I just found a place where to buy cool accessories for your PSP. If you want to pimp your PSP you can head to XCM and buy your PSP accessories online. The most catchy of them all are the glow in the dark faceplates. If you are wondering what a face plate is, it’s like the housing or skin of your PSP.

The glow in the dark faceplates are really eye catching. It also helps you locate your PSP better in the dark too. Here are some screenshots from the XCM website.

The most awaited PSP custom Firmware has just been released by Dark Alex. I have it installed already on my PSP and it only took me like only 2 minutes max. I know this will be easy for you too especially if you know how to read instructions.

Like all the custom firmware installation guides I’ve written before, there is always a tiny risk of bricking your PSP especially when you don’t follow the guide very carefully. I’ve read and studied most people’s comments from the previous installation guides and I just found out that they were not reading the requirements nor the instructions very carefully. That’s why they end up having various problems. I hope this time everybody pays attention to details.

So now let’s get on with the 3.80 M33 custom Firmware installation guide.

The Requirements

So here’s what we’re going to be needing.

1. A PSP Classic (A.K.A. Phat PSP) or the PSP slim with a custom firmware installed higher than 3.52 M33-4. It means if you have 3.71 M33 installed on your PSP, then you are good to go but I think it’s safer if you update your 3.71 M33 first to 3.71 M33-4. Since I did my custom firmware install at 3.71 M33-4.
2. Configure your kernel to be running on 3.71 if your custom firmware is 3.71 M33-4 or 3.52 if you have 3.52 M33-4. How do we do this? Easy, turn off your PSP and then turn it on again while holding the R button. You will see the recovery menu so go to Configuration > Game Folder Homebrew and set your respective Kernel.
3. You need to have your battery charged to 75% or more. I did my installation at 93%.
4. If you have changed your theme, you must revert back your original PSP theme. I’ve read some forums about this firmware and some said that the original PSP Theme must be active.
5. A USB Cable which you can conneect from your computer to your PSP.
6. Winzip or WinRAR for file decompression

Please make sure that you have passed all the requirements before jumping to the installation guide below.

The Installation Guide

1. Download the 3.80 M33 installer pack.
2. Extract the contents anywhere on your computer.
3. Connect your PSP to your computer using your USB cable. Copy the UPDATE folder from your computer to your PSP in this directory: ms0:/PSP/GAME. (where ms0 is the drive letter of your PSP)
4. Disconnect your PSP from your PSP. Go to the XMB menu on your PSP and navigate to GAME > Memory Stick and execute the 3.80 M33 update. Follow the onscreen instructions. The screen will go black then after accepting the instructions it will lead you to the official Sony updater screen. Accept everything then wait for the update to finish. Warning: Don’t interrupt the PSP while updating or you’ll end up bricking your PSP.
5. After the update is finished, you will be prompted to manually reset your PSP by pressing X or O. Just do it.
6. Tada! Enjoy your new custom firmware. I suggest you check out the new features.

Please install the 3.80 M33 Update 2 after this. The guide is over here. You might want to also install the 1.50 Kernel Add-on.

***Update : 3.80 M33-4 Custom  Firmware update has been released. Install it using this guide.

For questions, please use the comment form below. If you find this guide helpful and you want to share with others, please DIGG IT.

Update: 3.80 M33 has now been released. You can follow my very easy 3.80 M33 installation guide if you want to install this custom firmware.

Dark Alex will soon be releasing the latest custom firmware for the PSP according to Mathieulh. Mathieulh is one of the forefathers of the PSP hacking scene in case you don’t know. He works with Dark Alex right now and the N00bz team.

So what’s new with the 3.80 M33 Custom Firmware? The new custom Firmware will have all the new features included in the official 3.80 Sony Firmware plus the capability to run homebrew apps. In case you don’t know yet, here’s the list of the new features that are added on the latest Sony Firmware.

1. Internet Radio Feature has now been added under Network. How does that work? We will soon find out but I’m sure you will be needing a wifi connection to connect to the internet radio stations available.
2. You will now have the ability to preview each scene of a video using the Scene Search feature. for example, if you selected a thumbnail using the Scene Search function, wait for a few seconds and a video preview will begin. The screen will return to the thumbnail of the scene after a few seconds of the preview clip. How cool is that?
3. New visualizations has been added! That’s freakin’ awesome.
4. Under the Network tab, you can now view photo RSS feeds. That means you can view RSS flickr photo feeds on your PSP. Way too cool! OPML is also now supported.

I really can’t wait to install the new Custom Firmware on my PSP. I mean who wouldn’t get excited on the new awesome features? While we’re waiting for the new custom firmware to be released, let’s just enjoy the last days of our 3.71 M33 PSPs. Creating custom firmware’s not an easy task so I think we should just wait. As the elders say, “Good things come to those who wait.”, and I totally believe that!

I’m really not a fan of the iPod but when I saw iPod Touch promotional videos on the web, I was really amazed. It was weeks ago when I told myself that I’m gonna be buying this thing. But not for me, it’s for my significant other. Although my first priority was the iPhone, I decided to go for the iPod touch first. I can have my iPhone later.

I synced it with my iTunes and tried every stuff available to do with it. I tried putting movies and songs in it. I really love the cover flow. It’s one of the best ideas apple came up with. I mean who would have thought of making that. By scrolling through the album covers and making a few taps, you will be able to play the right song you are looking for. That’s great.

And then I tapped on the videos icon to try out how the videos would look like. My reaction? Amazing. Although yesterday I was watching “Powerless”, the 11th episode of Heroes second season, the sound was disappearing at some point of the video. Maybe it was the video but I have to find it out later.

Another nice feature of the device is the YouTube application. It’s nice, really. It makes up for the absense of a Flash Player on the Safari browser on the iPod Touch. Yeah you read that right, there’s no Flash Player for the iPod Touch’s browser. Apple intended not to include that. Well, I just read about it on the web. The Photo application for the iPod Touch is also nice. But I’m really wondering why did Apple not put a camera for the device. It could have been a lot more better.

The calendar application is not really helpful at all. You can’t even add an event. Well that was before my firmware was 1.1.1. If you upgrade the firmware to 1.1.2 you’ll be able to add events now. But that’s it. No more nice features. I actually upgraded to 1.1.2 just to get that add event feature on the calendar. Then I realized there must be something more. So I searched the internet about hacking the iPod Touch and that’s when I learned about Jailbreaking the iPod Touch.

Last two days ago, I downgraded the iPod Touch to 1.1.1 again and then had Jailbreak performed on it. It’s actually really easy. Unlike the PSP which you always have the risk of bricking but with the iPod Touch, all you have to do is restore and you won’t have to worry about bricking it.

I’m really quite happy now that the iPod is Jailbroken. I had installed lots of apps on it. Mostly the useful ones, like the Last.fm scrobbler, weDict, SMBPrefs, NES Emulator and lots of neat stuff. The ipod Touch actually has 32 apps running on it now. Compare that to the 7 stock applications that comes with the device when we first purchased it. What are you gonna do with just 7 applications? You can’t live with that. So for those new owners of the iPod Touch, learn to Jailbreak it. Here’s a video on jailbreaking the iPod Touch if you want it easier. It’s easy, even a kid could do it.

You can view a gallery of the iPod touch on my flickr page.

So you’ve got a stack of you Original PSP Games and you don’t have place for UMDs in your pocket. What do you do? With the release of Dark Alex’s Custom firmwares, you don’t have to bring all your bulky UMDs wherever you and your PSP go. The power of having backups is in your hands. So how do we backup our UMDs? How do we convert them to PSP ISOs? How do we dump your UMD into an ISO image? How do we convert UMD into ISO?

That’s what I’m here to share with you guys. Read along and in a few minutes you’ll be backing up our UMDs in no sweat.

Requirements:

1. A PSP with custom firmware 3.52 M33 (or higher) or 3.71 M33 (or higher)
2. UMD - Universal Media Disc
3. USB Cable

Instructions:

1. Be sure you have the VSH menu enabled. To enable the VshMenu, shutdown your PSP and restart it while holding the R button. it will bring you to the recovery mode. Go to configuration -> Use VshMenu and enable it. Once enabled, you may exit the recovery mode.
2. You will be taken to the XMB. For 3.71 M33 PSPs, press SELECT to bring up the VshMenu. For 3.52 M33 PSPs, press the HOME button to bring up the VshMenu.
3. On the VshMenu, go to USB Device and toggle the values by using the left and right directional buttons until it the value is UMD Disc. Exit the VshMenu.
4. Now connect your PSP to the computer using a USB Cable. On your XMB Go to Settings>USB Connection then the drive will pop up and you’ll see your ISO file from your UMD. Copy it onto your computer and rename the file to the title of the game. That’s it! Now you have backed up your PSP game from the UMD. You may now copy the ISO file to your memory stick and leave your UMDs at home. Easy as eating pie.

I hope you’ve learned something new. Well the next thing I’ll write about is how to compress your PSP Roms and ISOs.

Many PSP owners are still wondering what homebrew for the PSP is. PSP Homebrew is not a game but applications created by skillful coders and hackers for the PSP. To make you understand it better, I made a short list of the top PSP homebrew applications that I often use. These are not arranged in any manner whatsoever.

1. Bookr 0.7.1- This is a PDF reader for the PSP. I found this application very useful. Copy your PDFs to anywhere on your memory stick then open it via Bookr and then BAM! You can read PDF files anywhere. This runs on all custom OE firmwares and all M33 firmwares that has 1.50 kernel installed. Place the app inside the GAME150 folder. Download it here.
2. IRShell 3.7 - This is one of the best homebrew apps ever for the PSP. Here’s what you can do with it - You can play your backed up games on your PC via USB connection, Output your PSP screen on the monitor of your computer and a whole lot more. Yes it’s compatible with 3.71 M33. Download it here.
3. PiMPStreamer - This application is a realtime video/audio streamer from your PC to your PSP. it can play almost any video format. It requires WiFi connection. It works on 3.52 M33 and all custom firmwares that has 1.50 kernel support. Get it here.
4. Wifi Sniffer - I use this handy application all the time especially when I’m looking for hotspots. It shows a list of local wifi access points. TheWiFi detection works real time so it is really handy. Get it here.
5. AFKIM - An instant messenger client. I use this when I want to chat with my friends online even when I’m lying down on bed. Requires WiFi connection and 1.50 kernel. Get it here.
6. PSP Comic - This is a very handy comic reader. If you love comics like I do, you gotta have this one. Download it.

These are just a few but the ones I listed are the ones I frequently use. If you’ve got any suggestions on more useful PSP homebrew applications you can leave a comment below.

Just a few days ago, Dark Alex released an update for 3.71 M33 custom firmware. The update fixed a few bugs. It also disables the VSH menu when on the onscreen keyboard. This update will let you toggle the on screen keyboard again. For the PSP Slim, a functionality to let the charge of battery when connecting a usb cable has been added. Let’s get it on with the guide.

Requirements:

• Fat or Slim PSP with 3.71 M33 custom firmware. If you don’t have a 3.71 M33 yet, here’s a guide for installing 3.71 M33.
• USB Cable
• Computer
• Make sure you have the kernel of GAME folder configured to 3.71. Shutdown your PSP then restart while pressing R then the recovery menu will appear. Go to Configuration>Game Folder Homebrew. Make it 3.71.

Instructions:

1. Download the update here.
2. Unzip the file anywhere on your computer. Connect your PSP to your computer then copy the contents of the UPDATE folder to ms0:/PSP/GAME/UPDATE
3. Go to XMB menu and then go to GAME>Memory Stick then run the Update
4. Wait for 5 seconds. Voila! You now have a 3.71 M33-2 PSP

After you have this installed, head on to the next guide on how to install update 3 for 3.71 M33. Let’s give thanks to Dark Alex for his hard work.

UPDATE: You can now skip this guide and go directly to the 3.71 M33-4 update. I wrote a guide on how to add the 1.50 Kernel Add-on for 3.71 M33. Please check it out if you need it.

This post may be a bit late but I know a lot of you PSP owners out there are looking for installation guide for the 3.71 M33. For a bit of information, 3.71 M33 was created by Dark Alex. In other words, M33 is Dark Alex. Now on to the instructional guide!

Requirements

• You must have 3.52 M33-4 installed on your PSP. If you don’t have one yet, lucky for you I wrote a guide on installing 3.52 M33-4 too.
• A Slim (PSP2000) or Fat PSP (The older version) with 78% or more battery.
• PSP AC adaptor
• A USB Cable
• A Computer
• Ability to understand and follow instructions
• If you have the fat PSP, configure GAME folder to run on 3.52. How? Shutdown your PSP. Then power on your PSP while holding down your R button. This will take you to the recovery menu. Go to Configuration > Game folder homebrew and check if 3.52 is enabled. Press X or circle if not. Exit the recovery menu.

That’s it. if you have all these then you are ready to go!

Now here are the 4 very easy steps:

1. Download the 3.71 M33 installer pack I’ve made just for you. Unzip the file to anywhere on your computer.
2. Connect your PSP to your computer via USB and copy the UPDATE folder to ms0:/PSP/GAME
3. Go to your XMB menu and run the M33 update program. The screen will go black and this is normal. Follow the instructions. Be sure you have your PSP plugged-in to the AC adaptor. Screen will change to the Sony Update screen. Accept and update.
4. This last instruction is VERY important. After the update is finished, the updater will ask you to reboot by pressing X or O. Do so, press X or O and the PSP will restart. Have fun on your new upgraded PSP!

After successfully upgrading your PSP to 3.71 M33, you can install the 3.71 M33-2 update by following the guide I made here. Special credits go to Dark Alex. You can send him donations on his website via PayPal.

UPDATE: I wrote a guide on how to add the 1.50 Kernel Add-on for 3.71 M33. Please check it out if you need it.

As I promised Fat Of The Land and a lot more other people around the net, I’ll be writing a guide on the installation of 3.52 M33-4 custom firmware for the PSP. If you’re wondering what in the world 3.52 M33-4 is, it’s a custom firmware built by russian hackers that enables you to play homebrew and also enjoy the features of the official 3.52 sony firmware.

Before we begin with the process, here are a few simple things to do first.

Check your existing PSP Firmware.

On your XMB (Cross Media Bar), go to Settings > System Settings > System Information. Press circle or x (it depends on what PSP version you have) to view your existing firmware. If you have a 1.5 or any custom OE/SE firmware, you are in luck. You can proceed to the next step, otherwise, you must downgrade your PSP first. I suggest you use Pandora’s battery for the downgrade.

Obtain a USB Cable

If you don’t know what a USB cable is, I assure you won’t be successful with the installation. A USB cable is a connectivity tool between your PC/Mac and PSP.

Download the 3.52 M33-4 Installer Package

I packed all the files into a RAR file so you won’t have any trouble locating the files around the net. After downloading the file, unpack it using WinRAR. I’ve separated each step into separate folders so everything will be organized.

Download the 3.52 M33-4 installer pack.

Check Your Battery

I suggest you must have more than 75% battery to avoid bricking. And also plugin the adaptor.

If you have correctly followed the few simple steps above, then we are ready to go on to the installation process.

Warning: I have succesedfully installed 3.52 M33 on 3 PSPs already but there is a slight chance of bricking your PSP, only if you won’t follow the instructions step by step. Don’t worry if you brick your PSP, you can always use Pandora’s battery.

3.52 M33-4 Installation Procedures

1. If you have are running on an OE or SE custom firmware, SKIP this step and proceed to STEP 2. Connect your PSP to your computer. Open the STEP 1 folder and copy kxploitpatcher and kxploitpatcher% folders to ms0:/PSP/GAME/. Disconnect your PSP from your computer and then on the XMB go to GAME > Memory Stick > KXploit Permanent Patcher. Run it. Once done, delete the kxploitpatcher and kxploitpatcher% folder from your ms0:/PSP/GAME/ folder. Proceed to next step.
2. Connect your PSP to your computer. Open STEP 2 folder then copy the M33CREATOR folder to your “ms0:/PSP/GAME” (for 1.50 Firmwares) or “ms0:/PSP/GAME150″ (for SE/OE Firmwares). Disconnect your PSP from your computer then on the XMB menu go to GAMES > Memory Stick and execute 3.52 M33 CREATOR. For noobs, the screen will normally go black so don’t panic. Once the process is finished it will automatically go back to the XMB.On your XMB, go again to GAMES > Memory Stick on your PSP, and execute 3.52 M33UPDATE. You’ll have to press X at your own risk to agree to the installation. Don’t you turn off your PSP until the process is complete or you’ll end up bricking it. When finished, you’ll have to press X again and reboot your PSP manually. Reboot by turning of your PSP and then turning it on again.You’ll then have a 3.52 M33 PSP. You can now delete the M33CREATOR folder form your “ms0:/PSP/GAME” folder on your PSP.
3. Open STEP 3 folder and then copy M33Update4 folder to mso:/PSP/GAME150. On your XMB menu go to GAMES > Memory Stick then execute the update. After the update you will be back on the XMB and you now have 3.52 M33-4 PSP. Delete the M33Update4 folder from mso:/PSP/GAME150. From the STEP 3 folder, copy the seplugins folder to the root of your memory stick.
4. Turn off your PSP then turn it on again while pressing the R button. This will take you to the recovery menu. Go to Plugins and enable popsloader by pressing x. After enabling it, go to back and then exit.
5. Enjoy your PSP 3.52 M33-4!

You have PSP 3.52 M33-4, now what? Get those cool homebrew apps! You can either stick with this firmware for some time or upgrade it to 3.71 M33. I had mine installed with 3.71 M33 already and I say it’s really cool. There are new features like changing themes from XMB and a new kind of Video search.

Special credits go to Dark_Alex (he is the M33 team) M33 team, the Russian Hackers who created this neat piece of software. Please do check out his website for the latest updates.

UPDATE: After installing this firmware, you’ll probably be wanting to install 3.71 M33. So here’s the 4 Easy steps on installing 3.71 M33 on your PSP.

Have you ever wanted to watch YouTube videos on your PSP? Well now you can. I was googling for online FLV converters when I found Vixy. Vixy is a free online service for conversion of your videos to conventional formats like AVI, MOV, MP4, 3GP, MP3 for your PC, iPod, mobile phone or PSP.

So how do we do that? Just copy and paste the URL of your favorite YouTube video into the textbox and choose a destination format. After the video is converted, it will automatically download into your computer. Save the file and copy it into your PSP and enjoy!