PSP second place behind iPod

[wraggster]

Via PSPFanboy (http://www.pspfanboy.com/2006/10/17/psp-second-place-behind-ipod/)


Everyone wants to compete with the iPod, but only one company has been successful at getting close to the iPod's dominance as a personal media player (PMP). No, it's not Microsoft. It's Sony. People have criticized Sony for failing to capitalize on personal media like Apple has, but many forget that the PSP is not just a games machine, but a PMP as well. According to MP3newswire.net, the PSP is in second place in the competitive PMP market, selling one system per every 2.3 iPods sold. Considering how people seem to buy iPods by the dozen, we can deduce that PSP sales are quite brisk.

With a beautiful, large widescreen, and the ability to do so many other things (games, internet, etc.), the PSP is easily the best PMP out there. Yes, some may argue that Memory Sticks are expensive, but with recent price drops, that argument simply doesn't hold too much weight to it.

[luis_05]

whooaa!! nice news dude! i knew that someday ppl would catch up on the psp

[Emeriastone]

Cool to know. Makes me feel all fuzzy inside!

[-=me=-]

too bad some people aren't intelligent enough to know how to put music on it :P

[Ari]

I PSP is sold for every 2.3 iPods? I thought the sales figures were WAY lower than that... but that is good to hear.

And yeah, I do use my PSP more for music/video than games. It is a great media player.

[Broadus]

Why is there some unique competition between iPods and PSPs?
PSPs are primarily for playing games and the memory sticks are nowhere near the size of the average iPod hard drive. My mom's iPod holds thirty gigabytes, almost the size of my PC's hard drive, while the biggest memory stick for the PSP is 4 gigabytes (until the 8 gigabyte stick is released).
Point is, they have completely different primary functions and prices. It's cool that the PSP can double as an MP3 player, but if you only want music, an iPod is cheaper, smaller and holds more.

[shrimpidy]

Those stats r surprisingly good considering the fact that I c dozens of ipods everyday and only my psp. Some friends I have r bored of the psp. I dont c how but they r and i c them more with their ipods than their psp's. I guess most people only think that the psp can play games. Only two of the many people I know that have a psp know how to put videos on. If the public knows more about the endless possibilities than it would be guarunteed that the PSP will be far ahead of the ipod.

[Edshugeo]

Why is there some unique competition between iPods and PSPs?
PSPs are primarily for playing games and the memory sticks are nowhere near the size of the average iPod hard drive.

Primarily for games may be why you bought a PSP, but it isn't the reason I did.
When I considered the purchase, I weighed the pros and cons between the PSP, the iPod and a couple of other PMPs. The Nintendo DS wasn't on my radar, though I once thought I might get a GBA.

Not being the type to carry around a purse or a backpack, carrying multiple devices to suit each need wasn't practical.
The iPod has enormous storage space in it's favor, but a small screen for video (that may've changed recently), and video playback greatly shortened battery life, from what I've read. There was a rival PMP who's name and make I don't recall (Archos?), but eventually my choice was between that one and the PSP because of the better screen and battery life.
I probably spend as much time if not more, watching wu-xia (flying kung fu) tv dramas (currently on Twin Of Brothers episode 21) as I do playing games and listening to DRM free MP3s, however when it came down to it, the ability to play GTA on the go, was what edged me towards the PSP.

If all it did was play games at that price, I'd have never bought it.




It's cool that the PSP can double as an MP3 player, but if you only want music, an iPod is cheaper, smaller and holds more.

That part I agree with, IF you only want music.

[Broadus]

And?
You said you watched videos more than you listened to music. Well, the iPod is for music.
When people look at the iPod and then they look at the PSP, they'll think of the PSP primarily as a video game player, which probably won't be what they want if they want a music player. So, they'll get the iPod, because they want music. It's not about what you do with your PSP, or what I do with my PSP, it's about what someone wants in their expensive portable electronic device.

[Datahax]

I know one thing, I'm tired of my lame friends trying to put down my PSP because their Ipod has 60GB of space. Then when I ask them how many songs they have it's usually 50-200 and they only listen to about 30 of them.

I don't see what's so great about the Ipod, and I refuse to buy anything made by Apple, especially after seeing their "Mac vs. PC" television ads.

Point is, I like my PSP, it does what I need and then some, and if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Veskgar]

The iPod is better for music - The PSP is better for gaming. Its that simple.

What is interesting is that the iPod is incredibly popular with record sales. And if the PSP is really close behind that is good news for the PSP.

[Cloudhunter]

I know one thing, I'm tired of my lame friends trying to put down my PSP because their Ipod has 60GB of space. Then when I ask them how many songs they have it's usually 50-200 and they only listen to about 30 of them.

I don't see what's so great about the Ipod, and I refuse to buy anything made by Apple, especially after seeing their "Mac vs. PC" television ads.

Point is, I like my PSP, it does what I need and then some, and if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Agreed. I got a 40Gb MP3 player, with DRM WMA support for only £90. Its big, but it does its job perfectly, and doesn't need a fancy screen.

Cloudy

[Veskgar]

I know one thing, I'm tired of my lame friends trying to put down my PSP because their Ipod has 60GB of space.
Yeah, I have the 60GB Black iPod but I use it only a fraction of the time that I use my PSP.

It really does sting that the PSP is limited to 4GB of storage. And that 4GB memory stick is EXPENSIVE.

[Jpdeathblade]

Im going to start my rant with a story. I was playing my psp one day and a friend came up to me and said "why did you get that? The Ipod has more storage" and I thought for a minute then I loaded a homebrew app. Then very calmly I said "Ture, now go away as I play N64 and Gameboy..."

Truth be told Ipod was made for music...and thats all its good for. The psp was made by sony, not to beat out anything, but to see if they could put out a handheld. I do think that in a year or 3 sony will make a much smaller psp with a big harddrive (and hopefully easy to crack)

I also think that sony likes homebrew slighty because it makes a sale. Some kid sees he can play gba on the psp and goes out to buy his own. That is why the downgraders were origanal made =P

[Edshugeo]

And?
You said you watched videos more than you listened to music. Well, the iPod is for music.

Actually the iPod is for music and videos. The iTunes store has been in the video business for quite a while now, and the iPod itself (latest models as of the end of last year, anyway) plays video.



When people look at the iPod and then they look at the PSP, they'll think of the PSP primarily as a video game player,

Some people. This obviously wasn't the case for me, as I was a person looking at the PSP before I actually bought it. As I mentioned, video gaming was a supplemental issue for me.



it's about what someone wants in their expensive portable electronic device.

Which is where the PSP does compete with the iPod, and in my case won me over from a potential purchase from Apple.

[Emeriastone]

Omg, lets not start a Ipod vs PSP flame war. Just chill all, and btw I recall that PSP fw 2.81 removes the 4 gb storage limit. Right? Not right?

[razorak]

too bad some people aren't intelligent enough to know how to put music on it :P


i know of someone who tried to put in music without going to the USB connection screen...lol :)

[Edshugeo]

Omg, lets not start a Ipod vs PSP flame war. Just chill all, and btw I recall that PSP fw 2.81 removes the 4 gb storage limit. Right? Not right?

My understanding was that it was advertised in 2.81, but actually removed in 2.80.

I have no problem with the iPod. It just ain't for me.

[Basil Zero]

not surprising considering the fact that there are practically 2 known companies/products who are running for best media portable.

PSP and Ipod, what others would u expect?

[masterpsp2.6]

ipod blows

[quzar]

That's absolutely meaningless. They're saying it's sold enough to put it in a field that it's not being realistically used for. Nobdy wants to get an ipod for the music storage/video but picks a psp.

[b8a]

Actually, I've wanted an iPod for years, but the high price (for a decent model -- not one of the watered down nano's or pockets), and the fact that it took so long for Apple to come out with a model with a color screen, along with the fact that the iPod's battery isn't replaceable (at least, not according to any of the articles I've ever read), effectively severely limiting the iPod's life span, are all factors that have prevented me from getting one.

As soon as the PSP was released, it was a no-brainer purchase precisely because of it's multi-functionality, and now that I have it, I really don't need an iPod and don't see myself ever buying one. My entire CD collection would easily fit on a 4GB stick, and those are becoming more affordable every day. That means that for me, and the millions of potential iPod consumers in the same situation as me, the PSP beats the iPod at it's own game. At a better value to boot.

The PSP may not be competing with the iPod in the same field in a strict sense, but that's like saying that everyone is going to use the devices for exactly the same purposes. The reality is that a lot of the primary functionality of the two devices overlap, and this does mean that there is a large segment of the potential market for whom the two products are in direct competition.

And even if you don't want to recognize their many functional similarities, there is one other huge aspect that they do both share:
INANE, tasteless, annoying commercials!

[Veskgar]

I think if you ONLY want an iPod for music, the new multicolored NANO's are the best for that due to their extremely small size. And they now have an 8GB version witch uses FLASH storage instead of a rotating hard-drive of sorts that I believe the regular iPod (Video iPod) has.

I take my iPod running and I need to hold the damn thing in my hand. I can't strap it to my arm with an armstrap like you can with the NANO's. And I'm too afraid to shove it in my pocket because:

1. The headphones wire is too short
2. I'm too afraid to scratch up the screen.

So if you would be using your iPod for workouts and such I would recommend the smaller, lighter, more portable NANO. The 8GB version of course.

[LilSwish722]

Actually, I've wanted an iPod for years, but the high price (for a decent model -- not one of the watered down nano's or pockets), and the fact that it took so long for Apple to come out with a model with a color screen, along with the fact that the iPod's battery isn't replaceable (at least, not according to any of the articles I've ever read), effectively severely limiting the iPod's life span, are all factors that have prevented me from getting one.

As soon as the PSP was released, it was a no-brainer purchase precisely because of it's multi-functionality, and now that I have it, I really don't need an iPod and don't see myself ever buying one. My entire CD collection would easily fit on a 4GB stick, and those are becoming more affordable every day. That means that for me, and the millions of potential iPod consumers in the same situation as me, the PSP beats the iPod at it's own game. At a better value to boot.

The PSP may not be competing with the iPod in the same field in a strict sense, but that's like saying that everyone is going to use the devices for exactly the same purposes. The reality is that a lot of the primary functionality of the two devices overlap, and this does mean that there is a large segment of the potential market for whom the two products are in direct competition.

And even if you don't want to recognize their many functional similarities, there is one other huge aspect that they do both share:
INANE, tasteless, annoying commercials!
good point

[Adrenalin]

ipod is only "ok", but is fairly expensive and basically only sells by its image and "functionality" which is actually pretty basic. Formatt compatability - mp4 files WTF is pretty bad.
You may think of the game functionaloity when comparing psp to ipod, but truth be told, psp gaming sucks, and it sucks bad. Huge loading times and poor gaming range (often ports or lackluster originals).

Nintendo DS lite provides the looks and brilliant gaming compatablilty/ inovation, affordable price, and combined with a flashcart, ability to use homebrew, music, video, emulation, backups etc is unleashed.
only downside is perhaps sound quality, which external speakers/earphones reduces etc.

DS lite rules!

[jim80b]

/ \
.|

lol
i have a DS + flashcard & a 1.5 psp...
DS : mp3 playback is poor, homebrew is limited but agree can be quite good, but video (compared with the psp) is laughable.
the memcard i can use in my cart HAS to be FAT so a 2 G limit....

other flashcarts may accept higher cards, and for sure its cheaper than psp duo cards. but...
a cart costs from £20 upwards and can go to triple figures.
therefore its not too much cheaper than a PSP.
(100 for DS, average of 40 for cart, average of 40 for memcard)

PSP : has the BIGGEST screen to watch videos, has higher res, has a remote (as a ds user i really missed this) to change tracks
homebrew and emu's are well supported by some (this) sites

the other portable video players are good, theres a range from 4 to 80 gig and some have good 16x9screens.
they also come with a similar price as the PSP

i had a DS and wanted more
i wanted portable video player that would play my mp3's, i looked at a few, went straight off the ipod (like i'm going to reconvert my 9 yr old music collection for you / poor screen size) and then saw a psp....
the psp could do everything they could + play games
no wonder i bought one!

the datel 4G drive is a option no one has brought up yet. thats going for approx £50 which is a lot of mp3 / video for the price.
personally not tried this as i can happily stream music and video from my 250 G NAS via IR shell (thanks AHMAN) and nethostsfs.

can i do this with the DS... what do you think. :(

throw-in a web browser (thanks devhook) and its the most useful thing i own.

the ds has its uses, my 4 yr old likes to play mario on it, and my 10 month old likes to try to eat it...


the psp is now tempting me to find a ps2! the fifa 07link finally lets you continue gaming on the move.
took EA a long time to do but what a f***ing great idea. play at home on big telly, go on holiday and carry on the same game on the plane / train etc, come home and carry on on the big screen. well done EA

cant see this on the new consoles though but
PS3 -> psp has best chance
wii - > ds unlikley as control system is fundemently different!



anyway back to topic
a ipod is crap if you already have a decent music collection as mp3's (spent far too long converting in the first place) new users will not find ths annoying but "in my day a 60 min cd took 60 mins to convert" (10 mins to rip to wav and 50 mins to convert to mp3) dont care that its all done on-the-fly in 3 mins now, its the principle that counts!
ipod hdds last approx 3 yrs so losts are failing now

psp screen is beautifuly large
memcards (in theory) last longer

also on portability
a psp & a usb charge cable are all you need to take.
everyone with a computer has a usb port so you can charge almost anywhere
no more carrying far too many cables!

[Camelot]

The PSP was the first thing I bought, I liked all the different things I could do with it and how large the screen was. But I found the memory insuficiant even after i bought a 1 gig memory card for 80$... this was a while ago before the price drop. So I decided I would save up for a ipod nano and after getting it found it was much more handy for listening to music. But now after getting my nano stolen and winning a 30 gig a month later I sill feel like I use both the PSP and my Ipod about the same amount. I can take my ipod on away games for something to do on the bus while taking my psp on long trips to my hometown. So I really dont have a preference, I couldnt live without both of them.