Dummy updater reveals next gen of Sony PSP functions?
posted January 11th 2005 9:00AM
Seems that a test-use file looking very much like a firmware updater for the PSP has made its
way out onto the Web from the domain playstation.org (which Sony owns). While we wouldn't advise using it to
update your PSP, as it contains dummy data that will overwrite your firmware into unusable gibberish, the file's
list of contents details the following added functions: a text-speaking app, support for downloading
SonicStage-compatible music and news, voice chat software, three game titles, and mail, word processing, web browsing
and schedule apps (plus a couple of bug fixes). While this could all be a developer's pipe dream or a total fake, we
can but hope. (Check out some video and
screenshots of the installer courtesy of Japanese site
game.memopad.jp, should you be in that kinda mood.)
[Via Slashdot Japan (Japanese)]
If these functions are as piss-poor as their MP3 and video playback, I'll pass. The poor implementation of their existing features leads me to believe they stuff a buncha crap in the PSP so they can say, "Yeah, it does that." without having to make it good.
Anyone who expected decent MP3 or video features will be sorely dissapointed. I can't imagine them making a decent PDA/web browser out of it too.
Though i dont own a PSP i agree that their better off not including those functions if they are gonna attempt half heartedly.
However, the hardware is still new, give it some time ;)
GIZMONDO RULES!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Egon, have a question for you do you even have a PSP? Cause it doesn’t sound like it to me, while it's not an ipod, I am more and more amazed by little device, and I can't wait to get a few more features
BTW GIZMONDO RULES!
More half-ass features? No thanks.
Maybe if they open it up like the Palm platform so you can develop/install/run your own applications, yes. But this Sony BS is just that, Sony BS.
I said this was where Sony was going with this... make it a PDA as well as a game console. The only thing that makes me suspicious is the Word Proc. How ya gonna do that without a keyboard?
...a keyboard or a touch screen. PDAs have gotten along just fine for many years using handwriting/character recognition with a touch screen.
Typing text? There's a usb port in the PS2, use your imagination.
If you could run SNES emulators and stuff on it, I might consider a PSP. Well, and of course they'd need a better battery. Otherwise, I'll pass. The load times on this thing are terrible, and the battery life isn't much better.
Lugging around a USB keyboard is not my idea of a PDA. Is it yours?
Where does this fit? Too big/cumbersome with too short battery life to be used as a PDA with no means of inputting text easily. Too small, powerless, alkward to be used as a replacement to the computer.
Sounds like a novelty item to me, like one of those flavored condoms. Sure, you can put flavor on a condom, but why?!
Now I know where the Clie developers went. The Clie started really strong but soon devolved into "lets shove everything in the PDA" and it became a mess. Thanks, Sony, for dumping another schizo product in your hands.
wtf who said u have to use all this new stuff
u wont be paying for it either cuz its an update, just dont get a psp if u have to hate on sony
also, the ds will get like this too, esp. b/c it has touch screen and a second screen
if N dont do it themselves them the 3rd party will
and u can choose not to buy/download those either
> Lugging around a USB keyboard is not my idea of a PDA. Is it yours?
No. Who said this was a PDA. People were wondering how you could input text on a PSP if it has a little word processor, I provided the answer. Inputing text is not why I would buy one of these, but I always like having the option.
BTW I have no need for a PDA either, I lost any interst in them years ago.
> Where does this fit? Too big/cumbersome with too short battery life to be used as a PDA with no means of inputting text easily. Too small, powerless, alkward to be used as a replacement to the computer.
Who the hell said this was a replacement to a computer? Hello?
Rick Bemin
> If you could run SNES emulators and stuff on it, I might consider a PSP.
I doubt they'll have a SNES emulator, however, if you get a DS you will get a lot of games that will make it look like you were running an SNES. PSP is if you want graphics that are in synch with the 21st century. All the retro stuff you can use less powerful cheaper machines. Hey, I'm into Atari games, but I wouldn't get a PSP to play them, get my drift?
> The load times on this thing are terrible, and the battery life isn't much better.
I wonder what this has to do with the content of the article.
apart from the superb psp games, it seems they are striving to to the things listed on archos' pma430. though it has a 20gb hard disk.
i dont know how tightly the psp is packaged, but i'm sure someone out there will have a go at making a modchip.. it will be great if games/sw can be run off memory stick dp...
Lol it's very funny to see all this Nintendo fanboys whining... hihi
The greatest news here is that we can run software from a memorystick. I hope it means there is a potential for homebrewn apps.
I agree with most of you. The psp is not a PDA. Don't buy the addons if you don't need them, it's been the mojo of the psp since its release. The psp comes with raw power, you do wathever you want with it.
Why put flavor on a condom... that one made me laugh! I hope it was a joke ;)
The PSP would be a wonderful emulating handheld device with a 1gb pro duo stick full of roms, and say a snes, genesis, mame, neo geo mvs, and like even nes would be tight to play on the run. Also running the games from the solid state memory would cut down on battery drainage by like 30% due to the lack of a spinning umd. I would love to see development for a few emu's headed out to the PSP platform. Also via 802.11 you could access an entire 200gb or more of space from your network computer drives running roms, music and all from them. I have been reading that there is going to be a strong possibility to run umd game backups from a computer drive via 802.11 with a user end tweaked firmware update. So p2p sharing of umd iso's would possibly allow you to "try" a new game before you were to buy it. :) I think that in the end the PSP can go as far as Sony will allow it to, and as far as the third party is willing to tweak it. But running a version of your favorite xfree86 linux from your 1gb duo stick, and using belkin's 5pin mini USB keyboard/trackball unit to interface with... Or the release of a decent pixel size usb camera addon... USB driven realtime datalogging of air to fuel ratios, temps, tach, ect from an aftermarket ecu on your tuner car displayed on the PSP and saved/configured on your sleek PSP would rock. It would beat the dull lime green Power FC Commander im using today to view / control my ecu settings. Again though love it hate, cant afford it or have three of em... the PSP has potential and we have yet to see the units hardware even start to be stressed by any graphics functions... the graphics will get much better over time as programmers get to tweaking and extracting more performance out of the hardware. As with the original playstation dominating the home console market being the new kid on the block... I think that the PSP definately has the potiential to shutdown the lead Nintendo has in handheld market. With Sony's marketing dollars, and experience gaming now, there is no reason why the PSP shouldnt find it's way into at least 20 million homes in the US alone by the end of this year. If they drop the price to 199.99 for the christmas season, it should be the ipod of xmas '05. I would bet on seeing a sort of universal remote control software for your home entertainment center and PS3 needs. Oh well what do you guys think???
Ok, i think this is a great idea because I don't like carrying to much stuff around, And to have everything with me at once, in one piece of hardware, RULES. There was potential for homebrew apps, but it was made redundant when the 2.00 firmware update came out, you can have a keyboard for it, although its not touch screen, the MP3 playback is amazing, the UMD picture quality is brilliant, better than TV and the as for everything else you just can;t fault it, EGO go get one then give an honest review because I doubt you know anything about the PSP nor have one. They knocked nintendo off the sheleves when they brought the psx out, and now they're knocking nintendo gameboy out as well,and they're doing a good job of it too. and now they're set to knock nokias N-Gage of the phone sheleves as well.