Following the official release in Japan today, SCEA will release a new firmware update for the PS3 in the following days.
New features:
- Customization: you can now personalize the wallpaper on your XMB with a photo. When viewing a photo, simply bring up the options screen by pressing the triangle button and selecting "set as wallpaper" from the options displayed. Additionally, you can now change the order of the games displayed under the game icon on the XMB.
- Added communication elements: When you?re sending messages to friends on PLAYSTATION Network, you can now use emotions. Sony has added a bunch of emotions that can be accessed from the virtual keyboard. Also, another addition is, when an avatar is displayed during voice/video chat, the avatar will move in response to audio.
- You can now play AVCHD videos saved on a Memory Stick or digital video camera, and the ability to upscale audio CD output (44.1/88.2/176.4kHz) from the PS3 has been added. Now, there are two requirements for this feature: the device you?re outputting to must support a sampling frequency of 88.2 kHz or 176.4 kHz, and your PS3 must be connected to that device with an HDMI cable or digital optical cable.
- You can now eject discs using your controller by selecting "Eject Disc" in the options menu after you push the PS button.
- Several other minor options will be included in 1.90 including a few new display options that will allow you to adjust your display while playing PlayStation, PlayStation2 and Blu-ray movies.
More information is available at
Sony's web site (Japanese)
The firmware will be available in the U.S. and Europe in the following days.