Let me outline how to correctly implement a PSP2. Some of these are obvious, but Kaz "Riiiidge Racer" Hirai can send me a check when this is done.

- Two analog sticks.
- Slightly larger screen, if you can manage it.
- UMD2: 80mm (small) discs, Blu-Ray based. For games, this single layered disc will hold about 6GB, enough for any game. For UMD2 movies, a dual layer can then hold a DVD-resolution movie that you can play in your PSP2 or Blu-Ray player (using the 80mm tray). If they ever get multiple layers working, you could even have an HD version of the movie.
- Built in Wi-fi
- Games
- Touch-screen

I don't know if you can pack all that in, but they should try.

I don't think any of that will address the problems people have.. in fact it'd probably just reinforce them. By making the system MORE powerful they'd be alienating developers even more on the cost of development versus software sales. I think the better option would be simply a redesign in another year or so that fixes the issues with the d-pad and the analog stick (both of them are horrible) and work whatever they can to ease the battery strain. With the recent announcement in Japan for three more Tales games on the PSP I'd have bought one if the controllers weren't so bad.

is this your opinion? or did u read it somewhere?

Sony made the same mistake Sega did with the Game Gear. Technically superior in every way to the Game Boy, but I like to be able to play my portable systems for longer than 15 minutes without being tethered to an electrical outlet. I had one, and I loved it--when I was at home.

No this is common knowledge. Many, many articles have quoted Sony about the limitations on the processor (333Mhz restricted to 222 Mhz) and on disc access that had to be made for the sake of battery life.

interesting aspect of programming for handhelds

I forgot all about Gran turismo. There was so much hype before the system came out for this game on the PSP. The hell ever happen to it

Were it me, I would go away from the UMD and go to a cart based deal (or some kind of propietary memory stick) to avoid the lag times. Looking at the computer power it takes to do HD, I don't see that as viable for quite some time so long as battery life is important.

No to UMD2. UMD was a bomb. It proved that Solid State game cartridges are the way to go. Just make the cartridges bigger so they can fit more memory. You can buy a 4GB Flash card for $80 now, so a 1GB memory card makes sense. Also, you could increase the size of the card in later generations of games.


Here's how Gallant Pig makes a PSP2:

> 2 analog sticks
> no "mirror" screen, too much glare, or make it optional.
> folding clamshell protector build in for max portability and safeguard
> memory card based cartridges
> no damn homebrew defeaters, need to make homebrew feel at home so they don't have to hack the system so bad to use homebrew
> mini-touch screen a la the DS
> 640x480 screen resolution
> max PMP functionality being able to DivX, Xvid, WMV, and all types of video files
> some PDA functionality, ie a planner/calendar, todo list, etc.
> builtin hard drive, standard is 60GB, 120GB is optional

It is quite the quandry. I agree with you. They can't make it more powerful, that would just magnify the problems. They also can't make it less powerful or people would completely shun it and wonder what was wrong with Sony. A lateral move with a redsign sounds like the best idea, maybe switching media formats in the process, I'd say abandon UMD alltogether. It isn't like they have the penetration Nintendo did when they introduced the GBA therefore "needing" backwards compatibility.

I don't think they should change media formats, though improving the joypad and the analog stick would do wonders. They need battery technology to improve, so that not only would battery life improve, but developers could design games around the inherent limitations of a disc-based format.

Technology needs major improvement in battery technology in general. Tech keeps moving forward, but battery technology is stuck two decades ago.

Same thing that happens to every GT game shown, its a proven life cycle for the series:
Life Cycle => Demo, hype, delayed, features cut out, hype, delayed, released. I'm not sure what part of the cycle they are on with this iteration.

I think the only thing the PSP needs is more good games. There are some good games, but not as many as the DS has.

- I think the battery life is good.
- I think the multimedia capabilities are excelent. I rip my DVDs and with PSP Video 9 convert them and transfer them to my PSP and have excelent quality.
- The web browser is goog.
- I have a 2 GB memory stick and I think that's enough for me for movies, music, etc.

So the only thing that's missing right now is more good games. We should be able to have one good game every month.