If you are one of the million or so Xbox Live users who were banned from the service, things aren’t as bad as we thought. Some modders are working on a solution that will revert the firmware to a state that is nearly the same as the stock firmware. Hopefully the end result means that you’ll be able to use your console again and not have to buy a new one.

Right now two fixes are being worked on: the iXtremeLT and one from Xbox-Scene. The first isn’t ready yet, and the latter works, but you should be aware, it is very complex.

With every release of new PSP firmware, Sony’s handheld gets closer to the PS3 as far as features. Firmware update 5.50 will installed the “Information Board” to the XMB, letting PSP users get the latest news from Sony whenever new additions are available.

Some other super-amazing updates include creating and accessing sub-directories on the Memory Stick, on the browser side there’s a trial of Trend Micro’s “Kid’s Safety” service and Internet search games.

The PS3 is getting yet another firmware update, this time in the form of 2.70 so that Sony can hopefully enhance your connected experience while using the PS3. What are some of the changes that we can expect?

There’s a new Text Chat feature that allows you to keep in touch with your PlayStation Network friends online, that lets you chat with up to 15 different contacts at the same time with the help of a Wireless Keypad. Some other updates are: Friends list on the XMB (XrossMediaBar), Sort your friends via their online status, Attach larger files to the messages you send (from 1MB to 3MB), Video delivery service on PlayStation Store, and Videos you’ve purchased for your PSP system can now be transferred to your PS3 for playback.

The portable is getting Google search, with stored memory of your last 20 searches. Another feature is that video played from a memory stick can be sped up or slowed down to suit your needs. Nothing very earth shattering, but welcomed nontheless.

It looks like Sony’s next firmware update for the PS3 might include even more than the BD-Live interactive content on Blu-ray discs and the loss of the max file size for some video media. According to PCWorld the 2.20 firmware upgraded for the PS3 will also bring the ability to transfer Blu-ray movies from discs on the PS3 to the Playstation Portable.

This would be a nice feature for Sony to add sounds like it would be not unlike the Digital Copy we saw from FOX movies for iTunes. Instead of taking the time to convert each film into a special version for the PSP, some Blu-ray discs would have a “portable copy” of the movie that can be transferred to the PSP.

We’ve been checking daily for that next firmware update we told you about earlier this month that is to include Skype VoIP calling, and looks like it hit today. Version 3.90 is available for download from the Network Update menu on the PSP and will bring support for more PlayStation Network titles to the PSP along with the ability to make and receive free Skype calls on your Playstation Portable. The announcement comes today from Sony Europe but the update appears to be available for download here in the U.S. as well.

Unfortunately this feature is available only on the newer, slim PSP 2000 models and will require you to get a PSP headset and PSP remote control or Go! Cam to operate the Skype features. The 3.90 firmware with Skype lets you make free internet calls through the PSP Wi-Fi connection much like you would from a computer and will even let you setup a new Skype account on the PSP. If you have some Skype credit you can also make SkypeOut calls to landlines for a fee.

Sony’s Playstation Portable handheld gaming console has been trailing in sales to the Nintendo DS since the DS’s inception, but Sony is a far cry from giving up quite yet. Last month we saw a pretty cool upgrade with the version 3.80 firmware for the PSP which brought internet radio through the systems WiFi connectivity. Now Sony is saying that they are partnering with Ebay’s Skype to bring VoIP Skype phone service to the handheld system.

The new firmware is slated to be available for download to the PSP by the end of January and will add a Skype icon and functionality to the Network portion of the PSP’s menu. When connected to the internet users will then be able to log into Skype, manage contacts, view who’s online and of course make calls through their PSP to other Skype users or other PSP owners with the Skype feature installed. Owners will even be able to create a new Skype account right on the PSP.

Sony wasn’t the only one dishing out firmware updates today as the Microsoft Zune had some updates of their own expected, although fairly low-key. For many the update content is pretty uneventful but if you’re one of the those afflicted by a pesky battery-draining issue in the Zune30 or Zune80, the 2.3 update should be taking care of it. It also brings some improvements to the device recognition and some increased stability when syncing to your computer. Again, nothing to get too excited about for most but still moving forward!

Sony has released a new firmware update available now for the PSP, bringing the version up to 3.7. The new update can be picked up automatically through the Network Update Wi-Fi connection on the PSP.

Some of the updates with the new 3.7 version include revisions to increase security and an increased number of Playstation network titles that can be played under “Game”. The system will now also let users set custom theme settings in the Themes menu and a number of features for viewing media have been added.

A couple of weeks ago Microsoft started banning mod’d Xbox 360 game consoles from Xbox Live (just the consoles, not the user accounts). The modified consoles were able to play copies of games which Microsoft felt was not fair to everyone. Due to this Microsoft started detecting the game consoles when users would log on, and banning them from Xbox Live when found.

Now, in just a matter of days the hacker community has volleyed back to Microsoft with firmware called called iXtreme Firmware 1.0 which when installed will prevent Microsoft from detecting the modified game console and hence avoid any potential banning. I’m sure it’ll now just be just a matter of time until Microsoft retaliates. Game on!

Source: Xbox360FanBoy

Yesterday Sony released a version 3.10 firmware upgrade to the Playstation Portable system with some increased security among other new features. By the end of the same day, hackers had already decrypted the 3.10 firmware to allow third party applications to run on the PSP.

The party claiming responsibility for the PSP hack, “C + D”, was boastful about the day 0 hack of the new firmware stating, “$ony has lost another batle and will loose the war…”. Obviously they are better at hacking than they are spelling.

The new firmware updates for Sony’s PSP include support for an expansion of Playstation titles, support of MPEG-4 AVC format video files, a Conserve Memory feature and a dynamic sound normalizer. In addition, and more interesting in this upgrade is the ability to download demos directly to the PSP or transfer …