The feature of “Install Other OS” was removed from the new “Slim” PS3 model to focus on delivering games and other entertainment content.

Please be assured that SCE is committed to continue the support for previously sold models that have the
“Install Other OS” feature and that this feature will not be disabled in future firmware releases.

Now, we have this:

The next system software update for the PlayStation 3 (PS3) system will be released on April 1, 2010 (JST), and will disable the “Install Other OS” feature that was available on the PS3 systems prior to the current slimmer models, launched in September 2009. This feature enabled users to install an operating system, but due to security concerns, Sony Computer Entertainment will remove the functionality through the 3.21 system software update.

This has got to be the stupidest move Sony has decided to pull. So we either lose Linux support, or we lose the ability to access to PSN. Sounds like bait and switch to me, doesn’t it? I notice that a bunch of the guys are looking into class action lawsuits, so all the best to you guys, and good luck.

Back in 2005 and 2006, Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo made pledges to make their consoles region-free. Do you want to see how far those pledges went?

Microsoft

Started off touting how all its games would be region free. Then, they backtracked and said any games made by Microsoft would be region free. Turns out this ended up being the case, as some games like Steins;Gate are region-locked to Japan only.

Also, you can’t buy Japanese games from Games on Demand if you’re in America, and vice versa. Doesn’t matter if you have a Japanese 360 or not, it is IP-locked. Same goes for their video store.

Finally, programs like 1 vs. 100 are also region-locked by console; even if you have a Canadian IP, if the console isn’t then you can’t go in.

Sony

Sony does a little better, but still not enough. All their PS3 and PSP games are touted to be region-free, that’s great. PS2 games are still region locked, though I imagine that’s more related to licensing agreements from the past that just bite them back in the ass.

However, their video stores are country-locked. Canadian users can’t access the US Video Store, and neither can UK users. We also can’t access the Japanese video or comic store. Gee, I wonder why? It’s not like they can compete with one another, since only people who can understand the language will benefit; the rest of the masses not so much.

Also, their comic book reader for the PSP is region-locked. The US comic book reader will not work on UK and Japan PSPs, and the Japan reader won’t work on US and UK PSPs, etc. Guess what this means if someone happened to bring their PSP into Japan, wanted to buy a comic and then read it? Given the PSP has a crappy resolution to begin with, they are better off buying a cold, hard copy of the said comic.

Nintendo

They started off saying they would be region free. Are they in any way? I won’t even go there.

Though it’s a shame, I had a group of 4 players including myself on PSN trying to take on the tank aiming for S rank. The best we managed was A rank, 5:54, no kills.

PS3’s Adhoc Party is great, it lets you connect the PSP to other players as if they were in the same room. Of course, voice chat/USB keyboard is supported, and you definitely want voice chat to be able to communicate effectively (these are supposed to be adhoc games, after all). There are a few bugs here and there with the interface, sometimes the network lags but it’s overall really cool.

Anyone want to post their experiences?

Unlike the PS3, only one account can be active on a PSP at a time. The PS3 can have more than one. I think Sony should have this fixed; it would lessen the trouble with people converting to the PSP Go, as there are people who would like to have content from both the US and JP PSN stores. Even if it means a PSN account can only activate 1 PSP at a time, being able to have multiple accounts active on a PSP would be really nice.

Speaking of which, multiple profiles on the PSP would be nice, just like how we have it on the PS3.

Doesn’t look like anything special, but thought I might just point out what they look like. They were earlier mentioned in the official blog, since they hadn’t been around for quite a while.