Ever wanted to create a custom theme for your PlayStation 3's menu? You know, just like on the PSP. Brent posted a tutorial on his blog on how you can do just that. All you need is a PC, a memory stick, and some imagination. Just as long as you know what you want and you know how to make an image file, you probably won't even need mad imagination skills. Well, of course you'll need your PS3 as well. Check out the details in the full article.

One of the biggest gripes gamers have about Sony's PlayStation3 is the fact that getting one would figuratively cost you an arm and a leg.

Ray Maguire, Managing Director of Sony Computer Entertainment UK assures people that there will be a massive price cut on all PS3 units this coming Wednesday across the country.

From what used to be a whopping 425 GBP (around US$ 866), Maguire said that they would be selling the new, price-slashed units in two flavors: a 40GB version with various extraneous bits taken out for GBP 299 (around US$ 611), and the full 60GB version with two games for 349 GBP (around US$ 713).

He explained that the 40GB unit will have a brand new SKU taken from the 60GB version. Furthermore, the entry level 40GB unit will be working without backwards compatibility, a memory stick, and two less USB ports as well.

Maguire said that because there is a reasonable amount of games out in the market right now (65 titles all in all) the need for backwards compatibility wasn't so much of an issue as when the PS3 first came out. The 60GB version will have all the trimmings the original PS3 had.

The price-cut was mainly a PAL territory initiative, although the 60GB offering will be strictly UK only. If you're looking to buy a good gaming console and a Blu-ray player all rolled into one, US$ 611 is definitely a good deal especially now that the Christmas season is just around the corner.

Despite the fact that with the Xbox 360's sudden boost in sales with the recent release of Halo 3, Maguire hopes that this price cut for the console will considerably help boost their own finances. He goes on to say that their own Christmas titles, such as Ratchet & Clank and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune are both something that gamers should not pass up on when they finally come out.

Headplay is probably every couch potato's dream. Imagine a TV. Now imagine being able to take it anywhere and everywhere you go (except perhaps in the shower), and being able to watch movies or play games on it anytime you want. That's the concept for the new "Personal Cinema System" device, Headplay.

Headplay is a head-mounted device; basically, a TV you wear on your head. You can connect it to your gaming consoles, your DVD Player, your iPod, your PC, and maybe your Betamax player if it hasn't choked on dust yet. If it has a video out function, Headplay can most probably display it. You can also plug in a memory stick and Headplay can run the media files - movies, videos, and images - with its own built-in player.

Once you're behind the lenses of Headplay it's pretty easy to just relax and go dead to the world around you. It's nothing but you and the screen, with the stereo sounds blocking off everything else. It's like your own movie screen inside your living room.

To read the complete review of Headplay - what it is, what it does, how it plays on Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, and Nintendo' Wii on it - click on the link for the full article.

Playstation Network Operations Director Eric Lempel dropped by the official PlayStation Blog and informed all PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable owners that new firmware updates are coming their way. A part of Lempel's post read:

Taking into account customer feedback and some internal testing, we will be making available in the next few days a firmware update for the PS3 (1.93) that fixes the network disconnect issue that some of you have experienced as a result of downloading Firmware 1.92.

In addition, we are adding a new firmware update for PSP (3.71) as well, which adds many features that readers of this blog have requested.

It was only yesterday when the official FW 3.70 was found lurking over at the official PlayStation site for Japan. There was a changelog for our friends back there but North American users and the rest of the world are wondering what new things have been added to the new firmware.

Eric Lempel touched on the topic as well, and mentioned that the main thing that had been added is the ability to set themes on the handheld. He explained further:

• Once you have downloaded a theme, under settings, go to theme settings, select theme and then custom theme to choose the one you want to display.
• You can also now play music while viewing photos or a slideshow. First begin playing a track saved on your memory stick, press the HOME or SELECT button, then navigate to your photos under the Photo icon and begin viewing.
• We've added several other features including scene search for movies, and you'll be able to read about them in more depth on the usual update page once it goes live.

Check back here at QJ.NET to remain updated with the future firmware developments for the PS3 and PSP.

(Editors Note: Welcome to our 9th ish! I won't be spoiling anything here, dig on all the news below. One request though: Quickjump QuickPeek is here to stay, and we would appreciate any kind of ideas you have on improving it. Are four articles per blog enough? How should we select top stories? Do we need polls for the comment of the week? Do tell us!)

New week, new breakthroughs, new issue. The last week was one of the most monumental so far, so if you've missed checking our sites, you're a goner. Nah, we're just messing with you. That's what QuickJump QuickPeek is for, to provide you guys with the week's top events. Sure, nothing beats being among the first to read about newsbreakers once they hit our pages, but the QuickPeek experience is close enough. On to this week's issue!

The full issue awaits after the jump!

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) announced quite a few new things it has in the works for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable video game systems during its press conference at the Leipzig Games Convention.

For the PS3, SCEE unveiled a TV tuner and PVR accessory for the PS3 called PlayTV. This new accessory will let PS3 owners turn their consoles into TV recorders. PlayTV also supports PS3-PSP connectivity, so users can use the PSP to set recordings and watch live and recorded TV programs. PlayTV also allows for quick transcoding of recorder TV shows for viewing on the PSP.

SCEE also reconfirmed the PSP Slim's September 5 Euro launch date along with the announcement of two new colors - Simpsons Yellow and Spiderman Red - for the redesigned PlayStation Portable. The company also introduced their Go! entertainment brand for the PSP. Here's the skinny:

• Go! Video Download Service - Launching in early 2008, this will let PSP owners in UK and Ireland to choose from "a vast selection of high quality entertainment" and watch them on their PSPs. The service will also feature content from Sky and support from third party content owners. PSP owners can also subscribe to dedicated Sports, Entertainment and Animation packages and watch premier content on a pay per view basis.
  

• Go!Messenger - A new voice chat, video chat and instant messaging service scheduled for the New Year in SCEE territories. Go! Messenger places a small application on the PSP’s XMB which, when downloaded separately from the web and installed to the Memory Stick, lets users use voice chat, video chat and instant message through VOIP from any WiFi hot spot.
  

• Go!Explore - Used in conjunction with the PSP's GPS attachment, Go!Explore is a fully functional satellite navigation tool for PSP. Go!Explore incorporates both vehicle and pedestrian functionality and will also be launching in the new year.

On the gaming side of things, SCEE President David Reeves announced that SCEE, along with its third party publishing partners, plans to release a total of 62 titles for the PS3 by the end of the year. A total of 74 PSP titles are also scheduled for release before the year ends. For the PlayStation Network, 22 titles are currently on-track for a pre-Christmas release.

Guardian Unlimited UK called up Leo Cubbin, "the Sony bod in charge of the forthcoming social network/game design platform," to ask a bunch of stuff about LittleBigPlanet. For this post, we'll focus on one of the questions which refers to customization in the game, because Leo's answer is highly suggestive of the game's future features.

The essence of the answers revolving around this topic is that creating content for LittleBigPlanet doesn't, or might not, even need to be limited to the PS3 at all, thanks to the Sony Memory Stick. For example, saith Leo:

The SixAxis PlayStation3 controller is amazingly sophisticated, but there are also other ways to input into PlayStation3. For example, you can take your Sony Ericsson phone, whiz out memory stick and put it into the PlayStation3, so anything contained on memory stick can be imported into the game. I can take a photo of you on my phone, pop it in and put the photo onto a character's face.

So it is possible to turn someone into a sock puppet, thanks to Sony Ericsson camera phones. And maybe not even just Sony Ericsson phones, for Leo mentions elsewhere:

If it becomes apparent (after the game has been launched) that they really want some type of offline experience other than on a PlayStation3, like on a PSP or other device, then we'd think about that for the community.

And then, Leo says "you can use your PC as well," and use either the MemStick or Bluetooth to get that to the PS3. (No standalone PC version of the game, though.)

Dear deity. LittleBigPLanet could unleash an explosion of creativity among the community it will nurture, and based on the laws of statistics, there's a very good chance someone's going to be (pardon the crudity) a d**k and create some age-inappropriate content, Guardian Unlimited fears.

Leo's response was to (a) note that the PS3 has built-in parental controls, and (b) bring up the YouTube analogy common to "Game 3.0" approaches. He speaks of "post-moderation" of content created by players, where the community themselves will judge and rate these user-created content for, again pardon the crudity, levels of age-inappropriate d**kness.

At the same time, he also mentions that Sony will be taking a sort of active role in content management. "There are tools which allow moderation very quickly, allowing Sony to scan a level for images and other content that's appropriate or inappropriate." They don't want to "nip" someone's creative bud, but they are also fully committed to "protect the users".

It should be remembered that video game director Paulina Bozek recently blogged about SingStar and its development status. According to her, it's funny how a developer will never know the outcome of a title until it's finished. So, it is only logical that Sony is still to confirm whether the PlayStation 3 (PS3) title has some sort of connectivity with the PlayStation Portable (PSP).

But if we are to believe the product description of European retailer GAME on its online site, then SingStar can indeed communicate with the handheld. Here are the features of the title as listed by the store (take note of the highlighted entries):

• Your Playlist – Select and sing the songs you want.
• 300+ Songs – Entire SingStar PlayStation 2 catalogue and more available for download on day one.
• Customizable – New skins, new voice effects and artist images from SingStar online.
• My SingStar – All new SingStar online community allows users to upload and share audio feedback, EyeToy performances, EyeToy Snapshots and Scores.
• Connectivity – Transfer your best bits from PLAYSTATION 3 to PSP system and take your performances with you on-the-go.
• New Microphones – Designed exclusively to replicate mics used by artists.
• Suggestions – SingStar makes content suggestions based on users' downloading choices.
• Alerts – When new tracks are available for download.
• Slick New Look – The visual style has evolved with a stylish new look that is true to the SingStar heritage and familiar for SingStar fans.
• PSP Compatibility – Save vocal/ EyeToy performances on memory stick.

Why is this important to PSP owners? If we're not mistaken, the entries refer to saved data that can be played back on the handheld. Well, perhaps some of us prefer to listen to our own voices while on-the-go [insert Twilight Zone intro here].

At any rate, this is really interesting if the retailer's account is accurate. We will wait for further confirmation about this from Sony in the coming days.

New internet website NotifyWire (they track online items to tell you when they are in stock to prevent you having to search for them; great if you're looking for a new PS3) has said that some online retailers selling high-priced PS3 bundles with software and hardware which buyers may not necessarily want are finding themselves having a surplus of consoles. Nobody likes to pay over the odds for something which you don't want, even for something as prestigious as a PS3.

Ian Drake, president of NotifyWire said "I think we're already at the point where people won't pay a premium for the console or be forced into buying bundles." Auction site eBay has profited by the release of next generation consoles this year, with the Wii and PS3 selling for double or triple their retail prices as we speak, much like the Xbox 360 did last year; but Drake seems to think that people are becoming tired of buying from eBay, losing confidence in a marketplace where consoles sell for such a large price.

"I think people are tired of being gouged on eBay, and services like NotifyWire.com are making it easier for the everyday person to buy the PlayStation 3 online from a retailer they know and trust," he said.

So which do you pick - a US$ 1000 PS3 console from eBay or a US$ 1000 bundle (seven PS3 games, an extra SIXAXIS controller and a 2GB memory stick) from some trusted retailers? The PS3 is in high demand and if you want one really badly you should grab one whilst you can, there's nothing wrong with shopping around larger retailers for large bundles which may still be in stock due to their extensive price tag. If you aren't successful in getting a one dollar PS3 and have US$ 1000 to spend then it's worth considering.

Like it or not, QJ has a new slogan: "We're in ur intarwebz, grabbing ur newz!" Of course, when your trained brigade of hamsters spot a couple of related webpages that have pics of the same basic idea, you know we won't pass it up.

What you see above is a picture of Sony's PlayStation Store and its first batch of PS1 games for PSP play.  As you can see, Tekken 2, arguably the most memorable Tekken in the franchise, is there, along with Gabe Logan and that blasted bandicoot. Applefiend of the E-mpire forums took the shot and also confirmed earlier news of the PS1 games' prices by mentioning that Crash Bandicoot costs US$ 5.99 to pick up.

On the NeoGAF forums, theBishop decided to try his hand at downloading Syphon Filter, the results of which you can see in the screenshots below. Some observations he mentioned were that you were actually downloading both the game and a license file to play it, and the game shows up in the memory stick area where you can find your downloads. You might want to check for specific tweaks with each game, as he noticed that they also implemented a full-fledged manual into the game and video output options for easier viewing on the handheld.

Of course, the whole thing is not without its setbacks. The file sizes are huge, ranging from 157 MB (Hot Shots) to 535 MB (Tekken 2). As for transferring and installing, theBishop says it best:

As far as the installation processes. The download went pretty quickly, and it will require the PSP to be plugged in prior to the download. Hopefully this restriction will be removed once the PS3 itself can play the games. It is clear the download is stored on the PS3 HDD, but it does not seem to be accessible from the XMB interface.

After the download is complete, there is an installation process to the PSP, which actually takes WAY too long. Clearly its doing more than just copying the file because 383MB over USB2 should be done in a few minutes. It took at least 10.

In any case, if you have both of Sony's gaming platforms, consider yourself lucky to be one of the first handful to try it out. It should be interesting to see how much mail Sony will be getting over the implementation, and whether people will like it or not. Let's just hope the criticisms and praises for their plans are constructive rather than plain old shouting and screaming.

Are you sure you can handle more PS1? Alright then. Click "Full Article" for more.