The new XMB in-game access will allow gamers to view friends' profiles and see if they're online as well as send and read text messages without leaving the game being played.

By pressing the PS button on the PS3 controller, the "Home" menu will appear on the screen. Gameplay will either automatically pause or, in the case of multiplayer games with other players, will continue in the background.

When a player reaches a particularly important stage in a game -- where distractions such as messaging and social interaction is not a desirable feature -- players can set their status to "Not Available" to block friends from texting in-game.

With the XMB enhancement, users will also be able to sign in to PlayStation Network, manage PlayStation Store downloads, quit a game and access other options in the "Settings" menu including browsing through content such as pictures and videos stored on the PS3 hard drive.

Another new feature will enable gamers to mute a game's music in favor of providing their own customizable soundtrack from music saved on the console's hard drive. The functionality is game specific, however, and will be available on a game-by-game basis.

"We'll be announcing games that support this feature in the future. While SCEA is actively working with developers to offer personalized soundtracks as an option in their games, ultimately, it's a decision for developers to make based on the overall gameplay experience and aesthetic they want to create," Al de Leon, a SCEA spokesperson, told TechNewsWorld.

A mini control panel for use while playing music and a Google-powered search -- similar to the function rolled out in the recent PlayStation Portable firmware update -- round out the significant changes to the XMB. New features allow users to search the Web and receive results without opening the PS3's Internet browser.

For the full story, click here!