New cross media bar (XMB) functionality, Google search and custom soundtrack support in the new Firmware 2.40 for Playstation 3. Bring them on...!

There’s no confirmed release for this latest update yet – this is Sony we’re talking about, after all – but the “very soon” mentioned by Playstation Network honcho, Eric Lempel, hints that we won’t be kept in suspenders for too much longer, and the features he demonstrates in an introductory video on the official US Playstation blog are very neat indeed, if not entirely original or Earth-shattering.

The biggest (and most asked-for) feature is the in-game cross media bar. A simple press of the PS Button during play is all that’s needed to bring up the new XMB, which floats pleasingly over the paused game. From here you’ll be able to access all the regular media bar features – pick up/send messages, check downloads, view photo thumbnails, change settings etc – and all without having to leave the game you were playing in the first place. Of course, if you decide to use the XMB to jump to, say, your fave PSN title you will be asked to quit out of the first game you were playing. Two games running simultaneously is a feat beyond even the mighty PS3, alas. Either way this new feature eliminates a fair bit of faff and hands back literally seconds of valuable time to those of you with super-busy lives.

Next up Firmware 2.40 introduces the ability to substitute in-game ditties with banging coons of your own selection. Okay, so the 360’s been doing this for ages now but it’s a welcome addition to the PS3’s functionality nonetheless, and this system seems rather more sophisticated and easily accessible too. Nice.

Finally a Google search function has been added under the XMB’s network menu. It’s as simple as it sounds and should make the whole business of surfing the ether via PS3 more pleasurable. Heck it could hardly be any worse!

And that’s all there is for now but see the video at blog.us.playstation.com for a more detailed walkthrough. We’re promised details of the new Trophy system soon too. Now where have we seen that idea before...?