I've not tried the new "slim and lite" PSP yet but anecdotally I'm hearing good things. One person not convinced is veteran developer Dave Perry, who argues that the PSP should become a download-only handheld with iTunes-style authentication..
"They (Sony) really need to restart the PSP programme in my book. They really need to bring out the PSP 3.0 and start again and try to get a lot of units out by reducing the manufacturing costs, by taking out all the motors and drives and stuff they have in there."
UMD - the PSP's proprietary disc format - was a typical Sony attempt to force a new format on consumers. It flopped with movies - why pay more for portability than you pay for convenience (DVD) - but I still don't see the average PSP owner being ready for a download-only service. Yes, plenty of PSP owners are in their 20s and 30s and are and happy ripping films and watching last night's telly on their commute. But teenage boys make up a sizeable part of the PSP's audience - perhaps the DS is too feminine? - who are unlikely to want to pay 30 quid for a download.
In many ways the PSP has been unfairly maligned, mainly due to comparison with the DS. Nintendo's handheld has sold far more, primarily by appealing to a wide audience of from kids to grans. But the PSP has quietly gone about mopping up most of the core gaming audience and could finally start fulfilling its potential when the PS3 connectivity properly kicks in. Yes, it could do with a wider range of games but the PSP is still a serious player.
