SONY PSP PLAYSTATION PORTABLE Value Pack Game System

You've probably done a lot of research and read reviews already, so I'll just keep this short and hit the highlights.

- The screen: Yeah, it's nice. I have no dead pixels.

- The games: A little skimpy right now, but I can easily imagine REALLY good ones coming to this platform. If you can live without a PSP for a while, you may want to wait for the good stuff. I haven't tried any multiplayer games yet, but I'm looking forward to it.

- The video player: VERY nice. The Spiderman 2 movie looks fantastic. The movies are a little skimpy right now too, but if rental places (Blockbuster, airport stores...) start carrying lots of titles and new releases, the device is worth the purchase as a portable movie player alone. I hope there are plans for making UMD-R/RWs, because the memory stick is not yet practical for day-to-day storage of your own stuff.

- The MP3 player: More bulky than most that are out these days, but good enough. It's a nice extra feature, but don't buy it for this functionality alone. (Is anyone anyway?) The included remote is handy.

- The geek features: USB connectivity is kind of slow, but that's probably because of USB, not the PSP. I had a little trouble connecting to my Linksys wireless router. I had to assign an IP address because it wouldn't get a DHCP address automagically. Speaking of wireless, it SURE would be nice to be able to move files back and forth using a wireless network instead of USB, but I don't think this functionality exists (yet). Haven't used the IR port yet, don't know what it's good for since USB connectivity is included. Also, there are already hacks to make the PSP a Web browser and IRC client. This functionality was already built in, which tells me that Sony has plans for more functionality coming down the pipeline.

- Spiffiness: Very. They put a lot of thought into the design of this device, and I think it really paid off. I appreciate little things like the button to disable the wireless and the switch to disable all of the buttons (for watching movies or listening to mp3s) except the remote buttons. I wish the case were a little more ergonomic, but with the right grippie/protector, it's fine.

- What you'll need in addition:
1) A bigger memory card. For it to be useful at all, you'll want at least 256MB. I would recommend at least 512MB, but they're curiously hard to find anywhere now. 32MB just plain sucks.
2) Some sort of screen/unit protection, such as the rubber cover. You do NOT want that screen to get scratched!
3) Some games. It comes with none. I don't like the bundles that everyone is selling, because there's no discount. (Add up the price of the bundle and compare it with the prices of the separate items...) I suggest getting the Value Pack and picking your own games and accessories.
4) A carrying case and some UMD disc cases would be nice, otherwise they'll get scattered all about. The games and movies do NOT come with a protective case, so unless you plan on ALWAYS returning the disks to their almost DVD box-sized boxes, you'll need something to keep the discs from getting scratched.

If you're the kind of person who has to have a PSP now, I think you'll thoroughly enjoy it. If you're not, then don't let all the hype change your mind. It solidly earns four out of five stars right now, and as more games and movies are released, that rating will crawl towards five. If you're somewhat interested in buying one, though, I do think you'll eventually get one because it is a lot of fun and quite useful. Hopefully this will help in your purchasing decision!

I ordered the Sony PSP way before Dec. 14, 2004. The first thing I noticed when I opened the box was the shining, crystal clear, liquid-like 4.5" screen! If you cover the control pad and buttons to reveal just the screen, you might think this is a tiny Plasma screen you're holding!

I also own a Nintendo DS, so I am being very fair here; the dual screens is a nice touch; my wife loves to play ZooKeeper using the stylus; but compare the screens to the Sony PSP's screen, it is not as sharp as the PSP.

The menu on the PSP is pretty intuitive, easy to navigate. Control pad and buttons are layout just like a regular Sony PS2 controller, except the joystick on the PSP, it looks like a round tape covering a hole or something, and I almost thought it is something I should remove. The analog pad is a little hard to use when playing any game requires precised movement, like Super bobble pop type of game, or shooters using cross-hair; but once get used to it, not a problem. The WiFi connection is easy to configure - switch it on and search and connect. I am getting a US verson next month to play wireless game with my wife.

People who has seen and played the PSP will tell you, the graphics are awesome! (yes it is a over-used word, but you'll agree with me if you own one.) I showed it to the guys at the cellphone store while playing Ridge Racer, immediately they formed a line and took turn to play with their jaws dropping to the floor!

I also tried some MPEG4 video playback using a 512MB MS Duo, now this is what a portable AV player should be! It's like watching a DVD movie on a plasma tv, smaller of course! No wonder Sony is going to including SpiderMan 2 movie for the first 1 million PSP shipped in the US. Watch it and you will see what I mean.

This is really a nice portable entertainment system, and yes, it plays MP3 nicely. It is larger than Apple IPod, but I love that big screen! Don't forget to get a screen protector and a carrying case, you want the screen look good.

DONT GET THE VALUE PACK!!!

All the extra items you get in the value pack is not worth the money. The memory card is too small and you're most likely going to get a new one with a larger capacity. The headphones are cheap and will not last more than a month. You are most likely going to get a new carrying case for your PSP also. It is not worth the extra $60.

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