Word from Sony Japan says that they’ve got a 3.80 firmware update for their hot selling PSP in the chute. Scheduled for release on the 18th, the new code brings the following enhancements:

• Streaming Internet Radio player
• Video scene search
• RSS now supports OPML and pictures
• PSP-2000 owners with 1Seg tuners can use an EPG to schedule Japanese mobile television recordings
• PlayStation Spot now available at BB Mobile Point (Japan only)

Together that makes for a decent point update for the holidays, eh?

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Not that it comes as a huge surprise given the wide array of devices it already supports, but according to The Register, Orb is apparently set to finally get official with its support of both the iPhone and the iPod touch “in the next few days.” As with other devices, that’ll let you get in a little place-shifting with the aid of the iPhone’s browser, including letting access your music collection via the Orb-powered version of Winamp. On the iPhone, you’ll also have the added benefit of being able to send links to songs in an SMS chat session. Of course, just ’cause it’s not official doesn’t mean you make use of Orb in its current state which, for all we know, could be exactly what’s in store when Orb does make things official.

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Portable speakers always bring with them a few compromises — namely, they either aren’t very portable or they don’t sound very good. Korea’s Xenics now looks to have come up with a solution to that first problem, however, with its new Music Cube speakers able to be disassembled in order to take up as little space as possible in your gadget bag. Unfortunately, it seems that you may want to keep ‘em in there as often as possible, as the company’s choice of designs leaves quite a bit to be desired. There’s also the small matter of that other aforementioned problem, as these speakers pack a mere 1W apiece. On the upside, that means they don’t need an external power adapter, and we assume they won’t set you back too much, although there’s still no official word on pricing or availability.

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Make no mistake about it, there’s certainly a sect out there ready and willing to snap up just about anything smothered in a flowery print, and it seems that Sysbay International is looking to cash in. The seven-inch PF500 media player sports a 480 x 234 resolution panel, integrated speaker, 3.5-millimeter headphone jack, AV output, USB connectivity, support for JPEG, BMP, MP3, WAV, WMA, AVI, DivX and XviD files, and of course, a not-exactly-elegant border. Reportedly, the unit comes with up to 2GB of internal memory, but if you actually feel the urge to add one of these to your own collection, you’ll have to send in a price inquiry of your own and wait for remorse to set in.

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Venzero was never one to shy away from diversity, and is about to add its 8th model to an ever-expanding lineup that we can never keep track of. Luckily, 8th time’s the charm for Venzero, ’cause the new LINQ player sports some welcome features that just might set it apart from the pack. The 4GB flash player includes a microSD slot and a 2.4-inch screen, but the real magic is in the WiFi, which not only manages internet radio, but can stream music straight from your PC, via Windows Media Player 11, as well. No word on track sharing from LINQ to LINQ, but we’ll keep our fingers crossed. The player supports MP3, WMA, AAC, OGG and WAV audio, AVI and MPEG-4 video, and even does up some FM tuning and voice recording for kicks. Venzero will be busting this guy out at IFA next week, and should be shipping it in September for a lovable $199.

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If you’re fairly confident that you’ve seen an iJacket from Zegna before, you’d be right, but the case-sensitive iJACKET is upping the ante by including Bluetooth along with Eleksen’s ElekTex smart fabric controls. Dubbed “communication clothing,” the coat will reportedly enable users to “use their cellphone and simultaneously listen to music on their iPod,” which is sure to result in quite a few incomprehensible conversations. Nevertheless, wearers will be able to mange both their handset and DAP through a “sleek control embedded in the jacket sleeve,” and you can even expect the music volume to decrease when you receive an incoming call. Of course, all these luxuries won’t come cheap (especially on a Zegna), but even we think “starting at $1,700″ is a bit extreme.

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Nah, Next Safety’s approach to curbing smoking isn’t nearly as fun as puffing on Golden Dragon’s Ruyan e-cigarettes, but it just might do the trick. Reportedly, this North Carolina-based startup plans to bring a “nicotine-delivery product” to market which would actually “deliver nicotine to the brain faster and safer than cigarettes,” all while protecting children and nonsmokers from secondhand smoke. Interestingly, the pulmonary drug-deliverer (which works similarly to a medical inhaler) is said to provide “a stronger kick” than smoking, but actually administers a smaller amount of nicotine to the body than your average Marlboro. Currently, the firm is hoping to release it into less restricted overseas markets by the year’s end, but analysts here in America are questioning its ability to pass through all the red tape required for it to hit our shelves.

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Although hearing this thing on video is probably the only review you need, where’s the harm in taking a more in-depth look at the rest of the Zen Wav? Apparently sharing our sentiments, the folks over at AnythingButiPod were able to snag a unit to test, and while it did point out that there’s really nothing outstanding here beyond the integrated speakers and MSC support, we’re sure there’s a niche who’d find that enough to warrant a purchase. As you’d probably expect, design and construction were ho hum, controls were basic and lacking a dedicated volume button(s), the FM tuner was deemed “solid,” and the rest of the amenities (photo viewing, sound quality, video playback, etc.) seemed satisfactory enough. Overall, Creative’s Zen Wav looks alright if you’re particularly interested in the unique features it offers, but if you’re not mesmerized by built-in drivers or the MSC connection, you’ll likely be served better by something else.

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Those in the market for a receiver that can handle the latest and greatest ought to look Sony’s way, as the firm’s revamped ES lineup not only plays nice with your iPod, but it’s the first from Sony that can distribute high definition content to a second room. The STR-DA5300ES, STR-DA4300ES, and STR-DA3300ES 7.1-channel devices all offer seamless (albeit optional) iPod integration, and the onboard Digital Media Port allows users to add other accessories such as a WiFi client for streaming digital music, a Bluetooth receiver, or a Network Walkman docking station. You’ll also find 1080/60p and 24p support, 1080p upconverting, Sirius / XM compatibility, and a variety of internal amplifier ratings depending on model. All three of Sony’s latest AV components will be available before October, and while the low(er)-end DA3300ES will check in at a cool grand, the DA4300ES will demand $1,300 while the DA5300ES runs $1,700.

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It looks like Apple’s iPhone Bluetooth Headset is starting to trickle out to stores — Flickr user Nomad found one in Marlton, NJ earlier today and documented the unboxing. No huge surprises — yep, it’s still a minimalist black stick — but there’s a couple nifty features: when both the iPhone and headset are connected to the dual-charging dock, the iPhone’s screen shows the headset’s charge in addition to its own, and the travel cable uses a MagSafe connector. We’re still not sure it’s worth $129, of course, but that dual dock does look convenient.

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