PSP, my biggest complaint.

darkje

darkje

CAGiversary!
Feedback
8 (100%)
I was just thinking about the whole psp launch here in the US and after reading an article about WiFi at panera bread it struck me...

Why hasn't sony added a type of web browser to the PSP for the US launch? It's been said they are working on it, but this is a feature that is most interesting. It should also be easy since the PSP is WiFi compliant and had full 802.11b support. It should be as simple as adding an interpreter for the html.

I know the PSP is a gaming machine, but it can be so much more....

Imagine that anywhere you go, you can whip out your PSP and connect to the internet, much like a pda. Use the analog stick as a mouse and maybe have a displayed keyboard like some Palm Zires have.


And maybe they should have partially opened the memory stick program access so people could build their own applications.

Some things that immediatly come to mind :

- Streaming media player ( a la winamp )
- Various Emulators ( N64, Snes, Genesis, Mame, etc )
- Network tools (windows shares with mp4 files)

And so on...

Heck, I would try and port some things if I could have access to the PSP in that way when it comes out.... (Doom PSP or Quake PSP anyone? With multiplayer!)

I think the possibilities outside actual gaming are huge for the PSP, unfortunately, now we'll have to wait until someone figures out how to run their own apps on it ( Much like they figured out howto with the DS)
 
Well, I don't think I'd like to control the mouse with the analog stick, as that may be awkward, but I think your ideas are good. Some time down the road when I get a PSP, I'd like to browse CAG on it. :)
 
Good plan, and like you said, Sony is already looking into making a browser for it. Sadly, I bet that it will be very limited in quality. Something along the lines of the old versions of Netscape (shudder).
 
Limited Quality? Nah, they talked about having Java script on it and Flash games input because thy see the potential in the flash games itself. And the potential with Java script yet alone is tremendous, with Internet Radio, aim express, chat. Also have you heard of PSP Linux? That maybe possibly allow us to put Emulators onto the PSP and all sorts of stuff.
 
THere is an extremely simple answer to this. One that needed to be asked more often in the dot.bomb era:

How does this make money for Sony?

Sony sells each PSP at a significant loss. They don't see a penny in profit until you've around seven or eight games. The secondary applications for PSP are about revenue enhancement. Even if you don't buy music from Sony you will buy Memory Sticks to store it. Likewise, if you don't buy UMD videos but do watch video on the PSP you need a high capacity Memory Stick to make it happen.

Potentially one could use a web browser in the PSP to connect to a Sony store and buy stuff but really, how many people are going to do kind of high hassle without a keyboard shopping? The PSP comes with USB cable to plug it into your PC and use it as a Memory Stick read/write device. Any content you might purchase is much more easily done on your PC and transferred by that method.
 
[quote name='Metang386']Limited Quality? Nah, they talked about having Java script on it and Flash games input because thy see the potential in the flash games itself. And the potential with Java script yet alone is tremendous, with Internet Radio, aim express, chat. Also have you heard of PSP Linux? That maybe possibly allow us to put Emulators onto the PSP and all sorts of stuff.[/quote]

You're talking about an extremely limited environment for such activity. Only 32 MB of RAM and that includes loading the code for the browser and other functions. It'll also be fairly miserable without a keyboard, especialy since the PSP doesn't have a touchscreen as you'd find on a PDA to allow tapping on a virtual keyboard or even handwriting entry.

This stuff is already happening on the PDa side, or rather it's available and people aren't buying it. THe PDA business has been in a serious decline since it stopped being the yuppie toy of choice. People who need highly portable web access have found that ultalight notebook PCs are very reasonable to carry around and require little or no compromises when it comes to Internet activity.

There is a reason why Sony stopped trying to sell PDAs in the North American market but are still going strong in the portable PC market.
 
Just a few thoughts on this:

1) Sony making their profit on memory sticks - I almost think Sandisk will make for than Sony here. Sony's prices are so ridiculously inflated Sandisk is almost half the cost. I'm sure there is some sort of royalty fee Sony is collecting though.

2) Emulators and Homebrew on the PSP - Give it time...I'm sure it's possible. It sure would be nice if Sony made this easy though.

3) Web browser - I guess it would be nice but epobirs makes good points. It's something that everyone wants and no one wants to pay for. So why'd Sony spend it's money on developing it?
 
[quote name='bmulligan']Sony hasn't even given us a browser for the PS2, why on earth would they do it for the PSP ?[/quote]

And Sony actually has a PS2 browser I played with at E3 years ago. A version of Netscape Navigator as well as various AOL apps. This was when Sony was pushing the idea that the PS2 would become a home computer to displace the Windows PC. Reality set in before they even tried to market this beyond the handful of Linux kits they moved.

Part of the reason was likely the rapid decline of PC prices. Now that laptops can be had for as little as $400 the same is applicable to the portable market. If you want to do PC stuff, use a PC.
 
[quote name='bmulligan']Sony hasn't even given us a browser for the PS2, why on earth would they do it for the PSP ?[/quote]
why would we ever want a browser for ps2, when we could use a little thing called a computer instead. the purpose of a psp browser is for portability
 
What they should do is make the PSP screen touch sensitive so you can use a stylus which would make surfing the web a lot easier. They could then think up of new ways to incorporate the touch screen in the games.... nah, that's crazy talk...
 
Personally, I could really care less about being able to surf the web with my PSP. I've got my desktop and laptop to do that. I'm just happy that they put wireless into it so I can play on the internet anywhere in my apartment, laying in bed, sitting on the couch, sitting on the can... the possibilities are endless!
 
[quote name='cthcky33'][quote name='bmulligan']Sony hasn't even given us a browser for the PS2, why on earth would they do it for the PSP ?[/quote]
why would we ever want a browser for ps2, when we could use a little thing called a computer instead. the purpose of a psp browser is for portability[/quote]

Funny thing, we also have portable computers. Those things that look like huge GBA SPs? Thats them. Meanwhile, the market for web access on devices using screens of the size and resolution of the PSP has proven to be rather minor in most of the world while the laptop market keeps growing. That, along with the growth of 3G services for cellphones, doesn't leave much demand for a PSP browser.
 
I'm not saying that sony has to put alot of time in it. I bet they can code a browser from scratch in a few days.

However, if they would have made the memory stick access more open to user built programs, this would have solved everything. People could build their own apps from browsers to emulators to even homebrew games.

Your question is a valid one in this economical climate though, how does it profit Sony?

I would think it's in their best interest to get their system out to as many people as possible. Having a web browser or beeing able to code your own applications for it would be something extra.

Ofcourse the core of the PSP is still a gaming system and people will buy games, isn't that what sony wants?

Maybe this might be a moot point if by next month someone figures out how bypass the security to run your own apps.

While I agree that I use my laptop for wireless browsing, it's also way too big to take in your pocket anywhere you go.

Eg, you are on the road and need to look up directions or a phone number. It would be nice to take out your PSP and be able to do it.
 
A software update that Sony was working on (includes a number of internet applications such as a web browser and email client, tools including a text-to-speech utility, calculator, word processor and spreadsheet) was actually leaked onto a Sony forum last month, but anyone who installed it risked damaging their PSP because it hasn't been finalized nor approved by Sony (Sony will repair the damaged units, but for a fee). My guess is that we'll see some type of web connectivity eventually via a firmware upgrade; the key is patience.

Sony, according to Gaming Horizons, is also working on an application for receiving television broadcasts via an internet connection; this will be accomplished through "place-shifting," which is accessing content stored from remote locations through high-speed web links.

The PSP has almost limitless potential as a convergence device, but we also need to keep our expectations in check.
 
[quote name='Morrigan Lover']
why would we ever want a browser for ps2, when we could use a little thing called a computer instead.
Click to expand...

Video game consoles are computers.[/quote]

Calculators are computers as well. But they are not interchanged in regular use.

neither are the terms 'video game console' and 'computer'.

Though one is technically a subset of the other, we have come to expect a mild difference in both their usage and their meaning.
 
[quote name='darkje']I'm not saying that sony has to put alot of time in it. I bet they can code a browser from scratch in a few days.

However, if they would have made the memory stick access more open to user built programs, this would have solved everything. People could build their own apps from browsers to emulators to even homebrew games.

Your question is a valid one in this economical climate though, how does it profit Sony?

I would think it's in their best interest to get their system out to as many people as possible. Having a web browser or beeing able to code your own applications for it would be something extra.

Ofcourse the core of the PSP is still a gaming system and people will buy games, isn't that what sony wants?

Maybe this might be a moot point if by next month someone figures out how bypass the security to run your own apps.

While I agree that I use my laptop for wireless browsing, it's also way too big to take in your pocket anywhere you go.

Eg, you are on the road and need to look up directions or a phone number. It would be nice to take out your PSP and be able to do it.[/quote]

One does not code a browser from scratch ina few days. A decent modern HTML rendering engine is a non-trivial project, to say the least. Not if you want it to be able to deal with more than a tiny subset of the web. The fastest way to do would be to license an existing code base, which means sinking capital into a questionable investment.

The PSP is sold at a considerable loss. Sony doesn't even break even on the unit until at least half a dozen games are purchased at full price or a greater number of UMD movies, etc. Encouraging the use of the PSP for things that do not translate directly to revenue for Sony is nothing short of suicidal. I wouldn't blame Sony at all for making every effort to make it as adifficult as possible to use the PSP for applications that do not benefit Sony's finaces, as is the case with every other successful product of the sort.

Keep in mind, Sony has already been down this road. Their Clie PDA range included models with very usable keyboards that bordered on the performance of ultralite portable PCs while still being able to fit in a coat pocket. It turned out to be a lousy business and the PDA business in general has been in decline since the dot.com era went bust and reduced the market for such toys to people who hada genuine need.

Meanwhile, another category of product with a base of over a BILLION has continued to grow and gain in capability. I refer, of course, to the cellphone. It is now becoming very difficult to buy a unit that does not include a bit mapped display and substantial processing power. The service providers know where the money is. The majority of adults now regard a cellphone as a requirement of their lives. Adding the ability to consult Yahoo Maps is a winner. People have the phones and they're already part of a billing infrastructure. Doing the same thing with a game system reliant on spotty WiFi coverage and no clear method of revenue collection is not very encouraging, especially when the game system is only likely to achieve less than 10% of the installed base if it is maximally successful.

The cellphone has been increasingly successful as a stealth PDA. People who would never even consider buying a Palm or iPAQ are coming closer to matching that capability with each passing quarter. It would be a terrible waste of Sony's time and capital to attempt competing with that, especially since the portion of Sony that is already in that business would be rather unappreciative of the incursion into their territory. Meanwhile, the marketing of the PSP is done with the assumption of a certain level of affluence that accepts a $250 portable game system and $40-$50 games. It is a safe assumption that the majority of prospective PSP buyers are already well equipped on the cellphone side rather than foregoing it afford the PSP.

Down the road there may be a niche market for adding such things to the PSP but not for quite some time. If Sony cannot sell 30 million or more PSPs purely on the basis of its primary application, it will not help at all to divide their resources to pursue non-revenue enhancing uses for the product.
 
[quote name='Dr Mario Kart'][quote name='Morrigan Lover']
why would we ever want a browser for ps2, when we could use a little thing called a computer instead.
Click to expand...

Video game consoles are computers.[/quote]

Calculators are computers as well. But they are not interchanged in regular use.

neither are the terms 'video game console' and 'computer'.

Though one is technically a subset of the other, we have come to expect a mild difference in both their usage and their meaning.[/quote]

In much the same way a bulldozer is not a car but certainly could be made to serve as transportation. A specialized device shouldn't be misapplied merely because it has some innards in common with a general purpose device. A video game console may be a computer at heart but it is an awful experience to attempt using it for those things one would normally buy a general purpose PC to accomplish.
 
Seriously you guys, why are you debating whether a video game system is a computer? Does it really matter that much?
 
[quote name='RedvsBlue']Seriously you guys, why are you debating whether a video game system is a computer? Does it really matter that much?[/quote]

In a text based forum, what matters more than semantics?

Some people have trouble absorbing the idea that language must evolve to adapt to the changes technology brings. Once upon a time it would have been stunnning that a high powered array of microprocessor capacity might be sold for a very narrow appplication with no means of easily applying it for general purpose computing. But then, people once thought that way about engines. Having a powerful engine for nothing but transportation was madness. The original Model T was sold on a plethora of applications enabled by a range of add-ons. If you look at a Sears catalog from the era you'll see a range of add-ons for using the Model T's engine in an amazing range of apps. It was the PC of its day.

Then small engines became very cheap and the range of appliances and devices a person might buy for a single function expanded wildly. The same happened with microprocessors. A few years ago the idea of having a tiny webserver in a appliance like a router seem amazing. One cute term that went around when the idea was still in the planning stages was 'fractional horsepower webserver' in honor of how little cheap engines had changed the world of our grandparents. Now the idea is so common it can be dificult to explain to a kid just learning this stuff how amazing it was just a decade ago. That there were some people who felt that something like a Linksys router should have a slot for a data storage unit of some kind so it could serve pages to the outside world as well. The rationale was that anything less would be a waste of this marvelous power.

Some people recognize the future when it arrives and others just get swept along with the tide.
 
[quote name='help1']if there were emulatores, who in their right mind would buy games?[/quote]

Are we talking buying PSP games or buying the emulators?

Personally, I think lots of people would still buy the games. Playing the "classics" is great but it doesn't fulfill the whole PSP experience.

And on that same note ... anyone know how to make a PSP work flawlessly at Panera? Will we need to rig it through a PC and a wireless card?

-Scott
 
I know the upgrade sony spoofed about three months ago included and install for a browser app, as well as some HDTV funtionality, along with voice chat/instant messaging capabilities. All sony ever said was that it was leaked prior to its proper release, [/]not[/i] that anything on there wasn't planned. As far as ram goes, the Duo sticks should answer your question- Run the program from the stick which EVERYONE will be getting. Duo's have something like a quadrupled seek time, making them a nice alternative to RAM. add to that the addition of the Pro model, which also has increased seek time, and they're preparing the market for everything they have to offer, including their recently announced, hot-spot enabled, iPSP service. I'd say, plan on something similar to the DC's browser, and more peripherals than you can shake a finger at, all coming out after August (establish your market, then push all you have at it).

There's a reason this has been dubbed as a 'Big Boys' toy from the beginning, and everyone says price is the largest factor. Sony knows this, too, and knows that if the market has the mney to spend once, they will, inevitably, spend again. How many have bought Twisted Metal, Wipeout, NBA, Soccer, planning on Ape Escape? Games that cost are all recouping profit for them. They team up with EB who pays them the full value of the games, so we trade in a bunch and get multiples of them. Average add-on without the system even being out (and just from what I've seen on the CAG boards) is about three games to a system, two of which are SCEA. Games which would only cost them about 10$ apiece from start to finish, because they're just rebuilds of old games. Hell, media would be the most expensive part here. We as CAGs may not be paying much for the system, but, Sony is seeing that we're spending 330$ (with two SCEA games).

So, long story short: Sony is not loosing as much money as they let on. They can afford to throw new products at the public, and are already hard at work on turning the PSP into a variation of their pocket PC models- web browsing et-al. Now, if anyone will use it for their devious purposes, who knows, but it seems that's the direction they want to go in.
 
[quote name='Morrigan Lover']
why would we ever want a browser for ps2, when we could use a little thing called a computer instead.
Click to expand...

Video game consoles are computers.[/quote]

My microwave is a computer.
 
[quote name='SadieDee'][quote name='Morrigan Lover']
why would we ever want a browser for ps2, when we could use a little thing called a computer instead.
Click to expand...

Video game consoles are computers.[/quote]

My microwave is a computer.[/quote]

My microwave has a button that says popcorn. It always seems to come out just right..
 
[quote name='Esperado'][quote name='SadieDee'][quote name='Morrigan Lover']
why would we ever want a browser for ps2, when we could use a little thing called a computer instead.
Click to expand...

Video game consoles are computers.[/quote]

My microwave is a computer.[/quote]

My microwave has a button that says popcorn. It always seems to come out just right..[/quote]

My popcorn says do not use youre microwave's popcorn button....
My GF said fuck that and used it anyways and the popcorn only half popped...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
bread's done
Back
Top