With PSP owners complaining about the dearth of games available for the multimedia handheld, many have been using the portable for things other than gaming. The months of June, July, and August yielded only five new games for the handheld, making the PSP's other functions (MP3 player, movie player, digital photo viewer) more essential.

Sony is making North American PSPs even more practical with the release of the PSP Firmware 2.0. However, gamers eager to hold a weekend PSP-Web-browsing party got some bad news today. A Sony spokesperson has confirmed that the North American edition of Firmware 2.0 won't be available until the week of August 15. The company originally pegged today as the release date for the upgrade. A Japanese version was released last month.

The update's most significant addition is the Web browser application, which lets PSP owners tap into free wireless hot spots to surf the Internet. Other features include "enhanced video and audio playback, photo sharing options, broader network connectivity, and a customizable interface to suit each user's personal style."

To install the new firmware when it's available, head over to Sony's PSP site, and follow the instructions. Or you can use the auto-update feature in the PSP's menu.