PSP (officially) getting email and GPS?

According to a second article "leaked" from the now infamous March 06 PlayStation Magazine (which is already credited with an article detailing an Xbox Live-killer service and PlayStation 3 deets) Sony will include a new "Sony Mail" client on an "upcoming" (homebrew hating) firmware update that will allow users to setup a new email account using their PSP's unique system ID. Nice, but PSP users can already access web-based email accounts. However, the article goes on to say that Sony will also be releasing a GPS add-on "this year" which includes the peripheral device as well as UMD-based software and maps presumably like those already announced for Japan. A welcome addition over this cumbersome hack, but increasingly dubious, all the same.

[Via DCEMUuk, Thanks Craig]

[Kamalot @ Feb 6th 2006 2:27PM]

You can get a treo for as low as $99.

http://store.treocentral.com/content/smartphones/index.htm

I picked up a DS before Christmas at Target for $99.

http://www.joystiq.com/2005/11/22/target-to-offer-99-nintendo-ds/

That's both devices for less than the price of a PSP.

[Motoi @ Feb 6th 2006 5:21PM]

Music, movies, web browser, RSS podcast feeds, pictures....hello? The PSP is a stronger and more versitile GAMING device than the DS or your treo.

[Richard @ Feb 6th 2006 6:01PM]

I love my psp but id rather be able to check my mail on other accounts other than having to sign up for another one, if it was just a general email app and nothing more then fine, other then that id like to see the web browsers cache increased and support for wpa-2 among other things

[patrick @ Feb 6th 2006 6:26PM]

The GPS thing looks cool, but it's hard to get excited about new features (or new games) when you know it just means another battle against homebrew and emulators.

I'm on firmware 2.0 enjoying SNES, Genesis, SMS, Game Gear, NES, Gameboy, Neo Geo, Atari Lynx and a whole pile of homebrew games.

With the recent Fanjita GTA exploit for 2.6 users, Sony will definitely plug that hole as well, using new games and features as trojans for plugs.

[Timpac @ Feb 6th 2006 7:08PM]

A DS-Treo combination absolutely kills the PSP. Multimedia can be handled on the Treo much better than it can on the PSP. From my understanding, memory sticks cost more than SD cards. TCPMP on the Treo can handle several types of video files, including Divx, Xvid, mpeg4, and mpeg 1. Yes, pictures can be viewed on the Treo, too. MP3,WMA,and ogg vorbis files can be played back on Pocket Tunes. The treo has e-mail capabilities, web browsing, and camera/camcorder functions. I use Verichat on my 650 to instant message easily with the built in backlit keyboard, so that messages don't take 5 minutes to type out. The stylus enhances the whole experience. Oh, and it's a phone.

The DS has a much better selection of games (in my opinion), and a better user interface. I'd rather have two gadgets that do their jobs (and more) well, rather than one gadget that does poorly in its primary function and mediocre in other aspects.

[Erik @ Feb 6th 2006 11:23PM]

this is nice ive seen pics before but hopfully its foreals this time!!

And I wanna argue too!!

The only thing good about the treo is it's not window's based...;P
The DS is just obsolete!

Remember guy's the psp was first made for game's ands movie's Duh!....the DS only play's game's no movie's unless you want pokemon on a ghetto screen!!!

But now sony has all the new junk like GPS soon to come IR,browser,and a beautiful big @ss screen,the DS has two screen's and together they are smaller than the PSP's single screen overall the PSP has better capability's.......Well my part could go on and on and on but ill end it here.

[Timpac @ Feb 7th 2006 1:24AM]

The PSP, a gaming machine? It seems to be failing in that department.

[Wayne @ Feb 7th 2006 4:36AM]

Who cares about the Sony Mail thing. It's gonna be a cool way of sending Video and Audio Emails to each other, not text emails... Where has everyone been?

The PSP GPS is what everyone should be excited for, I currently use my PSP to play music in my car, and now a GPS!! It's never gonna be @ home.

[Kamalot @ Feb 7th 2006 12:56PM]

How can you send video and audio from the PSP? Does it have a camcorder or a microphone? No.

[Brian @ Feb 14th 2006 9:47AM]

wow, there are some seriously jaded people out there. First of all the treo & ds vs. the psp argument is just silly. They don't even compare, they fill very different. The argument that psp sucks at its main function (games) is also silly, its definitely a matter of opinion. Nintendo has been making gameboy games for a long long time. Give sony a chance to really get going. Nintendo and sony offer a very different selection of games and it really comes down to personal preference. Plus there are already good, strong psp games out and more coming all the time (gta, socom, burnout, lumines, etc). Personally I like the games and I love having access to all the functions I want all in one device. I also love the expandability of the psp. I think its cool that sony is always looking to build on the current device reather than just releasing an entirely new device every couple years.

[Andrew @ Mar 15th 2006 2:05PM]

"I think its cool that sony is always looking to build on the current device reather than just releasing an entirely new device every couple years."

OR release the SAME hardware over and over again *COUGH*nintendogameboy*COUGH* what was the game boy micro again? The DS, when you combine resolutions, has a lower pixel count than the PSPs ONE screen, and where is its media capabilities. I havent seen anywhere near par games from it, Super Mario from SNES was the best the Advance had to offer, I have not seen much more from the DS. And as an owner of GTA for my PSP, I have to say that Nintendo isn't even close. The machine is too weak. Its like comparing the revolution to the PS3. Its laughable.

[whatzem @ Mar 17th 2006 10:24PM]

If Sony used the headset with a microphone or maybe the microphone clip-on for the Talkman add-on, tossed in some speech recognition software (maybe they could lift it from the Talkman project) then they could let us use speech recogniton to enter text into email or a notepad application. That would work around the lack of a keyboard, touch screen, or separate mouse.

(Hope this doesn't get double posted, my DSL choked up for a minute and I had to retype this...)

[Larry @ Apr 4th 2006 7:08PM]

Where's My keyboard?
What happened to the Logic 3 keyboard?
Did SONY Squash that?
just like SONY to kill innovation in support of profit. what happened to the OLD SONY?

[Jeff @ Apr 13th 2006 5:11PM]

Now If they can give it GPS theres no reson why they couldnt give Us a "real Location Free T.V. servace"...unlike one that you hook up to your cable at home and only works at home...

Still waiting for Video Phone to so Sony hurry up all ready.

[Joe @ Apr 20th 2006 11:22PM]

I've been surfing for new news about the PSP (got my in Dec.) to catch up on what's going on.

Nice to see the 'my [insert gadget here] is better than yours' war is still going strong...

I have to agree with Brian, diff devices fill diff needs.

I travel extensively and I used to use my Dell Axim X50 (true VGA, CF and SD slots, good battery life) for games, video, music, web and PDA use.

Then I got my PSP for XMas from my sister and wife. My first thought was 'Wow!' and my next thought was '[explitive deleted] I have to buy a whole new host of paraphenalia for this new device since it won't be compatible'

It hasn't been too bad.

I got a 2GB MS Duo Pro off eBay for about $120 and I can put about 3-4 hours of video, hours of music, and still have room for game saves and pix of the family on it.

Now instead of using my PDA to do games (mediocre at best) or watching video on the much smaller screen I can use a consumer device designed to do those things. (Speaking of games -- Game Share is GREAT! more games need to support this!)

I've tried to squeeze everything into one device and it's just not there yet.

They almost have the phone/PDA down now. But entertainment/phone/PDA has a way to go. I don't want to watch video on something small enough to put to my ear (regardless of what Verizon thinks) and I don't want to put something as big as a PSP up to my ear to make calls.

But I may want a PSP-sized device that will let me do basic web-surfing, small emails, or remote control the HTPC in between multiplayer games.

[Jay @ Jun 8th 2006 12:01PM]

HEY DOES ANYONE OUT THERE KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY MP3 PLAYERS THAT HAVE AN EXPANSION SLOT FOR THE MS PRO DUO BECAUSE I WANT TO USE THIS MEMORY STICK ON SOMETHING OTHER THAN MY PSP. FOR EXAMPLE IF I WAS JUST WALKIN DOWN THE BLOCK AND I HAVE ON JEANS AND A SHIRT, I DONT WANT TO CARRY THIS THING.
(ITS NOT HEAVY, BUT I DONT WANT THIS BULKY THING TAKING UP SPACE IN MY POCKET AND I JUST WANT TO LISTEN TO MUSIC SO THERE IS NO NEED TO BRING THE WHOLE PSP),
SO I WOULD JUST TAKE THE MEMORY STICK OUT OF MY PSP AND PUT IT IN MY SMALLER MP3 PLAYER. SO IF THERE IS A MP3 PLAYER THAT IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE MS PRO DUO, PLEASE LET ME KNOW, THANK YOU.

[michael @ Jul 4th 2006 4:29AM]

KAMALOT-------Kamalot u must not own a psp becuz if u did u would know dat the psp is wanna the best gadgets out there on the market and also do u like txt messaging??dats how typin on the psp is jus like a cell phone....i dont know were u got the fact dat ds has better games cuz it dont how u gon have 3d games without an analog stick and it cant do half the things the psp do....i would rather have psp over an treo any day becuz with treo cums with a phone bill and u also have to pay to browse the web and call peeps unlike the psp all u need is a hotspot and bam u got free internet free messaging and tons of downloads and firmware updates...last time i hooked up my cuz treo to my laptop it said i needed software and i had to use the treo usb cable but with the psp no software needed and it uses a drag and drop system which is so easy and also a standard usb connection....the battery life for psp isnt all that glamarous but last i check my psp can hold 11hrs.....ive been using my psp for 4days in a row without charge and im jus on the last line....so it clearly seems u need to do more reaserch and go buy a psp......my work is done here

[Nan @ Jul 4th 2006 11:33PM]

Hi -
My young son continues to use and appreciate his PSP games. I'm hoping someone can guide us on how he might use it for email as well. Thanks for your help!

[Hank @ Feb 6th 2006 9:16AM]

Now if only there were an EDGE add-on...

[Kamalot @ Feb 6th 2006 9:55AM]

How on earth are you supposed to type email on that thing? The on-screen keyboard merges the worst aspects of on-screen display and T9 making the damn thing a frustrating pain in the ass to even enter a URL, let alone a real meaningful message.

Sorry Sony. My Treo is a better gadget with better web surfing, email, video, MP3, RSS reader and more. Plus it is smaller, has better battery life and I can make phone calls on it. The DS has better games, so why would I need your POS PSP again?

[Jamar @ Feb 6th 2006 10:19AM]

Maybe that's what the keyboard accessory was for, or maybe they plan to use the talkman to dictate e-mail?

[Louis @ Feb 6th 2006 10:38AM]

another fanboy

[Kamalot @ Feb 6th 2006 10:53AM]

Yeah, a fan of good design and useful products, not this useless drivel...:P

[soupbun @ Feb 6th 2006 11:36AM]

yay!!! just what the gaming world needs!!! another email client!!! I can't wait to lick my PSP tonight. And what happens when my PSP breaks. Do I lose all my mail with it?!?!

watch, another fanboy is going nag me about how the PSP is still outselling DS, and that it completely pwned the DS, and that DS can't do WiFi without tunnelling, or that the game selection sux, or that I could be watching movies with less content on tiny little screens, yada yada....

[dave @ Feb 6th 2006 11:55AM]

i already use the PSP to access email and type on a baic message board. The input isnt great, but you can get pretty good at entering short messsages.

anyway, anymore added funcctions can only be a good thing :)

I just wish they gave us 25fps playback for us PAL folk :(

http://www.bontragerphotography.com/psp/

[Jake @ Feb 6th 2006 1:24PM]

Kamalot, obviously these types of updates to the PSP firmware aren't for you. They're for people who don't own both the $500 Treo and $150 DS. I'm sorry that others are less fortunate.