We know you’re all patiently waiting for the next PS3 firmware update, v2.40, which includes XMB access in-game and Trophy support. The good news is that it’s coming soon, and you can now see how accessing the XMB from in-game will work in this video demo.

Shortly, we’ll be posting another video here on the PlayStation.Blog that shows the Trophy feature in action for the first time. At that time we’ll provide even more details on how firmware v2.40 will enhance your PLAYSTATION 3 experience.



Check it out PS3 firmware v2.40 FAQ
News Source: blog.us.playstation

A number of senior industry analysts have warned that Microsoft's Xbox 360 console will start to struggle in the market over the coming year. Moreover, some have labelled Microsoft's attempts to market the 360 towards the casual gaming demographic as simply disastrous.

Senior industry analysts have voiced concerns over the future of Microsoft's Xbox business, labeling the US firm's attempts to market 360 to casual audiences "disastrous", and predicting that the console will "start to struggle in the market" over the coming year.

Speaking during a panel session at last month's Nordic Game 2008 conference in Malmo, Sweden, analysts covering the UK, Europe and North America were called upon to assess the current state of the global games market, and predict key trends for the next 12-18 months. And for Microsoft, the picture in their crystal ball was anything but rosy.

"When you look at an installed base basis, the Xbox 360's going to come in third place when all's said and done," said DFC Intelligence analyst David Cole. "The concern I would have with a company like Microsoft is, one of these days they're going to have to make a profit on this business otherwise why are they in it?"

Nick Parker, MD of Parker Consulting and an analyst for Screen Digest, argued that 360's failure to succeed in key continental Europe territories pointed to a fundamental image problem. "The trouble with Xbox 360 is it hasn't managed to shake off this urban, irreverent adult male feel; so it hasn't gained traction in the more casual gaming markets of mainland Europe such as France, Spain and Italy, where it's stalled," he said. "And there are already rumours of Xbox 360 being delisted from certain retailers."

According to a German site, a contact has revealed that the 40GB PS3 will soon be able to achieve backwards compatibility. It will do so through the use of 100 percent software emulation which will come by way of a new firmwae. However, we'd take this with a pinch of salt for now for obvious reasons...

In a discussion between us and Sony an import merchant from the USA, which import to Germany, we experienced that the 40GB is to become downward compatible variant of the PS3 in October PS2 plays. The whole is to go via firmware an update of.

Thus our contact man added joking that he had get rid now immediately all 60GB of models, which he has still on supply, since they would suffer a noticeable depreciation after publication of the firmware. This sounds quite plausible, since many seize to around some more expensive 60GB model only due to the downward compatibility, which with same functionality of the 40GB of model then would become void.

On the question, how this from technical side will look, us it was insured that this was to take place “to 100% by means of software emulation”. According to the dealer is planned the firmware for October, to one hundred per cent it cannot assure this however.

We can likewise no warranty for the correctness of this message give to want to drive the fact out however that Sony announced recently, also PS2 of plays over the PSN make this step nevertheless very probably.

We hold you with new information up to date.