Sony announces launch of North American PSP Spot download stations

No need to stop when you're on a roll, right? We've seen the 3.0 firmware hit the wild, heard rumblings about a future television streaming service, and still know that the not-so-universal UMD format was dead from day one. In a presumed attempt to hit Nintendo (or more specifically, the DS Lite), where it hurts most, Sony is intelligently pushing the non-gaming aspects of its portable system by announcing the forthcoming availability of PSP Spot download stations. While our pals in Japan and Europe have been enjoying these services for the past few months, Sony is getting ready to toss wireless streaming displays into Circuit City, GameStop, Target, and Toys 'R Us locations to deliver "game demos, movie trailers, music clips, mini-strategy guides, wallpapers, and more" onto needy PSP memory sticks. While we don't have any hard dates in which to expect such kiosks to land on showroom floors (or overcrowded electronics departments), we do know that they'll start trickling into North America "beginning this month," and should top out at around "6,000 units" by January.

[Via PSP Fanboy]

[Andir3.0 @ Nov 21st 2006 1:32PM]

At least it's not called P-Spot.

[GioNYC @ Nov 21st 2006 1:36PM]

Would this be confusing to people by saying Wi-i spot. Getting free access to use the internet as well. Or just linking on to Sony Location Free Player thats in the PSP?

[darryl @ Nov 21st 2006 2:05PM]

they had to bring black and white back into it again.

[Jonathan Keim @ Nov 21st 2006 2:08PM]

Have you guys been noticing how sony is starting to get back into the psp. They have been doing several things to promote it

[Andir3.0 @ Nov 21st 2006 2:16PM]

Probably because Sony want's the PSP and PS3 to succeed?

Look at it this way, it's awesome for the gamers and it shows that Sony is at least trying to keep things alive unlike a certain other company that just dropped all support and development for it's previous console, operating systems, and PlaysForSure codec. But hey...what's better than pushing your users onto your next big thing by completely cancelling the previous?

[elly @ Nov 21st 2006 2:12PM]

um, we've had our psp download spot thing for about a week (or so) now at the ebgames in auburn.

[Earl @ Nov 21st 2006 2:15PM]

Sony needs to get back into the PSP, the are no PS3 units to sell, and won't be for a while. I honestly don't understand why I keep seeing PS3 comercials. Even if they did encourage me to buy one, I won't be able to.

Oh and this download spot thing is a rip-off of what Nintendo has been doing for a while. I know Best Buy has had a demo download station for the DS for at least 6 months now.

[alain @ Nov 21st 2006 4:32PM]

They keep advertising because people always want what they cant have.

[Shon @ Nov 21st 2006 2:15PM]

Well now if they would just friggin put some decent internal storage (to the tune of at least 4GB) for all these new features, I'll buy one again. Memory Sticks suck.

[Galley @ Nov 21st 2006 2:42PM]

Do these demos download to your PSP directly, or do you merely copnnect your Memory Stick?

[CM @ Nov 21st 2006 2:59PM]

So what happens where there's a PSP Spot, a Wii spot, a DS spot, and demo units for Wii, PS3, and Xbox 360 all in the same store?

Will all the competing Wifi and Bluetooth signals kill each other?

[Loban @ Nov 21st 2006 3:46PM]

This is the funniest part of the post:

"In a presumed attempt to hit Nintendo (or more specifically, the DS Lite), where it hurts most, Sony is intelligently pushing the non-gaming aspects of its portable system by announcing the forthcoming availability of PSP Spot download stations. While our pals in Japan and Europe have been enjoying these services for the past few months."

It implies that rolling out this service is going to hurt the DS Lite and then it goes on to say that it's been available in Japan for the past few months. Well it just so happens that Japan is where the DS Lite is KILLING the PSP the most, so these download stations obviously aren't doing much to "hit Nintendo where it hurts".

[Lionel @ Nov 21st 2006 6:37PM]

Finally - some long term strategy with the PSP.

[Vinn @ Nov 21st 2006 7:10PM]

"At least it's not called P-Spot."

HAHA

Ooh, that black colored dude has a white psp! Does that mean they're finally com.. oh, who cares anymore...

[Kamalot @ Nov 21st 2006 7:27PM]

This falls under the 'too little - too late' category.

http://kotaku.com/gaming/psp/developer-to-sony-save-the-psp-216286.php

Developers don't want to make games for a sinking platform.

[Richard Vialoux @ Nov 21st 2006 7:52PM]

Yay, rip off Nintendo's idea..

[Scott Neary @ Nov 21st 2006 8:06PM]

Yes Shon. I agree, at least 4 gig internal, dual analog nubs, built-in Carl Zeiss 7+ megapixel camera on one side with a cmos HD video chip on the other side, GPS, a blueray UMD reader/writer, a built-in I-Tech virtual laser keyboard, and OS integrated VOIP in the next firmware update. I'm sure I'm forgetting something...