….yeahhhhhhhhhh
That’s going to take some getting used to.
Category: Otaku
PSP what?
This past week the new iteration of the Playstation Portable, called the ‘PSP Go’ was released. Here’s what the white version looks like:
The screen slides up or down like many cellphones, so the controls are hidden when it is not in use.
Now the release of this product is the source of a great deal of mind-boggling amongst gamers with a critical eye. Let’s consider firstly the pros of the new PSP Go:
Pros:
– ‘sexier’ appearance.
– smaller and lighter than the earlier PSP models
– Bluetooth support
And that’s basically that. Sony would list a bunch of other things in the above, such as the ability to save the state of the system (a cold pause button, in effect) or the download-only aspects. But the first can actually be done on any PSP and the latter… well lets look at the cons of this new version:
Cons:
– Absurdly overpriced at US$250, and even more in other countries
– Smaller screen that the original PSP, with a slower refresh rate than the PSP-2000 and PSP-3000
– Lower battery life, and an unreplaceable battery (so when it dies, your Go needs to be replaced…)
– Uncomfortably cramped controls
– New Memory Stick format (MS Duo 2/mini)
– Slow wireless communications (801b only, but even this would not explain the torturously long download times for games reported by those that have bought the thing, not to mention movies taking longer to download than they take to watch). Furthermore, no background downloading, and no Macintosh software to get media onto the system
– Download only. No UMD drive at all, no ability to convert existing games purchased on UMD to the Go.
This last one is the clincher. Anyone that already owns a PSP, and therefore owns games on UMD discs (think of them as little CDs) has no way to play those games on the Go due to it not having a drive. Furthermore, for obvious reasons Sony is not providing a system to allow users to download digital copies of the games they have already bought to play them on the Go. Lastly, although some games have been made available for purchase in the online story, it is only a fraction of all existing PSP games and barely includes any of the best games (such as anything by SquareEnix).
To make matters worse, Sony is charging the same amount for a downloaded game than they do for a UMD version at retail. The end result is that games cost more on the Go since most shops discount games and eventually put them in the bargain bin – two things Sony doesn’t do online. So if you buy a Go, not only are you buying games with no retail value (games are bound to your account, and if you sell the Go the new user will not get the games) but you are paying more than you would pay were you to go to a shop and buy the actual UMD version.
Lastly, the fact remains that the existing PSP models can do everything the Go can (including downloading and playing the online-only games) and more.
As I said, since the negatives overwhelmingly outnumber the positives with respect to this thing it’s really hard to understand why Sony even released it. Think of it a bit like is Microsoft released a new XBox 360 without a dvd drive, or if the DSi had come out without a cartridge slot.
I wonder in how many months Sony will quietly shelve this thing?
I’m Your Fan
(In the spirit of AW’s frequent summaries…)
I’m your fan, Kim Newman
Like many others, I got ‘into’ your books with the wonderful The Bloody Red Baron, an alternate history novel featuring a vampiric Richtofen. It is wonderful stuff, and the several sequels only showed its brilliance was far from a fluke. But your skill as a writer had been around for longer than I knew, as the reissued Genevieve novels showed me. I ate them all up and demanded more. And then came Richard Jesperson and your reimaging of Conan Doyles Diogenes Club. Only now it was a secret English society of espers (aliens and future men?) tasked with saving the commonwealth from all manner of outlandish threat. I recently read Secret Files Of The Diogenes Club and it was the best short story collection I have ever read. Not only did it contain the best Lovecraftian tale not written by the master himself (Richard Riddle, Boy Detective) and the best superhero story ever (Clubland Heroes) but the tour-de-force at the end, Cold Snap was an unbelievably complex balancing act of wild ideas (the villian, amazingly a Doctor Who reference!), outrageous characters (essentially everyone in it), unexpected twists (the professor is…!?!) and just plain page-turningly-good writing. I’ll never forget to expect that that your books, Mr Newman, are required reading, and I will continue to expect they continue to get better and better.
I’m your fan, Emily from Skins
Yes, we’re late to the party, but BBC America recently started showing the drama Skins and KLS and myself are completely hooked! We’ve always been suckers for (good) teen drama, but this one just destroys anything made on these shores. The language is bleep-a-minute (for USA TV) and the situations (frequent sex and drug use amongst underage teens) enough to surprise me BBC shows it at all but we couldn’t be happier. The tale of a 9 disaffected teens may be wild, crazy and even stereotypical, but the characters are real and likeable (even loveable) and the writing so good we were sucked in immediately. In my opinion Emily – both in character and because of her story – steals the show, and it’s a lucky bonus she’s so cute. Even better: she’s one half of twins, both on the show! The series is almost at an end, but we loved it so much we’re certainly getting the first two seasons (featuring a different group of kids) on DVD and keeping an eye on the listings in the hope BBC shows the upcoming season 4 as soon as possible after the UK.
I’m your fan, Supernatural
Best show on TV, no question. Season five is upon us, and what started as a monster-of-the-week drama about brothers hunting demons has evolved into a full blown apocalyptic tale involving the forces of good and evil and the aforementioned Winchester brothers (Sam and Dean), both of whom have pivotal roles to play in the apocalypse. This series representation of angels (such as Castiel, above) is unique and refreshing and just… clever, and the way they present the machinations of Heaven and The Principalities, coupled with the return of Lucifer and his armies is powerful and extremely watchable TV. One of the creators of this show (Eric Kripke) comes from the lineage that gave us The X-Files and Millenium and it shows. But he has honed his art well beyond those older shows, and created something of a modern-day classic here in Supernatural. Highly, highly recommended.
I’m your fan, Alphaville
25 years this year! And to think I got into this band as a fluke (a German cousin sent a cassette). Since then I’ve managed to get everything, including first issues of Dreamscapes (autographed!) and Crazyshow. You’ve been my go-to music for (literally) decades now, and I never get tired of any of your material. Other bands come and go, and while I have others I love dearly, it’s true for me there is no band quite like Alphaville. In fact, I recently told KLS I wanted a particular Alphaville song played at my funeral. If that’s not an endorsement, well what is?