Sony has started the banning of thousands of PS3 hackers in Europe just moments ago and will most likely be spreading to the United States by nightfall. Looks like they are also sending Warning/Threatening E-Mails to everyone they currently have on their ban list.

"Sony's Banning E-Mail" by hatashi

Looks like Sony is also saying:

To avoid this, consumers must immediately cease use and remove all circumvention devices and delete all unauthorized or pirated software from their PlayStation 3 systems.

Source – PlayStation Official Blog

UPDATE: I have just received an E-Mail from Sony as-well so I can confirm it is real!

UPDATE: I have just call Sony Customer Service and they are saying they reason for the ban is the Call of Duty hacks and they are searching all updated PS3’s on 3.56 for the hacks (SO DELETE THEM) also he went on to say that if you call them back after your baned you can try to get unbanned, but I also must warn you they collect enough data most of the time to see if your lying.

Sony released the following statement today.

Notice: Unauthorized circumvention devices for the PlayStation 3 system have been recently released by hackers. These devices permit the use of unauthorized or pirated software. Use of such devices or software violates the terms of the “System Software License Agreement for the PlayStation 3 System” and the “Terms of Services and User Agreement” for the PlayStation Network/Qriocity and its Community Code of Conduct provisions. Violation of the System Software Licence Agreement for the PlayStation 3 System invalidates the consumer guarantee for that system. In addition, copying or playing pirated software is a violation of International Copyright Laws. Consumers using circumvention devices or running unauthorized or pirated software will have access to the PlayStation Network and access to Qriocity services through PlayStation 3 system terminated permanently.

To avoid this, consumers must immediately cease use and remove all circumvention devices and delete all unauthorized or pirated software from their PlayStation 3 systems.

What I find most interesting is that the comments on the release are mainly Pro-Sony. Sounds like people are forgetting many hackers are doing it primarily for functionality (esp functionality that has been removed (otherOS) and for improving features that have not been touched in years.)

Source: Playstation Blog

drizztbsd has released Gaia Manager v2.07. Gaia Manager is based off Open Manager and Sexy Manager. The difference? This one is packed with more features. Check out the full description for more information.

2.07 CHANGELOG

* Enabled discless on syscall36rn
* Changed syscall36 implementation, from two payloads to only one payload (https://github.com/drizztbsd/syscall36)

2.06 CHANGELOG
* Changed HV_SIZE to ~3.4MB, it should not crash anymore on startuprn
* Fixed 8001003D and 8001003E errors (such as in Fifa 11)

Download it from the Brewology Store or PS3 Homebrew Manager.

• OLED touch screen that is a tiny bit bigger than the PSP 1000’s screen but 5X the resolution.
• Back-panel touchpad
• Front and rear camera
• Dual analog sticks
• PS3-like graphics – Amazing!!!!
• SD-like game carts
• WiFi
• 3G
• Bluetooth
• GPS
• Electric Compass
• Gyroscope
• Accelerometer
• Great launch titles like Uncharted, Resistance, Killzone, Little Big Planet, Call of Duty, MGS4, Monster Hunter, Dynasty Warrior
• Quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, quad-core GPU as well!!!!!!!

Hideo says that this clip of MGS4 on the PSP 2 is a direct port of the PS3 version, running at 20 FPS.

WOW! PS3 graphics on the PSP 2 at near-full spead?!?!

Comes out this coming holiday season. <3

Don’t update your PS3 if you plan to keep your homebrew on your PS3 because the new update prevent homebrew on our consoles! But how?! Apparently, this update contains another special file to check the signatures on PS3 games and since they’re only pseudo-signed, Sony can easily detect the difference. What features does this update add? None. Just “security patches.”
This may be sad news, but we’re sure that the encryption method just needs to be tweaked a tiny bit and the hacks will be re-released with the new encryption very soon.

Source: Here

Just yesterday, RoxFox64 met up with Hellcat and Davee who were in the final stages of making their new, signed downgrader. As it turned out, he had upgraded to 6.35 from 6.20 recently and needed to use it, imagine that coincidence! After waiting for Davee to give him the compiled version to test, he was more than happy to see that it had worked 100%!
With this downgrader, it will be very simple, and very safe, to downgrade from 6.35 to the 6.20 firmware!

From the ReadMe:

[What does it technically do?]
It uses the utility/power exploit to gain kernel access and reboots into the updater with a special PRX running. This PRX uses the pspdecrypt functionality to decrypt the updater PRX when needed. This allows the updater to boot in the newer firmwares.
So, in order to use this you need the official update for OFW 6.20 (SPECIFIC TO YOUR MODEL)
Installation is very simple:
Place the 6.20 update in X:/PSP/GAME/UPDATE/
and extract the downgrader’s folder into X:/PSP/GAME/

Why OFW 6.20?
Currently, 6.20 is the latest firmware we have full Kernel access on. This is the firmware you’ll find the absolute most functionality on along with HEN TN-C.

Discussion: Here

Downgrader Download: Here
6.20 Official Firmware (1000, 2000, 3000): Here
6.20 Official Firmware (Go!): Here

Well, it turns out that Sony has an update to add to the overall system stability and help out with preventing piracy that can be enabled with the latest pseudo-signing tricks that the PSP hacking community (most notably Mathieulh) has sent out. It’s said that our signed homebrew will work on all of Sony’s official firmwares, though, right? Well, does it work?
The answer is yes, our homebrew does work! This is great news! But, what does this new firmware add? Well, it adds preventative measures to using an HEN to enable homebrew launching from the XMB and a few other naughty PSP homebrew. So, should you update to it? For the first time ever, I think we can safely say that if you want to, go ahead. There’s plenty of homebrew that works and it will take very little time for a new release of the HEN to work on these official firmwares. Sorry Sony, but you cannot stop what has started…

Source: Wololo & Sony

Discussion: In the forum

deanrr has released multiMAN v1.12.2005. multiMAN combines Open Manager, Simple File Manager and AVCHD for an all in one solution. It allows users to run backups, watch AVCHD videos and manage there files. Formerly known as AVCHD and Game Manager, it is now being called multiMAN. The word multi is essential to this manager due to it’s multifunctional tools. multiMAN does more then just backup games to your PS3.

New in version 1.12.2005:rn * Multiman Can Be Launched from the XMB in normal fashion retailrn * Symbolic / hardlink copy folder in FILE MANAGER [R3]rn * New screen in HELP FILE MANAGER (10x condorstrike)rn * [L2] / Setup reports firmware and payload (if available)rn * Separate download for firmware 3.55rn * Support for firmware 1.90 – 3.30 discontinued

Download it from the Brewology Store or PS3 Homebrew Manager.

As Sony goes on to make a (unfair) lawsuit against Hacker Extraordinar, GeoHots, G4 interviews the defense to take his side of the story.

This case can have a major impact on the entire gaming population. If GeoHots wins, the gaming population should no longer live in fear of corporation lawsuits for modifying their already purchased devices. This can be seen in a previous court case Mr.Hots has won against Apple, where the DMCA was modified to allow for our Mobile Devices to be modified legally. Unfortunately this modification specifically says “Mobile Devices” and not “All Owned Devices” thus allowing Sony the lawsuit.

Sony and its case seems weak fortunately. Sony is calling GeoHots exploit a way for hackers to pirate games on their console, while GeoHots digresses that his exploit is specifically modified to allow homebrew, but not pirated games.

The 4.3 iOS beta gives iPad users a nifty new feature- Four and Five Finger Multi-Touch! Wild speculation of every single way this will be used in Apps- activated.