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Just hours ago E3 have released a Custom Firmware running on 4.30. There is little information around this at present, as there has not been a long enough time to test it out, however I personally believe it’ll be rather unstable, at least for a while. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against E3 as I believe their Flasher is a good product (at least from my own experience), however I do have a few issues with this CFW. Without going into all the details, I just feel that this firmware will probably be lacking on updates and compatibility and that it would probably be better to wait for Rogero than use this. Also I find the name to be an example of shameless advertising, but enough of that. For those of you wondering; you WILL need 3.55 so downgrading is still a necessity (sadly). There have also been reports of Bricking when upgrading to 4.21 (Rogero) for DEX users, so if you do have a DEX console, it would be wise to revert to CEX – at least for the upgrade. For those wanting...

Have you ever worried about Sony’s financial situation, and what would happen to your hard earned Cash if they were to close? I certainly have. For a long while now Sony have not been in the best financial state and could possibly face bankruptcy in the future. If this were to happen, then their servers would go down, meaning that there would be no more PSN/SEN, subsequently all of your purchased media would just vanish into thin air. However, this is no longer an issue! (At least for those who own a Playstation 3). With the release of the LV0 keys, and CFW on 4.21, if you were lucky and updating didn’t brick your console, then this is for you. For those of you who do not have 4.21 at present, fear not! There are apparently multiple people working on getting CFW on 4.25 and even 4.30 (and considering they have the LV0 keys, that probably won’t take too long). Be advised however. I have not tested this since I am still on 3.55, but the person who posted this is rather reliable fr...

If you read my post about the LV0 keys being leaked recently then you know it could be alot to take in and hard to understand. Hopefully this will help clear up everything. Marcan, who is a valuable asset of the Wii and PS3 hacking scene has made some posts that will help clear the air on things, it helps clarify and break things down even more than what I had previously said in the original article both in technicality and in simplicity. I’ve bolded the important parts that you should pay attention to in his answers. More Technical Information “The first-stage bootloader is in ROM and has a per-console key which is effectively in tamper-resistant silicon. The second-stage bootloader (bootldr) is encrypted with the per-console key, but is not upgradable and is the same for all consoles (other than the encryption wrapper around it). This second-stage bootloader verifies lv0. Sony signed lv0 using the same broken process that they used for everything else, which leaks their...

This is an article to help you recognize an exploitable vulnerability (e.g MaTiAz’s Gripshift) from a non exploitable (or at least, not easily enough) crash (e.g. yyoossk’s Phantasy star). Is think it can also be seen as a rough tutorial on “how to look for gamesave exploits on the PSP” If, as me, you badly want your psp3000 to be hacked, it is likely that you follow closely what happens on PSP dedicated websites. From time to time, some random guy pops up on a forum with an “idea” on how to hack the PSP, or, on better days, someone comes up with a savegame that crashes the PSP, in the hope that it will be useful. Reporting a crash is actually a good thing to do, crashes are the first step to an exploit, and if they don’t lead to an exploit, at least it can help Sony to improve their product  Recently, a guy nicknamed yyoossk tried to reproduce what MaTiAz had done with Gripshift, in the Japanese Demo of “Phantasy star portable” (see here and here). Wow, an exploit in a d...

Recently I’ve seen people are desperate for an exploit, so I thought of writing this post. Even though you might think it’s difficult, the thing is it isn’t difficult at all. You just have to know the difference between crash and exploit. A crash is when the PSP freezes and shuts down but you cannot write any code to get access usermode level. An exploit is when you can write some code and then gain control. So lets start (There is another tutorial by wololo here, I am orienting that tutorial to a PSVita exploit): Requirements PSP CFW 6.60 PC PSPLink (Windows version) Hex Editor (I recommend HxD) SaveGame Deemer (PSP Plug-in) Firstly, I am going to explain why you don’t need a PSVita. You don’t need it because we are looking for an exploit inside PSVita-PSP Emulator, which has OFW 6.60, so, normally, if your exploit works on PSP CFW 6.60 it should do the same on the Vita. Ok, let’s start, move Savegame Deemer to ms0:/SEPLUGINS/ folder and activate it only ...

Leaks, chaos and drama have been something common, and on the heels of the PsVita chaos comes the PS3s turn with both good and bad news. This event is so huge that it will completely change the PS3 hacking scene and leave Sony in the wake. Sony will be turning in their graves today as the PS3 has been basically blown wide open thanks to other events leading up to that. In the wake of this leaves Sony in huge trouble and mostly exhausted due to the amount of progress the hacking scene has made on their devices especially with the recent Psvita PSP EMU kernel exploit. It’s been absolute chaos in the PS3 scene for the last few days and fair enough to say has been chaotic over the last few years. Ill break down what happened and what this means for the developers and users, keep reading…. Background Information The similarity in events is extremely blatant but its started a little over two years ago when the first piracy-enabled firmware and USB dongle combo named the “PS3J...

If you think Apple is getting a little predictable with its yearly device refreshes, you probably haven't been charting the progress of its iPod nano. While most products in the Apple line receive an update every 12 months or so, few have experienced the kind of annual reinvention of the nano. It's a rare example of the company drastically re-thinking a product with such regularity -- or of simply not really knowing what to make of it. Depending on how you look at it, this new seventh-generation iPod nano is either the latest, most optimal design of the long-running series, or it's Apple's latest shot in the dark. Even the cynics will have to agree this is a pretty good shot, thinner than ever and packing more functionality than in the past -- including Bluetooth 4.0. It sure doesn't make much of a wristwatch, but is the latest littlest iPod worth the $149 price of admission to its 16GB capacity? Read on to find out. Source/Continue reading: Engadget

Nokia has ended one of the more significant chapters in its tumultuous history: the Finnish phone giant has finished divesting Vertu to private equity firm EQT VI, shedding direct control of the definitive luxury phone brand. The formal switch lets Nokia keep a 10 percent stake and move 1,000 staffers to the newly independent company. Where Vertu goes next may be more intriguing, however. There's no official word on any change of direction, but that hasn't stopped tipsters from claiming to TechCrunch that there's a big shakeup ahead. Supposedly, former Nokia VP Anssi Vanjoki will finally get the phone maker CEO position he's been looking for through a Vertu spot, and he won't simply follow in his former employer's footsteps -- upcoming Vertu phones may use Android, not Windows Phone. While it's a very unconfirmed rumor, a switch-up wouldn't be completely surprising when Vertu is still an all-Symbian house that needs more than just a few extra jewels to ...

Microsoft confirmed some time ago that a Netflix app would be available for Windows 8, and it turns out it's available well before the big October 26th launch date. Netflix announced today that the app is now available for download from the Windows Store for those who've already upgraded to an early version of the OS. Expectedly, the app matches the overall style of Windows 8, and Netflix says that it's also made the app more efficient to cut down on both CPU and battery usage. It's quick to point out that this is only the first version of the app, though, noting that it has "more updates and ideas in the pipeline for later this fall." Source: Engadget

With Windows 8 Microsoft is pushing manufacturers away from a traditional BIOS to UEFI with Secure Boot. But that poses problems for alternative OSes like Linux, because UEFI requires any software have a signed certificate. The Linux Foundation has been looking for a solution and thinks that it may have one. The proposed work around is a little convoluted and surprisingly involves obtaining a Microsoft signature for a new barebones bootloader. This wouldn't actually boot Linux or any other OS actually. Instead, it would then start a second bootloader, the one associated with your OS of choice. It's a little messy, but it should mean that the signed bootloader will be a catch-all solution for any operating system. Of course, it could take a while for the Foundation to actually obtain a signature from Microsoft. So "Designed for Windows 8" systems might not be able to run Linux right away, but rest assured a solution is on the way. Source/Continue reading: Engadget

What else can be said about the PlayStation 3 at this point that hasn't already been said? Since launching in 2006, there have been approximately 400 different permutations of the console: variations on hard drive sizes, functionality, physical shape and, of course, price. The latest model, the PlayStation 3 Superslim, is no different. It comes in just two permutations: 250GB ($270) and 500GB ($300). With the latter launching at the end of October, we've spent the last week with the already available 250GB model. Is it time to finally jump in to the PlayStation 3 party, or upgrade that aging 2006 model? Head below to find out. Source/Continue reading: Engadget

The MK802 is a series of extremely small computers (the size of a USB stick) running Android (also compatible with Linux). They are also extremely cheap and use little power, which makes them an interesting gadget if you want a low consumption computer in your house, and/or turn your dumb TV into a smart TV. After a friend recommended one of these devices, I bought one, and this is my review. The MK802 is a computer the size of a USB stick, with 2 usb ports, a mini hdmi output, and a micro SD slot. There are several versions in the series (MK802, MK802+, MK802 II), with some variations in the performance of the CPU or the amount of Ram. The main selling points of the device are its extremely low price (I got mine for $52 + shipping) and low power consumption, which, coupled with a reasonably good GPU (the Mali 400), makes it an interesting device for watching digital videos, or having a small multi-purpose computer constantly on. Continue reading: Wololo's blog

Over the past few week or so the PlayStation Vita scene has changed drastically. We’ve seen the leaked work of former developer, Coldbird, and the released work that is TN-A, a HEN equivalent for the Vita’s PSP emulator, but what really can we do with a sand-boxed PSP emulator kernel exploit. In it’s most basic form, the recently released HEN allows homebrew, plugins, and PSP UMD backups to be run, but what really is the purpose of a kernel exploit? After all, it’s not all that common as you would think. Many of you who are long time members of wololo.net recall the past 9 months of vHBL releases, and possibly even before the PlayStation Vita, back to the original PSP 1000, 2000, and 3000 series. The constant cat and mouse game of exploits and updates has been going on for nearly 7 years, beginning with the launch firmware on the PSP 1000. In this time period, nothing has really changed. A usermode exploit allows for homebrew, created with the SDK, to be run, as well as other unsign...

Good news, everyone! If you happen to be running VHBL on one of the previous exploits such as Monster Hunter, this is for you: Japanese developer Hiroi01 created a new loader that makes Total_Noob’s 6.60 CFE TN-A compatible with your game. That’s right, this is not limited to Urbanix anymore. Please note that I haven’t tested this yet, and I suspect it might only work on 1.80 and 1.81, so technically this could be a solution limited to Monster Hunter owners (as far as I know, some offsets are different between all these firmwares, and that could prevent TN’s exploit from working correctly on earlier firmwares), but please give it a try and report success or failure. Installation is relatively simple, but requires you to follow the steps carefully, don’t mix up the files  Get VHBL for your user exploit (for example, VHBL for Monster hunter if you have Monster Hunter and are running on 1.80). The purpose of this step is not to get VHBL, but to get the exploited savegame for ...

Following the release of TN-A for Urbanix by Total_Noob, Japanese porters, hiroi01 and teck4 are bringing us yet another sandboxed PlayStation Vita HEN, this time for Monster Hunter Portable 3rd. The Japanese release of Monster Hunter 3 for the original PSP was originally found to be exploitable in the past month. Since then hundreds of users have had the chance to download the vHBL port. Following the release of TN-A for the PSP Mini, Urbanix, many were left to wonder which vHBL releases the HEN would be back ported to. Wonder no more, as this marks the first of what will possibly be numerous back ports to older Vita Homebrew Enabler releases. Just as the Urbanix exploit for the European version of the game was ported to the US and JP versions, there’s no doubt Monster Hunter will follow the same suit. It is asked, however, that you practice patience while the porting takes place. If you are one of the lucky few who own MHP3rd on 1.80 or lower, you can hit up the source link fo...

In one of my previous posts, I mentioned Red Power 4.21. I noticed in the comments that there were people who were slightly confused so I thought I would spread a little light on the matter. Information is still incredibly scarce, so what I say isn’t carved into stone and is of course subject to change. The Red Power Team (Hereby referred to as RPT – although the only person I can confirm working on this is Deank) have been working on a CFW that works on 4.21 however; there are still teething issues. It can be run on 4.21, but has been known to crash and fail during the writing process thus leaving the user on 4.21 so of course, it’s incredibly risky (though this will probably be fixed prior to the release of the CFW). The only information available at present points to the fact that your console will be required to be in CEX, though this information seems rather unreliable, so simply keep it in the back of your minds, but know that it is a possibility. In regards to it requir...

Recently the have been some monumental changes within the PSVita scene as you all (should) know. But where do they leave us now? And where do we go from here? To summarise, we’ve had a user known as Sam Jordam (or Ipadboy to those of us on Wololo’s Forums) Coldbird leaving the scene, and a very cleverly named eCFW released by Total_Noob. These are incredibly significant in not only the current state of the PSV but also what’s to come. Sam Jordam is a name that we all know, and probably hate right now for being a bit of well… an ass. He wasn’t very liked on the forums, and as Wololo has stated, he had also been threatening to hack this site and close it down although clearly these threats were empty however, it never occurred to me that someone such as himself would have such a large impact on the future of the Vita. If you are interested finding out more about Sam Jordam and his antics and Coldbird’s departure, you can find more information here. If you decide to watch his other...

In the past 9 months, we have released 4 user mode exploits on this site, by letting our forum’s members know about them first, then making public announcements. This has been reasonably successful, and people who know where to look have been usually rewarded by knowing the name of the exploited game long enough in advance. Some people still haven’t figured that out. One typical uneducated comment I can see here or on other scene websites, when we do the public announcement, is “why do you guys announce it publicly, now Sony will patch it and nobody will get the exploit in time”. Well, for those who didn’t get it yet, we announce the exploit publicly days after members of our community have known about it. This way we guarantee that people who are really interested in homebrew on their vita actually get a good chance to get the game. The rules slightly changed with the Urbanix exploit, as the exploit for this specific game was leaked. We did try to organize a Ninja release around ...

A lot of you seem to be having problems so here is a fool proof, easy to use and understand tutorial on how to copy any ISOs, CSOs and Homebrew over with the Urbanix Exploit. I’ve noticed a lot of people complaining about not being able to copy files and its simple mistakes so double check everything. Just follow this tutorial closely and you will be good to go! Its best if you use Open CMA and if you have problems comment; ill try to help everyone as much as possible. Tutorial Copying & Installing Homebrew  Assuming you have the exploit already on the Vita and know how to copy this over it’ll be easy. When you need to add more homebrew using this method you have to copy over the save data every time. The FTP ISO/CSO method explained below works too for homebrew. Go to where your Urbanix exploit is from CMA, its location should be something like C:\My Documents\PSvita\PSAVEDATA\d6def6b623fe3e46\NPUZ00077\ Make a folder called PSP and then another folder inside of th...

The recently released HEN for the EU Urbanix has been ported to US version of the game already! The instructions and functionality are all the same as EU, simply use the following save game data in place of what was released for the EU variant. Yosh has also helped us and injected the exploit directly into the US save game files, this means only one folder is needed. Please stay tuned to the blog for many developments that are sure to come as well as updates and more. The game has also been removed from PSN and download lists worldwide. If you didn’t get it yet you are out of luck. People who are on lower firmwares with a previous exploit such as Monster hunter, Super Collapse 3, etc… should stay there and wait. Source/Read more: Wololo's blog

That was fast! I am getting a growing number of reports that following the announce of Total_Noob’s HEN a few hours ago, the game Urbanix, which has an exploit allowing people to run his PSP Custom Firmware on the Vita, was removed from the EU PSN stores. People are reporting that the game was also removed from their download list. I expect the same will happen to the other locales (US, JP, etc…) within a few hours. If you have the game installed on your console (US, EU, JP,…), great for you, don’t touch anything and make a backup using Open CMA. If you have one of the previous VHBL exploits, it is possible the kernel exploit will get backported to your game exploit at some point, so if you are interested in that Kernel exploit the idea for you is to wait and see (and to not update your firmware). If you are lucky enough to be able to still buy the game on the US or JP store or whatever, and want this exploit, do it now. Not in a few hours, not after your lunch break, but now....

Total Noob, famous for his TN Hen tool for the PSP a few years ago, is back on the Sony scene with an insane release: a PSP Custom Firmware compatible with the recently leaked Urbanix Exploit! Total Noob just published a PSP CFW that works on the PS Vita on firmware 1.81 if you own the Urbanix Mini. That Mini can still be purchased on the PSN as I type this, and if you’re lucky enough to have a European account, you can get the mini for free. I haven’t tested this yet, but I can pretty much guarantee this is not a Fake, and the person behind this really is Total_Noob. More explanations will come later about the features of this CFW, but in the meantime hurry up, get yourself a copy of Urbanix, and give this a try. You will notice that Total_Noob mentions that Coldbird got access to his exploit from a “trusted” person on the scene. That person is me, and I broke the trust TN put in me by doing so. I already apologized to Total_Noob for this, but more explanations and a public apo...