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The current handheld systems, the DS and PSP, have been with us for a while now. Both have provided very different experiences, being liked and hated for this in equal measure, but the next generation is just around the corner now and they’ll need to provide something else to get people interested.
Nintendo thought outside the box with the DS, two screens and touch screen control was laughed at by some before its launch. But it seems that the risk paid off and sales continue to make the DS look healthy, despite its lack of technical advantages compared to the PSP. But unless you use some form of 3rd party card, the DS doesn’t really offer out of the box media options, it’s simply for games, even if those games are different to anything else before.
Sony relied on graphics and media, giving the PSP a must-have appeal for the iPod generation when it first appeared. The games looked like nothing ever seen before on a handheld and impressed everyone, but the games releases slowed down over time and must-have titles dried up. There are still some great games appearing, but maybe not enough to justify the price. This is why the media aspect is so important, though. As a media player it has some great features, though it was first dogged with accepting only a few formats. After several updates from Sony it really came into its own, though the UMD format seems to have died a death (thanks in part to the ease of downloading films to Memory Stick from a computer).
But these were both released during the last generation of consoles, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see their replacements appearing soon, especially where Sony are concerned. But if we’re so happy to keep buying this generation’s handhelds (as the sales figures seem to show) what would any new machine have to have to make us switch?
Well, I think if Sony want to continue their message of multi-media machines that don’t just focus on games, they’re going to have to find another way to store and distribute movies and content. The only way I can see this happening is by solid state, ie Memory Stick. Using the PS3 is one way to get media, it’s already possible on the PSP, but they’re going to have to come out all guns blazing to push it on a new system, and that might mean a PC and Mac download service (as opposed to their current excuse for a website). It’s also going to have to provide much more of a link between itself and the PS3, maybe including a camera.
Nintendo will, no doubt, remain quirky and ‘family’ orientated, somehow mirroring the Wii. But it’s not yet certain if they have an answer to the next gen handheld system. They’re focus isn’t on graphics, so anything that replaced the DS would need to find a way of increasing the user-friendliness and physical interaction with the console. There is a temptation to say they’ll even consider staying with the DS and not creating something new to rival the impending PSP2 that will no doubt appear before too long. It could be a very risky idea, though, if people get the impression that Nintendo isn’t looking to the future.
The future of handhelds is certainly something that currently remains shrouded in mystery, but I’m not sure we’ll see much difference in the generation to come, the biggest change would be if Microsoft feel like having a stab at the market, which would certainly throw the cat among the pigeons (though if it’s anything like Zune, maybe not!)
Nintendo thought outside the box with the DS, two screens and touch screen control was laughed at by some before its launch. But it seems that the risk paid off and sales continue to make the DS look healthy, despite its lack of technical advantages compared to the PSP. But unless you use some form of 3rd party card, the DS doesn’t really offer out of the box media options, it’s simply for games, even if those games are different to anything else before.
Sony relied on graphics and media, giving the PSP a must-have appeal for the iPod generation when it first appeared. The games looked like nothing ever seen before on a handheld and impressed everyone, but the games releases slowed down over time and must-have titles dried up. There are still some great games appearing, but maybe not enough to justify the price. This is why the media aspect is so important, though. As a media player it has some great features, though it was first dogged with accepting only a few formats. After several updates from Sony it really came into its own, though the UMD format seems to have died a death (thanks in part to the ease of downloading films to Memory Stick from a computer).
But these were both released during the last generation of consoles, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see their replacements appearing soon, especially where Sony are concerned. But if we’re so happy to keep buying this generation’s handhelds (as the sales figures seem to show) what would any new machine have to have to make us switch?
Well, I think if Sony want to continue their message of multi-media machines that don’t just focus on games, they’re going to have to find another way to store and distribute movies and content. The only way I can see this happening is by solid state, ie Memory Stick. Using the PS3 is one way to get media, it’s already possible on the PSP, but they’re going to have to come out all guns blazing to push it on a new system, and that might mean a PC and Mac download service (as opposed to their current excuse for a website). It’s also going to have to provide much more of a link between itself and the PS3, maybe including a camera.
Nintendo will, no doubt, remain quirky and ‘family’ orientated, somehow mirroring the Wii. But it’s not yet certain if they have an answer to the next gen handheld system. They’re focus isn’t on graphics, so anything that replaced the DS would need to find a way of increasing the user-friendliness and physical interaction with the console. There is a temptation to say they’ll even consider staying with the DS and not creating something new to rival the impending PSP2 that will no doubt appear before too long. It could be a very risky idea, though, if people get the impression that Nintendo isn’t looking to the future.
The future of handhelds is certainly something that currently remains shrouded in mystery, but I’m not sure we’ll see much difference in the generation to come, the biggest change would be if Microsoft feel like having a stab at the market, which would certainly throw the cat among the pigeons (though if it’s anything like Zune, maybe not!)
The current handheld systems, the DS and PSP, have been with us for a while now. Both have provided very different experiences, being liked and hated for this in equal measure, but the next generation is just around the corner now and they’ll need to provide something else to get people interested.
Nintendo thought outside the box with the DS, two screens and touch screen control was laughed at by some before its launch. But it seems that the risk paid off and sales continue to make the DS look healthy, despite its lack of technical advantages compared to the PSP. But unless you use some form of 3rd party card, the DS doesn’t really offer out of the box media options, it’s simply for games, even if those games are different to anything else before.
Sony relied on graphics and media, giving the PSP a must-have appeal for the iPod generation when it first appeared. The games looked like nothing ever seen before on a handheld and impressed everyone, but the games releases slowed down over time and must-have titles dried up. There are still some great games appearing, but maybe not enough to justify the price. This is why the media aspect is so important, though. As a media player it has some great features, though it was first dogged with accepting only a few formats. After several updates from Sony it really came into its own, though the UMD format seems to have died a death (thanks in part to the ease of downloading films to Memory Stick from a computer).
But these were both released during the last generation of consoles, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see their replacements appearing soon, especially where Sony are concerned. But if we’re so happy to keep buying this generation’s handhelds (as the sales figures seem to show) what would any new machine have to have to make us switch?
Well, I think if Sony want to continue their message of multi-media machines that don’t just focus on games, they’re going to have to find another way to store and distribute movies and content. The only way I can see this happening is by solid state, ie Memory Stick. Using the PS3 is one way to get media, it’s already possible on the PSP, but they’re going to have to come out all guns blazing to push it on a new system, and that might mean a PC and Mac download service (as opposed to their current excuse for a website). It’s also going to have to provide much more of a link between itself and the PS3, maybe including a camera.
Nintendo will, no doubt, remain quirky and ‘family’ orientated, somehow mirroring the Wii. But it’s not yet certain if they have an answer to the next gen handheld system. They’re focus isn’t on graphics, so anything that replaced the DS would need to find a way of increasing the user-friendliness and physical interaction with the console. There is a temptation to say they’ll even consider staying with the DS and not creating something new to rival the impending PSP2 that will no doubt appear before too long. It could be a very risky idea, though, if people get the impression that Nintendo isn’t looking to the future.
The future of handhelds is certainly something that currently remains shrouded in mystery, but I’m not sure we’ll see much difference in the generation to come, the biggest change would be if Microsoft feel like having a stab at the market, which would certainly throw the cat among the pigeons (though if it’s anything like Zune, maybe not!)
Nintendo thought outside the box with the DS, two screens and touch screen control was laughed at by some before its launch. But it seems that the risk paid off and sales continue to make the DS look healthy, despite its lack of technical advantages compared to the PSP. But unless you use some form of 3rd party card, the DS doesn’t really offer out of the box media options, it’s simply for games, even if those games are different to anything else before.
Sony relied on graphics and media, giving the PSP a must-have appeal for the iPod generation when it first appeared. The games looked like nothing ever seen before on a handheld and impressed everyone, but the games releases slowed down over time and must-have titles dried up. There are still some great games appearing, but maybe not enough to justify the price. This is why the media aspect is so important, though. As a media player it has some great features, though it was first dogged with accepting only a few formats. After several updates from Sony it really came into its own, though the UMD format seems to have died a death (thanks in part to the ease of downloading films to Memory Stick from a computer).
But these were both released during the last generation of consoles, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see their replacements appearing soon, especially where Sony are concerned. But if we’re so happy to keep buying this generation’s handhelds (as the sales figures seem to show) what would any new machine have to have to make us switch?
Well, I think if Sony want to continue their message of multi-media machines that don’t just focus on games, they’re going to have to find another way to store and distribute movies and content. The only way I can see this happening is by solid state, ie Memory Stick. Using the PS3 is one way to get media, it’s already possible on the PSP, but they’re going to have to come out all guns blazing to push it on a new system, and that might mean a PC and Mac download service (as opposed to their current excuse for a website). It’s also going to have to provide much more of a link between itself and the PS3, maybe including a camera.
Nintendo will, no doubt, remain quirky and ‘family’ orientated, somehow mirroring the Wii. But it’s not yet certain if they have an answer to the next gen handheld system. They’re focus isn’t on graphics, so anything that replaced the DS would need to find a way of increasing the user-friendliness and physical interaction with the console. There is a temptation to say they’ll even consider staying with the DS and not creating something new to rival the impending PSP2 that will no doubt appear before too long. It could be a very risky idea, though, if people get the impression that Nintendo isn’t looking to the future.
The future of handhelds is certainly something that currently remains shrouded in mystery, but I’m not sure we’ll see much difference in the generation to come, the biggest change would be if Microsoft feel like having a stab at the market, which would certainly throw the cat among the pigeons (though if it’s anything like Zune, maybe not!)
Was it really that bad a topic?
*sniff*
*sniff*
I never saw this topic before.
I don't really agree that a next generation of portable console is on the horizon yet, i think it's more likely that for PSP it will just have a face lift much like the DS did to turn in to the DS Lite. There is already talk of it happening but i think Sony will slip up again on the price and it won't make enough of a difference to sales.
The PSP current owners are unlikely to bother to trade in for the new model unless it comes with something fantastic and i really don't think it will.
With the DS it was an ugly brick with the odd speaker issue and generally felt cheap, the DS lite is compact and meaty and feels nicer in general, the DS price has never been too expensive and the DS Lite didn't come out too much above it.
I can see Sony going up to £175 or more for a newer version of the PSP which will just put too many people off.
I would guess larger built in storage, but then the newest versions of retail PSPs at the moment are having all the anti-downgrading hardware and software put in and no doubt the revamped version will have even stricter measures meaning that the freedom of the current PSPs is lost and i think a lot of people these days use their PSPs for custom firmware and other homebrew related software.
I don't think that Nintendo need to do anything for a good long time as the DS formula is perfect, they are only now managing to meet demand in Japan which seems crazy, much like with the Wii over here.
I think the PSP2 will most likely be the same as a PSP but with slightly different hardware (storage/screen) but still at it's core be a PSP1.
I don't really agree that a next generation of portable console is on the horizon yet, i think it's more likely that for PSP it will just have a face lift much like the DS did to turn in to the DS Lite. There is already talk of it happening but i think Sony will slip up again on the price and it won't make enough of a difference to sales.
The PSP current owners are unlikely to bother to trade in for the new model unless it comes with something fantastic and i really don't think it will.
With the DS it was an ugly brick with the odd speaker issue and generally felt cheap, the DS lite is compact and meaty and feels nicer in general, the DS price has never been too expensive and the DS Lite didn't come out too much above it.
I can see Sony going up to £175 or more for a newer version of the PSP which will just put too many people off.
I would guess larger built in storage, but then the newest versions of retail PSPs at the moment are having all the anti-downgrading hardware and software put in and no doubt the revamped version will have even stricter measures meaning that the freedom of the current PSPs is lost and i think a lot of people these days use their PSPs for custom firmware and other homebrew related software.
I don't think that Nintendo need to do anything for a good long time as the DS formula is perfect, they are only now managing to meet demand in Japan which seems crazy, much like with the Wii over here.
I think the PSP2 will most likely be the same as a PSP but with slightly different hardware (storage/screen) but still at it's core be a PSP1.
The DS lite feels new and current gen to me. It fits in perfectly with the Wii, having a novel control method. The PSP will apparently link to the PS3 in some fancy ways (Im not sure what) making that feel current too. I dont think they need updating yet. Ive still got loads of games to play on the DS anyway.