PlayStation 3 Firmware 3.40 released, full details

Sony has finally released their latest firmware update, bringing the PlayStation 3 software to version 3.40. Amongst other things, this new update brings support for the much-anticipated PlayStation Plus -  the premium PlayStation Network subscription service.

For anyone not interested in the PS+ service, here’s the list of other new changes and additions featured in the update:

• Photo Gallery: You can now upload, view and comment on photos that are on Facebook and Picasa, and even share them with your PSN friends.
• Video Editor and Uploader: As ever, Sony comes up with a name that sounds functional, but lacks imagination. This is a new app for the XMB that gives users the ability to edit videos and upload them to Facebook or YouTube.
• PlayStation Store ratings: PlayStation Store items can now be rated using a one to five star rating system, but only if you have purchased said content.
• Power saving: in a bid to make the machine more eco-friendly (and save some money on electricity bills); the PS3 System Auto-Off will be automatically set to 2 hours, but this can be manually changed. There are also ‘other’ power saving options for those that care.

As you can probably see, Sony is showing a lot more love for Facebook et al. Hopefully this is just the start of some decent interconnecting services, especially if the rumoured Hulu support over in the States is true.

What do you think of this update? Is it worth the wait, or just another waste of bandwidth to download?