It's been a while since I did one of my big opinion pieces, so this is a return to form of sorts.

On the software front, Sony keeps making incremental firmware updates to improve the PSP's capabilities. What started as a relatively weak game playing device with some multimedia stuff thrown in is now a fully functional device in its own right. I know a lot of functionality has been added with the perfection of custom firmware, but I'm talking about the official stuff. The problem with custom firmware is that it's just that: custom. It's not official. The point of this is what Sony can do to make it so that people have enough features so that they don't feel the need to mod their PSP's into oblivion.

Let's look at the history.
-Firmwares 1.00-1.52 were just the base firmware with some bug fixes and security holes patched.
-Firmwares 2.00-2.82 actually brought something good to the table. With each update, they added and refined more and more features, like the web browser and media compatibility.
-Firmwares 3.00-3.96 brought some big "WOW" features, like PS1 games, Skype, official custom themes, and GO!Messenger.
-Firmwares 4.00-4.20 brought no real notable new features, save for the ability to play video content bought on the PS3.
-Firmwares 5.00-5.03 have brought one notable new feature so far: PSN Store on the PSP.

So in the last 4 years of its life, Sony has slowly but surely been adding features. But obviously, it's not good enough, as it's sales haven't been the best.

In my opinion, the BIGGEST problem the PSP (and to an extent, the PS3) has, software-wise, is how open it is. Or rather, how it's not. Every attempt to have any sort of open user customization is met with a hard smackdown in the form of incremental firmware and new motherboards. As of now, the whole tug of war is at a standstill because of the new "unhackable" motherboard. What Sony really needs to do with 6.00 is open up the entire PSN Store to the public to submit their own creations, give people a set of tools to make their own software for it. Hell, they should make the tools to make PSP and PS3 software, and even make ways to connect software on the two platforms. Yes there'll probably be some sort of approval process, that's inevitable. But it would allow people to go outside the bounds of Sony's software officially, not unofficially.

I mean, look at Apple and Microsoft. Apple's App Store for the iPhone is HUGE, and it has made some developers a good chunk of money. Microsoft's Community Games section on XBL isn't as big, but it still shows that some really quality software can be made by independent developers in the community. The irony of it all is that Sony made one of the two games that started this whole user-community in video games.

Anyway, that's my big diatribe. It popped into my head when I was browsing the PSN Store, then went upstairs and read an article on Gizmodo about the Apple App Store, and sort of got this idea. I don't want any rants about ISO's and pirating and all that. Some people, like me, actually like to pay for some games. You don't buy games, developers get no money, and can't make any more games. This is strictly about the custom software capabilities of the whole PSP system.

Meh I don't like all these features because I find then unesscary fortwo devices I just use for playing games.

PSP I find a little better in terms of multimedia features because it's portable while the PS3 I find is totally unesscary expect for music because of custom in game sound tracks.