Posted Aug 24, 2007 at 09:10PM by Tim Y. Listed in: Homebrew Development, News Tags: eBay, Noobz
Ó

This article was originally posted on August 24, 2007 at 8:53 a.m.

SOny PSP battery - Image 1When Noobz and C+D released their Pandora Battery unbricker for the PSP earlier, the teams warned everybody that information on their project was leaked.

This amounted to the unbricker being released earlier than expected (it was originally meant for the PSP Slim), and more importantly, to several unauthorized copies of the unbricker being sold on the market for cutthroat prices.

We're letting you guys know about an ongoing auction over at eBay that appears to be for one of these "unofficial" releases. The auction starter (aka mediaseller1977) is selling an "Unbricking Battery" for £ 40.00 (US$ 80).

We're assuming that the dealer means a PSP battery that's already been prepped with the Pandora Battery. Also being vended is a copy of what appears to be the installation software for the unbricker, for £ 2.50 (US$ 5). Both sales are expected to end this August 26.

As an important reminder, Noobz and C+D released their Pandora Battery unbricker as a free downloadable (follow our previous report for the download link). Just make sure that you've got the technical skills to install its components.

We're letting you guys in on this information as a form of warning - the dev teams did say that certain "enterprising" individuals would be popping up to take advantage of their success. Spread the word.



Update: When the Noobz said that "some enterprising individuals" may take advantage of their success, they were really on to something. We reported earlier that a Pandora Battery used to unbrick PSPs has gone on sale at eBay, but now a separate instruction file is being offered for US$ 5.99.

Again, we post this as a warning to those of you who are not fully aware that both of the information and the unbricking software are hosted free of charge by the developers' sites and QJ.NET.

All you really need to spend on if you want to unbrick a PSP is a spare battery which will be used to jigkick the bricked handheld. Instructions are available in our comprehensive tutorial. We're hoping nobody gets suckered into this gimmick.

Thanks to Haikaido for the tip!


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74 Comments


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   by ;o (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » ;o

madafaka.


   Re: bob (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » report

Just use the link at the bottom of the listing and 'REPORT' them for copyright under Beta software and the item will be removed.

SIMPLE !!!!

   Re: Nicko01 (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » stupid idiots...

someone is selling 3 for $400 USD each!
what an idiot...

   Re: Nicko01 (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » heres the link

http://cgi1.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem+Item+160150349398+Category+122516

   Re: Nicko01 (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » sorry

this one should work
http://tinyurl.com/32rohd

   Re: jk (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » Great Price for a battery...

[b]SOLD[/b]

   Re: Well.. (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » I mean..

This could be kinda useful if you don't have a 2nd homebrew enabled PSP. ;/

   Re: lolzer (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » lolzer

For all of those saying this is wrong and whatever ***** like putting this smart people down, this is capitalism, all rules are valid as long as you're smart on making money ;)

   Re: Advertising -


   Re: fadamaka (Unregistered) - 2007-08-25
 » .

REQUESTING PERMISSION TO BUY IT NOW

   Re: nateo200 (Unregistered) - 2007-08-25
 » ''

whos the @$$ hole who did that wow and more importantley whos the idiots buying these batteries wow but this app is very useful
   by X (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » Hey Everyone!

Manhunt 2 just got an M rating. It comes out this halloween.

http://kotaku.com/gaming/manhunt-2/manhunt-2-lands-m-rating-for-halloween-release-293084.php


   Re: Tim Y. (QJ. NET Staff) - 2007-08-24
 » Yup, we covered it already

Here's the link:
http://pspupdates.qj.net/Trick-or-treat-ESRB-gives-Manhunt-2-an-M-rating/pg/49/aid/100716

   Re: eyezack87 (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » To Tim

Why don't you report some of the groups that are setting up ways for people to get their PSPs done? Your forums certainly have it and so does the Sony ones(I started one there). It might help others find ways other than buying the battery

http://boardsus.playstation.com/playstation/board/message?board.id+psp+thread.id+3122250
^Sony forums
   by jack (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » thats ridiculous

charging that amount of money, and then claiming in the description "these things have sold for alot more money" "people are asking why is this so cheap?!?!"
Aload of crap.
Theres always 1 *****.


   Re: Snarg (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » .

They weren't lying at the time that they made the description.

   Re: Glocky (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » Warning

Look at this listing aswell http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SONY-PSP-UNBRICKER-PACK-Fix-Bricked-PSPs-UN-BRICK-NOW_W0QQitemZ140151234778QQihZ004QQcategoryZ127752QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

   Re: t d (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » ...

ya know glocky, i was just about to post that link when i saw this article but looks like you beat me by 5 mins
   by Advertising -
   by CoMmAnDeRx (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » Leechers

If you support Noobz and C+D then report these low life auctions. Greedy useless f%$&s

And remember to donate if you can and what you can :)

http://www.noobz.eu/joomla/news/pandoras-battery.html/

   by kib (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » What is wrong with enterprise per se.

I am enterprising a bit with this new unbrick method. I set a few ads on the local interwebs so that people in my city can come by my house and i'll unbrick / downgrade their PSP for them for a small fee.

Of course enterprising in this way is different from these *****s who are just ripping people off.


   Re: CoMmAnDeRx (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » Enterprising

Hey if you make anything off their work (Noobz and C+D) don't forget to through a couple bucks their way as well.

Those whom are just profiting and not kicking back something are going to ***** it for the rest of us in the long run.

   Re: Mistabeen (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » You are as big of a ripper as these guys

Enterprising is investing in a product and trying to make money out of it.
Using free software that also states it's illigal to use it for your own profit is just as lowlife as these guys on ebay.
There is a topic on the QJ forum and Maxconsole where people can sign up for a list of people that help out people with pandora batterys, FOR FREE.

Don't come in here giving us that bull***** of enterprising, you are a lowlife leech.

   Re: DM (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » Enterprising

Yeah I'm doing the same thing; some people (I'm talking about the "noobies" that just got a PSP or are just too inexperienced) are willing for someone else to do this... I don't think 10$ is ripping people off.

P.S.: sry about my english, I'm foreign

   Re: SMT (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » Supply and demand.

Anyone who employs the service of an individual to unbrick a psp or buys an (admittedly overpriced) unbricker battery is most likely someone with no technical knowledge and no other way to enjoy the benefits of a homebrew enabled psp. Nobody is forcing them to pay for these services or batteries and I think they should have the option to if that really is their last resort.

80 dollar Unbricker battery> 200 dollar official firmware Psp.
   by Keith K (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » Half a Rip Off

Is just the battery being sold? Not only is that greasy.. its also a complete rip off. You can't do anything with just a battery. These people are selling batteries that CANNOT unbrick/downgrade without the MS.. they dont even function as batteries while they're converted. (At least they wont boot the PSP, they will power it while its on)

That is GREASY. These people should be shot and pissed on.


   Re: THIS IS NOT THE OLD WEST (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » THIS IS NOT THE OLD WEST

THIS IS NOT THE OLD WEST

   Re: majorbb100 (Unregistered) - 2007-08-25
 » .

hahaha i agree with "THIS IS NOT THE OLD WEST"
   by ^_^ (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » okie

if i had a brick, i could... buy this battery, and get ripped off, or...
do some actual READING, get any standard battery and do it myself!
but i do agree that some people have deep pockets and empty brains, in that case ebay is the way to go... :)


   Re: Advertising -


   Re: jkoz (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » dur

Tell me, how can you do it if your PSP is bricked? If you don't have someone with a PSP on 1.5 or a CFW you need to do this...

   Re: Azazil (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » Hmmm...

A friend maybe?
I'm sure you got AT LEAST ONE of those, right? Or at least one with a PSP.
A little more thought before posting an obvious question please.

   Re: ^_^ (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » yeah

i have several friends who all have custom firmware that i installed for them, because they are too lazy to figure it out. luckily none of us have ever bricked!

   Re: Snarg (Unregistered) - 2007-08-25
 » .

My kid has a PSP with custom firmware, and not one of his friends has custom firmware, they are all dumb and have the official firmware. So if he bricked his PSP, he wouldn't be able to borrow a friends PSP, as they would all be useless.
I'm sure he's not the only one in that situation, so people selling the battery and memory stick are actually doing the community a service. It's the but munchers selling just the program that should be sodomized by team c+d
   by T3KN1K4L AcidMods (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » Lower lifeforms!

I recently sent messages to all the "unbricker" posted on ebay, and received a reply by one, just for reference I told them they were selling stolen property since it isn't their intellectual property they are selling, so here's the reply I got:

Dear t3kn1k4l,

not at all. i have rewritten all of these instructions and under uk copyright law that now makes them copyright of me.

Thanks :) bye bye now


- mediaseller1977

Heres another:

Dear t3kn1k4l,

No, i'm not selling the property, i'm selling a 'procedure' that is available on the net to anyone. Now ***** off you numpty


- sambam!

   by T3KN1K4L AcidMods (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » More of em...

another reply:

Dear t3kn1k4l,

what are you on about ?
im providing an unbricking service ?!?!?!

are you on drugs ?

dave


- davenic11674

and another:

Dear t3kn1k4l,

No I'm not, I'm selling a service to people who either don't have the tools to do it, or don't want to take the time to learn to do it.

Go bother the people that are just selling the "process" of doing this on ebay.


- hootermancs

   by T3KN1K4L AcidMods (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » They don't like me!

Hmm, I'm starting to think these guys don't like me! LOL Here's some more:

Dear t3kn1k4l,

look nobhead
check my listing date
and check when the pandora battery came out
ull see i had it b4 they released
now go back to maxconsole and suck DA's ***** you stipind littla maggot

dave


- davenic11674


   Re: XD (Unregistered) - 2007-08-25
 » XD

Dude, you're fricking awesome. XD Thanks for the laughs.
   by Loonix (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » Well

Well, this offer is bull.
But when i think about it these offers can be just what one needs.
Imagine you knew no one with a homebrew enabled PSP so you cant get your hands on the Modified battery or the Memstick. o.O

for unlucky ones like that ebay might be the easiest way to regain a fully functional PSP.
But these should not be much more expensive then memstick +battery alone =(

   by dj (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » ....

damn dat davenic11674 guy is a little bi***

   by relkai (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » another rip off

In Germany it's "a bit" more expensive....look at this:
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180152213759&sspagename=ADME:X:RTQ:DE:11

This guy is selling the battery plus the memory stick for 169 Euros (about 231 dollars).
You can even get a new PSP for this price.

I wrote him an email about this rip off and he informed eBay about this mail and he wants to sue me for insulting him!
It's a mad world in which we live in....


   Re: snake (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » !

Holy f*cking sh1t

$231, the guy must really want his crack.

   Re: Fanjita - 2007-08-24
 » Illegal

Selling the memory stick is illegal and against ebay policies due to containing sony copyright material.

You should report it to ebay.

   Re: relkai (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » auction canceled

Thanks for your reply Fanjita.

I already reported it to eBay yesterday and now the auction is canceled.
But he still wants to sue me for insulting him. I didn't even insult him, I just made clear that he uses copyrighted material and rips off people's money with a method that is freely available for everyone.
I really hate it when guys like these are trying to make big money with the hard work of others and don't even think about donating to the devs.

   Re: Loonix (Unregistered) - 2007-08-25
 » Best Luck

I am from germany too and wish you best luck!
Its a shame to have such ebay sellers here +(

The sucker got his auction back online and claims there is no copyrighted material on the Memstick.
If the memstick is prepared should not be there copyrighted materials?
Is it possible to dump the Boot files from a PC?

   Re: relkai (Unregistered) - 2007-08-25
 » thanks

I don't think he's gonna sue me because in this case he would hurt himself.
You can't create the needed files on your PC and you still need a functional PSP to perform the minimal 1.5 FW install. So if he really removed the copyrighted material off the memory sticks then he's lying in his auction by stating that everything is ready to use.

   Re: relkai (Unregistered) - 2007-08-25
 » thanks

I don't think he's gonna sue me because in this case he would hurt himself.
You can't create the needed files on your PC and you still need a functional PSP to perform the minimal 1.5 FW install. So if he really removed the copyrighted material off the memory sticks then he's lying in his auction by stating that everything is ready to use.
   by NeoDraven - 2007-08-24
 » I get no credit; nice

This is really great. I see how much the admins of this site read what we send them. Yesterday, at about 2pm Eastern (US Time), I sent a message to them, telling them about a person on eBay selling a battery for $400 (link below), yet an $80 battery makes the front page, and I am not given any credit. SWEET.

*****s.

http://cgi1.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=160150349398&Category=122516


   Re: FreePlay (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » Shut the F*CK UP

you WHINY C*NT.

   Re: yS (Unregistered) - 2007-08-25
 » .....

Whoa, FreePlay, massive disrespect...

I didn't think you'd lower yourself to this level, and swear like an eight year old.
   by kq (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » Cant find any on ebay

what do i search to see them?

i tried psp unbricker
psp unbricker battery etc.

maybe ebay restricted them for sell now.


   Re: Zr0-Requiem (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » Reported

I reported a number of PSP Unbrick batteries and overpriced services started the day of Pandora's release earlier today and I used PSP Unbricker as the first keyword search I did. Enough people like me may have reported them that they were taken down. I hate it when people try and take advantage of others who just don't know about stuff like this.

Personally I don't see a problem with an unbricking service for people who only have 1 PSP and it bricked for reasons not associated with homebrew, as long as they don't charge insane amounts of money for something as simple as putting a Pandora Battery in with the proper memstick and pressing X.

You always get the greedy *****s that ruin things for everyone.

   Re: Zr0-Requiem (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » Wishful thinking

Nvm what I just said, they are all still there. how you aren't seeing them, I have no idea but they are still all there.
   by Angry Person (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » idiot!

I hate the people that leaked the battery
I hate people selling it on ebay (inless they're gunna doante it all to noobz and C+D
I can't believe they leaked this. If sony fixes this would've been a huge chance on running homebrew on the new psp's! ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!! (los'in it)

   by weapon (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » eh its not that bad a deal

bout the same price as a stamina battery @ best buy. its good if you really dont have anyway of jigkicking your own. what im worried about is if the leaked pandoras battery is what unbricked my psp 3 months ago when i had to ship it off to an ebay user. it was all legit but kinda pissed that everyone can do it now.


   Re: weapon (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » i apologize

i thought it said 40, 80?! screw that.

   Re: Rio S. (QJ. NET Staff) - 2007-08-24
 » 40 vs 80

it's 40 GBP, converted to US$ 80
   by what if (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » what is the $80 service

comes with a battery and a 4gb memory stick.
then that would be worth it.

   by XCX (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » haha

White-Hat Secret Ebay Police!!

KEEP IT UP KEEP REPORTING YEA!!!!

   by Hck (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » noobz

Noobz and team c+d are so cool they make free software for us free of charge when they can make alot of money selling it


   Re: Snarg (Unregistered) - 2007-08-25
 » .

It is awesome of them, but let's face it, the first person who bought it would have thrown it up on all the torrent sites, and popular rapidshare based download sites. So they wouldn't have made that much money. They'll probably make more this way.
   by YAMI ANUBIS X (Unregistered) - 2007-08-24
 » What a bunch of rip off people on Ebay

Who do they think they are.

You know I could understand them selling the unbricker battery for the price of a standard battery but this is a complete rip off.

If I were them, I would have sold it for the same price as the standard battery because you can easily buy a standard PSP battery and convert it into a pandoras battery, if you have a custom FW.

Also if you wanna get them really good, just show the people that control EBAY, proof that the software is free online by showing them the website of the people who created the unbricker and then they will probably take the batteries down for price gouging and cheating customers.


   Re: bigsmokesa (Unregistered) - 2007-08-25
 » .

some people has only one psp, no cfw, so how could you convert it? too bad you can't convert the battery on a pc lol
   by azaezal (Unregistered) - 2007-08-25
 » such a bunch of jerks

these people saying i only charge $10 i bet they freaking charge their mates aswell the pikey scum. I've modded all my mates psp's all totally free and if someone comes to me at uni or home and wants it sorted i do it totally free cause i count myself lucky to have the software to do it in the first place. to make money off other peoples work is so weak, i guess if you have to do it you should throw atleast %50 back to the devs.

   by idiot (Unregistered) - 2007-08-25
 » idiot

haha .. he put

"First to sell on ebay and obviously the only one that knows the way you should do things."

   by PSPMAN90 - 2007-08-25
 » I didn't pay for this and Works for mE!

I said Peolple who pay for this ra DORKS! This is free! I brick my PSP testing some new recovery.prx and then I umbrick it with this Pandora box and another PSP! I spend like 3 hours doing it cuz was my first time Now I can spend 30 esay doing it! I will bill if someone I know like a friend in person wants me to doit for him I will bill him this stuff its long process! its not really what it seems some comands are diferents like the msipl.bin!That goes msipl.BIN on comand!
I will make a easy tutorial if I can a real one! with the comands and everything! U know copy paste some comands!


   Re: . (Unregistered) - 2007-08-25
 » .

Take it easy, Alex.
   by ..... (Unregistered) - 2007-08-25
 » ......

I don't have a hombrew psp around me so the only way I can get the pandora battery is by buying one and the memory card I would need the files. What do we do if we dont have a hombrew psp and want to downgrade. email me at coldcc@gmail.com if you can help me out here

   by Lunisneko - 2007-08-25
 » You're all stupid.

Selling unbricking batteries are perfectly fine. They're not selling software, they're selling a battery and the work of shipping that battery preloaded with Pandora or whatever other Unbrick software there is. I plan on selling a few of these myself, though not for quite so much, and in combination with the memory stick, as well as providing a service in my area and possibly to anyone via FedEx. Not everyone has a way to build their own Pandora. So why make a big deal out of it? Enterprise is what makes the world go 'round, after all.

   by soopergooman - 2007-08-25
 » wrong

I was torn up buy a mod today for sticking up gfor fanjita noobz and everyones. I was told by a mod that its not wrong to sell their code and not give them any money or have their permission to do it. Guys sue the ***** h3ll out fo them. the guy says he's not greedy but he has 45 of em ready to go. thats alot of cash.

   by Andy (Unregistered) - 2007-08-25
 » They're at it in the UK too ...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PSP-Unbricker-Unbrick-Battery-and-Memory-Card-Repair_W0QQitemZ110163067658QQihZ001QQcategoryZ127746QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

and

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sony-PSP-Unbricking-Battery-Unbrick-Firmware_W0QQitemZ220142994853QQihZ012QQcategoryZ127742QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Second one states "eople would pay a lot of money for this and i have seen these on ebay for LOTS more than i am selling it for. I am not greedy."

No, you're not greedy - you're just selling someone else's hard work for money without their permission. Moron.

   by NeoDraven (Unregistered) - 2007-08-25
 » You bastard admins

I was the first person to report this, and surprisingly, another person gets the credit for it. I'll just leave people to their own devices after this.

Phuckholes.

   by Dragking (Unregistered) - 2007-08-25
 » No offense to anyone but...

Yea selling the batteries for $400 is insane but how about the people that are selling "kits" for $60? I mean sure it is unfair to rip off peopl with free homebrew but what if people don't have access to a homebrew enabled psp?

Example:

http://tinyurl.com/yolkos




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