Right now you can visit your local U.S. Walmart and pick up a PSP-3000 with a 2GB memory card for only $139.95. It's a pretty amazing deal, except for the potential humiliation factor. Would you buy a Hannah Montana PSP?
This question was raised by one Mr. Raccoon, a Kotakuite who found himself faced with exactly that sort of decision earlier this week. Walmart seems to have a surplus of the Hannah Montana bundles, which come packed with a memory card, a special lilac-colored PSP-3000, and a couple of Hannah Montana UMD discs, one a game and the other some sort of entertainment program I probably wouldn't enjoy.
Some of you would pick this up in a heartbeat. Hell, I would, if I didn't just spend $250 on a PSPgo. I had this in my hands the other morning, pondering picking it up for my girlfriend as an ironic Christmas gift (she maintains that I am the girl in this relationship.) I went back and forth from the case to the counter several times, before deciding to go in a different direction.
Mr. Raccoon on the other hand, like many of our readers I am guessing, found himself weighing the embarrassment against the value.
"Now theoretically the Hannah Montana bundle is a great deal seeing that it includes a game and a 2 GB memory card. But for a dude like me, it would be very embarrassing to be walking around playing a purple Hannah Montana PSP hahaha. The question is, is it really worth the embarrassment for that kinda deal? Oh, the regular 3000 PSP was out of stock too at my Walmart too. The Hannah Montana one wasn't lol."
lol indeed, Mr. Raccoon!
To me, the idea of being embarrassed buying any product seems silly, but then if you knew some of the shops I frequented you'd understand why. No, I am not going to elaborate. Simply put, there is no reason you should let something silly like packaging stop you from partaking in an excellent deal on an a fine Sony product. I dream of a day when our PSP systems are judged not by the color of their plastic, but by the content of their game library.
Besides, if you're a man worrying about being seen with a borderline-pink handheld, let me tell you a little secret. Girls find that sort of thing adorable. They'll see you as a cool, confident guy with a cute and quirky side. At least that's what I keep telling myself whenever I'm out rocking my pink DSi.
If you decide to take the plunge, here are a few tips:
- Don't mention getting it for your girlfriend, daughter, niece, etc. Retail clerks are trained to see right through this, and will ridicule you horribly as soon as you are out of earshot.
- Remain calm. Try not to sweat or behave in a nervous fashion. This will make your fellow shoppers assume you are some sort of perverted adult Hannah Montana fan. They will actively shield their children from you. Believe me, that's embarrassing.
- Just buy the damn thing already. It helps if you psyche yourself up before hand by telling yourself you have to be somewhere in the next 10 minutes, and buying the PSP is wasting your time. The store clerks won't think you are a pervert or a liar. They'll just assume you're an asshole, like the rest of their customers.
See? It's easy. I think I might have just talked myself into heading back to Walmart later today. Make sure you guys leave one for me!


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