New Sony PSP!!!

Sony is giving its handheld console a serious refresh in the form of a slimmer, lighter and faster “updated” PSP. Sony Computer Entertainment Europe managing director Ray Maguire called the current version of the PSP the “first iteration” of the hardware and that a “smaller, lighter” version would be coming in the future.
Sony sold about 250,000 units of the new version of the PlayStation Portable in Japan in the four days since its launch, a game magazine publisher said on Wednesday, roughly matching total Japanese sales of the original PSP in the two months through August.
Sony launched the new PSP, which is cheaper and slimmer than the initial model, on September 20 in Japan in a bid to compete better with Nintendo Co Ltd’s hot-selling DS Lite.
Both Sony and Nintendo released their handheld consoles, the PSP and DS, respectively, late in 2004.

New PSP features

Like the original, the new PSP is also a mini media entertainment device, able to store and play music, pictures and video. Internet access opens it not only to multiplayer gaming, but to watching recorded or live TV at any Wi-Fi hotspots if you also happen to have TiVo or Sony LocationFree devices back home.

The new unit includes 80 x 272 pixel resolution, 16.77 million colors and a 16:9 wide screen aspect ratio for sharp, stunning visuals and an amazing gaming experience.
It`s 33 percent lighter, 19 percent slimmer thinner and they’ve cut the weight by 33%, though the rest of the handheld’s dimensions appear to remain mostly status quo.
It’s probably the single-biggest change that makes the new PSP feel more like a portable device that’s about fun and entertainment more than it is about computing (the current PSP, though elegant, feels like it might break if you drop it). But the new PSP is also made of a smooth, and, to be honest, less flashy plastic-like material that once again says “casual” and “fun,” rather than “consumer electronic device that might break if you drop it.”

Another user-friendly, rough-and-tumble addition, a UMD movie disc slot that opens manually like a lid rather than the mechanical version on the current PSP. Again, when you’re on the move, you want devices with as few moving parts as possible.

The most notable change from a functionality standpoint is the addition of video output capabilities. The new hardware can output video to an external display, such as a television, for all media. The video output may also be used for displaying photos and playing games on an external display

Sony has doubled the built-in memory to 64 megabytes, which results in noticeably faster-loading games displayed on its bright 4.3-inch screen.

The battery is far, far lighter (and smaller). Plugging in a PSP Fat battery will give nearly double battery life according to Sony because the new PSP is far more “fuel efficient.”

The PSP works with Memory Stick Duo and Memory Stick Pro Duo media so you can easily save game data

Until now only the silver Daxter PSP bundle was shipping. Since yesterday Amazon.com ships the new Sony PSP for $169.99.

Summary

Pros

-Lighter and slimmer design is a plus. You won’t feel like you’re carrying around a brick!
-Faster loading time. About 80 seconds to get to Lego Star Wars II title screen on PSP Slim, about 90 seconds on original PSP.
-Slightly brighter and more saturated colors
-Can charge through USB cable (although it’ll take longer than using AC adapter)
-Video output capability (however, the cable is not included)
-Analog stick not as stiff as original PSP
- AV output for video and game playback on TVs
-Retains all of the impressive media and online features of the original PSP
-Deep lineup of great game titles that offer better graphics than Nintendo DS games.
-Better placement of speakers (on the face of the PSP, rather than the bottom).
-No dead pixels (original PSP has a couple)

Cons

-Video output cable not included.
-UMD load times still poky compared to Flash-based DS games
-Memory Stick door feels flimsy and fragile (when pulled out)
-Battery compartment door doesn’t feel as secure as original PSP
-Screen is still too reflective and a magnet for fingerprints
-Subtle redesign missed the opportunity to add even more features

While it may not be a must-have upgrade for existing PSP owners, a host of subtle improvements make the latest Sony PSP an even better deal for anyone looking for a solid portable gaming and multimedia device.

Source circuitcity gamingbits psprumors engadget