With the addition of a web browser, PSP owners can now download movies directly from the Internet and watch them on their handheld. Previously, users had to go through the hassle of downloading movie files to their PCs, and transfer the data to their Memory Stick via USB or a memory card adapter.
Kawanishi is thinking of further improving the PSP's movie viewing experience by adding a function to watch streaming videos. If that happens, users will be able to watch movies on the fly without having to save them on their Memory Stick. Kawanishi also said that he plans to include Digital Right Management (DRM) functions in a future update, which will allow for paid content to be watched on the handheld.
Kawanishi stated that the web browser function should also benefit future game releases. Since users can bring up the browser during gameplay, publishers may be more inclined to add downloadable content to their title's official sites. For example, a player can pause a game, go to the game's site, download new data, and resume playing the game with new content. Kawanishi also pointed out that the PSP's Wi-Fi capability can simultaneously communicate in Infrastructure mode to connect to the Internet and Ad Hoc mode to connect with other PSP owners. He hopes that publishers will start to develop games that specifically leverage this new functionality.
Although the new PSP update came with a Web browser, one thing the machine still lacks is an e-mail application. Users can use some web based e-mail sites, but Kawanishi revealed that he is currently thinking of a new mail program for the PSP that will allow users to communicate with each other using both video and voice. "We're currently considering [the implementation of an e-mail system], but we want to think over the fundamental concept behind e-mail. We think it would be great if people could communicate together with the use of video and voice," said Kawanishi.
