfs]

Yes, si, hi, da, affirmative. 2.4 is indeed phase 1 of 3 with the in-game XMB. I would say by the end of the year most of the XMB functionality will be available in-game.

First things first though....they need to get 2.4 back up for those of us who did not DL 2.4. I have, and in the words of that McDogfood commercial....I'm luvin' it

[Angelitos]

Poor Xbots, thanks to thw 2.4 update, PSN is now better. With more and more additions, it will kill XBL.

[bcash23]

As I read that i was wondering what he meant by the title. But I get it and I agree. These are defiantly things Sony can do to improve there product and should be looked at and I'm sure they are in a cost vs value kinda way. In Game browsing, DS3 charging while in Stby, screen grabs, are nice features that i would make use of. I don't know how much time id save on a first play thru if i could just pause pop the browser and go to the faq for how the rob the bank with packie in gta 4.

[Kirstenlottesovs]

-Smarter/easier Firmware Updates? - how easy can it get! seriously?!

-Automatic Downloaded-Game Installation - yeah, i can definitely se why the 30 clicks and 15 minute installs it takes do install a demo can be a.. oh, wait... scratch that one out.

-Real Keyboard Support - I don't even get this point.. i mean, come on..

-In-Game Web Browsing - this can easily be done with a pc, no reason to use excessive memory on web browsing..

-Controllers Don't Charge Without PS3 "On" - buy a wall-charger, or simply just have 2 controllers so one is charging while the other one is being used.

-PS Home - SURE lets push sony until they finally release it with major bugs! that worked ever so perfectly last time (2.40 drawback anyone?)

-Account Management - Why would i want all my account information in the store? The store is for purchases, not for changes in your account!

-Screengrabs - This is the one and >only< feature that might be of some use in this crappy article..

and finally, Background Folding@Home + Lower Power Standby Folding@home uses more power, doesnt it? so you want to both lower the power in the PS3, and use more at the same time? wait.. wtf?

[Lumbo]

oops, i accidentally clicked disagree, ill compensate with a bubble

[AllroundGamer]

lol i accidentally took a bubble from you, ill compensate with an agree ;) /joking

[Mikelarry]

thing i want now is for sony to implement a way of muting players. i mean like muting them so that you dont have to hear from them again. yes i know i know you can mute them now. but at the end of the match they come back louder than ever

[snappywave]

PSP already has it.. why not PS3? For media users.. this is an awesome feature.

[Peow]

I don't care! I Have a clock now and that makes me happy! ^_^

[kingme71]

Was that clock new? I saw it and couldn't remember if it had always been there or if it was new with the latest update. In any case, mine is off an hour :(

[IanTH]

Go under Settings and there is a Time and Date option where you can either change it manually, update via the web, or (and this is my guess) go to the last setting under Time and Date which should say Daylight Savings. I assume yours says Standard. Switch it to the other option and your clock should be right.

[alphabet]

Are never happy.

[Fisher339]

i know man i got my ps3 in march 2007, i had no games besides, resistance until warhawk came out in late august...

[okcomputer]

Yea really, with the type of obscure and unnecessary crap requests this article listed, even if sony did add all of it he'd probably put out another article later on asking why his ps3 can't do his taxes for him or make a perfect espresso.

[axeblade1]

Come on Sony. The Xbox has this. Let's stop sharing one ID in multiplayer online games and allow more than one account to be signed in at the same time. Especially with trophies and levels out now. No one wants to do good in a multiplayer game just so one person gets the credit for it. Then sign out sign in with thier account and do it all over again. Joy...

[juuken]

Nitpicky but interesting.

[netherbound]

Here is my list...
1. Bring back h.264/.mp4 video support for video's that used to play back just fine in older FW's and now show as being corrupt or unsupported. Also fix the stuttering play back issue with the ones that do work.
2. Enable the ability for your PS3 controller to automatically shutoff after a period of no activity to save battery life.
3. Offer Black as one of the color background options (for the nitpicks. Yes, I know black is the absence of color so don't start).
4. Voice support in all multi-player games and Voice messaging support.
5. As stated above, allow for our PS3 controllers to be charged while the system is off/standby mode.
6. More downloadable games added to the PSN Store (ie PSone, PS2, and new games). I mean come on! Flood us Sony!!!
7. PSN Video Store (but we know this one is coming).
8. Check sum for FW downloads that have been done over your PS3 before install of that FW update to make sure that nothing happens to people like what happen to some 2.4 FW updaters (The 360 needs this too).
9. Sony likes Google and Skype so much, so they should add GTalk and Skype support to the PS3 (shoot, the PSP has Skype why don't we? We paid more for our units ;) .)
10. This one is a long shot but... why jump through the Linux hoops, just give us MAME right from the XMB. :D

[6wl]

2 things I really want (but I'll be stunned if we ever get).

- MKV support. We already have the hard part taken care of (the 264 video decoding, and ac3 is also in there) - just need to handle getting stuff out the mkv container

- Gtalk / jabber support.

[netherbound]

lovedaddy: I agree 100% with both.
But just having proper h.264/mp4 support to start will help out big time.
I had no problems with older FW's (I can not remember which one broke it off the top of my head) and it's said that I can play back almost everything under the sun (with the exception of MKV) on my 360 but not my PS3. Especially when it was able to do so at one time just fine. I think the main reason I complain so much about it is because playback looks so much better on my PS3 when it does/did work.

[BIGELLOW]

The first comment about "Smarter Firmware Updates" isn't likely going to happen. My take is that a firmware update is a touchy thing. You'd never want the PS3 to be turned off, the power strip it is plugged into to be switched off, etc, etc... So, I think Sony really wants someone "at the controls" at the very moment of a firmware update being installed, to be sure the person is aware of exactly what moment this is. This is why it makes sense to require user input at that moment.

I agree a little with the web browsing comment... in PAIN, for instance, at the menu screen you can hop into a web browser mode then right back to the menu screen. So, presumably, there should be support to do this more manually, by choosing the web browser on the in-game XMB. I'm sure the problem comes down to managing memory and/or output (such as sound.)

As for the other issues, to me they are minimal. I use a keyboard for typing. I prefer the controller for playing games. I plug my PS3 controllers into a USB device that is always plugged in and supplying power. The rest are trivial and nit-picky.

[Wolf873]

one can always hook up the controller to a PC USB port. If battery is running low and PS3 is off, I usually just hook it up to my PC that is usually running.

[titntin]

Pretty picky points to be honest - you could come up with more desirable features that actually possible much easier!

Web browsing won't happen - there simply won't be enough memory available to do it whilst the game is still loaded.

I like the idea of the controller automatically turning off - a pretty simple code fix I'm sure.

Maybe voice messaging and a few more codec's, but to be honest I'm pretty happy with what we got!

[bcash23]

Well thanks for the tech help in understanding that part if the browsing in game technically can't work then ok. I'll live and i also understand the download issue now thanks big E. But the controller charging thing if it can b addressed it only make sense. I'm lazy what if my laptop is on my bed and i'm working now i gotta have a ps3 controller on the bed with me to charge it. cause i stayed up all night playing gta4 and needed to get some work done before i went back to playing gta4 and not doing work. Nah man just have my ps3 do all the work.

[Awesomeo3000]

man all i hear is crying on n4g its ridcioulous its a video game console it plays the games we want and free online play everything else is just bonus

[ThatCanadianGuy]

The only thing he/they mentioned that i could care about was the internet browsing while playing a game.

what i would like tho,is for sony to hopefuly release a patch that speeds up the loading time of the XMB..i know it's only like 3-4 seconds,but still.I would be nice if it showed up instantly,and the "trophy syncronization" is a little lame.

[Jamaicangmr]

I dont understand why i never see any of these articles about Live yet theres one of these every damn day.

Just doesn't make sense to me.

[Hellsvacancy]

not that i use the ps3s browser that much but when i do theres not many sites i can go on2 2 watch video clips or trailers etc u can go on utube but thats about it

[devilhunterx]

When will all these "smart" people realise that HOME has nothing to do with Firmwares

[TheBadOne]

Everything in this article mentioned is right .......plus more

[Gantrfaxx]

-"Automatic Downloaded-Game Installation"
Whats the big deal? It's so difficult to press x button once more. Are you that fat?

-"Real Keyboard Support"
You must be joking, it's up to game developers to implement that into their games, UT has it, why don't other game have it?! Yeah, Sony is to blame.

-"In-Game Web Browsing"
Yeah right, how about playing games while watching Blu Ray movie? Now wouldn't that be nice?! LOL

-"Background Folding@Home"
Same thing, how about Folding while surfing, and playing a game in a small window. I f.... want that!!!

-"Screengrabs
...and it'd be nice to have for showing everyone how awesome I am all the time."
You're not awesome, you're anoying.

Enough of the nonsense...

[DFresh]

I can agree about after downloading a game it's really annoying having to install it after you just downloading it.
I also think the web browser could use a little bit more repairs especially with watching videos it requires Flash Player 8 and we don't have that yet.
Home is coming out this Fall.
The Firmware updates have been good but like with anything things can be improved more.
Sony just like anything they do will deliver and make it better and higher than our expectations.

[buddyro]

good but this "Controllers Don't Charge Without PS3 On " you have got to be kidding me I dont want my playstation on Charging when I turn it off that defeats the whole purpose of turning it off. The best one I liked was screen grab take a snap shot of any thing during the game in HD of course but for the people who does not have HD SD should be offered. I say screen grab because there was this one time in Uncharted when I had to climb a mountain then I stopped to look down at the ship below then the sun caught my eye, the water fall was also in front of me, I wanted to take a picture so bad but there was nothing I could do. Now I see the difficulty Sony is going through when you let the users of your product state what they want, you open the door for some imposable things. One of them that I seen in this article would be Folding while you surfing the internet/PS store. How can you tell Sony to allow less processing so you could use the internet/PS store just exit the program as a user you think its just press enter and it could happen but for the engineers every time you ask for something there is a possibility to create an error, that error could brick your playstation now Sony has to loose money by fixing it. All I am asking are for people to be fare in what they want some times its Ludicrous what we ask for.