Impatient? Add GPS to your PSP the hard way
by Christopher Grant 
{ Jul 25th 2006 at 2:25PM }
We here at Joystiq understand that waiting for stuff is hard; heck, we're still waiting on those Toy Story graphics (badum-ching). But you don't have to wait for Sony's official GPS module (PSP-290) if you want GPS support on your PSP, just hack it in there.
Using a PSP remote, a GPS receiver, a USB cable, and some other bric-a-brac, you'll be able to hack GPS support into your unwilling PSP. Couple that hardware with some willing software (you'll need kernel access to use theirs, so try this) and you've got yourself a fancy little package. And it only cost you $120+. Really folks, sometimes waiting is just easier.
[Thanks, PSP News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
kris @ Jul 25th 2006 2:34PM
The stupid GPS thing is the only reason I'm holding onto my PSP at the moment.
Anthony @ Jul 25th 2006 2:40PM
So where is the proof that this thing actually works?
C. Grant @ Jul 25th 2006 2:48PM
Anthony: try it and let us know how it works. :)
Kamalot @ Jul 25th 2006 2:50PM
kris:
Don't hold onto your PSP. Sell it. Take the cash you get and put it towards a GOOD GPS system.
Tesla @ Jul 25th 2006 2:53PM
kris:
Don't listen to Kamalot and his Nintendo fanboy propaganda.
kris @ Jul 25th 2006 2:58PM
Hate to break it to you Tesla, but Nintendo has made about 10 times more games that I enjoy on the DS. I have both - I'm just holding out due to the fact that the PSP is a slick piece of hardware - I'm hoping the fall will make me feel better about it; at the least I'll have a (more) portable PSone.
Cage @ Jul 25th 2006 3:07PM
Ha...and Sony fanboys were talking about an add on for the 360? I would rather have one for a console than a PORTABLE device!!
Tequila Mockingbird @ Jul 25th 2006 3:07PM
I hate it when people call other people fanboys, but I hate it more when people try to impose their idea's on others. Just because you think the PSP sucks does not mean we want to hear you complain.
Tesla @ Jul 25th 2006 3:09PM
kris and Kamalot,
Oh I get it, you're both friends spreading the fanboy love. My mistake I forgot this is Joystiq again. What was I thinking.
BTW, I enjoy both my PSP and DSlite ... I just don't go spreading around hate for either system.
kris @ Jul 25th 2006 3:17PM
Honestly, the PSP has what, 3 good games at the most? I'm not trying to bash Sony but they dropped the ball with software. I'm not trying to be all fanboy-like, I'm just calling it as I see it.
It's annoying that people constantly bash Joystiq when they say anything - it's a videogame weblog; last time I checked the DS was obviously a more superior videogame handheld just based on gameplay quality.
Note the word -game-.
Ryan @ Jul 25th 2006 3:18PM
Tesla = video game martyr extraordinaire
So step off.
kris @ Jul 25th 2006 3:34PM
Tesla = a world-renowned Serbian-American inventor, physicist, mechanical engineer and electrical engineer, born in Smiljan, Austrian Empire
Fool.
Anta @ Jul 25th 2006 3:49PM
"we're still waiting on those Toy Story graphics"
last time I checked God of War had better graphics then Toy Story.
Kamalot @ Jul 25th 2006 4:24PM
I didn't say anything about the DS being better, I mentioned getting a better GPS. Why use a half-ass GPS stuffed into a PSP when you can get a full-fledged GPS system that has a better battery life, user interface (touch screen) and more?
Consumer Reports this month reviews GPS systems. They even review some that play MP3s off of SD cards. You should check it out.
Your local library will have a copy of Consumer Reports. You could also check their web site. :D
If you are holding onto a PSP waiting for a GPS system, the PSP is dropping in value every day.
AssemblyLineHuman @ Jul 25th 2006 4:41PM
Anta: "last time I checked God of War had better graphics then Toy Story." LOL Are you serious? Maybe it has a less child-like art style, but there is no way that God of War has graphics that are Toy Story level. If it did, the PS2 would have to be a ridiculously powerful piece of hardware.
See, Toy Story is CG, much like the pre-rendered videos Sony showed at E3 2005. It took Pixar, with all their super-advanced technology, four years to make. They had computers working hours to render each frame of the movie. God of War, on the other hand, is being rendered in real-time. To even see Toy Story-level games by the end of the PS3/Xbox 360 generation (I don't count Wii because I'm positive it won't have the graphical capabilities to make anything close to Toy Story) seems far-fetched to me.
don't dis my ds @ Jul 25th 2006 5:00PM
I know the PSP has a lot of really good games but check out the DS's fall line up (and people call it juvenile) fer sure!
Oct. 9: Clubhouse Games(TM)
Oct. 16: Nintendogs(TM) (Dalmatian)
Oct. 23: Magical Starsign(TM)
Oct. 30: Pokemon(R) Ranger
Oct. 30: Children of Mana(R)
Nov. 6: Elite Beat Agents(TM)
Nov. 13: Yoshi's Island(TM) 2
Dec. 4: Custom Robo(TM) Arena
Dec. 4: Kirby(TM) Squeak Squad
don't dis my ds @ Jul 25th 2006 5:05PM
Oh and since we're talking !@#*& lets compare burnout legends!
The DS rocks the PSP's version! IGN.com gave it like a 3! Whereas the PSP only got a 8.5 lol!!!
Oh and I can get a DS in neat-o cotton candy-like colors! take that you fingerprint loosers!
Lee @ Jul 25th 2006 5:32PM
Don't dis my DS, was that list supposed to show the lineup as good or rubbish?
Because apart from Yoshi's Island maybe, the list is poor.
DS has more titles worth getting than PSP for sure, obviously, but the PSP has more than 3 decent titles, just because games don't sell well doesn't mean that they're not good games. I'd probably say half a dozen pretty good titles, and half a dozen more worth kicking about for a bit, the DS doesn't have many more until you go multiplayer.
Well that's my opinion anyway, on my own the DS is a bit poor (was a bit disappointed that despite the newness, Mario hadn't changed all that much, and after a few hours finishing it, only Mario VS Luigi and Minigames multiplayer keep me coming back).
Single player DS is meh, but multiplayer it's probably the best console ever released.
don't dis my ds @ Jul 25th 2006 5:49PM
I know. The PSP has a lot of really good games (probably more than the DS) and they do tend to be much longer and have a lot more to them but hell we have things like Magical Starsign! And Kirby Squeak Squad! coming our way towards our coolness syst with our two really low rez screens and our tiny baby sized uber cool stylus. I for one am so ready!
Lee @ Jul 25th 2006 5:59PM
Ohhh. So you ARE taking the piss.
Yeah those games suck, but there's FFIII, haven't bothered looking at lineups other than that, because that'd involve taking FFIII out of my DS. =D
Kris @ Jul 25th 2006 6:16PM
"I'd probably say half a dozen pretty good titles, and half a dozen more worth kicking about for a bit"
"pretty-good" and "worth kicking about" don't scream "awesome" to me- I have not yet been able to justify buying a 250 dollar portable system and paying 40 (even 50!) for some of the games on it out there.
The PSP has yet to have anything close to a "killer-app" and that's killing me.
and a side note - I have no idea how burnout on the psp got a 8.5 on anything, the entire game made me feel like I was playing "sunday driving legends" - talk about slow. (Yes, it did suck on the DS more, wo0!)
Oh, and just for ha-ha's give me a list of "good" PSP games - go ahead, I'll pwn it.
Lee @ Jul 25th 2006 6:47PM
Kris, I never meant awesome, I meant pretty good. And I'm not trying to convince you to buy a PSP, I couldn't give a flying ... what you think or do.
Me throwing out a list of the PSP games I play most often is just pointless, they're just games I like, and don't even match up with the bestsellers. I throw out Lumines, Locoroco, Lemmings, (hey, lot of L action going on there :P shame I hate Liberty City Stories), MGS Graphic Novel, Burnout, Field Commander, Guilty Gear, Gitaroo Man, Micro Machines and Tales of Eternia only to hear you reply something to the effect of "Oh great, most of those games either suck/are ports/sold badly/etc" like I care what someone else thinks of the games I like.
Then you could throw back Mario Kart, Mario Bros, Metroid, Animal Crossing, Tetris, Advance Wars, Brain Age series, etc. and probably loads more than the PSP.
And you'd mostly be right, after all, I own the DS games I want anyway. I find it astounding how people can spend so much time/effort telling the world about how bad they think a console is and how they don't own/intend to own one.
The reasons I wind up using my PSP more are numerous, and easily satisfy me. With homebrew the tweaks/applications are numerous, and keeps me happy.
There you go, you snapped your fingers and I've admitted there's more content for the DS. Congratulations, am I supposed to feel bad about my purchase now? =P
AgentX @ Aug 12th 2006 5:21PM
On the actual topic of gps, I would much rather have a GPS reciever hooked up to PSP that could show my position on google maps, record my path when i'm out for a hike, or do anything i choose with the gps data. Standalone GPS systems (tom-tom, etc.) usually have very crappy maps that only show roads, and adding new features is difficult or impossible.
Just my opinion. I may be wrong, but it's never happened before ;)