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AdhocParty for PSP coming to North America 'soon'
Gamers in Japan with both a PSP and PS3 have been able to use the adhocParty service to expand their multiplayer gaming options for quite a while now, and it looks like folks in North America will soon finally be able to get in on the action as well. For those not up to speed on it, the service effectively lets you use your PS3 as a gateway to let you play PSP games with an ad hoc mode (like Gran Turismo or Monster Hunter) over the internet instead of simply with other PSP users near you. You'll also be able to make use of the PS3's wireless headset or PlayStation Eye for voice chat with the service, but you will have to make sure your PS3 is connected to the internet via Ethernet or a wireless bridge (since it makes use of the built-in WiFi to connect to the PSP). Still no firm word on a release date, but it will be a free download from the PlayStation Store.
PSP Go turned into a homebrewed Sega CD emulator (video)
At this point, there have been so many Sonic games on so many different platforms, that you don't really need to run an old school Sega Genesis or Sega CD to play with the blue hedgehog. Need, however, is not what this is about. A fellow calling himself Neon (whose real name is presumably Thomas Andersonn) has put together a proof of concept video to show off a custom PSP Go firmware capable of running Sega CD images. Alas, he's only keen to prove said concept for bragging rights alone, and there are no plans to unleash this unto the retro-loving world, but isn't it enough to know that you can bring back all those memories of an insecure youth whiled away in a poorly lit room with a 12MHz console pushing about 200 pixels in total? Of course it is, check the video after the break.
Sony surveying PSP Go audience, wants color suggestions
Hey, remember when Nintendo was dissing the PSP Go for having a "concept problem" last month? We doubt Sony cared too much, but the concept is going to get a gentle massaging, judging by this here survey. An otherwise insipid market research form has revealed an eye-catching selection of PSP Go paintjobs, replete with tick-boxes for the discerning customer to make his opinion known. The presently available Piano Black and Pearl White are in amongst them, so perhaps what Sony's looking for is a color that scores as well or higher than the current offerings, which might incite the company to make like Nintendo and bring a little more rainbow to its portable hardware. We've got our money on that sexy red number, and suspect / hope the turquoise will never make it off the drawing board.
French magazine shoots handhelds through boards, much to our amusement
Show full PR text As you know, there's one thing we love more than gadgets -- wanton destruction. Combine the two (on someone else's dime, o'course) and we're having a pretty good day. That said, we're glad that there are others out there with our bent, including Amusement, a "gaming lifestyle" mag based en France. Apparently, the theme of the current issue is "computer bugs," with a number of articles illustrated in a clever, artistic, Gallic manner. But that's not what caught our eye -- no, we were into the pictures of handheld game consoles (specifically, a Nintendo DS and a PSP Go) being shot through particle board. Feel free to peep some more action photography after the break -- and we'll just go back to working on our coilgun.
Sony's PSPgo sells 28,000 units on first day in Japan, physical media points and laughs
Remember the "platform sales boost" that Sony was tauting after the PSPgo's release in the US? The question on everyone's minds was of course how much of that boost was buoyed by the new kid on the block, and while Sony still hasn't given us any domestic figures (nor will it ever, probably), we now know that the thing sold 28,000 units on its first day of availability on its home turf in Japan. That's certainly better than the measly 1,000 units moved in Australia over the same period, but hardly encouraging when you look at its predecessors. According to Media Create the original PSP sold 171,963 units in a day in Japan. The PSP-2000? 130,000. UMD may be hated by everyone, but it seems to still have legs.
How would you change Sony's PSP Go?
Sony's PSP Go hasn't had the warmest reception of all time or anything, but does it really deserve all the negative vibes being flung its way? The UMD-less console leaked way earlier than Sony intended, but after a proper launch and you inevitably trekking out to snag one, we're curious to know whether or not you're enjoying things. Would you have kept UMD support? Would you have added more internal memory? Enlarged the screen? Offered it in neon yellow? Be sure to spill your thoughts in comments below, and you'll get a few bonus points if you're coming from the world of an original PSP. Promise!
PSP Go is $200 at Fry's this weekend... err, '$249.99 before $50 savings'
You could also say it's just the square root of 39,996, or maybe the circumference of a circle that's 63.66 units in diameter, but that's just plain silly. Alternatively, you could just save $30 and buy the chunkier model that still plays UMDs. [Via Joystiq]
PSP to HDMI, all with one giant converter box
Props to Lenkeng for dressing up their otherwise anonymous VGA-to-HDMI converter box with a PSP-related angle -- the LKV8000 comes with the necessary cables to take your PSP-2000 or above's 480p video output and push out a 720p HDMI signal complete with stereo audio. Not a bad idea -- except that we can't think of an HDTV that lacks either component or VGA jacks and that doesn't have a built-in scaler to do the same job. Maybe you're just out of ports? In any event, this guy needs a Stateside distributor before we can tell you pricing or availability, so you're stuck swapping cables for a while, Sparky. [Via Oh Gizmo!]
Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime says the PSP Go has a 'fundamental concept problem'
Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime has been known to take a few shots at the competition in the past and, while he's not exactly verging into CE-oh no he didn't territory this time around, it seems that he just couldn't help himself from offering a few thoughts on Sony's latest handheld. Speaking with The Washington Post, Reggie says that the PSP Go has a "fundamental concept problem in terms of 'Who's it for?' and 'What's the benefit?" -- adding that he always has the "utmost respect for all our competitors, but that it's "interesting to try and answer the consumer question of 'What's in it for me?' in that product." Of course, Sony does have a few answers to those questions for its part, sort of.[Via Joystiq]
Sony PSP Go game dev taken aback by lofty ESRB rating costs
Nothing really new here -- the ESRB has been charging a nominal fee to get its saucy logos on your game for years upon years now -- but the discussion of fairness has recently surfaced with the introduction of Sony's UMD-less PSP Go. A few game developers are voicing concerns about the amount the ESRB charges (we're hearing around $2,500) in order for their titles to receive a rating, particularly when those very same titles don't have such a costly requirement in Apple's App Store. Subatomic Studios, for instance, can charge $2.99 for the iPhone version of Fieldrunners, while the same game is priced at $6.99 on the PlayStation Store. Naturally, the ESRB would love to get in on App Store ratings, but it's hard to say just how long (if ever) that cracking process will take. So, any of you devs put off by the ESRB fee? Put off enough to sidestep PSP Go development altogether?[Via Joystiq]
PSP Go Rewards program hitting DRM-laced brick wall
Needless to say, none of this applies to the Americans in attendance, but for international PSP Go buyers looking forward to taking advantage of Sony's PSP Go Rewards program, the always user-friendly DRM seems to be putting a solid kink in those enjoyment plans. According to a growing number of users at the official European PlayStation boards, an error by the name of 80109D53 is causing downloaded titles to not play back on the new handhelds. We're told that Sony is aware of the issue and is toiling away in an effort to fix things, but for now, it seems as if you can sidestep some of the risk by downloading your trio of free titles (which Sony offers if you're an existing UMD owner) directly to the PSP Go rather than sideloading 'em from a PS3. Any others having this issue? Figured out a solution? Shoot your mouth off in comments below.[Thanks, James]
PSP Go launch inspires three-fold sales increase for platform
Like it or not, the PSP Go is loose in the wild, sashaying around with neither physical media nor respect for sensible price-points. Nevertheless, it has generated a rather sizeable boost in interest for the PSP platform as a whole, with Sony saying that sales for all PSPs are up 300 percent over the week before the console launched. It's easy to see why, given the buzz surrounding the new iteration of the hardware as well as the hugely anticipated Gran Turismo finally coming to fruition. What we don't know is how many of those new sales were of the Go and how many were of the existing PSP-3000, a stat that would have shown whether indeed the "aspirational" new system would inspire some to just go ahead and buy the old system instead. We know which we would choose, how about you?[Via gamesindustry.biz]
Keepin' it real fake, part CCXXXVII: PXP-2000 aspires to little more than playing NES games, a host of video formats
If we were tickled by how quickly the PSP Go was hacked, we must say that we're surprised at how long it took for this bad boy to get KIRFed. And as most shanzai manufacturers do, they packed as many features into this portable as they could: 4.3-inch display (compared to the PSP Go's 3.8-incher), all kinds of retro gaming support (including NES/Famicom, Gameboy / Gameboy Color, SNES, SFC), a camera of some sort, FM radio, microSD card slot (the device's only form of storage), TV out, and generous video codes: RM, RMVB, AVI, WMV, ASF, MPG, MPEG, MPE, MP4, DAT, and MOV. Not exactly "aspirational" at $84, but we'll take it nonetheless. %Gallery-74802% [Via PMP Today]
PSP O Rly? Modder adds camera, custom firmware to Slim, films own infomercial
Very rarely are we rendered speechless by a mod, but we have just seen a video that seriously blew our minds. It seems that someone called JoblessPunk DESIGNS has managed to imbue a PSP Slim with dual nubs (more on that in the video below), a second USB port for charging, a camera, custom firmware (for emulators and the like), and switched out the UMD for 32GB flash memory. But that's only the beginning: this gentleman is on a mission to single-handedly destroy the PSP Go by bringing his own vision of handheld gaming to the masses -- and to help him do just that he's put together one hell of an infomercial, complete with multiple camera angles, a vintage cable access set, and a truly mystifying soundtrack. See for yourself after the break. KK THANKS BYE[Thanks, Robin]
PSP Go already discounted in the UK
Oop. So much for the PSP Go's premium "aspirational" pricing -- several UK retailers have already discounted Sony's newest handheld to £199 ($319) after launch weekend. That's not a massive drop from the £224 ($358) MSRP, but it's still pretty notable, especially considering the PSP-3000 has an MSRP of £139 ($221). No wonder Sony thinks the Go will drive PSP-3000 purchases -- too bad it couldn't figure out a way to make the Go interesting enough to sell itself.
Video: PSP Go hacked, says 'hello world!'
As you'd expect, as soon as the PSP Go hit the shelves the homebrew community came out in force, looking to see which of its fave hacks and exploits might have made the trip from the original PSP to its UMD-less brethren. And here we are, with two videos posted by YouTube member Freeplay offering us tantalizing proof that indeed, at least one has. Of course, the whole thing is pretty rudimentary, the result of exploiting a known bug in an existing PSP game (which this particular hacker is remaining tight-lipped about rather than see Sony patch the thing). Karl B., who helped us to this one, provides a caveat: "It's user-mode only, meaning no flash modification, no piracy, no advanced custom themes, no plug-ins -- none of that." All the same, it does our inner geek a sliver of hope, doesn't it? Videos after the break. [Via PSP Updates, Exophase]
PSP Go scores its first mod job, a handful of white LEDs find a new purpose in life
Who knows what it is about the PSP that engenders such a loyal following of hackers -- both on the hardware and software side. Some of the hardware hacks we've seen are no doubt more impressive than others, but they're all united in a common disregard for warranties and for the most part a deep affection for LEDs. The first PSP Go mod we've seen, done up by roro3030 over at AcidMods, keeps things simple with some strategic, tasteful white LED placement. It's all internally powered and pretty seamless, and provides a nice jumping off point for a community that will be no-doubt eager to consume the PSP Go as a new challenge -- even if the rest of us are busy making frowny faces at that endlessly derided price tag. Video of the lit-up Go is after the break.
Sony's PSP Go available t-t-t-today junior!
It may not do UMDs, but it does fun, and it does it well. Just in case you've forgotten -- after all, it's not like anything really happened in September to mess with your memory -- today's the day to find Sony's PSP Go on store shelves. $249.99, you, your local retailer and some fancy digital content -- it's a date. Isn't it?
PSP firmware 6.10 brings Bluetooth internet tethering to the PSP Go
The PSP Go isn't even out yet and Sony's already dishing out the feature updates -- PSP firmware 6.10, announced today, allows the slider handheld to tether to your cellphone over Bluetooth for remote internet access. That's actually a pretty handy feature for a system that relies on network game distribution, don't you think? That's not all, however: all PSPs will get a new XMB feature called SensMe which can generate playlists based on "moods," and the PC-based MediaGo software is being updated as well. Not a bad haul -- we'll let you know when it goes live. SensMe video after the break. [Via Joystiq]
Sony thinks its "aspirational" PSP Go might encourage an uptick in PSP-3000 purchases
We've heard plenty of arguments for high priced products before -- many of them from Sony, oddly enough -- but this has to one of the odder ones. Sony UK's Claire Blackhouse says that Sony was actually expecting a greater backlash from retailers than it got in regards to the PSP Go, and that many retailers are seeing the new launch as a way to get consumers into stores, at which point they'll realize they're too poor for a PSP Go and might end walking out with a PSP-3000 instead. Sadly, the logic sounds pretty sound, though Claire's own suggestions that some families might get a PSP Go for dad and PSP 3000s for the kids seems a little fantastical -- kinda hard for dad to rock those Hannah Montana UMDs, yeah Sony? [Via Joystiq]