Upgrading the Memory on Your Playstation 3 Made Easy

Hi guys,

Tonight I was able to upgrade the memory of my Playstation 3 to a whopping 1TB from a 250GB drive!  The upgrade took minutes and was super simple, but the research through partial and outdated information was a challenge and time consuming, so I'm summing up all I learned here so that you may have an easier go at it.

First and foremost, you cannot use an external  drive for this process on a machine that is not modded or jailbroken in some way.  Personally, I don't believe in doing such things, so I wanted to do the memory upgrade legitimately.  So before you format your external HDD and re-partition it, don't bother.  It wont work for anything other than for storing pictures, music and movies.  You can also back up save files, but that's pretty unnecessary with PS Plus' Cloud Saves.

The HDD I purchased was the WD Blue Notebook 1TB SATA 3.0 Gb/s 2.5-Inch Internal Notebook Hard Drive Retail Kit.

I found this drive at Fry's Electronics and they price matched the current Amazon price of $73.00 which made it an awesome deal!  This was the only retailer in my area that had this product.  You can buy different devices, but from what I gathered online, it's best to make sure you get one that runs at 5400RPM and is no more than 9.5mm in height.

This model was perfect in all specs and runs whisper quiet.

Step 1: Backup data you don't want to lose into an external drive.  

This step is a pain as you have to format and partition a drive.  A process which requires downloading software and requieres a lot of time.  I didn't bother with this, as all I needed is linked to my PSN account.

http://us.playstation.com/psn/

Step 2: Download PS3 System Software.

This can be found by clicking the link under the image to the left.

For this step you'll need an external drive, or thumb drive.  Go to the site on your computer and click the link at the bottom of the page for the latest version.  You'll need this to set up your new hard drive once it's in the PS3.  Make sure that on your external device you create the folders specified on the instructions, or your PS3 will not recognize the file.

Step 3: Remove the Old HDD.  This is much simpler than it sounds.  On the Slim console, you will first flip it upside-down.  There you will see a tab centered near the front of the console.  Pull this up with your nail and you'll discover a single screw.  With a small Phillips screwdriver, remove this screw.

Next, you'll remove a sliding cover in the front of the console which is now lose.  You will see the drive inside with a little metal handle.  Pull this handle to remove the HDD bracket.

On the bracket, you will find four small screws.  Remove these carefully to dislodge the HDD.

Now place the new drive inside, replace the four screws and reverse the steps to finish setup.

Step 4: System Set-Up.

Plug in your external drive with the latest system software in one USB port and your PS Controller in the other and then power on your console.  Now follow the onscreen instructions, beginning by pressing SEL and START together.  This will format the new drive and install the system software.

That's it!  Enjoy your new, robust PS3 and download all the games you want from PS Plus!!

I hope this helps, and please message me on my Facebook page with any questions you may have on installation.

E3 2012 Wins, Fails and Surprises

E3 was jam packed of awesome this year!  In a year with not a lot of news on the console side, games seemed to take precedent.  Nintendo showed that it could still bring the fun, while Microsoft introduced new chapters in epic story-lines and a new ecosystem that plans to merge every aspect of your life.  Sony showed it's ability to adapt to meet new challenges and mobile gaming showed an impressive presence to showcase the apparent successor in the handheld market.  Here are the stand outs at this years show:

Going Back to E3's Humble Beginnings

As E3 2012 draws near and I ready to board my flight, I am compelled to look back at the history of the event.  What better way to look back, than to go way back...to the first E3 event which occurred right after I graduated high school in 1995.  With the WiiU being a headliner, and the possibility of a new Microsoft Console, what were the hot new tickets in 1995?  What was revolutionizing the industry?  Below are the highlights of E3 1995, the beginning of the premier gaming expo of the world!

The King is Dead, Long Live the King!

The industry was abuzz with Nintendo's epic oversight.  A new challenger was making a splash this year and we may have never seen the industry's biggest leap if the Big N hadn't reniged on Ken Kutaragi and the Ultra 64's CD ROM.  This machine went on to become the first console to sell 100 million units and would spawn the new household name in gaming, Playstation.

In 1995 Playstation made a big splash at the first E3 with a powerful line up of games.  Among these were new franchises such as the fighting game Battle Arena Toshinden, the survival horror game D and the now classic every-console-launch title Ridge Racer.  Also shown was Capcom's future power house Biohazard! (Resident Evil)

The Mushroom Kingdom Strikes Back

Not to be outdone, Nintendo attended this event with two consoles that in their eyes, would revolutionize the industry.  One would become the benchmark of the stagnating of Nintendo's technical prowess, and one would become one of the biggest commercial failures in gaming since E.T. on the Atari console.
When the big N strolled into E3 1995 with chest puffed and chin held high, it was still thriving on the momentum of it's greatest success, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, which was showcasing titles such as Donkey Kong Country 3, Final Fantasy III and Secret of Mana at the show.  Riding high on this success, Nintendo had decided to forego a move that all other console makers were making and decided to ignore the CD ROM format and stick with the cartridge.  The new plastic on plastic contraption would introduce the analog stick as a staple of controllers and be dubbed the Ultra 64, a name which later became the Nintendo 64.

Their other console was a much bolder endeavor.  A revolution to the handheld industry while keeping with the trend in the 90's which was the common thought that Virtual Reality was the next evolution in gaming and interactive media.  Not only would this machine have 3D graphics, it would also be 3D!  This colossal failure was dubbed the Virtual Boy and would introduce thousands of children not only to 3D gaming, but to permanent retinal damage.

As I Lay Dying...

Last on the bill was a dying member of the big three.  A company that was slowly bleeding out due to it's inability to compete in the hardware department and was being carried along solely by it's software.  The former giant SEGA had made some bold moves, but due to early launches, always seemed to be behind the current generation when the others joined the fray with twice as powerful hardware and more amazing graphic capabilities.  Sega's fighter this year was the short lived and doomed Sega Saturn which drew attention with titles like Virtua Fighter and Panzer Dragoon.

The Ones That Got Away

Unlike today where there are three solid consoles making the rounds and no other competition, E3 1995 hosted some other manufacturers that were doomed to failure and crushed into submission only to become a distant memory.  Here are the other fighters in the Royal Rumble that year:

The Panasonic 3DO M2

The SNK NeoGeo 3D

The Atari Jaguar VR Unit and the Atari Jaguar CD

It almost seems incredible to believe that this was seventeen years ago, and how far we've come in that time...as you gander in amazement at what 2012 brings, take a moment to remember what had us in awe at the first ever E3 way back in 1995...

Tell me what you want to see at E3 2012 and win

As I prepare for my next adventure into the wonderful world of E3 my mind races with the prospects of what amazing delights await.  Maybe some more hands on time with the Wii U, or a playable demo of Resident Evil 6, Darksiders II or Borderlands 2.  HALO 4 and Black Ops 2 will also surely be a huge draw.  It'll be exciting to see what will be new for the PSVita and if anything will be shown for the next generation of Xbox and Playstation.  With all the amazing possibilities ahead, I will need some help.  So what would you like to hear about this year?  What upcoming announcements have you in a froth?  Are you more excited about Nintendo, Playstation or Xbox this year?

Place the game or event that you are most excited to hear about this year in the comments below and follow me on Twitter to get live updates and win exclusive E3 treats!

Be sure to include your Twitter handle in the comment and I will randomly chose one winner after the show to be the recipient of an E3 2012 goodie!  Click HERE for official rules and entry methods.

Tech Predictions Sure to be Wrong for 2012

Happy 2012 everyone!  I hope 2011 was good to you and the new year brings many amazing things!  With all the news and innovations in 2011, it made me wonder what's to come...I submit to you my list of Seven tech predictions for the last year on earth according to the Mayans.  If we make it as a species, it will be fun to look back on this and see how wrong some of these might be.  Join the time capsule and post your predictions, tech or not, in the comments and let's see if we have Nostradamus in our midst.

1. RIM will stop production of Tablets and Smart phones and become a software only provider and begin to regain profits.
2. Windows Phone will gain HUGE market share with the introduction of Windows 8 tablets, which will raise demand by creating a better environment with PC, XBOX, tablet and phone.
3. Sony and Microsoft will announce a new console, probably at the E3 conference in June.
4. 3D TV's, as they are now, will become passe and will only be invigorated by an affordable glasses-free tech, that's available on a big screen.
5. Nintendo will release six new colors of 3DS systems by year's end to add to the four already available.
6. Shigeru Miyamoto will officially announce retirement, thus crushing many fanboys souls.
7. I will finally catch all 649 Pokemon, just in time for the announcement of a NEW game in the series.

Well, that's it for this installment, I hope to get some good replies!  This will be a fun one to look back on...

Top Ten Bad Hombres in Gaming

by Jose Martinez

Who doesn't love a good top ten list, right?  Here is my first go at one.  This list is made up of the top ten male characters that I've had the pleasure of becoming.  In each game you take over a role, sometimes that role is made up of a speechless, personality free character, sometimes its some destined kid with feathery hair and different length pant legs, sometimes, you gladly jump off a cliff every time you have to hear their voice...but when done correctly, you embody a gaming avatar that is filled with bravado, charisma, and all around badassery.  This is a list of my favorite of those men:

King Edgar Roni Figaro

10. King Edgar Roni Figaro

First Appeared in Final Fantasy VI (III in the US)-Super Famicom/Super Nintendo

In a game filled with awesome dudes that you can have in your party, none stayed with me longer than King Edgar.  As man that rules the Kingdom of Figaro from a castle that can burrow through the sands, he's got it all, good looks, charm, ladies and tons of coin.  Or so it seems, wearing the heavy crown of rule due to a coin flip, he gladly joins your adventure and leaves it all behind in defense of Terra.  Not only is he dripping with chivalry, but he is the only character that uses the "Tools" command, and with one of them dons a hockey mask and a chainsaw to tear through enemy hordes.

Nathan "Nate" Drake

9. Nathan "Nate" Drake

First Appeared in Uncharted: Drakes's Fortune-Playstation 3

This guy is the embodiment of every single machismo cliche.  He is like the American son of Sean Connery's James Bond and Lara Croft with the attitude of Bruce Campbell.  Armed with a silver toungue and a quick trigger finger, Drake takes on ancient ruins, treacherous terrain and lots of bad guys with guns and explosives. Not only does he make it fun to deal with these issues, but his charisma keeps you in his shoes to see how the story will end.

Sweet Tooth

8. Sweet Tooth

First Appeared in Twisted Metal-Playstation

Are you one of those rare people who's not afraid of clowns?  You'd be afraid of me as I tear through the roads in my killer ice cream truck!  In a game packed with psychopathic murderers, none is more iconic than Sweet Tooth.  This freakshow clown wasn't afraid to let you know he's on your six as he plays his ice cream jingle, and before you can react you get a double scoop of rockets up your tail pipes.  Sweet Tooth is one twisted mamma-jamma.

Jacques Blanc

7. Jacques Blanc

First Appeared in Onimusha 3: Demon Siege-Playstation 2

Just because Jacques is French doesn't mean he can't be a bad hombre!  In a weird twist to the Onimusha franchise, you are given control of a French modern day detective who gets caught in a strange time displacing story with the main hero Samanosuke.  Carrying a powerful whip and your handgun you unleash awesome combos on hordes of unsuspecting demons.  It's actually sad when the story goes back to Samanosuke as playing as Jacques is so outrageously fun.  Tie that to the fact that he is modeled after Leon the Professional (Jean Reno) and you got one tough hombre.

Ezio Auditore Da Firenze

6. Ezio Auditore Da Fiernze

First Appeared in Assassin's Creed II-Playstation 3, Xbox 360

Being Ezio fills you with the feeling that a lion must have as he stalks his prey.  Blending with crowds, swooping down from rooftops, striking from seclusion, this guy is a stealthy killing machine.  Not only that, but he's a total chick magnet and the coolest guy in Renaissance Italy.  He gets the nod instead of the true original Altair due to the fact that he can swim and has more personality in his assassin's blade than Altair has in his whole body.

The little one on the horse is Wander

5. Wander

First Appeared in Shadow of the Colossus-Playstation 2

So he kinda looks like a chick, has zero personality and his best friend has four legs...so what?!  This guy seeks out and single handedly kills gigantic colossi without fear.  Not imbued with super powers or weapons of mass destruction, Wander stalks and brings down Mountain sized foes with ease.  There are few events as satisfying as toppling these behemoths after finally figuring out their weakness and often having to scale them to get to it.  Truly a man without fear.

Kratos, the Ghost of Sparta

4. Kratos, the Ghost of Sparta

First Appeared in God of War-Playstation 2

Not only is this guy a Spartan warrior, which are some of the baddest soldiers in the history of the world, he takes on more than human foes, he kills gods.  As an internally tortured antihero, Kratos takes on multitudes of beasts to destroy the gods that rule the earth itself.  Not only this, but when not plunging his Blades of Chaos into his enemies, he derives pleasure in a mini game in which he gets into adult situations with multiple ample bosomed women

Batman

3. Batman

First Appeared in Batman: Arkham Asylum-Playstation 3, Xbox 360

Ok, so the Dark Knight has been around a long time, but never like in Arkham Asylum.  This is the ultimate experience of feeling the power of a hunter.  As you hang in the shadows, you can set traps and coldly hunt down the gangs of enemies coming after you one by one.  I can't recall how many times I laughed maniacally as I picked another one off and saw the remaining group grow more and more frightened.  Then you can sit back and laugh at the stragglers as they cry like little girls and shoot, frightened, at the shadows.  What a rush!

Master Chief John-117

2. Master Chief John-117

First Appeared in HALO: Combat Evolved-Xbox

Take John McClane from Die Hard, now put him in a powerful cyber armor, give him awesome fire power, and make the situation a million times more epic because instead of defending a building from terrorists, he's saving mankind from extinction.  Put this all together and you have the one man wrecking crew that is the Master Chief.  A man of few words, his actions speak louder, and when those actions involve destroying giant planet-sized super weapons, that's pretty loud.

Laharl, Prince of the Underworld

1. Prince of the Underworld, Laharl

First Appeared in Disgaea: Hour of Darkness-Playstation 2

What's more awesome than being so absolutely evil that you would be willing to trounce a kid to finish off his father who is begging for his life?  Enter Laharl, the most cold-blooded dude in the Underworld.  The mere mention of love and friendship makes him want to kill, he can bring a meteor crashing down from the sky on his enemies while standing on it laughing maniacally, and his only weakness is...boobies!  This kid takes anti-hero to a whole new level, and in the process provides one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences ever had,