Sounds like Greek to the newbie? Firmware is essentially software or a set of instructions on a hardware's Read Only Memory that determines how the device communicates with the device's other hardware.
The Sony PSP, like all other PSPs and other digital devices comes programmed with firmware that allows the user access only to games installed in the Playstation. Boring! That's what users of cell phones said when the iPhone came along.
But firmware doesn't scare hackers. In fact, it's the thing that this band of computer experts thrive on, nay, virtually keeps them alive! For the Playstation, they key is the Pandora Battery and Magic Memory Stick.
Both breathe new life into older versions of the Sony PSP, allowing users to tweak their firmware to permit maximum satisfaction. Imagine playing the same games over and over again!
There are various ways to make a Pandora Battery. One way is to use an existing PSP battery and a normal Pro Duo memory stick. Another option is to pull up a ?live? demo on UTube while logging into one of the many websites that offer the custom firmware for installation.
A word of caution: if you're using Windows Vista as an operating system you might be in for trouble. But there's a way out. If you're willing to shell out 20 to 30 dollars, you can purchase a Pandora Battery custom firmware installer set. But tutorials available on the Internet can be confusing to the uninitiated and buying a firmware installer set is a safe bet.
It essentially means converting a normal service battery and memory stick into a Pandora Battery and Magic Memory Stick. Using these simple tools, you can unbrick even the PSP 3.52. How it works is that the Pandora Battery allows a bricked PSP access to run the programs installed on the magic memory stick.
Armed with the Pandora Battery, you can also run game emulators and the PSX backup games that work on the PSP.
For all those who have experienced the joys of using an unbricked PSP with a Pandora Battery, a word of thanks to the team of hackers who created it ? the Noobz team. These hackers called their creation an unbricker for all PSPs.
But it wasn't easy. It took years of research and development by a core team of dedicated hackers who called their work the Prometheus Project. The amazing part was that the Pandora Battery was developed without access to the official Sony PSP hardware or software.
But then, an ugly twist of fate. Somehow the secret unbricker was leaked to the world and the Noobz team was forced to unveil it on the Internet before it had planned to. Hence, the Pandora Batter was released free of cost.