What you have to remember is 2 things:
1) 'Bricked' is just that the FW files in the flash are wrecked/corrupted. Cos FW handles all the PSP hardware, if its wrecked, it wont turn on.
2) Returned PSP's dont have a broken warranty sticker. So sony are reflashing without opening the psp.

So how? Well, we dont know whether its inpossible throught the usb. But to enalbe usb on the psp requires... FW!!! So I doubt its usb. What are those lttle holes either side of the usb? I actually dont know, but then I never cared before..

Has anybody opened their psp and found out what the holes are, and if they can be used at all?