If your PS3 is bricked like mine, you can fix it yourself.

You need to boot into safe mode and re-update the firmware.
To access safe mode:

• Power off the ps3
• Hold down the ‘power on key’ until the system has powered up & down three times. (Do not release the power key until the third power up)
  1. Touch and hold the Power button (do not remove your finger from the button). You will hear the first beep, meaning the PlayStation 3 is powering on.
  2. Continue to hold the Power button and after about 5 seconds, you will hear a second beep, indicating the video reset.
  3. Continue to hold the Power button and after about another 5 seconds you will hear a third beep and the system will power off (Power light is red).
  4. Lift your finger and again touch and hold the Power button (again, do not remove your finger from the button). As in Step 1, you will hear the first beep, again for the PlayStation 3 to power on.
  5. Continue to hold the Power button and after about 5 seconds, you will hear a second beep for video reset.
  6. Continue to hold the Power button and after about another 5 seconds you will hear a quick double beep. At that point release the Power button. If you succeeded in activating Safe Mode, you will see a message on the screen saying, “Connect the controller using a USB cable and then press the PS button.”
• In Safe Mode, you will have the following options:
  1. Restart System – Ends safe mode and restarts the PlayStation 3 normally.
  2. Restore Default Settings – Performs the same operations as [Restore Default Settings] on the XMB, and also deletes Sony Entertainment Network account information from the system.
  3. Restore File System – Attempts to repair all areas on the hard disk drive where files can be saved. Corrupted data may be erased if it cannot be recovered.
  4. Rebuild Database – Deletes messages, playlists, changes made on [Information] screens, trimming information for pictures in [Photo], video thumbnails, video playback history and video resume information.
     This operation may take a long time depending on the type and number of data items.
  5. Restore PS3 System – IMPORTANT: All data and settings will be lost by performing this step.
     This will reformat the hard drive on the PlayStation 3, deleting all data and restoring it to as if it just came out of the box. This is the same as [Restore PS3 system] on the XMB.
  6. System Update – Updates the PS3 system software. This can only be done with an update file already saved on external storage media, such as a USB drive.

  Perform the System Update and you should be good to go!