PS3's Mysterious Wireless Dongle

From 1up.com:
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With Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock on Xbox 360 and Wii, you simply turn on the machine, sync the guitar and start to rock. On PlayStation 3, however, there's the bizarre addition of a USB wireless dongle, despite the hardware featuring wireless Bluetooth technology in the box -- it's how the Sixaxis connects without a cord. When no one would comment on the additional wireless accessory during a Guitar Hero press event a few weeks back, 1UP contacted Red Octane for an explanation on why the PS3 version needed the additional step.

"For the PS3 guitar, we're using our own 2.4ghz wireless solution. Our products require considerable time for certification and testing to perfect both our software & hardware, so this was the most effective way for us to bring a high quality wireless solution for PS3 this holiday," said Red Octane VP of Hardware Lee Guinchard.

Right, but why? The wireless capabilities of PS3 and Wii are both Bluetooth-based. The Wii version doesn't require a separate dongle -- it simply hooks into the Wiimote and hijacks the existing signal -- so why are developers swapping Sony's own wireless solutions for their own? Red Octane spokesperson Bryan Lam told 1UP it's because Sony's tools only work for the Sixaxis at the moment. In order for Guitar Hero 3 to hit day-and-date with the other versions, Red Octane was forced to develop their own wireless solution. Nintendo, on the other hand, had everything ready to roll, allowing Red Octane's guitar to simply ride on the existing Bluetooth technology found in the Wii.
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Full Story: 1up.com

Use the PS3 Web Browser (and more?) Without Updating

You’ve been dying for an update, and here is something definitely worthy of posting…

So, you’re in this situation — still sitting at firmware 1.02 (by the way, this was tested on a Japan console running 1.02) and you have no desire to update; perhaps you lust for that speculated ISO loader, whatever the reason. Notice when attempting to fire up the PS3 web browser you are forced to update before proceeding — not anymore! By using Resident Evil Outbreak 1 or 2 (possibly other networked PS2 titles will work) you should be able to bypass that, here’s how:

Team Wormcult quotes…

When you use the networking feature in RE Outbreak 1&2, it allows you to configure your IP settings in relation to your router. I selected the name of my house network and set the IP address to ‘automatic’. I believe it then lets you run a test connection and you are good to go. Afterwards I went to try and start a RE game online and got a message from the server saying they shut it down a couple of months ago. But at that point you are already successfully using your PS3’s wifi to access an outside server. Afterwards when you go into your web browser after quitting the game, it should work with no upgrade needed. So far this has only been tested on my own system, 1.02 Japan unit

Potentially this may lead to bypassing other related firmware checks. I cannot personally confirm because I’m running the latest update; can anyone else test this method? Leave the results below.

By the way, check out Wormcult on iTunes.

Microsoft Working on a PlayStation Home-Like Service?

>> From teamxbox.com:
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Daniel Schiappa, general manager of strategy for Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices division, the unit responsible for Xbox and Zune, told attendees at a virtual worlds conference in Austin that "by next year, you'll probably know more about why I'm up here."

Austin360.com reports that later Schiappa hinted in an interview that Microsoft is considering launching some sort of virtual world offering that would span across its gaming, PC and mobile device offerings.
Schiappa said that most likely, any foray by Microsoft into the world of avatars or social networking would begin with PCs, then move across Xbox and finally into its mobile phone business.
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Full Story: teamxbox.com