Ok, when you start calling yourself an Early Gadget Adopter, you better be prepared to live up to the expectations of the title.
For example, today was the launch of Sony's new PSP handheld gaming system. Now of course I need to be first in line, that's a given. But - and here is where the men start to separate themselves from the boys - I WAS first in line at two out of the three stores in the area! After all, I have a reputation to uphold. I need to raise the bar.
What's more, by the time the second store opened, I was already more up to speed on the PSP than most of the guys in the store, and even helped no fewer than three other customers make better purchasing decisions. I was not surprised to find that many of the people in line were not real clear what they were buying, but had just been told that they should get one. One guy honestly reported that he had played a video game only once before - and it was an original Playstation game! You have to admire Sony, on some level, for the great marketing hype behind the PSP.
I won't bother further embarrassing myself with telling how many units/games/accessories I ended up with, but instead will move on to what you are probably most interested in, how good are they?
Well I don't think anything more needs to be said about the amazing screen, it's what really sets this thing apart from almost everything out there. The free Spiderman 2 movie was the first thing I slapped in, despite the fact that this is first and foremost a gaming platform. The movie looked great on the letterbox-shaped screen which just confirmed my suspicion that this is going to be sooo much more than a Nintendo DS rival. This thing could take on any portable device out there.
Wait, let me repeat that...
The Sony PSP can take on any portable device out there
- High-resolution Letterbox Display - The screen on this thing significantly raises the bar. It will be the first thing everyone comments on when they hold it for the first time. Good move by Sony to include a sampler disc that has not only trial versions of their game titles, but also movie clips. It's only when you start thinking about the full range of video-based entertainment options that you can appreciate the power of a device with a great display.
- Media Options - Say what you want about yet another Sony proprietary format (this device has two!) but there is a lot of flexibility provided in the PSP. UMD movies are available right out of the box and the Memory Stick Duo can be used to store your own pics and music. The USB port (no cable provided in the box) lets you transfer media directly onto the card without having to invest in a separate 137-in-1 card reader.
- Built-in WiFi - This is initially intended to encourage on-the-fly, multi-player gaming without messy wires, but the uses for WiFi will certainly be leveraged in the future for many other useful tasks including web browsing, trading content between PSPs, and syncing with your PC. The PSP isn't the first to embed wireless technology into a portable gadget, but when combined with the other features, it helps to make a really compelling platform.
Is this thing perfect? No, of course not. Are there other devices out there that have better features? Sure. Would love to have a real hard drive on this thing. Also, why not a simple camera - its got all the other necessary parts to support amateur digital photography. And, yes, I would like to browse the web and check my email in my favorite coffee hotspot.
But I challenge you to find a better overall handheld platform. Bring on the Treo, the Nintendo DS, the Blackberry, the Delphi MyFi, the iPod, the Gizmondo, the Archos PMA, ...
When you are ready to talk, I'll be the guy in the back of the room watching the rest of Spiderman 2.
