60 reasons to own a PSP: part 7
As a wise Mazda Pontiac spokesperson said, "Wider is better." The list of 60 reasons to own a PSP continues, courtesy of TCLCloud. You didn't really think we'd make it this far, did you?
31. Widescreen aspect ratio
Conan (pictured, above) knows what's best: a wider screen. PSP's screen is natively 16:9, allowing more screen real estate. This is perfect for games: players will have a better vantage point in games. This is even better for movies: many most nearly all movies are shot in a widescreen format, making the PSP's screen far more ideal than the typically square iPod screen (do you really want very big black bars?). As HDTV gets popular, more and more content is produced for a 16:9 ratio, making PSP compatible with all kinds of videos and games.
32. Adjustable screen brightness
The PSP can have a very bright screen: and it's adjustable. To conserve battery life, simply set it to the lowest setting by hitting the Screen button at the bottom of the system. But, to crank it up, Sony offers you two additional brightness settings. We're sure your vision will become impaired after long exposure to the maximum brightness, but if you want to burn your retinas, feel free. The screen is usually bright enough that I use it as a impromptu flashlight (for late night bathroom breaks).
32. Official firmware updates
Sony updates the firmware regularly, and we love it. Since its launch, PSP has gained tons of new functionality, such as an internet browser ... and there's more to come. It's incredibly easy to upgrade the system firmware: it's an easily accessible button on the XMB (pictured, above).
34. Dark_Alex's custom firmware
We love Sony's official firmware, which is why we're impressed by the homebrew community's attempts with Dark_Alex's custom firmware. This includes most of the functionality of Sony's official releases, but adds other features, such as the ability to go to the fourth brightness level (ouch!), and play homebrew games.
35. In-game screen captures
Using Dark_Alex's custom firmware, and an additional plugin, gamers can take pictures within their games and save them to Memory Stick. It's a great, easy way of showing off gaming accomplishments (without having to take a picture of your system). Future games, such as Wipeout Pulse, will include an in-game photo capture system, allowing for gamers without homebrew to take advantage of such a cool feature.
