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Sony PSP Hardware Completed

Posted by Zonk on from the dueling-handhelds dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Sony CEO Ken Kutaragi has today announced that Sony has finished work on the Playstation Portable hardware, and the handheld is scheduled to be released later this year. No details have emerged on the pricing of the PSP, but Kutaragi stated that plans for movies on the UMD - the disc format the PSP will use , are now in the final stages."

9 of 42 comments (clear)

  1. portable media by alatesystems · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Regarding movie playback, I hope that they allow for portable storage attachments, allowing use of the PSP as a portable media center. I'd buy one if it did this.

    Chris

    1. Re:portable media by karnal · · Score: 4, Insightful

      On a related topic, Sony probably won't allow anyone to put anything on these UMD discs... but I know for a fact if I'm buying a handheld gaming system, I'm not going to put more money into a movie collection so I can watch them on the go.

      I think they'll find that the majority of the market would agree with me as well. But I also say that as a guy who has no children.......

      --
      Karnal
    2. Re:portable media by GoodbyeBlueSky1 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      You would think Sony would have learned from their MiniDisc to avoid proprietary media with Draconian restrictions. Not that MD has been a total flop, but, you know, neither was BetaMax. Still doesn't make it a success.

      Then again it's not like they can make a portable gaming system capable of playing DVDs (unless you consider an etch-a-sketch sized machine "portable").

      But I do agree with you totally; I have no desire to re-buy my movie collection for such limited use.

      Here's my suggestion:
      First off, let me start by saying I thought the idea of divx (the circuit city one, not the avi one) was quite stupid. Couldn't see any use for it. But....what if there was a similar divx-type UMD disc (it plays for, say, a week then dies)? EA could pack in a free week's worth of LOTR for a PSP Rings game. Or Blockbuster could offer a $1 UMD add-on to any game rental. THEN I think I'd find ways to watch movies on the PSP.

      Otherwise, it looks like one of those features I'd never use.

      --
      why? forty-two.
    3. Re:portable media by pocopoco · · Score: 4, Insightful

      They've already announced the PSP will have a MemoryStick slot and Sony already sells video recorders that record video onto those. So you can stop hoping and start complaining about Sony's stupid proprietary formats/lock-ins, etc..

  2. Is it really finished? by Cutriss · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It seems that this is more of just a well-timed announcement to try to steal some of the wind from Nintendo's sails. Everyone knows the PSP is going to be expensive, and the Nintendo DS having a lower-than-expected MSRP of $149 has surprised a lot of people.

    I would not at all be surprised if it was just "finished enough" for an announcement. Sony has done this before.

    --
    "Mod, mod, mod...and another troll bites the dust."
  3. DS by StevenHenderson · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It will be interesing to see how Sony re-adjusts their pricing plan now that the DS low-balled them at $149. That makes it a necessity for Sony to be less than $250 to competitive...maybe even $200 I'd say.

  4. Compared to the DS announcement... by MMaestro · · Score: 4, Interesting
    This is newsworthy? No, seriously on the part of Sony.

    No details have emerged on the pricing of the PSP, but Kutaragi stated that plans for movies on the UMD - the disc format the PSP will use , are now in the final stages.

    Thats it? The disc format? Comon Sony, Nintendo just bitch slapped you with a release date AND a price of $150! At least give us a price range. Compared to the DS announcement this is a 'so what' announcement.

    Sony certainly needs the PSP to make an impression at the Tokyo Game Show after mounting speculation that the handheld will slip to 2005, and rumours of discontent amongst PSP developers surfaced recently.

    Personally, I think Sony should stop trying to beat Nintendo at its own game and get its act together first. They're not going in during the golden age of DVD players flying off shelves, nor are they going in with an entire library of games behind it. Best case scenario for Sony at this rate? They fight a long drawn out battle only to go down in flames a la Sega Game Gear.

  5. sony's should just keep quiet by dr.fishopolis · · Score: 5, Insightful
    the psp seemed beautiful when it was announced, yet every detail released tarnishes it.

    at this point, we have a $300, oversized-yet-portable game player with 3 hour battery life, and the ability to play movies on a propietary format that you can't record to... don't worry though, i'm sure you'll be able to re-pay for the movies you own, so you can watch them for a few hours on the 3" screen before the battery dies...

    ... but that IS a a nice screen.

    all we need now is some kind of phone attachment, and sony can have their very own n-gage.

  6. Damage control by clu76 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I believe Sony is doing damage control by releasing this information. I have serious doubts the PSP will be sold by the end of the year. It's much more likely that they are just trying to delay consumers from buying the DS. If the DS does reasonably well pre x-mas, and gains a lot of momentum, Sony will have a much harder time selling their product. As nice as the PSP sounds, I really have doubts that it'll have the same impact the playstation had. imho

    --
    the cosmos in 20 words or less: thumbuki.com