Firmware 2.70 Now Out

(update) Sony release 16-player Text Chat in today's new Firmware update, and we uncover a few unlisted new features. Lovely. Now where is my voice chat?

Published 02/04/2009 at 1:41.
By djhsecondnature.

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Having experienced the longest lead up to an update that I can remember (with almost a month of speculation), Sony have finally officially confirmed what is in the next Firmware update for the PS3, which, if you have nothing better to do with your Thursday mornings, is now available for download OTA. Most of us were longing for cross-game voice chat, but unfortunately we will have to long for a little more, as our rumours from yesterday were spot on.

The 2.70 update brings a Text Chat feature, enabling us all to communicate with up to 15 online friends via the PSN. But what if I want to play a game and continue to text-chat you ask? Well fear not, you can. The Text Chat feature allows users to chat while playing PS3 games and even participate in up to three chat rooms at once. Other features include new ways to sort your friends via their online status, larger file attachments on message (from 1Mb to 3Mb) and video files purchased on the PlayStation Store can now be backed up to an external storage device.

Not too shabby in my opinion, but they better have something brilliant in store for Firmware 3.0, it’s not far off now. Is expecting my PS3 to clean my house too much? So, what do you think of Firmware 2.70? Does it live up to your expectations? Are we starting to expect too much? Do you appreciate us trying to bring you every last scrap of information we can on these updates? Oh, and if after all these false positives you’re still not convinced and you’re away from your PS3, here’s a lovely man telling you all you need to know. About Firmware, not about making ice cream.

Here’s the direct link to the firmware so you can grab it at work and use up someone else’s bandwidth. We’ve also noticed this morning that the Firmware Update has a few little secret additions: firstly, you now get an estimated (remaining) time for any downloads so you can watch your live tick away, the Store now seems to offer scrollable windows throughout (including the home page) and finally, Sony seem to think we’re all still using 480i TVs and we’re not allowed to see swearwords on them.

Seriously, the character limit sucks, and a chatroom rull of ***s reminds us of Phantasy Star Online on the Dreamcast, but other subtle changes abound: Trophy comparisons now show a dash rather than a 0% if your friend hasn’t played it yet, which is useful for seeing who’s shit at the game as opposed to just if they’ve not actually played it, and the comparison on a whole seems to be a lot faster. If you find anything else, let us know in the comments and we’ll update this post.

Comments

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Sevchenko | 02/04/2009 01:52
Member
254 TSA Points | Member since: Mar 2009

Sooo where did all those amazing features go?
- Cort | 02/04/2009 09:36
  Member
  411 TSA Points | Member since: Mar 2009
  
  They didn’t go anywhere. As usual, people on the Johnny Interwebs made them all up by themselves.
  
  Makes me laugh when companies get pilloried for not delivering something the internet made up.
Lorcan | 02/04/2009 01:53
Team TSA: Writer
1517 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008

Posted about this over in the forums.
It’s a pretty disappointing one as it’s been so long since we got our last one and after all the rumoured features it would have.
I message and that’s fine for me. You can play your game while your friend responds. Also, the sorting is just a tiny silly thing.
Oh, AND WE HAVE NO VIDEO SERVICE!!!!
Sevchenko | 02/04/2009 01:55
Member
254 TSA Points | Member since: Mar 2009

I was just looking forward to voice messaging. But I knew this would happen, sounded like way too much for one update
Jumping Monks | 02/04/2009 02:00
Legend
1318 TSA Points | Member since: Jan 2009

at least we know this is happening now, and not just speculating
Jimmy | 02/04/2009 02:36
Member
26 TSA Points | Member since: Mar 2009

Expected more, but I guess a free update is always great? :P
ravioli | 02/04/2009 04:20
Member
43 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008

its available now! so go get it…
3shirts | 02/04/2009 05:37
Member
3850 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2008

“I’m doing this with the PS3 keypad which is a great way to do this” haha, no it isn’t!

Good update generally
- C_S15 | 02/04/2009 06:03
  Member
  1848 TSA Points | Member since: Feb 2009
  
  It’s better than entering it with the DS3….
- Legroom | 02/04/2009 07:04
  Member
  61 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
  
  The PS3 Keypad is actually very good, if you’re realistic and accept the fact that you’re not going to be able to type like a PA and nail a headshot at the same time.
  
  I’ve been using the keypad I won on TSA a large amount and it works fantastically well(Thanks Michaelm, i know i still have to send you the pictures too! Sorry!). It’s like texting, practice makes perfect.
  
  Oh and it works as a bluetooth keyboard for lots of phones too, handy if you’re stuck with a crappy windows mobile smartphone!
nofi | 02/04/2009 06:39
Wants a custom tag.
5421 TSA Points | Member since: Forever

It’s all very ‘Sony’. Besides, there’s only a first party chat pad, right? Well, surely this will sell chat pads. Just sayin’.
- rothbury | 02/04/2009 07:40
  Member
  85 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
  
  What? I really don’t see what your getting at. Its not like he says its the only, or even the best way to do it…
- Hodgi92 | 02/04/2009 08:51
  The Thumb
  1161 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
  
  That’s if Sony ever bloody supply them to ANYWHERE. Seriously I have them ordered at 5 different online shops and I keep going into the high street ones, no-one has them.
  
  I’ve been waiting for my for about a month and a half :(
  - Legroom | 02/04/2009 09:10
    Member
    61 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
    
    Blimey Hodgi, you’re spot on there. I just did a search of various sites etc and couldn’t find one anywhere.
    
    That’s really quite strange because it’s quite a hardcore gamers item .
  - darknight88 | 02/04/2009 09:46
    Member
    348 TSA Points | Member since: Feb 2009
    
    I have cheked every bloody website but it is now where like you aid legroom. I looked on the GAME website and they said they have more stock in by 21 days. Still… thats a long time to wait.
- Cort | 02/04/2009 09:37
  Member
  411 TSA Points | Member since: Mar 2009
  
  Can’t you use any BlueTooth pad? And don’t two companies – at least – make chatpads which can be affixed to a DS3 or Sixaxis?
TheHostilePenguin | 02/04/2009 06:49
Member
226 TSA Points | Member since: Feb 2009

What’s the new way to sort freinds by their online status, I’m sure you can allready do that.(posting from iPod touch so can’t watch the vid). Oh well , store update today aswell.
TheHostilePenguin | 02/04/2009 06:49
Member
226 TSA Points | Member since: Feb 2009

What’s the new way to sort freinds by their online status, I’m sure you can allready do that.(posting from iPod touch so can’t watch the vid). Oh well , store update today aswell.