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Meet the Playstation Pocket - Aka: PSP

kiwi_the_iwik

kiwi_the_iwik

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Oct 30, 2001
1,110
2
London, UK
Whoa!

Sony have CERTAINLY outdone themselves THIS time...

Info and photos --> here...


Looks like an OUTSTANDING piece of kit - great for long plane journeys!

:D



P.S. - sorry if someone's already posted this. Personally, I couldn't find any reference, and am quite surprised that nobody picked up on it. Q-Dos to ME, then!!!
 
Danrose1977 said:
Gamespy reported that the battery life is currently managing 2hours.... great for short plane journeys!

With both nintendo and sony's new handhelds.... I'll decide when we actually get to play them. Reporters at Pre-E3 events have (mostly) said that they are more charmed by the Nintendo DS....
Click to expand...

Yeah.. yeah.. yeah.. Just you wait until Apple comes out with it's iPod SDK, and everyone's making games for it (while listening to great tunes!! ;) )
 
Sony Strikes Back!

kiwi_the_iwik said:
Whoa!
Sony have CERTAINLY outdone themselves THIS time...
Info and photos --> here...
Looks like an OUTSTANDING piece of kit - great for long plane journeys!
:D
P.S. - sorry if someone's already posted this. Personally, I couldn't find any reference, and am quite surprised that nobody picked up on it. Q-Dos to ME, then!!!
Click to expand...

I have to agree. So much for blowing off their Atrac-only web store. This thing has USB 2.0 and 802.11b. Depending on the price, this is going to do major damage to Microsoft's Portable Media Center plans and the iPod's reign. The Playstation generation could care less about Apple, MS, AAC, WMA, or whatever, all they know is they can download songs to their PSP. PMCs may fare better because you can't write movies to the 1.8G UMDs, so video will be limited to memory sticks and the built in memory.

Sony's also relelasing a 17" widescreen desktop replacement with TV Tuner in the port replicator using new Dothan CPUs. HOT! I want one, after prices settle. I'm going to have to force Windows Media Center on it if it doesn't come with it.

Should've known Sony has too much money not to have had a plan.
 

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whooleytoo said:
Yeah.. yeah.. yeah.. Just you wait until Apple comes out with it's iPod SDK, and everyone's making games for it (while listening to great tunes!! ;) )
Click to expand...

I'm afraid Sony's a market leader in games machines - and therefore, any competition from Apple, et. al. WON'T be... if you get my drift.

Sony is established, and has the backing of a multitude of software houses. Nintendo's LAST dabble - the GameCube (although a great machine), didn't have the support it needed to give it the cult status acquired by the Playstation phenomenon. I expect a torrent of support to be chucked at this little puppy - the first being a battery pack/power adaptor, no doubt.

I was amazed to find that the graphics are virtually at a par with the PS2 - screw getting one of THOSE, now - I'm after the portable! Yay!

Personally, I would be more happier with a "Newton"-esque styled device from Apple, as the next generation iPod - Colour graphics, handwriting recognition on a large(ish) screen, 16:9 for movie playback, external video (in/out), FireWire, USB and Bluetooth as standard - operating on a cut-down version of OSX...

...but that's ANOTHER topic.

:rolleyes:
 
kiwi_the_iwik said:
Personally, I would be more happier with a "Newton"-esque styled device from Apple, as the next generation iPod - Colour graphics, handwriting recognition on a large(ish) screen, 16:9 for movie playback, external video (in/out), FireWire, USB and Bluetooth as standard - operating on a cut-down version of OSX...

...but that's ANOTHER topic.

:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

You forgot the 802.11 and wireless firewire. I am really excited about the Gameboy DS. The PSP will fail like the others. Going against the Gameboy is like going after the iPod. The Gameboy has a ton of games the PSP will have a handfull upon its release. Sega, NeoGEO, have tried to "KILL" the gameboy with enhanced Hardware and better games but look around who is still the king??
 
Spock said:
You forgot the 802.11 and wireless firewire. I am really excited about the Gameboy DS. The PSP will fail like the others. Going against the Gameboy is like going after the iPod. The Gameboy has a ton of games the PSP will have a handfull upon its release. Sega, NeoGEO, have tried to "KILL" the gameboy with enhanced Hardware and better games but look around who is still the king??
Click to expand...

You don't understand, there's a whole generation of Gamers with no portable because Gameboy tends to be for kids, graphics are weak, etc. Now for the high tech gamer, you have real graphics and established games, including those aimed and more mature gamers, in a slick, non-dorky looking portable. Gameboy now has competition, it may seem unbeatable, but Xbox is nipping at Sony PS2s heels too, and may have outsold it for the first time last month. Anything is possible in America, especially with a superior product.

PSP may not take away Gameboy's existing market, it may just create a new non-existent one that eventually dwarf's gameboy.
 
MorganX said:
You don't understand, there's a whole generation of Gamers with no portable because Gameboy tends to be for kids, graphics are weak, etc.
Click to expand...
Gameboy tends to be for kids, hence the DS. Have you seen metroid running on it with WiFi deathmatch? Pretty good, just wish it had wide screens. The cool thing is, that the second screen can really help with some cool ideas, one of the things someone said was you draw clouds on the bottom screen which float up to the top one to slow down a falling mario...kinda funny, but its actually something NEW, which I do appreciate. PSP is more about consumer electronics and being cool, though theres nothing wrong with that, its just a different angle...more of the same. I do think it will hurt the MS portable media center, wich can't be bad.
 
I think what'll make this thing rock, is that the difference in programming between the ps2 and this thing don't seem to be vastly different, meaning that existing games can probably be easily ported... That, and the graphics quality is astounding... The GranTurismo 4 version claims to run at, and nowhere below the level of performance of GT3 on a ps2...

Edit: I just noticed a major drawback, and I think it's the reason for short battery life... The UMD is going to have to be spinning virtually the whole time, unless the thing has a huge disk cache, which I doubt, which translates into sucking down battery life...
 
The reason that the GameBoy has been so succesful is that it didn't try to be what it wasn't, a console machine. For example they eschewed color until they could do it with decent battery life.
 
G4scott said:
Edit: I just noticed a major drawback, and I think it's the reason for short battery life... The UMD is going to have to be spinning virtually the whole time, unless the thing has a huge disk cache, which I doubt, which translates into sucking down battery life...
Click to expand...

I don't like the idea of CD's. Please do not get me wrong I cant wait to play with the PSP. I think Solid state is a good idea but solid state "Carts" are exspensive to make and don't hold as much data as the CD's but CD'S are easy to break. We will have to see what happens we may get a "Oh, One more thing" from Steve this year. right
 
MorganX said:
You don't understand, there's a whole generation of Gamers with no portable because Gameboy tends to be for kids, graphics are weak, etc. Now for the high tech gamer, you have real graphics and established games, including those aimed and more mature gamers, in a slick, non-dorky looking portable. Gameboy now has competition, it may seem unbeatable, but Xbox is nipping at Sony PS2s heels too, and may have outsold it for the first time last month. Anything is possible in America, especially with a superior product.

PSP may not take away Gameboy's existing market, it may just create a new non-existent one that eventually dwarf's gameboy.
Click to expand...

Nintendo's making the DS for that portion of the market that doesn't use Gameboy. The DS will beat the PSP to the market, and should have great support, as Gameboy is currently the de facto leader in the handheld market. So the PSP will be in a seperate market against the Nintendo DS, and that Market probably won't ever dwarf gameboys market, as gameboy advance sells better than PS2.
 
Freakk123 said:
Nintendo's making the DS for that portion of the market that doesn't use Gameboy. The DS will beat the PSP to the market, and should have great support, as Gameboy is currently the de facto leader in the handheld market. So the PSP will be in a seperate market against the Nintendo DS, and that Market probably won't ever dwarf gameboys market, as gameboy advance sells better than PS2.
Click to expand...

I don't know. You've got the MP3 market plust PS2 AND Xbox market. Gamebboy is not a real option for Xbox gamers. PSP is. And let me tell you, I never liked playstation, not even PS1. But depending on price and memory options, I might opt for this over a Portable Media Center and if I do, that means ATRAC and Sony Connect. Again, depending on price, I think it will be huge.
 
But why wouldn't the Nintendo DS be a real system for Xbox owners? If nintendo wants (and they seem to), the system would be more adult oriented. Also, the DS should have better battery life and be cheaper, so it should sell very well. It will be interesting, as this is sort of a new market of high-end handhelds. Also, if it is competitive between Sony and Nintendo, perhaps Microsoft will have incentive to join the fray, and things could get really interesting. Only time will tell...
 
DS Pictures

Just thought I'd post a picture of the Nintendo DS:
nintendo_ds.jpg


Features:
-WiFi compatible for wireless multiplayer gaming, including over the internet.
-Nintendo Proprietary Wireless for short range, low-battery consumption wireless gaming.
-Lower screen is a touch screen
-Built in microphone for speech recognition in games

The graphics are comparable to the PSP. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.
 
I just like the way the PSP is put together more than the DS. That, and I think I'd find it confusing to go between two screens, but that's just me...

Also, the DS won't have Gran Turismo 4... or Metal Gear Solid...
 
Krizoitz said:
The reason that the GameBoy has been so succesful is that it didn't try to be what it wasn't, a console machine. For example they eschewed color until they could do it with decent battery life.
Click to expand...


Very true. The GameBoy is successful because of:

1. long battery life

2. small size

3. relatively low price

4. durability

5. large library of games


I really don't know if it's Sony's intent to go head-to-head with the GameBoy (I don't think they'll be able to avoid doing so), or if they're going after a different market, but the PSP is going to have to do well in the above areas to be a success no matter what.
 
i personally think the DS is going to drain Nintendo more than anything...it's a NOVELTY portable!!! Two screens? For what? It will only confuse me to see a 1st person view of my running back on screen 1 while i watch him in 3d on screen 2, give me a button to change perspectives and save the battery life. That and the fact that I don't see anyone really innovating with the screen, sure they'll use it for menus and what not, but it's not like it'll be a whole new game, just far more content on two little screens. I'd personally rather see one large screen. People are also commenting on how the DS is targeted at adults...with Mario? he was cool when i was 6 but after Mario Sunshine? Get lost. I'm not buying a portable just to play Metroid (i almost bought the cube just for metroid tho!)
 
BrianKonarsMac said:
i personally think the DS is going to drain Nintendo more than anything...it's a NOVELTY portable!!! Two screens? For what? It will only confuse me to see a 1st person view of my running back on screen 1 while i watch him in 3d on screen 2, give me a button to change perspectives and save the battery life. That and the fact that I don't see anyone really innovating with the screen, sure they'll use it for menus and what not, but it's not like it'll be a whole new game, just far more content on two little screens. I'd personally rather see one large screen. People are also commenting on how the DS is targeted at adults...with Mario? he was cool when i was 6 but after Mario Sunshine? Get lost. I'm not buying a portable just to play Metroid (i almost bought the cube just for metroid tho!)
Click to expand...
True, but then I never thought Metal Gear Solid or Resident Evil 4 was gonna come out for Cube...which got me to buy it (price did help), I think one cool thing is though, you could have multiplayer game where the action is on the top and through wifi you could see a stream of the other persons face on the bottom screen, for example being on the same team or something, that would be pretty cool. Who knows, Metal Gear MAY YET come out for DS...though GT and GTA are hard to beat.

I just have this sneaky feeling that once someone gets used to two screens, its gonna be hard to go back...kinda like going back to a one button mouse.
 
No one has mentioned the use of the second screen as a map, I think that could be a big help in a lot of games. Switching back and forth compared to being able to reference it full time gives a huge advantage, I know I would love it when I'm playing Ghost Recon, but that isn't likely to be on the DS, though it would be sweet if it was.
 
The PSP, regardless of the battery life, will be a big hit. It'll have the cool factor that Nintendo's DS system will not have. You can even see it in the way they look.......the PSP looks "sic". If battery life were a huge issue with most people, do you think the iPod would be a hit? :p Some of you give people too much credit. Most people who don't post on Computer message boards would buy the iPod because its cool to have one. It may be overkill since they don't even own 2GB of mp3's, but they'll buy one. There may be a player out there that has a better battery life, is more durable (solid state?), or gives a larger HD for a much cheaper price, but it doesn't matter. People buy the thing that's cooler and looks better. They don't even have to know that the iPod is just more operable than its competitors, but they'll buy it.

They'll buy this no matter what Nintendo comes out with.
 
I think there is alot to be learnt from the past on this subject:

1. Sony makes products that look nice on the outside out of cheap low quality parts which last as long as a penut brittle parachute.

2. The game boy always wins. It has faced down systems far more advanced than it, simply because of its price point and library of games.

3. Bells and whistles on a portable system don't make for better gaming, just a more expensive unit.

4. Systems the size of a game gear are portable but awkwardly so.

5. When a person has to choose between buying a brand new home console or a less powerful portable, as they all are by nature, the console generally wins.

6. Sony has the greatest hype engine in the universe. They do not have the best engineers.

7. Portable systems with under 5 hours of battery life will fall to those with more.

8. Owning a VIAO makes one appreciate complete hardware failure and lax refund policies. (Maybe this is just a joke.)

9. When Sony entered the console market, they redefined what console gaming was. Sony pushed the Saturn out of the market because they hyped 3D as better in all ways to 2D. This cannot repeat this in the hand held market as the DS is also 3D capable.

10. Nintendo's focus on making systems designed for gaming still holds true with the DS.
 
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