From modder extraordinaire, Ashen, comes the Fusion Micro. It’s a GameCube, shrunken way down, masquerading as a bulky ass PSP. You gotta see this to believe it…

Now tell me that ain’t badass.

You can find more details at Ashen’s work log … features, parts list, plans, etc.

- source: modretro

Step your game up… Your Wagic game that is… Wololo, the developer behind Wagic the Homebrew, is running a contest: Create a Wagic 0.16 mod or campaign for a chance to win 100 big ones ($).

Currently there are 3 entries: Temple of Wololo by Vikta; Knights & Dragons & Elves & Dwarves by JWILKES99999; and Thicker than Water by ENTERTHERAT. You can hop on over to wololo.net (follow the source link) to take a stab at ‘em. And perhaps, if Wololo permits it, you can enter your own mod or campaign.

To quote Wololo:

A few weeks ago I announced a contest for Wagic 0.16. Contestants had to come up with a mod or a campaign running on Wagic 0.16. If you’re not familiar with this concept yet, Wagic is progressively becoming a generic card engine allowing you to tweak the rules of the game, creating your own cards, and your own campaigns.

For our previous Wagic coverage, click here.

Download: WTH 0.16

- source: wololo

Modelled after Andre Michelle’s ToneMatrix comes a PSP version from developer Babkock, which does pretty much the same thing … it’s a 16-step drum machine, letting you craft some pretty cool sounding beats.

From the README:

ToneMatrix is a 16-step drum machine. The Y (vertical) axis represents eight different sounds, and more than one can be played at a time. The X (horizontal) axis represents one measure in sixteenth-notes.

Select a node on the grid with the D-pad and the X button, and that sound will be played in time. Press O to stop/resume playing, and use /\ (triangle) to clear the grid.

Press START to use the menu, and use the D-pad to select a menu item or change a value (like the tempo), and X (cross) to confirm your choice. Press SELECT for help.

Perhaps next version we’ll be able to export our creations.

Download: ToneMatrix v0.5

- release thread

Y’all know Codetactics’ Mobile Assault v1.7.4 was released? And man … its never looked better.

 

For anyone not in the know: Mobile Assault is a Jungle Strike-esque game … remember that for Genesis? You’re riding high in a ghetto-bird taking out anything and everything below, plus other opposing aircrafts. The textures are slick, especially if you’re jamming the iOS version, and the gameplay is bang-on. Mobile Assault is a must-have for your homebrew collection.

The full 1.7.4 change log can be read on the download landing page.

So hop to it!

Download: Mobile Assault v1.7.4

- release thread | codetactics

Cool! It’s confirmed the PS Vita will in fact be region-free! That’s straight from the horse’s mouth — @yosp — Shuhei Yoshida, President of Worldwide Studios, Sony Computer Entertainment.

What’s that mean? It means when the Vita is released in Japan first, on December 17th, you’ll be able to import that badboy across the border and not worry about region locked games or content.

Import a Vita from Japan, buy a game in North America, and everything’s gravy, baby.

- source: exophase

A whole slew of custom and light custom firmware updates from the one and only neur0n!

neur0n has updated LCFW 6.39 ME to v9.5; LCFW 6.60 ME to v1.4; and the same goes for the non-light versions … CFW 6.39 ME v9.5 and 6.60 ME v1.4.

What’s new? The same for each:

• Fixed USB Connect in Recovery menu.(05g only).
• Update VshMenu.

Get updated!

Download:
LCFW 6.60 ME v1.4 | LCFW 6.39 ME v9.5
CFW 6.60 ME v1.4 | CFW 6.39 ME v9.5

- source: @neur0ner

Something new from neur0n: GameMenu … and it’s already at v4.

“GameMenu” is similar to the VSH Menu, but instead of VSH (sitting at the XMB), you’re in game… So while you’re jamming whatever game you can press a key combo, which will pop up a menu, letting you monitor/adjust the CPU clock and toggle USB on/off.

Have a look-see:

You’ll be activating satellite_game.prx in game.txt … not vsh.txt.

The default key combo is START + SELECT … change that in GameMenuConfig.txt.

Update: v5… Fixed Clock Monitor on PRO-CFW.

Download: GameMenu v5

- source: @neur0ner

Dashhacks Presents a Total_Noob Original: Extended OSK.

Extended OSK, as the name suggests, extends the functionality of the on-screen keyboard. Install and activate this plugin and you’ll have the ability to conveniently copy & paste text by executing two key combos:

1. ‘Enter’ + ‘Analog Left’ to copy text; and
2. ‘Enter’ + ‘Analog Right’ to paste.

Enter being ‘X’ or ‘O’ depending on your button assignment.

Source code included.

Download: Extended OSK

I figure this belongs here, in terms of PlayStation and handhelds… PSXperia from Yifan Lu — a Java tool that’ll convert any [ripped] PSX game image (ISO) to Xperia Play format.

Yifan Lu, after weeks of hardcore reverse engineering, has released an all-in-one tool for extracting, patching and repacking the Crash Bandicoot game that ships with the Xperia Play.

Now you can take whatever PSX game, run it through PSXperia and bingo, bango — you’re jammin’ that game on your PlayStation-certified Android phone.

Here is a user guide to get you started … and the zip comes with a command line tool for OS X/Linux, as well as a GUI for all [Java] platforms. Check the README.

Download: PSXperia v1.0

- source: yifan | github

Back again … neur0n with a touch of custom firmware goodness — CFW and Light CFW 6.60 ME. Whatever your PSP model you’ll find a compatible version: PSP-1000 (01g) and PSP-2000 (02g, non-TA088v3) should use the non-light version; while everyone else, including PSPgo owners, you ought to try LCFW.

It’s ME or PRO… So what are you running?

Download: CFW 6.60 ME v1.3 | LCFW 6.60 ME v1.3

- source: @neur0ner

Davee lays it all out… Detailed at his blog, lolhax, you’ll find his method to downgrading any PSP to 6.20 … even PSP-3000 09g models, which, before today, weren’t able to flash lower than firmware 6.30.

Turns out there isn’t much difference between a PSP-3000 04g and 09g … and after discovering those differences Davee has patched up his downgrader, releasing Chronoswitch Downgrader version 5. You can read the technical details following the source.

Use Chronoswitch Downgrader on any PSP running firmware 6.35 or later, up to and including 6.60, to downgrade back to 6.20. And best of all, with this newly gained knowledge, 09g’ers will soon join the realm of perma-patched CFWs.

Davee mentions however … this is still considered experimental — and one PSP was bricked during the testing phase (props to Gamefreeak100 for the sacrifice). So with that said we, and Davee, are not responsible if you render your PSP a brick.

But for the record:

“[Davee] identified the problem, fixed it and handed it to another brave tester. This time, it worked! 09g was running firmware 6.20 and for the last 12-ish hours it has been running fine. It retains the ability to update to >= 6.30 and seems very stable!

Download: Chronoswitch Downgrader v5

- source: lolhax

A new POPs effort has surfaced: POPSLoader v3 for CFW 6.xx PRO. POPSLoader lets you emulate any PSX (PS1/PSOne) game … not just those downloadable on PSN.

The POPSLoader installation process is a tedious one… You’ll be required to dump/decrypt certain files from official firmware updates using psardumper. What files? Refer to the included README.txt.

Need help? See iamafreak’s thread. Props for that.

And if you’re running neur0n’s CFW ME … try this.

Also, you should know, another version of POPSLoader is available if you’re experiencing problems with the official build; problems related to resuming from suspend mode. You can download & read more on popsdeco’s POPSLoader v4d here.

POPSLoader v3 CHANGELOG

• Added 6.60 PRO support
• Added 6.60 pops support
• Some bug fixes

Download:
POPSLoader v3
PSP Firmware (EBOOT) Updates | PSPgo Updates

- source: google code via /talk

It’s like in-game XMB … or FastLoad for your C64 — it’s wn’s QuickBoot Test 6. QuickBoot lets you quickly boot another game (or ISO, POPS) while in a current game without returning to the XMB.

QuickBoot is configurable through quick_boot.ini; there you can define what button(s) open/close the menu, menu colours, and what UMD-emulation mode to use — Normal, M33, NP9660, or ME.

QuickBoot also makes use of “cmlibMenu”, which is included; however, you can always find the latest version here if need be. Refer to QuickBoot’s README.txt for installation and usage instructions.

And a quick shout out to @bsanehi for the heads up.

Download: QuickBoot Test 6

- source: endlessparadigm

Just whatcha’ll been waiting for: Liquidzigong & Coldbird’s custom firmware 6.60 PRO-B9. And in addition to that: neur0n has updated LCFW & CFW 6.39 ME and CFW 6.60 ME. So whatever custom firmware you’re flashin’ — it’s time to update.

The change log and supported PSP models for each custom firmware can be found on their respective download page, except the 6.60 PRO-B9 change log, which other than 6.60 support I’m not sure what’s new… Share the official changes via the comments if you know what’s up, otherwise you can review PRO-B9 dev. changes as they happen here.

Downloads:
PSP CFW 6.60 PRO-B9
PSP CFW 6.60 ME-1.2
PSP CFW 6.39 ME-9.4
PSP LCFW 6.39 ME-9.4

- source: @neur0ner (me) | google code (pro)

So since the PSP is hacked to shit — and Sony isn’t suing anyone who targets it — developer some1 has released PSP Downgrader v4. And in addition to 6.60 support you can now downgrade to any official firmware, but — more on that after this…

This downgrader, originally developed by Davee for 6.31 and 6.35, which some1 ported to later firmwares — 6.38, 6.39, and 6.60 — now lets you downgrade your PSP not only to 6.20, but any official firmware (OFW) you so desire. Although with that, comes this: You can only downgrade to a firmware greater than or equal to the factory installed OFW when your PSP was purchased; this downgrade has not been fully tested with all the different PSP models and OFWs; I wouldn’t try anything silly, like jumping way back to firmware 1.50; we are not responsible if you damage or brick your PSP.

The firmware 6.60 downgrade is made possible by a (new?) kernel exploit discovered by Davee; that was then passed down to Zecoxao, who later made said exploit available to some1. So mad props to everyone — full circle!

Download: PSP Downgrader v4

- source: @bsanehi

Announced a couple days back at Gamescom 2011 was the PSP-E1000 — a budget, UMD-equipped handheld for the PAL folk only — with a suggested retail price of €99.99.

 

The PSP-E1000 not only looks different (cheaper) it lacks WiFi and stereo speakers (mono only). So really there isn’t anything special about it … other than she’s light on the wallet.

The real question is: Is it hackable?

If anyone is wondering what’s inside Sony’s new up & coming handheld — the PlayStation Vita — then feast your eyes on the full technical specification … ‘cuz she sounds pretty badass.

• Platform Name: PlayStation Vita
• Model number: PCH-1000 series
• CPU: ARM(R) Cortex(TM)-A9 core (4 core)
• GPU: SGX543MP4+
• External Dimensions: Approx. 182.0 x 18.6 x 83.5mm (width x height x depth) (tentative, excludes largest projection)
• Screen: 5 inches (16:9), 960 x 544, Approx. 16 million colors, OLED (Touch screen) Multi touch screen (capacitive type)
• Main memory: 512MB
• VRAM: 128MB
• Rear touch pad: Multi touch pad (capacitive type)
• Cameras: Front camera, Rear camera
  • Frame rate: 120fps@320×240(QVGA), 60fps@640×480(VGA)
  • Resolution: Up to 640×480(VGA)
• Sound: Built-in stereo speakers, Built-in microphone
• Sensors: Six-axis motion sensing system (three-axis gyroscope, three-axis accelerometer), Three-axis electronic, compass
• Location: Built-in GPS (3G/Wi-Fi model only), Wi-Fi location service support
• Keys / Switches:
  • PS button
  • Power button
  • Directional buttons (Up/Down/Right/Left)
  • Action buttons (Triangle, Circle, Cross, Square)
  • Shoulder buttons (Right/Left)
  • Right stick, Left stick
  • START button, SELECT button
  • Volume buttons (+/-)
• Wireless communications:
  • Mobile network connectivity (3G/Wi-Fi model only)
  • IEEE 802.11b/g/n (n = 1×1)(Wi-Fi) (Infrastructure mode/Ad-hoc mode)
  • Bluetooth(R) 2.1+EDR (A2DP/AVRCP/HSP)
• Slots/Ports:
  • PlayStation Vita card slot
  • Memory card slot
  • SIM card slot (3G/Wi-Fi model only)
  • Multi-use port (for USB data communication, DC IN, Audio (Stereo Out /Mono In), Serial data communication), Headset jack (Stereo mini jack) (for Audio (Stereo Out/Mono In))
  • Accessory port
• Power: Built-In Lithium-ion Battery,AC adaptor
• Supported Music: MP3 MPEG-1/2 Audio Layer 3, MP4 (MPEG-4 AAC)
• AV content: WAVE (Linear PCM)
• Videos: MPEG-4 Simple Profile (AAC), H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, High/Main/Baseline Profile (AAC)
• Photos: JPEG (Exif 2.2.1), TIFF, BMP, GIF, PNG

- source: videogamer.com

Back ‘n better than ever — Half Byte Loader (or HBL) R118 for PSP Firmware 6.60! And it’s for 6.60 only — signed and ready to go.

All you need to do is unzip the package you’re about to download to the root of your memory stick, keeping the directory structure intact. Instructions are included (README.txt) if you’re not sure what’s what. Then load up your memory stick/ internal storage with all the homebrew you find here. Have fun!

Note: You really only need HBL R118 for unsigned homebrew … and if you’re on 6.60.

HBL 4 life.

Download: Half Byte Loader (HBL) R118 for OFW 6.60

- source: wololo

For the original PSP owners — PSP-1000 (01g) and PSP-2000 (02g) — we present to you neur0n’s PSP Custom Firmware 6.60 ME v1. As usual you’ll want a Pandora-battery on standby incase something goes awry; however, being neur0n, that is unlikely.

neur0n has also patched a couple useful plugins for 6.60 ME: Audio Boost, which is self-explanatory; and PspStates, which saves any game, anywhere, at any time, in its exact state, letting you later resume that game whenever you see fit.

Everything else you ought to know is in the readme’s.

LCFW 6.60 next?

Download:
PSP CFW 6.60 ME v1 | PSP OFW 6.60
PspStates for 6.60
Audio Boost for 6.60

- source: @neur0ner

Sony’s latest PSP firmware — firmware 6.60 — has been cracked wide open, which doesn’t really surprise me. In a futile attempt Sony again changed up their keys — keys that handle the encryption/decryption routines for said firmware — and those keys are now present in Psardumper, letting you dump/decrypt 6.60 in its entirety.

You can thank some1 and Proxima for this Psardumper release; neur0n also, who has readied a beta version of CFW 6.60 ME. But because 6.60 ME is not an official release just yet, I’ll ask you download it here if you’re interested. Note: You must be using a current HEN or CFW to activate and it’s for PSP-1000/2000 only.

Download: Psardumper for PSP Firmware 6.60

- source: /talk