Just bought a Sony PlayStation 3? Then you've not maxed out the power of yournew uber-console until you've downloaded the latest firmware and dabbled with thefollowing techniques... Following on from our previous 10 PS3 tricks Sony doesn't tell you article, Digital Home brings you another batch of tips.

1) Customising your PS3

Try Googling 'PS3 .p3t theme' to find downloadable examplesof PS3's new Themes - the alternative desktops, menus and fonts for your PS3 that have been enabled since the recent 2.0 firmware update. Read on through this article for our tips on how to transfer them to your PS3. You can even make your ownThemes. All you'll need is Sony's PC-only design software, which is available for free here.

2) Make thousands of new PS3 Friends

Taken a shine to someone you've played against online?They'll be in your Players Met menu. Or if you just wantto make loads of new friends fast, then go to www.gamewith.us/ps3 and to findthousands of names to hit up and try.

3) Mastering removable media

The PS3 is compatible with many different file types,playing and displaying just about anything you can throw at it. The full list is as follows: (video) MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, AVI, Motion JPEG, AVCHD, H.264/MPEG-4 AVC - DivX and Xvid coming soon; (audio) MP3, WMA, WAV, Audio CD, SACD (60GB version only); (photo) JPEG, PNG, TIFF, GIF, BMP.

Whatever format you want to access, the trick is to put your files in the right place so that your PS3 canactually see them.

Take anyremovable media - be it a USB stick, Memory Card or CD-R with files on it - and lacemusic, pictures and videos in folders called 'MUSIC', 'PICTURE' and 'VIDEO' in the root directory of the storage device. The caps are important. The quote marks aren't.

MorePS3-based files need to be in a folder called 'PS3' in the root directory of the storage device.Then, inside this folder make sub-folders called 'EXPORT' (this is the folder toput PS1 and PS2 game saves in that you find on the net), 'SAVEDATA' (for your PS3 gamesaves), 'THEME' (for Themes) and 'UPDATE' (see tip 8).

4) Boost your WiFi

Slow downloads and dodgy PS3 connections? Try this... Firstly let's start with a bit of wireless networking 101. Try getting a direct 'line of sight' between yourwireless router and your PS3. Pull them out both out from alcoves and behinddense furniture and try to minimise the number of obstacles between both boxes. (Nothing degrades your Wi-Fi signal like a nice stone fireplace....)

Next, stand your PS3 on its on end. The PS3's antenna is located in the right hand side so standing itup on its left-edge gives it a bigger spread. Ideally put your router up on a high shelf.

Finally -and this is the clever bit - take a Coke can (other soft drinks are available)and cut the top off. Cut down the sides of the cup-like can and fan out thedivisions slightly so it looks like a weird metal flower. Now make a hole inthe bottom and place your new 'high-gain antenna' over your router's stubby aerialso it pokes through. Now point it at your PS3. Sounds mad, looks awful, but you could see a 10% boost in signal strength.

5) PSP and PS3 Remote Play

One of the best features of the new firmware is theability to turn your PS3 on and off remotely, via the internet, with your PSP.Sounds like a tiny detail, but it finally opens up Sony's Remote Play featurefully.