PSP2, Sony making uber device to take on the iPhone?

[zemmix]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2381/2257628900_7241af74be.jpg
*everyones favorite mock-up!

So Asahi news (http://www.asahi.com/business/update/0529/TKY201005280501.html) and even the Wall Street Journal (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703502804575101013088128250.html) have reported that Sony is making a new uber device to take on the Apple iPhone.

According to the Asahi article the new PlayStation is incorporating tech from their Walkman department, Sony-Ericsson, Sony Computer Entertainment and will use Android as the phone's operating system.

Leaks from some developers (http://www.vg247.com/2010/05/17/psp2-touch-screen-two-cameras-games-for-end-2010-beginning-2011/) have said it will use a 4-core Cell processor and is "f*cking powerful." But don't expect physical media to return to the system. It will also have 2 cameras and a touch screen but will retain the traditional PlayStation buttons.

So what do you think? If this is true I think I would definitely hold off on getting an iPhone 4G to replace my 3G (as long as SoftBank carries the phone...). Would you be willing to shell out $400 or so for such a device? Of course if it's a phone then you will be able to get a discount on it for signing up for a contract. I hope it is announced at E3 but it might not be announced until TGS in September.

[Enigmus]

Wow, it's like a PSPgo, but it'll be a phone, still suck and still be uncomfortable and out of most peoples' price ranges. Great, just like a lot of Sony things in the past decade.

[HappehLemons]

Better have 2 analog sticks, and better get hacked within the first month of its release or I'm not buying it.

[buzz_n64]

After pushing the PSP Go, and seeing it fail as a pure digital download gaming device, they're trying it again??? No physical media is a bad move, but if it's easily cracked I'll be possibly getting one.The iphone is populor only because it's trendy, and calls itself the best phone, so dumb-asses flock to it. Iphone, casual gaming system, PSP2, who knows how successful it'll be, but if it's trying to be a direct competition to the iphone, it'll fail like the zune against the ipod.

[kupomogli]

Bluray UMD format please. Digital only and I'm not buying it unless by some miraculous chance it can play PS2 and Gamecube games full speed with their online capabilities intact.

[portnoyd]

Lulz Sony.

[badinsults]

I think it will be hard for them to jump in a market that is already flooded by the likes of the iPhone and Blackberry.

Whatever happened to a phone just being a phone?

[buzz_n64]

I think it will be hard for them to jump in a market that is already flooded by the likes of the iPhone and Blackberry.

Blackberries suck.


Whatever happened to a phone just being a phone?

The Nokia N-Gage started it, blame it. lol

[Clownzilla]

Does anybody remember when the PlayStation line was 100% about gaming?

[Cornelius]

Does anybody remember when the PlayStation line was 100% about gaming?
and playing CDs. :?

[IcBlUsCrN]

have said it will use a 4-core Cell processor and is "f*cking powerful."

So what do you think? If this is true I think I would definitely hold off on getting an iPhone 4G to replace my 3G (as long as SoftBank carries the phone...). Would you be willing to shell out $400 or so for such a device? Of course if it's a phone then you will be able to get a discount on it for signing up for a contract. I hope it is announced at E3 but it might not be announced until TGS in September.

First the quad core thing had me rolling, really think about it what the fastest mobile cpu out now snapdragon?

2nd i did not read where it says it will be a phone as well

3rd if it did have phone abilities $400 is on the low end

4th dont see a screen like that going into production just on the drop test merits alone,


TIA

[Sonicwolf]

The Nokia N-Gage started it, blame it. lol

Ironically, it died a horrible, painful death.

[Rickstilwell1]

For some reason I don't see digital video game systems as real systems. When it comes to collecting for them it's more like N/A. They are fun for a while if something really good comes out for it, like my favorite download only games - Beats for PSP and Vandal-Hearts: Flames of Judgment for PS3/360. Things like that make it fun to at least get the system when it's being manufactured and sold then buy the stand-out title or two.

But if it's intangible I'd rather just work on collecting old games I still don't have yet. There's so many old Atari, Nintendo, Sega, Playstation etc. games I haven't tried before I tend to lean in that direction while I let the new stuff slip me by. I know it's going to be there 5-10 years from now in the bargain bin while the new monsters are on the shelf.

Trying to find the game you want will be like trying to find the exact pong system you want, but unable to tell without testing the system to see what is on it.

[ImBob]

and playing CDs. :?

I remember when I got my PS1, I was like wow, I can play CDs on my TV, at the time that was pretty cool

[BetaWolf47]

Whatever happened to a phone just being a phone?
Phones are just phones, unless they're smartphones. Problem is, when people start looking for new phones, they start in the $100+ price range, when normal phones can be had for dirt cheap.

Is the device really confirmed to not have a media slot though?

[garagesaleking!!]

the droid incredible is hands down the best smart phone available.

[Enigmus]

We `Bueno, llegué, todo el mundo dijo lo que podía compartir ah

WHAT THE.

I know it's spam, but Spanish spam, without starting a new thread advertising WAV to MP4 converters?!?

[kupomogli]

PSP2 comes out on September 28.

http://pspcustomfirmware.com/demos/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/PSP-Demo-Phantasy-Star-Portable-2-Demo.jpg

[Ze_ro]

Leaks from some developers (http://www.vg247.com/2010/05/17/psp2-touch-screen-two-cameras-games-for-end-2010-beginning-2011/) have said it will use a 4-core Cell processor and is "f*cking powerful."
There's no way they're going to use Cell in a smartphone. It's just not designed for tasks like that, and draws far too much power... you'd be recharging the thing every 10 minutes. Even the newest designs of the chip still draw something like 20 watts, which is about 10x what the most powerful ARM chips do.

If they have any brains, they'll stick with the MIPS architecture and keep some kind of backwards compatibility with the PSP. After all, they put all that work into making an app store and such, why throw it all away now?


But don't expect physical media to return to the system.
Don't expect me to ever buy it then. This digital distribution garbage has totally turned me off video games.


Would you be willing to shell out $400 or so for such a device?
Lord no.

--Zero

[Icarus Moonsight]

My most recent theory is Sony has developed some sort of allergy to success.

The alternate theory is they've become a 'top' that delegates from and plays the role of the 'bottom' because that's the only way they can get their jollies anymore.

They got to stop playing this zero-sum game they've been with and get in with something new or at least something existing approached from a fresh angle... But that involves risk and thought. They've either lost the ambition, the vision or both. If I had anything to say about it, I'd focus on changes in the upper levels, since shit rolls downhill and all.

[DeputyMoniker]

Take on the iPhone? They have my attention. I had a 3GS for a month before I took it back & traded it for a Blackberry 9700. Guess I'm just a BB guy. I'd be happy to consider trying a PSP phone though...

[chrisbid]

convergence to the fail again!


seriously, the playstation brand needs to be spun out of sony.

[shopkins]

If they really put a phone in it, that's a dealbreaker for me. I'm happy with my current cheap phone. I'm not shelling out the extra it would add to the price for something I don't need or want.

[Leo_A]

Don't expect me to ever buy it then. This digital distribution garbage has totally turned me off video games.


It isn't going away anytime too soon. No doubt that the PSP successor will still have physical media.

There were people here preaching that we were in the last month or two of UMD releases before the Go was released despite it not making a lick of sense. They'll be wrong with this too.

Maybe the generation after this coming one. But there's too many people that will resist it or not have the broadband connections to just ignore in 2010. Downloadable gaming will no doubt become much more common with the PSP2, but I forsee physical gaming still having a significant role to play on it.

[DeputyMoniker]

If they really put a phone in it, that's a dealbreaker for me. I'm happy with my current cheap phone. I'm not shelling out the extra it would add to the price for something I don't need or want.

I have a hard time understanding why it jacks the price up to put a phone in something. If they sell shitty phones for $50 full price...then why should it raise the production cost of a PSP2 more than a few bucks just to stick a phone in it?

[monkeychemist]

Don't expect me to ever buy it then. This digital distribution garbage has totally turned me off video games.


You know as a NES-gen gamer I was very resistant to this change also... but in the end I became a convert. Digital distributed games tend to sell for less and you can have all your games in one device. That's awesome for portable! No need to carry huge geeky case and fumble carts around that may wear out, break or get lost.

Embrace changes or you'll be a miserable gamer!

[megasdkirby]

Digital distributed games tend to sell for less and you can have all your games in one device.

Although a few exceptions exist, most of the "digital versions" of games I have seen have been priced around the same as regular physical media, at least those being sold at retail. In some cases, I even seen a few that have been more expensive than it's physical counterpart! Although not for PSP, an example is KungFu Panda for the Xbox 360: $30 digital product vs $20 physical media. Yeah.

Plus, if one wanted to play the game many years from now, and the console you had it in dies, you are out of luck. At least I can use the physical media on another console and continue gaming.


Embrace changes or you'll be a miserable gamer!

Change is good, when it's something positive or constructive, and not stupid as the changes done by Sony.

[heybtbm]

and you can have all your games in one device.

For a kid, sure. For your average DP'er...not even close.

One of the biggest failings of the PSPGo was it's paltry 16 GB of storage. Very few people could "have all their games in one device". It was an intentional decision to go with 16 GB, specifically designed to wrestle control away from the consumer.

Whether it's Microsoft's tiny, proprietary hard drives or Nintendo's arrogant "put something in, pull something out (http://gonintendo.com/viewstory.php?id=27171)" excuse, it's apparent that all three companies have a very specific plan for digital distribution. A plan that involves more control (space issues, DRM) for them and less for us. That's not a good thing.

[Daria]

I think of it this way, I'll gladly buy physical products. I'll also gladly pirate downloads.

[Zthun]

You know as a NES-gen gamer I was very resistant to this change also... but in the end I became a convert. Digital distributed games tend to sell for less and you can have all your games in one device. That's awesome for portable! No need to carry huge geeky case and fumble carts around that may wear out, break or get lost.

Embrace changes or you'll be a miserable gamer!

It would be nice if I could have all my digital content as content that would work on any device, but they restrict it to a single device. Until they figure out a much better way to prevent piracy, I'm going to stick with my huge geeky cases and fumbly carts.

[DeputyMoniker]

It would be nice if I could have all my digital content as content that would work on any device, but they restrict it to a single device. Until they figure out a much better way to prevent piracy, I'm going to stick with my huge geeky cases and fumbly carts.

Not trying to call you out but how is that different? Its still restricted to a single device, unless youre counting backward compatibility which you couldnt possibly expect every time you buy a game.

[Clownzilla]

Although a few exceptions exist, most of the "digital versions" of games I have seen have been priced around the same as regular physical media, at least those being sold at retail. In some cases, I even seen a few that have been more expensive than it's physical counterpart! Although not for PSP, an example is KungFu Panda for the Xbox 360: $30 digital product vs $20 physical media. Yeah.

I think more gamers would embrace DLC if the prices were lowered and the selections were greater. I love my PSPGo but it upsets me that Sony has the ability to make me a 100% satisfied customer but they mess it up with their ridiculous pricing and selection decisions.

[kedawa]

Not trying to call you out but how is that different? Its still restricted to a single device, unless youre counting backward compatibility which you couldnt possibly expect every time you buy a game.
It's restricted to a single specific device, though, which is the real problem. If you can't move your stuff to a replacement unit of the same type (cough, Nintendo) then the value of the digital download is severely reduced.

[duffmanth]

Sony had better do something spectacular with the PSP at E3 to apologize for the go.

[zemmix]

It would be nice if I could have all my digital content as content that would work on any device

Ultimately I think that's the direction they are going to have to go. In order to combat piracy they are going to have to give consumers added value in the form of a premium PSN cloud type network.

Ideally I imagine that you would be able to buy psp2 games on the PSN network which would then unlock the title for your psn account. Then you could download and play that game on both your PS3 for when you are at home and your psp2 for when you are on the go. Your saved games wouldn't sit on a hard drive or flash memory but instead get uploaded to the psn network so that no matter if you are playing at home or on the go you can pick up from wherever you last left off. Trophies, multiplayer (requiring wi-fi at least, latency on 3G networks probably won't suit fps shooters well...), ease of use and other benefits would add to the value.

The problem the DS has is how easy it is to hack the thing and the fact that there is nothing to the games besides what is on the carts. It even makes it more convenient because you can download multiple games to one r4 cart which you can't do legally. It will be interesting to see what they do with the 3DS.

[Nophix]

They have no chance against the iPhone or Apple ecosystem with their current marketing model. The iPhone is only a popular portable gaming system because you can get a bunch of quick games for around $1, and even "expensive" games are under $5-$10. There are also a lot of free titles.

I don't see Sony putting those types of prices on their titles.

[zemmix]

Ok so maybe not a PSP2 but this is pretty close... Do I win a cookie?

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/10/engadgetpspphone7.jpg


It's hard to believe that what we're looking at is real -- but we assure you, the picture above is in fact the PlayStation Phone you've long been waiting for. As we reported back in August, the device you see is headed into the market soon, likely boasting Android 3.0 (aka Gingerbread), along with a custom Sony Marketplace which will allow you to purchase and download games designed for the new platform. The device snapped up top (and in our gallery below) is sporting a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8655 (a chip similar to the one found in the G2, but 200MHz faster), 512MB of RAM, 1GB of ROM, and the screen is in the range of 3.7 to 4.1 inches. Looking almost identical to the mockup we hit you with this summer, the handset does indeed have a long touchpad in the center which is apparently multitouch, and you can see in the photos that it's still bearing those familiar PlayStation shoulder buttons. For Sony buffs, you'll be interested to know that there's no Memory Stick slot here, but there is support for microSD cards.

The particular model in these shots is still in prototyping mode. As such, the unit doesn't have a custom skin (not even SE's Timescape design seen on the Xperia devices), and is said to be rather buggy. We're digging into more facts as we speak, but it's likely that much of what we reported earlier is still accurate, and though the device could still be headed for a 2010 release, 2011 is looking much more realistic. Still, there's a lot of time between now and the holidays... so keep your fingers crossed!

http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/26/the-playstation-phone/

Maybe the actual PSP2 will turn out to be a tablet.

[poloplayr]

...

Whatever happened to a phone just being a phone?

Amen.

[kupomogli]

There was also an official announcement of the PSP2 recently. It's scheduled for a Fall 2011 release but they're not going to show the system off right now because it's overheating.

[NayusDante]

So it has "analog" control in the form of touch pads. Basically, it's an Android phone with a gamepad where the physical keyboard should be. It's passable...

While I like the industrial minimalism of the design, which I can appreciate more than the PSPGo, it's still just an Android phone. My Motorola Droid runs Quake III at a playable framerate, but I wouldn't say it's better than a PSP in terms of 3D performance. Unless they put a dedicated GPU in it, it's just going to be a console emulation phone. Seriously, that's all it'll be good for, and that's the market that will buy it. They appear to be making a device that gets up and walks away from everything they've done in the life of the PSP.

I'd like to see this do well, but it has to have the right internal hardware and developer support to succeed. This isn't something where they can just do a half-assed job and expect it to work.

[Oldskool]

I remember when I got my PS1, I was like wow, I can play CDs on my TV, at the time that was pretty cool

LOL, yeah I was the same way, but several years earlier than that with the Sega CD.

[Swamperon]

http://site.video-game-central.com/blog/2011/01/13/sony-psp2-to-be-as-powerful-as-ps3/#more-20173

Apparently it's going to be as powerful as the PS3, feature a HD screen, combine digital and retail releases and we'll get more details and a look at a Sony Conference on January 27th.

I presume they're going to have currently unannounced features similar to what the iphone/3DS can do, otherwise it seems they're just going down the old 'more power, better graphics!' route. Which I can't see being a successful sales strategy.

[NayusDante]

The key this next generation is to make it easy to develop for. The indie scene is going to be much more interesting than the AAA developers, and Sony needs to make it so that ANYONE can develop for their platform. Oh wait a minute...