Number Of Disc(s): N/A

Review Done By: Ju Leon Tan

On March 24, 2005, the era of no-compromises handheld gaming has arrived. Get ready for immersive, 3D gaming on a console that is poised to change the way we think about portable devices. With wireless internet, video & digital music playback, & incredible data storage & connectivity options, the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a complete solution for the mobile digital lifestyle. Sony has hit the mark by combining both horsepower & groundbreaking features into a package that weighs just a hair more than half a pound. It's the future of portable media!

The PSP's exceptional performance comes from a 333 MHz processor that dwarfs the speed of competing handheld consoles. Add this polygon-pushing muscle to 4 MB of fast DRAM & 32 MB of embedded RAM, & you've got a device with graphics rendering capabilities close to that of the PS2. Because no game is complete without audio, the PSP is generously appointed with built-in stereo speakers, as well Dolby Digital 7.1 surround sound capability. Sony has also pulled out all the stops with the PSP display. The bright, 4.3-inch LCD sports a 16:9 aspect ratio & 480 x 272 pixel resolution, that will give plenty of real estate for heavy gaming action & widescreen-format movies. All of this is powered by a removable, & rechargeable, lithium-ion battery.

From a controls perspective, the PSP is made for gaming. If you're familiar with a PlayStation controller, you'll be a pro at the PSP's controls in no time. Directional buttons, as well as an analog stick are provided. Meanwhile, the familiar left & right shoulder buttons, as well as triangle, circle, cross & square buttons are integrated into the device's slim case. Finally, home, select, & start buttons give you quick access & control over the PSP's important functions.

At the heart of the PSP is a new, proprietary media format known as the Universal Media Disc, or UMD. Each UMD can hold 1.8 GB of data, enough room for rich & complex games. UMDs, which are housed in a protective cover, slide into the rear of the PSP. Sony has declared the UMD an open format for developers & media content owners, so movies, music & other media are on the horizon from third parties. Sony has also signed on many popular game developers for the platform, so a deep library of titles is on tap.

While the UMD is great for read-only media such as games & movies, Sony solves the problem of data storage with the addition of a Memory Stick Duo slot. With Memory Stick Duo media, you can store your saved games, downloaded online content, personal video & audio files, & more. When you want access to these files from your PC, simply use the PSP's USB 2.0 port to turn the device into a fast portable media drive. Then, drag & drop files such as your photos, MP3s, & videos onto the PSP, just as you would any other removable storage device. The PSP ships with a 32 MB Memory Stick Duo, & additional media with higher storage capacities are available (up to 2GB).

The PSP blows away the competition in the connectivity department. Indeed, the PSP's ability to connect to the internet, & to other PSPs & USB-based peripherals, is a real advantage. At the top of the list is Wifi connectivity, or IEEE 801.11b. Use this wireless internet standard to connect to other gamers around the world for hot multiplayer action: all from your couch, or your local Wifi hotspot. As mentioned, the PSP's USB 2.0 port is great for PC connectivity, but it also opens the PSP up for a whole range of future peripherals. Sony has plans for the PSP in other ways, too; the unit's infrared port speaks of remote control capabilities in the near future.

If you haven't already guessed, Sony has positioned the PSP to be much more than a gaming device. Out of the box, the device is ready to serve as a portable video player & photo viewer. By using the new H.264 MPEG-4 video standard, Sony obviously has its eyes on making the PSP a robust video device with support for feature length movies & more. In addition, the PSP offers a great way to transport & share your photos in JPEG format. Let's not forget the music. Load up your favorite MP3 songs onto a Memory Stick Duo & you've got a portable audio powerhouse. The device also supports Sony's ATRAC audio codec, so you can play songs acquired from Sony's Connect Online Music Store. Sony even ships a nifty pair of earbuds, complete with an inline remote control with the PSP.

When you get your own PSP Value Pack bundle, it will included the following, the PSP device system, AC adapter, battery pack, 32 MB Memory Stick Duo, earbud headphones with remote control, soft case & hand strap. However, bundles many varies depending which retail store you go do (some have special promotions), which included games or PSP accessories.

For full details on the specs of the PSP, chick here, which will take you to the official spec site. It will also give you what else the PSP can do.

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. has release the highly waited system, the new PlayStation Portable, or for short, the PSP. All I can say is very cool! After saving up for a while, I was able to finally get my hands on it. This might be the future of portable gaming, but since like all brand new system, it will take a while before it really hits off. However, it already started, as new games are coming out almost every month, along with all the new hits movies & even series are coming out on the special PSP format movie, the UMD. Even more good news, Anime companies are even releasing Anime on UMD format, which is great for all Anime fans out there. It also acts as an MP3 player via the Memory Stick Duo, which can varies from 32MB to 2GB.

The design is very beautiful to the eye, all black, which is the only color that is now available (Japan is just release a ceramic white PSP), with a very large 4.3 inches LCD sports a 16:9 format, great for games & especially widescreen movies in UMD format. If you own yourself a PlayStation before, the PSP looks & feels just like the controller, with the buttons are the same position, except there is a screen right in the middle & there is no vibration mode. It's small, fits right in your hand comfortable, ready to go. The PSP also can acts like a memory card reader for your PC via the USB hookup, which reads Sony own Memory Stick Duo. However, with all new system, there is always comes with problems. First off, you got to handle with care. Thought it might be built solid as a rock, it might not survive if you drop it on the floor. The other issue is the very nice shiny design, it's so like to attract dust & even nasty finger prints like never before. It's very hard to remove it when you stick your finger on it. The PSP does comes with a wipe, but over time, it will scratch the surface. Battery life is also an issue, which an average life of 4-5 hours, depending how much you do with it. Last, the most problematic part of the PSP, it's pretty much the screen. You might have heard that the LCD have plagues of dead or stuck pixels. Lucky for me, the one I got didn't had any. By best advice for it, keep in doing an exchange where you got it, until you got a perfect one. I strongly advise you to get a screen protector right away & a protective case, as well.

I haven't started getting any new games for the PSP yet. So far, it's really easy to play since the PSP controller is design like the PlayStation controller, gaming is pretty easy to get use to. However, while playing out in public, do get a pair of earphones.

Here it is, the PSP is not just for gaming, but an all-in-one entertainment system, you can watch movies when you just don't want to play any games. The new format, called the Universal Media Disc, or UMD for short, is what the PSP used for both games & movies, can fits up to 1.8 GB of data. So far, almost every UMD movies or series releases for the PSP has to be on widescreen format, made just right for the LCD screen but hopefully, full screen, especially for non-widescreen features will be on the PSP. To what I have seen, so far, only a maximum of 2 hours can fit into one UMD discs, but it varies depending on the compression & features included, such as extras & subtitles. Viewing the UMD viewing takes a while to get use to, as all the buttons have a specific function, but it almost acts like the PS2 DVD function. Subtitles are the problematic issue. It's quite small, so you got to look up a bit close to read. Again, it varies from person to person. The most important point to make is that, like DVDs, all UMDs are regionally coded. Last, my suggestion is to watch it either on headphones or an external speaker system. Using the built-in speakers, well, it's not clear enough & you might get unwanted attention.

The packaging is really simple, with a box fill with goodies. However, since the PSP is a very fragile piece of hardware, the packaging is fits to get a good pounding. The PSP is locked up in a foam pocket with a heavy protection cardboard holder. It's actually place in the center with all the goodies, such as the manual, around it. What a great way to protect it. Anyways, PSP comes in one package now, the Value Pack bundle, which included, of course, the PSP device system, AC adapter, battery pack, 32 MB Memory Stick Duo, earbud headphones with remote control, soft case & hand strap. All of these official accessories can be purchase separately if you broke yours, but boy, are they expensive. The first time release limited edition release also comes with Gretzky NHL hockey game, which, personally, it's a crappy game, along with the first UMD movie to be release, Spider-Man 2! You can still find this bundle, but it's getting harder to find them. However, some retailers will do special promotions & release their own bundles for now, but hopefully, Sony will release another bundle set!

Like all new system, it will take a while to get the PSP rolling, but it has started. There are some initial problems during the launch release, but with time, it will get better & better, hopefully. Sooner or later, like the PS2, the PSP will go into on going hardware revisions, such as new PSP will be now made in China, as opposite to the first releases are made in Japan. The one good thing is that Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. will be releasing regular firmware updates to enhance the PSP with new functions & improve stability. Only the future will tell, but I will give you posted.