Digital Journal — These days, everything is all-in-one: multi-function printers let you fax, scan, copy and print; cell phones can email, play games, snap pics and browse the Net; even sunglasses, such as Oakley’s Thump, bundle an MP3 player with snazzy shades.
Sony has jumped on that bandwagon and hopes to lead the charge with the PlayStation Portable (PSP), the talk of the video game industry. While the cool-looking unit tries to be jack of all trades by playing games, music and films using proprietary discs, its gaming function is really the only reason why anyone should nab this beaut.
Shaped like a booklet, the PSP weighs 11 ounces with headphones and remote control. While it is a bit larger than its competitors, the extra heft still feels good in your hands. PlayStation vets will recognize the familiar buttons and directional pad, plus a toggle button to manoeuvre most characters (a great add-on, but current games often only offer the toggle, and not the directional pad). A row of buttons below the screen enable the user to adjust volume or go directly to the main menu.
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| Shaped like a booklet, the Sony PSP weighs 11 ounces with headphones and remote control. |
Undoubtedly, the four-and-a-half-inch wide LCD is the shining highlight of the PSP, since it displays sharp colours without any shadowing. A 480-by-272 resolution enlivens video games and films so brilliantly that you would think your TV has magically shrunk. Playing games on this LCD doesn’t feel like a poor man’s console; rather, after several minutes, you forget that the screen fits into the palm of your hand.
Out of eight games tested, the most spectacular visuals belonged to Wipeout Pure and Gretzky NHL, both flowing smoothly during their quickest sequences. Gameplay was simple and rarely frustrating, and the sound was a bit better than passable without headphones (ear buds will dramatically improve the PSP experience). The only criticism during gaming is the loading time. During our tests, we found one minute to be the average, which may frustrate impatient gamers.
The PSP is a great gaming device, and even without the other functions (movies, music, photo viewing), Sony probably could have sold millions of units. After all, pre-launch buzz sparked a buying frenzy that saw half a million units sold in its first week, although some analysts estimate 300,000 PSPs are still lying in the inventory channel.
While there is a lot to say about the PSP’s great gaming capabilities, Digital Journal believes the hoopla should really end there. The sales have been good but not great for several reasons: First, the price is eyebrow-raising — $300 (CDN) for a bundle that includes Gretzky NHL, the
Secondly, the PSP attempts to be the king of the portable-media market by allowing users to play MP3s, view photos and watch films. Good in theory, but the execution is disappointing. While the LCD displays pics and films in stunning quality, the screen is highly reflective in moderate or bright light. This unit is really only ideal for extended viewing in dark rooms. Plus, the supplied 32MB Memory Stick can only hold around seven songs and two pics, which is laughable compared to iPod and its imitator cousins. You can get a much larger Memory Stick from a third-party, but plan on tacking on at least another $75 (CDN) to your bill.
What were PSP execs thinking when they decided this gaming gadget also had to flex its music muscle? The PSP is too large to fit comfortably into a pants pocket, and playing seven songs on repeat can get monotonous. This is a symptom of “feature creep” — attempting to package too much technology into a product that only suffers from this supposed flexibility.
Then there is the security issue. ZDNet says that Sony’s PSP is a security risk to home wireless networks: “PSP owners would have to lower their wireless security settings to support the PSP and endanger every computer connected to their home network,” writes George Ou.
With all its pros and cons, Digital Journal recommends the PSP to gamers on the go, to sports lovers who want to whisk Jerome Iginla down the ice, to racing fanatics who want to turbo their ATV off-road. This is where the PSP excels. However, it would be asking too much of Sony’s 2005 baby to be anything more than this.
The wait-and-see factor, however, involves how popular the PSP’s film function will be when more titles are released. Will gamers rent Napoleon Dynamite for the PSP when they can check it out on DVD? It’s a tough sell, and film fanatics are finicky bunch. But, as Sony undoubtedly knows, gamers are easy to please when their gadget is simple, impressive and chock full of games they have grown to love.
