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[Mrbob]

I figure these will start popping up all over the place over the next couple months.

http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-8900_7-5658428-1.html?tag=cnetfd.sd

've had a chance to play with the PSP a few times over the last few months, but I got a more extensive tryout a couple of weeks ago with EA's launch titles, which include NBA Street Showdown, FIFA 2005, Tiger Woods 2005, MVP Baseball, NFL Street 2 Unleashed, and Need For Speed Rivals. The presentation and graphics aren't quite up to PlayStation 2 levels, but they're darn close, and if you're a fan of any of these titles--and other PS2 games coming to the platform (24 titles will be available at launch)--having them in a portable format is about as killer as it gets. For now, Nintendo DS games--graphically anyway--just aren't in the same league. Frankly, they almost seem retro in comparison.

Don't get me wrong, the iPod is great, but the PSP is about to show that the iPod is played out in its current form. Apple can make some tweaks to the iPod's design, it can strip out features and make a flash player (the Shuffle), but as a music player, it's basically cooked, there isn't really anywhere to go except down in price. A few features could be added, but they'd largely be internalizing many of the more popular iPod accessories, such as a voice recorder or a transmitter for wirelessly streaming your tunes onto an FM tuner. To get to the next level, to make something as insanely cool as the PSP, Apple will have to make some major changes. Yeah, there've been rumors of a home unit for streaming iTunes to the living room. I've also read some posts about a portable or home unit with satellite-radio capabilities. But while those are nice dreams, they're not next-gen iPod material.

DS games being considered retro graphically by mainstream press only 4 months after release? Not good. The PSP/ipod comparisons will be coming down the pike for a long time. It'll be interesting to see if Apple does respond with a more media friendly device in the next year or so.

 

[DarienA]

<grabs popcorn and chair>

 

[The End]

ooh

this should be fun

 

[joshschw]

I agree. When I play my DS I feel like I'm playing something that I played when i was little :lol

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

The iPod/PSP comparison baffles me. But it's probably good for Sony. They'd probably rather be compared to iPod than Gameboy.

Of course, I will end up with both.

 

[SantaC]

<grabs popcorn and chair>

Did you stand by your computer before that?

 

[btrboyev]

Why don't we just ignore the thread and say we didn't.

 

[Mama Smurf]

DS games being considered retro graphically by mainstream press only 4 months after release?

Wasn't this the case basically from the time we first saw PSP games? It's well known, it was always going to happen. You'd have to be insane to buy the DS for its graphics.

 

[Mrbob]

True.

I think the comparison happens because they are close in pricepoint.

Trying to compare value to value for the $250 you spend.


I'm not getting into a PSP/DS argument. In fact, I *don't* want one. I just found it a little interesting that mainstream press already considering the DS antiquated.

Drop your damn popcorn. Good god I hate responses like that.

 

[Mashing]

Apple will team up with Nintendo and put GB evolution tech into their next Ipod. It will happen.

 

[AlphaSnake]

Booya, bitches. I said the same thing in my thread last week. The PSP's playback quality rocks the iPod ten-fold and does it without a condom.

 

[The End]

Apple will team up with Nintendo and put GB evolution tech into their next Ipod. It will happen.

behold, PSP2 will rend the very fabric of spacetime itself.

 

[SantaC]

As someone said, you dont buy the DS for it's graphics.

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

Hopefully the DS will play more to it's strengths(2D). I don't want another 32-bit generation(Awful, primitive 3D.) Let the PSP handle the 3D stuff. It just makes the DS look bad(Kind of reminds me of the Saturn VS Playstation...only the gap is even wider).

 

[human5892]

Yeah, it's assinine to compare the DS and PSP on a graphical level. You might as well say that water is a lot more wet than sand.

 

[Sho Nuff]

Whoever wrote that article is about to get a flood of hate mail!

 

[mj1108]

The graphic whores are now going handheld...

 

[btrboyev]

big deal? My $70 mp3 also sounds better than the ipod. The fact is PSP is music capable, but not a music player..you'd have to be out of your mind to use it as such.

$299 - music player with 20 gig
$250 - PSP with zero music capability until a memory stick is added with ideally a 1 gig stick costing you over $100 for 1/20 of the space.

 

[SantaC]

Thanks to the graphical capabilities of the DS there's going to be another 2D Castelvania!

 

[dark10x]

Thanks to the graphical capabilities of the DS there's going to be another 2D Castelvania!

Yeah, but it's a shame it didn't show up on PSP. It could have been absolutely stunning...

:drool:

 

[kaching]

It is Company Savior vs. Company Savior.

:lol Well put.

 

[Mama Smurf]

It would have been 3D.

 

[bitwise]

As someone said, you dont buy the DS for it's graphics.

im still trying to figure out what you DO buy it for..

definately not games or graphics thus far.

 

[SantaC]

Yeah, but it's a shame it didn't show up on PSP. It could have been absolutely stunning...

:drool:

I agree with that. I wouldn't mind a 2D castlevania for PSP. I am sure there's going to be a Castlevania for PSP sometimes in the future, but I am not convinced that it's going to be in 2D.

 

[tedtropy]

I agree. When I play my DS I feel like I'm playing something that I played when i was little :lol

Yeah, it was called the Nintendo 64.

 

[btrboyev]

im still trying to figure out what you DO buy it for..

The upcoming games that will kick ass??

 

[ToxicAdam]

This is akin to comparing the PS2 to a high-end DVD player.

ITS A GAMING MACHINE THAT CAN DO A FEW OTHER MULTIMEDIA THINGS. stop this madness.

 

[Wario64]

PSP = Walkman of the 21st Century

Sony's been saying that since the beginning so I'm not surprised

 

[Unison]

PSP is a flash player... The Ipod is a hard drive player. Comparing them is silly and pointless...

How much does a 40GB Memory Stick cost these days? :lol

 

[SantaC]

im still trying to figure out what you DO buy it for..

definately not games or graphics thus far.

wario ware, yoshi's touch & go, mario kart and castlevania are games that I look forward to.

 

[btrboyev]

PSP = Walkman of the 21st Century

its kind of funny because sony already has its next gen walkman out and its bombing.

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

im still trying to figure out what you DO buy it for..

definately not games or graphics thus far.

The DS is a mistake. They just should have waited for Sony to release the PSP, then released the next Gameboy a year and a half later.

And now they've weakened(Perhaps even endangered) their money-maker, the Gameboy Advance, by taking away game development in favor of the DS.

 

[border]

What is there for Nintendo to worry about? All of those retro game devices seem to be selling pretty well...

 

[FnordChan]

I agree. When I play my DS I feel like I'm playing something that I played when i was little :lol

I know I do:

The iPod/PSP comparison baffles me.

The media has this incredible compulsion to compare and contrast gadgets that have a tenuous connection at best. Think of it as Battle of the Network Stars, except even less entertaining.

FnordChan

 

[mrklaw]

iPod is successful because most of the other players have such shit UIs and Apple give you capacity to have all your music on the device. Its just a different way of thinking - playback quality really isn't that important, sadly.

Frankly I'm amazed that no-one has been able to get close to the iPod's usability - it really isn't anything special

 

[Mrbob]

I think the media is seeing the PSP and now staring at Apple, saying "Why don't you offer something similar?".

Ipod is music only. PSP does music, games, and movies! Sell us convergence!

 

[Doc Holliday]

PSP = Walkman of the 21st Century

Actually the IPOD is the walkman of the 21st century. They need to shrink down the psp before it reaches IPOD popularity.

 

[kaching]

Frankly I'm amazed that no-one has been able to get close to the iPod's usability - it really isn't anything special

Creative has gotten pretty close. And I'd say the Zen Micro is there, basically. But they've been that bad on the hardware UI, its always been their PC software UI and stability that accompanies the device that's been their Achilles heel.

 

[Unison]

I think the media is seeing the PSP and now staring at Apple, saying "Why don't you offer something similar?".

Ipod is music only. PSP does music, games, and movies! Sell us convergence!

They should be comparing it against something like this, though:

 

[Juice]

PSP = Walkman of the 21st Century

Sony's been saying that since the beginning so I'm not surprised

Sure, they've been saying it, but the PSP's design (even just how the buttons are laid out) is not at all conducive to music playback. Even with a $100 1GB memory stick in there, a lot of space will be eaten up by saves/downloads/movies, and with your remaining 600MB you could maybe have, what, 180 MP3s?

It's just ridiculous to think that a non-hard drive based gaming system is being mentioned in the same sentence as a hard-drive equipped audio player. Can you start playing a playlist on your PSP, lock the buttons, and then slip it effortlessly into your pocket? Without ruining the precious screen?

Why not compare the PSP to another gaming device that does other things, like the Gizmondo? Or the Tapwave? Or any of another twenty similarly intentioned devices doomed to failure.

It's not like the DS is going to be reviewed side-by-side with the next lineup of PDA's, just because it happens to also have a touch screen.

CNET = Fucking amateurs as long as they keep saying shit like this, as if the PSP has everything the iPod does and more:

PSP is about to show that the iPod is played out in its current form.

 

[Mrbob]

That Creative device has a 20gig hdd right?

That is about the only benefit to the unit. The screen is smaller and the video quality isn't nearly as nice. Plus the price is much higher.

 

[Shadax]

DS games being considered retro graphically by mainstream press only 4 months after release?

I don't see why this is so hard for people to swallow. I mean, side by side comparisons of games tells the tale easily (Ridge Racer anyone?). And when you launch the DS with a remake of an N64 game, aren't you inviting "retro" comments anyway?

Also, I think the article is waaaay off base with the "iPod is played out" comments. iPod still has a lot of room to grow (built-in FM tuner, support for satellite radio--I'm thinking of a tie-in with Sirius or XM here). Until PSP gets a 4GB built-in HD to save MP3s on, iPod has nothing to fear.

 

[Unison]

That Creative device has a 20gig hdd right?

That is about the only benefit to the unit. The screen is smaller and the video quality isn't nearly as nice. Plus the price is much higher.

Yeah, the hard drive and the ability to import files directly from Windows Media Center are the main plusses.

I have a Media Center PC & record a lot of TV programs, so I was considering one of these things, but I ultimately decided to go the PSP route instead because of the screen and the ability to play games.

 

[Axsider]

PSP = Walkman of the 21st Century
Sony's been saying that since the beginning so I'm not surprised

True

Sure, they've been saying it, but the PSP's design (even just how the buttons are laid out) is not at all conducive to music playback. Even with a $100 1GB memory stick in there, a lot of space will be eaten up by saves/downloads/movies, and with your remaining 600MB you could maybe have, what, 180 MP3s?

It's just ridiculous to think that a non-hard drive based gaming system is being mentioned in the same sentence as a hard-drive equipped audio player. Can you start playing a playlist on your PSP, lock the buttons, and then slip it effortlessly into your pocket? Without ruining the precious screen?

Why not compare the PSP to another gaming device that does other things, like the Gizmondo? Or the Tapwave? Or any of another twenty similarly intentioned devices doomed to failure.

It's not like the DS is going to be reviewed side-by-side with the next lineup of PDA's, just because it happens to also have a touch screen.

CNET = Fucking amateurs as long as they keep saying shit like this, as if the PSP has everything the iPod does and more:

If I have a PSP, I don't need a iPod (I rather buy a bigger memory stick than a iPod) I can play my mp3s on my PSP. If I got a iPod (and no PSP), I still want to have PSP for the games and stuff. So, I have to buy a PSP.
Well:
PSP = no iPod
iPod = I still need/want a PSP

 

[maskrider]

What is there for Nintendo to worry about? All of those retro game devices seem to be selling pretty well...

Heh ! I have actually considered buying the Namco 5 Arcade (I miss the phoenix) in one retro game device for my kids today in Toys 'R Us (since I put all consoles in my room, ha ha).

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

I think a lot of the iPod vs. PSP compairsons by the mainstream press are just due to the fact that they are looking at two "must have" cool gadgets. Their functionality barely overlaps, and anyone buying a PSP to listen to MP3's alone is stupid, while anyone buying an iPod for on the go gaming is even more so. (Yes, there are a few simple games on the iPod). The iPod, at least to the mass market, has been the "it" gadget of the past year or two, and the PSP may replace it as the coolest gadget on the market. Aside from that, the comparisons are pretty silly.

BTW, I already have an mp3 player (Rio Karma, far superior to the iPod in a lot of ways), portable media player (Archos AV420, not as nice of a screen as the PSP, but 20GB of storage and it can record directly from TV), and I'm getting the PSP purely for the games. It really is a must have gadget for me.

 

[superegular]

there's no way the psp can compete against the ipod as a music player...

the ipod is UNBEATABLE if you use it the correct way. you just have to know
how to really tag the mp3 files. the dynamic playlists are just incredible. for
instance, i can listen to random rock and/or rap songs between the years 1995-1998.

and let's say i add an album to my collection two weeks after i created the playlist;
the songs will automatically be added if they meet the criteria for the playlist.

the 40 gig ipod is the best thing that ever happened to music.

how much would 40 1gb memory sticks cost?

 

[Gaia Theory]

Are we seriously going to act surprised every time a graphical comparison is made between the DS and PSP?

Media has always reported as graphic whores. There is a simple explanation. It's easy to look at screenshots and say 'This game looks cool' whereas it's not nearly as easy to sit down and play a game and say 'This game has me interacting in ways I've never done before in videogames, cool.'

Mass media especially, like your local newspaper or CNN will always have graphic bias, as it is easiest to report. Graphics are a big part of first impressions too. But why do you keep going back to play games? Not for the graphics, and if that is the reason, I feel bad for you. If I play a game, keep playing that game, beat it, and replay it, it's because of the gameplay.

So while the PSP for it's entire life cycle will always outclass the DS in terms of graphics, the two machines are almost on equal footing to provide unique game experiences. Almost. The DS interface certainly gives it a slight edge to bring us something unique unto itself, and that is the reason to buy it, not for graphics.

I'm tired of reading the same old arguments about console/handheld comparisons. We play games because they are interactive, not because they are pretty.

 

[Mrbob]

there's no way the psp can compete against the ipod as a music player...

the ipod is UNBEATABLE if you use it the correct way. you just have to know
how to really tag the mp3 files. the dynamic playlists are just incredible. for
instance, i can listen to random rock and/or rap songs between the years 1995-1998.

and let's say i add an album to my collection two weeks after i created the playlist;
the songs will automatically be added if they meet the criteria for the playlist.

the 40 gig ipod is the best thing that ever happened to music.

how much would 40 1gb memory sticks cost?

I agree about the PSP not competing with the Ipod on a strictly music front. Yet. It isn't so much what the IPOD can do as to what it can't do. If you are a music fan, great. Ipod will hold all your songs. But with memory stick prices about to collapse over the next couple years the PSP is going to be able to hold more storage and do much more than an IPOD could dream of doing. If you want more than just music you can get that and more with a PSP.

 

[neptunes]

underrated