I just got myself a new Sony PSP. 
Here are a few random thoughts accumulated over the last couple of days.
Sheer computing power. Two 32-bit CPUs (MIPS R4000@333MHz), a GPU capable of 35 million polygons/sec…. More specs here.
As soon as I’d configured the WiFi to access my home network, the PSP phoned home for a software update.
Where’s the web browser? Yes, I know the trick with the embedded game browser, but that doesn’t count. My guess is that Sony will wait until they’re ready to support streaming video on demand.
Standards, bloody standards. The PSP manual says that it takes a USB cable with a “mini-B connector”. I bought one… it didn’t fit. Eventually I got a different “mini-B” cable that worked OK.
Several nice packages for the Mac to sync with the PSP, including PSPWare and iPSP. I’m testing them both before picking one and shelling out the registration fee. PSPWare is OK so far, though the iTunes integration needs work. (It only supports MP3, not Apple’s AAC, but if you give it a playlist of AAC files to sync it does nothing, silently. It could let me know….) It uses Quicktime to convert video files into the special MP4 format used by the PSP, and the conversion rate isn’t too good on my 867MHz PowerBook.
Video blogging?! I found ANT, which is very cool. Engadget has a piece on how to make ANT and PSPWare play nicely together. The result? PSP-casting…
The games, oh yes… I got Ridge Racer (auto racing) and Darkstalkers Chronicle (2D fighter). So far I’ve spent most of my time with Ridge Racer, alternating between game play and open-mouthed amazement at the graphics. I’m waiting for Ghost in the Shell, which looks like it’ll be the hottest FPS.
Good grief, not another proprietary disk format! Will they never learn? (Probably not.) And why does Sony have to keep pushing its own flash memory format, the Memory Stick Duo? Yes, OK, prices are competitive (it comes with a 32MB card; I bought a 512MB replacement), but still….
Bottom line: it’s stunning. Graphics are better than the PS2, WiFi, audio. Please can Namco do a PSP SoulCalibur? Pretty please? The only potential weakness I can see is the battery: Sony’s claims of 4-10 hours have translated into 3-4 for gaming, less if the WiFi is in use.