Hackers Add Web, Chat to PSP Video Game Player

[crackerjacker]

hmm that is cool man


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...eogames_psp_dc

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Sony Corp's new PlayStation Portable is turning into a great tool for Web browsing, comics reading and online chat -- and it also happens to play video games, movies and music, if you prefer that sort of thing.

Ringing the Alarm
Just ask Paris Hilton: there's little security in mobile gizmos, though that's slowly changing. Also, a warning for Bluetooth users.

The $249 PSP handheld video game player went on sale in the United States on March 24, and it took very little time before techies added the kinds of functions to the PSP that Sony did not include -- and may never have intended. One man needed only 24 hours to get a working client for Internet Relay Chat, or IRC, an older messaging platform.

"I was on IRC, and someone mentioned how cool it would be to use their PSP on Wi-Fi at Starbucks to talk to people over IRC. I said, 'I can do that', so I began working on it immediately," said Robert Balousek, creator of PSPIRC (http://www.pspirc.com), in an email interview.

Balousek said as many as 100,000 people may have visited the IRC client, and he is starting work on a new project that would let PSP users chat on the AOL Instant Messenger network.

Hacking new video game hardware is old hat -- rare is the console that does not get its own version of the Linux operating system from enterprising developers. But the gaming and hacking communities embraced the PSP with speed rarely seen in the console world -- a nod, perhaps, to its portability.

Other "hacks" include a way to transfer TV shows recorded by the TiVo digital video recorder to the PSP (http://www.zatznotfunny.com/ttg.htm#psp); a program for reading ebooks, (http://gamefries.blogspot.com/2005/0...et-e-books-on- your-psp.html); and a viewer for comics downloaded from the Internet (http://www.8bitjoystick.com/archives...w_to_read_web_ comics_on_a_playstation_portable.php).

Much of the new PSP functionality comes from using the Web browser built into the racing game "Wipeout Pure," which was meant to go to a Sony site. By changing some of the PSP's network settings, the browser can be pointed to an Internet portal.

A number of people have already set up such portals, formatted to fit in the PSP's screen and offering links and a place to enter Web addresses. The technology blog Engadget has rounded up a number of those links.

Sony Computer Entertainment of America, the Japanese conglomerate's U.S. gaming unit, did not respond to requests for comment.

But the tinkerers suggest Sony probably did not have their work in mind when they released the PSP. Balousek said the company had only left small loopholes for outsiders to use.

The development community wishes that would change, as evidenced by an open plea to Sony posted April 5 on the Web site PS2dev.org (http://www.ps2dev.org), which is dedicated to the development of open-source software projects for the PS2.

"I suggest to Sony that they should work with us to develop a method to allow home-brew software" using technology to protect Sony copyrights," the site's editor "Oobles" wrote.

[mp3MaStA88]

if there is pspirc, does that mean that filesharing will soon be implemented into the psp, because irc does have a filesharing protocol in it right? so then it wouldn't be that hard to implement it into the psp.

[Shareaza2005]

that would be awesome, but as soon as you get filesharing on the PSP, you will have people finding ways to put adware and spyware on it!

[mcovey]

if there is pspirc, does that mean that filesharing will soon be implemented into the psp, because irc does have a filesharing protocol in it right? so then it wouldn't be that hard to implement it into the psp.

and sony would be producing an inherintly illegal device, as well as inducing me to share files produced by sony media, and almost certainly must shut down due to paradox.

[.:sp00ky:.]

yeah downloading psp games on a psp would be nice.

[Mels_Smileys45]

If you can lug your PC around with your PSP this is awesome. Otherwise it sucks.

[Psilaxs]

Mel, the psp is internet capable without a PC to hook it into. it has Wi Fi built in. Go to a coffee shop, and hook up to the wi fi system and you are set.

[Mels_Smileys45]

My mistake. I was reading about playing converted movies and lost track of what the thread was about.

[Shudogg]

Well how would it be Sony's fault that "hackers" are using irc on the psp and if filesharing would be possible. The makers of computers aren't put to blame for people downloading illegal content, why should sony. Im not arguing, im just asking. Maybe a recall or just stop production till the product is patched. (thinking on sony's end, i think its cool that it was hacked.) I want to get a psp, but im not paying over 200 for it, I can wait a year for it to go down just like every other system. Its just like every other console though. You can mod your xbox, ps2, and more. WiFi and music is a nice twist. Everyone that bought it now, when the price goes down are going to kick themselves and say damn, why did i have to have it then.

[Shudogg]

The day adware/spyware become a pain in the a** on a game console, is the day I become Amish!