The Sony PlayStation Portable has always been the most desirable handheld gaming console since its first release in 2004. There have been other incarnations, but they all had the same clean interface and no-nonsense controls that lets you get into the game without much introduction as long as you know how to handle a PlayStation. However, its medium of distribution, the UMD, has always been that little piece of doubt that kept it from truly reaching its full potential. Hacks and homebrews took over as far as it goes, so it has always been a fodder for piracy. But still, the PSP is unparalleled in its handheld gaming capabilities. In its fifth year, Sony is planning to launch a new one — the PSPgo.
The PSPgo is scheduled for release on October 1, 2009 and features a new design with a slide screen and features full digital distribution, shedding the cumbersome UMD’s altogether. While it is the latest version, it will not replace the PSP 3000, which is good news for old PSP owners. It will have 16GB of internal flash for games, music, video, and other media. This memory is expandable courtesy of Memory Stick Micro (M2) flash cards. It is significantly more compact than the original PSP-1000 and the PSP-3000. While it may have a smaller screen, it does mean that with the new slide design, it will be easier to carry around. This gives it real credibility of a handheld console.
This is the next step for the PSP as physical media is thrown out the window in favor of full digital distribution. How it will curb piracy, however, remains in question. But still, it aims to satisfy customers by improving on its original design. That is what truly counts in technology.
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