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Source: USA Today
By Peter Svensson, Associated Press
NEW YORK  In the PlayStation Portable, Sony has produced a magnificent piece of hardware. It's so fine that using it just for games seems a pity.
Here are some ways to unlock PSP capabilities that Sony neglected to tell you about, culled from various enthusiast Web sites. With them, you can Web surf, watch video and read e-books.
None of these "hacks" involve modifying the hardware or installing unlicensed software on the PSP (which would void your warranty), though the last two require that you install software on your PC.
Web browser
The PSP comes with a built-in Wi-Fi antenna that lets you to play games with other PSP users nearby. It also connects to the Internet but there's not much you can do with that connection  the gadget has no built-in e-mail program or Web browser.
However, the game "Wipeout Pure" contains a rudimentary Web browser. It's only there to access a single page, containing game updates, so to gain access to the wider Web a bit of trickery is required
You need to be close to a Wi-Fi hotspot for this to work.
1. On the PSP, go to Network Settings.
2. Select Infrastructure mode. Create a new connection and give it a name.
3. Enter the name, or SSID, of the Wi-Fi hotspot and the password if necessary.
4. Select the Custom address setting. You can usually leave IP Address Setting to Automatic.
5. For DNS Setting, select Manual. Enter the Primary DNS 67.171.70.72. This points to a computer set up by Jonathan Terleski, a student at Carnegie Mellon. It replaces the Sony page with a page that has links to Google, Yahoo and other useful sites.
6. Set it not to use a proxy.
7. Save the network settings. Make sure the Wi-Fi switch on the left side of the PSP is on.
8. Fire up "Wipeout Pure." Go to the Downloads section and select the connection you just created. That should take you online, unless traffic is overwhelming the portal page. If it doesn't work immediately, try a few hours later.
Not all pages will work in the browser, but hey: you have a PSP and you're online. If that doesn't make you happy, what will?
If you want to take the PSP even further, click on a link on the portal page to use it with Internet Relay Chat. Typing is quite slow with the onscreen keyboard, however.
In an e-mail, Terleski said he gets quite a bit of fan mail after setting up the portal.
"It wasn't that challenging technically, but I can understand other's reactions; the first time you see Google or your own web-log load up on a PSP, it's really an exciting moment," Terleski wrote.
He plans to keep the portal going at least until Sony releases a proper browser. That time is not far off: A South Korean version of the PSP, to be launched next month, will come with a Web browser and players for online music and videos.
Watch your movies
The PSP can play movies from a Memory Stick, but only in the MPEG-4 format,
Full Story HERE
By Peter Svensson, Associated Press
NEW YORK  In the PlayStation Portable, Sony has produced a magnificent piece of hardware. It's so fine that using it just for games seems a pity.
Here are some ways to unlock PSP capabilities that Sony neglected to tell you about, culled from various enthusiast Web sites. With them, you can Web surf, watch video and read e-books.
None of these "hacks" involve modifying the hardware or installing unlicensed software on the PSP (which would void your warranty), though the last two require that you install software on your PC.
Web browser
The PSP comes with a built-in Wi-Fi antenna that lets you to play games with other PSP users nearby. It also connects to the Internet but there's not much you can do with that connection  the gadget has no built-in e-mail program or Web browser.
However, the game "Wipeout Pure" contains a rudimentary Web browser. It's only there to access a single page, containing game updates, so to gain access to the wider Web a bit of trickery is required
You need to be close to a Wi-Fi hotspot for this to work.
1. On the PSP, go to Network Settings.
2. Select Infrastructure mode. Create a new connection and give it a name.
3. Enter the name, or SSID, of the Wi-Fi hotspot and the password if necessary.
4. Select the Custom address setting. You can usually leave IP Address Setting to Automatic.
5. For DNS Setting, select Manual. Enter the Primary DNS 67.171.70.72. This points to a computer set up by Jonathan Terleski, a student at Carnegie Mellon. It replaces the Sony page with a page that has links to Google, Yahoo and other useful sites.
6. Set it not to use a proxy.
7. Save the network settings. Make sure the Wi-Fi switch on the left side of the PSP is on.
8. Fire up "Wipeout Pure." Go to the Downloads section and select the connection you just created. That should take you online, unless traffic is overwhelming the portal page. If it doesn't work immediately, try a few hours later.
Not all pages will work in the browser, but hey: you have a PSP and you're online. If that doesn't make you happy, what will?
If you want to take the PSP even further, click on a link on the portal page to use it with Internet Relay Chat. Typing is quite slow with the onscreen keyboard, however.
In an e-mail, Terleski said he gets quite a bit of fan mail after setting up the portal.
"It wasn't that challenging technically, but I can understand other's reactions; the first time you see Google or your own web-log load up on a PSP, it's really an exciting moment," Terleski wrote.
He plans to keep the portal going at least until Sony releases a proper browser. That time is not far off: A South Korean version of the PSP, to be launched next month, will come with a Web browser and players for online music and videos.
Watch your movies
The PSP can play movies from a Memory Stick, but only in the MPEG-4 format,
Full Story HERE