Our friend at PSP GadgetZ has just uploaded a new video, highlighting all the features of the Japanese version of firmware 3.80. While the rest of the world must be satisfied with internet radio (which we are), the Japanese get the very cool ability to record shows from their 1seg tuner. Yes, the PSP is a DVR machine in Japan, and we're incredibly jealous.

On December 18th, PSP firmware 3.80 will be released in Japan with two new highly desirable features. First is digital video recording capabilities, made possible with the new Japan-only 1seg peripheral. With firmware 3.80, it will be possible to record television shows from the 1seg peripheral directly onto the Memory Stick for later viewing.

Internet radio will also be added in the next firmware upgrade. Exactly how the service will work is unclear at this time. [Update: Images have surfaced on Watch Impress' website.]

DVR is a huge feature that unfortunately isn't possible outside of Japan unless appropriate peripherals are released globally. However, internet radio is hopefully something all PSP users around the world will be able to take advantage of. Once again, PSP is expanding its capabilities, becoming more features-packed than anyone could've predicted.

[Via I4U]

PSP fanboys know that the iPod can kiss our butts when it comes to being the best personal media player out there. Sure, the iPod outsells the PSP by a wide margin, but it lacks PSP's widescreen display, a crucial feature for any movie lover. Sure, the PSP was notorious for its unconvential naming scheme for videos, but ever since the 2.80 firmware upgrade, the PSP has been quite versatile in accepting iPod-formatted videos, no matter what they're named. Now, Sony's taken another step in beating Apple in the PMP game. Sony's newly updated Media Manager not only allows you to convert AVI, MOV, MP4, and WMV files for the PSP (something the free PSP Video 9 can handle quite well), but it'll convert Windows Media Center content, for those of you that use DVR on a Media Center PC.

To quote our sister site PVR Wire: "If Microsoft is going to insist on using DVR-MS files, then it's nice to companies that don't include Windows software on their PMPs steeping up and making it easier to get DVR-MS files onto their devices. Sony's done it... Wouldn't it be nice if Apple followed suit?"

[Via PVR Wire; Thanks, gregger!]

Like we said before, we love what the Neuros MPEG-4 Recorder 2 does for us. We were, however, bummed that it didn’t have any sort of mass storage built-in. Engadget reported back in January that the next version of the device, the Recorder III, would be released sometime in the 3^rd Quarter of this year and would sport a hard drive. They also mentioned that an updated model of the Recorder II would also be released prior to the launch of the Recorder III, but didn’t give any specifics about its release within Q2. If you’re still with us, and if you’re still curious about when exactly the Recorder II will be seeing the light of day, you can stop wondering right about…now.

PSP Fanboy reader Graham sent us a copy of his e-mail correspondence with a Neuros representative wherein he was told that the beefed-up Recorder II would hit the shelves this May. We can’t ignore the details of the e-mail, more specifically the word “planned” which could pretty much mean “sorta maybe”, but this is the closest we’ve come to an actual answer. Seeing as it’s only three months away, it’s probably prudent to hold off on picking up the current Recorder II at the moment. That is, unless you’re really considering following through with our initial call for donations to the “We Heart PSP Fanboy Bloggers This Much” fund.

[Thanks Graham]