PSP Go lacks mini USB, compatibility with existing accessories, common sense
By Tim Stevens 
posted June 8th 2009 7:11AM
posted June 8th 2009 7:11AM
posted June 8th 2009 7:11AM
Sony PlayStation Portable go
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I think the lack of mini USB port is the only real thing wrong here. Everything else is probably fairly typical for a new hand held system....look at Nintendo and such with the old gameboys. accessories didn't work from one model to the next newer, later, and greater one.
and does anyone really care anyways? there's no touch screen. and it looks like shit.
This is typical and was obvious the first time Engadget showed the device on vid.
It's not like third parties won't take up the slack by offering sanely-priced cables but it is sad to see all those existing accessories not work (again) - assuming anyone buys this thing.
As for the lack of UMD love, I feel it's a step backwards when you are going to be charged Physical Media prices for lack of sellable, lendable, do-what-you-will physical media, but others may not.
Sony has those cosmetically-enhanced shiny disc motifs at the player controls to perhaps remind the masses of the great UMD heritage that once was :p
I believe also that we have a non-removable battery (unless I'm mistaken), so maybe this can be the highlight of another Engadget PSP Go article. I see this as far more sucky, and the ergonomics I suspect are worse.
Jebus; Sony- WTF?
I was toying with the idea of getting a PSP Go! (once someone makes a firmware that can run homebrew) as I like the Bluetooth idea for A2DP- but I will need a proprietary cable just to plug it into a USB port? Guess I am staying with my PSP2000 for a bit...
Well, that has confirmed for me that I am not buying one.
I honestly thought Sony would have learnt by now. Won't be surprised if the PS3 slim looses USB now.
I'd guess, this is another plot from their overzealous marketing department fiddling with the design. Sony has always done it, insisted on their own stupid standards. I've never seen any other company against standards as Sony (maybe apple). I'm extremely happy that most of the time common sense beats their stupid standards. I hope this PSP doesn't sell but I doubt many consumers will be aware that their accessories will be obsolete at the moment they buy this new and "improved" design.
once again, shame on you sony.
I am just surprised Sony did not upgrade the memory or processor. I know that my PSP-1000 browser bad and I am not sure that the 2000/3000 is much better. With two more industry show coming up in Europe and Japan there could be the last minute oh by the way hello touchscreen.
The problem I see is the oh by the way come next year after people have bought into the go is the system overhaul. This Go has the internal 16G memory, bluetooth and no drive. Next year Sony comes out at E3 with PSP Go and it has the touch screen, 32g memory, processor and memory upgrade and phone function with GPS. Sony finally gets around to a firmware update for the PSP/PS3 what allows for syncing mail and friends list along with CSV for outlook or thunderbird (granted that is a big strech for Sony). Maybe even including all the codec that the PS3 has in the PSP. And they will call it the PSM ( PlayStation Mobile) not the PSP sinec PSP did not include phone service and the 3000 will be dropped and it is either Go or PSM then by 2011 early 2012 just PSM. And the Kicker for people to by it, PSM is compatible with PS2 titles that can only be purchased from the PSN for $19.99 and still unable to work with the PS3.
That is the Sony we have come to love. Oh and they are still working on that digital music store integrating with the PSN in 2011, even though Sir Howard admits the FAIL of wanting their own file system and wants to increase store sales.
It comes with the USB cable and power cable, and how many people even have the A/V cable for the PSP? The PSP-1000 didn't even support video out!
Interesting that Engadget says that thinks like PSP keyboards won't work, when there never was a PSP keyboard produced, the link even says so.
Yeah, but the reason that 16gb of memory for your PSP is expensive is because you're stuck with the memory stick (which is the second most expensive format out there). What they're putting in the Go is not an expensive memory stick, it's just flash memory on the mainboard, and that's cheap (about $20-$30 at retail, even less for them to make). They could have sold it for $200 quite easily. But of course, selling things for cheap isn't what Sony's about.
So, you're getting less functionality and less compatiblity for significantly more. It's not exactly a recipe for success. It'll still sell, as anything new and different usually sells, but where is the value in it?
Sony = this year's Microsoft.
Seems Sony is becoming the "GM" of the video game and electronics world.
Don't forget the lifetime cost of not being able to resell games or buy used. Downloadable software is a wonderful thing in certain situations, but I'm not looking forward to a future of games I don't actually own.
Engadget, you guys need to take a remedial math course. $250 is NOT "nearly twice as much" as the regular PSP. It'd need to be around $100 more to fit that description. You're also ignoring the 16 GB memory onboard, compared to zero onboard memory for the regular PSP. At the end of the day, you're paying only slightly more relative to the regular PSP. Also, let's not forget that you can just buy a regular PSP if you don't like the cost/size differences of the PSPgo.
I agree 100% that the lack of a mini-USB port sucks, and is a dumb move by Sony. But that's totally separate from your off-base cost analysis in this article.
It's almost as if they wanted the download model to fail...
Aren't all companies just trying to make profit??
Whether that means coming out with more stuff to buy or not.
Sony does it, Apple does it, Microsoft does it, they all do it.
To us consumers it's BS, especially in these times.
But each company has it's pros and cons, and it all boils down to $$$
Some strange deciscions when this was designed, still it may turn out to be good.
http://www.console-price.co.uk/psp-go-prices/
From the looks of it. We can't do charging while connecting to TV. right? or have a camera attached to it while charging? or are they going to make a multifunction cable for it? or utilize blue tooth for other functions?
Hard to believe anyone is surprised. SONY has long been the most arrogant, greedy and profit-driven company in electronics. They care nothing for their customers and show it by creating absurd proprietary solutions when universal solutions exist and for their total lack of customer serivce and support. Half of what they produce is overpriced crap.
GM....Chrysler....and eventually Sony.
Signed, a former supporter to a MAJOR hater.
I was finally considering upgrading to this from my fat psp once it came homebrew compatible so I could use it as an ebook reader. Costing double and having proprietary ports changed my mind. Bad enough having to use memory sticks instead of SD cards. Hope it fails and they release something slightly more open. Given their current market position they would be foolish not to.
Am I the only person who was wishing Sony Playstation would cooperate with Sony Ericsson and produce a psp...with a phone...camera (with video), wifi, 3g, and dual analog, plus touch screen and slidey keyboard for ultimates?
I understand the economics, engineering would be damn right difficult, but once there's something like that out there, why would you want anything else (if you could afford it).
Surely then, SE would stop making such a loss and would rake in the money, and supplemented with on demand software/games/films and what not, surely they'd make $$$ like Apple's Iphone apps do?
The new I/O is designed is to streamline connect ability in your home. The idea is, you put the Go on the cradle (sold separately) and you can connect to you computer, tv, and charge the go, all in one throw. This to me, for what this unit is suppose to be, is a trivial thing, and not really a bad thing. Only in the gaming industry, you'll hear people complain about improvements or changes to products, and people not be accepting of these changes. After all, every manual to almost every consumer electronic product says: "specifications subjected to change without notice". If you really need something to gripe about, here are two things to gripe about:
1. Pricing. When I heard about the price (like everybody else), wasn't to pleased. But before completely writing about my feeling over this, I checked out the price of a PSP and 16gb memory. Sure enough, comes out about the same. But still no pleased with the price, I decided to wait and see, what Apple was going to do. And sure enough, they drop the price on the old 3G iPhones, and put the new 3G S iPhones at that price point. To say the very least, win consumers over.
2. If you really feel the need to complain about a PSP Go specification that has changed. Try the fact, that the Go's battery, is unchangeable. Ya...the one thing that I hate more in a portable products, is a locked in battery. Especially a product that is suppose to be centered around portable entertainment on the Go. I can deal with products that have 2.5mm headphone jacks. I can get an adaptor for that. But not being able to change batteries, especially in situation where you can't charge up your unit, makes product like this one, not very consumer friendly, and is not being very sensitive to the consumers needs.
i need a psp since i broke my two others but i will wait for a price drop on the psp go
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!!!!!!!!!!!
A PRIVACY FILM. FINALLY NO WANNABES OVER MY SHOULDER :)