PSP Homebrew developer Deerwings has posted his first app down at our forums: the PSP Browser JavaScript Keyboard. The app was written with Danzeff's Keyboard in mind, only Deerwing's app was designed specifically to be able to input text in a web browser.

Currently you can't access the keyboard while browsing through a page because the author wasn't able to replace the original OSK with the app yet. Deerwings describes his app this way:

This is a Javascript PSP keyboard that works for your web browser. [...] This javascript keyboard is basically an html page that you load with your browser, and then set as your homepage or load as a favorite as you like, in order to open up webpages more quickly and less frustratingly.

Here's the developer's notes:

• Built-In Google Search button - Allows you to enter plain text into the field and automatically submit to Google. Get your results even faster!
• Built-In Google Proxy - Allows you to use Google's Small Device proxy. Breaks up pages to fit on cellphones and other small devices. Getting out of memory errors? This may help!
• Full QWERTY Keyboard - Includes commonly used symbols as well as letters and numbers, and a keypad for direct IP address entry.
• To install this, all you have to do is unzip it to your root MSO:/ , (Or wherever you like) and then open your browser and navigate to file:/kb.html (Or wherever you put it).

Users are encouraged to read the help file included in the bundle. If you have any questions or wish to discuss the app, follow the link to our forums below.

Download: PSP Browser Javascript Keyboard
Visit: QJ.NET PSP Development Forums

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That sure was fast. Heads up from Deerwings who has released v1.1 of PSP Browser Javascript Keyboard. Here are the additions to the app:

• [It] now it has the ability to open pages in the current tab the keyboard is in, or work with the other two tabs without closing the keyboard tab as well
• You can switch between tabs with Square + LTrig

Download: PSP Browser Javascript Keyboard v1.1
Visit: QJ.NET PSP Development Forums

After initially releasing a beta version of PSP Chef, homebrew developer jfig111 dropped by QJ.NET PSP Development Forum once again and launched the first full build of the PSP portal. Unlike previous ones we've covered before that focused on games and applications, PSP Chef serves as your portable cooking guide.

Some of the features that come with PSP Chef v1.00 include:

• 20 Unique Starter Recipes including Waldorf Salad, Tomato Soup, Chicken Taco Blast
• 15 Main Course Recipes such as Gnocci, Fish & Chips, Peppered Steak with 5 Star Gourmet Sauce
• 12 Mouth Watering Dessert Recipes including Marble Cheesecake, Tiramisu
• 10 Great Drink Concoctions including Tang Colada, Chocolate Smoothie Supreme
• Features
• Pictures with each meal, drink, and dessert
• Easy Navigation
• Tip section completely made in Javascript
• Music to listen to while cooking

PSP Chef v1.00 comes with an Instruction.txt file that should help you get started with this portal. Read through that first before doing anything to fully enjoy the program. jfig111 added that he will be adding features and perform bug fixes for the future versions.

Download: PSP Chef v1.00
Visit: QJ PSP Development Forum

 

Digiplay Studios has come out with Digiplay v5.0 which adds a new interface, new icons, and MP4 video support to the PlayStation Portable portal.

In case you aren't familiar with this particular portal, it offers 94 flash games, various applications, seven flash videos, six extras, four Javascript games, 18 UK/U.S. PSP Game Demos, and six MP4 video downloads all accessible through a webpage-like format on your Sony handheld

If you've been using a previous version of Digiplay, you'll be happy to know that some of the bugs that were found in v4.65 have already been repaired. Newer users will also appreciate the easier installation method of Digiplay v5.0. Here are the other changes that were implemented in the application:

• Removed background changer
• New webcams (BETA)
• New buttons and icons
• MP4 videos added
• Added credits

If you plan on downloading this portal to try out the new features, be sure to go over all the documentation included in the compressed file.

Download: Digiplay v5.0

We've been seeing a lot of PlayStation Portable portals recently and they are all getting better and looking sweeter with every release. Homebrew developer jus-cal dropped by QJ.NET PSP Development Forum the other day and came up with his own portal called Hybrid.

Even though this is just the first public release, Hybrid is already at par with the other portals we've covered in the past if not better. It was coded in HTML/Javascript and some of its features include:

• Password protection
• Flash games
• Flash applications
• Internet browser
• Sleek graphics
• GMB - Gzero Media Bar
• File browser and loader
• Easy GUI
• Unique GUI
• Multi-tasking

Speaking about passwords, Hybrid v1.0.0 comes with an initial password and username which can be found in the Readme file. After installing the program on your PSP units, you can then change them to personalize Hybrid even further. Aside from that, the Readme also contains installation guide and other important reminders from jus-cal.

Download: Hybrid v1.0.0
Visit: QJ PSP Development Forum

Here is the step-by-step troubleshooting for PSP firmware 2.80 not displaying Google images on its Internet browser. Some people have noticed that Google Images were broken ever since they upgraded. Well the easy fix is to disable Javascript and here's how you do it:

    1. Go to your PSP Internet Browser
    2. Press the triangle button
    3. Go to "Tools"
    4. Select "Settings" then "View Settings"
    5. Finally, disable Javascript by selecting Javascript "Off"

And there you have it! You will now be able to view Google Images properly. Credits for this troubleshooting info goes to Shamoo.

Just like what we promised, here's part 2 of our coverage on the secrets of PSP Firmware 2.80:


For firmware 2.80, Sony added something interesting to the browser call the "PSP Extension Plugin." Now, the PSP supported the "PSP Plugin" before firmware 2.80. It let web developers create "PSP-only" plugins for their site to interact with certain PSP applications, like games. This means that values can be written back to an application from a browser, and the user's internet browser can be forced to shut down by implementing certain JavaScript code on a web page.

However, the "PSP" Plugin's linkage functionality needs implementation on the application itself. It's completely useless if you launch your PSP Internet Browser using the XMB. This brings us back to the "PSP Extension Plugin."

The "PSP" Internet Browser, in addition to the linkage functionality offered by the "PSP" Plugin, supports a linkage function that is also effective when the Internet Browser is launched from "XMB," through the "PSP" Extension Plugin. Whazzat mean? It means that as of firmware 2.80, web developers can write plugins for their site created just for the PSP.

Right now, the PSP Extension Plugin supports the following functions: 1. Acquisition of information from the Internet Browser extension header, and 2. Acquisition of the largest amount of the contents heap. Now, we have no idea what the second one means. As for the first one, the "extension header" apparently contains the following information (everything courtesy of PSP-Vault's zmcnutty):

x-psp-productcode: Your PSP's product code will depend on the region in which you purchased your PSP. The product code for PSPs purchased in North America differs from the product code of PSPs purchased in Japan.
x-psp-browser: This value tells where the Internet Browser was launched from. There are three options: from XMB, from an application under XMB, and from an application on a UMD or a Memory Stick.
x-psp-application: If necessary, this identifies the application from which the browser was launched. For example, launching the web browser using "Wipeout Pure" will fill this value with something like "Wipeout Pure/1.0.0 (UCUS-98612)
User-Agent: A user-agent identifies a user's browser to the web server. The PSP's user agent is "Mozilla/4.0 (PSP (PlayStation Portable); 2.00)". We read this value at PSP-Vault to switch PSP users to Mobile Version, but you're apparently also able to read this value through the PSP Extension Plugin.

It should also be noted that as of firmware 2.80, your PSP can also send its firmware version.

What does all this mean? Well, essentially, this stuff can be used for a whole lotta other stuff. Our resident paranoid says that with this update, any web developer can get his hands on specific information about how you reached their website. Firmware version, application used, what region your PSP is -- all these would be easy pickings for someone with enough expertise.

Scary, huh?

And now we seem to have glimpsed at Sony's latest anti-homebrew strategy. With the ability to identify a user's firmware version through the browser, Sony has ensured that they can require users to always have the latest firmware installed. How? By being able to restrict access to certain websites if the user's PSP doesn't have the latest firmware.

Does any of this sound like invasion of privacy to you? Does it seem like Sony is, in effect, alienating their customers? What'll happen to the homebrew scene? Comments are very welcome.