Thursday, March 24, 2005

Sony Launches PlayStation Portable

As expected, there was a flurry of activity in video game stores today as the PlayStation Portable was released in the US. Rumor has it that in the Washington, DC area, the new toy is sold out, though I don't know if that's true. I fully admit that I expected it to sell out, and actually looked forward to it selling out...that way, I wouldn't feel too bad that I don't have one!! :)

The PSP, a handheld gaming device, comes packaged with a copy of Spiderman 2 on UMD (universal media disc, I think), a 32 MB memory stick, and the device itself. Its main "competitor" in the handheld gaming market is the Nintendo DS. It's not a fair fight to say that the two devices are in the same realm, though. The PSP is a multi-media and gaming device, while the DS is a gaming and chat device (and may be turned into a PDA if rumors are true). Both play games and both in theory have the capability to play games over wireless internet (802.11b WiFi). But really that's where the similarities end between the two devices, and that is all I'll say of the two side-by-side. I will probably eventually have both devices, especially if the game lineup for the DS improves.

So, back to the PSP. While the device itself looks quite sweet, I'm not a fan of the UMD and Memory Stick usage. The PSP will at one point be able to link to computers, though the cable to link it to the computer won't be available in the US until the 1st of May. With integrated WiFi and the ability to connect the PSP to a computer, combined with the ability of the PSP to play mp3's and mp4 videos, leads to a desire to store audio and video files on removable storage cards. Commonly used formats are the SD card and CF card, but because this is SONY we're dealing with, it MUST be their proprietary Memory Stick. Nevermind that Sony has already abandoned its PDA line, the Clie, in the United States, so really the only use for Memory Sticks these days are in Sony digital cameras (and there are a wealth of other cameras out there that are better than Sony cameras). Now there is another use for the Memory Stick: using it in the PSP, but what a pain in the butt that is. Personally, I already have a plethora of CF cards and SD cards for my camera and Palm Pilot. I have no need or desire for other memory formats, especially if the only use I'll have for it is my PSP (when I get one, because I think it's probably safe to assume I will).

Alas. Currently I believe the base price for the PSP is about 250 U$, though it seems you can only get it in bundle packs (bundled with games and such) for 450 U$. How disgusting. If any of my regular readers here has picked up the PSP, please let me know what you think! And, even better, if you have played both the PSP and the DS, let me know what you think of them side-by-side (as gaming devices, nothing else).

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

The only places bundling are usually the specialty game stores, since game accessories are essentially their key profit drivers. A big box retailer with more diversity won't do that.

As far as a side-by-side comparison, I stand by what I've said all along: The DS has the more exciting hardware, but the PSP is going to wind up with the better software in the long run.

Not because the DS is incapable of having the better software, but because Nintendo won't get off their ass and release it. They're still living in 1987, when all they had to do was release a game system, and it was the equivalent of printing their own money. "Competition" is a foreign concept to the Big N.

Anonymous said...

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I have a mobile entertainment related site. Please take a look and feel free to post a link to your blog on the links page.
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Kerry

Anonymous said...

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Kerry

Anonymous said...

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Good blog. You’ve put lots of thought in here. It looks like we have an interest in common. If you are interested, go see my mp3 related site. It’s totally focussed on the Zen Micro at the moment and is still growing. You may still find something of interest. I recently added a MP3 link page - you would be welcome to post a link to your site there

Kerry

Anonymous said...

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Kerry

Anonymous said...

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Kerry

Anonymous said...

Hi, kristin, a/k/a gimpy,
Good blog. You’ve put lots of thought in here. It looks like we have an interest in common. If you are interested, go see my Creative Zen MIcro http://www.mp3players.choice-offers.com site. It’s totally focussed on the Zen Micro at the moment and is still growing. You may still find something of interest. I recently added a MP3 link page - you would be welcome to post a link to your site there

Kerry

Anonymous said...

Hi, kristin, a/k/a gimpy,
Good blog. You’ve put lots of thought in here. It looks like we have an interest in common. If you are interested, go see my mp3players related site. It’s totally focussed on the Zen Micro at the moment and is still growing. You may still find something of interest. I recently added a MP3 link page - you would be welcome to post a link to your site there

Kerry

Anonymous said...

Hi, kristin, a/k/a gimpy,
Good blog. You’ve put lots of thought in here. It looks like we have an interest in common. If you are interested, go see my Creative Zen MIcro http://www.mp3players.choice-offers.com site. It’s totally focussed on the Zen Micro at the moment and is still growing. You may still find something of interest. I recently added a MP3 link page - you would be welcome to post a link to your site there

Kerry

Anonymous said...

hi kristin, a/k/a gimpy,
Cool blog. You have put a lot of effort in here. You certainly make me feel a bit humble :)
I have a mp3 players related site. Please take a look and feel free to post a link to your blog on the links page.
Come and check it out if you get time :-)

Kerry

Anonymous said...

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Kerry

Anonymous said...

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Kerry

Anonymous said...

Hi, kristin, a/k/a gimpy,
Good blog. You’ve put lots of thought in here. It looks like we have an interest in common. If you are interested, go see my Creative Zen MIcro http://www.mp3players.choice-offers.com site. It’s totally focussed on the Zen Micro at the moment and is still growing. You may still find something of interest. I recently added a MP3 link page - you would be welcome to post a link to your site there

Kerry

Anonymous said...

Hi, kristin, a/k/a gimpy,
Good blog. You’ve put lots of thought in here. It looks like we have an interest in common. If you are interested, go see my mp4 related site. It’s totally focussed on the Zen Micro at the moment and is still growing. You may still find something of interest. I recently added a MP3 link page - you would be welcome to post a link to your site there

Kerry