PS3Tools GUI v1.2. Time to Get Out Your Toolbox?

Kronik I know what you're getting at, but it's not that easy.  The 4.x+ firmwares are coded differently and have different security measures.  Not just as firmware but the network authentication has changed.  I was thinking the other day about the questions you asked as well, just from a different perspective.  I was thinking that if dev's are capable of decrypting the new firmwares, why don't they look for the changes in the network authentication?  If it would be possible to spoof the firmware version, and implement a CFW patch applying the new network authentication while making the the psn think your system was 4.x firmwares that we could have network usage on 3.55... I dunno if that is possible or even how hard it would be to do.  In theory it would be possible, however hiding the fact that your systems fw is only 3.55 may be more difficult to do.  On the otherhand though, Nintendo isn't really to concerned with security measures.  I think nintendo has realized that while the hacked consoles may lose some sales due to pirated games.  Their hardware sells more when people know what they are capable of.  They did make the 3ds a little harder to crack down.. while ds and dsi modes have been hacked to use flash carts 3ds mode is still locked down.  

My point though is, that more of the hardcore devs in the ps3 scene are still working like clockwork to find something you can use.  The new security though uses the old drm signatures as well as second encryption method that uses random numbers.  This one makes the newer firmwares almost impossible to crack.  Last I heard, devs were looking for a way to overflow the buffer to run homebrew code through collision. As far as games for 3.55, their is not much left they can do.  Games are being released for the newer firmwares now, some are still crackable is you are dumping the data from the disc to your internal or external hard drive.. There are guides online to show you how to patch the games to reflect the 3.55 firmware version.  Some games will work some won't but currently on 3.55 unless you're using a dongle, most of what you'll look for you will have to do yourself, or wait for some success with the new firmwares... or just bite the bullet update to current and deal with no homebrew and pay for your games...  Sorry if I sound like an ass, it's just this stuff isn't easy work