Next PSP to rely on Memory Stick HG-Micro for storage?

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]

[damiaking @ May 1st 2009 5:18PM]

why does sony just cuts the crap and just use a normal sd cards(mini sd,micro sd) is what most gadget use

[Michael Scrip @ May 1st 2009 5:33PM]

If it's used as a game cartridge, who cares?

[sacapuntas @ May 1st 2009 6:56PM]

The note on the image should read "crappy artist's rendering".

[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

[Graham J @ May 2nd 2009 8:31AM]

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.

[eZtipS @ May 2nd 2009 8:57AM]

They did win this time with bluray, of course we will see how long that lasts considering all the dlc that's becoming available

[dave t @ May 2nd 2009 3:25PM]

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/

[tekdroid @ May 2nd 2009 4:56PM]

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
--------
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).

[Temple @ May 3rd 2009 4:57AM]

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.

[simonddunford @ May 7th 2009 10:43PM]

Because Sony likes to make their own money

[Jakko @ May 1st 2009 5:18PM]

Who needs a 360 when you have this? At least this will WORK.

[Geoff Gibson @ May 1st 2009 5:26PM]

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.

[Brian Dizon @ May 1st 2009 6:44PM]

Lemme guess... you have the RROD happen to you more than twice huh?

[Dave Chappelle @ May 2nd 2009 4:56AM]

@ Jakko

bet you didn't think a guy with a 360 controller for an avatar would be reading your posts.

[lyons @ May 2nd 2009 2:29PM]

actually it's a ps360 controller :P

[Down @ May 1st 2009 5:18PM]

Memory stick turns me on. oh yes. micro, you said? ahh.

[Chineyz @ May 1st 2009 5:19PM]

flipping memory stick HG ? Stop pushing your crap formats.


I dont want Betamax, DAT Tapes,SACD, Memory sticks, or BLU-Ray

[Chineyz @ May 1st 2009 5:22PM]

Oh yea and UMD

[ZombieRace @ May 1st 2009 5:24PM]

Cool, more awesome bluray movies for the rest of us!

[Spencer @ May 1st 2009 5:26PM]

Digital Audio Tape Tapes?

[Cary Gordon @ May 1st 2009 5:43PM]

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.

[Richard @ May 1st 2009 6:31PM]

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?

[archie4oz @ May 1st 2009 6:42PM]

I would also point out that SD is just a proprietary Panasonic format.

[Martin @ May 1st 2009 9:09PM]

@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.

[jeesusfreek @ May 1st 2009 9:57PM]

@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...

[jeesusfreek @ May 1st 2009 9:57PM]

also, xD wasn't Fujifilm only - Olympus also backed it.

[Krystian @ May 4th 2009 6:39PM]

@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$.

[John @ May 2nd 2009 12:06AM]

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.

[hamster3000 @ May 1st 2009 5:25PM]

Hooray for proprietary formats!

[CH3BURASHKA @ May 1st 2009 5:32PM]

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).

[Dark Guitarist @ May 1st 2009 5:36PM]

The memory stick will be the same stick that all the other sony uses but the hi speed version, its fine wit me!

[Tony Bowman @ May 1st 2009 5:42PM]

this is just a way for Sony to continue to charge developers and/or publishers for the cost of manufacturing the delivery format.

[archie4oz @ May 1st 2009 6:44PM]

Yeah, sorta like how they do now with PSN downloads... Oh wait, they don't...

[dantagonist @ May 1st 2009 5:43PM]

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

[Dummy00001 @ May 1st 2009 9:47PM]

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?

[Willen @ May 2nd 2009 11:35AM]

@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.

[tekdroid @ May 2nd 2009 5:02PM]

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.
-----
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?
-----
Because Sony enjoy money :)

[Cj @ May 1st 2009 5:44PM]

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?

[gmorgan @ May 1st 2009 5:54PM]

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.

[Patriks7 @ May 1st 2009 5:45PM]

Who cares what they use. One analog stick still = fail.

[required @ May 1st 2009 7:49PM]

Real men don't need two.

[Macbeth @ May 2nd 2009 2:19PM]

Real mem like things in pairs

[youngstunna @ May 1st 2009 5:47PM]

two memory stick slots would be mint.

[Dummy00001 @ May 1st 2009 9:48PM]

... especially if one of them would SDHC.

[Mystic @ May 1st 2009 5:57PM]

Whatever it is, I can guarantee it will by proprietary.

[Mag Li @ May 1st 2009 5:57PM]

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.

[archie4oz @ May 1st 2009 6:42PM]

No, your stupidity is. Why don't you just use an MS Duo to MicroSD adaptor?

[Dan Davis @ May 2nd 2009 1:28AM]

^^^ 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.

[Setnev @ May 2nd 2009 7:01PM]

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.

[David S. Kim @ May 1st 2009 6:01PM]

looks very uncomfortable to hold for long period of time