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PSP Pricing, Battery Life Announced
zmcnulty writes "The day has finally come: Over at TechJapan, we've got a translation of a Japanese BB Watch article stating that Sony has announced the Playstation Portable will cost 20,790 yen (about $195 USD) and is to be released on December 12th. Also, the battery life is quoted as being 4 to 6 hours. Not exactly what I'd call fantastic, but at this price, looks like Nintendo is in for some serious competition. Free your doubts about software too, as Sony has announced 21 titles will be released in December as well. Here's the official Japanese PDF press release regarding the PSP's release."
Just remember that 4-6 hours really means 2-3 hours.
I will wait until someone test this out to check real battery life.
Game Gear and Lynx both advertised '4-6 hour battery life'
They both failed. Why? They ate through batteries too fast.
The original Gameboy lasted 15-35 hours. If I took my Gameboy on a family trip, I'd get bored of it before the batteries ran out.
Two hundred smackers for something you might accidentally leave on the bus. Nintendo has the right idea, I think. $80 for a brand new Game Boy SP, with older models selling at even cheaper prices.
Javascript + Nintendo DSi = DSiCade
What are developers going to do ? Randomly decrease the screen brightness or turn off the screen for a couple seconds at a time ?
I hear the Doom3 port will be able to run for 12 hours on this thing... : p
I'll turn into a supernova and burn up everything. Well I'll turn into a black little hole and you'll turn into string.
Including game titles to be released in December:
Article
Given the anounced price and the speculative pricing I guess Sony decided to take a hefty loss on the hardware. Either that or they found some really creative ways to cut costs.
devmage
" this is a cheap alternative to a portable DVD player
It can't play DVD's.
And unlike portable media players, you can't convert videos to a different format and download; you'll have to either buy your movies again in a new format or hope that Sony's new movie format catches on so that you can rent them.
Not terribly appealing, particularly since cheap portable DVD players can be purchased for well under $200 these days.
You were mistaken. Which is odd, since memory shouldn't be a problem for you
Looks like the English press releases are up (still PDFs, though):
Release date, price
Package details
December launch title list
Also, I apologize for the error I made in formatting the original post. I was sleepy and in a rush.
A clip on battery. Just like the first addon for the Advance was a clip on light so you could see the awful screen. And the first one for the SP was a headphone jack to replace the one nintendo took out.
Game systems often have their weak points adressed by other companies. Except Microsoft, who decided just outright buying Bungie was better than waiting for someone to fix their no games anyone gives a damn about problem.
Introducing the new Occam Fusion! Now with sqrt(-1) fewer blades!
the games..
That's all that really matters. Have you looked at the lineup for the two systems on ebgames?
Nintendo's games are, for the most part, hand-hend games. The GBA's best titles (Advance Wars, FFT:A), would not work as home console games. They were designed specifically to be 'pick up and play', and put down for an hour, then play again.
The PSP seems to have mostly ports of PS2 games. This won't work, but I suspect most people will ignore this fact, and be turned on by the sexy graphics of the PSP, and the PSP will do well, with shitty games, because most people are too stupid to base their opinion on anything that matters anyway.
All of Nintendos battery life times have been longer than advertised. Which is generally the opposite from everyone else.
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... Uh... "advise" you sooner.
Get Back to me as soon as possible! That way I will be able to
Well.. maybe. Or Maybe not. But Definitely not sort of.
The PS1 and PS2 weren't targeted at that age range, they were aimed at 16-35 yr olds with disposable income. Why would you think Sony would be changing tactics with the PSP?
Some of the claims of this are ridiculous.
...ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the NEW minidisc player.
1. Four to six hour battery life.
I would guess that it would be less than that. Playstation 2 processor and a beautiful screen? It will eat those batteries alive. Those screens don't just bust out all of those colors so efficiently.
2. Plays movies in letterbox format.
Correction. Plays movies in a proprietary format in letterbox. If you can rip to and burn these disks, great. If you can't, then you are just buying another movie on the same old format. Remember, the market has never loved the better format, the market has only loved the cheaper and more universal format. *Cough* Betamax *cough*
Sony, of all people, you should know this!
3. Plays awesome video games.
Making Metal Gear into a card battle game? That is the one they keep showing? Aw, Cmon! Card battle? Has any American bought a card battle video game besides the PA guys? I admit I haven't researched them all, but if you just show Solid Snake and you can't control him directly (an amazing NES feature), you just lost me. Why did they do that? Is there a limitation that allows you to not control him directly? Is the Wifi/processor too slow to go head to head? Does the disc not hold enough image space for a full experience? Is there a RAM issue? Look, it just doesn't make any sense why it is card battle. I think that it is a card battle game because there is a limitation somewhere. They shortchanged something in the machine, and they said "we can't do Solid Snake like we should, make it card battle so it doesn't have to cache so much!" If it was Konami's idea to try something different? Then they need to stop sniffing glue, and remember that interactivity is not what card battle is about.
4. It will revolutionize the way that people carrry around data and information.
Uh, not without a hard drive. Hard drives are where it's at these days. Not much more to say.
Look, it's a toy. It is not a personal video player. If you purchase movies in that format with no video out, then you are just totally messed in the head. I'll be sitting next to you on the plane with a only slightly larger flip-top DVD player with a slightly crappier screen, AND A BAG FULL OF DVDs. When I get to my hotel room, I'll plug it in the back of the TV, and watch them all night. Why? Because I bought something that is agreeable with the rest of the world, and I bought it cheaper at Sam's Club or Costco. If I lose it, or somene rips it off, I'm not crying.
(Walking on the plane with the new PSP)
"Hey, I have two movies that I payed $30 for! Let's see, we have FF:Spirits within or Akira! I sure won't get tired of these titles! Nah, let's card battle with Solid Snake, YEAH!"
Conclusion? It is a game machine. If you buy it for any other reason than the games, you're fooling yourself. You certainly don't want to get into yet another proprietary format that you cannot mess with without outrageous expense, when everyone is just getting to the phase where they now start burning their own home movies on DVD.
At least Nintendo knows what they make are toys. Nintendo is out to maximize the toy experience, not add crap on top and charge you for it. I do believe I will be buying the PSP2 if I buy one, when all of the features make sense. Sony needs to get a grip on the idea that they go and bust out a new format every two years, and then surprise, no one buys it. Can you get a PSP disc recorder? Can you even buy blank media?
Not that it would matter...