playstationportable
Latest
Gamestop sells porn-packed used MemoryStick
Dallas' NBC 5 News has the story of a Fort Worth mother who bought a "refurbished" PlayStation Portable MemoryStick from Gamestop only to find it filled with pornographic videos and photos. Sandra Hemm bought the stick as a birthday present for her son, whom she described as "pretty devastated" over the discovery. Frankly when we were his age we would have just been thrilled at our luck.A Gamestop spokesman said the company was investigating the incident and that standard procedure is for used cards to be wiped clean before being sold. As a precaution, local reporter Scott Friedman recommends parents try out used MemorySticks for themselves before handing them over to the kids. Or, you know, you could just shell out the extra $5 for a new stick and not worry about it.
Nokia re-entering handheld gaming arena, looks to beat Sony and Nintendo
Nokia, those folks responsible for the near-useless N-Gage system, have apparently learned from their mistakes and are looking to take consumers away from Sony's PSP and Nintendo's DS. According to the company, publishers and developers have already signed on with their next-gen wave of mobile phones. According to Nokia's head of games for UK and Ireland Martin O'Driscoll, gamers will be forced to choose between Nokia, Sony's PSP, or Nintendo's DS:"The consumer will have to make a decision: does he wants a standalone gaming device with a limited browsing capability or a phone with an MP3 player, a camera and a bloody good games platform? I think consumers will be prepared to spend £300 on a phone that offers all those different things rather than £100 to £150 for a standalone games machine."So how do you feel? Given the DS' library of excellent games, something we've always thought made the platform, should it really feel threatened by a company's second attempt at creating a viable handheld platform? Even one that will, supposedly, have twice the amount of features for almost twice the money?
PSP homebrewer creates indie game encryption system
PSP homebrewing by its very definition requires a moderate level of subversion. As Sony has shown time and time again, running unsigned code on the PSP is not the way that it wants its customers to use the PSP, simply because there's a lot more profit to be gained in selling games than there is in selling hardware. Hold that thought for a second as we bring you up to speed on the latest from the PSP homebrew scene: a developer by the name of Xart has created an encryption system for homebrew PSP code. Apparently, the problem of homebrew community members copying their fellow coder's work and re-releasing it with their name in the splash screen has become bad enough to warrant this encryption system. So lets get this straight: a coder has made an encryption system for a community that's based partly around bypassing Sony's own complex restrictions. What's next? DRM for freeware games?[Via PSPFanboy]
PSP mod shines ring of light
Modder Psyberjock has added a swanky hack to his PlayStation Portable that replaces the silver ring around the UMD tray with a circle of led lights; however, it's not for the faint of heart. If he gets enough requests, he'll post a how-to, but right now he says, "Considering the difficulty level of this mod, if you can't figure it out yourself, you'll probably just break your PSP or UMD tray."We hope he shares the love, because that's a groovy looking mod.
DS Gunpey vs. PSP Gunpey
The next game from the folks at Q? Entertainment, responsible for the masterpieces that are Lumines and Meteos, have been working on a new puzzler for both the DS and the PSP. Each version is unique in how it plays and looks and, according to 1UP, the DS installment is superior to the PSP's game."The PSP version is the purest taste of Gunpey you're likely to receive anywhere. The skin collecting is addictive, and as long as you don't mind the brutal, linear, hours-long grind needed to collect them all, then this is probably the version most older gamers will go for. But if you're looking for a more full-featured game, with greater variety -- and don't mind the cartoony milieu of Gunpey DS -- then you will find this version not only a superior value, but a superior game."[Via PSP Fanboy]
New Sony PR guy compares DS and PSP
Dave Karraker, recently appointed as Sony's new senior director of corporate communications, took the time to take a knee with Gamasutra and gab gaming. At least, gaming from his company Sony's point of view. Important to people like us with the Nintendo logo etched into their underwear, however, is Mr. Karraker remarks concerning the DS. GS: What about the handheld market, how important do you think that's going to be, going forward? DK: I think handheld is incredibly important for us, particularly as we start developing more and more downloadable content. And I'm not just talking about games, I'm talking about entertainment content as well. Already the TiVo-to-go option for the PSP is turning into a huge hit for us, as people discover that they can take the shows they've already stored on their TiVo and put it on their PSP and while they're riding the bus to work or to school, they can watch television shows on the PSP, I mean that's huge. You can't do that on anything else. So again, I think when you compare the two products, the Nintendo product versus our product, it's kind of apples and oranges. We're providing more of an entertainment system, and they're focused more on gaming. Perhaps that's the issue for Sony? Is the company's lack of fresh gaming content on their system the reason why their handheld cannot seem to pull ahead? It's always been about the games and Nintendo has, along with their third-party support, proved that on the DS.
PC Mag pits DS Lite against PSP in LCD tussle
While most folks' personal opinions on handheld consoles are likely too entrenched by now to be swayed by something like an in-depth LCD comparison, it is still a somewhat notable exercise, you know, in the interest of history and all. PC Mag apparently thinks so too, enlisting the help of display expert Ray Soneira from DisplayMate Technologies to pick the the two displays apart pixel by pixel. In the end, the PSP's widescreen display came out on top, but only just, beating the DS in DPI, viewing angle, and picture contrast, while Nintendo's screen double-team topped the PSP in brightness and color gamut. What's more, Soneira says that the both displays could perform even better with the proper firmware tweaks. Now that's the kind of firmware update we'd welcome.[Via PSP Fanboy]
How-To: Craft an analog control stick for your Sony PSP (part 2)
Every so often, that console-modding Benjamin Heckendorn wanders away from his lair at benheck.com to share some interesting projects with Engadget. A couple weeks ago we showed you, the teeming PSP loving masses, how to attach a standard analog stick to the embattled portable. Now join us for part 2 where we construct a case for the analog stick and create a convienent way to clip it onto a PSP. With a little luck you'll be able to look as cool as the loser shown above! So get your hot glue guns fired up and let's do this thing!
Sony says no PSP price drop this year
Sony product manager John Koller has said that consumers should not expect a drop in the price of the PSP anytime this year. Koller elaborated by saying that "we don't necessarily see the need to cut the price," and then mentioned using "broader value" in order to attract new customers, which is a reference to 110 new games which Sony hopes to launch on the PSP before the year is out. Whenever the topic of discussion comes onto the price of game consoles, we'll inevitably draw parallels to the equivalent price of said console's rival: in this case, the cheapest PSP package will sell for at least $70 more than the Nintendo DS for the rest of '06. In the past, Sony has tried to distance the PSP from the DS by repeatedly touting the device's multimedia features, so hopefully the 110 new games will make the company feel a little more secure. The "Play" in PlayStation Portable has always meant games, and multimedia features can only justify the PSP's higher price for so long.[Via PSP Fanboy]
"Remote Play" function explored!
So we got a lot of comments asking what this "Remote Play" feature was on the PS3 as listed on its translated interface menu. Thanks to our fellow Sony-addicts over at PSPFanboy, we've got a little more to tell you. With "Remote Play", you can stream data onto your PSP from your PS3 -- both video and game content. Does this mean you can take your PSP into the bathroom and continue playing the PS3 game in a more, erm, private setting? No time to waste, right? We're not sure if you can do that yet, but it seems fairly likely, so long as the image is all that's depicted on the PSP, leaving all the processing for the bigger, badder PS3 a room away.Will we be able to stream Blu-ray movies onto the PSP, or UMD movies onto the PS3? Don't really know. But we do know that this capability is thanks to Wi-Fi, meaning you'll have to scrounge up that extra $100 for the premium PS3. Not like you'll find any of the 20GB models anyway. So there's your answer! Remote Play is streaming data between PSP's and the PS3.
PSP gains touch screen support
People that try to avoid the flame war between the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP always jump to one conclusion: both are great systems, each with their unique capabilities... But it looks like the 0x89 development team is trying to blur the lines between the two systems by giving the PSP touch screen support. What?! In quite possibly the most ambitious homebrew modification to date, the team will allow you to attach a device to the PSP's USB connection and control the XMB and specially programmed homebrew applications. PSPTouchMe as it's called will not only give you touch screen capabilities, but it'll provide a new, completely customizable XMB that's far more flexible than Sony's official one. Look at their video support: avi, mpeg, mpeg4, wmv, avc, pmp. Most impressive.I wish the best of luck to the programmers: it'll be a truly amazing feat if they can pull this. If they're able to complete this project, tons of PSP owners will be able to understand that touching is good.[Via PSP Hacks]
Jack Tretton reveals bullish numbers for Sony
An interview with GameDaily BIZ reveals optimism for SCEA Executive VP Jack Tretton. While many find it easy to criticize Sony's moves as of late, there's no denying that press attitudes and reality may differ greatly. For example, according internal sell-through data, the PSP is a much faster success than the original PS1: 18 months after launch of each system, the PSP sold 5.30 million units in America compared to the PS1's 3.48 million."We really feel we carved out new territory [with the PS1] and then we built upon that with the PS2. The parallel that we draw to the PSP is that it is exactly the same to portable gaming to what the PlayStation was to console gaming, that we are carving this new road out and we are selling again to 20-something consumers that were not fans of portable entertainment, were not playing Game Boys because the technology and the software offerings just weren't appealing to them... And now because of the technology in PSP and the game offerings it appeals to them and that same consumer we carved out with the PlayStation is now being carved out with the PSP at an even much greater rate than we did with the original PlayStation"The executive rightly questions whether or not Nintendo is truly "expanding" the market. He suggests that most DS owners have owned a Game Boy Advance in the past. The PSP can appeal to a wider demographic, considering how gamers are getting older and demand more mature games and multimedia functions out of their handhelds. He questions that older gamers would want Brain Age over a PSP: "I would tell you for a fact that there are much more people in their 50s and 60s playing PlayStation platforms in terms of console, than there are playing Nintendo platforms."[Via Joystiq]
TGS 06: Sony Conference [Updated]
Getting ready for Tokyo Game Show where Sony's press conference is about to begin. They will obviously speak a great deal on PlayStation 3, but will they mention anything about the PSP? Keep refreshing this page throughout the hour to see updates as they happen.9:45PM EST Ken Kutaragi says the internet has gotten much, much faster now. WOW! Thanks!!!9:58PM EST PlayStation 3 will feature downloadable PlayStation games, akin to PSP's ability to download PS1 games. Also, Turbografx and Genesis games will be available for download, a la Wii.10:10PM EST Sony officially has worst press conference ever. Afrika is the only "game" shown.Internet, please start flaming Sony. GO! Just in case it wasn't obvious, that was it. One hour of absolutely nothing. It's going to be hard to be a Sony fanboy after this...
PS3 loves PSP: e-distribution possibilities explored
A few days ago, a long, but interesting interview was covered over at IGN between Japan's Nikkei BP and Sony corporate executive Izumi Kawanishi about the PS3 and the PSP -- more specifically, the emulation possibilities and what it means to be a "virtual PS3". First, the emulation. The technology to emulate that they're working on is completely original, although there is a concern that some PS1 titles may be excluded from this technology, as the button configurations are different between the actual PlayStations and the PSP (two analog sticks, different number of buttons overall).E-distribution? Many PS1, PSP, and PS3 games (most likely home-brew games picked up by Sony) will be tossed around the network, but a not-so-surprising surprise was the idea Sony was going to move into movie distribution as well. Here's a humorous quote to break the ice: "While we can't get a grasp for how well UMD movie software is selling, there's no question that the world is moving in the direction of network distribution for movies." UMD's are selling poorly, dear friend. This distribution idea, if it means linking the movies downloaded from the PS3 onto the PSP could instill new life into the portable-movie-buff. Not interested in getting the PS3, but still want to download stuff? No worries. Kawanishi assures us that you may also go through your PC or even a wireless LAN with your PSP. How about cell phones? Yes, in the future."It's possible to have distribution of video imagery from the PS3 to PSP," said Kawanishi. Images rendered on the PS3... can be sent to your PSP? IGN wonders if this means gameplay. We believe not. Maybe some of those home-brew titles, though... or a slower paced game so lag is not such a detriment. "PS3 video can be viewed as is on the PSP, so the PSP becomes like a Virtual PS3." So... gameplay cinematics? Downloaded movies? It's still vague, but interesting. Check out the bits we omitted or looked over here, and let us know what your take on the situation is.
PSP goes pink with Pink
Sony was a little lax about making sure we knew they were going pink with Pink on the PSP today, too, but it does indeed look like we can chalk up another color for the portable. Apparently the singer's just doing the usual sponsored / co-branded business, releasing the P!nk Limited Edition PSP with headphones, remote, 32MB Memory Stick, but what raised a couple eyebrows over yonder is the fact that she's not signed with Sony, and what's more Sony will also offering Pink downloads on their YourPSP site. Anywho, from what we understand Sony pulled the official release, so they're apparently not yet prepped to discuss the ramifications of the PSP getting femmed out even though we now know it will run you €229 or £169 when it debuts October 27th.
Use your PSP as a PC joystick
While this may not be quite as extravagant as remote-controlling your Honda without even being in the vehicle, using your PSP as a PC joystick is both useful and overtly geeky in its own right. While the PSP has definitely shown its ability to be more than just a gaming system (and media player, UMD viewer, digital audio player, etc.), David Rudie has devised a method to turn your PSP into a "virtual joystick" for your computer. Working with PPJoy, a program used to create a virtual controller within a Windows environment, he created a program that connects a device via WiFi to a server running on your PC. When you fire up the app on your Sony handheld, the program establishes a network connection with the server using an infrastructure mode, and once an IP address has been obtained and the two machines shake virtual hands, your only taks left is to figure how to make good use of your newly discovered controller. Currently, the mod only works with firmware versions v1.00 and v1.50, but if you're not the downgrader type you can certainly press your luck with newer versions. (OS X drivers are on the the to-do list, but we wouldn't hold our breath.) If hacking your Nintendo controller to work on your PC just didn't provide enough buttons for those elaborate combos, or you just prefer the modern flavor over the retro style, this will give you one more excuse to use the PSP for something other than what it was designed for, which is definitely where it seems to excel.[Via PSP Fanboy]
Sony offers flicks on Memory Sticks
It's probably a bit of a stretch to call this the beginning of the end of movies on UMD, but Sony is set to offer at least one other means of getting flicks onto your PSP. Starting next month, you'll be able to grab a bundle consisting of a Memory Stick and a DVD pre-loaded with four PSP-ready movies, along with a code that'll let you unlock and transfer one of 'em (just one) to your PSP. Available for your choosing are four classics of modern cinema: Hitch, S.W.A.T, The Grudge, and XXX: State of the Union, although it's not clear if you can buy additional codes to unlock all four movies. The bundles will be available with either 1GB or 2GB Memory Sticks for $60 and $100, respectively.[Thanks, Kevin]
Need a wee during the World Cup final? Just bring your PSP
I'm not exactly what you'd call football's number one fan (that's soccer to Americans), but a lot of my friends are close. That's why I'm slightly depressed to bring you news of a World Cup themed feature for the PSP that I know a lot of my footie-loving friends would love to get their hands on. The aptly named (at least for this post) P-TV, the portable TV service for PSPs, is offering all 64 World Cup matches for viewing on the PSP for around a dollar per game. A visit to the "jardin" during a match will no longer be a problem: if you live in Japan. Yep, the deal's exclusive to the land of the steel phallus.In all seriousness, Sony could sell a bucketload of PSPs in the UK if they combined a "don't miss a single shot" marketing line with this promotion. There's no problem with access either: a lot of pubs now serve up wifi with their pints. Unfortunately, unless Sony ends up bringing this deal out of Japan, then footie fans will have to resort to that other boring, but tried-and-tested method for minimizing water breaks: not drinking so much damned beer!
Neuros Recorder 2 incompatible with PSP 2.7 firmware
Bad news for PSP owners: Macworld is reporting that the recent 2.7 firmware update makes it impossible for the handheld console to play content captured by the Neuros 2 Recorder. Even worse, files that you had previously recording using your Memory Stick-equipped Neuros will no longer work once you upgrade to 2.7. For now, Neuros is taking a three-pronged approach to the problem: they're working on a firmware update of their own for the Recorder 2, attempting to convince Sony to adjust their code in future upgrades, and, least helpfully, recommending that their customers avoid making the move to 2.7. Also, the company claims to be working on a solution that, at the very least, will allow those folks who insist on upgrading to convert their old recordings into a 2.7-friendly format.
Lumines sequel confirmed
According to an E3 video preview hosted by Steve Truitt and Diane Mizota of PlayStation Underground, a Lumines sequel is in development and will likely be (officially) revealed at E3. About one minute into the video, Truitt confirms, "The PSP system is revolutionizing portable gaming with titles like ... Lumines 2." There you have it, folks.Don't believe us? Just read the fine print in the document Truitt's holding (pictured). [Thanks Justin; via Modojo]
