Proving a few recent rumors surprisingly true, Sony Computer Entertainment confirmed the Japanese price and release date for its new PSP handheld overnight. The unit will hit Japan on December 12 at a price of 20,790 yen including tax ($194), and Sony will be offering some attractive bundle deals as well. The basic package will include the PSP hardware, an AC adapter, and a single battery pack.

For the price of 26,040 yen including tax ($244), consumers will be able to pick up the PSP Value Pack, which includes the following peripherals:

AC adapter (3,675 yen separately, or $34)
Battery pack (5,040 yen separately, or $47)
32-megabyte Memory Stick Duo (2,940 yen separately, or $27.50)
Headphones with remote control (2,940 yen separately, or $27.50)
Soft case and hand strap (2,100 yen separately, or $20)

For a rough price comparison, a 64-megabyte Memory Stick Duo sells in North America from Sony's official site for $39.99. Sony doesn't yet distribute the Duo media in a 32-megabyte version, although a 32-megabyte regular-size Memory Stick is priced at $29.99.

A single fully charged battery, Sony confirmed today, will last for between four and six hours of gameplay, or four to five hours of movie playback.

The system's pricing is far more aggressive than conventional wisdom had expected, coming very close to the $149 price point for Nintendo's rival DS handheld. While Sony has closely guarded the exact manufacturing costs of the PSP, SCE president Ken Kutaragi confirmed that Sony will not turn a profit on the hardware until at least its next fiscal year.

Demand for the PSP should well exceed supply in the system's first month. Kutaragi said that Sony expects to supply only 200,000 units of hardware on launch day, and a total of 500,000 units in the month of December.

While Sony Computer Entertainment America has yet to nail down details for the PSP's American launch in Q1 2005, it seems safe to expect that the hardware itself will come in at $199, and the Value Pack at $249.

PSP PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

PSP CPU Core

PSP CPU (System clock frequency 1~333MHz)
32MB Main Memory
4MD Embedded DRAM

Media

UMD Drive (Playback only)
Region Code
Parental Control

Format

PSP Game
UMD Audio
UMD Video

Input/Output

IEEE 802.11b (Wi-Fi)
USB 2.0 (Target)
Memory Stick PRO Duo
IrDA
IR Remote (SIRCS)

5V DC OUT
Terminals for charging built-in battery
Headphone/Microphone/Control connector

Control:
Directional buttons (Up/Down/Right/Left)
Analog pad
Enter keys (Triangle, Circle, Cross, Square)
Left, Right keys (shoulder buttons)
START, SELECT, HOME
POWER On/Hold/Off switch
Brightness control, Sound Mode, Volume +/-
Wireless LAN On/Off switch
UMD Eject

Size Details

Dimensions: Approxately 170mm (L) x 74mm (W) x 23mm (D)
Weight: Approximately 260g (including battery)

Other Specifications

Screen: 4.3 inch, 16:9 widescreen TFT LCD
480 x 272 pixel (16.77 million colors)
Max. 200 cd/m2 (with brightness control)
Built-in stereo speakers
Built-in lithium-ion battery
AC adaptor
128 bit AES encryption
Individual ID for each PSP hardware unit

Accessories

Stand
Headphone with remote commander
Headphone with remote commander and microphone
External battery pack
Case
Strap
USB Camera for PSP (E3 Prototype only)
USB GPS for PSP (E3 Prototype only)
USB Keyboard for PSP (E3 Prototype only)


-In summary, $194 expected release price for base unit, $250 for value pack, 4-6 hour continuous game play battery life and 4-5 continuous movie play battery time, released in the USA by March 2005, and EQUALLY as powerful as the PS2 !!!-

put that in your pipe and smoke it Nintendo DS

To me, that's too much money for something that will leave my house and isn't my car. That price difference makes the DS much more appealing.

Still has UNCONFIRMED price point for US/EUR release.
Still has inferior battery life
Still has moving parts
Still has a shitty lineup
Still heats up after 15mins
Still sucks

And it's not as powerful as the PS2, developer on IGN said so.

"For those not able to understand the techno mumbo-jumbo spelled out in the PSP specs, what it all boils down to is that the PSP has a whole lot of power, portable system or otherwise. At GDC 2004 in April of 2004, Christ Charla (of the development outfits Digital Eclipse and now Backbone Entertainment) said at the handheld's tech demonstration unveiling conference: "Polygon for polygon, PSP has more power than PS2 ... A huge number of effects that are given to you in software on PS2 are available in hardware on PSP." And all indications at the E3 unveiling were that the system would indeed meet those lofty heights -- the preliminary box for Gran Turismo 4 Mobile stats that the game quality, "...is not at all inferior to its PS2 counterpart." -taken from IGN's PSP FAQ

-just because it heats up doesn't mean it gets HOT. Any portable DVD player heats up.
-just beause it doesn't have good games at launch doesn't mean they're won't be ANY good games for it.

Glad to see they've boosted that battery life up... but for 50 bucks less, I'm still sticking with DS.

From an unbiased standpoint, I still think Nintendo is going to own the portable market. Sony isn't going to find the same results they do in the casual-oriented console world.

And who is this tool?
I can say the DS is as powerful as the Dreamcast because Sonic DS looks comparable to Sonic Adventure, but that doesn't make it so.


It does get HOT


Really? Show me 5 worth my money...

...

I thought so...


And the ENTIRE PSP line up ARE re-releases...

hey, that's fine PTgrevious, you can buttfuck nintendo all day long. make mine Sony!

None of those games looked better then Mario 64 to me.

bearvomit, get a grip man.

What's the coolness you speak of?

PSP clearly has the better graphics. But DS is by no means as weak as the PSone.

I didn't mean graphically. I meant, the games them selves. That's what I think it comes down to. People like different types of games and that is what is going to make one win out over the other. That and the costs. I have to admit that I don't spend all day looking at this stuff. But that low battery life sounds pretty bad to me. I mean, when I fly, I end up spending 10 hours on planes and in air ports. I want it make it through. This is my personal opinion. I think the DS looks like a more sound buy.

Yeah, cause graphics = fun :rolleyes
Who's the blind one here?

Super Mario 64 DS has higher res textures, higher poly models and runs at 60fps (SM64 ran at 30fps), the only thing SM64DS is missing is texture filtering, but on a screen that large, you DON'T need it.
Watch any video and you'll see that I'm right.

Please, DON'T talk about tech when you obviously don't understand it.

Why is the PSP cool?


It is stronger, the 3D transformations and stuff are handled in hardware as opposed to the N64 which did it through software with the CPU+Co-CPU alone. The DS will be able to do more complicated stuff like cel-shading, which is very taxing on system resources.

The PSP has more issues than that... shitty lineup... gets alarmingly hot (read impressions, they've played the system, you haven't)... and they're MAJOR issues (So is Battery Life BTW)

Why are you bringing up the G&W? It's a NINTENDO product, and they're re-introducing it to the industry, the same way they re-instroduced analog sticks with the N64 - and now EVERY gamepad has had an analog stick.

So why not get a PS2?
Enjoy a large screen, why put up with 4hr battery life? :P


No kidding
Because lots of people have expressed their concern over the system's running temperature, it must be pretty bad.
If I see someone on the train with oven mitts, I'll know they just wasted $200 USD


You know Sony is enforcing RESTRICTIONS on games to extend the battery life.
I'm not too sure I believe that figure, cause many Sony representatives said they'd guess the battery life to be around 2hrs, and they recharged the unit's batteries every two hours.
Remember when Sony said the PS2 can churn out 66 million polygons per second? :P
Funny how that figure falls under 10 million when you're running a proper game, Nintendo however gave stress test figures of 20 million with complicated effects going on, cause Nintendo rock!
I wouldn't be surprised if the 6hr figure is just standby time hahaha



Not only is this game going to be on GBA and DS, but it's by the Apprentice of the Force team, they SUCK!
Apprentice of the Force is one of the poorest games I've ever played!

I'm not comparing DS and PSP's gfx power, the PSP obviously wins.
I'm saying DO NOT TAKE SONY'S SPECS AT FACE VALUE.

8-10hrs on the pause screen lol

The DS has a battery life longer than 6hrs thank you :P
And the DS offers new games (utilizing touch screen, dual screen, microphone, wi-fi) you cannot find on N64 or GCN.


AHAHAHA, you think Sony will ADMIT it's machine has problems?
I can't find the impressions that complained. But I managed to find this:

Check out this new peripheral for the PSP!
Optional battery pack, extend the battery life nearly 45mins!



DKR1138 AM CRYING
TEARS AM FALLING INTO KEYBOARD!

1) Boys be more civil or take it to FYDS/MFYD.

2) PSP has a few design flaws.

- Unprotected screen
- Unprotected Analog stick

3) If you compare PSP and the DS vs the PC and the Mac, PC/DS has the established base, Mac(PSP) may be more powerful and stylish but still the PC is more popular.

4) Line up is important, the PSP will need to have a better price and line up if it was to compete with an establsihed system

Only 2mbps ? DS is 11mbps

What games use it?
...
...
...
Like I thought.

On another note...
The annual PSP production capacity is 3 million units. Nintendo just owned SCEI....


GAME OVER DKR1138! :P

Wrong. 802.11b. Next step is g which is 54mbps.

PSP only has Wi-Fi
I'm not inviting my friends to a hotspot to play 16 player PSP :P
DS has a propriety RF transmission format for all other circumstances

Just wait til you hear about DS's Demasked hahaha

GameBoy has beaten the GameGear, Neo Geo Color, Lynx 32, etc. etc.
DS will thrash the PSP

Your fleet is lost, and your friends on the Endor moon will not survive... there is no escape... my young apprentice

And developers and critiques have said that the DS is far more innovative and provides a great platform for exploring new gaming territory


Why do YOU play games?
Graphics or Fun? :P

You're such a Nintendo tool PT. I'd play gran turismo 4 over super mario kart anyday! $50 more isn't extreme you cheap ass. get a real job and maybe you could afford BOTH.

Hahaha, wipe away those tears dode.
I'd take GT4 over Mario Kart as well, but I'd much rather get it on the PS2 :P

PSP is EQUAL IN POWER to PS2 !! sigh.....what's the big deal? i mean no one is bashing the DS here, it will no doubt have some amazing games on it like metroid and mario and probably a new zelda, but Nintendo has ALWAYS targeted a younger player. PS2 and probably PSP have and will target an older demographic. Two different audiences, two completely different machines...one just happens to be cooler than the other

Yeah, the DS :rock

More Doom and Gloom for Sony

Aaaaaaaaahahahaha
PSP Gran Turismo 4: THE DUEL

Wipe those tears away

the DS couldn't even handle Gran Turismo 1, let alone GT4 Mobile. Go save the princess with your pointing pen and make sure you check the map on that second screen...that's all it's going to be used for anyways, MAPS. Or maybe you'll play a deathmatch game with yourself!

You don't say...
The PSP is NOT as powerful as the PS2 - AM I RIGHT? OR AM I RIGHT?
Look what bearvomit said:



Why do you keep comparing the screens from the two? I know the PSP is more powerful but it has a pathetic battery life and boring games, so who gives a stuff.
Enjoy racing with two cars and racing to a powerpoint every two hours with your oven mitts

Source: http://gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=5251

HAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I KNEW IT!
I FUCKING KNEW IT!
LYING WITH SPECS AGAIN!

SUCK IT DOWN!
DKR1138 AND BEARVOMIT AM CRYING!!!

I think they are both going to offer different people, different things. If I end up with some spare cash, I will probably end up getting both. However, that PSP article, if true, is really bad. I don't think I will buy one until the better one comes out. If it really is that bad, and I don't know if it is for sure, it is going to get blasted online and in magazines reviews.

The only way I can see it working is if they pack in a spare battery. Are the batteries rechargeable? If they are and they give me an extra battery, then I can see past it. If it’s true, and they don't give me enough for 8 hours of game-play without charging me more money, this system is going to have some problems. I mean, that's a huge problem when it costs $200. I would say that I have purchased about 50% of my GBA SP games when I knew I was going to have to travel. If I have an 8 hour flight, I'm going to end up taking me GBA and probably buying a new game for the trip. In that case, Sony won't get my money, Nintendo will wether it's the DS or the GBA.

I hope it’s not true my self. I think the Gameboy SP is awesome. Imagine how much better the games would be if there was true competition. If both systems are good, the consumer wins. If one fails because of a stupid flaw, the consumer might not get the quality they could have otherwise.

.75mm, the length of your dick.
Why don't you actually present some reasons why the PSP will be better than the DS instead of graphics.
Could it be... there are none?
Hahahaha


Of course it's true, it's not like this is an isolated report, we've heard 1.5-2hr battery life for quite a while and from many people.

The batteries are rechargeable.


There's only two months til launch, the system is finished and it sucks. Deal with it.
It was always ~$185 USD, but Sony always puts the price up for external territories (Not Japan), so expect a round figure of $200

I was just being cautious because, well, I can’t believe everything you read on the internet, now can I? I don't know how reliable the article and the sources are, so I didn't want to jump to conclusions if I could help it. Plus, it's not out yet and things can change.

It's good that the battery is rechargeable. 1-2 hours will make this thing fail so hard if that's true. 3-4 hours is not acceptable. It makes me think that if the 1-2 hours reports are true, the improved battery life would be 3-4. I have to be honest, the 1-2 hours of battery sounds freakin' nuts. I have a hard time believing that can be released like that. That would be a disaster.

I am inherently more excited about the DS though. I love Mario and Zelda games, what can I say? Like Star Wars, it's just something I never grew out of. By the way, anyone playing video games that isn't 10 years old is a "pussy arse kiddy," in a man's body! Video games don't make you manly, strong, or badass. Being a pirate, or a ninja is the only way to acheive that status. So you might as well play games that make you happy even if they are "pussy arse kiddy" games.

Most likely I will buy the PSP if the guys in my band buy it. On long trips I don't want to be the guy that has to read a book and enrich my vocabulary or anything stupid like that. We already agreed to buy the DS with Mario 64.

Yeah, cause we all know ONLY Nintendo games are on GameBoy/DS.


That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard! You're making excuses for the PSP, because it won't fit snuggly into a pocket.
Your hand won't ache after playing it because you'll only be able to do so for 2hrs at a time!


Huge, unprotected, only displays images for 2hrs.
Who cares?
I wouldn't buy a TV if I could only watch things on it for 2hrs at a time.


Oh really? You think Sony has another shot?
Cause I don't... look at this...

Source: http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pi ... refer=asia

They won't last long selling PSPs at $200 a pop when they cost $350-$500 to make.

They're up to Stage II of their Three Stage Failure Plan
Phase I: PSX (Japanese stores are trying to get rid of these ugly PS2/Home Theater monsters, it's not even being released outside of Japan)
Phase II: PSP (Failure progressing nicely )
Phase III: PS3 (Toshiba having trouble getting Cell up to estimated performance levels + Nintendo Revolution countdown)

GAME OVER SONY!!!

Haaaaahahaha, bitchslapped by Apple as well!

You two are like the Hannity and Colmes/Crossfire of video games. You two need your own show!

This is nothing! :P

3/4 of those games are on neighbouring consoles - so what are you trying to prove?
Not to mention you've included several good games.
Why don't you mention games like Resident Evil 4, Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes, Soul Calibur II, Tales of Symphonia, F-Zero GX, Killer 7, PN03, etc. etc.
That list could only get bigger - but you're an idiot, and that's a shame. :P


Too bad you don't have three friends to play it with...

Kirby Air Ride is fun. The battle modes are great.

More like you never knew those games existed... AM I RIGHT? OR AM I RIGHT?
GC may have hardly any titles, but GCN's ratio of quality software to crap is far greater than PS2 and XBX - you're fucking kidding yourself.

"I WANT MACHOORE GAMES!!!111"
Owned.

this was taken from 1up.com's Mario 64 DS review, doesn't look too promising for 3d games...



"...The touch screen also optionally compensates for the system's lack of built-in analog control, which sounds OK in theory and actually works pretty well for an FPS like Metroid Hunters. But simulated mouselook control is a whole different creature from a simulated analog stick, and the fake analog setup in Mario 64 is pretty awful. The problem is that the largely frictionless screen doesn't offer any form of tactile feedback; the N64's stick had a certain amount of resistance and automatically re-centered, but you get neither of those with the touch-screen control. So ultimately, you'll probably choose to use the D-pad, which is brilliant for 2D games and wretched for 3D. The decision to use a D-pad on the DS was undoubtedly another example of Nintendo's bloody-minded adherence to tradition (given that they invented D-pads in the first place), but it's one that works to the detriment of the system. And certainly to the detriment of Mario 64 DS: while early levels are easy enough, once you start getting into the tricky, demanding later stages that were hard enough with perfect analog precision you'll find yourself dying far too often to feel like you're having a good time.

(You can expect to hear this complaint in countless future DS reviews, so get used to it now.)

I also found myself suffering a bit of eyestrain with Mario 64 DS. Even though the screen is brighter and crisper than that of the GBA SP, I found playing the game for more than half an hour at a time gave me a headache, regardless of lighting conditions. I'm worried that this is a sign that the DS's screens are slightly too small to facilitate 3D games of this variety, and it's likely that once the PSP arrives with its huge, beautiful screen Nintendo's new system is only going to seem worse in comparison. (Of course, the company claims that this isn't actually the GBA's successor, so hopefully developers will spend their effort creating new, original, wacky titles that take advantage of the DS's unique features and save their standard stuff for the real GBA successor.)

1up gave Driv3r a 8.5
Shows what they know...
Why don't you read the other DS reviews...

http://psp.ign.com/articles/572/572548p1.html

something to put into your pipe and smoke PT..The PSP has been released in Japan and ign has imported it with a full review!

Haaahahaha!
You're lucky I almost forgot this thread, but your luck just ran out cause now I remembered!
MOOHAHAHAHA!

---

- Day 1 Sales
PSP: 171,963 (Hah! Didn't even sell out with only 200,000 Units available!)
DS: ~235,000

- Unit ejects UMDs if you press the circled areas on the backpanel
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~cf6y-oot/auto.jpg

http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~cf6y-oot/umd/fly_003.avi
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~cf6y-oot/umd/fly_004.avi
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~cf6y-oot/umd/fly_005.avi
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~cf6y-oot/umd/fly_006.avi

http://www.yuko2ch.net/psp/shootpsp.avi

- Unit freezes when returning from sleep mode
http://ruliweb2.dreamwiz.com/ruliboard/gup/URL_link3/79217.jpg
http://ruliweb2.dreamwiz.com/ruliboard/gup/URL_link3/79217_2.jpg

- Buttons stuck, some don't work
http://ruliweb2.dreamwiz.com:8080/ruliboard/gup/URL_link3/79164.jpg

- Some PSPs don't boot at all!
http://ruliweb2.dreamwiz.com:8080/ruliboard/gup/URL_link3/79164_3.jpg
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~cf6y-oot/system/power_004.jpg
http://up4.upload-ch.net/src/up2372.mpg

- Disc Cover Problems!
http://ruliweb2.dreamwiz.com:8080/ruliboard/gup/URL_link3/79164_5.jpg
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~cf6y-oot/umd/cover_002.jpg

- Analog Dial broken
http://ruliweb2.dreamwiz.com:8080/ruliboard/gup/URL_link3/79164_6.jpg

- Dead Pixels
http://ruliweb2.dreamwiz.com:8080/ruliboard/gup/URL_link3/79164_7.jpg
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~cf6y-oot/lcd/dot_02-001.jpg
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~cf6y-oot/lcd/ibutsu_002.jpg

- Battery Life for Ridge Racer is 90-180mins


- Intolerable Load Times


http://home.megapass.co.kr/~ttf1513/a.avi

- PSP software have region codes

- Screen generates lots of static which attracts lint and dust




- D-Pad squeaks


http://URL12.paintedover.com/uploads/12/hatepsp.jpg

http://opa-ages.com/forums/uploads/av-669.gif

http://www.yuko2ch.net/psp/0dd57a54947e.swf

What what bearvomit?

Allright dammit, the new EGM is out with pics of Castlevania DS. I'm sold.

I'd buy a freakin N-Gage if it had a new Castlevania on it!

I just drew a pentagram around your nickname :P

"You are beaten, it is useless to resist!"

"Your overconfidence is your weakness"


Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced today the North American launch details for its highly anticipated PSP(TM) (PlayStation(R) Portable) handheld entertainment system. Available through retail outlets on March 24, the company continues its consumer-centric legacy with the release of the PSP Value Pack for a suggested retail price of $249.99 U.S./$299.99 CND. In addition to the revolutionary PSP hardware, the PSP Value Pack contains an unprecedented added-value package of accessories and entertainment content, including 32 MB Memory Stick Duo(TM), headphones with remote control, battery pack, AC adaptor, soft case and cleaning cloth, movie/music/game video sampler UMD disc including multiple non-interactive game demos, and for the first one million PSP Value Packs shipped, a special UMD video release of the feature film Spider-Man(TM) 2 from Sony Pictures Entertainment.

"Only now, at the end, do you understand" PT!!!!!!

Are you really going to watch Spider Man 2 on your PSP ?

Still looks like poop to me !

I don't get it... YOU'RE the one getting ripped off...

DS Units sold in Japan: 1,547,000
PSP Units sold in Japan: 699,000
That's over 2:1

Furthermore, Wario Ware Touched! (aka Made in Wario Sawaru) has sold almost 3x more than the PSP's top selling software title: Mina Portable Golf.
DS is kicking the PSP's ass dude, what sales figures have you been looking at?

Don't count on a PSP2, Sony are losing too much from the PSP, and they're massively in debt - they are no Microsoft.


Nothing worse than listening to someone who thinks they know what they're talking about.


Are you retarded?
I'd really like to know what these shitty Nintendo games are...


What are you trying to prove? Your idiocy? Third parties always make trash, look at the PS2, XBX, GCN, GBA lineups. Why are you blaming the DS for this? Goddam some people are clueless.
Why don't you compare the best games of either system. Wario Ware trumps all over the PSP's lineup with new innovative gameplay. What does the PSP have? A bunch of PS2 ports, I'd rather buy a PS2 and enjoy them on a big screen.


Battery life is the same. The DS doesn't fall apart in your hands, and most importantly, it has games people give a shit about


Howbout you do some product research for once instead of browsing gamerevolution.com (one of the worst sites I've ever been to) with Sony branded goggles.

I'd rather save my money and get a proper portable DVD Player (No way anyone is going to purchase their DVD collection on UMD, not to mention there won't be many films out

Or better yet... use this