Official PSP Thread

[ChryZ]

forum-problem, bounced up

 

[rabidrabbit]

The french magazine that pic is from says it is not official Sony design, but a concept made by magazine artist(s).

 

[hey69]

is that a wishfull thinking mockup of the website or an authentic prototype rendered pic of SONY?

btw, if that tiny screen is 4.5 inch widescreen then it has really big BUTTONS !

 

[hey69]

edit: double post, problems with my browser i guess..

 

[Evil_Cloud]

is that a wishfull thinking mockup of the website or an authentic prototype rendered pic of SONY?

btw, if that tiny screen is 4.5 inch widescreen then it has really big BUTTONS !

I'd Rather have a D-pad instead of an analoge stick... or both :/

 

[ChryZ]

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=3651110[/URL]]THQ Says It Starts Work on Next-Generation Systems
Mon October 20, 2003 05:37 PM ET

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Video game publisher THQ Inc. (THQI.O: Quote, Profile, Research) has started development work on the next generation of game consoles and expects to begin developing software soon for Sony Corp.'s (6758.T: Quote, Profile, Research) new handheld games device, the company's chief executive said on Monday.

Brian Farrell on a conference call with analysts to discuss quarterly results said THQ's Rainbow and Volition studios were looking ahead to Sony's next-generation PlayStation and Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) next version of the Xbox with some early research efforts.

"We still believe that the next generation will launch in 2006. That's our best guess as of today's date," Farrell said. "But we're certainly preparing in the event that there is a 2005 launch."

The current-generation PS2 launched in late 2000, while the Xbox launched in late 2001. Industry executives and analysts have been split on whether the next generation of hardware would come in 2005 or 2006.

Farrell also said THQ is poised to begin work on potential games for Sony's PSP handheld gaming device, which is expected to be released late in 2004.

"We expect to start getting some emulators within the next 30 to 45 days," he said. Emulation hardware allows game developers to design games for new hardware without actually having the final devices.

 

[ChryZ]

thread update:

4th Nov, 2003: Sony has released new <U>concept</U> images of the PlayStation Portable system, in the Corporate Strategy Meeting in New York City. PSP has a rounded rectangular shape, with a 4.5" 16:9 letterbox TFT LCD screen; the UMD drive is located on the back of the system, there is a snap-on cover and keychain hole with a hand lanyard attached. [text by MagicBox]

 

[ChryZ]

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=3756027[/URL]]Sony Details Gaming-Music Player, iPod Rival
Tue November 4, 2003 11:03 PM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Japan's Sony Corp. on Tuesday detailed plans for a much-anticipated all-in-one handheld gaming device that includes a digital music and video player and could even act as mobile telephone.

Officials of the world's largest consumer electronics maker also said Sony would launch a rival to Apple Computer Inc's iPod digital music player next year for as little as $60.

Sony described a prototype for its PSP gaming device -- due out before the end of 2004 -- during a presentation to U.S. investors that reiterated plans to restore profitability at the company.

"PSP will be the Walkman of the future," declared Ken Kutaragi, Sony's executive deputy president and head of its gaming business, comparing a PSP prototype to Sony's highly successful earlier generation of music players.

PSP is designed to rival Nintendo Co. Ltd's Game Boy handheld game player, mobile phone maker Nokia Oyj's N-Gage wireless gaming device and Apple's iPod and iTunes music download service.

Sony plans to eventually add telecommunication features, Kutaragi told a news conference afterward, lending credence to speculation PSP devices would also serve as mobile phones.

Sony currently envisions a device that looks somewhat similar to Nokia's recently introduced N-Gage gaming phone, but with a bigger display that makes it looks more like a handheld television.

The "concept model" showed off by Kutaragi was a one-piece device designed to be grasped in two hands, with a bright, color screen roughly 4.5 inches (11.4 cm) in diameter, he told Reuters.

"PSP will not be one kind of product," Kutaragi said. Rather, it is a platform of related devices with the capacity to add or subtract features, he said, while stressing that final design details are not expected to be revealed until later.

While crediting Apple and its chief executive, Steve Jobs, for the success of the iPod, Sony officials said the PSP would allow consumers to watch music videos as well as listen to digital tunes.

"We are taking on iPod with our new device," another Sony official said. "We are coming at him (Steve Jobs) on that front."

Sony executives said that next year it will introduce versions of a rival music player to the iPod for as little as $60, a price only one-quarter or less than the $200 to $400 Apple charges for various versions of its sleek product.

Apple's lead in innovating in the portable music sector practically invented by Sony has been highlighted as typical of the problems at the Japanese company, which last month reported a 25 percent drop in quarterly profits.

 

[MfA]

A HD based mp3 player for 60$?

 

[London Geezer]

A HD based mp3 player for 60$?

if it works ok, and it looks ok, and it's small and the HD is relatively big, i'm soooo sold

 

[cybamerc]

They probably just mean an MP3 player, not necessarilly an MP3 player with a HDD. First of all $60 would be ridiculously cheap for HDD based MP3 player and can you honestly imagine Sony favoring a HDD over memory stick? Plus a true portable music player like that at such a great price would just make the PSP look even more ridiculous. But one can always hope... I'm getting tired of having to switch MDs

 

[MfA]

I find it hard to imagine, but imaging a flash based player as an alternative to the iPod isnt much easier.

 

[London Geezer]

They probably just mean an MP3 player, not necessarilly an MP3 player with a HDD. First of all $60 would be ridiculously cheap for HDD based MP3 player and can you honestly imagine Sony favoring a HDD over memory stick? Plus a true portable music player like that at such a great price would just make the PSP look even more ridiculous. But one can always hope... I'm getting tired of having to switch MDs

yep. but remember that Sony can be quite inconsistent with their own formats. i mean, they could very well have used Memory Sticks on PS2, it would have made PS2 connectivity a hell of a lot more interesting and easier, but they didn't...

and yes, THAT cheap is VERY cheap...

anyone has the impression Sony wants to do MANY things all at once? slightly risky behaviour if u ask me... :?

 

[hey69]

everybody claims IPod is popular and all that, but I have to see the first person who owns it to be honnest.

i'm looking to buy a portable mp3 player at the moment, but no way i'm going to pay +300euro for a digital walkman

 

[ChryZ]

http://ps2.ign.com/articles/445/445023p1.html[/URL]]Sony's Deering Handles Two
Deering to handle both SCEE and Sony Europe's electronics division.
December 05, 2003 - Sony Corp today announced that Chris Deering, the successful Sony Computer Entertainment Europe President and Chief Executive who steered SCEE through the launch of PlayStation 2 in Europe, will now take on two major roles at the huge Japanese electronics company.

Deering will remain chief executive of SCEE and will take on the role of president of Sony Europe, which handles brands such as Vaios and Walkmans. He will remain an SCEE chairman and retain the CEO position.

Deering steps into the shoes of Michiaki Tsurumi, who plans to retire on April 1, 2004. Executive vice president of sales and marketing David Reeves will assume Deering's president and COO position.

Quite remarkable news! First Deering talks to the movie industry in order to promote UMD and now this ...

 

[Squeak]

I don’t know if this has been linked to before?
Not any significant news, but never the less, nice to finally get some more official info.

 

[ChryZ]

I don’t know if this has been linked to before?
Not any significant news, but never the less, nice to finally get some more official info.

Excellent!!!

 

[nobie]

Anyone know what the measurements of the prototype are? Looks like it's about 6.5"x3".

 

[passerby]

You know, according to that pdf, the PSP's graphics chip's theoretical poly peak is half of the PS2 GS...

If this is just for a handheld, I wonder what PS3 GS(s) can deliver...

 

[Panajev2001a]

Let's look at the Requirements for the PC development tool:

CPU: Pentium 4 at 3 GHz or more ( well, it has to emulate the PSP CPU, etc... )

GPU: Radeon 9800 or nVIDIA GeForce FX5900.

Now, why put for GPU requirement two DirectX 9 GPUs ?

HOS tessellation might be one reason ( I have to check the support on those two GPUs.. how many types of HOS they support and all )...

What else could be the reason for DirectX9 GPUs for the emulator ?