Essential Travel Tools: Sony PSP

PSPgo - Pearl White Traveling today has become more time consuming. Having to arrive early to get through security checks often means having to spend time ... a lot of time ... waiting. Waiting to board a flight. Waiting to check in. Waiting means you need a distraction. Are you a movie lover? Music lover? Gamer? If so, then the Sony Playstation Portable (PSP) is an ideal travel companion.
The most current versions (PSP Go* and PSP 3000) as well as the PSP 2000 systems not only let you game, listen to music or watch movies on a large, bright screen but also allow you to read comics, surf the Internet and make phone calls via Skype. Both the 2000 and 3000 series require Memory Stick Duo cards (up to 32GB available) if you want to store music or movies but the PSP Go has 16GB of built in storage and a slot for a Memory Stick Duo giving you a maximum storage of 48GB. That’s a lot of space for plenty of music, movies and games! The PSP Go doesn’t accept the UMD game cartridges of the older systems so you must purchase and download games from the Playstation Store. Some might find that inconvenient but I think it has a huge advantage over having to carry multiple UMD cartridges. Good news is that the PSP 2000/3000 series can download games to the Memory Stick Duo ... so get as big a card as you can afford.

The Takeaway ...

• Play games, watch movies or listen to music all from one highly-portable device
• Make phone calls via Skype on PSP 2000, 3000 and Go models
• Check web-based e-mail via wireless
• New touchscreen PSP, code-named NGP, will be available late 2011

PSP 3000 Core Pack - Black Both the PSP Go and the PSP 3000 have a built-in microphone and speakers allowing you to make Skype calls without any additional hardware. PSP 2000 series, though they have speakers, requires a headset/microphone combination if you’re interested in being able to make Skype calls via wireless from wherever your travels take you. Being able to make free phone calls from anywhere in the world via Skype through a PSP makes it an incredible tool for the price.Both the PSP Go and the PSP 3000 have a built-in microphone and speakers allowing you to make Skype calls without any additional hardware. PSP 2000 series, though they have speakers, requires a headset/microphone combination if you’re interested in being able to make Skype calls via wireless from wherever your travels take you. Being able to make free phone calls from anywhere in the world via Skype through a PSP makes it an incredible tool for the price.
The built-in on-screen keyboard works well enough for basic web surfing or sending simple e-mail messages through GMail or other web-based e-mail solutions. Even without a touch screen, which I feel is a flaw on the PSP Go considering its competition, the combination of features are noteworthy. With a larger screen and actual gaming controls most gamers would be hard pressed to choose and iPhone or iPod Touch over a Sony PSP system. Maybe the next generation PSP** will add a touchscreen and 64GB of built-in storage thus thrusting itself into the forefront of travel essentials. Until then, either a PSP 2000, 3000 or Go is a welcome travel companion.

*20Apr11 - Sony announced that they will no longer continue production of the PSPGo. As of this writing the PSP 3000 is still in production and the new PSP, code-named NGP, is expected to go on sale in late 2011.

**The new PSP, code-named NGP, does have touchscreen, GPS and a motion sensor.
**UPDATE: 1 Dec 11 - The next-generation PSP is called the PSP Vita

Originally published in The Beacon Newsmagazine October 2010