202w ago - According to Wikipedia, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is heading to the PlayStation 3 and PSP Go consoles... the latter just coming to light over the weekend.

A mysterious screenshot was discovered by ScrewAttack from the forthcoming issue of Official PlayStation Magazine, which suggests the reference to Sony's PSP Go Wikipedia entry may indeed be accurate.

For the time being it's being labeled as a rumor though, as this could simply be the Uncharted trailer playing on a PSP Go.

However, the wording above the screenshot "New screen from Unchar... for the..." begs to differ. Of course only official verification from Sony/Naughty Dog will confirm this rumor as true, so as always time will tell.

202w ago - According to the PCB Productions credits page, both Socom and Syphon Filter will be getting new PS3 sequels.

To quote: Two franchises from Sony Computer Entertainment, SOCOM and Syphon Filter, will be getting sequels on the PS3, according to the PCB Production Credits page.

The page shows that SOCOM 4 and Syphon Filter 5 are currently in development. SOCOM 4 has no developer listed, while Syphon Filter 5 shows the developer as Sony Bend.

The listings are shown below:

• SOCOM 4 - (motion capture direction) - PLAYSTATION 3 (in development)

• SYPHON FILTER 5 - (Facial Mo-cap) - PLAYSTATION3- SONY BEND

203w ago - Recently it was reported that Sony patented software-based PS2 emulation technology. This got users excited who own 80GB, 40GB and 160GB PS3 consoles without backwards compatability.

Although the article speculated that the upcoming PS3 slim may utilize this technology, today a German Web site has supposedly gained comment from a Sony employee, to quote:

This brings us to the German Web site Demo News, which claims to have gained comment from a Sony employee stating that full backwards compatibility is coming to US PS3's as a firmware update in the "next few weeks."

If this rumor is true, it will make many newer PS3 console owners very happy indeed!

203w ago - Rumor has it that two Taiwanese manufacturing companies have been awarded contracts to build Sony's new streamlined PS3, affectionately known as the PS3 Slim.

To quote: According to UDN.com, half of the orders have gone to Taiwanese group Foxconn, while the other half has gone to Pegatron.

The units are expected to start shipping in early July "to cope with expected summer vacation demands."

The news has a ring of truth to it, given that the two firms have manufactured the original PS3.

The timing also makes sense, as Japan actually buys most of its game consoles during the summer vacation period (as opposed to the winter holidays in the west).

Assuming the news is true, it would mesh well with the PS3 Slim rumors we've heard so far, most notably that Ars Technica expected the units to hit the market in August or September.

203w ago - As reported a few days ago, since last weekend Hulu started blocking PlayStation 3 owners from accessing content.

Speculation is now underway whether it's due to Hulu's recent TOS change, or if a new partnership with Microsoft is behind the dreaded "This Video is Not Available on Your Platform" messages PS3 owners are currently seeing.

To quote: A more interesting theory is that Microsoft paid off Hulu to block the PS3. Rumors of Hulu coming to the Xbox 360 have been circulating ever since Netflix 'Watch Now' arrived on the console.

If in fact Microsoft was in negotiations with Hulu to offer the service through their hardware, it isn't hard to imagine one condition of the deal (sweetened with a big sack of shiny gold coins) being that Playstation 3 owners be blocked. (But then, see above re: nervous network execs.)

No matter what the truth is, once again the consumer loses out. Is it too much to ask for transparency when changes like this are made? Wouldn't it be refreshing if Hulu made clear why it is suddenly cutting off some users of its service?