Joystiq

The God of War PSP bundle looks like this

Ludwig Kietzmann — 2008-03-26T01:00:00+00:00

Click to enlarge

We consider packaging to be quite effective when you can tell at a glance just what awaits you inside of it. Take this God of War Entertainment Pack, for example. There's the "Deep Red" PSP, the Superbad UMD, the critically praised God of War: Chains of Olympus and ... well, there's also a PSN voucher for Syphon Filter: Combat Ops, which isn't pictured. To be fair, that's simply due to the lack of excitement incurred by a piece of paper with some obscure code on it.

Also not pictured is the price tag of $199.99 and, perhaps most importantly, a disappointing label which reads, "Not for sale until June."

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Sony unveils 'PSP Extended Life Battery Kit'

James Ransom-Wiley — 2007-11-27T17:15:00+00:00

Filed under: Portable, Sony PSP, Peripherals

The PSP 2200mAh battery is not new to the market, but bundling it with a pair of covers is. Meet the PSP Extended Life Battery Kit: a battery, two plastic covers, and a lot of packaging. What the kit does provide for PSP-2000 owners (besides an awkward bulge) is about 80% more battery life -- just 20% for those using the original PSP, and no bulge. Unfortunately, Sony couldn't find room for a 'Ceramic White' cover, so those affected will have to settle for the junkyard van look.

A price has yet to be listed, but expect the battery kit to retail in the $40 range.

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Joyswag: Win a brand-new Darth Vader PSP-2000 (Day 2)

Christopher Grant — 2007-10-09T12:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Sony PSP, Joyswag

Click for high-resolution image.

Day 1 is over (we're busy picking our first winner) and Day 2 of our Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron PSP-2000 bundle is ready to kick off. Along with our friends at PSP Fanboy and PS3 Fanboy, we're giving away the second of five brand-new limited-edition Darth Vader PSP-2000 systems this week. These Ceramic White systems feature Darth Vader's menacing profile on the back, and are a must-have for the dedicated Star Wars nerdcore. Not only that, the package includes the brand new PSP-exclusive Star Wars Battlefront game.

So, how do you enter? First, find out what the PSP Fanboy team thinks about Star Wars Battlefront (Andrew, Jem, Nick, and Colin) and then leave a comment answering one. simple. question ... did Greedo shoot first? Be sure to leave a comment on the corresponding giveaway posts at PSP Fanboy and PS3 Fanboy, for a total of three entries today. We'll select one comment from all three sites at random tomorrow morning before we give away another PSP-2000.

Of course, there are rules. You must be a US resident, 18 years or older. Limit 1 entry per person per site ... or else (that means three entries spread out, no more)! This entry period ends at 11:59am ET tomorrow, so get your entries in before then. For complete rules you can shared with your loved ones, click here. And much thanks to the fine people at LucasArts for the great prizes.

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Joyswag: Win a brand-new Darth Vader PSP-2000 (Day 1)

Andrew Yoon — 2007-10-08T12:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Sony PSP, Joyswag

Click for high-resolution image.

Don't be afraid to admit it: you want the new PSP-2000. With its slimmer figure, lighter weight, TV-Out functionality, and faster load times, it's a remarkable improvement over the PSP Phat. But, haven't been able to snatch a system for yourself? Don't worry -- we got you covered. Along with our friends at PSP Fanboy and PS3 Fanboy, we're giving away one of five brand-new limited-edition Darth Vader PSP-2000 systems each day this week. These Ceramic White systems feature Darth Vader's menacing profile on the back, and are a must-have for the dedicated Star Wars nerdcore. Not only that, the package includes the brand new PSP-exclusive Star Wars Battlefront game.

So, how do you enter? First, find out what the PSP Fanboy team thinks about Star Wars Battlefront (Andrew, Jem, Nick, and Colin) and then write down one thing you learned from their previews and leave it in our comments section, as well as on the corresponding giveaway posts at PSP Fanboy and PS3 Fanboy. We'll select one comment from all three sites at random tomorrow morning before we giveaway another PSP-2000

Of course, there are rules. You must be a US resident, 18 years or older. Limit 1 entry per person per site ... or else (that means three entries spread out, no more)! This entry period ends at 11:59am ET tomorrow, so get your entries in before then. For complete rules you can shared with your loved ones, click here. And much thanks to the fine people at LucasArts for the great prizes.

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Dave Perry: PSP Lite a 'head in the sand' move for Sony

Ross Miller — 2007-09-17T15:15:00+00:00

Filed under: Sony PSP

Shiny founder Dave Perry has been very vocal about consoles as of late. After estimating Wii's death clock, the Earthworm Jim designer has set his sights on Sony's PSP.

In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Perry refers to redesign as a "head in the sand" move while saying that Sony should "restart the PSP program" and specifically calls for the removal of UMD in favor of digital download.

Perry also suggests that the transition to an UMD-less PSP would be relatively painless, asserting that it would be easy to create software to authenticate and re-download for free titles you already own.

While we agree that digital distribution is on the rise, we're not sure if there's financial benefit for the consumer. A 1.0 GB memory stick can cost over $30, and then you still have the buy the titles (which may not drop in price should they go download). If you want to carry more than a few games around, you're going to need multiple memory sticks. If Sony does heed Perry's advice (and we see no evidence as to why they would), maybe they could replace the UMD slot with a decent hard drive, instead.

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The Joystiq Guide to PSP Themes

Justin McElroy — 2007-09-11T16:26:00+00:00

Filed under: Features, Sony PSP

So, you want a fancy new theme on your PSP-2000? Well, who can blame you? You've had the thing for all of a week now, it's time for a change. So let's get started!

Upgrade!: First things first, you're going to want to update to the 3.70 PSP Firmware. Just go all the way to the left in that XMB menu and hit "Network Update." (Tip: Make sure your PSP is able to connect to the internet, otherwise this will go poorly.) Follow the instructions to update your firmware.

To the net!: Now, go to this site. Next, get totally scared because it's all in Japanese!

"Ahhh!"

OK, you need to chill out. This is going to be fine. Just scroll down, there's just one thing we need from here. We need to click one gray button, scroll down until you see it.

"Eureka!"

Save that file to your desktop and hook up your PSP to your PC with a USB cable.

Connected!: You're going to want to browse your memory card and inside your "PSP" directory, create another directory called "THEME." Now, put the file you saved (classypink.ptf) into that directory.

Set it and forget it!: Finally, go to "Theme Setting" under the "Settings" tab of the XMB. Now, choose "Theme". You'll see "Cookies" there, that's a theme that turns everything into cookies (as you may have guessed). You should also see a picture of your memory card with a classy pink orb next to it. Select it and apply it! You can now delete classypink.ptf from your card.

All done!: Finally, you did it! Enjoy your new theme! ... Oh! We almost forgot the most important step! Don't forget to realize that "cookies" and "classypink" are both really ugly and that you should change back to your original theme.

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No more PSP homebrew talk on Sony's forums

Justin McElroy — 2007-09-06T19:25:00+00:00

Filed under: Culture, Hacks, Sony PSP

With the release of the delicious new PSPs, some of you may be lured in by the slim form factor and the lighter weight. But there are others among you who may have had the deal sweetened by the lure of a much ... darker desire: That seductive, underground siren known in hushed whispers as "homebrew." Though it's supposed to be hush hush, discussion about it has previously been fairly active on Sony's own forums. (We know, we were as surprised as you.)

Now, apparently, the gravy train has ended, with Sony banning mentions of the illicit activity on the forums, writing, "Homebrew applications void the warranty of the PSP(R)(PlayStation(R)Portable) system, and an official area to discuss such activities cannot be provided by SCEA." (By the way, primo community relations, guys. Did you hire Major Nelson?) Our friends at PSP Fanboy think Sony's trying to keep the new wave of PSP owners from hearing about homebrew, while we think they're just trying to make it seem all dirty and wrong again. What do you think?

[Via PSPF]

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White PSP Slim delayed in UK

Ross Miller — 2007-09-06T12:25:00+00:00

Filed under: Sony PSP

They're definitely not available today in the United Kingdom, but on September 14 the PSP Slim will be released into the wild. Not appearing on launch day, however, is the ceramic white model.

Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, a Sony representative refuted claims from a CVG article that said official TV cables for the portable will make launch, but confirmed rumblings that only the black model will be available on next Friday.

British gamers looking for a lighter-shaded PSP Slim will have to wait until October, according to the spokesperson.

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Joystiq & PSPFB hands-on: PSP-2000: Part 3

Andrew Yoon — 2007-09-06T09:15:00+00:00

Filed under: Features, Sony PSP

With the new PSP-2000 available in the wild, we decided to answer a few more questions in this final iteration of our ongoing series. Want to know what new background colors are in firmware 3.60? Want to see the TV out function in action? Check out this video overview we made, then check more questions after the cut.

Is the video out cable included in any of the bundles?
Submitted by: mike

No. You must buy the cables separately. They cost about $20.

If you are getting one of the bundled ones, does the game and the movie come in a slipcase or does it come in its regular plastic case?
Submitted by: jonathan

The games come in a cardboard sleeve. You won't get a retail case for the included UMDs.

What is the battery charge time for the PSP Lite? Is it faster than the original PSP?
Submitted by: Sai
The battery life doesn't have any noticeable difference. Once again, the amount of play time you get from a PSP varies from title to title. It can use the same charger as the original system, and because it has a reduced battery size, it will charge somewhat faster.

Are fingerprints very noticeable?
Submitted by: aymany
Fingerprints will show up, but the silver we have seems far improved over what we saw at E3. The paint job is nicer, the coating is much smoother, and fingerprints don't seem to stick onto the system as easily as before. However, fingerprints will still show up on the screen no matter what you do, seemingly.

Does the PSP Slim fit into the current Logitech and Sony hard cases?
Submitted by: mike
It will shake around one of these cases. It shouldn't do damage to your system, but it is still a little unsettling.

Do the new earbuds come with the system?
Submitted by: Alex

No, the new earbuds do not come with the system. The old headset and remote for the old PSP will not work on the new one.

Are you going to give one away?
Submitted by: XenoPhage
That's the plan!

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PSP-2000s apparently available today

Justin McElroy — 2007-09-05T12:40:00+00:00

Filed under: Sony PSP

Sony has issued forth a press release stating that the newly slimmed PSPs (the PSP-2000 to the tech savvy) are now available in the wild. You'll still have to buy the silvery systems as part of the $199.99 "Entertainment Pack," which comes with a copy of Daxter, the Family Guy -- Freakin' Sweet Collection on UMD, and a 1GB Memory Stick.

Funny thing though, calls to all of our local game stores turned up squat, both in terms of consoles and in info. In order, we heard "We don't know.", "There's no date.", "It's not in our system." and "Christmas." Have any of you had better luck?

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Joystiq and PSPFB hands on with PSP-2000: Part 2

Andrew Yoon — 2007-08-31T17:56:00+00:00

Filed under: Features, Sony PSP

Yesterday, we answered your questions about the newly redesigned PSP, codenamed PSP-2000. Today, we'll explore the load times of games on Sony's redesigned handheld. With added RAM, games are supposed to load faster than the older model. Did we see an improvement? Also, we tackle some more questions from PSP Fanboy readers.

Do games load noticeably faster?
Submitted by: Hashbrown_Hunter
This took a lot of effort to piece together. It seems that games do load faster, although not as significantly as we would hope. In the above side-by-side video of the upcoming Star Wars Battlefront, you can see that although the games were launched at the same time, the PSP-2000 (the silver one) loads slightly faster than the original. It loads the level slightly faster as well. However, going through our games collection resulted in varying results -- some games didn't change at all, while games like Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow actually took longer on PSP-2000! It appears that games with significantly long load times are the ones to benefit the most. Check out our test results here. Check out Gamespot's test results, which feature different games, here.Yesterday, we answered your questions about the newly redesigned PSP, codenamed PSP-2000. Today, we'll explore the load times of games on Sony's redesigned handheld. With added RAM, games are supposed to load faster than the older model. Did we see an improvement? Also, we tackle some more questions from PSP Fanboy readers.

Do games load noticeably faster?
Submitted by: Hashbrown_Hunter
This took a lot of effort to piece together. It seems that games do load faster, although not as significantly as we would hope. In the above side-by-side video of the upcoming Star Wars Battlefront, you can see that although the games were launched at the same time, the PSP-2000 (the silver one) loads slightly faster than the original. It loads the level slightly faster as well. However, going through our games collection resulted in varying results -- some games didn't change at all, while games like Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow actually took longer on PSP-2000! It appears that games with significantly long load times are the ones to benefit the most. Check out our test results here. Check out Gamespot's test results, which feature different games, here.

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Joystiq and PSPFB hands on with PSP-2000: Part 1

Andrew Yoon — 2007-08-30T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Features, Sony PSP

This September, Sony will be unleashing the first ever revision of the PlayStation Portable. Codenamed PSP-2000, the system sports a new slimmer design, and the ability to display content on a television. There are a lot of mysteries surrounding the new system -- but tonight, we're going to clear things up. We asked the readers of PSP Fanboy to submit their questions and received about a hundred responses. That's a lot of ground to cover, so we're going to spend the next few days answering as many as we can. Let's begin.

The PSP-1000's volume wasn't that loud. Did they increase the volume?
Submitted by: dapurplebyrd
As you can see, the speakers on the new PSP (right) are not louder than the old PSP (left). With headphones on, the volume output is identical as well.

What firmware is shipped with the PSP?
Submitted by: mike

The system includes firmware 3.60. Some new features of the firmware include: USB Charge, new background colors (27 in all!), and Connected Display Settings (for TV output).

What video sizes does it play? Hopefully 640x480.
Submitted by: Surtur

Nope. PSP 3.60 still does not support 640x480 video, which means many iPod-compatible video podcasts still don't work on the PSP.

Is the system quieter when loading data from the UMD?
Submitted by: Brandon
In some ways. The PSP will still make that scratching noise when loading data from a UMD. However, it does seem to happen slightly less often. Listen to the video, though. You'll notice that both systems will make the same disc loading noise.

Do files open faster on XMB?
Submitted by: TheHood

We loaded up our 4GB Memory Stick Duo with tons of 1080p images and had the PSP generate thumbnails. In our test, we noticed one thing: the two systems performed identically.

Is ghosting still noticeable?
Submitted by: Saigon

Yes, ghosting is still noticeable on the screen, particularly in scenes involving bright whites. The screen isn't bad -- let's not forget that the original PSP screen still produces fantastic video.

Does the web browser take advantage of the added memory? For instance, can web sites that cause the old PSP's memory to run out work on the Slim?
Submitted by: J@F

We were trying to read our favorite gaming blog when this error message struck. Seemingly, the browser is another thing that hasn't been improved in the new PSP.

What happens if you press the screen button long enough to start video out if it isn't plugged in?
Submitted by: Don
The screen simply turns off, just as it did before. This will help you conserve battery.

Is it possible to play music while viewing a slideshow on the PSP with this new release?
Submitted by: Sai
No. When you enter a different part of the XMB, your music will stop just like before.

How is the Wi-Fi connection? Can you test the range?
Submitted by: Makiyura

The range for both PSP-1000 and PSP-2000 seem nearly identical. For us, the system lost a signal once more than 30 feet away from our wireless router. In terms of download speeds, we saw that the PSP-2000 had only a marginal advantage, one that could have been caused by random network speeds, rather than an inherent system design. Regardless, PSP-2000 constantly outperformed the original PSP in our RSS download tests.

Do the buttons actually have a better response/feel to them?
Submitted by: Dennis
Yes. The buttons have slightly more resistance, which makes it much better to the touch.

I heard that when you output games to your HDTV (through component), the picture is framed. Is it true?
Submitted by: Sephiroth_FF

Yes it is true. On our 61" TV, the image produced by the PSP was 42" on our TV. That means, in diagonal terms, less than 70% of your screen will be devoted to the game. The XMB, however, will appear in full screen, as will movies and everything else accessed from there:

The image quality of games is particularly impressive. Ignoring the somewhat significant borders, the games we played looked like they were being output by a PS2. Movies, on the other hand, fared worse. Our Spider-man 2 UMD looked good, but didn't match the quality of a properly upscaled DVD running on the PS3.

=====
There are still a lot more questions to answer. However, we need to spend a little more time with the system. Expect answers to burning questions on PSP-2000's load times, battery life, TV out functionality, and more in the next few days.

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LGC07: European PSP Slim launches with new colours

Jem Alexander — 2007-08-22T15:28:00+00:00

Filed under: Sony PSP

Yes. Colours with a "u." Some specially designed PSPs will be available only within Sony Europe's territories when the 2000 models launch on September 5th. In "Simpsons Yellow" and "Spider-man Black and Red" flavours, these new designs are clearly geared towards movie-buffs but also make a more colourful alternative to the current selection of black, silver and white.

Americans will be able to choose from "Darth Vader White," black and silver -- if you really want a garish yellow PSP Slim, you can always import.

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Ample details on slimmer PSP

Ross Miller — 2007-08-07T16:25:00+00:00

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PSP

MTV News' Stephen Totilo managed to snag a plethora of details on the PSP 2000 (that's what they're calling it internally) from SCEA's head of marketing for the PSP division John Koller.

All future PSP titles from Sony will utilize the upgraded 333MHz clockspeed, reportedly without a hit on battery life, said Koller. A second thumbstick was considered, as was (briefly) a built-in hard drive instead of Memory Stick. Both ideas were ultimately turned down.

The upcoming PSP title Echochrome was originally going to be downloadable via the PSN, but Koller said they went with UMD because it was a "very rich game." Original, downloadable PSP titles should be coming in the next six to eight months, he said.

The camera may get some specification changes before its North American release. The GPS attachment is expected to hit US shores in the next 10 to 12 months. As for the TV tuner, there are no plans for release it outside of Japan.

Check out Totilo's article for more information, including Koller's assertion that Sony had nothing to do with famed hacker Dark_Alex's retirement.

[Via PSP Fanboy]

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Joystiq interviews SCEA's Phil Rosenberg and John Koller

Andrew Yoon — 2007-07-23T13:01:00+00:00

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PSP, Interviews, E3

Phil Rosenberg (left), and PS Fanboy lead writer, Andrew Yoon (right)

At E3, we had a chance to talk to SCEA Senior Vice President Philip Rosenberg and John Koller, Senior Marketing Manager of the PSP. We talked to these two Sony executives to find out more about Home, possible PSP integration with Home, the redesign, and more.

The press conference was narrated through Home. Why does Sony believe Home is such an important part of the PlayStation family?

Phil: That's a great question. Home for us is a way to engage all of our users in real community, but in a real 3D manner that gives them a place to meet and to share their successes or their failures and then jump into gameplay. It creates an opportunity for us to help engage them even more in our platforms. I think when you look at the interface -- like how a PSP pops up in Home -- our whole proposition is around the ecosystem of PlayStation. It's not just about one platform. If you're in the house, or away from the house -- no matter where you are, you can stay connected with your peers.

Any camera-phone will be able to take pictures and interface with Home.

You showed Home interfacing through a cell phone. How expandable do you see Home becoming in the future?

Phil: There are a lot of very cool technologies that are going to be enabled for PlayStation 3. The demo with the Sony Ericsson phone and Phil in live-time updating his Home space with the web interface he used -- I think that's just a sneak peak of new ways that we can enhance the PlayStation world. And Home is the glue. It's the sticky part that will continue to evolve over time to make the whole PlayStation lifestyle statement.

It's safe to assume that Home will continue to evolve through its life cycle?

Phil: I think all of our products have continued to evolve. That's the wonderful thing about PSP today. Through our firmware updates, we've been able to turn on new features that people didn't even imagine. You probably weren't disappointed. You probably liked your PSP from day one ... but there's so many more things that we're doing to evolve the product. Same thing with PlayStation 3. There's so much horsepower in PlayStation 3, right? There's so many cool processing opportunities and the speed and the power and the storage and the internet connectivity and the Blu-ray player ... and there's so much more we can do because we have this hardware platform that can be expanded.

Why wasn't any PSP interactivity shown for Home?

Phil: Isn't it roadmapped?

John: Oh, it's absolutely roadmapped. It's certainly on the agenda. I think the point of the cell phone was just to show you can bring other products into play. But the PSP is certainly roadmapped at this point. Like Phil was saying, it's all about bringing together the PlayStation portfolio of products together and using them the right way with Home.

Home is definitely coming to PSP. But how, and when?

No hints you can offer about what could happen between PSP and Home?

John: Nope, nothing quite yet. I think they're still working through with the ramifications of using PSP and certain parts of the environment are. The point of what Phil [Harrison] was showing was to show that other products could be used within Home.

Phil: But being able to access leaderboards, or community, or find out which of your friends are in Home, or in-game via hotspot, I think is realistic. As far as timing? I think that there's more to come.

Why announce a PSP redesign now?

Phil: Well, it's an evolution of PSP. Our conversation with our customer from the very first day is that we're going to continue to evolve our products. I think that the evolution of the redesign really reinforces that. Adding more RAM to make game loading faster, adding video out, really opens up the whole proposition of UMD video content on PSP other than gameplay completely. Slimmer and lighter is cooler. Introducing new colors -- it's something our customers have been really excited about.

Yeah, I remember telling you that people have been wanting new colors for a really long time.

Phil: Sure, and other than just a skin. We think that this continues to evolve the value proposition. So, PSP for you is probably is a lot different than PSP for me. And I know my experience is a lot different than Mariam's (Analyst Relations Manager for Sony PR). But, this is just another way to continue the evolution.

John: And the message is that we're listening to the customer constantly. When you and I talked back in March, we were thinking colors: how can we put this together? We saw silver being the top-rated color in several different studies that we did. White really popping as well. We saw that the opportunity to go more portable really fits the trend of where other portables are going: becoming slimmer, sleeker and lighter. Being able to add video out -- video out has always been one of the top enhancements asked for.

Phil: And without giving up a millimeter of the screen.

John: Yeah, our screen size is the same. So, our competitive edge stays the same, and we add strength.

Sony used consumer surveys to figure out which colors would be most popular in America.

What kind of marketing needs to be done to educate the consumer about the new PSP?

Phil: More than half of our day is spent talking about how do we take the mystery out of the technology. There's some basic communication pieces we're going to put together to help the consumer understanding how PSP is evolving. One of the things I'm excited about is UMD movies and TV shows. They're given a new life with the new video-out feature. It's easy and convenient. I still like watching a movie on the PSP. I think it's better than watching on a video iPod.

One of my favorite things to do on PSP is to watch things from Memory Stick. Are there any plans to ever increase support for video codecs? Or, will we always need to use MPEG-4?

John: We would never say always. Our updates keep on evolving. We listen to what our customers are asking for and then we look at, from a product planning perspective in Japan, whether or not it's possible. I don't think we'd ever close the door on it. We're not saying anything today about changing that around, but we're always looking for opportunities to expand the way people use it. About 6 months ago, we added full-resolution video, and we've been pushing for that just because consumers have been pushing for that. So, the brakes were taken off in Japan.

Phil: So the story with the PSP. It's an evolved product, and there's cool bundle propositions. We're introducing new colors this year. We're working very closely with studios and television providers for new content at the right price point on UMD. I think that was a big miss. The studios managed the UMD by themselves and really didn't understand our space, so we have an initiative this year where we [the PlayStation team] are going to sell very targeted video content at under-$15 price points. You're going to be surprised on some of our announcements involving UMD. We're enabling more and more entertainment value and taking away some of the cost barriers to participate for the consumer and we're enhancing the product. It's a great year for PSP. PSP is a real important component of our business. It's built on the same platform and thought process of 10-year life cycles, and built-to-last and okay-to-evolve. It's a huge piece of our proposition, and it's going to be very exciting. PSP fans are going to be excited to see how the ecosystem of PSP and PS3 changes and evolves. And this isn't long-term in-the-future stuff. This is new things that continue to evolve around PSP and PlayStation.

The PlayStation 2 is still an important part of the PlayStation family that has the most potential to go against Wii's current mainstream popularity.

Phil: The PS2 is an amazing platform. The value proposition of the PS2 does align with the casual, younger, pick-up-and-play demographic of Wii. The PS3 -- it's like comparing a BMW 750i to a Toyota Corolla. You sell a lot of Corollas, but there's a whole different value. The PS2 has thousands of games, tons of cool peripherals. Wait until you see the new SingStar and Buzz product coming out. And also some of the key IP. It's amazing. [PS2] is a fun, easy platform that's still a DVD player. The value proposition around there ... it's still very relevant.

SingStar will be highly expandable when it arrives on PS3 later this year.

Speaking of SingStar, I was hoping the PS3 version would be like Folding@home, where it would be an application you can install on the hard drive.

Phil: At the press conference, we showed a sneak peak of that really cool interface using the SingStore. And there's more coming. You might not be too far off.

Doesn't offering a 80GB PS3 at $599 negate the mentality that the PS3 is cheaper? In effect, it doesn't appear that you've created a price drop at all. [Note: This interview was conducted before Sony confirmed that the 60GB model was no longer in production.]

Phil: Yeah, one of our competitors said the same thing in the press today. The story for us is the 80GB PlayStation 3 with more hard drive space, really focusing on how the PS3 interacts with the Network. People like the extra headroom, and as we start introducing downloadable services, whether its games, or HD content, having the larger hard drive adds a lot of value. Including Motorstorm, which is a million unit seller around the world -- there's a lot of value adding that game there. Now, the 60GB at $499. You might not think $100 makes that much of a difference, and already we've seen tremendous volume. We've always wanted a two SKU strategy in the marketplace. When we introduced the 20GB, but without the memory slots, and without the wi-fi, the value proposition simply wasn't there. And frankly, because demand was so exceeding supply back in Christmas (we didn't catch up until February), people were really just settling for the 20GB version because they couldn't get the 60GB. Having a 60GB system with all the features at $499 with all the features and benefits of PS3, is a terrific value. We don't want to discount what $100 means to the average consumer. It's a lot. What we're concentrating on is that an investment here -- we won't walk away from the platform, we never have, in three years. Other companies in this space have. This really is a roadmap strategy for us that allows us to have different value propositions for different consumers.

===
Thanks to Phil and John for the interview! We had a great time at Sony's E3 booth. Also, don't forget to check out interview with Kaz Hirai and Jack Tretton for more.

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PSP-2000 in Europe before Japan

Alexander Sliwinski — 2007-07-20T09:45:00+00:00

Filed under: Sony PSP, Business

The ~~PSP-2000~~, argh, PSP Lite will arrive in Europe before launching in Japan ... and yes, we're as shocked as you. Our Sony über-love of perfect quotations David Reeves says the PSP Lite will release in Europe early September at a €169 price, phasing out the old system. The system is not expected in Japan until September 20, sweet Mary Queen of Scot is Europe getting something early?

Well, this is where things get a little tricky. Yes, Europe will get it early, but there's also a marketing maneuver being used in Japan in regards to the PSP Lite. Turns out the Crisis Core edition of the PSP will release in Japan on Sept. 13, a week before the the official PSP Lite does. The special edition unit will only have 77,777 made. But, now we're just getting picky, let's enjoy the moment for Europe. Yay for Europe, for once you don't have to wait months after everyone else.

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Three extra colors for new PSP

Ross Miller — 2007-07-17T15:27:00+00:00

Filed under: Sony PSP

In announcing the new PSP-2000 model for Japan, Sony revealed that the Land of the Rising Sun would also have six different colors to choose from. Rose Pink, Lavender Purple and Felicia Blue all join the previously-announced shades black, white and silver. Here's a screenshot of the new PSP palette. Notice how, unlike the Nintendo DS models, none of these colors are very bright or prominent.

No word on if these colorful models will be released outside of Japan. The new model PSP is due out in September, whereby the old model will have to seek refuge as it's phased out.

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PSP-2000 Japanese street date is Sept. 20

Alexander Sliwinski — 2007-07-17T09:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Sony PSP

Sony has given the PSP-2000 (you must be joking with the name) a Japanese release date of Sept. 20. The handheld will release for ¥19,800 ($162) in six colors (black, white, silver and three pastels). If you'd like to know more about the gooey innards of the machine, feel free to check out what we learned from the manual. The ~~PSP Lite~~ ~~PSP Slim~~ PSP-2000 units will cost $199 in the US for an entertainment pack and $169 for the stand alone, they'll replace the original PSP model the same way the DS Lite replaced the phat.

What's with the awful names being banged around? Seriously, did nobody at Sony realize that the year 2000 happened seven years ago and calling the system the PSP-2000 seems just a tad counter-intuitive? Whatever, maybe it's just the Japanese name, although David Reeves seems to clearly say it's PSP-2000 for the Europeans as well. We'll find out soon enough when we get the North American presser with a release date.

Update: Yes, PSP-2000 is the model number (as PSP-1000 was the original). However, it is being referred to by Reeves (check the link above) and in widely reported articles as the PSP-2000 like that's the name. It will still be officially known as the PSP, as Sony is not rebranding the unit to differentiate it in consumer's minds. So the choice of Sony executives, instead of giving it a sexy name, is referring to it as the PSP 2000.

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Manual reveals some details on newly redesigned PSP Lite

Christopher Grant — 2007-07-16T11:56:00+00:00

Filed under: Sony PSP

We already uncovered a couple of the details gleaned from the newly redesigned PSP's manual from our own experiences with the unit, but there's a couple we weren't aware of. Here's the list:

RAM has been doubled to 64MB, games should load faster
The new system will support charging over USB
The 1200mAh battery is rated at 3-6 hours, the same as the original PSP's 1800mAh battery (good news: more efficient, bad news: same overall runtime)
Original PSP remotes will not work with the new PSP
The fancy component AV cable will not be included (big surprise)
The PSP Lite features a TA-085 PCB ... so, uh, yeah ...

We'll admit it, we feel silly coveting this thing. Like the DS Lite, the PSP Lite is the same old PSP with a svelte new bod and yet, we're powerless to resist its charms. That new video-out functionality is pretty amazing though ... yeah, that's it.

[Via Engadget]

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Added RAM makes PSP games load faster

Andrew Yoon — 2007-07-12T16:26:00+00:00

Filed under: Sony PSP, E3

The redesigned PSP makes games load faster. But, how? In a private demonstration with Joystiq, John Koller explained that the new PSP includes more than just good looks. The redesigned system also includes more RAM, which is used to increase the load speed of upcoming PSP titles. In addition, the system has much more efficient battery life. Koller promised between 8 to 10 hours of battery life in the new system, a seeming impossibility when remembering the original design.

See also:
Joystiq hands-on with the new PSP

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