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53 comments

Prisoners Hacking PS3 to Charge Their Phones

By - Source: Tom's Guide US

They should be on Cribs.

The PlayStation console can do many things. Sony even bills its PS3 as a computer more than just a games console, given that it used to be able to officially run Linux.

Now prisoners in the UK have found that they make handy cell phone chargers too out of PlayStation 3s, thanks to the USB ports. Prisoners have been stealing USB computer mice from classrooms to take back with them to their cells so that they can charge their illegal cell phones from the powered USB connections.

The prisoners were able to use the USB connector from the mouse and then splice the cord in ways to provide power to their mobiles. The prison discovered this when they found mice plugged into the consoles inside their cells.

It's an interesting story, indeed, but I'm more taken by the fact that the inmates got to have flat-screen TVs in their cells as well as PlayStations. They can even order their meals from computer terminals. And they say crime doesn't pay...

Read more here.

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Top Comments
  • 17 Ð
    qhoa1385 , January 24, 2011 2:25 PM
    ...
    I work my ass of to buy a PS3 while those fuckers got PS3 for free??

    WTF?

    and we're paying for them to live... a better life than us?
  • 13 Ð
    barmaley , January 24, 2011 2:48 PM
    PS3's inside prison cells and ordering meals??? Talk about "doing time" in style !

    What kind of crime do I need to commit to go to THAT prison?
  • 13 Ð
    joytech22 , January 24, 2011 2:32 PM
    I wouldn't exactly call that hacking, a better word would be "Modifying"
Other Comments
  • 17 Ð
    qhoa1385 , January 24, 2011 2:25 PM
    ...
    I work my ass of to buy a PS3 while those fuckers got PS3 for free??

    WTF?

    and we're paying for them to live... a better life than us?
  • 13 Ð
    joytech22 , January 24, 2011 2:32 PM
    I wouldn't exactly call that hacking, a better word would be "Modifying"
  • 13 Ð
    barmaley , January 24, 2011 2:48 PM
    PS3's inside prison cells and ordering meals??? Talk about "doing time" in style !

    What kind of crime do I need to commit to go to THAT prison?
  • 9 Ð
    nologo , January 24, 2011 3:22 PM
    the only crime here is allowing prisoners to have ps3's and not detecting mobile phone useage...
  • 4 Ð
    mrpijey , January 24, 2011 3:26 PM
    Pickpocket Uncle Sam, or copy some music or computer games. But don't rape or kill, you'll get only slapped on the wrist and fined for that.

    Aren't prisons supposed to be CORRECTIONAL facilities? How come then they can sit on their asses playing games, watching TV, have meals ordered and even earn money in prison, while the rest of us law abiding grunts have to work to the grave only to see Uncle Sam take most of it in taxes, and the rest by rampaging price raises? And they even send the bill for running that prison to us tax payers...

    Pheh, crime does pay apparently. Now where are those pirated games, I need to cut my living costs and get dinner served for me....
  • 5 Ð
    JOSHSKORN , January 24, 2011 3:30 PM
    I love the message we're sending to people: "Commit a crime, go to prison, have free room & board, oh, and enjoy playing PS3!"
  • -1 Ð
    TheCapulet , January 24, 2011 4:58 PM
    "and given that it used to be able to officially run Linux."

    Finish your sentences; holy crap.
  • -1 Ð
    punnar , January 24, 2011 4:59 PM
    I hope that the only ones getting the PS3's in their cell are U.S. citizen prisoners....=(

    Oh, wait a minute. This is prison, the people in there are supposed to be punished for something they did wrong. Being able to play PS3 and watch TV is more like a reward don't you think?

    It's like grounding you kid to his room but all of his toys are in there.
  • 4 Ð
    saturnus , January 24, 2011 5:43 PM
    The thing to note here is that it is on one highly controversial experimental prison in the UK, actually correctly called a correction facility, which focus on rehabilitation of inmates from lower social classes but otherwise well functioning with minor sentences, which includes in-prison education, and after served time help with finding jobs, housing and so on. The education and all related services that are beyond what you'd normally have in a regular prison is self-payed in the sense that the inmates agree to follow the programmes while in prison and to be monitored after served time until they have repayed their services, in effect that could be many many years after the served time.
  • 0 Ð
    aft_lizard01 , January 24, 2011 6:24 PM
    Where does it say they are PS3's? Are you sure they aren't PS2's? I remember the same story from over a year ago saying it was a PS2, I believe even the same newspaper.

    In fact I am correct here is the same story from 2009, same paper, same prison.

    http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2009/09/14/crafty-cons-use-cell-playstations-to-charge-their-illegal-mobile-phones-86908-21672452/
  • 1 Ð
    aft_lizard01 , January 24, 2011 6:26 PM
    I should correct myself here. I guess it isn't particularly the same prison. However it is the same author.
  • 0 Ð
    guardianangel42 , January 24, 2011 6:44 PM
    Dear god UK, WTH is wrong with you? Allowing your inmates, of any criminal status, to play games and watch TV WHILE IN THEIR CELLS?!!

    Nevermind the Californian prisons where inmates are living in luxury with high class sports arenas, game rooms with pool tables and ping pong tables.

    Nor the Illinois prison that looks like a resort with beautiful glass vistas on the surrounding landscape and illegals flooding the cells.

    Actually, on second thought, we're not that much better. How bout this, screw all progressive govn'ts that afford such wealth to the wrongdoers of their countries. Prison is a punishment, not a reinforcement.
  • 0 Ð
    distanted , January 24, 2011 6:45 PM
    saturnusThe thing to note here is that it is on one highly controversial experimental prison in the UK, actually correctly called a correction facility, which focus on rehabilitation of inmates from lower social classes but otherwise well functioning with minor sentences...


    Looks like the experiment is working...they're producing a better class of criminal.
  • 2 Ð
    tsnorquist , January 24, 2011 7:08 PM
    When can we get back to the chain gangs hammering rocks, eating bread and water, and serving their hard time?
  • 0 Ð
    kartu , January 24, 2011 7:10 PM
    punnarI hope that the only ones getting the PS3's in their cell are U.S. citizen prisoners....=(Oh, wait a minute. This is prison, the people in there are supposed to be punished for something they did wrong. Being able to play PS3 and watch TV is more like a reward don't you think?It's like grounding you kid to his room but all of his toys are in there.


    Yeah, living in a cell is not enough of a punishment. Lets flog them at least once a week, it will help "correcting".

    PS
    I seriously doubt the silly assumption of the journalist about flat TV and PS3s in cells is correct.
  • 0 Ð
    kcorp2003 , January 24, 2011 8:03 PM
    they can get a mouse or get a cell one in but not a wire to charge it or a USB AC Charger Adapter Plug?
  • 1 Ð
    nevertell , January 24, 2011 8:07 PM
    I'd love to do some time to play gran turismo.
  • 0 Ð
    alidan , January 24, 2011 8:39 PM
    mrpijeyPickpocket Uncle Sam, or copy some music or computer games. But don't rape or kill, you'll get only slapped on the wrist and fined for that.Aren't prisons supposed to be CORRECTIONAL facilities? How come then they can sit on their asses playing games, watching TV, have meals ordered and even earn money in prison, while the rest of us law abiding grunts have to work to the grave only to see Uncle Sam take most of it in taxes, and the rest by rampaging price raises? And they even send the bill for running that prison to us tax payers...Pheh, crime does pay apparently. Now where are those pirated games, I need to cut my living costs and get dinner served for me....


    actually you pay for federal prisons, and some state run ones. prisons with this kind of stuff are private. and they make money off the prisons, by putting them to work, and work jobs that are the equivilany of 15-20$ an hour. the state pays their basic liveing costs, which is 10-15grand. based on performance, they may get better cells and the like, and some, you can pay 350-1500 a day to get a better living arrangement, think a 200$ hotel equivilant at best. that comest to ove a million a year, if they self upgrade.

    and prisions are supost to be corectional ficilities. but the ones we all think of actualy breed harder criminals than when they went in
  • 1 Ð
    razorblaze42 , January 24, 2011 9:07 PM
    Do you people read? This was in the UK...has nothing to do with Uncle Sam. FYI I rather prisoners play games in their cells, than become bored and violent and murder gurads and try to escape.
  • 0 Ð
    cookoy , January 24, 2011 9:11 PM
    Don't you guys know that violent games are excellent ways to release all your pent up anger and anxiety without doing much harm on society? That's why the inmates there have to attend computer classes on how to play the video games. Just love the UK.
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