E3: Sony Handheld First Look

**Tommy Tallarico** · 13 May 2003, 08:14 PM

The PSP, or PlayStation Portable, was unveiled in baby form earlier today during Sony's Pre-E3 conference to a shocked house. Advertised as the "Walkman of the 21st Century," the PSP appears to be Sony's answer to both Nintendo's Gameboy Advance and Nokia's N-Gage. Using a proprietary optical disc that looked like the bastard child of a Gamecube disc and a minidisc, Sony hinted at the PSP being not only a portable gaming system, but a portable multimedia system, complete with a USB connection. The screen will be backlit, as well as widescreen, and the device will be capable of full 3-D polygonal graphics and of course, digital sound.

No price was announced, but the PSP should be out late next year, just in time to ruin Nintendo's Christmas and to make Nokia ask themselves "Seriously, who are we? What were we thinking? Jesus, 300 dollars. Wow... Wow."

Features:

<LI>Proprietary Optical Media (1.8 gig)
<LI>MPEG4 Compression
<LI>480 x 272 pixel screen (16:9 aspect ratio)
<LI>~4.5 inch, backlit screen
<LI>Every unit will be kissed by Ken Kutaragi.
<LI>USB Port
<LI>Full 3-D Polygonal Graphics
<LI>Pocket-Sized, Folded Design

Stay tuned to TNL for more E3 love.

**bahn** · 13 May 2003, 08:52 PM

I WANT A PSP NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**Videodrone** · 13 May 2003, 09:41 PM

Originally posted by AFX

<LI>Every unit will be kissed by Ken Kutaragi.

Stay tuned to TNL for more E3 love.

will there be a cheaper model released without this feature?

**cka** · 13 May 2003, 09:46 PM

Hey I had one of these, it was called PS ONE.

**Ren** · 13 May 2003, 09:48 PM

Patience, Bahn. I mean, boss. :P

(Also, buy me one!)

**Blaine** · 13 May 2003, 10:29 PM

While the N-Gage is $300, which is steep in my book for a console with PSX level 3D (handheld or no), I can see myself getting one because it's a cellphone, which will a decent one will cost a good bit of money to start.

So the extra cash for a solid gamesetup as well as an MP3 player...I can justify.

If this thing comes clocking in over $100...I just can't think of a single reason to get it. Nurbs graphics will make for some nice car racing games, but...so what?

$100? I can consider. $150? You gotta give me a killer app. $200? Kiss my ass and I'll see you later.