The New Sony PSP GO

The new Sony PSP Go was launched this week, it has gotten some various opinions and reviews. The PSP Go has a slick new look with a crisp clear screen to the new gaming format. The PSP Go is a sleek-looking device, which is 16 percent lighter and 35 percent smaller than its predecessor, the PSP 3000. The screen has shrunk to 3.8 inches from 4.3 inches. The Go supports Bluetooth but, most importantly, the UMD drive is gone. That means all content, including games, must be saved to the device's 16GB internal memory or a Memory Stick Micro (M2) card. The Go retails for $250, and it looks like a 16GB Memory Stick Micro card will set you back somewhere between $60 and $80.

Go Game

Instead of buying games from your local video game shop, all PSP Go games must be purchased online from Sony's PlayStation Store. Early reviews are complaining about the download speeds when you buy a new game from Sony. The average time seems to be at least an hour if not two to download a title directly to the Go. The problem may be the fact that the PSP Go's wireless connectivity is 802.11b. Why Sony didn't go with faster choices like 802.11g or the newly approved 802.11n connectivity is puzzling. Another downside: no background downloads. If you're downloading a game to the Go, the device will be busy for a few hours. The alternative is to download games to your PC or PS3 and then transfer them later on.

Controller

While the layout may be different, the control scheme on the PSP Go is little changed from earlier PSP models: a four-way d-pad on the left, the standard quartet of geometrically coded Sony controls (circle, square, cross, triangle) on the right, select/start buttons in the center, and the PlayStation "home" button to the left of the screen.

Digital Media Support

The Go boasts the same support for music, video, and photo files as earlier PSPs, so you should have no trouble transferring gigabytes of media from a PC (or via the M2 flash media card). Downloadable movies and TV shows can be purchased directly from the PlayStation Store over Wi-Fi (no more need to use the PS3 or PC as an intermediary). Despite early rumors of a PSP-centric music store, Sony's instead opted for a partnership with eMusic. In other words, users can purchase DRM-free tracks from any online music store (Amazon, iTunes, eMusic, and so forth) and simply copy them over to the PSP.

Sony will be releasing software called Media Go to help users manage the PSP's content on their PC (this replaces the older, and not terribly useful, Sony Media Manager software). The company is also promising a feature called "Sense Me" that will analyze your music library to play music based on a mood you choose.

PS3 Intergration

Again, it appears the existing interoperability between the PS3 and the PSP line will be carried over to the PSP Go. That includes the ability to cross-load some games and media, as well as the Remote Play option (access PS3-based content from the PSP over the Internet).



References: PCWorld.com and CNET.com