Sony gets it right with new PSP

More than a gaming device
But what about the non-gamers? Should they care? Ah grasshopper, there is so much to learn.

Gamers are a discriminating bunch and expect their hardware to house a processor capable of delivering 3-D animation, state-of-the art video display, wireless capability, stereo sound and an intuitive control system (the PSP's collection of directional buttons, shoulder buttons and tiny joystick translate into a smooth playing experience).

When all this technology is applied to something as basic as movie playback, hold onto your eyeballs.

My review copy of the PSP included a full length version of "Spider-Man 2" on the Universal Media Disc. Despite what I had read about the PSP's 16:9 wide screen high resolution display and its true color clarity and other technical gobbledygook, nothing had prepared me for the "Wow!" factor.

Wow! The PSP offers a level of immersion I did not think possible from such a relatively small screen. I have since showed off "Spider-Man 2" on the PSP to a number of discerning media types -- photographers, video producers and gamers -- and their response has been a rousing, "I want one!"

The PSP's playback of users' own MPEG and MP3 files aren't quite so encouraging owing to the tedious process of first shuffling files from your PC to the PSP's Memory Stick card via a USB cable (not included) and then organizing said files in the PSP file hierarchy. The process had me pining for the iPod's comparatively intuitive feel.

Already one free tool, PSP Video 9, is available to help PSP users frustrated with getting their MPEGs to work on the PSP. Things may get easier when Sony releases its anticipated movie and image converter software.

Another @#$*#@ format
While the PSP's included memory card makes it possible for users to download their favorite music and videos (though, only if they're small -- the included 32 MB card is no where near big enough for today's media junkies), the intended media storage workhorse of the PSP is the Universal Media Disc, an 1.8 GB proprietary optical disc that has the storage power of three CD-ROMS.

What does the UMD mean for the customer? First, because the UMD can store so much, customers can expect longer loading times for some games. And second, the UMD represents yet another storage medium gamers need to blow their hard earned money on. And remember, it doesn't work with anything else.

FREE VIDEO Sony PSP MSNBC's Tom Loftus reviews PlayStation Portable MSNBC Tech Watch

When the next "Grand Theft Auto" hits, will users have to buy a copy for their PlayStation 2 and their PSP? What about films? One for the family room and one to take on the bus? For the gamer on a budget, the PSP represents a dilemma.

If sales offer any guidance, no one seems that troubled by the financial complexities of a new storage disc. As of this writing the Sony PSP has already sold over 800,000 units in Japan, where it was released last December. Sony has 1 million units ready for the U.S. launch and retailers expect they'll go quickly.

The sales couldn't come at a better time. Sony has been steadily losing ground in the handheld hype department thanks to Apple's non-stop iPod campaign. And on the gaming front, it was only two years ago where Sony's announcement of a handheld gaming device evoked scattered shrieks of disapproval from industry experts who wondered how anyone, even Sony, could dare take on handheld gaming giant Nintendo.

Now, however, while the Nintendo DS arguably holds a slight edge in terms of game originality, it looks like a bubbly hunk of gray plastic when matched up against the PSP's slick lines.

The PSP may fall short in a couple departments, but as a handheld gaming and movie platform the PSP seems set to recapture the Sony magic and introduce a little sophistication to handheld gaming.

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