The Next Generation Portable has been announced and Sony is already trundling out the media wagon.
You'll see several screenshots here, and you'll note the approximate length and width of the device. That beautiful OLED screen impressed many at the PlayStation Meeting, and the combination of those front and back touchpads – along with the micro analog sticks – should give us great control diversity. Plus, it's really something we've never seen before, and it really does seem to put "the power in your hands."
Then there's the debut teaser trailer, which doesn't exactly put the NGP at the center of attention with all the specs and everything. But it's your standard loopy Sony marketing and we might be seeing a similar advertisement towards the end of the year. At the very least, it'll get people going, "woah…the hell sort of gadget are they talking about?"
Perhaps best of all is the pledged support from so many developers. You can check out the full list over at GameSpot ; as you can see, there are several major studios and designers on the list, and don't forget that Sony will be tapping more developers to create titles specifically for the NGP.
At the end of the day, we still need a price point. After seeing the capabilities of this little electronic wonder, most are thinking there's no way it can be priced below $300, and it probably won't be. Perhaps we're looking somewhere in the $300-$400 range…only time will tell how that will go over with consumers. The PS3 launched at $600, but that's a full home console and it didn't sell very well in the first year.
But whatever happens, we know the NGP has broken the mold for handheld gaming and portable entertainment. And that's pretty darn impressive.
What can I say… not much really… just that it is FREAKING AWESOME!
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
"FREAKING AWESOME" is an understatement…it's way beyond freaking awesome…and way beyond freaking sexy as well.
I mean look at that. After being shoved by a bunch of rumored pics of how the PSP "2" will look like…we get shown one of the most sexiest handled devices soon to be on the market.
God I WANT TO HOLD ONE!!! I WANT ONE SO BAD!!!!!
Just waiting on a price announcement now..
Gamestop estimates a low, low price of $1000. LOL!
http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?sku=020163&loc=homeflash1&affID=77777&sourceID=FKSJxY2VJAk-vE49.qybo5ULR489EoBhqQ
Judging from the size of this thing, I can imagine a Slim version + price cuts will follow in the next couple years.
Gamestop has once again proved how crazy and moronic they can be at most of the times.
And plus…one of the Sony Executives confirmed it with Engadget that it's not going to be $599. Well if it's not going to be $599…it's not going to be over it either.
I'm guessing $350. I know it's more than the PS3…but I have a gut feeling that tells me so.
This clip shows clear references both to multiplayer/network support, both WIFI and 3G connectivity, trophy support and motion controls. And Shuhei Yoshida's tech demo presentation of Uncharted Portable was shockingly close to it's PS3 brethren (perhaps even identical at the perceivable resolution and view distance that ones sees it at).
I don't like the trailer, I mean its good, but it doesn't show the NGP at all.
That is strange isn't it? It's a good trailer and the slogan of "the power is now in your hands" is accurate, clever, and appealing. However, the actual product itself doesn't actually appear. How odd.
I enjoyed it from a marketing perspective as it supposed to build some hype around the aforementioned services that it comes bundled with. It really is setting the scene that anything is possible.
Have to say though I think the 3DS will probably still outsell it. Again, Nintendo has a good few months lead in this space, and I think the cult status of the DS generally, together with Ninty's strong game brands, will keep the tills humming for them.
As mentioned, price will be an important factor. We will see what other features evolve on the PSP2. No mention of a good web browser, what a shame. I didn't see a stylus for it in the videos – is there one?
I hope too Sony will consider to produce more generic apps for the device and let small independent 3rd party developers develop for it. Maybe PlayStation.Suite will play a bigger role as an enabler for more people to get involved in producing software for the device, such as useful Android apps that can be run on the PSP2 in emulation mode.
I also see no talk of movie playback and audio playback yet!
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
I would guess that:
a) Sony didn't have a (mostly) finalized version of the hardware to provide to the ad company back when the ad was shot
and/or
b) Sony didn't want the ad company to have the device for fear of leaked images.
I will agree that it did seem wierd to have the image of empty hands at the end.
Now I'm kind of glad I never got around to buying a PSP. This bad boy is looking sharp though.
like I said in a previous post I'm not into the ha handheld department all that much anymore but this might be a buy for me
some 3-d party devs that are developing on hear that i like is Namco-bandai (Dragonball fan)
Capcom- Megaman.
just to name a few.
Time will tell If I pick it up, TIME WILL TELL
This thing looks freaking awesome. Pretty much which ever way you look at it, it hits the target. Powerful, great screen, networking, online, multi-player, control buttons, analog sticks, touch screen, track pad and sixaxis technology – the control options are mind boggling.
Gotta get one…
Ah, the NGP is here. So, I went back and dug out my guess about the spec, and decided to see how well I did.
This is from May 2010 here at PSX (edited for length). I seem to have nailed a lot of it. 😛
Touch screen — check (+ a touch pad on the back)
higher resolution OLED screen — check
TWO analogs — Check
Backwards compatible with PSP and PS1 games — check
built in microphone — check
built in accelerometers, and other motion detection like the sixaxis. — check
Magnetometer (my Droid has it, why not?) — check
Hi-res Camera (my Droid has it, why not?) — check (two cameras)
GPS receiver (my Droid…) — check
802.11n wireless ethernet (my Droid…) — check
3G broadband capable? (my Droid…) — check
BlueTooth (my Droid…) — check
Flash memory slots (two slots not one) — check (we know games are on flash, and a second slot to expand storage is very likely)
No UMD, 2/4GB flash RAM and ROM devices are stamped out by the gazillion, it has to be time to do away with the disc. If Sony goes with Solid State storage for retail games using a Read only version of the MemoryStick, want to bet whether they use the name 'GameStick' for them? — check (flash game media is here)
wireless USB & micro-USB socket — USB port yes, not sure about wireless USB
CPU, would like to see something like a mobile Cell, but that's not gonna happen. Needs to be 4 times faster than previous PSP. – check (4 core ARM is way more than 4 times faster)
GPU, this should blow the PSP original out of the water — check (it does)
256MB system memory & 256MB video memory – I see no reason why the system could not have as much system and video ram as a PS3. You don't need expensive XDR or GDDR3 memory for a mobile device. — Not sure, but seems likely that the NGP may have more.
16GB of Flash storage — check
Battery needs to be at least 2000mAh. The more battery they can squeeze into the thing the better. Even if it costs an additional couple of millimeters thickness and an ounce more weight, put a bigger battery on it please. — check Battery life is said to be the same as the original PSP, desite a quad core CPU and quad core GPU.
The PSP will come with some mobile productivity apps to allow it to double up as a PDA. The PSP2 will not be a cell phone, but may use Bluetooth to integrate with compatible cell phones. — not sure, could be, but no info.
PSP2 will be 100% backwards compatible with the original PSP. The game library problems that the PSP faced will not be repeated. PSP2 will be even more secure than the current PSPs. The battery will not be able to push the PSP into service mode. — Check
I think that the PSP2 will likely come in at $250. Any more than that is impossible since the PS3 itself costs $300 and there are rumors of another price cut this fall. — I still agree with this.
OK then, seems like I may have got a lot right…Now, how do I apply for Pachter's job and pay grade? 😉
Last edited by TheHighlander on 1/27/2011 11:46:28 AM
Highlander, I was wondering about more general applications for the PSP2. Sony really need to take the opportunity and permit general apps. I am sure they will with PlayStation.Suite. Can you confirm this?
I just feel for the PSP2 to really gain traction successfully, and to also try to put breaks on the selling spree the 3DS is going to enjoy, it needs to be more compelling and be flexible regarding apps. I would like a proper app store with good apps I can buy. I think this will make it an amazing gaming and general use portable device… But… as I state in my post above…
1] Web browser?
2] Movies?
3] Music?
4] Apps? (Web Browser)
5] Removable Media? (to copy media files on and off the machine)
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
Highlander, price wise I reckon either $249 (to combat the 3DS selling spree) – or initially, $299.
Looking at $299 – it just doesn't look right, so I am going to stick with $249.
Let's see if it turns out to be this price. They may sell it at the price knowing that they now have a pretty secure system, and will get enough full price game sales to "subsidize" the hardware during the first year of it's life.
Another prediction… PSP2 should have no problems for at least the next 5 years after launch… but remember this… Don't think APPLE will stand by and not improve their mobile specification and hardware to compete with this. They have already given Sony some serious competition and I don't think they are going to stop now.
We may be very surprised with iPhone 5 (and iPhone 6 in the future) and the iPad 2 etc. As gaming platforms they have done well for APPLE…
The war has just got started…
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy|
Last edited by Qubex on 1/27/2011 11:58:00 AM
Qubex,
Without Sony's information, we don't know for sure. Personally I think that if the PSP was capable of it, the NGP/PSP2 will be capable of it too. So web browsing, music/movie playback and so on will all be there. The system is more than powerful enough for flash video and other Internet video delivery.
As for Apps, with a full touch screen and touch pad on the back, hardware support for a virtual keyboard is there. I can't believe that there will be no non-gaming apps, even if Sony doesn't provide them, Someone is sure to. Remember, PlayStation suite works on NGP too, so it doesn't even have to be NGP specific. Sony will apparently quality check things in PlayStation suite, but they indicated no limitations on the kinds of application allowed.
It's my personal opinion that to market to an older crowd, Sony will have to include some non-game apps and permit others to be developed. There's no point having a device like this without that ability, and adult consumers aren't going to carry this around if they need to hang on to an iPad or other tablet as well.
I don't think that the NGP and the 3Ds are targeted at the same people. Look at the game line up for the 3DS, it is mostly remakes of remakes of remakes. Within those games, they're leaning heavily on the gadget factor of their 3D. I don't think that NGP has to lean so heavily on a novelty feature.
Last edited by TheHighlander on 1/27/2011 12:09:08 PM
What about the APPLE threat?
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
Interesting though… with a more general app store offering through PlayStation Suite – if not kept in check do you think these "apps" (running in emulation mode) could be used as an attack vector to hack the system – glitch it similarly as was done for the PS3.
Noticed a new security update patch for the PS3 as well, but it has been reported that FW 3.56 was cracked and decrypted within an hour. All the keys are out already… the one hacker known as KaKaRoToKS has cracked it and gotten the keys for the new firmware 3.56 in a matter of hours.
Scary stuff – Sony really have a battle on their hands.
I also realised there was no mention of official connectivity between PSP2 and PS3, but I guess that will happen. Issue is, with the PS3 security so badly compromised, I wonder if a hacked PS3 could be used as an attack vector for the PSP2 as the 2 have to communicate.
Anyway, all will be revealed in time – we do live in interesting times indeed.
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
I think we need to tap Highlander for an editorial on the specs/hardware functionality of the NGP when it arrives…
Not sure that 3.56 is a failure actually. I've been reading some stuff that suggests that Sony has managed to push some new code to lvl0 and is doing some new things when the PS3 first goes online and authenticates to PSN. Essentially it allows PSN to detect compromised systems. Time will tell, but it seems that although there are compromises in the security, Sony may have managed to put some of the genie back in the bottle.
There's lots of talk about how keys have already been extracted. That's true, and in many ways was to be expected, but the new private key for signing SELFs hasn't been. If Sony continues to update in steps, they may be able to restore enough security that the impact of piracy is limited. Then again, as I said, time will tell, and as I said in another thread recently, I don't believe you can completely prevent a system from being hacked. But, you can make it tamper evident.
TheHighlander I have one simple question: HOW THE HELL DO YOU KNOW ALL THIS!?
@Killa
Some people know everything about Baseball, some know football, some know NASCAR or F1, some know stamps or coins, some know….etc….
I like games and technology. I always have. The PS3 captured my imagination because of the technology and it is a Playstation. I've followed it as closely as I can since about 18 months before it actually launched. The PSP is almost as interesting to me, and I continue to follow it fairly closely. The new smart phones and tablets and such all use interesting (from a geeky, techie point of view) technology, so I pay attention to them a bit too. I research tons of information on these things every week, and over time it just kind of builds up. So I couldn't tell you who won the world series in 1953, or who threw the most touchdowns in 1978, but I do know about game console, smartphone and PC technology – less on the PCs these days though (too much to keep up with).
Well just to let you know, im actually learning from your posts… in a not creepy way. Keep up the good work! Im sure everyone enjoys it as much as I do! I also love Sony and their gadgets.
I was so overwhelmed with the information that they threw at me last night, i might have missed a couple.
Highlander, did they confirm the hi-res cameras and 16 gigs storage?
Also the Magnetometer was the compass that Sony mentioned right? I saw them demonstrate the golf views, but I thought it was done with the 6-axis tilts.
thehighlander
You said it's 100% backwards compatible with psp, but has no umd. My psp has umd discs, so I'm guessing you meant it's backwards compatible for digital psp games.
The only digitial psp games I have are the ps1 games I bought off the psn. So that part is kinda a bummer for me, but I guess I don't have to get rid of my psp.
Do also take note that Sony is in a way fighting Apple with Google by having Playstation Suite on Android systems.
Apple's trying to hit the gaming market…but none of the games on the app market can even compare with the legacy Playstation left behind in it's 1st generation.
As long as they advertise this to the consumers that Android has better games than the iPhone…Playstation overall wins.
But then there may be the question of how Sony's NGP will fight against Android systems if they start to take over. Well…they're 2 completely different things. NGP is pretty much the portable PS3…it's MEANT for gaming. This same argument can be used against Apple's iPhone and iPad.
@Godsman,
They haven't confirmed the camera resolution, I've seen multiple sources claiming 16GB of internal storage.
@Kraygen,
It will be 100% software compatible, not media compatible. Any down loadable PSP game will work on it. I understand your frustration regarding your older UMD games, I have quite a number myself, but there's nearly a year between now and when these things are actually in our hands. So, tell me, how many more games will you buy on UMD? I stopped buying games on UMD almost as soon as they started releasing via PSN. I knew that they would eventually do away with UMD, so it no longer made sense to continue buying them. Then again, if you've already played the game, it's not such a harsh penalty that you have to use your PSP to play it instead. In the 9-12 months between now and potentially getting one of these things, how many of your UMD games will remain unfinished? Sony did at least give us ample warning that this transition was coming.
A Highlander spec comparison editorial would be sweet.
I think that all they have to do is remake FFVII for the NGP, and all hell is gonna break loose.
I think there going to remake FFVII before crisis. I think it was only for a phone in japan.
Last edited by Pandacastro on 1/27/2011 12:37:33 PM
I'm really quite happy that Sony stuck with their original PSP design for this new unit. It continues their trend of "if it's not broken, don't fix it" (i.e. the DualShock has never changed size or shape).
You bring up a good point.
Yeah my complaint on the original PSP is that it's too flat to play for long hours. This bulkier NGP might be easier for people like me with big hands.
@Godsman,
That's why I still prefer my original PSP-1000.
Ha just seen something funny. Gamestop has the NGP listed for $999.99 lol. It says price subject to change, which with out doubt will change.
But it leaves me wondering how much thia thing will actually run? I don't think I'd pay as much as I can get a new PS3 for. So as long as it's $299.98 or less then I'll possibly get it. 😉
Last edited by bigrailer19 on 1/27/2011 12:24:22 PM
yet another pointless irrelevant advert from Sony, they REALLY need to sack these idiots.
so, after watching that third rate attempt at 'speaking to the masses' what did we learn from it?
..nothing. sweet FA.
shame.
apart from that the PSP2 is going to rock, its just I cant really bring myself to call it the NGP, as that name has already been taken, and so is a lil unfair on NeoGeo Pocket!!
Dude, this isn't a commercial, it's a concept trailer for a press conference.
We'll leave it to Kevin Butler for advertising when the actual commercials kick in.
It only does everything…on the go.
I love it! One comment from the Gamespot minutes of the presentation that strucked me is from Tim Sweeney of Epic Games (Unreal engine). He started by saying the NGP offers 4X the performance of any comparable platform. Once again, if you only look at the price, get a 3DS and forget the rest. I'm glad I paid big price for a PS3 on day one so I'll do the same and stick to the Playstation platform on the portable side as well.
Some questions:
If they are going to offer the Playstation games for Android, would it mean Android is used in the NGP somehow? This could open a whole lot of options. Imagine all the cheap and free apps! It is a little confusing with the Sony phone and all… What should I get that does it all???
Could we get Skype?
Not that I want it but I haven't seen any mention of 3D on the NGP? 3D was everywhere in Sony's talk at Vegas.
Sorry, too many questions already. Let's just enjoy the moment!
John Carmack has also weighed in on the processing power of the NGP, saying it's way more powerful than other comparable mobile devices.
If there's anyone (other than The Highlander, of course) I'd trust with an analysis of the NGP's capabilites, I'd be Carmack.
PlayStation Suite (on both Android phones and NGP) seems to offer the prospect of a variety of apps.
The current PSP has Skype, so one could hope.
3D is a no-go on NGP (at least, version 1).
Last edited by Fane1024 on 1/27/2011 5:48:50 PM
The trailer was a little odd. There was no "wow" moment. They also didn't show much of the device. I am really considering buying it.
Reminded me of the baby and levitation PS3 commercial a little.
Last edited by Amazingskillz on 1/27/2011 12:57:38 PM
We're 10 months from the release of this thing, the teaser wasn't a product trailer, it was a concept trailer.
and here I was thinking that sony had learned not to advertise this way. It is a sad sad day when sony reverts to their crazy makes no sense has nothing to do with the actual product advertising again.
However since it is from japan and they don't have kevin butler over their I'll let it slide this time, as long as they don't do it again
I just checked that list of what companies will be supporting it and I noticed from software. And now I have visions of demons souls portable
This gonna be huge.
I think hanhelds are really now going to REALLY REALLY matter.
I mean, I can already see some great games for this.
Last edited by Scarecrow on 1/27/2011 1:06:34 PM
You know what's crazy?!
That the NGP is more powerful than the Wii and maybe even more than the Xbox 360!!!
Hmmm….
Actually NGP is more powerful than 4 Wii ganging up together. No, seriously, that's actually true.