Lets talk Piracy
Alright, really, this is not why I did it. I'm getting into it first is to get it over with. We all know that a hacked PSP can run downloaded games from the memory stick. The end. I don't understand why people would do it. They must know that it makes the PSP a less desirable platform to develop on.

...

Ok, that's a lie. I do understand why, on the small scale: they want a thing, and can make said thing free. This is just like any other piracy. People that do it "just to try it out" or say "I'll get it when it goes down to $20" really aren't fooling anyone.

I don't download PSP games. On to other things.

PSX Emulation



You want to know why my PSP is hacked? Right here. All but the most complexly controlled PSX games play on the PSP remarkably well. There are multiple control schemes and display options as well, so you can keep the experience as authentic as you like, or shoehorn a little bit of modernization into old games by giving it a virtual "hey, pay attention to the analog stick" knock on the head.

I replayed Metal Gear Solid on my PSP and Einhander and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure live on my memory stick still. Using a programs called PSX2PSP and UltraISO you can put any PSX game on your PSP. PSX2PSP is a front end for Popstation, which converts PSX disc images into the PSP-understood .pbp file. It also lets you customize the icons and text for the game, so you get a decent looking square on your PSP's XMB. In a recent firmware update for the PSP, the icons were restricted to 80x80 images, but with PSX2PSP's flexibility, it was easy to remake my icons to not only conform to the standard, but also add on the official looking Sony frame that you get when you download them from the PSN. UltraISO is just a good disc image creator, and images must be made properly for the conversions to work.

I feel the same way about pirating PSX games as I do PSP, but I also feel that if you own the game, like owning music, and need to convert it to play it on a device you also legitimately paid for, it should be within your right to do so. If you had OGG audio files and your iPod won't play them (it won't) you should be able to make them into MP3s and listen. If you own a PSX game, I see no reason why you shouldn't be able to play it on a system capable of doing so, especially when doing so kicks ass.

Homebrew Applications
This really isn't something I use very much. There's a nice instant messenger called AFKIM that works like Trillian or MirandaIM and connects to several different protocols, but other than playing with it as a novelty, I haven't found much of a use for it because you're tied to wireless. You can't really get away from anything.



One I did find particularly useful is PSPRadio. There is an internet radio option on officially firmware-equipped PSPs, but if you've used it, you know it's rather blowful. PSPradio is simply superior for ShoutCast, and it will go ahead and play music off the memory stick too.



There are homebrew games as well, but with the PSP library and all my PSX games available to me, homebrew games' quality pales in comparison.

Plugins



You want to know how much juice is left in your PSP battery while you're playing a game. Have fun with your 3 bars, because the PSP's normal display is not especially useful. It's good for "full" or "empty". A PRX plugin, which only runs on the custom firmware, called PSP HUD is available. It will sit there on top of your XMB, UMD game, downloaded PSN game, personally converted PSX game, homebrew app... I think you get the point... like the HUD in the name would suggest. It can be configured to display an actual battery percentage, as well as a clock to count down the remaining play-time at the current rate of use, which is calculated dynamically, just like it is under the PSP's system menu. It's just not impossible to check while you're playing a game. It can also display the time, just in case you don't have a watch handy. Gaming until 2:15. You can see it while you play.

Cons
Remote play doesn't work when the custom firmware version is behind the official, which is often, and there's a bit of a risk setting it up.

It was just too good to pass up!
The benefit of additional features and options was enough for me to politely give the finger to Sony, but I did so in a fashion that made their product more desirable to me. I continue to buy UMD games (I just picked up the Darkstalkers game last weekend, which is much easier to play on the Slim model). The things you get from custom firmware are features that no right-minded company would implement themselves because of the loopholes that come with them. I don't fault Sony for not including this stuff, but I appreciate the ability to do it.