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PSP has to become cheaper - or else....
PSP
According to the 1Up game-site (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3158013) a number of big retailers are supposed to have set Sony an ultimatum regarding the pricing of the portable PSP-console. It has to become cheaper or it will be taken off the shelves. Names are not being mentioned in the article.
It has almost been a year since the price of the PSP has been downed a little, that happened just a few days prior to the PSP-1st birthday on the 24th of March 2006. Prices went down 50 dollars! John Koller, senior marketing manager hasn't uttered a single word on a possible lowering of the price. He did say something about an 'interesting announcement to be made in the near future'. Various gaming-sites are speculating that it is just going to be another shade of PSP, but Sony UK Boss Ray Maguire has confirmed that they are going to redesign the console. (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=23465) . It is supposed to become a little lighter but the screen size won't change. Improved buttons and a whopping 8Gb internal flash memory are being speculated about.
PSP sales have dropped by 70% the last year, the ultimate low being the Fall of 2006. Sony is supposed to have shipped only 10,000 units to retailers (US numbers). The beginning of this year saw a rise in sales but the machine just isn't as popular as the Nintendo DS. From my own experience I've never been able to have an online Outrun 2006 game on my PSP despite the fact that I am logged on and registered. Online gaming is working 100% better on my DS.
- Mark Vergeer's blog
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I am rich!
You found out, yes I am rich! I wish.....
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Mark Vergeer - Editor / Pixelator
Armchair Arcade, Inc.
Xboxlive gametag
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PSP Price Cut to $169
Hm, looks like Mark was on to something:
Sony Cuts PlayStation Portable Price From $199 To $169
Any leads on the stock market, Mark??
I use the PSP when the main telly is blocked from gaming...
I tend to use the PSP at home when the telly is blocked from gaming by Elise. She has to have her series fixes, as do I actually ;)
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Mark Vergeer - Editor / Pixelator
Armchair Arcade, Inc.
Xboxlive gametag
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I have a USB cable that
I have a USB cable that trickle charges my PSP that I carry with me. The DS definitely has the PSP trumped on battery life by a country mile, probably 10 hours plus to under 3 hours. I often use the sleep mode on both handhelds as well to save my place, something that people who don't use them might not know about. I like "instant on" and resuming my place. Of course it does deplete the battery slightly while in this mode.
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Bill Loguidice, Managing Director
Armchair Arcade, Inc.
(A PC Magazine Top 100 Website)
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PSP more sturdy than DSLite I say
The PSP build feels more solid than the DSLite in my opinion. I have the same soft sleeve like Bill described and I have been using and transporting the PSP in a similar way. Both my regular DS and DSLite have their original Nintendo cases which makes them very easy to take with you without having to worry about damaging them. The battery life on the PSP is downright awfull, I always bring my AC adapter and I will just not bring it or even use it in a place where I cannot hook it up. I do have a special power pack that connects to the AC port with a small cable and allows the PSP to be used a little longer with drained powercell, it can even be used to partly recharge the PSP.
On night shifts I tend to bring the DSLite when I feel like gaming, and I bring the PSP for movie viewing. I've got this monkey proof DVD converter that just rips and transforms a DVD movie into a PSP compatible file and actually puts it in playable format on the PSP.
Gaming on the toilet is only done on my K750i mobile, although I have been known to use the gp32 and the gp2x on the nightly no2's.
This is as intimate as my portable gaming revelations will be guys ;)
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Mark Vergeer - Editor / Pixelator
Armchair Arcade, Inc.
Xboxlive gametag
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PSP, DS, GBA
Thanks for the comments, Bill and DavyK. I hadn't thought of carrying a portable in my laptop bag, but that would make sense. The laptop is too hot, bulky, and slow to really be of much use as a mobile gaming device, but I could see whipping out a DS or PSP to make those long flights more bearable. However, I think it'd be downright embarrassing to be seen lugging one of those units to the bathroom, though I am guilty of using those "breaks" to play a round or two of Frogger on my cell.
I like the innovation offered by the DS, and the case seems to make it less prone to damage than the PSP, which looks very fragile to me for some reason (and the expense would make it seem more so). I was sorely tempted (and still tempted) to try to buy a used GBA SP if I can find one cheap enough. If I could get one in good condition for $30 or so, I'd very likely go for it.
I have noticed this week
I have noticed this week that my local HMV has seemingly upped the number of films on UMD on its shelves....perhaps a condition for getting enough PS3s to sell?
It seems that the PS3 hasn't sold out though - there's a sign on the door "Plenty in stock". I don't know if that is a reflection of the number produced, how close it is to the Wii release, the fact that it isn't all that different from the 360 with respect to games, or its price. Perhaps all of the above.
Saw a 4x4 racing game running on a PS3 pod - fantastic looking game.
Back on topic...Apart from the screen, I never really liked the look and feel of the PSP - it just didn't feel right and also feels far too "fiddly".
Well, I always have a
Well, I always have a handheld or two in my laptop bag, and lately mostly the PSP and DS. It's great for *ahem* bathroom breaks when it's awkward to bring something to read.
As for damaging the PSP's screen, it's really a non-issue to me. It's built well enough and already comes with a soft carrying case. I'm careful not to crush the thing, but then I'm careful with all of my stuff. Since it's not a touch screen, I try to avoid touching the screen - I just use the buttons ;-) . I slip it in its soft case and I'm good to go. The PSP has all those features you talked about Matt and then some, save for the calendaring. I don't really use it for much multimedia stuff, but then I'm usually near other devices that serve that purpose. I really use it just to play *gasp* games.
As for the DS, since it's a clam shell, I don't have a case for it. I just throw it in my bag as-is. Since one screen is a touch screen, I have protective plastic (overlay) over both screens. The pen - even though its plastic - can do some serious work on the screen, especially with some of the more "agressive" games.
I sometimes also carry the N-Gage QD. I just left the protective plastic overlay that came by default on the screen (not really ideal, but it does the job). When I carried the Tapwave Zodiac, I bought a metal case for it.
Finally, with my Cingular 8125 PDA phone that I talked about previously, I actually don't protect the screen in any way, even though it's exposed AND a touch screen. It seems tough enough, even after several drops onto pavement (like a dummy). If it had a better control pad and a more robust selection of games (as well as GPS abilities), it would be the perfect portable platform. As it is, I still enjoy it a great deal and no longer worry about damaging it.
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Bill Loguidice, Managing Director
Armchair Arcade, Inc.
(A PC Magazine Top 100 Website)
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Handhelds
Ha, I think #6 might be trying to rattle your chain, Bill. At any rate, if I were trying to decide which handheld to buy, I'd probably think most about what else it could do besides play great games. At the very least, I'd want to be able to listen to mp3s on it and have basic web surfing functionality, email, and maybe some type of planner or scheduler. I just can't see making room in my pockets for a dedicated handheld game (I don't even like to carry a wallet and keys if I can help it). Of all the handhelds I've ever seen, the one that appealed to me the most was the Nokia one, but of course they really screwed that one up in so many ways it was pitiful.
I was excited about mobile phone gaming for awhile, but when verizon shot the prices up to $10 or so per game, I gave up.
I also can't see paying for a PSP at that price point. If I had that kind of loose cash, I'd definitely put it towards a 360. I also think that fear of damaging the screen would prevent me from really enjoying the PSP experience.
The way I see it, these mobile game devices are best for young folks or people who have lots of time riding in buses and the like. I'm not sure why anyone would prefer a handheld to a regular system if they had the choice. Then again, having never owned one, I'm not sure I can appreciate their usefulness.
That's your opinion number6,
That's your opinion number6, just as mine is what I stated. For a lot of people, the PSP is a fine gaming platform, well worth the price. Is it really just a portable PS2 with only a handful of truly optimized portable games? Yep. Is that a bad thing? Nope. I for one like the "portable console" experience. The extra multimedia stuff is just gravy, there if I need it. It's a by product of the extra horsepower. So be it. Do I give a rat's ass about anyone's marketing? Nope. If you don't think the PSP has a great selection of single, multiplayer and online games, you need to look again at the present library. Each handheld has something to offer, be it at $129 or $199. If you don't agree, you don't have to buy either one.
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Bill Loguidice, Managing Director
Armchair Arcade, Inc.
(A PC Magazine Top 100 Website)
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