Nintendo Re-design DS
07.28.04 (11:47 am) [edit]
At this years E3 Nintendo made a strong point of letting us know that the design of the DS on the show floor was not the final design, and that it would be getting a makeover before its release.
Today Nintendo came through, and released the pictures of the cosmetically overhauled Nintendo DS.
The new look follows the same concept as the GBA SP, giving function in an attractive form.
While complaints about the look of the DS were common after E3, this new design puts it on a level of sleekness with the PSP.
It is likely that the Nintendo DS will come in a wide range of colors, following what Nintendo did for the GameCube, GBA, and GBA SP.
Nintendo also announced that its codename "Nintendo DS" was going to be the name of the final product
Image edited by New Artist Shinobi
News Posted by Admin
Today Nintendo came through, and released the pictures of the cosmetically overhauled Nintendo DS.
The new look follows the same concept as the GBA SP, giving function in an attractive form.
While complaints about the look of the DS were common after E3, this new design puts it on a level of sleekness with the PSP.
It is likely that the Nintendo DS will come in a wide range of colors, following what Nintendo did for the GameCube, GBA, and GBA SP.
Nintendo also announced that its codename "Nintendo DS" was going to be the name of the final product
Image edited by New Artist Shinobi
News Posted by Admin
THIS ROSE ISN'T WITHOUT ITS THORNS
07.28.04 (5:08 am) [edit]
[b]THIS ROSE ISN'T WITHOUT ITS THORNS[/b]
As I'm sure you all have seen, the PSP has a lot of good in it. The big screen, the high capacity medium, the amazing graphics, the multimedia functionality, the joystick, the familiar controls... no doubt, the PSP is a force to be reckoned with.
But what about the bad? What about the bad that even comes from the good? The PSP is filled with all kinds of catch 22s.
Now, before I get into it, I want to make it clear that I am not bashing the PSP. These are very real concerns that I (as well as others) have. I am not trying to convince anyone out of buying the PSP, as I have all the intention in the world of owning one when it comes out as well. The real purpose of this is to bring these concerns to light, and to help people make educated decisions.
[b]THE SCREEN[/b]
THE GOOD:
The screen is a big beautiful piece of work, situated symmetrically in the center of the PSP. At 4.3 inches, 480x272 pixel resolution, and with 16 million colors, this screen is bigger, sharper, and brighter than any handheld's to date. It allows for a wide view of whatever you may be playing, be it movies or games. It is plainly ideal for the kind of multifunctions Sony wants in the PSP.
THE BAD:
But it's not so ideal for portability. The big size adds to the size of the unit, and the brightness of the screen draws from the battery considerably. And the fact that it's exposed means that it is prone to scratching and breaking.
HOW MUCH DOES IT MATTER?:
It's not so bad. The PSP is quite compact despite the big screen, and it won't draw from the battery too much. I don't want to draw too many comparisons here, but the combined size of the Nintendo DS's screens is larger than the PSP's, and they don't have a problem with the powering. I don't expect Sony will either. The scratching and breaking might still be a problem, but it might also not be.
[b]THE UMD[/b]
THE GOOD:
The high capacity of the disc allows for a lot of information, be it games, movies, music, or data. Console quality games could fit with little or no compromise in quality. The plastic casing makes it difficult to scratch the disc, so you should have few concerns about pocketing them.
THE BAD:
The spinning medium is going to require a motor, which will draw heavily from the battery. The moving parts mean more pieces that can break. The capacity is quite small when compared to DVDs, which is no good for movies which frequently require more than five times as much space. Movies that come out will likely have much fewer features than DVDs, which people will be unwilling to accept. The new medium also means that if anybody chooses to watch a movie they already have on the go, they have to buy that movie again. The plastic casing has a small hole on the data side through which the data is read, but it has no protective sheath. This means that dust and lint will have no problem getting in, but might have some difficulty getting out. And if you ever have a UMD in the same pocket with your keys, and a key gets in that hole, it's likely that the leverage will pin the key against the disc, forcing it to scratch.
HOW MUCH DOES IT MATTER?:
Quite a bit, I'm afraid. With portable gaming devices, battery life has always been a great concern, and has even led to the demise of a lot of the Game Boy's competitors. The RAM upgrade will certainly help these matters but that can only go so far, and it means loading times since nothing should be streamed from the disc. The durability of the handheld is also in question, and I know a lot of people won't be too happy if these have a problem with breaking. If Sony truly expects UMDs to be an acceptable medium for movies, they had better figure something out fast. The quality of picture a UMD can produce might look just fine on the PSP's screen, but what about on a TV? I know I don't want to buy a movie multiple times, so if I buy a UMD version I want it to be able to decently substitute for a DVD, special features and all. The plastic casing of the UMD should work just fine. It might lead to a few problems like I suggested, but they will be few and far between. The plastic casing they have is certainly better than none.
[b]THE POWER[/b]
THE GOOD:
The visuals the PSP can produce are beyond what anybody would have expected to see this generation of handhelds. The graphics are better than Sony's console counterpart. The power in the processor should allow for some very impressive in-game physics and AI. This will really bring console gaming into the realm of handheld gaming.
THE BAD:
A developer is going to have to either use some very creative coding, or they are going to have to make some sacrifices if they want to use that power. Since streaming off of the disc is a bad thing, developers are going to have to rely heavily on the RAM. All of the game information that is being processed at any given time while you're playing will be from the RAM. This means if a level is more than 32MB, it is going to need to read from the disc more than once. The more complex the AI, or the more detailed the textures, or the more polygons to be rendered, or the better the physics... all of these things are going to take up space in the RAM. So you have the CPU and GPU consuming more power, and you have the disc spinning more often; it's a double hit on the battery. The more the game actually uses the power, the less you get to play that game for. And all of that power is expensive, as well.
HOW MUCH DOES IT MATTER?:
Depends. Simpler games could be just as fun and offer longer play times for their simplicity. Developers could find a way to make games look better by taking shortcuts in coding, without necessarily compromising play time. Nearly anything is possible. I would say to expect shorter battery life around the launch, but as time progresses we could see the battery life effectively double for new games. It is quite likely that the PSP will cost a lot to manufacture, but there is still the question of how much of that cost the end consumers will see.
[b]THE EXTRAS[/b]
THE GOOD:
The joystick will offer console-like control, and it is quite comfortable to use. The multimedia functions allow for a wide range of uses, giving more options than a gaming exclusive device would. The PSP is endlessly expandable, and will continue to grow through several accessories.
THE BAD:
The joystick is on the same side as the D-pad. It doesn't make any sense to have two directional inputs on one side. The multimedia will likely add to the price, and (if past devices are any indication) will bring down the quality. Accessories are rarely supported to a degree that they should be.
HOW MUCH DOES IT MATTER?:
Again, it depends. Games might get along just fine with the joystick and D-pad on one side, or they might hinder gameplay. The multimedia might actually be inexpensive to add on and actually worthwhile, or it could be an afterthought addition. The accessories might get supported more than is common, or they might be like most accessories. For these, it really is a case of time telling.
[b]THE CONCLUSION[/b]
The rest is up to you to decide. Some of these problems might be completely corrected for the release of the product, while other might be worse than predicted. Pay attention to anything you can find on the topic, and try to make an educated purchase. And don't believe Sony's numbers. Not that they lie, but they only give best case scenarios.
By Dark Knight
As I'm sure you all have seen, the PSP has a lot of good in it. The big screen, the high capacity medium, the amazing graphics, the multimedia functionality, the joystick, the familiar controls... no doubt, the PSP is a force to be reckoned with.
But what about the bad? What about the bad that even comes from the good? The PSP is filled with all kinds of catch 22s.
Now, before I get into it, I want to make it clear that I am not bashing the PSP. These are very real concerns that I (as well as others) have. I am not trying to convince anyone out of buying the PSP, as I have all the intention in the world of owning one when it comes out as well. The real purpose of this is to bring these concerns to light, and to help people make educated decisions.
[b]THE SCREEN[/b]
THE GOOD:
The screen is a big beautiful piece of work, situated symmetrically in the center of the PSP. At 4.3 inches, 480x272 pixel resolution, and with 16 million colors, this screen is bigger, sharper, and brighter than any handheld's to date. It allows for a wide view of whatever you may be playing, be it movies or games. It is plainly ideal for the kind of multifunctions Sony wants in the PSP.
THE BAD:
But it's not so ideal for portability. The big size adds to the size of the unit, and the brightness of the screen draws from the battery considerably. And the fact that it's exposed means that it is prone to scratching and breaking.
HOW MUCH DOES IT MATTER?:
It's not so bad. The PSP is quite compact despite the big screen, and it won't draw from the battery too much. I don't want to draw too many comparisons here, but the combined size of the Nintendo DS's screens is larger than the PSP's, and they don't have a problem with the powering. I don't expect Sony will either. The scratching and breaking might still be a problem, but it might also not be.
[b]THE UMD[/b]
THE GOOD:
The high capacity of the disc allows for a lot of information, be it games, movies, music, or data. Console quality games could fit with little or no compromise in quality. The plastic casing makes it difficult to scratch the disc, so you should have few concerns about pocketing them.
THE BAD:
The spinning medium is going to require a motor, which will draw heavily from the battery. The moving parts mean more pieces that can break. The capacity is quite small when compared to DVDs, which is no good for movies which frequently require more than five times as much space. Movies that come out will likely have much fewer features than DVDs, which people will be unwilling to accept. The new medium also means that if anybody chooses to watch a movie they already have on the go, they have to buy that movie again. The plastic casing has a small hole on the data side through which the data is read, but it has no protective sheath. This means that dust and lint will have no problem getting in, but might have some difficulty getting out. And if you ever have a UMD in the same pocket with your keys, and a key gets in that hole, it's likely that the leverage will pin the key against the disc, forcing it to scratch.
HOW MUCH DOES IT MATTER?:
Quite a bit, I'm afraid. With portable gaming devices, battery life has always been a great concern, and has even led to the demise of a lot of the Game Boy's competitors. The RAM upgrade will certainly help these matters but that can only go so far, and it means loading times since nothing should be streamed from the disc. The durability of the handheld is also in question, and I know a lot of people won't be too happy if these have a problem with breaking. If Sony truly expects UMDs to be an acceptable medium for movies, they had better figure something out fast. The quality of picture a UMD can produce might look just fine on the PSP's screen, but what about on a TV? I know I don't want to buy a movie multiple times, so if I buy a UMD version I want it to be able to decently substitute for a DVD, special features and all. The plastic casing of the UMD should work just fine. It might lead to a few problems like I suggested, but they will be few and far between. The plastic casing they have is certainly better than none.
[b]THE POWER[/b]
THE GOOD:
The visuals the PSP can produce are beyond what anybody would have expected to see this generation of handhelds. The graphics are better than Sony's console counterpart. The power in the processor should allow for some very impressive in-game physics and AI. This will really bring console gaming into the realm of handheld gaming.
THE BAD:
A developer is going to have to either use some very creative coding, or they are going to have to make some sacrifices if they want to use that power. Since streaming off of the disc is a bad thing, developers are going to have to rely heavily on the RAM. All of the game information that is being processed at any given time while you're playing will be from the RAM. This means if a level is more than 32MB, it is going to need to read from the disc more than once. The more complex the AI, or the more detailed the textures, or the more polygons to be rendered, or the better the physics... all of these things are going to take up space in the RAM. So you have the CPU and GPU consuming more power, and you have the disc spinning more often; it's a double hit on the battery. The more the game actually uses the power, the less you get to play that game for. And all of that power is expensive, as well.
HOW MUCH DOES IT MATTER?:
Depends. Simpler games could be just as fun and offer longer play times for their simplicity. Developers could find a way to make games look better by taking shortcuts in coding, without necessarily compromising play time. Nearly anything is possible. I would say to expect shorter battery life around the launch, but as time progresses we could see the battery life effectively double for new games. It is quite likely that the PSP will cost a lot to manufacture, but there is still the question of how much of that cost the end consumers will see.
[b]THE EXTRAS[/b]
THE GOOD:
The joystick will offer console-like control, and it is quite comfortable to use. The multimedia functions allow for a wide range of uses, giving more options than a gaming exclusive device would. The PSP is endlessly expandable, and will continue to grow through several accessories.
THE BAD:
The joystick is on the same side as the D-pad. It doesn't make any sense to have two directional inputs on one side. The multimedia will likely add to the price, and (if past devices are any indication) will bring down the quality. Accessories are rarely supported to a degree that they should be.
HOW MUCH DOES IT MATTER?:
Again, it depends. Games might get along just fine with the joystick and D-pad on one side, or they might hinder gameplay. The multimedia might actually be inexpensive to add on and actually worthwhile, or it could be an afterthought addition. The accessories might get supported more than is common, or they might be like most accessories. For these, it really is a case of time telling.
[b]THE CONCLUSION[/b]
The rest is up to you to decide. Some of these problems might be completely corrected for the release of the product, while other might be worse than predicted. Pay attention to anything you can find on the topic, and try to make an educated purchase. And don't believe Sony's numbers. Not that they lie, but they only give best case scenarios.
By Dark Knight
Preview: Gizmondo
07.27.04 (8:12 am) [edit]
The new handheld gaming system Gizmondo is so much more than a gaming device and a GPS. Gizmondo represents the variety of features and the worldwide format that is captured under the shell of this this little multi-entertainer. It's hard to describe this device as just a gaming console.
Recently announcing an agreement with OnDemand, Europe's largest digital music distributer, Gizmondo users have a lot to look forword to in the upcomming days with this integration of digital tunes.
Releasing in the UK later this summer, and going global sometime during the fall Gizmondo will be the first of it's kind and will surely turn the world upside down.
Externally Featuring:
Gaming, Music Player, Movie Player, Messaging, GPS, GPRS, and Bluetooth connectivity. Running Windows CE OS, a 400Mhz ARM9 Processor, a 2.8" TFT Color Screen!
Featuring:
-GSM tri-band
-GPRS Class 10
-TFT screen ~ 240 x 320 pixels
-WAP 2.0
-MMS receive and send
-MP3 playback
-MIDI/WAV formats
-SMS
-SpeakerM
-MPEG 4 video playback
-JPEG camera
-SD flash card reader
-Mini-USB clientBluetooth class 2 for multiplayer gaming
-Temperature range 0°C to 55°C
-3D games engine
-Graphics accelerator
-GPS tracking application
-GPS mapping application
-Removable SIM card
-Removable battery
-Polyphonic ring tones
-Stereo headset socket for MP3 and games
Windows Media Player 9
-Flight Mode
Gizmondo Europe ltd is a subsidiary of Tiger Telematics Inc., which was founded in 2001 and is a publicly listed company trading under the NASDAQ stock symbol TIGR.
Preview By our new writer
[b]40DT[/b]
He also works for Dallas News in the Tech Department.
:)
We're proud to have writing for us.
Recently announcing an agreement with OnDemand, Europe's largest digital music distributer, Gizmondo users have a lot to look forword to in the upcomming days with this integration of digital tunes.
Releasing in the UK later this summer, and going global sometime during the fall Gizmondo will be the first of it's kind and will surely turn the world upside down.
Externally Featuring:
Gaming, Music Player, Movie Player, Messaging, GPS, GPRS, and Bluetooth connectivity. Running Windows CE OS, a 400Mhz ARM9 Processor, a 2.8" TFT Color Screen!
Featuring:
-GSM tri-band
-GPRS Class 10
-TFT screen ~ 240 x 320 pixels
-WAP 2.0
-MMS receive and send
-MP3 playback
-MIDI/WAV formats
-SMS
-SpeakerM
-MPEG 4 video playback
-JPEG camera
-SD flash card reader
-Mini-USB clientBluetooth class 2 for multiplayer gaming
-Temperature range 0°C to 55°C
-3D games engine
-Graphics accelerator
-GPS tracking application
-GPS mapping application
-Removable SIM card
-Removable battery
-Polyphonic ring tones
-Stereo headset socket for MP3 and games
Windows Media Player 9
-Flight Mode
Gizmondo Europe ltd is a subsidiary of Tiger Telematics Inc., which was founded in 2001 and is a publicly listed company trading under the NASDAQ stock symbol TIGR.
Preview By our new writer
[b]40DT[/b]
He also works for Dallas News in the Tech Department.
:)
We're proud to have writing for us.
Special Thanks to the New Team!
07.25.04 (9:09 am) [edit]
Theres a new team of us now running the site to improve news, articals and general layout of the site.
:)
Just like to say thanks.
[b]Slickshot[/b] - Webmaster
slickshot[b][NO SPAM PLEASE][/b]@gmail.com
[b]AquaJava[/b] - Partner - Suggestions for the site.
Even links to us from his major mobilephone games site.
aquajava[b][NO SPAM PLEASE][/b]@feemail.hu
[b]www.aquajava.hu[/b]
[b]Matt[/b] - Media Dude - Gives us the latest News
matt_laker01[b][NO SPAM PLEASE][/b]@hotmail.com
[b]Bugeye1[/b] - Writer
jerrolson[b][NO SPAM PLEASE][/b]@earthlink.net
[b]Dark Knight[/b] - Writer
Wupideedo[b][NO SPAM PLEASE][/b]@aol.com
[b]40DT[/b] - Writer
clint_barr[b][NO SPAM PLEASE][/b]@sbcglobal.net
He works for a Local Tech Newpaper, Dallas News.
[b]FooTM[/b] - Artist
curtisphoenix[b][NO SPAM PLEASE][/b]@hotmail.com
[b]Shinobi[/b] - Artist/Forum Mod
shinobi[b][NO SPAM PLEASE][/b]@spymac.com
[b]paulbeattie87[/b] - Promotes the Site/Mod
paul.beattie[b][NO SPAM PLEASE][/b]@gmail.com
[b]MXer29[/b] - Global Mod/Help
mike_xr50[b][NO SPAM PLEASE][/b]@hotmail.com
[b]Victor[/b] - Forum Mod
v[b][NO SPAM PLEASE][/b]@wi.rr.com
[b]crunkcrumpet[/b] - Forum Mod
crumpet[b][NO SPAM PLEASE][/b]@gmail.com
[b]Titanic_Hispanic[/b]
[b][Pending][/b]
We are always looking for new staff even though there may be 10 of us at this point.
We are always looking to expand the site into new areas.
If your intrested in becoming a staff member contact me.
:)
Or just come to our forums using the link on the left, register as a user and ask us on the newbie forums.
Thanks guys
:)
Just like to say thanks.
[b]Slickshot[/b] - Webmaster
slickshot[b][NO SPAM PLEASE][/b]@gmail.com
[b]AquaJava[/b] - Partner - Suggestions for the site.
Even links to us from his major mobilephone games site.
aquajava[b][NO SPAM PLEASE][/b]@feemail.hu
[b]www.aquajava.hu[/b]
[b]Matt[/b] - Media Dude - Gives us the latest News
matt_laker01[b][NO SPAM PLEASE][/b]@hotmail.com
[b]Bugeye1[/b] - Writer
jerrolson[b][NO SPAM PLEASE][/b]@earthlink.net
[b]Dark Knight[/b] - Writer
Wupideedo[b][NO SPAM PLEASE][/b]@aol.com
[b]40DT[/b] - Writer
clint_barr[b][NO SPAM PLEASE][/b]@sbcglobal.net
He works for a Local Tech Newpaper, Dallas News.
[b]FooTM[/b] - Artist
curtisphoenix[b][NO SPAM PLEASE][/b]@hotmail.com
[b]Shinobi[/b] - Artist/Forum Mod
shinobi[b][NO SPAM PLEASE][/b]@spymac.com
[b]paulbeattie87[/b] - Promotes the Site/Mod
paul.beattie[b][NO SPAM PLEASE][/b]@gmail.com
[b]MXer29[/b] - Global Mod/Help
mike_xr50[b][NO SPAM PLEASE][/b]@hotmail.com
[b]Victor[/b] - Forum Mod
v[b][NO SPAM PLEASE][/b]@wi.rr.com
[b]crunkcrumpet[/b] - Forum Mod
crumpet[b][NO SPAM PLEASE][/b]@gmail.com
[b]Titanic_Hispanic[/b]
[b][Pending][/b]
We are always looking for new staff even though there may be 10 of us at this point.
We are always looking to expand the site into new areas.
If your intrested in becoming a staff member contact me.
:)
Or just come to our forums using the link on the left, register as a user and ask us on the newbie forums.
Thanks guys
New Forums
07.20.04 (11:02 am) [edit]
Hi Guys
We just got some new forums for you guys to talk about PSP.
[b]playstationportable-fo rums.cjb.net[/b]
Be sure to bookmark that as its one of few PSP forums on the net.
We also have a better domain name that you can visit out ite by.
You can now use to access our homepage.
[b]playstationportable.cjb.net[/b]
Hopfully the site will get a .com domain soon, But for now it works well.
guys get down to our newly made forums and register yourselves to talk with other PSP Fans.
:)
We are also is the google newsfeed waitng list, Hopefully we'll get into that.
More News as it comes
The Team
We just got some new forums for you guys to talk about PSP.
[b]playstationportable-fo rums.cjb.net[/b]
Be sure to bookmark that as its one of few PSP forums on the net.
We also have a better domain name that you can visit out ite by.
You can now use to access our homepage.
[b]playstationportable.cjb.net[/b]
Hopfully the site will get a .com domain soon, But for now it works well.
guys get down to our newly made forums and register yourselves to talk with other PSP Fans.
:)
We are also is the google newsfeed waitng list, Hopefully we'll get into that.
More News as it comes
The Team
NEWS: Memory Stick Prices Drop
07.19.04 (7:22 am) [edit]
[b]Price Drops - PlayStation Portable Storage[/b]
Memory Stick Prices have dropped from today.
This is great news for us PSP buyers.
:)
As its now much cheaper to buy Memory Sticks for use in the PSP.
here are the prices.
[b]256MB Memory Stick PRO - $90 (Around £49)[/b]
[b]512MB full-size Memory Stick PRO - $180 (Around £96)[/b]
[b]256MB Memory Stick PRO Duo - $95 (Around £51)[/b]
[b]512MB Memory Stick PRO Duo - $250 (Around £133)[/b]
Companies normally lower prices of existing products because they are about to rollout new products.
In this case probley higher capacitys of Memory Stick Duo's.
:)
Sony Products depend on their own brand of memory storage.
So they can price it as high as they want without worrying that a competitior will price a lower memory stick.
Because thats just not going to happen as far as i know sony own the rights to Memory Sticks.
Neither can you hope Sony products such as PSP and PS3 to have CF slots.
Mark
Memory Stick Prices have dropped from today.
This is great news for us PSP buyers.
:)
As its now much cheaper to buy Memory Sticks for use in the PSP.
here are the prices.
[b]256MB Memory Stick PRO - $90 (Around £49)[/b]
[b]512MB full-size Memory Stick PRO - $180 (Around £96)[/b]
[b]256MB Memory Stick PRO Duo - $95 (Around £51)[/b]
[b]512MB Memory Stick PRO Duo - $250 (Around £133)[/b]
Companies normally lower prices of existing products because they are about to rollout new products.
In this case probley higher capacitys of Memory Stick Duo's.
:)
Sony Products depend on their own brand of memory storage.
So they can price it as high as they want without worrying that a competitior will price a lower memory stick.
Because thats just not going to happen as far as i know sony own the rights to Memory Sticks.
Neither can you hope Sony products such as PSP and PS3 to have CF slots.
Mark
Thoughts: Red Jade
07.19.04 (5:45 am) [edit]
[b]Remeber the Red Jade by Ericsson?[/b]
It was a 10 million dollor project by Ericsson.
They planned to invest a further 500 million into it.
this would have truly been the most poplure handhheld system in the world.
The most amazing handheld was in development
sadly they announced in April 2001 that the project would ahve to be stopped.
Then announced in 2002 that they were to resume work on the "$100 system", Claiming they could price it this low with their new 1 chip solution.
Sadly a few months later they said it was cancelled permently.
And that they would do no further work on the system.
This device had more potential then any other handheld around of forthcoming.
Here are it specs
-64-bit CPU
-3D polygon graphics
-Multi-channel PCM Sounds
-TFT LCD display, 65536 colors
-Mobile phone rechargeable battery
-Blue Tooth technology enable wireless communication
-between 2 or more machines
-Download game titles from secured game servers
-Retail price will be less than US$10
With prototypes already made this beast was so close to production.
Pictures were posted, the Handheld was being tested.
I beleive they even signed on with a few companies ready to produce games or were in the middle of it.
Sadly they had to get rid of 22,000 employees.
Having to make cut downs and not having enough money to resume the project they completely abandoned all work on this great system.
Now this is what i was hoping
Ericsson are known worldwide for their involvement with Sony.
So lets hope Parts of the "Red Jade" appear PSP, as its likly that some of the same suspects from the old Red Jade team helped in the development of the PSP.
Lets hope the price of the PSP is similer to that of what the Red Jade was going to be.
Truly the most amazing device we would have seen, it would have blown all its competitiors out of the water.
The only handheld that even comes close to the PSP.
Sad it was never and will never be released.
If Ericsson ever decide to try and compete in the Handheld gaming area again you can expect the resurrection of something very similer to that of the deceased Red Jade.
But after losing 10mil+ their going to have a long wait before they can heal their wounds and try again and this time they have more players to play against with the
PSP, DS, Gameboyevolution and all these other little players getting involved.
Ericsson no longer have the one competitor to compete against.
Their really going to have to try hard to get back into it...
SlickShot
It was a 10 million dollor project by Ericsson.
They planned to invest a further 500 million into it.
this would have truly been the most poplure handhheld system in the world.
The most amazing handheld was in development
sadly they announced in April 2001 that the project would ahve to be stopped.
Then announced in 2002 that they were to resume work on the "$100 system", Claiming they could price it this low with their new 1 chip solution.
Sadly a few months later they said it was cancelled permently.
And that they would do no further work on the system.
This device had more potential then any other handheld around of forthcoming.
Here are it specs
-64-bit CPU
-3D polygon graphics
-Multi-channel PCM Sounds
-TFT LCD display, 65536 colors
-Mobile phone rechargeable battery
-Blue Tooth technology enable wireless communication
-between 2 or more machines
-Download game titles from secured game servers
-Retail price will be less than US$10
With prototypes already made this beast was so close to production.
Pictures were posted, the Handheld was being tested.
I beleive they even signed on with a few companies ready to produce games or were in the middle of it.
Sadly they had to get rid of 22,000 employees.
Having to make cut downs and not having enough money to resume the project they completely abandoned all work on this great system.
Now this is what i was hoping
Ericsson are known worldwide for their involvement with Sony.
So lets hope Parts of the "Red Jade" appear PSP, as its likly that some of the same suspects from the old Red Jade team helped in the development of the PSP.
Lets hope the price of the PSP is similer to that of what the Red Jade was going to be.
Truly the most amazing device we would have seen, it would have blown all its competitiors out of the water.
The only handheld that even comes close to the PSP.
Sad it was never and will never be released.
If Ericsson ever decide to try and compete in the Handheld gaming area again you can expect the resurrection of something very similer to that of the deceased Red Jade.
But after losing 10mil+ their going to have a long wait before they can heal their wounds and try again and this time they have more players to play against with the
PSP, DS, Gameboyevolution and all these other little players getting involved.
Ericsson no longer have the one competitor to compete against.
Their really going to have to try hard to get back into it...
SlickShot
Thoughts: The Screen
07.19.04 (5:22 am) [edit]
[b]Playstation Portable Screen[/b]
Another downside people see on the PSP is the screen.
The very powerful screen is incredibly bright and views photo's and graphics very well.
More then any other device i've seen before.
Though alot of people believe "fragile" screen will get scratched within days of purchase as it does not fold up to protect itself like the DS does.
The very powerful display is not as fragile as you may think.
Pictures have emerged of the PSP with a very sleek screen protecter preventing it from any scratchs whilst in your pocket.
Its a flexiable peice of plastic that folds over the PSP very stlyish too i might add.
This rules out the arguement of the screen being scratched easily.
Even without this peice i very much doubt its as easy to damage as people say.
It should be included with every PSP if im not wrong.
SlickShot
Another downside people see on the PSP is the screen.
The very powerful screen is incredibly bright and views photo's and graphics very well.
More then any other device i've seen before.
Though alot of people believe "fragile" screen will get scratched within days of purchase as it does not fold up to protect itself like the DS does.
The very powerful display is not as fragile as you may think.
Pictures have emerged of the PSP with a very sleek screen protecter preventing it from any scratchs whilst in your pocket.
Its a flexiable peice of plastic that folds over the PSP very stlyish too i might add.
This rules out the arguement of the screen being scratched easily.
Even without this peice i very much doubt its as easy to damage as people say.
It should be included with every PSP if im not wrong.
SlickShot
Thoughts: Battery Rumours...
07.19.04 (3:42 am) [edit]
[b]PlayStation Portable Battery[/b]
The Battery of the PSP is rumoured to be approx 10 hours.
But with such powerful graphics can we really expect a full 10 hours of game with setting such as Bluetooth for wireless gaming switched on?
Many speculate that the PSP will only last 4 hours of play while playing games such as GTA on it,
Other believe that it could be even less 2 maybe 3 hours.
Dont worry as this is probley not true,
Sony have 6 entire months to get the battery right and ready for sale.
If its anything like Tapwaves Zodiac , Sony may even decide to make PSP the second device of its kind in the world to use 2 batterys.
Zodiac has amazing battery life but then again its not as powerful as PSP is..
Battery is one of the biggest things on Buyers minds along with the price of the unit.
Using Toshiba's New Fuel cells would have been really cool but sadly the chances of this are low.
As the prices of the Cells would be really high as they as not yet mass produced.
Sony have always made their products with few flaws in the past and are knowen for quality products.
Im sure they can pull it off but there are too many nervous about the situation.
I mean have heard about the Battrey wrist strap too but
im sure its not anything much to worry about.
Does sound kinda scary having to wear a battery around your wrist.
Imagine sunbathing and forgetting to have a large battery on your wrist...
Hmmm....
and you know what happens to batterys after they reach a certin temperture...
ouch thats gotta hurt.
:P
Like i said its probley not likly.
SlickShot - Admin
The Battery of the PSP is rumoured to be approx 10 hours.
But with such powerful graphics can we really expect a full 10 hours of game with setting such as Bluetooth for wireless gaming switched on?
Many speculate that the PSP will only last 4 hours of play while playing games such as GTA on it,
Other believe that it could be even less 2 maybe 3 hours.
Dont worry as this is probley not true,
Sony have 6 entire months to get the battery right and ready for sale.
If its anything like Tapwaves Zodiac , Sony may even decide to make PSP the second device of its kind in the world to use 2 batterys.
Zodiac has amazing battery life but then again its not as powerful as PSP is..
Battery is one of the biggest things on Buyers minds along with the price of the unit.
Using Toshiba's New Fuel cells would have been really cool but sadly the chances of this are low.
As the prices of the Cells would be really high as they as not yet mass produced.
Sony have always made their products with few flaws in the past and are knowen for quality products.
Im sure they can pull it off but there are too many nervous about the situation.
I mean have heard about the Battrey wrist strap too but
im sure its not anything much to worry about.
Does sound kinda scary having to wear a battery around your wrist.
Imagine sunbathing and forgetting to have a large battery on your wrist...
Hmmm....
and you know what happens to batterys after they reach a certin temperture...
ouch thats gotta hurt.
:P
Like i said its probley not likly.
SlickShot - Admin
Something Slightly Off-Topic: Nintendo DS
07.18.04 (10:36 am) [edit]
[b]DS Link[/b]
Awhile back i had my own DS Blog where i posted for a few days, but because of lack of time i soon closed it down and spent all my extra time here with all you PSP Fans.
Well now here at PSP News we have found a very worthy newly created Blog site with lots of rich content for the DS.
Those of you who are leaning for DS more
http://bugeyeds.blogspot.com" title="http://bugeyeds.blogspot.com" target="_blank"http://bugeyeds.blogspot.com
The biggest source for DS news around at the moment.
:)
See the future DS consumers point of views there.
Jeff Danes
Awhile back i had my own DS Blog where i posted for a few days, but because of lack of time i soon closed it down and spent all my extra time here with all you PSP Fans.
Well now here at PSP News we have found a very worthy newly created Blog site with lots of rich content for the DS.
Those of you who are leaning for DS more
http://bugeyeds.blogspot.com" title="http://bugeyeds.blogspot.com" target="_blank"http://bugeyeds.blogspot.com
The biggest source for DS news around at the moment.
:)
See the future DS consumers point of views there.
Jeff Danes
NEWS: New High-Res Pictures
07.17.04 (9:18 am) [edit]
I found a bunch of new high-res images on PSP.
See them at this source..
Simply Amazing looking better then the pictures i have seen at E3.
http://www.esato.com/news/article.php/id=158" title="http://www.esato.com/news/article.php/id=158" target="_blank"http://www.esato.com/news/art...
Truly Stunning.
SlickShot
See them at this source..
Simply Amazing looking better then the pictures i have seen at E3.
http://www.esato.com/news/article.php/id=158" title="http://www.esato.com/news/article.php/id=158" target="_blank"http://www.esato.com/news/art...
Truly Stunning.
SlickShot
NEWS: Sony Announces a further 75 PSP Titles
07.14.04 (12:54 pm) [edit]
Thats right 75.
Thats ontop of the 25 alreadly announced making a total of 100+ to be launched around the launch of PSP itself.
Giving Sony plently of ground to stand on with the PSP.
This news has truly shocked us.
Truly amazing.
It seems as PSP has more and more of a grip over Nintendo.
Heres the mighty list of what you can expect.
Thanks to EuroGamer.net
* Action Girlz Racing
* Activision Anthology
* AI Series: Mahjong
* AI Series: Igo
* AI Series: Shougo
* Autobahn Crossroads
* Axel Impact International
* Azaya: Jungle Bowl Champions
* Battle Blades
* BBG
* Big Choppers
* Big Mutha Truckers 2
* Board Game Gallery
* Burnout
* Bust-A-Move
* Card Shark 3
* Car Jacker
* Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
* Cloud of Verruca
* Clusterball 2
* Crazy Racing Kart Rider
* Dance Mat Challenge
* Derby
* Doraslot
* Fighting Spirits
* Formula One 04
* Free Runing
* Generation of Chaos
* Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
* Habitrail Hamster Ball
* Harvest Moon
* Infected
* Intelligent License
* Joe
* Junior Sports Basketball
* Junior Sports Hockey
* Koron
* Legend of River King
* Mahjong Kakutou
* Mahjong Taikai
* Mercury
* Metal Shell
* Myth Makers Karting
* Need for Speed Underground
* Ninja Bunny Warriors
* Offroad Xtreme
* Pilot ni Narou
* Popolocrois Monogatari
* Professional Wrestling
* Project S
* Rig Racing
* Romance of Three Kingdoms
* RS Revolution
* Shingata
* Shin Mojibittan
* Shin Tenmakai
* Sparrow Merit
* Sprint Madness
* Sticky Balls
* Super Star Studio
* Talkman
* Technic Cute
* Tengai Makyou
* TGM-K
* Tokyo Xtreme Racing
* Tony Hawk's Underground 2
* Transformers
* Twisted Metal: World Tour
* Vegas Casino 2
* Volcanus Online
* World Soccer Winning Eleven 8
* World Tour Soccer 2005
* WRC
* Zero Hour
* Zooo
Watch out Nintendo more and more slices of the cake are being taken...
*Hmm....Wish i had some cake....*
Okay forget about the Cake!!
More and more news on PSP is dripping into out lair so guys keep tuned for more bits.
The Team
Thats ontop of the 25 alreadly announced making a total of 100+ to be launched around the launch of PSP itself.
Giving Sony plently of ground to stand on with the PSP.
This news has truly shocked us.
Truly amazing.
It seems as PSP has more and more of a grip over Nintendo.
Heres the mighty list of what you can expect.
Thanks to EuroGamer.net
* Action Girlz Racing
* Activision Anthology
* AI Series: Mahjong
* AI Series: Igo
* AI Series: Shougo
* Autobahn Crossroads
* Axel Impact International
* Azaya: Jungle Bowl Champions
* Battle Blades
* BBG
* Big Choppers
* Big Mutha Truckers 2
* Board Game Gallery
* Burnout
* Bust-A-Move
* Card Shark 3
* Car Jacker
* Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
* Cloud of Verruca
* Clusterball 2
* Crazy Racing Kart Rider
* Dance Mat Challenge
* Derby
* Doraslot
* Fighting Spirits
* Formula One 04
* Free Runing
* Generation of Chaos
* Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
* Habitrail Hamster Ball
* Harvest Moon
* Infected
* Intelligent License
* Joe
* Junior Sports Basketball
* Junior Sports Hockey
* Koron
* Legend of River King
* Mahjong Kakutou
* Mahjong Taikai
* Mercury
* Metal Shell
* Myth Makers Karting
* Need for Speed Underground
* Ninja Bunny Warriors
* Offroad Xtreme
* Pilot ni Narou
* Popolocrois Monogatari
* Professional Wrestling
* Project S
* Rig Racing
* Romance of Three Kingdoms
* RS Revolution
* Shingata
* Shin Mojibittan
* Shin Tenmakai
* Sparrow Merit
* Sprint Madness
* Sticky Balls
* Super Star Studio
* Talkman
* Technic Cute
* Tengai Makyou
* TGM-K
* Tokyo Xtreme Racing
* Tony Hawk's Underground 2
* Transformers
* Twisted Metal: World Tour
* Vegas Casino 2
* Volcanus Online
* World Soccer Winning Eleven 8
* World Tour Soccer 2005
* WRC
* Zero Hour
* Zooo
Watch out Nintendo more and more slices of the cake are being taken...
*Hmm....Wish i had some cake....*
Okay forget about the Cake!!
More and more news on PSP is dripping into out lair so guys keep tuned for more bits.
The Team
NEWS: PS3 Confirmed Announcement!!
07.12.04 (10:21 am) [edit]
[b]PS3 Announcment[/b]
Okay guys some more decent news has come out just a few hours ago
Today During "Playstation Meeting 2004" it was stated that PS3 will be announced soon and be playable at E3 2005 next year.
We can only imagine what it will look like, this seems a bit soon as reports from analysts had come out saying the next generation home console would not even be around till 2006-2007.
Hoping that they have perfected the CELL chip inside developed along side Toshiba.
This new chip will be included in new sony products such as camcorders and TVs.
Alot of Rumours have been heard about PS3 featuring things such as sensors which simply allow you to move your hand over the system to turn it on.
Theres not much that has'nt been said about the console, its supposedly able to do all sorts of things someone told me the other day that it would have a Titanium casing and be able to check out your finger prints via pad.
This sounds like complete bull from a friend, its still quite funny to see what people come up with about the system.
wether these rumours are complete bull or its the truth at the end of this year when sony debuts its much anticipated home console we'll all be sure to find out.
The E3'05 event will also feature Nintendo unleashing their own home console Codename: Revolution.
As more and more consoles hit the shelves around the same time the choice broadens.
With rumours are also circulating that X-Box will also soon announce codename "Xbox Next".
Today Kutaragi-san talked about the Sony PSP, once again dispelling claims that the format wouldn’t be released this year within Japan and making the bullish claim "We've come to the point when there is a PlayStation for almost every television. It's our dream for there to be a PSP for every person,"
Other intresting news on the PSP came out today also.
The wireless LAN feature on PSP will allow PSP players to play wirelessly with 16 players in total.
The manufacturing price of the UMD has also been said to be 250YEN which is the UK to around £1.30.
No, This is just a speculation of what the PS3 may look like.
Fairly realistic design.
But im sure Sony will come up with something much sleeker as they always tend to do.
Steve
Okay guys some more decent news has come out just a few hours ago
Today During "Playstation Meeting 2004" it was stated that PS3 will be announced soon and be playable at E3 2005 next year.
We can only imagine what it will look like, this seems a bit soon as reports from analysts had come out saying the next generation home console would not even be around till 2006-2007.
Hoping that they have perfected the CELL chip inside developed along side Toshiba.
This new chip will be included in new sony products such as camcorders and TVs.
Alot of Rumours have been heard about PS3 featuring things such as sensors which simply allow you to move your hand over the system to turn it on.
Theres not much that has'nt been said about the console, its supposedly able to do all sorts of things someone told me the other day that it would have a Titanium casing and be able to check out your finger prints via pad.
This sounds like complete bull from a friend, its still quite funny to see what people come up with about the system.
wether these rumours are complete bull or its the truth at the end of this year when sony debuts its much anticipated home console we'll all be sure to find out.
The E3'05 event will also feature Nintendo unleashing their own home console Codename: Revolution.
As more and more consoles hit the shelves around the same time the choice broadens.
With rumours are also circulating that X-Box will also soon announce codename "Xbox Next".
Today Kutaragi-san talked about the Sony PSP, once again dispelling claims that the format wouldn’t be released this year within Japan and making the bullish claim "We've come to the point when there is a PlayStation for almost every television. It's our dream for there to be a PSP for every person,"
Other intresting news on the PSP came out today also.
The wireless LAN feature on PSP will allow PSP players to play wirelessly with 16 players in total.
The manufacturing price of the UMD has also been said to be 250YEN which is the UK to around £1.30.
No, This is just a speculation of what the PS3 may look like.
Fairly realistic design.
But im sure Sony will come up with something much sleeker as they always tend to do.
Steve
NEWS: Early Pre-Orders for Sony PSP Titles
07.10.04 (2:44 am) [edit]
EBgames is now taking Pre-Orders for Sony PSP Game Titles now.
Each is going for $50.00
which is around £25 in UK.
suprising as most of these titles are still in the early stages of development and EB are already taking pre-orders.
Something else intresting i came across when surfing around on this site.
They've put down the DS for only $200 whilst the games are still the same as the PSP's though.
The following Sony PSP titles are available from their site right now for pre-order.
-AC Formula Front
-Ape Escape
-Armored Core
-ATV Offroad Fury
-Axel Impact International
-BBG
-Combat Over Europe
-Darkstalkers 3
-Death Jr
-Dynasty Warriors
-Frogger
-Gran Turismo 4 Mobile
-Hot Shots Golf
-MediEvil
-Metal Gear Acid
-NBA Street
-NFL Street
-Project S
-PSP Racing
-Puyo Pop Fever
-Ridge Racer
-Spider-Man
-Syphon Filter
-Tiger Woods PGA Tour
-Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
-Twisted Metal
-Wipeout
Along with this news has come out the EBgames is also taking pre-orders of the Sony PSP for $300.
a whole $100 more then the Nintendo DS but still very good.
a £250 UK price tag.
Thats the price of a decent PDA.
Hopefully the actual release price will be lowered abit like around £200 would be nice..
More news on titles as it comes.
alot of us looking forward to Metal Gear Acid for PSP.
It all sounds very cool.
after the huge sucess of the PS2/PC versions im sure this will follow in the path.
MaRk
Each is going for $50.00
which is around £25 in UK.
suprising as most of these titles are still in the early stages of development and EB are already taking pre-orders.
Something else intresting i came across when surfing around on this site.
They've put down the DS for only $200 whilst the games are still the same as the PSP's though.
The following Sony PSP titles are available from their site right now for pre-order.
-AC Formula Front
-Ape Escape
-Armored Core
-ATV Offroad Fury
-Axel Impact International
-BBG
-Combat Over Europe
-Darkstalkers 3
-Death Jr
-Dynasty Warriors
-Frogger
-Gran Turismo 4 Mobile
-Hot Shots Golf
-MediEvil
-Metal Gear Acid
-NBA Street
-NFL Street
-Project S
-PSP Racing
-Puyo Pop Fever
-Ridge Racer
-Spider-Man
-Syphon Filter
-Tiger Woods PGA Tour
-Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
-Twisted Metal
-Wipeout
Along with this news has come out the EBgames is also taking pre-orders of the Sony PSP for $300.
a whole $100 more then the Nintendo DS but still very good.
a £250 UK price tag.
Thats the price of a decent PDA.
Hopefully the actual release price will be lowered abit like around £200 would be nice..
More news on titles as it comes.
alot of us looking forward to Metal Gear Acid for PSP.
It all sounds very cool.
after the huge sucess of the PS2/PC versions im sure this will follow in the path.
MaRk
NEWS: Sony's Vicious Ipod Killer NW-HD1
07.05.04 (10:32 am) [edit]
Ok, I know this isn't Sony PSP News but its Big Sony News that could change MP3 Players today and make the big I stand down.
Sony Introduced their NW-HD1 to go against Ipod.
The highest Ipod Model has 40GB storage which is 10,000 songs.
Well the NW-HD1 has a not too massive storage of 20GB...
Well you'd think that was bad compared to ipod would'nt you?
Nope.
The NW-HD1 stores a massive 13,000 because it uses sonys compression method.
Thats more then the 40GB version of ipod by a wooping 3,000 tracks.
Lasting a cool 30 hours compared to Ipods dried "up to 8 hours" it seems that ipod has come to a stop.
On top of all this the Ipod Killer carrys a price tag of $200 once put into mass production.
The release tag will be $400 in US around mid augest.
The device plays WMA, WAV and MP3, Its connected to the PC via USB 2.0
Oh yeah did i mention the NW-HD1 includes Sony's skip-free G-Protection technology.
Looking very sleek & non-wallet harming it seems like Ipod will have to shape up for their next model or get out of this evolving race all togeather.
Ipod Killer comes with SonicStage 2.1 software bundled.
Sorry Sony, but this is the worst software possibly ever made.
I hope there will be alternatives developed by 3rd partys by then.
as this is a major letdown.
Though i started thinking...
Wouldnt it have been great if they had put the same
1.8 inch hard-drive to power the PSP...
8)
huh..
Maybe in another 8 years when they bring out the PSP older brother.
Sony Introduced their NW-HD1 to go against Ipod.
The highest Ipod Model has 40GB storage which is 10,000 songs.
Well the NW-HD1 has a not too massive storage of 20GB...
Well you'd think that was bad compared to ipod would'nt you?
Nope.
The NW-HD1 stores a massive 13,000 because it uses sonys compression method.
Thats more then the 40GB version of ipod by a wooping 3,000 tracks.
Lasting a cool 30 hours compared to Ipods dried "up to 8 hours" it seems that ipod has come to a stop.
On top of all this the Ipod Killer carrys a price tag of $200 once put into mass production.
The release tag will be $400 in US around mid augest.
The device plays WMA, WAV and MP3, Its connected to the PC via USB 2.0
Oh yeah did i mention the NW-HD1 includes Sony's skip-free G-Protection technology.
Looking very sleek & non-wallet harming it seems like Ipod will have to shape up for their next model or get out of this evolving race all togeather.
Ipod Killer comes with SonicStage 2.1 software bundled.
Sorry Sony, but this is the worst software possibly ever made.
I hope there will be alternatives developed by 3rd partys by then.
as this is a major letdown.
Though i started thinking...
Wouldnt it have been great if they had put the same
1.8 inch hard-drive to power the PSP...
8)
huh..
Maybe in another 8 years when they bring out the PSP older brother.
NEWS: Sony Denies Delay
07.01.04 (8:11 am) [edit]
Yesterday word on the net was that the PSP would delay for their launch.
But this is wrong as today SCEA has said that sony are on track with the launch.
:)
But this is wrong as today SCEA has said that sony are on track with the launch.
:)