UPDATE NOW AVAILABLE: PSP Firmware 2.70 (Japanese version) | (US version)

Sony Computer Entertainment (Japan) announced today (click here for the official press release) that the much anticipated PSP firmware version 2.70 will be available via network update and manual download beginning April 25, 2006. As usual the new firmware update will be available for all other region shortly. Unfortunately, the much discussed Camera/GPS library is not present within this upcoming firmware. As shown below (during PlayStation Business Briefing 2006 March), additional features will follow this 4th quarter.

Noteworthy improvements include Macromedia Flash Player, ability to save audio contents of a registered RSS Channel and Traditional and Simplified Chinese “Display Language” support. 

PSP FIRMWARE 2.70 UPDATE INFORMATION PAGE: Japanese | English

Improvements with Firmware 2.70:

Network

• Incorporation of Macromedia Flash for the PSP’s [Internet Browser] (featuring Macromedia Flash Player 6) Note: you must adjust a setting to enable this feature. A connection to the Internet is required to adjust the setting.
• [Connection Settings] added within [Settings] of PSP’s [Internet Browser]
• Ability to save audio contents under [RSS Channel] to a Memory Stick Duo
• Added new [Automatic] feature to the [Rate] settings of the [LocationFree Player]

Music

• A new file extension has been added to playable AAC formats

Settings | New addition to the PSP:

• [Enable Flash Player] within PSP’s System Settings
• [Simplified Chinese] and [Traditional Chinese] have been added as options under [System Language] in [Settings]>[System Settings].
• [RSS Channel Settings] has been added under [Settings].
• New [UMD Video L and R Buttons] within [Video Settings] under [Settings]. Note: you can now disable the channel skip feature of the L/R buttons. This applies to UMD VIDEO.

Other

• Fixed issues relating to Memory Stick PRO Duo with over 2GB of free space