Next PSP to rely on Memory Stick HG-Micro for storage?
By Donald Melanson 
posted May 1st 2009 5:13PM
posted May 1st 2009 5:13PM
You can be sure this won't be the last PSP rumor to surface before E3, but the word going around now is that the so-called PSP Go! (or PSP2, or PSP Slide...) won't rely primarily on some internal memory for storage as previously speculated, but on something like Sony's new Memory Stick HG-Micro format, which is about 40MB/s faster than a standard Memory Stick Duo card. That word apparently comes from some "sources close to PSP development" that have spoken to PC World's Game On blog, who seem to also be suggesting that the Memory Sticks would effectively replace UMDs as a game delivery format, and not simply be used for downloaded games and whatnot. All of which certainly seems reasonable enough, even if it's still far from being anywhere close to official.
[Via Joystiq]
[Via Joystiq]
why does sony just cuts the crap and just use a normal sd cards(mini sd,micro sd) is what most gadget use
If it's used as a game cartridge, who cares?
The note on the image should read "crappy artist's rendering".
I would've bought a PSP years ago if it used SD cards like everyone else. I just don't want to pay the ridiculous prices for Sony's proprietary format. Especially when SD is cheaper than used toilet paper
Agreed, you'd think after Betamax, MD and now MemoryStick Sony might have finally figured out the world isnt interested in yet another proprietary format.
Nope.
They did win this time with bluray, of course we will see how long that lasts considering all the dlc that's becoming available
true. Sony adding yet another memory format sux. Perhaps they misheard us. SONY! we said 2nd joystick (control nubs) not 2nd type of memorystick for PSP!
remembers the awesome fan(?) mock up that circulated only a little while ago. http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/11/fan-made-psp-mockup-is-far-sexier-than-the-real-thing-will-ever/
reiththestud @ May 1st 2009 8:48PM
I would've bought a PSP years ago if it used SD cards like everyone else. I just don't want to pay the ridiculous prices for Sony's proprietary format. Especially when SD is cheaper than used toilet paper
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Well, as time goes on the prices do get better, but they are still too high. If you are purely going to use it as a games machine, a dirt-cheap low-storage Memory Stick is all you need to save games, so it's not really a big issue.
If you plan to use it like a personal media thingy with all your audio and movies (which it is GREAT for), the Memory Stick cost becomes more of an issue because you need to buy a bigger one that costs more. Still, there aren't many devices that allow the user to replace storage and battery themselves - or carry a spare. Other devices often require surgery when the flash media and/or battery lose their useful life, so I prefer the PSP on this (very important to me) longevity, anti-disposable basis. The PSP also sounds far better than most media players, and has ergonomics very well thought-out (I love the ergonomics/ controls more than any other PMP I've seen), so I don't really see any competitors priced like the PSP yet offering what it does - which is why I bought one (despite limited codec support, it's a great product).
Much like Olympus with their non-SLR cams that just accept xD cards [though some are shipping with microSD-to-xD adapters now], I tend to avoid Sony Memory Stick products in other areas where they have equivalent-or-better competition (video cameras, etc).
SD is just another proprietary format that requires a licensing fee. (developed by Matsushita-Toshiba-et al.)
For Sony Memory sticks are free to implement. Besides that, all current PSP owners use MS, why would they change it mid-way through. There are currently 46.8 million PSPs sold globally that use MS.
Besides that, its better they sell a 16GB PSP2 that you can upgrade the memory of via memory stick, then a model like a 16GB iPhone/iPod Touch that you are forever stuck with the same capacity.
Because Sony likes to make their own money
Who needs a 360 when you have this? At least this will WORK.
I can't tell if you joking or just stupid. How can you even compare the two? One is a rumored heldheld sequel and the other is a well-established HD gaming console.
So to answer your question: "Who needs a 360 when you have this?"
Anybody who wants to play games on a television and not a 5 inch screen... obviously.
Lemme guess... you have the RROD happen to you more than twice huh?
@ Jakko
bet you didn't think a guy with a 360 controller for an avatar would be reading your posts.
actually it's a ps360 controller :P
Memory stick turns me on. oh yes. micro, you said? ahh.
flipping memory stick HG ? Stop pushing your crap formats.
I dont want Betamax, DAT Tapes,SACD, Memory sticks, or BLU-Ray
Oh yea and UMD
Cool, more awesome bluray movies for the rest of us!
Digital Audio Tape Tapes?
Actually DAT is still used in some professional recording enviroments. As is Beta in the forms of BetaCam, DigiBeta and HDCam.
Now MiniDisc with ATRAC on the other hand I can understand no wanting.
How come when Nintendo use a non-standard format for the Gameboy and DS it's fine but when Sony do the same it's "OMG!! Sony iz uZ1ng a pR0prit0ry f0rM4at LOLZ!" It's the same with their cameras; nobody says a word about Fuji's propriotry xD memory card format but when Sony use Memory stick everyone's up in arms. Same again for DVD and HD-DVD - Blu-ray was created with the involvement of a large number of companies, one of which was Sony, while HD-DVD was created primarly by Toshiba with the involvment of a much smaller number of companies, but for some reason Sony haters consider HD-DVD to be an open and friendly format while Blu-ray is considered an evil proprierty format.
What you're essentially saying is it's fine for other companies to create their own formats but not for Sony. Can you explain why that is?
I would also point out that SD is just a proprietary Panasonic format.
@Richard: The PSP uses the memory stick for (legally) anything but games, so I don't think that's a good comparison to make. DS games are only that. I agree with your other examples though.
@Richard:
HDDVD supporters included Microsoft and Intel, hardly small companies.
Nintendo's storage devices of choice include SD for the Wii and game cartridges for the DS, which are fine because the storage devices on the DS were never meant to hold music or video.
Sony can get in line and blow me, pushing MS down everyone's throats for their cameras, mp3 players, and game consoles...
also, xD wasn't Fujifilm only - Olympus also backed it.
@Richard.
I'll tell you why everyones up in arms, because Sony's Formats are usually ridiculously more expensive. Every damn time. SD Cards are far more advanced, they are cheaper, they store more etc; etc; not to mention its also far more popular. For example 8gb SD card on Newegg goes for roughly ~18$ 8gb Memory Stick pro duo goes for ~38$.
Gameboy cartridges are meant to be used exclusively with Gameboy hardware. It's like why no one says "OMG, my N64 cartridge won't go into my PS3!" - well duh, it's an N64 cartridge. But the memory stick is for general data storage.
Sony did well with the PS3 and virtualizing playstation memory cards for PSOne/PS2 games, but god knows they aren't going to learn anything in the handheld market for a long time.
And for the record, I would hardly consider Blu Ray a stupid format as there was no established alternative for an optical disc to play HD content.
Hooray for proprietary formats!
So, is the PSP2 pretty much set in stone? I'd hate to think you guys are a-wastin' all your time reporting on news that Sony will postpone not to look incompetent (and end up looking ridiculous).
The memory stick will be the same stick that all the other sony uses but the hi speed version, its fine wit me!
this is just a way for Sony to continue to charge developers and/or publishers for the cost of manufacturing the delivery format.
Yeah, sorta like how they do now with PSN downloads... Oh wait, they don't...
what's everyone got against them using memory sticks?
I mean the DS uses it's own cartridge and I don't see people bitching bout that 24/7
DS cartridges are solely for games. And they are slightly different from MS/SD cards as they have two flash modules inside: one (read-only) for game itself, another one (read/write) for save game information.
Also Nintendo doesn't have the position of Sony in CE market. DS never attempted to divide market (in fact, DSi has MicroSD slot), while Sony's MS development is intended precisely for that.
OK, MS was first. But it's lost to the SD. Why not just to accept the fact, drop MS and stop ripping off the customers?
@Dummy00001
And that would be akin to Sony flipping the bird to all the people that bought Memory Sticks all these years.
Honestly, I've rarely used old memory cards for my new devices. It's nice if the are compatible, but how often are you needing to put that old 128MB SD card into your 8MP camera to replace that 4GB SD you bought on sale?
I sell digital cameras and the majority of customers end up buying a new memory card to go along with their purchase for a few reasons. One, they are cheap now (I honestly wonder how companies are making any money selling SD cards nowadays). Two, if you use the maximum resolution of many new models (12MP+), you'll need more storage for an equivalent amount of shots compared to older, lower MP cameras. Three, if your old camera still works and you plan on giving it away to someone, it's a nice gesture to give them your old memory card. Four, you could use the old card in a photo frame that doesn't have internal memory.
So yeah, Sony could switch, although it's late in the game. Or incorporate a dual format slot (like how Fujifilm is doing with some of their cameras). But it might cause more confusion since right now people equate Sony products with Memory Stick.
Dummy00001 @ May 1st 2009 9:47PM
DS never attempted to divide market (in fact, DSi has MicroSD slot), while Sony's MS development is intended precisely for that.
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DSi has an SD slot, not MicroSD.
Dummy00001 @ May 1st 2009 9:47PM
OK, MS was first. But it's lost to the SD. Why not just to accept the fact, drop MS and stop ripping off the customers?
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Because Sony enjoy money :)
So what about all the people who have purches physical copies of their games? Do they have to keep the older PSP just to continue playing?
You are probably on the right track. I doubt Sony will let you download free copies of your old games for use on the new unit, but you never know...
They should offer a trade-in program for your old, crappy UMDs.
Who cares what they use. One analog stick still = fail.
Real men don't need two.
Real mem like things in pairs
two memory stick slots would be mint.
... especially if one of them would SDHC.
Whatever it is, I can guarantee it will by proprietary.
The only thing that's keeping me from buying a PSP is the fact that I can't use a SD card or Micro SD card.
No, your stupidity is. Why don't you just use an MS Duo to MicroSD adaptor?
^^^ Yup, tht's what I did. Everything works fine, except the NES Emulator. For some reason I can only run that on a MagicGate Sony card.
That's probably why Sony is going to a Micro format for its new PSP, so people can't buy the cheaper Micro SD cards with a MS PRO Duo adapter and double or triple their storage for a whole lot less money.
looks very uncomfortable to hold for long period of time
Thats. Not. It.
Oh great. So now that Sony has sucked the Memory Stick Duo profit dry. They need to push another memory format down our throats? WTF?
Yeah, why would they do that? I mean, after all, Sony is a charity.
Right...?
> Yeah, why would they do that? I mean, after all, Sony is a charity.
Making something different for sake of making it different so that they could rip off the customers?...
I see. Sound business strategy.
the mock up looks so sweet
For the people complaining about the form factor. Take another look at the picture on the screen specifically the lower right corner where it says "Artist's rendering" implying that this is JUST A CONCEPT that someone thought up.
w00p w00p all aboard failboat 'PSP4000' - that's really what this is... lets see, PSP1000 (FAIL - no video out, UMDFAIL), PSP2000 (FAIL - no IR sensor, UMDFAIL), PSP3000 (FAIL - screenFAIL, UMDFAIL), so what's next - obviously another million units of FAIL.
Don't get me wrong, I bought a PSP PHAT (bought two of them in fact and convinced several friends to buy them) and while it was great it was seriously lacking some expected amenities.
Please SONY, listen to the people buying the PSP, stop bullshitting us with stupid reiterations of your same lacking hardware. We want better speakers, video out from slim, two analog sticks, the IR from phat, built in bluetooth and gps, decent built in memory as well as SD\microSD support and NO PROPRIETARY FORMATS. It's ok if it is 'PHAT' - we liked them that way!
If it weren't for the work of vegeta\noobz team and dark alex to bring us emulation and homebrew and custom FW, the PSP would have been an EPIC fail. Now it is just a series of 'near' epic fails.
kthxBAI!!!!!
Sony should drop their proprietary format so they can use one designed by panasonic? Different formats are okay. It's part of competition.
gps? really? That's a little over the top mate.
God forbid they use SD cards.
Sony's memory stick format DOES NOT DROP PANTIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can't see why people are ranting and raving about the new Memory Stick format. If it's going to be used to deliver games who cares? Hell its not even official yet :P
It's that trend of hate on company x because it's the cool thing to do. Same with how people treat Microsoft. People are slating this device before they've even seen and used it, it's just plain stupid!
The original PSP is a good device, sure it has its downsides but it offers a lot!
Not exactly. I want sony to succeed as much as I want my own company to succeed, but using these systems as trojan horses to get failed formats into more devices is a recipe for failure. The portable device memory wars are over SD has won the battle, unless sony can come up with a better mouse trap instead of force feeding obsolescence, their products will always be second rate. I know I have hit the sony fanboy heart sigh but reality is just that. SACD and its incredible sound quality UMD's with their amazing capacity and awesome scratch resistant casing, and the lovable Blu Ray disc just on the cusp of being completely ignored for digital downloads and streams(Convenience wins over Quality).
I want an innovative sony that pushes the limits of todays technologies and make innovations for future ones- opps thats Samsung now I guess-- Yay Go Korea!
I can't believe Sony is still sticking to its own Flash storage. Why don't they just adapt to SD media?
Recipe for piracy?
Another proprietary format from Sony.
Magic Gate
UMD
Betamax
Didn't Ken Kutaragi already repudiate all the proprietary DRM and other proprietary crap that Sony dished out in the past. Geeze, give Sony one win on BDR and they are like "We're Back, Baby!" with the proprietary formats.
noob. nothing compares to Sony when it comes to new technology, this company has given us a lot.
I just hope it looks like the artist's rendering. That's a fairly nice design. Sony is going to have to do everything they can so Apple's mobile platform doesn't leave them in the dust. I just hope owners of older PSPs that spent money on UMD games and movies will be compensated if they move up to a new PSP. Nah, I doubt it. It's tough noogies for loyal users.
If the idiots at Sony can't get it together enough to allow you to use the memory stick to store games on your psp but let you download games directly to it with the chip in it, instead of forcing you to download to a computer, copy to the stick and put it in to the psp then they deserve to fail.
Also- if they will not let you redownload games you have bought in Case you lose the memory stick they deserve to get arrested.
And if Sony jumps a subway turnstyle carrying a loaded weapon and smoking a joint, maybe they deserve to have their ass kicked.
I just had a great idea!
If the end product is actually like the artist rendition then they should have the controller detatch and have a kickstand for the screen!...heh?
I for one, enjoy Sony's format. I know it is biased sony fan-boyism, but there is a sense of quality in having a million different gadgets that work with each other so well and all have the same style/branding. Like Samsungs Anynet+ and the PSP/PS3 functionality. Even if it doesn't actually function a whole lot better, the price is still worth the asthetics to some people to see it work together so well. I like my stuff Sony as much as I can, all the way down to the Memory Sticks.
With so many Apple lovers on here, that doesn't seem like it would be a difficult concept.
Wait, so you are all for devices that work together... but love the Memory Stick, which is basically only used in Sony devices?
I'm all for cool looks in gadgets, but when they can't use the format that everyone else is using... which is clearly better AND cheaper (16GB MicroSDHC is $30 cheaper than the M2 Memory stick, and who knows about the HG-Micro pricing).
Any of you people ever hear "Memory Stick to SD card" adaptor? They exist.
last i read they were not 100% reliable. But things may have changed.
Well... no matter what it looks like or what format the thing accepts... you can't shake the fact that there are very few quality games even being released for the PSP in the US. Two or three good games a year on this side of the pond is unacceptable; UMD or not.
I got rid of my PSP a long time ago due to its lack of dual analog controller nubs among other issues. PLEASE tell me this one will have them. I don't care what memory format it uses as long as I can actually enjoy playing (controlling) games on it.
God Dam it Sony come one! This refresh to the psp was really exciting for me, but if your going to hinder it with more proprietary memory cards I'm not interested at all. As an avid amateur photographer I have several high speed and high capacity SD cards. Just bite the bullet and let the rest of the world finally use one of your products in peace!
I find the position of the thumbstick awkward because the directional pad's buttons will be obstructing our hand's way to the thumbstick. And, aren't they going to add another thumbstick? Seriously.
At any rate I am just pleased that UMD will die (hopefully). It has always been the thing putting me off getting a psp. Almost anything will be better than UMD in terms of speed and saving battery life.
Sooo... aside from the memory stick dilemma, what do you guys think of the names? I like PSP Go!