PSP Firmware 4.00 coming soon: includes Google Search, change video playback speed

Posted Jun 16, 2008 at 11:44AM by QJ Staff Listed in: Firmware, News Tags: Eric Lempel, Google, PlayStation Network, Sony, XMB

We don't have a specific date for it yet, but according to Eric Lempel, Director of PlayStation Network Operations, the PSP's official firmware 4.00 update "will be released soon." How soon? We can only hope.

What can we expect from FW 4.00? According to Lempel, the upgrade will have a new Google Internet Search feature, accessible straight from the XMB. It uses Google's algorithms so it will return the exact same results as www.google.com.

The feature returns a search history recall of 20 items. Of course, you'll need to be connected to the Internet via a wireless access point or Wi-Fi hotspot before you can actually Google something.

Another feature inlcuded in Firmware 4.00 is the ability to speed up or slow down the playback speed of videos stored on the unit's Memory Stick. All you need to do for this is to press up or down while playing the video.

Via PlayStation Blog

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Comments

# rumors — animebuster 2008-06-16 06:55

so are the rumors not true?

# wow — Bob Joe 2008-06-16 07:12

this is gonna save the psp!?

# DaX — luismjr2 2008-06-16 07:14

now lets see what Dax thinks about this one, i hope he finds the way to make it a CFW!!

# wow.... — Boots_Megamix 2008-06-16 07:17

A google search feature is supposed to be a selling point? Whoopdy freakin doo, the browser's right there and google takes 2 seconds to load.

Sony, you never cease to disappoint.

# ///////////////// — Kr3wsk8r231 2008-06-16 07:19

acually ill like it and they may not want to tell us all of it

maybe a surprise will be there

# DAX — ForteZeroExcell 2008-06-16 07:20

SDoes this mean 4.00 m33 is gonna come out?

# Well... This is totally [STRIKETHRU]AWE SOME[/STRIKETHRU] Not worth 4.0 — mistr305 2008-06-16 07:21

If that is all PSP FW 4.0 has then...

Sony simply cant stand up to customers expectations :(

# wow — NDWolfwood 2008-06-16 07:34

congratulations sony, you've just reached a new level in stupidity.

level 1) stupid (started here)

level 2)dumbass

level 3)STUPID DUMBASS RETARDS!!! (your now here ^_^)

enjoy your newly achieved rank you stupid dumbass retards!

Don't worry, i bet theres still a maximum of 2 ppl in the world that like you ^_^

Congratz!!

# . — OverlordXenu 2008-06-16 07:36

Is that all? Sony sure fails here.

# i hope there is more — automatthis 2008-06-16 07:38

i just want divx, better playlist support and browse photo's in tiles.

# Huh.. — PspSquad 2008-06-16 07:45

1. Why would we need Google Search. Go to the internet browser for it!

2. Ok... speed up videos. Get CFW. Get PSPTube. I know that it doesn't really do it well but, it works!

3. Version 2.00 was BOMB! Version 3.00 was HOT! Version 4.00 is B0rInG!

4. Another useless CFW. ( Not alot of new features like 3.90 M33 to 3.95 GEN )

*prove me wrong if I'm wrong!*

# ? — Achooist 2008-06-16 07:50

Cool update, but that's not really that good.

Usually the X.0s should be bigger updates....

Oh well. =\

# . — Mister Common Sense 2008-06-16 07:56

It's like sony is taking in advertising money from companies and putting their products in the firmware. First Skype, now Google search?

I'll probably never update my PSP again with this crap.

# QJ posters — Rossco 2008-06-16 08:20

Damn you guys are always quick to bite back. The firmware isn't even released yet and you guys are screaming and arguing.

At least wait till the firmware comes out, you've tried it for yourself and Dark-AleX tells us if/what he'll will do about it. THEN you can start arguing...

# Ahhh — Metal Jody 2008-06-16 08:21

screw google searches from the xmb. we already can get that in the Browser. duh.

what Sony should be adding is a 'tempo' adjuster for music playback. replace google searches to youtube searches. i know we have psptube, but having an official one would promise lesser bugs. C'mon Sony!! >_>

# wow — kal_bozo 2008-06-16 08:37

Ive heard more about the firmware. Ive heard that it will increase ram for the phat by removing or changing certain files in the flash. I also heard that there would be another visuallizer, an update to increase the amount of known wireless security codes, and a slightly fast web browser.

# ***** — kal_bozo 2008-06-16 08:40

Sorry wat i meant was A slightly faster* web browser

# ok.... — Foolmonkey 2008-06-16 08:46

what you hear isn't what you get when it comes to firmwares. what the article says is all that has been officially stated it will have. but it better have more than that or its retarded.

# Disagree — Achooist 2008-06-16 08:54

Not only

# (Sarcastically) OMG No F***ing way — Ozvaldo 2008-06-16 09:09

google search come one sony thats lame.

It would be a good Idea to make some kind of youtube program I bet many people would buy a psp just to watch youtube. I know this one on CFW but i'm pretty sure sony would make a better one. DivX would be awsome I hate converting.

# Glad — pspgamerau 2008-06-16 09:31

Makes me feel glad that CFW is still the order of the day. I don't feel guilty one iota for downloading and installing CFW to get the most out of my PSP because the official releases just cripple the technology in order to squeeze a few extra dollars out of the consumer.

***** you Sony. Long live Dax.

# Actually... — Justingraziano 2008-06-16 09:57

A Google search box would be nice if it were located right next to the address bar (like it is in Safari and IE 7) so that way when you click on it you can enter a search term and be taken directly to Google.

# no — Binary 2008-06-16 10:05

the slims :| not the fat.

# blah — Binary 2008-06-16 10:06

I going to sell my psp. ***** this. eh

# heyyy — satanicdoggy 2008-06-16 10:15

y da ***** r ppl allready braagging about 4.00 allready lol how do u no wuts reeally gonna be on it stupid *****s hasnt been relased yet i herd there gonna add alotta shyt like new flash for videos n divx

# idiot — Foolmonkey 2008-06-16 10:29

why would you do a retarded thing like that? you actually care that much about an ofw update?

# No — ultimax 2008-06-16 10:40

But if this is Sonys idea of the "Next Big FW" then the psp's pretty much dead.

# Dumbf*ck — FreePlay 2008-06-16 10:45

This is someone FROM SONY telling us this.

# RE: — Dayo6 2008-06-16 11:03

Yeah... but ppl get all hyped up about the X.00, and this is a huge disappointment.

# Wow... — Mike45450 2008-06-16 11:05

That Google thing sounds stupid. You have to connect to the internet to use it anyway, so why not just open the web browser and have the ability to load google and other sites too? Plus the video playback doesn't seem particularly useful. Nobody even plays videos at half/2x speed. What would be the point?

For such a landmark firmware version, they seem to be running out of ideas. How about better file support? AVI, MPG etc., proper Youtube support without homebrew? GPS/route planning? Come on Sony, if regular people can come up with such great homebrew, surely you must be able to improve on them?

# Are you kidding me???? — arathur 2008-06-16 11:19

Someone above asked if this would save the PSP. I don't have to be a PSP developer (which I'm not) to know that the answer is "no."

How is Google search going to make people want to buy a PSP? We can just go to google.com anytime we want on our PSPs to search for someone.

Also, not that it matters, but I think Yahoo! is much better than Google. I actually hate Google.

There's most likely something much than this coming up, and I'm sure Sony wants it to be a surprise for now. Whatever it is though, I doubt it'll convince people to upgrade.

# ... — aerischan 2008-06-16 11:44

Does nobody buy the PSP for games anymore that an anemic firmware update is a make or break proposition?

# Read the whole article — zoogr2 2008-06-16 11:46

Dude it isn't CFW it's an ORIGINAL Firmware, but i guess you placed that there so people will start arguing with you

# dude — Foolmonkey 2008-06-16 12:08

sony never said it was going to be the "next big fw" so don't blame sony. it was all hyped up by everyone when in reality, we knew nothing. and they don't even have to give us updates so quit complaining. no matter what its still the best handheld gaming device ever made. quit your whining

# OMG — Foolmonkey 2008-06-16 12:13

Sony never said it was going to be "the biggest and most awesome update ever!" so you can all just shut up. Of course they don't think these crappy updates is gonna help them sell. they're just making 'em as little extras.

# Sony ur the best — .S0uR_PaTCh 2008-06-16 12:27

sometimes sony i think you could never get any better.

but know you've come up with the best update google as a search engine. i almost had a heart attack when i heard about this update. ITS REVOLUTIONARY!! !

but honestly wat the hell. this is my first comment on qj.net

i read this crap and thought wow i gotta waste my time making an account just so i could h8te this article and trash it

sony be more like other companies that actually give a crap. Take your heads out of your asses and care about flash player and all the rumors about the v4.00

# Suggestion to Sony — sicksider 2008-06-16 12:52

Google Search is really optional stuff to put into psp.What really need is,

1.Youtube Player

2.Flash/Shockwave Player

3.Slightly faster internet browser

(Maybe try solve the "NOT ENOUGH MEMORY" problem when surfing the browser.)

4.New video/sound codec

5. PSP Version of Playstation Store

Also did sony mention before about making PSP Keyboard in the future? I heard it on QJ.NET

# haha — majorbb100 2008-06-16 13:32

haha i agree the google feature is pointless, and we can alreadly put videos in slowmo. this is homo.

# They — whaleshark 2008-06-16 13:44

are obviously hiding something. a huge firmware update like this would not just contain those two things. I see ingame XMB and maybe an updated UI for the browser... hm...

# RE: — Justingraziano 2008-06-16 14:13

Well, I'm sure it will have something else useful. All X.00 firmwares came with at least one really good thing (2.0 came with a web browser, 3.0 came with a PS1 emulator, maybe 4.0 will come with a bunch of cool apps like a calendar and stuff).

# Wow your a loser — Kr3wsk8r231 2008-06-16 14:26

Maybe try solve the "NOT ENOUGH MEMORY" problem when surfing the browser.)

this cannot be don that all depends on the RAM so be4 you call a dumbass think about what you are saying you fu*k loser

how do you know this google shorcut won be a faster browser we dont fu*kin know so just chill down and dont wine at least they dont forget about us and make a fw update 2wice a year or so....

all in all dont be little bavies and deal with it

# sony sucks — rrm74001 2008-06-16 14:48

Sounds more like a "version 3.96" rather than a "version 4.0".

# Ya'll stupid — SikWitThiz 2008-06-16 14:50

If this firmware update is true. What fuznuck is the point of b|tching when you have had years of great updates through custom firmware. You have had your hands on all of the best apps through homebrew. If Sony didnt make a hackable system then your complaints would be reasonable. You can do damn near anything with all the sh|T release by all the coders and coder teams. But yet 90% of ya'll mofos b|tch about that too. You get sh|t for free you b|tch you get better technology in the fat/slim then you get in any other handheld media device ever made you b|tch. The gripes that ya'll have is straight retarded. We can do damn near anything with this device without Sony's help and ya'll b|tch.

# quite possible... — Foolmonkey 2008-06-16 15:03

that it will be a faster browser. the normal web browser has very limited access to RAM compared to a UMD/game. since it's in the xmb now, it cud mean more ram access and faster crap

# Oh + — SikWitThiz 2008-06-16 15:06

My last word on this and im done. Again if this is the real details to the 4.00fw. This fireware may open the doors for better homebrew apps. So if you keep thinking small minded and being impatient with updates that most custom firmware users dont use anyway there is no need to freak out and complaint. Small example of what i mean. Sony came out with Skype but homebrew had already made Furikup with more functionality. Maybe this update will open the doors for a real browser. Maybe this firmware will and this is a stretch guess-timate allow full or some broadcasting tv features where you can use your cable tv or satellite tv completely. I know im talking out the side of my @$s but im just saying its a lot of possibilities. With quite a few updates we were giving more capabilities.

# wwwoooowwwwwww — Foolmonkey 2008-06-16 16:22

you're just the best rhymer on earth aren't you? idiot

# you guys are pathetic — spicyhamster 2008-06-16 16:46

you get upset when Sony (which has absolutely NO obligation or incentive to keep these firmware updates going) gives you more features? They created the PSP, you bought it, and now you complain when they give you more features for free? Talk about being ungrateful.

# EHHH WRONG — Achooist 2008-06-16 17:57

You missed the last 2....

6. ?????

7. PROFIT

All better. +D

# @ultimax — UltimaArmorX 2008-06-16 21:10

log off please, don't log on again. thanks.

# I don't care. I want good PSP games. — UltimaArmorX 2008-06-16 21:14

NOT XMB crapware. The xmb is complete, it needs nigh on nothing. Web browser? Er, sorry, but I have a laptop! Join the future. Cut the crap.

# pointless update! — seferismo 2008-06-16 21:52

there's more they can improve. one is the sound when playing music both using earphone or speakerphone is too low compare to my sony ericsson phone volume. they should put also the SONY's EQUALIZER feature in our psp's.

gomessenger should be more advertised publicity for more chat friends connection all over the country.

why is sony keep on jumping on and leave what they have not improved in the firmware.

# ... — Bolec 2008-06-16 23:56

How many times I've heard that? I hope this time it's a real deal. And I hope that D_A will release his 4.00 M33 with in-built recovery mode to XMB, so I can update from GEN to M33 back :)

# nah — Nathanias 2008-06-17 00:22

they just need something to complain about

# why... WHY — Nathanias 2008-06-17 00:24

Do you people continue to ask for the following-

-Ingame XMB

-FLASH9

THEY ARE IMPOSSIBLE DUE TO HARDWARE LIMITATIONS. THE PSP IS NOT JESUS'S TOOL. Please get over it

# Leaked 4.0 footage! Check it! — Nathanias 2008-06-17 01:23

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r283/Nathanias/screenshot002-1.jpg

# ? — enigmaticdude 2008-06-17 01:55

na, 3.96 was already released as a security patch. look it up

# YESSSS — majorbb100 2008-06-17 03:12

My idea too. We need an official youtube browser in the xmb, that would be simply awesome. cause PSPTube has a ***** load of bugs.

# . — majorbb100 2008-06-17 03:13

agreed this probably isnt everything.

# lol — StingBlah 2008-06-17 05:06

that was a pretty funny rhyme...lol

foolmonkey is homo as well!

# Maybe they are hiding something? — bloody0986 2008-06-17 07:20

Maybe thats all they wanted us to hear, there might be something really cool in it that they want to keep a secret for now. Anyway, we made all this hype. Sony never said "4.0 is gonna be the biggest f$@%ing thing the PSP has ever seen." we did.

# wow — Networkgamer 2008-06-17 07:21

I've never seen more people ***** about something so small while putting so much effort into it.

# ur both homos — Foolmonkey 2008-06-17 07:25

it wasn't funny, it was retarded and so are both of you for thinking it was anything but retarded. get a real sense of humor homos

# go back to 4chan — Foolmonkey 2008-06-17 07:27

where the memes actually mean something. they're not supposed to be used anywhere else new*****.

# helloooo! — akram662 2008-06-17 07:43

i dotn know what you all are talking about the said these are 2 of the updates that is gonna be on 4.00 so there could be much more behind this. just wait until the release it!!!

# You forgot this sicksider. — Takeshi677 2008-06-17 10:02

They should also have a way to send videos AND music files to other PSP's. That way when my friend wants a song on his memory card that I have in mine, I don't have to go home and do it there and just send the file. Sony needs to think!

# . — 73N5H1 2008-06-17 10:36

nope... it was definitely funny

# Thank you Sony — nihouma 2008-06-17 14:12

Thank you Sony, for spending time and money on a feature that most people will wind up using. Who knows how it will be implemented? It might be more convenient. Plus, Sony isn't that big on 1st party games....so meh on people saying "make games!"

Also, it is possible to have different groups work on different things. Just be glad you are getting FW updates for free...Sony isn't charging, so why whine.

And seriously, people who complain about free things are disheartening. If you think that something better can be done, do it yourself!

# it's out — Foolmonkey 2008-06-17 16:17

and it sucks! just as i expected. this whole time i knew it wasn't going to be anything special. i was right. and now i sit back and laugh at you all

# Looks like 4.0 is available for download — Sinphaltimus 2008-06-17 16:56

And all it has added is google?

http://www.pspmod.com/forums/latest-added-psp-mod-downloads/35847-psp-fw-4-00-download.html

# @zoogr2 — shorty421 2008-06-17 19:36

I think he meant that it would be useless IF it was made into a CFW. And I agree, They added no real functionality into this. Speculation is now over.

# My point — rrm74001 2008-06-18 05:49

My point is that these two small pointless features do not constitute for a major firmware version jump (4.0). Adding something like Skype does.

# funny? — Dragoon 2008-06-18 09:37

Hey, guys, don't reply showing your ire.

Go die in a fire.

# Come on! — Hekynn 2008-06-18 09:38

Come on Sony you guys can do better than that. here's a few idea's for ya. Remake the browser into a small Firefox version since firefox rules, upgrade the flash player to Adobe flash 9 so we can watch our streams online while on the go or during vacation trips hehe and add divx support.

# dude — vicious 2008-06-21 01:39

thats it? be sure that im getting rid of psp. not) but dude seriously. thats a big let down. an icon and a new search engine for the internet brouwser. what a big let down. i thought every psp owner would be a contributing factor for the new FW release. extremely disapointed. so much you can do for it but not happening. man ahh. down with sony...

# dudE — vicious 2008-06-21 01:44

there is more doubt in your mind than a positive. if sony doenst come out with a revolutionizing FW, youll be complaining too. be a customer, not a slave

# foolmonkey has a brain disfuntion — vicious 2008-06-21 01:50

dude. what are you striving for? the year is 2008. not 2002. we all want bigger and better things. if you want NES, than get it. i want the psp of the future...

# yo yo hey — vicious 2008-06-21 01:55

sorry but you got the right idea. i hit dislike instead of like.

# my — vicious 2008-06-21 02:06

last word too and im also done. everyone who has a psp loves it. there is no doubt that it is the best 'portable' device out there, but it can do so much more! 4.xx is supposed to be the revolution. they're supposed to be trying. if they dont, and they have, then we are just wasting our time. ill check back in a year to see if anything has been actually updated.

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