I’m hearing reports that a new PSP firmware, version 3.50 is now available via Network Update, or from the official Sony PSP website. Initially released in Japan, it would seem that the new firmware is now available world wide.

This firmware versions adds very little to the PSP’s functionality as far as most owners are concerned, with the main two features being the addition of Remote Play over Internet feature and an RSS Media Guide add-on.

OE firmware owners will want to ignore this official Sony release. Its questionable whether this firmware will get an OE version of its own – at the moment its unlikely that the PSP underground community will want to spend time adding these features to the Open Edition firmware, but I could be wrong.

PSP owners using an official Sony PSP firmware may want to upgrade to this latest firmware version, although those with hopes of downgrading to version 1.5 and then upto an OE version should wait until an exploit is found to enable a downgrader. Anyone with firmware 3.10 or less should investigate the Open Edition firmware options before upgrading to any official Sony PSP firmware version, as this will open up the possibility to use homebrew software.

I guess the main question is whether this firmware release is the last in the 3.xx range, or whether there will be further incremental version releases. I’d love to think Sony is working on something a little bigger, and the next release will be a PSP firmware version 4.00, with something extra special built in. I wonder if Sony will ever add in those extra multimedia functions we’ve been waiting for, like the organiser, calculator, diary, Instant Messenger etc, that can exist natively within the system, or if they are going to leave it to the homebrew community to continue providing software solutions for these.