Sony's firmware 1.5 update for PS3 includes contactless payments

Sony's latest PS3 firmware update (1.5 already? Oh how the time flies!) really has its heart in the right place. None of this magnanimous 720p Blu-ray playback nonsense, or any other help for the True HD impaired. No, this time around Sony is concentrating on what really matters: raking in the cash. See, the update lets you hook up a fancy little PaSoRi reader, which can pull contactless payments from your Edy money card or Felica phone to fill up your Network Wallet with relevant monies. It's all Japan-only, of course, but perhaps one day we can be cool like our island friends. Other minor enhancements include the addition of WEP128 and WPA-PSK (TKIP/AES) for wireless security, and a few other smaller fixes. The firmware should be headed to Japanese PS3s tomorrow.

[Via gearfuse]

[calvin @ Jan 23rd 2007 11:49AM]

interesting... another japan-only.. thing. what's "contactless payment" mean?

[KineticOnline @ Jan 23rd 2007 11:57AM]

i would have thought contactless payment would mean paying them without having to hand over all your contact details. Something i'd doubt will ever happen again on a console

[DisTorT @ Jan 23rd 2007 12:11PM]

Neat trick but completely useless to have a credit card accessory for your PS3. unless maybe you own a small business and want a new way to run your cash registrar with awesome graphics!

[Nick @ Jan 24th 2007 8:56AM]

Contactless payment is like the new RFID Creditcards that jsut came out here in the US. In Japan, they have this technology built into cell phones so you can go to the store and swipe your cel phone and the charges show up on your cell phone bill.

[Tony @ Jan 23rd 2007 12:15PM]

Great...I guess $600 wasn't enough for them

[Nando @ Jan 23rd 2007 12:31PM]

lol!

[Porsche 911 @ Jan 23rd 2007 5:51PM]

I do not want it then do not get it, please do not whine about it like a little immature kid.

[Porsche 911 @ Jan 23rd 2007 5:53PM]

Sorry, I meant to say,

If you do not want it then do not get it, please do not whine about it like a little kid.

[david @ Jan 23rd 2007 12:39PM]

Its for those 7G phones they use over there so they can pay for their $12 coffee in the morning!

[Brian @ Jan 23rd 2007 12:47PM]

You guys don't understand how things work in Japan. You now can pay with anything with your phone. All you do is wave your phone over one of these pads, and payments are automatically processed. Think mobil speedpass, but embedded into phones and they work anywhere. This allows you to pay for the games and such on the playstation network without worrying about having to re-enter all your info.

[Ryan @ Jan 23rd 2007 12:36PM]

I think adding WEP 128 was pretty important. Nice Update.

[Colin @ Jan 23rd 2007 12:36PM]

I assume that the payment machine would be usable for paying for items bought on the web in Japan as well...so if you are on the net on your PS3 you can purchase fast and securely. It is a USB item so I assume those in Japan already have this for thier PCs and now this is just announcing that PS3 will support it too.

Wish they would hurry up with this in NA....my Esso/Mobil Speedpass could be used for so much more than gas....

@Calvin - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contactless_payment

[thegoodoldkicker @ Jan 23rd 2007 12:50PM]

$600 bucks for the PS 3 is worth every cents. Blu ray, nexgen gaming even a super PC for $600? Did you just complaint again? the 600 PS 3 are a lot powerful than the $2000 iMac or the uselss iPhone which also cost $600 plus a 2 years contract. Ever heard of the walkman phone apple?

Again the people at Engadget are Anti-sony just about thing. Just imagine if Sony charge a $2 wifi update? but hey we're apple nutcrackers it all's good, since this site are runned by Apples nuts let bash anyone that make apple look inferior.

[hollywooda @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:00PM]

hahaha this guy above me is such a w@nker!, yer the PS3 does this & that 4 $600!!!... calm down b4 u wet urself!.. but its got sh1t games!!

[mike @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:05PM]

Dude can you under stand a damn thing (hollywooda) the guy who commented to your post said? Are parents really letting preschoolers online now a days?

[98acura @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:01PM]

fw 1.5 ftw!!!!!!!!

oh uh... wrong, system?

[Veritas II @ Jan 23rd 2007 2:06PM]

Nah... 3.03 OE-B FTW!

[Ray-- @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:02PM]

makes sense this a Japan only since all the ps3's in US are sitting on the store shelves which dont have an internet connection....

[Colin @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:24PM]

@mike

Quote:
hahaha this guy above me is such a w@nker!, yer the PS3 does this & that 4 $600!!!... calm down b4 u wet urself!.. but its got sh1t games!!

Translation:
Ah ha! The guy laying on top of me just handled my parts. The PS3 does alot for $600. I need to calm down before i 'wet' myslef. I have to defecate James.

That's what I read it as.

[tiuk @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:31PM]

So, wait a second. It didn't have WEP128 or WPA-PSK before? That seems pretty important. If I had a PS3 before this update I would have needed a second wireless router, since there's no way I'd disable WPA on my current one just so the PS3 could use it.

[Otsego @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:43PM]

screw the payment method, hell screw the wep 128. Gimme dvd/ps2 upconvert or at least fix the PS2 game graphics!!

[Meili @ Jan 23rd 2007 2:17PM]

quote:
$600 bucks for the PS 3 is worth every cents. Blu ray, nexgen gaming even a super PC for $600? Did you just complaint again? the 600 PS 3 are a lot powerful than the $2000 iMac or the uselss iPhone which also cost $600 plus a 2 years contract. Ever heard of the walkman phone apple?

Again the people at Engadget are Anti-sony just about thing. Just imagine if Sony charge a $2 wifi update? but hey we're apple nutcrackers it all's good, since this site are runned by Apples nuts let bash anyone that make apple look inferior.

First of all, I'll agree that the ps3 may be a good system, but please don't compare it to a cell phone or a "super computer". the feature sets between a phone and the ps3 are so small it's not worth comparing. and there is a ton more I can do on a computer than just play games and surf the net (GRFX design, Music production, movie post production, etc).and lets not forget that a PCs (or Macs) abilities are going to be upgradeable where the ps2 will stand stagnant till the next gen PS comes out.

The only item you've compared it to that it can honestly be compared to is a blue ray player. Which in this case, it is a steal. At least it was since last I checked they were still at around $1k for a standalone BR player.

Now about the update. I can't believe the wireless security features are just now being added. Seems like an oversight to me and I will have to have them before I would hook them up to my wireless network.

I like th phone thing though. I wish they had that here. I currently use my CC or DC for for everything. This would just be a lot more convenient for me :)

[sparrow @ Jan 23rd 2007 3:46PM]

Meili: "The only item you've compared it to that it can honestly be compared to is a blue ray player. Which in this case, it is a steal."

It's a shame Sony's mini-monolith won't play non-AACS BD Video though, isn't it?

[Andir3.0 @ Jan 23rd 2007 4:48PM]

sparrow: "It's a shame Sony's mini-monolith won't play non-AACS BD Video though, isn't it?"

link? My PS3 has had no problems with any Blu-Ray movie so far.

[NxP3 @ Jan 24th 2007 9:39PM]

When I turned on my ps3 today, it asked me to update to 1.50. I don't think this is a Japan only....unless I have a Japanese version?....which I bought from a Sony Style store here in the states.

[Castle @ Jan 23rd 2007 4:28PM]

>>It's a shame Sony's mini-monolith won't play non-AACS BD Video though, isn't it?

Plays all H.264 and mpeg4 SP videos, similar to the iPod. Also plays ALL Bluray disks, DVDs, etc (all BDs and HD-DVD have AACS).

[sparrow @ Jan 23rd 2007 4:47PM]

Castle: "(all BDs and HD-DVD have AACS)"

All _replicated_ BDs have AACS.

[Andir3.0 @ Jan 23rd 2007 4:56PM]

** Sorry, my PS3 has had no problems playing just about anything I've thrown at it, including straight up MPGs burnt to DVD.

[joshua @ Jan 23rd 2007 5:05PM]

So basically the PS3 is a giant money eating machine?

[Porsche 911 @ Jan 23rd 2007 5:54PM]

... and the Xbox360 is not? Think before you speak.

[Billy Gun @ Jan 23rd 2007 5:37PM]

"joshua: So basically the PS3 is a giant money eating machine?"

Just take a look on these new models:
http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/8323/ps3pay4play5bl.jpg
And the new game screen
http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/8914/mgs4gameover4xw.jpg

[Grey Acumen @ Jan 23rd 2007 5:58PM]

So how long is it going to be before someone hacks this thing to give them unlimited credits for purchases?

[Plasma Shark @ Jan 24th 2007 1:08PM]

I am a fanboy to the end but this is hilarious. Go Sony! PS please show my Resistance friends on my normal PS3 friends list so I dont have to type everyone in. Then I'll buy your little card reader.

PS - And wireless support for yellow dog linux. Focus people focus!

[Veritas II @ Jan 24th 2007 5:03AM]

1.5 fixed the PS2 graphics glitch.

Psst... wipe the egg off, Engadget!

[Drew @ Jan 24th 2007 8:12AM]

Heh, you probably won't see Engadget updating to reflect PS2 backwards compatibility.. simply because it's positive Sony news..

[psycho shokka @ Jan 26th 2007 4:43PM]

i just want wallpaper. and be able to upload avi format movies onto my system