According to a post on the official PlayStation Blog this past Wednesday, Sony has announced a new firmware update for the PlayStation 3. According to Eric Lempel Director of PlayStation Network Operations, v. 2.70’s new features will include a new Text Chat feature that will allow you to chat online with up to 15 friends as well as be able to chat in up to 3 rooms with friends. According to the blog, the new feature will be compatible with the PlayStation Wireless Keypad, on-screen keyboard, and other keyboard peripherals compatible with the console.

Along with the chat feature, the XMB Friends List will be updated to allow you to sort your friends via their online status. You will also be able to attach larger file to messages as the file size limit is increased from 1MB to 3MB. Lastly, video files that you’ve purchased from the PlayStation Store can be backed up to an external/removable Hard Drive and restored at a later date. Also videos that have been purchased for the PlayStation Portable can be transferred to the PlayStation 3 for playback. Unfortunately amongst all this information, there was no release date set for the update except that it will be coming “soon”.