Jul 10 2007

PSP redesign: Fact or fiction?

PSP Mini mock-up

One fan's vision of a possible--but completely fictional--PSP redesign

(Credit: Kotaku)

Google PSP redesign or PSP2, and you'll get tens of thousands of results (and even a few interesting homemade Photoshop jobs, such as the "PSP Mini" shown above)--a testament to the fact that many gamers, it seems, were never quite comfortable with the design of Sony's first handheld gaming system. To be sure, the PSP has its share of issues, not the least of which is the UMD format--the proprietary optical disc format is hobbled with slow load times, and the moving parts sap the PSP's battery life. Controls have always been suspect, too, with most gamers lusting for a second analog stick to better mimic the home PlayStation DualShock controller. And the dearth of onboard storage limits the device's media functions to the comparatively paltry storage of removeable Memory Stick Duo flash memory cards. At the same time, rumors of the PSP's demise have been greatly exaggerated--while it hasn't knocked dethroned Nintendo from handheld gaming's top spot, the PSP has sold well by any other measure, with a worldwide install base estimated at more than 24 million and a growing library of great games.

But hardware refreshes are par for the course in the gaming world, and the PSP--which originally hit Japan in the fall of 2004--is due for a makeover. Citing anonymous "highly placed" sources, Kotaku provided a laundry list of improvements in an alleged PSP redesign--all the way back in March 2007. And rumors of a PSP phone continue to persist as well. Whether or not Sony will unveil a PSP redesign at this week's E3 conference in Santa Monica is anybody's guess--we'll know by mid-afternoon on Wednesday. In the meantime, though, it's open season: let us know how you'd improve the PSP.

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Posted in: Games and gear, Music
Tags: E3 2007, Sony PSP, PlayStation Portable, handheld, gaming, Nintendo, DS
 

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Add a Comment (Log in or register) 7 comments (Page 1 of 1)
The Nintendo DS is a better handheld
by hardrockguru July 10, 2007 11:10 AM PDT
And with far better games and battery life. The PSP is another Sony flop along with the PS3.
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Some needed features...
by whizkid454 July 10, 2007 11:23 AM PDT
1) Built-in storage. At least 4GB of storage is welcome if not more. Buying MS Duo cards are expensive and a hassle. 2) More internal RAM. This is needed for the Web browser since the 4MB of RAM sometimes isn't enough to view certain large Web pages. 3) Multitasking. We want to be able to listen to music while viewing photos or browsing the Web. 4) A built-in camera that is capable of at least 2MP stills and video. 5)Support for downloading PS1 games without having to use a PS3. 6) Touchscreen. It would be much easier to enter text than the method used now. It takes 2 minutes just to type a sentence like "Rob, I hope you can come and visit us sometime." 7) More PDA-like apps. Such as a document viewer, contacts, calendar, and a few built-in mini-games just for fun. I know this is a lot to ask, but it would make the PSP2 a big hit.
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The Fan Photo is a Good Start
by Renegade Knight July 10, 2007 11:40 AM PDT
The Flip top screen would allow for a bigger screen. A DS style touchpad of a second screen and a second analog stick would help a lot. Storage is a major problem. This device has so much potential but somehow misses the mark that a few tweaks are needed. MY DS is used more for games just becaus "they work" while the PSP has prettier games but they don't get played as much because the interface doesn't quite work right without that second thumb stick. I'd use it for a MP3 player as well, or movie viewer but I can't get them on the device with it's limited space.
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Eh, Just add a hard-drive and I'm sold
by subindie July 10, 2007 12:22 PM PDT
I don't like it. In fact I really like the current form factor. As soon as they add a hard-disk (60G+) I'll be headed to the store to replace my 3G iPod with a PSP... because I'm sick and tired of waiting for a wide screen iPod to come out (ie the Phoneless iPhone).
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PSP= Multimedia Device at Heart
by Starfires July 11, 2007 5:50 AM PDT
I have a DS and was never tuned on by the bland selection of PSP games, which is a shame, given it's technical prowess. Like the PS3, this means that even if it is too high-priced to catch on as a games console, it is great for multi-media playback- all that's missing is the hard drive. Currently, without one, it is pretty much hobbled, as it may never catch on as a games machine. Sorry Sony, but people don't want to pay so much for consoles, as they aren't seen as an 'investment'. But they will pay for ipods that have hard drives- and by having wide-screen video you could beat Apple to the punch!
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I like the original psp.
by strykernyc July 11, 2007 11:12 AM PDT
I love the psp. I have the ds, the wii, the ps3,the psp and the 360. who doesn't love the psp, is much much much more than just a gaming machine. And who doesn't love the beautiful psp screen. I have a 8GB memory stick and I love watching my recorder shows on the go. The only thing a person who is (not a typical user) will ask for on the next psp would be a nice HD building but easy to replace like the PS3 and ofcourse more ram. The current cpu is is fast enough. It is so cool that I can login to my pc from work using my psp at a starbucks or any hot spot and download and upload files :)
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Ds is better
by deadly55 July 11, 2007 5:03 PM PDT
You can get a a cartridge that allows the nintendo ds to play music,movies, and pictures and you can get a web browser, all the features of the psp with better battery life!
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