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Portables (Games) PlayStation (Games)

Sony Admits PSP Update is Genuine 98

Posted by Zonk from the a-little-too-early dept.
sammykrupa writes "According to a story at The Register, Sony has confirmed that the PlayStation Portable (PSP) updater that leaked onto the web this past weekend is genuine. However, it publicly warned owners of the handheld console not to run the software as it will cause the PSP hardware to stop operating. The updater was "configured" to install a bunch of stuff including a text-to-speech utility, a calculator, web browser, email application and, weirdly, a word processor and spreadsheet tool. If you've already installed this thing and know have a broken PSP, you can send the malfunctioning PSP back to Sony for a repair but the company will charge you for the privilege."
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Sony Admits PSP Update is Genuine More

Sony Admits PSP Update is Genuine

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  • Sony leaks an updater on to the web... (Score:5, Funny)

    by SetupWeasel ( 54062 ) on Tuesday January 18, 2005 @02:37PM (#11398907) Homepage
    That breaks your PSP, then charges you to fix your PSP after you use it. An ingenious way to reduce the money they are losing on each PSP sale!
  • Was Sony bought by Microsoft or Something?
  • why do i get the feeling that somehow, some jerk out there is gonna find some way to blame his stupidity on sony, and successfully sue them for not making good enough software, thereby forcing him to download rogue software from the Interweb and install it... yes, its a conspiracy, and Sony is out to get ya!
  • They DID NOT realease it. Someone stole it and that IS NOT Sony's responsibility.
    • Sony's lack of security is not Sony's responsibility?

      Rob

      • Re:Grow up (Score:3, Insightful)

        by Phisbut ( 761268 )
        Sony's lack of security is not Sony's responsibility?

        If you installed an unofficial patch that Sony never told you to install, why would they be responsible? Did they force that patch into your PSP?

        • Never said that Sony was responsible for people installing an unfinished patch onto their PSPs. If you'll look at the original post again, you'll notice that it said that Sony had no responsibility for the patch being leaked in the first place.

          Rob

      • Re:Grow up (Score:2, Insightful)

        by gorim ( 700913 )
        Sony clearly has no responsibility for this. Anyone stuck with a brick has only themselves to blame.

        The fact that the firmware update was hidden only by obscure location (one has to *guess* how to find it, that wasn't terribly difficult, but enough to keep it away from normal consumers) is more than enough for Sony's defense.

        Anyone applying a firmware update of unknown quality on ANYTHING takes a huge risk and must accept the consequences. Whether it be Wifi APs, hard disk drives, MP3 players, etc... they

    • Sony didn't officially release it nor was it stole (Score:4, Interesting)

      by gorim ( 700913 ) on Tuesday January 18, 2005 @10:33PM (#11404627)

      Sony loaded it to their ftp download servers, most likely for testing purposes.

      Some enterprising individuals figured out how the PSP locates these updates, and were able to use that information to locate this file.

      They then downloaded this file and proceeded to experiment.

      There were two primary classes of these individuals:
      a. Schmucks who thought they were cool for getting in on some cool new app early and immediately installed it.
      b. More intelligent folx who realized what they had, understood the risks involved, and accepted the fact in advance that they might royally screw their PSP. These people, those who installed it, were more interested in learning all of the ins and outs of that file.

      Now, I happen to know 2 people of the latter kind who destroyed their PSP. They didn't complain or whine, but they were quite depressed with the result. They did no warezing nor would they, as the concept of warezing is rather obscene to them.

      They DID check around to see if Sony would do something, since well, Sony has to have a way to handle bad firmware updates when real ones get released anyway. There was no expectation that Sony WOULD do something, but hey, one has to try, right ?

      But to say the software was stolen is a bit incorrect. It was placed up on accessible servers for distribution onto the internet, and was accessible without any special security to prevent the downloads. It was merely not visible nor readily available to anyone who would expect any official release - only people determined to look for unofficial releases could find it.

      Having said that, I say clearly my strong belief that Sony is not culpable in this regard. The only people capable of finding it were the two I described above, and neither had any right to expect any better result than what had happened. The responsibility for their actions are their own, not Sony's.

      Indeed, it is quite kind of Sony to offer to repair these units. Given that this is a service Sony needs to offer anyhow for when REAL updates come out, Sony gets some early practice at repair.

      I praise Sony, for releasing a fantastic product (it really is) and for being willing to fix a problem that was not their fault (albeit, for a fee, which should not begrudged to them).
      • It was placed up on accessible servers for distribution onto the internet, and was accessible without any special security to prevent the downloads

        False, it was placed on a server that PSP is NOT programmed to access. YOU have to program YOUR DNS to point to the other server. PSP does NOT access the site on its own, YOU force it to by spoof attacking it. It's not Sony's fault YOU pointed YOUR DNS at the wrong site.

      • I would argue that Sony's offer of repair services would be generous only if it was for free. With a fee, it's merely fair; the leak itself was mostly Sony's fault, so offering repairs to people who screwed up their PSPs with this patch would only be expected.

        Rob (One would hope that Sony puts at least some of that money towards getting better security)
        • I do disagree the leak is mostly Sony's fault. The file was only able to be located by people who explicitly searched in non-standard locations as a result of examining how the PSP performs its updates. These people looked specifically for files that would be considered "unreleased".

          Leaked or not, the file was obviously pre-release and of unknown quality/status. As a firmware update, this is especially dangerous. People who understand the nature of firmware updates in general excercise extreme caution (as
          • I do disagree the leak is mostly Sony's fault. The file was only able to be located by people who explicitly searched in non-standard locations as a result of examining how the PSP performs its updates. These people looked specifically for files that would be considered "unreleased".

            And how hard would it have been for Sony to put these files in a place that's not accessible to the PSP, or to the general public for that matter?

            Rob
            • Very easy, considering that the place there were, was *not* accessible to the PSP's *or* the general public.

              In order to access the file, one had to sniff a normal http transaction between the PSP and the servers to find what types of files it looked for. Then one had to modify strings to suggest obvious alternate servers and paths, using a normal web browser to download the files.

              These files then could be later transferred to the PSP by two methods: using your PC to spoof a Sony server to the PSP, *or* si
  • Who is going to send a PSP back to Sony? That person should just write a letter to the FBI saying "I am a software pirate". I would just sell the parts on Ebay if I ruined my PSP on pirated software. Better to cut my loses than get my PSP returned personally by the police.
    • I seriously doubt Sony would use this as a chance to prosecute anyone. That would be really dumb. Here they get the lesson of, "Don't steal our shit before we release it." out in a very clear way (people's stuff breaks) and they can still look like a decent company by repairing the devices.

      Why go from decent PR to really bad PR at the launch of a product?
    • Sell it on eBay? You fool!! Don't you know they track those things!? I drove mine out into the country and put a bullet right between the LCD. Only way to be safe.
  • A search for the "Sony PSP" on amazon.com [amazon.com] reveals the Nintendo DS [amazon.com] and even the 1GB iPod Shuffle [amazon.com] just released by Apple.

    No expectant release date in the US? Or can I simply not find it at all on Amazon's website?

  • Er... guys sony did the right thing. (Score:5, Insightful)

    by AzraelKans ( 697974 ) on Tuesday January 18, 2005 @06:27PM (#11402510) Homepage
    If you read (not even the article) the headline. It clearly reads "leaked" in other words "warez'ed" in other words "pirated" in other words "It could have been a damn virus destroying the entire PSP but these people were stupid enough to put it in!" Im surprised sony is actually helping those guys who obviously used pirated software in their machine.

    I mean, if you illegally download longhorn (or whatever is called) and it destroys your machine (which is pretty probable) can you go to MS and tell them to fix it?! I dont think so! Can you go to ID and complaint about your leaked Doom3 beta not working? Sure! rigth before being taken to jail that is!

    Sony fixing the problem its a good point for them. NOT bad. Im glad they are charging these silly pirates to do it.

    Im modding the article as -1 Flamebait and Troll.

    Go ahead MOD my day!
    • Sony doesn't have all that many PSP's out there right now. It would make sense to offer a fix at a price to keep the installed user base intact.

      This 'leaked update' is interesting though. That is a hell of a lot of add on features. This will add a lot of value to the product if those features are useful.
    • "I mean, if you illegally download longhorn (or whatever is called) and it destroys your machine (which is pretty probable) can you go to MS and tell them to fix it?!"


      Well, if you LEGALLY download a Longhorn beta (say from MSDN) and it destroys your machine you STILL can't go to MS and tell them to fix it.

  • Comment removed based on user account deletion

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