RSSSony Losing Battle with PSP Hackers
By Ed Oswald | Published July 6, 2005, 4:18 PM
Hackers have successfully cracked the copyright protection used on PlayStation Portable discs and the games have begun to appear on Internet sites and file-sharing networks. This is the second time hackers have cracked the PSP's protection; it was first cracked shortly after its release in Japan last year.
To run the games, all the downloader must do is save them to a Sony Memory Stick. The crack only works with version 1.5 of the PSP operating system. New games will require 1.51 in an attempt to thwart copiers, so users will be forced to upgrade if they want to play the newer games.
Sony warned in a statement that downloading games and running them on the PlayStation Portable could damage the machine and void the users' warranty.
The high-resolution screen has made the PSP a target of software developers who would like to extend the features of the unit beyond what Sony builds in. However, the company appears to be leery of allowing anyone to develop third party PSP software.
According to several fan sites, a program is in the process of being created that will make it possible for any copied game to be played instead of the few that have been successfully cracked thus far.
because they make there money on software, not hardware.
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Like Sony even had a chance. If it can be engineered then it can just as easily be torn apart. Won't be long before Linux is running on it, then you can do all kinds of neat things like run emulators and play some GoldenEye, or maybe you want to play some old school Zelda so you load up your 8-bit emulator.
Sony should embrace this kind of stuff because it would only drive sales. How can they not understand this?
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Losing?
LOST.
Period.
Mind you, this is the greediest of the entertainment conglomerates...
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Yup, lost.
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why fight, aslong as there are people out there 2 cheap to buy the games/movies there will always be hacks/cracks. the attempt may stop newer hackers but theres no way it will ever get stopped
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Sony have to keep fighting it even though it is a pointless battle.
I would love to see Sony release a free (open source would be nice also) SDK for the PSP so that people can make their own software for the PSP legally. Sadly I doubt this will happen.
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This seems to be the way they are going with the PS3 but I doubt they would do it with the PSP. They had hinted at it long before the PSP released but they seem to have abandoned the idea.
Sony is using open APIs, Linux, and eventualy opening the PS3 hardware to the public to allow the machine to come full circle. Back to the good old days of the C64, Amiga, and Apple II computers. You know, back when amateur programing was the norm. I think it's IBM thats pusing them to allow this as IBM wants the CELL to get wide use so it can catch on in other markets.
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