PSP update brings PS3 connectivity, higher processor speed

Chicago (IL) – Sony has released the v3.50 firmware upgrade for its portable game console, which increases the processor clock speed by 25%.

The new firmware brings the long awaited connectivity to the Playstation 3 console, but Sony apparently has slipped in one feature in that has not been publicly disclosed on the firm’s website. According to user reports, v3.50 bumps the clock speed of the MIPS R4000-based CPU from 266 MHz to 333 MHz.

Initial reports suggest that the increased performance may enable Sony to run more demanding games on the platform.

The PS3 connectivity feature allows users to connect the PSP to its larger sister system via an Internet connection and the device’s “Remote Play” menu, which now includes a new “Communications Settings” option. Also new in V3.50 is an RSS Channel Guide, which has been integrated into the RSS Channel feature.

According to Sony, the update is only for (North American) users of devices with the model number PSP-1001. The company said that “there is no guarantee of proper operation [of the update]with models sold outside North America.”