Sony announced on June 7, 2011, their next portable gaming system, PlayStation Vita.  Vita means “life” in Latin.  The Wi-Fi model will be available for $249 or $299 for the 3G/Wi-Fi version.  AT & T will be Vita’s exclusive 3G partner. The Vita has a 5″ multi-touch organic light emitting diode (OLED) (960×544 pixels) as its front display and has a multi-touch pad on the rear.  The PS Vita allows game play like never before, featuring three-dimension-like motion through finger motions of push and pull, trace, push and pull, and grab. PlayStation’s Vita has two analog sticks which create a larger genre of games for the portable gaming experience. It will also have 6-axis motion sensors and dual front and back facing cameras.  This device is supposed to run on a quad core ARM Cortex A9 processor. Vita will be preloaded with a new application called “Party”, which enables the user to engage in voice or text chat  while online gaming and also when playing different games, or even performing different applications, like surfing the internet.  PS Vita will also come with an application called “Welcome Park”, which is a user’s guide to accustom them easily to the features of Vita and to easily learn the three-dimension-like  finger motions on the PS Vita.

Filed in categories: Gaming Gear, News, Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: Playstation, PS Vita

Next Generation Portable Gaming – PlayStation Vita originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 15, 2011 at 3:00 pm.

Once upon a time, it was possible for hardcore gamers to ply their avocation inconspicuously, their games and controllers stored in boxes, and their consoles tucked away behind the doors of their entertainment center or component cabinet.  These days, however, motion is A Big Deal, and as a result, taking full advantage of a modern console requires placing a sensor of some kind out in the open, usually on top of your TV.  But HDTVs only have so much real estate on top of their ever-slimmer frames, and naturally the big three console makers have no interest in making it easy to use a competitor’s sensor in addition to their own, so the number of consoles a gamer can use effectively becomes limited by how many sensors one can haphazardly stack on top of one’s TV.

Well, multi-platform gamers need fret no longer, because the dreamGEAR TriMount is here to solve our sensor-placement woes for good.  Attaching easily to most HDTVs via an adjustable screw or to a wall via a wall mount, the TriMount provides space for the Xbox 360 Kinect Sensor, the PlayStation Eye, and the Wii Sensor Bar.  The resultant amalgamation of cameras and sensors ends up looking like some sort of dystopian Big Brother surveillance device, but at only $29.99 it may be just what the doctor ordered, presuming that your doctor’s last name is “Mario”, “Robotnik”, or “Wily”.

The TriMount is currently available for pre-order at the dreamGEAR website, and will begin shipping on 8/15/2011.

Filed in categories: News, Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: Nintendo Wii, Playstation, Spotlight Gadgets, Video game accessory, XBox

TriMount Turns Your TV Into an Ugly But Organized Gaming Nirvana originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 13, 2011 at 2:00 pm.

Arctic Cooling has released a series of audio gear under the label Arctic Sound, and I get the chance to try out three of their offerings- behind-the-ear Bluetooth headphones (P311), big ‘ear cans’ with microphone (P301), and a USB gamer headset (P531).

The silver-grey packaging motif Arctic Sound is using is nice, but the real sign that this is going to be a high-end product are the little touches like the nice molded case for the P311.

The short version is these are all good units- great sound, great comfort, great build. Lets look at them more closely.

P311 Stereo Bluetooth Headphones ($37.95 MSRP). These are a behind-the-head style set of, well, stereo Bluetooth headphones. They include an ‘invisible microphone’, travel case, USB to mini-USB cable, and instructions.

You can see the controls on the earpiece.

While I am not a fan of this style, I have to say that these are the most comfortable I have found of this type. They are easy to work with- they connected to my Android phone quickly and reliably. The company claims a typical Bluetooth range, and there is a bit of typical wireless sound degredation but all in all this is a nice set.

The right side unit has all of the controls- the mini-USB jack, the ‘multi-function button’ in the middle (with the phone icon), and four buttons- vol. up/down and forward/back. The placement and usage is fairly logical. A long press to the ‘phone’ button toggles it on and off- a blue LED indicates that it is on and the signal status.

The vol. and skip buttons only work with some devices- iPhone 3G ad 3GS, iTouch and iPad, but not with my Android (sniff).

As a phone headset, it supports voice dialing, etc. like many other hands-free systems. I found the voice quality to be OK- somewhat better than more earpieces and the speakerphone of my phone.

With all this good stuff, my big question is that I am not sure when to use it. It is not quite small enough for routine carry, and I’d rather not use headphones when driving.

P301 Professional Headset ($26.95 MSRP). This is a big, comfortable rig with a wide headband, thick ear cushions that completely surround the ear, two gold-plated plugs, an in-line volume control with pocket clip, lots of size settings, and a nice little slide-out microphone.

The techno-specs are:

• Frequency response: 12 Hz -24k Hz
• Sensitivity: 97 dB/mW
• Impedance: 32 Ohm
• Drive unit: Ø50mm

Shown with microphone 'boom' extended

The ads claim deep bass and crisp highs- but don’t most audio ads? This set does deliver great sound- music sounds about as well through the headphones as it does through my Bose radio- great sound for the price!

Using it as a calling headset with Google Voice was comfortable and the sound quality for both the mike and headphones was very good. Of course, my HP Mini 1000 Netbook shares a mike and headset jack- D’oh!

This has become my ‘go to’ set for use at home. While it is not sound cancelling, the padding is thick enough I can listen to my stuff while my wife listens to hers and we don’t disturb each other at all. The wide headband, big padded cups, and the low weight of only 8 ounces makes it a really, really comfortable unit to wear even for a long time.

P531 5.1 Channel Gaming USB Headset ($66.55 MSRP). This is one fancy headset- far too fancy for a simple guy like me. Most of my computer gaming is playing Spider Solitaire, which apparently does not support 5.1 channel sound so I loaned them to my game guy who actually plays the sorts of games that use this sort of technology.

I wanted a photo of my game guy wearing them while in a full 'Game Rage', but this will have to do!

The P531 in-line controller

This ‘more than a pound’ monster features 4 drivers in each full-ear earcup- front, center, surrounding, and sub-woofer- as well as vibrational units! A big boom mike, USB plug, an in-line volume and balance control and noise suppression padding complete the package.

If you want the techno-specs, you’ll have to go to the website- each set of the 4 drivers has different, tuned specifications.

My game guy reports that the sound is fantastic with good 3D sound imasging, and that the unit was comfortable to wear for longer periods. I could not pry it off him long enough for a more detailed review.

I am not an audio-head. When I buy speakers or headphones, I try to find something I like, but I also keep a close eye on price. These headphones (especially the P301) easily satisfy my goals of good sound, good comfort, and good price.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Bluetooth Gear, Gaming Gear, Portable and Console Gaming, Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, Gaming, headphone

3 Arctic (Cooling) Sound Headphones Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 21, 2010 at 10:48 am.

Since the release of the first DS back in 2005, Nintendo have sold more than 100 million handheld games consoles worldwide.  And now they’re back with a bigger and better version, the Nintendo DSi XL.

With a choice of three colours, Dark Brown, Wine Red and Natural White, the XL will still incorporate all the features of the DSi, including dual screens, however the screens will be 93% larger than that of the current DS, at 4.2 inches across.  The XL will also feature a wider viewing angle (which Nintendo say will create better social gaming), built-in games and a pen stylus which is easier to hold than previous models.

The battery life is expected to last slightly longer than the DSi, at around 16 hours and, it’s also slightly heavier, weighing in at 314g.

Release dates for the XL are still a little vague, but they’re expected to hit the shelves in the U.K. around March 5th, with the U.S. following suit a few days after.  The cost for an XL will be slightly more than a DSi, at around £150 ($230) but sites such as Amazon are offering a pre-order service allowing you to get your hands on one as soon as they’re released, plus they’re offering a discount if you order now.

Filed in categories: News, Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: Nintendo, Spotlight Gadgets

Nintendo DSi XL coming soon! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 23, 2010 at 10:00 am.

The big question for those early-adopters of the iPad: Which version are you going to buy?

Whether you are going the thrifty 16gb route or getting the 3G 64gb Cadillac, I’m just curious which one you are going to buy and why?

Also, are you going to skip work to stand in line or wait until after the insanity subsides before braving the trip to your local Apple Store?

The reason I ask, is that I keep waffling between 3G and no 3G. I do not want to wait the extra 30 days but would hate to buy the non-3G version of the iPad and find out that I really want/need the constant connection.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, eBook Readers and Gear, News, Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: iPad

Question for those Early-Adopters of the iPad…. originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 31, 2010 at 10:10 pm.

This is interesting;  The Zii EGG. Using Andriod and the OS called Plaszma, Zii is calling this the cornerstone of ‘Stem Cell Computing’. With this unit that means 24 floating point processors delivering 8 GFLOPS of computing power using a ZMS-05 ARM dual core chip. The EGG hardware also sports Open GL ES graphics capabilities, outputs 1080P HDMI, and records with an HD camera. WiFi, BlueTooth, GPS, and surprisingly the Opera browser with Flash are also features on this device which looks sort-of like an iPhone to me. But this is some serious hardware, and I’m really interested in seeing what can be done on the platform now that the EGG and SDK are released.

If you’re interested in picking up your own EGG, they’re running a special right now: You get the Zii Egg Developer handheld free ( It’s not a phone btw ) with the purchase of a Plaszma SDK Starter Kit at $399.

Filed in categories: Android related, Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: Linux Based PDA related

Zii Egg and the Plaszma OS originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 29, 2009 at 9:45 am.

Oh wow, I really want one of these handhelds. It looks like a retro gamer’s dream. It has emulation software for MAME (retro arcade games), Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore VIC20/64/128, Gameboy, Gameboy Advance, NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, NeoGeo and support for Flash based games. The GPX2 Wiz features a QVGA OLED Touch Screen, 1GB of memory and a SD slot. It can all be yours through ThinkGeek for $179.99.

Filed in categories: Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: Emulator, Gaming, Spotlight Gadgets

GPX2 Wiz – An Amiga, Atari ST, C64 and more in your pocket originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 15, 2009 at 2:52 pm.

Do you have a box of old 8-bit Nindendo cartridges from the 80′s? Wanna relive countless hours of childhood fun? You’re in luck because ThinkGeek is selling a $49.99 color NES handheld system. It runs on 4 AA batteries and is guaranteed to make you the envy of all your geek buddies.

Filed in categories: Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: Gaming, Nintendo, Spotlight Gadgets

8-Bit NES Handheld Gaming System originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 13, 2009 at 11:41 am.

Electronic Arts is set to release the official G.I. Joe game to coincide with the G.I. Joe movie this summer. The game will be released across 6 platforms to include Wii, Xbox 360, PS2, PS3, DSi, and PSP. As I quickly approach 40 years old, why am I looking so forward to this? And are you?

As a child, I’m sure that like a lot of men around my age, there was no greater defender of good than Team Joe. I can remember hours spent playing with the action figures with friends and alone. I remember birthdays, Christmas, and other events and rewards coming around and anxiously waiting for a present or a trip to a store to accessorize and gadgetize the one action figure I had. The Navy Seal raft, the diving suit with flippers, the outfits, everything, it was awesome!

My parents didn’t worry if playing with a military action figure was going to turn me into a violent adult, and it was ok to want to destroy the bad guy. Today however, parents face a much different world. Constant vigilance is the price of safety for our children. Some freedoms, like playing outside until dark down the street are things my two sons will never see. And the new G.I. Joe movie and game have reminded me of just how good we had it.

I had my 12″ G.I. Joe Adventure Team member complete with the scratchy hair and beard like you see above for years. He went with me everywhere and never let me down. We had historic adventures worthy of an Iliad. Sadly, my Joe wasn’t lost in duty, he fell victim to the carelessness of a child. He was left outside in a pile of grass clippings he had made a cave in, that the city workers picked up the following morning before I had realized his demise. And it has haunted me ever since that I let my faithful companion down.

So what I’m getting at over a cup of coffee on this Saturday morning is, that I can’t wait to relive a little bit of that with my sons. We’ll leave mom at home and the three of us will go see the movie. And on the way home we’ll stop and pick up the Wii version of the game so we can all play together, keeping the world safe, just like the original Real American Hero, and the original Gadgeteer with the Kung-Fu grip. We’ll do this updated version of my childhood, and I’ll be doing my best to pretend I’m doing it just for them.

Feel free to comment and share your memories of Joe and if you’re planning on getting in on a little bit of this new action.

Filed in categories: Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: Gaming

EA Release of G.I. Joe Makes My Childhood Come Alive originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 18, 2009 at 9:47 am.

In case you’ve spent the last few months looking for Osama Bin Laden over in the Khaiber Pass, or don’t keep up with gaming news, then this one’s for you. There are several nice upgrades in this 3rd gen product including an app store, two built in cameras, and some groovy photo editing software. You can check the full story here.

Filed in categories: Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: DSi, Nintendo

Nintendo DSi Launches Today in the U.S. originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 5, 2009 at 5:42 am.

Sony announced today the release of Firmware Update v2.70 for the PS3. This update includes a new text chat feature that allows users to chat with networked friends in game or in chat rooms. The friends list will appear on the XMB (XcrossMediaBar). The new update also allows for external backup of purchased media, a feature sorely needed and much overdue. For more on the firmware update, head over to Sony, or just boot up and get it!

Filed in categories: Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: Playstation, PS3, Sony

Sony PS3 Firmware Update Released originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 2, 2009 at 11:38 am.

I love gadgets. I love my Wii. Since the release of the Nintendo Wii in November 2006, there has been several gadgets developed to make the whole Wii experience even better. When I found out that Brando stocked many of these accessories, I begged Julie to ask Brando for the opportunity to try some of them out.

Wii Cooling Fan by Brando

The Wii is one hot little gaming system, which is great as long as it isn’t hot physically. Excessive heat can destroy the life of electronics, which isn’t so cool.

The Wii cooling fan is designed to add extra airflow to your console. Although I never noticed my Wii becoming especially hot, it is located in a cabinet with very little natural airflow so one can never be too careful.

Initial impressions

Created in matching Wii-white plastic, this fan is USB powered and monopolizes both USB ports on the console. Luckily, the fan also replicates one USB port so if you have other USB powered devices such as the battery charger reviewed below, you can use one of them at the same time as the fan.

The fan is easy to install, just insert the dual USB dongles in the back of the console as you would any normal USB device. Removal is just as simple and there is little to no resistance while removing the fan from the ports.

Product Testing

I had to go to great lengths and make personal sacrifices to test this fan in the very latest of semi-scientific methods. For each trial, I played Mario Kart for 1 hour and measured the temperature with my ThermoHawk IR thermometer.

Each test was separated by 24 hours so that the console had time to cool down and I had time to recover from each experiment. Moreover I needed time to research some better driving techniques.

Without the fan, the external temperature of the back of the Wii case was 108.5 F. With the USB cooling fan, the external temperature of the back of the Wii case was 85.5 F. The overall room temperature was 67 F. That’s a significant temperature difference.

Overall, I believe that this product is effective and may prolong the life of your Wii, especially if it is stored in a place that does naturally have good ventilation.

Price: $10.00

Pros:
Cools Wii Console
Replicates 1 USB Port

Cons:
Uses both USB Ports
Loud

Wii Rechargeable Battery & Charger Stand by Brando

Playing with my Wii can take up a lot of energy, and I don’t just mean my own. Each remote requires 2 AA batteries, which are rarer than gold in my household and can be tricky to buy replacements at certain times of the day or year. It was nearly a very strained Thanksgiving when it appeared there would only be one working remote for everyone to share. Let this be a cautionary tale for gaming families: rechargeable batteries are vital, batteries with USB charging cradles are sublime.

Initial impressions

This set contains 1 rechargeable Wii remote battery and 1 USB Powered charging station that plugs into one of the two USB ports on the back on the console.

I really like the form factor in this charging station. It is small, and yet has a place to rest the Wii Nunchuk while charging.

The single 1800mAh rechargeable battery sits in the existing AA battery slots, snaps into the remote easily, charges quickly, and does not become hot while charging.

One of my favorite features with this set is that the charger only works while the Wii is in use or in Standby Mode. This is very helpful to prevent the battery from overcharging, as I sometimes go a week or two without using my Wii.

Product Testing

I tested this product continuously for over six months. While the battery started off holding a charge for more than 6 hours of use, over time the battery life has dramatically diminished. Now it does not last through a 3 game match of Wii Tennis.

Overall, my opinion of this product is bifurcated. I was disappointed with the long term usefulness of the battery, but I love the cradle so much that I plan to reuse the charging station when I purchase another remote battery.

Price: $17.00

Pros:
Compact

Cons:
Battery Life

Wii 360 Revolving Receiver Stand by Brando

Initial impressions

This is a product that should have been included with the gaming console. I am so glad that Brando offers this as so many people are not able to stand directly in front of the TV while using the Wii.

The stand sits nicely underneath the sensor and is well balanced so that the floor shaking from a vigorous game of boxing will not knock it over. Punching the stand, will however knock it over. Not that this has ever happened in my household, I swear.

Product Testing

Since this is a rather simple gadget, my testing procedures were very simple. I moved the sensor bar all around to accommodate different heights and angles. The internal joint moves smoothly and allows for a fair bit of precision while “aiming” the sensor.

Price: $7.00

Pros:
Rotates the direction of the Wii sensor bar

Cons:
None

All items are available from videogame.brando.com

Filed in categories: Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: Wii

Brando’s Nintendo Wii Accessory Roundup Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 30, 2008 at 2:27 pm.

With every PC, Game station, entertainment device generation, the goal is making things run faster. As a result cooling is important for the device’s life span. If they don’t stay cool, the device will burn up and then your 100 to 2000 dollar device is a oversized paper weight. Microsoft’s Xbox 360 early on had heat issues with constant use. Several companies have come out with an add-on to the station to help mitigate the heat issues with additional cool fans.

PEGA has developed a stand that helps address the heat issues that the Xbox 360 currently has. Available from Brando, the Disc Case Stand 2 in 1 Cooling Fan has two quiet 3” fans that are built into the stand unit that the Xbox 360 sits on. Other features of the stand are 4 slots for Game case storage.

Key Specifications/Special Features

Cooling the console
As a stand to keep the console steady

Stand slots on both sides can hold 4 disc cases

Package Contents

Main Fan Unit
USB Power Cable

This unit is extremely simple to install and use. Anyone could install this cooling system with very little trouble. I have had some DVD and Game play issues if I ran my Xbox 360 for very long. After I installed this unit I didn’t experience any problems like before. I used this device for long periods of time over the course of a week with no problems. So, for a low budget home this would be a good solution for addressing heat issues in your Xbox 360.

I personally would not purchase this cooling device for the following reasons: If you have paid so much for your Xbox unit, I would want something with more air flow that will guarantee to help keep things cool. The air flow from this unit is not very high, so this unit would have problems keeping things cool if the room’s temperature was higher than normal. The other bad side to this unit is that the fans are controlled by a simple On/Off switch on the back side of the unit. This has multiple issues. The unit gives no indication when the fans are running unless you stretch around to the back of the unit and look at the switch position. The unit does have a green LED light to show that it’s getting power, but it is always on and not very useful. The other issue I had with this is that you have to turn the fans on manually. Personally I think the fans should turn on with the Xbox 360 or by temperature detection. Granted this might increase the cost of the device, but I believe this is a needed feature.

The final issue I noticed with this cooling unit is that by design this unit must be plugged into the back USB port of the Xbox 360. If you have any devices already plugged into the back port, you have to decide which is more important. In my case I have the Xbox 360 Wireless Network adapter that requires the back USB Port so it had to be removed for this review.

Bottom line: If you are looking for a low cost Xbox 360 Cooling device this could suit your needs, if you understand its limitations. I personally would go for something else with a better feature set and one that has a power indicator.

Filed in categories: Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: XBox

Xbox 360 2 in 1 Cooling Stand originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 28, 2006 at 7:52 am.

CoreCases is probably not a company that you’re familiar with yet. If their current offerings are any indication, that won’t be the ‘case’ for very long. I think they are going to give Innopocket a run for their money with their cool aluminum Sony PSP, and Apple iPod covers. Today I’m going to take a look at their Apple iPod shuffle case and their Black Sony Playstation Portable case.

Apple iPod shuffle Case

Made of light weight anodized aluminum and available in 6 colors (Silver, Green, Pink, Midnight Blue, Skye Blue and Black), this is a case that be worn around your neck, on your belt or in your pocket.

The case consists of 2 parts. A top shell and a bottom shell. The shuffle rests inside the neoprene lined bottom shell and the top shell slides shut over it to totally enclose the device. Perfectly lined up cutouts allow access to the nav button, earphone jack and Power switch. The earphone jack cutout is large enough to accommodate 3rd party earphones.

The back of the case has a removable metal belt clip. In the picture above, you can also see the the locking pins for the top shell.

Accessing the Power switch while the shuffle is in this case is actually easier (for me at least) than when the shuffle is not in a case. Something about the metal around the sliding switch makes it easier for me to activate. The only reason that you would need to remove the shuffle from this case is to charge it.

A simple white ribbon neck strap (not pictured) is included that can attach to the top right corner of the player.

I like this case quite a bit. The price is nice and it actually makes the shuffle feel and look more expensive.

Sony Playstation Portable Case

This case looks great and has a little something extra that might make you pick it over a similar one from Innopocket.

Made of Black anodized aluminum, the case is molded to fit the Sony PSP shape without adding much weight and bulk.

You might wonder what that silver dot is on the back side of the case. I did too when I first saw it. I didn’t realize that it was a magnet until I opened the cover though. Keep reading…

When the cover opens, you see the face of the PSP. Access to all of the controls is at your disposal. The case does not get in your way at all. The cover has 2 built in slots for Memory stick duos.

Here you see the reason for the magnet. Open the cover all the way and it snaps to the mating magnet on near the hinge of the front cover. In this position, you can set the case and PSP on your desk to view video content. Pretty nifty!

There are two things about this case that are a bit problematic. One thing that could use some improvement would be the grip-ability of it. It’s pretty slippery. I would like to see either a rubberized surface or some grip strips.

The other thing is the fact that you can not open the disc slot while the PSP is in the case. So, no game swapping.

If these two issues don’t bother you, for less than $15, you can keep your PSP protected and looking good with this case from CoreCases.

Filed in categories: Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: Case, Metal, PSP

CoreCases Sony PSP and Apple iPod shuffle Cases originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 5, 2006 at 4:01 pm.

There is no doubt that the Sony PlayStation Portable is a very sexy device. It takes a strong willed geek who can resist the charms of this smooth, shiny, black handheld gaming siren. I’m definitely not one of the strong ones. I’m weak… very very weak… But you know the one thing that would make the PSP even more sexy, even more desirable, even more irresistable? A shiny black charging cradle! I know you were all thinking it, but I wasn’t afraid to just say it. Ok, maybe this wasn’t quite what came to your mind, but once you see the PSP Power Charging Cradle from Brando, you won’t be able to get it out of your head.

Made in the same smooth shiny style as your PSP, this charging cradle is a solid one peice molded plastic blob. It has no moving parts unless you count the 2 spring loaded power pins that the bottom of the PSP mates with.

On the back there is a socket to plug in the AC adapter that came with your PSP. That’s right, this cradle does not come with its own seperate power cord. That fact doesn’t really bother me though. It keeps this cradle cheap, and everyone should have their original AC adapter anyway.

When connected to power, an LED on the front of the cradle lights up. This LED never turns off.

To charge the PSP, you just set it on the dock. There is nothing to plug in, snap into, line up, etc. It just rests on the pins perfectly. Felt on the bottom of the cradle helps to keep it from sliding around on your desk when you rest and unrest the gaming device on it. As an added bonus, the PSP rests at the perfect angle for viewing the display. This allows for easy movie viewing.

The PSP Power Charging Cradle has a 2.5 fast hour charging circuit built in, so you’ll not have to wait too long to get back to playing your favorite games. I really like this accessory as it takes no effort to use, looks great and is inexpensive.

Filed in categories: Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: Power

Brando PSP Power Charging Cradle originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 7, 2005 at 7:47 pm.

Protecting the gorgeous display on the Sony Playstation Portable is a big deal to owners of this popular handheld gaming device. Besides housing the PSP in a case when it is not in use, you also have to consider some type of protection when you’re actually playing games on it. Brando has a simple product that might just take up permanent residence over your PSP’s display. The Crystal Cover II is a plastic screen protector that covers almost the entire face of your device, giving you see-through and play-through convenience.

When you buy this product, you receive a thin plastic cover and a replacement thick rubber joypad cover.

The Crystal Cover rests right over the existing display and is held in place with 2 screws that thread into the PSP.

When attached, the cover adds very little to the weight and size of the gaming device.

The included rubber joypad cover may be an asset or hinderance, depending on the player. At first I thought it would work out much better than the thin profile one included with the PSP. But once I started playing games with the new pad in place, I realized that the additional height made my thumb cramp up. So, your milage may vary.

There are cutouts for the 2 sets of buttons on either side of the PSP. These cutouts match up perfectly allowing easy game play.

Viewing games or video content through the Crystal Cover II is just as nice as when this protector is not in place. The only problem that I noticed was the fact that dust under the cover tended to show up as black specks on the screen, reminding me of dead pixels. Also the Crystal Cover seems to scratch pretty easily… I guess it’s better that it get scratched other than the PSP though.

The bottom line is that this product will protect your display from scratches. I’m just not sure that it’s any more valuable than a stick on protector or just using a bit of caution.

Filed in categories: Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: Plastic, PSP, Screen Protector

Brando PSP Crystal Cover II originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 30, 2005 at 7:56 pm.

I think most of us will agree that despite the $250 price tag, the Sony PlayStation Portable has become a very popular handheld gaming device. The PSP costs about $100 more than the Nintendo DS, which seems to take it out of the realm of a kid’s play thing, and puts it into the hands of us bigger kids: adults with disposable income. PSP accessories appear to be a booming business. There are chargers, speakers, screen covers, and cases. Like most high end devices, we want to protect them from scratches and everyday wear and tear. But how much disposable cash will adult PSP owners part with to protect their “toy” in style? Do they have enough to pay within $70 of the device’s original cost? Are they nuts for even considering it?

For those of us in the PDA community, the name Vaja goes hand in hand with quality and luxury. Now hardcore gamers can join the club with the i-Volution Leather Suit for the Sony PSP. This all leather play-through case is the snazziest one for the PSP that I’ve seen to date. If we just want to judge it solely on beauty, it wins hands down. But with a price tag of $180 (without personalization or a custom logo), this case better be great. Is it? I’ll give you a tour, then you can be the judge.

This case is available in 29 solid color versions, or 15 combination color versions. I received the Black and Red combo version for review. Like many times before, the first thing that hit me as soon as I opened the box, was the overwhelming scent of leather. Yum! Next was the feel of the smooth leather.

Vaja has outdone themselves with this case design. It is quite innovative. The bottom shell of the case splits into a top layer and bottom layer. The PSP slides between and gets snapped in place by two metal snaps. When in place, the PSP is not going to fall out of this case as the leather has been expertly molded to fit the exact shape of the PSP body.

The leather that makes up the top part of the ‘holster’ is flexible, yet rigid. There is one cutout that allows for full access to all of the buttons on the face of the gaming device. The bottom portion of the case is also rigid and slightly padded.

The screen cover part of the i-Volution is very stiff… almost like a quality guitar case. Inside are 3 Memory-stick Duo slots. These slots look like they might be spring loaded, but they are not. As such, it is somewhat difficult to remove the cards once they are in the slots.

A cool feature of the cover is the ability to fold it under the main portion of the case to act as a stand. In this orientation, you could watch a movie on the PSP while resting it on your desk.

When the cover is closed, the PSP is almost entirely protected by leather. The only parts of the PSP left exposed are the shoulder buttons, lanyard attachment point, and Memory-stick Duo slot cover.

The i-Volution is a play-through case. By all rights, you really shouldn’t have a need to remove it from the case once it is snapped in. The cover hangs down below your hands while holding the PSP. This allows for comfortable game play.

The cover also can be folded out of the way so that you can easily swap game discs.

As far as design and aesthetics, the Vaja i-Volution case has no rivals. This thing is just plain gorgeous. It’s made extremely well, and feels comfortable to hold while playing games. The only real problem with this case is the price. Paying $180 to protect a $250 device seems crazy when you could buy the $12 Brando Aero case and use the other $168 on games. Of course there are going to be people that will buy this case because for them it’s all about style. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with that… If you have the cash, it’s yours to spend as you see fit. For me, I would save the $$’s and spend it on games instead. But that’s just me. Which type of person are you? Are you one of those people that will buy one?

Filed in categories: Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: Case, Leather, PSP

Vaja Sony PSP i-Volution Leather Suit Case originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 16, 2005 at 11:39 am.

In the past couple of months, we’ve looked at several options for protecting your Sony PlayStation Portable from everyday wear and tear. Now PSP fans have yet another choice for protection, with the leather Clip Case from Brando’s Workshop. Available in Black smooth grained leather with contrasting white stitching, this case is made in the same ‘book style’ that we’ve come to expect from Brando branded cases. This one has a simple design that is suited for less rugged activities. You won’t want to rely on it for your next camping trip or off-road adventure, as it’s best used for transport to and from a gear bag or briefcase.

This product gets its name from the clear plastic clip cradle system that is used to hold the PSP in the bottom half of the case. The clip is molded in such a way, that the PSP can snap into it securely, allowing for full play-through use of the device. A plastic post in the bottom left corner of the clip, mates with a screw hole on the bottom of the PSP. This keeps the PSP from sliding horizontally out of the cradle.

When snapped in, you have access to all of the PSP’s buttons and important features. The only area that is difficult to access, is the MemoryStick Duo slot. The clip keeps the PSP elevated from the bottom of the leather case, so that you can even swap game discs, without needed to remove the PSP.

The bottom of the case where the PSP is located, is lined in a velvet like material. The PSP really doesn’t come into much contact with this material due to the plastic clip. The upper portion of the case, has 2 recessed MemoryStick Duo slots, and 3 card slots. The card slots are business / credit card sized, and can not hold extra game discs. I’m not exactly sure, why you would need business card slots in a PSP case, but they are there if you do…

The cover of the Clip Case is held closed with a strong magnet snap. When closed the PSP is only protected completely on one side. The left, right, and front edges are almost fully exposed. That’s why I mentioned at the start of the review, that this case isn’t recommended for hardcore use. Actually playing games while the PSP is in the Clip Case is fine. The screen cover doesn’t seem to get in the way as it just hangs over the back of your hands.

I would have to say that this is my least favorite PSP case so far. There isn’t anything physically wrong with it, it is made very well, and looks nice. But, I still prefer the cheaper Brando’s Aero case as it can hold some extra games in addition to the PSP. While it isn’t play-through, I don’t mind removing the PSP when I want to play games. That said, if this is the style of case that you prefer, the Clip Case from Brando’s Workshop will probably make you happy.

Filed in categories: Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: Case, Leather, PSP

Brando WorkShop Sony PSP Clip Case originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 16, 2005 at 6:38 am.

If you’re looking for an inexpensive but functional case for your Sony PlayStation Portable, you need not look any farther than the Aero Case from Brando. Available in Blue or Grey, this dual zippered case will protect your PSP from everyday abuse while allowing you to also carry a few games and accessories.

The Aero case has a semi-rigid outer shell. I’m not exactly sure what it is made of (some type of vinyl is my guess), but it is smooth and looks like it should cost more than it actually does. Dual metal tabbed zippers allow for easy access into the interior of the case. These zippers have perfectly smooth action.

The back of the case has two attachment methods. There is a flat vinyl belt loop and a metal carbiner. I don’t really think a person would wear their PSP on their belt using the loop, but it’s possible that they might hang it from their belt using the carbiner. I wouldn’t advise doing this though as the carbiner isn’t the best quality. The carbiner is easily removed, but the rubber loop where it was attached is not removable.

The interior of the case is lined in soft neoprene. The top shell of the Aero case has a horizontal mesh pocket that can hold accessories such as earbuds. The lower half of the case has another area for storage in a fold up flap. This flap has 2 mesh pockets perfectly sized for game discs. The underside of the flap is just soft neoprene. It rests on the PSP screen and should protect it from scratches.

The flap flips up to reveal the PSP holding area. Two thin elastic bands can be used to hold the PSP in place while inside the Aero. It’s conceivable that you could even play games while the device is in this case, but given the fact that there isn’t a way to hold up the disc pocket flap, it might not be very convenient to do so.

This is a simple case, but it’s made well and so far I would have to say that it’s my favorite method of storing my PSP. I like the extra storage and the flat simple design. It’s crazy, but I really like the easy zipper action too. There’s nothing I hate worse than having to wrestle with a zipper ;o) If you want a better case for your Sony PSP than the lame slip cover that ships with it, I highly recommend the Brando Aero case.

Price: $12.00

Pros:
Enexpensive
Can hold a few accessories and game discs

Cons:
None

Filed in categories: Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: Case

Brando Aero Case for the Sony PSP originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 25, 2005 at 3:18 pm.

If you’re fan of metal cases for your gadgets, and have been looking for one to hold your Sony PlayStation Portable, you’ll be glad to hear that Brando now has one available through his online shop. Made of light weight aircraft grade aluminum, lined in cushioning Neoprene and molded to fit the PSP perfectly for play through ease, this case almost totally encloses the PSP when latched.

The cover of this case is smooth with no logos or other markings.

The bottom has 4 black rubber feet and molded hand grips that match the grips on the bottom of the PSP.

There are cutouts to accommodate the power jack, earphone jack and Memory Stick slot even when the case is closed. This makes it easy to charge and listen to music without having to keep the cover open.

There are also cutouts for the USB connector, disc eject switch and IR port. Since the PSP fits snugly in the bottom half of the case, you really have no need to ever remove it. All these cutouts are great, but they will allow dirt and dust to get in.

The cover is double hinged and opens so that it hangs down between your hands while you’re holding the device. This may sound awkward, but after a few minutes of playing games this way, you pretty much forget about it.

Folding the cover underneath the case doesn’t lend itself well to gameplay.

This is a robust case in the same league as Innopocket. It will definitely protect your Sony PlayStation Portable from quite a bit of abuse. It feels like you could run over it with your car… not that I would test this out mind you ;o) The only problem I have with metal style cases is the fact that they do add a lot of weight to the device that they are housing. Empty, this case weighs in at 3.4 oz. My predicted use will be mainly for traveling. I’ll not feel worried about putting my PSP in this case and then packing it inside my regular luggage.

Price: $28.00

Pros:
Hard shell protection
Play through

Cons:
Heavy
Dirt & Dust can get in through the cutouts

Filed in categories: Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: Case

Brando Aluminum Case for the PSP originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 25, 2005 at 2:40 pm.

At this fabulous site, I have posted reviews on

Emulators for Palm PDAs: An Overview of the Best and

Emulators for Pocket PCs: An Overview of the Best. In keeping up with the best of traditions, here is the third in the series.

N.B. All graphics on this article are personally taken by yours truly (using a digital camera) from actual programs running on my PSP.

Ever since the PSP was released to an highly anticipated audience, our Japanese hackers had a field day in creating all kinds of homebrewed programs right from day 1. However, the dozen or so games were a huge disappointment and so were the applications and utilities. Many were no more than a first shot demo. Amongst the best of this lot are Arkanoid, Streets of Rage, Chess and a text reader, CN reader. I have converted the entire New Testament into CN reader compatible text – if you like to carry your Bible with you, download the text of the New Testament at my church site, www.ppcoc.org/nt.zip.

However, on the emulation scene, things are hot and furious! Like my writeup on

Emulators for the Gamepark 32, this is the way to go instead of reinventing the wheel. All the programs refered to in this article may be freely downloaded at these two great PSP sites:

psp-news.dcemu.co.uk and
psphacker.com.

My most favorite PSP emulator is RIN, the GBC emulator that is even better than the original handheld because of the larger, brighter and higher resolution screen. Like all the emulators refered to (except for Doom), they are the works of Japanese hackers; this one by Mr. Mirakichi.

This is a full fledged emulator, practically perfect in every way. What a great time I had playing Marioland – the first game I had on my first Gameboy, as well as my favorite puzzle game, Tetris Attack. The classics by Konami, Namco and Nintendo are real treasures; so are the Game and Watch series. I highly recommend the Hoyle series of Card and Casino games. Even the newer 2mb games run flawlessly although I had a little graphic glitch with Caeser’s Palace II. Great stuff – enough reason to go out and get a PSP.

The 2 snapshots above show the colorized Gameboy Tetris Attack and one running a 1mb game, Pacman.

Second on my ranking is the SNES emulator by Mr Bifuteki. It is running pretty good with sound and all. Uo has taken his source code and added overclocking in case you are playing a game that needs the speed. The latest version has a ‘fit to PSP screen’ option that adds immensely to the enjoyment of the game.

I brought an SNES console to run the Bust-A-Move game which took the arcade world by storm since its release. Now I can enjoy this game, plus a host of favorites like Pinball Dreams, Cameltry, Super Mario World/Kart, Nichibu Classics and Wolf3D. I ranked this second because most SNES games are more substantial than most consoles, including Gameboy.

Above are snapshots of the SNES9X emulator running the arcade hit, Bust-A-Move and the fabulous Pinball Dreams.<

Third on my list is the PCEP emulator by Mr. Kamisama. The NEC PCE, aka Turbo Grafx 16 in the USA is one of the best handhelds every made. It was expensive when it was first released, but it still holds it own today with the likes of Gameboy Advance. Software writers have to modify their games especially to run in this device – some of which are good, but most (eg Lode Runner) lost its pristine touch. It does not have as many Roms as most consoles/hand helds, but what is available are all excellent.

The Sega Genesis MegaDrive emulator would not be fourth on my list had it not been for Mr. Sougen who released a late but really excellent software. It is already running at full speed with great sound on its first release. Really great for a quick ‘Sonic’ blast. In my opinion, Genesis, Sega’s answer to Nintendo’s SNES is again (like the SMS/GG saga), a case of too little, too late. Games are normally not as plentiful or as good as the SNES, although they are many Sega die-hards around.

Clocking in fifth is the SMS/GG emulator by Mr. Yoshihiro. It has nice wallpaper and backgrounds, runs great with sound but has a little glitch with the fonts after you scrolled the first page of the Roms selection option. No doubt this will be taken care of in future upgrades. What I would like to see is the ‘fit to PSP screen’ option as the original screen is a tad too small for my visual comfort.

The games for the SMS (Sega Master System) and GG (Game Gear) system are rather small, easy to load and fast to play. Some good games like Puzzle Booble, Rampage and Bomberman are amongst their offering. It is a pity that while SMS and GG are capable devices, they lack the ‘extra something’ to make them a hit, particularly the GG which has such a heavy drain on batteries.

The NES was the phoenix that rises from the ashes when Atari and all other pretenders to the console market went bust. It survived due to the high standards that it sets for their games. Today, it is still great to play the likes of Battle City, Galaxian and Donkey Kong on the emulator.

There are not one or two but four different NES (Nintendo Etertainment System) emulators for the PSP. The latecomer, NESterj by Mr Ruka is the runaway favorite, with full speed and better performance all round. Other NES emulators for the PSP are InfoNES, FamiContest and just NES.

Doom has just been released by Lantus a few days ago, at this time of writing. He is the first non-Japanese to come up with an emulator of sorts. Already, it is running very speedily with sound, using all the buttons (so the map is easily accessible), triggers and joystick to boot. Doom2 has also been released at this time. Dukem has just followed Doom2 – see snapshots below. I personally like Dukem more than Doom, although both are super.

Last but not least are the MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) emulators for the PSP. This is still in its early stages, and Mr. Ingosama is first off the gates with the one that supports the most Roms at this time. It is great running the likes of Galaxian, Mr. Do and Alpha Fighter with sound and all. You can keep up with the WIP by subscribing to threads of MAME compatible list at
www.dcemu.co.uk and
www.emuboards.com.

Thhhhhaaatttt’s nnnooottt all folks… as there are several more emulators for the PSP that I have not yet mentioned. You may want to have a look at these if they are your cup of tea.

For Neogeo fans, there are the Neogeo CD and Neogeo Pocket emulators. Couldn’t get either to work, and since I do not have much interest in these (since I never had the physical devices), I’ll sit these out. But if someone gets an emulator for the good old original Neogeo running, I’ll be very interested to play Trash Rally, League Bowling, Alpha II, Nam 1975, Ghost Pilots… (just reading some of those massive 55 mb cartridges that are on my shelf).

Then there is this newer handheld, the WonderSwan emulators – not one but three for the PSP. Never owned one before, so I’ll let this pass.

And there’s even an MSX emulator. The MSX system is a little bit of Arcade and a little bit of really basic stuff. NES has most if not all of MSX’s offerings in better resolution, so this is not really a big draw.

The PSP community is growing every day. Now that a hack has been found to run homebrew stuff on firmware 1.5, a lot more users will be entering the arena. All I can say is I am glad to be an early adopter and can’t wait to see what is coming out tomorrow.

Play it now.

Filed in categories: Articles, Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: Article

Emulators for the Sony PSP: An Overview of the Best originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 24, 2005 at 3:11 pm.

If you’re not into vinyl, plastic, metal or thick leather as a material for
your PlayStation Portable (PSP) case, then maybe the Ultra Light-weight Suit
from Extreme Limit is more your
speed. Available in 2 styles: flap type and open, this case is made of a soft
ultra microfiber black suede with contrasting red stitching. I was sent the case
with the flap.

This case is play through and almost totally encloses the PSP when the flap
cover is closed (with a Velcro tab). Only the corners remain exposed. Cutouts on
the face of the case allow for access to the screen, and all of the buttons. The
cutouts line up well enough, but the case material always seemed to get in the
way of my thumbs when trying to press buttons.

The case is pretty simple in design. The only extras are 3 media slots. A UMD
slot on the backside exterior, and 2 Memory stick slots in the interior spine
area of the case.

UMD pocket on the outside of the case

For the most part, I usually like Extreme Limit cases. Unfortunately, I’m not
too fond of this particular case for several reasons. 1. The overall fit is too
loose. 2. Velcro is used to hold the cover closed. 3. The suede material is a
huge lint and dust magnet. (  Hopefully they will come out with a better
case soon…

Price: 3450 Yen (~ $31.66)

Pros:
Play through
UMD and Memory stick slots
Screen polishing cloth is included

Cons:
Lint and dust magnet
Velcro is used to hold the cover closed

Filed in categories: Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: Case

Extreme Limit Ultra Light-weight Suit for the Sony PSP originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 16, 2005 at 7:14 pm.

When the Sony PlayStation Portable (known from here on out as the PSP) was
first announced in May of 2004, gaming enthusiasts began clamoring for
information on this state of the art handheld gaming console. Even though this
device was originally released only in Japan (December 12, 2004), that didn’t
stop people here in the US from importing this highly coveted gadget at crazy
inflated prices to keep from waiting till it would be available state side.
Could you blame them, this thing is hot! Way more exciting than the earlier
launch of the Nintendo DS. Lucky for me, I
had Brando! He went above and beyond
the call of duty to help me get my hands on one of these terrific game machines. Thanks Brando!

As always, let’s start with the specs…

Hardware Specs

CPU: 2 32-bit MIPS processors
Memory:  Main – 32MB / Embedded Dram – 4MB
Display: 4.3in diagonal, 16:9 Widescreen TFT LCD, 480 x 272 pixels, capable of
displaying 16.77 million colors
Communication: 802.11b Wireless
Input / Output: USB 2.0, Infrared, Memory Stick PRO Duo
Game cartridge slot: UMD (Universal Media Disc)
Size: 6.7 x 0.9 x 2.9 in. (170 x 23 x 74mm)
Weight: (with UMD disc installed) 10.2 oz. (290g)
Power: Rechargeable lithium-ion 1800 mAh battery

Package Contents (Japanese Value Pack – may differ from US packaging
when available)

Sony PlayStation Portable
Demo UMD
32mb Memory Stick Duo
Ear buds
Remote
AC Adapter
Hand strap
Slip case
 

On the day I received the PSP from Brando, I was super excited.
Unfortunately, I soon realized that I wasn’t going to be able to actually
play with my new toy right away. Why? Well, because it didn’t come with
a game disc. It did come with a demo disc, but all it did was just mock me by
showing trailers for several cool games available or soon to be available for
this console. I went searching for sites that had games available and found that
GeekStuff4U could send me 2 titles to
try out. Yay! But I would have to wait a week or so before getting them. Boo!

After the long and painful waiting period, the games arrived and I was ready
put this bad boy through its paces! And what a bad boy it is. Right out of the
box, it is a wonder to behold. Much like a product from Apple, Sony knows how to
make consumer electronics that look gorgeous. People aren’t going to be happy
when I say that the Nintendo DS is a hunk of junk looks-wise when you compare it
to the PSP.

Rectangular with rounded outer edges, this unit is designed to be held
comfortably between your two hands. That said, the PSP has a definite heft to
it. Playing while laying on your back with the device raised above you, may
quickly result in fatigue. Besides being a little heavy, this is a large device.
Like the Nintendo DS, you are not going to carry it around in your pocket.
Transport via backpack or gear bag is fine though.

People have been reporting that the PSP is somewhat fragile feeling. That
twisting the unit while a UMD is inserted can sometimes cause the disc to eject
and fly out. I had to perform the requisite Gadgeteer creak test to see for
myself. First I shook the unit and did notice that the power button rattles a
bit. Otherwise, the unit is solid with respect to rattles. As for the creak
test, no amount of light twisting would cause the UMD in my PSP to eject of its
own accord. I did notice that the door to the UMD cavity was prone to minimal
flexing though due to being made of relatively thin plastic.

In my opinion, the PSP doesn’t seem to be a toy that you would give to a
child. For one thing, it is quite a bit more sophisticated in both hardware
design and games than the Game Boy series. This is an expensive device that
while solidly made, may only be rugged enough to give to an older child that can
truly respect their toys.

Back to the hardware tour…  The front of the PSP looks like it has
been carved out of one piece of solid black Lucite. Like the
Sony
HMP-A1, the design looks very sexy, but with the slick surface, it very
prone to smears and fingers prints.

This device has more buttons than any handheld gaming device that I’ve ever
seen. There are 4 thumb accessible buttons on each side. The left 4 buttons are
for navigation, while the right 4 buttons are the standard PlayStation menu
interaction buttons. Seven small buttons along the bottom edge of the PSP give
you access to Home, Volume up/down, Display brightness, Sound toggle, Select and
Start. The directional and menu buttons are all good sized and easy to press.
They have enough tactile feedback so that you know when you’ve pressed one. The
directional buttons are angled so that your thumb will not easily slide off when
you’re moving from button to button at a quick pace. The other buttons are
pretty small and a little difficult to press. Especially the tonight volume and
brightness buttons.  There’s another button on the front of the PSP that I
actually missed at first. I thought it was a speaker grill! Yes, I’m blind…
Under the directional buttons is an actual analog joystick. This stick is spring
loaded with a serrated thumb pad to prevent slippage. It works really well in
games like Ridge Racer.

The display on the PSP is large and g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s. It has to be the largest
handheld gaming console screen to date. At 4.3 inches diagonally, it’s even
bigger than my HP HX4700 iPAQ! Being
able to comfortably see all the action on the screen without having to squint is
great! This is the first gaming device that has actually given me the same
feeling that I get when playing games on a large TV screen. You know the feeling
you get when you’re playing a racing game and you go into a spin and you almost
can feel the spin. I’ve never felt that way with a Game Boy or
other handheld device. I do feel it with the PSP, and I like it!

The colors are vivid, and graphics are crisp. Depending on the game, you do
notice some jaggies here and there though. That said, I didn’t notice any ghost
or other annoying screen behaviors. The screen is evenly lit and the three
brightness settings allow you to adjust the screen to your liking. I always run
mine on the middle setting which is more than bright enough in any environment.
I should also mention that my unit has no dead pixels which is excellent as I
have read that some people have found some on theirs.

Located on the top of PSP are status LEDs for Power / Charging, WiFi and
Memory Stick Duo activity.

On the left side of the device is the WiFi switch, and on the right side is
the Power / Hold switch. The Power switch is spring loaded. You have to slide
and hold it up for a few seconds to toggle power. If you just quickly slide the
Power switch up and let go, it will cause the unit to go into sleep mode so that
you can quickly restart a game at a later time. If you slide the Power switch
down, it will lock into the Hold position.

Along the bottom edge of the PSP, you’ll find the AC adapter connector
(yellow), the headphone / remote connector, and lanyard connection point.
Included with the PSP are a set of earbud and a remote control. These come in
handy when you want to listen to music (MP3s) on your device. More on that in a
minute…

The top edge of the PSP has two clear shoulder buttons, the IR port, mini USB
port and UMD compartment latch. The UMD latch is a slider switch that opens the
disc compartment. Think of it as an eject button. When you open it, the disc
springs out of the compartment just enough so that you can grab the edge and
pull it out. When you insert the disc, you have to press it down into the holder
in the door so that it snaps in place.

The UMDs are small little 1.8GB capacity discs enclosed in a plastic caddy. A square window in
the caddy allows the PSP to read the data from the disc as it spins. The problem
is that this window is always open. It doesn’t have any type of spring loaded cover. Dirt, dust and even
finger prints can easily wreck a UMD if you aren’t really careful while handling
them. This is another reason why the PSP is not a good system for children. The
actual UMD games come in a large plastic DVD like case that won’t be very
convenient to carry around even in a gear bag. I’m sure there will probably be
UMD carrying case accessories out in the near future (I hope).

The UMD is a spinning drive. As such, it makes a noise during disc access.
The noise isn’t loud, but it is noticeable. The sound that the UMD makes while
it is spinning sounds like something shuffling. The PSP doesn’t vibrate during
access, so that’s good.

The back of the PSP has the battery compartment and Memory Stick Duo slot.
Included with the PSP is a 32mb MS Duo card. You can copy music, pictures, video
and games to the memory card and let the PSP play them for you. This expands the
PSP into a media player in addition to just a gaming console. If you don’t have
a card reader that can read the small format Duo, you can just plug in a USB
cable with a mini connector into the PSP and then into your PC. It will mount
the card as removable drive. My PSP didn’t come with a mini USB cable, but I
found one for another gadget and found that it worked just fine. I did discover
that you have to format the Duo before you start copying files from your PC.
Why? Well, if you don’t, the special hierarchy of folders that the PSP looks for
won’t be there and it will not know that you have music or other media available
to it. There is an option in the PSP menu to format the stick. Once you do that,
you’re good to go.

Memory Stick Duo Slot

I should talk a little about battery life as that is one of the major
concerns / complaints about this device so far. According to Sony, the PSP
should be able to play games for 4-5 hrs at a time as long as you’re not using
WiFi. Now, all I can tell you is my own experiences as I haven’t done any
scientific battery tests… I’ve played Ridge Racers 10 mins here and 20 mins
there several times throughout the week on only one battery charge. As for total
play time on one charge, it’s hard to say. Maybe 3 hrs or so? I’ve never been
one to just sit down and play games for hours at a time. I’m more of a pick it
up, play for a bit then sit it back down kind of gamer. That might change if I
had some more engrossing type of games. Right now I just have Ridge Racers and a
golf game that is too difficult to really figure out since I do not understand
Kanji. Now if I had a really cool RPG, I bet I could get sucked into playing a
game for 1-2 hrs at one sitting. So, for right now I am not going to complain
about the battery life. For me it is working out great so far. I can see how it
would not be great for travelers or people away from a power outlet. I should
also mention that battery life will depend on how often the PSP has to access
the UMD for info. It’s easy to understand that the more it has to spin up the
disc, the lower your battery life is going to be. Here’s also hoping that
extended batteries will be an available accessory in the very near future.

Regarding the PSP hardware, it’s just plain lovely. This device is both sexy
to look at and hold. I don’t know how Sony is getting away with only charging
~$250. I mean, their later model CLIÉ PDAs were up to $700 or so! If I had to
change anything about the hardware, I would maybe add a hard drive so that it
could be a REAL media player in addition to gaming device.

The main interface is simple and easy to figure out even without reading a
manual or user guide. Good thing because the manual I received was all in
Japanese. The first time you power on the PSP, you are given the ability to
choose a language.  Japanese, English, German, Dutch, Spanish, French,
Italian, Russian, and Portuguese are the available choices.

Basically you have 5 main functions across the screen. The main functions are
Settings, Photo, Music, Video and Game. As you use the left and right
directional buttons to scroll through these functions, sub functions appear
below the main heading.

Main interface screen

The settings function gives you access to all the main settings for video,
photo, music, WiFi etc. This is also the menu that you use to format the Memory
Stick Duo, set the time / date, password protect the device and even implement a
parental lock based on game ratings.

Setting up WiFi was a snap. I basically just allowed it to use all the
defaults. I didn’t even tell it the name of my wireless network (SSID) and it
connected just fine. I couldn’t do a darn thing, but hey, I could connect. 
Oh, I was able to have the PSP check with Sony to see if there was a software
update. It didn’t find one, but it checked ;o) It’s really a shame that a simple
web browser wasn’t included as part of the feature set.

The Photo function allows you to view images that are stored on the Memory
Stick Duo. Sorry, you can only view .JPG files. .GIF, and .BMPs are not
supported. Small thumbnails of the pictures are displayed so that you can easily
scroll through them. When you find one that you want to view full screen, you
select it.

You can also view all the images in a slideshow if desired.

The Music function turns your PSP into a digital audio player capable of
playing Sony’s own ATRAC3 and ATRAC3plus files as well as good old MP3s. Yay!

The included ear buds and remote look like they come from the land of iPod.

In Video mode, you can play movies and video clips. Unfortunately, the only
supported format is MPEG4. You have to jump through some hoops in order to
convert regular .mpg files to .mp4, but once you do it’s a lot of fun to watch
movies on this device.  You can even use the wired remote to control video
playback.

Of course the main reason to buy the PSP is to play games right? Well, I have
to say that the games are great! Yeah, I only have one that I really like –
Ridge Racers, but even though I don’t really like the Mini Golf game all that
well, it still looks fantastic.

Ridge Racers

Mini Golf

The only thing I don’t like about using UMDs for games is that you have to
load them into memory. If you’re loading a game from scratch, the PSP screen
will blank (turn completely black) for up to 15 seconds or so. The first time
this happened, I was wondering if it had died on me or something. Kids might get
impatient having to wait for a game to load. Adults probably wont mind as much.
The wait is worth it actually.

Note: another use for the Memory Stick Duo is for saved games.

Ok, so what is the bottom line? Pretty much that I love this thing and
everyone should buy one. No seriously, I do reallllllly like the Sony PSP. I
don’t say that lightly given the fact that I only have 1 game that I’m playing
so far. There’s just something about this device that makes me want to pick it
up every time I walk by it. Yeah it’s pretty, but the games are fun. More fun
than any handheld gaming device I’ve owned so far.  But there are some big
gotchas that go along with my praise. One gotcha is battery life. But maybe the
biggest gotcha is just how viable is the PSP in the current handheld game
console arean? Even though a device is ‘better’ than another device as far as
hardware and features, it always comes down to the games. Will the PSP come out
with some excellent games that make this the device to buy? That’s very hard to
predict. I don’t feel too confident given the fact that I’ve been here before. I
was in love with the Atari Lynx way back when. It was an excellent handheld
gaming console. Better sound, better graphics than the Game Boy… but it failed
because the Game Boy was already very well established with 100′s and 100′s of
games. Will the same thing happen with the PSP? Very possibly. Even probably. I
sure hope not though! I have my fingers crossed that this device will enjoy a
long life. For those of you considering a handheld game console purchase, in a
few months when you go to your electronics store to choose between a Nintendo DS
and a Sony PSP, I sure hope you choose the PSP!
 

Price:$249

Pros:
Gorgeous hardware
Gorgeous screen
Games feel like full size console games
Photo, Video and Music features

Cons:
Short battery life
Not available in the US yet
Fingerprint magnet

Filed in categories: Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged:

Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 31, 2005 at 12:00 am.

My love of handheld gadgets doesn’t end with PDAs, it extends to portable gaming
devices as well. I’ve owned quite a few over the years… The original Game Boy,
Game Boy Pocket, Game
Boy Color,
Game Boy
Advance SP, Atari Lynx, Sega GameGear,
Game Park GP32
and now the Nintendo DS.

Everyone has been excited about the new
Nintendo DS handheld because it brings some exciting new features to the
handheld console arena that have never been included in similar products before.
It also drops the ball in a couple areas too… Until the Sony PSP comes out,
this guy is going to be getting all the buzz… but I’m getting ahead myself…
Specs first.

Hardware Specs

CPU: ARM9 67Mhz and ARM7 33Mhz processors
Memory:  4MB
Screens: Upper Screen: 3in diagonal, semitransparent reflective TFT color back
lit LCD, 256 x 192 pixels, .24 DPI capable of displaying 260,000 simultaneous
colors,  Lower Screen: The same as top but with transparent analog touch
screen
Wireless Communication: 802.11 & Nintendo’s proprietary format
Audio: Virtual surround sound, built-in stereo headphone / microphone jack
Game cartridge slots: 1 DS slot, 1 Game Boy Advance / SP slot
Size: (closed) 5.85 x 3.33 x 1.13 in.
Weight: (with DS cartridge installed) 9 oz.
Power: Rechargeable lithium-ion battery, 6-10 hours continuous play depending on
use per 4 hours recharging time

Package Contents

Nintendo DS
Instruction Booklet
AC Adapter
Hand strap
Metroid Prime Hunters demo game
Extra stylus

The first thing that I noticed upon seeing the product packaging and the unit
itself was that the words Game Boy were no where to be seen. Then my impression
of the DS as soon as I removed it from the box was that this device was
definitely not as portable as previous Game Boy models. Unless you are a fan of
huge cargo pants pockets, you’ll be putting this gaming device in your backpack
or gear bag. No more back jeans pocket transportation kiddies. Unfortunately,
with the new dual screen design, there really isn’t a way around the added bulk.

When closed, the DS actually looks like a GB Advanced SP that has had ‘wings’
added to it. The plastic is even the same  silvery color as my SP. Speaking
of the plastic, it feels light weight and does flex slightly on the bottom near
the cartridge slots. Not enough to really harp about though… If you have
cartridges in both slots, you’ll not even notice. So the unit doesn’t exactly
pass the Gadgeteer creak / squeeze test with flying colors, but it’s close
enough.

In hand, the device is a little too heavy to play with for an extended period
of time while laying on your back with your hands holding the DS above you. This
has always been my standard gaming posture for playing Game Boy and Pocket PC
games. With the DS, it’s more comfortable to just sit straight up while playing.

Then hinge on the DS is almost identical to the hinge on the GB Advanced SP.
It snaps open and closed with a slight spring loaded action. While there isn’t
any type of clasp or lock to keep the cover closed, you can hold the DS upside
down, and the cover will not fall open of its own accord.

At the front of the DS is a volume level slider switch, the Game Boy Advanced
game cartridge slot and the microphone / headphone combo connector. The volume
level slider switch has smooth action and is easy to adjust when needed. GB
Advanced cartridges fit flush with the front face of the device when fully
inserted. The DS has a built-in microphone, but the mic / headphone combo jack
will accept a one piece headphone / microphone to be sold by Nintendo later…
Until it is available, you can still plug in any old set of 3.5mm plugged
headphones that you already have and they will work great.

On the rear of the DS you will find a stylus silo (no, the DS is not a
PDA…), lanyard attachment point, DS game card slot,  the external
expansion connector (otherwise know as the AC adapter jack), and the two
shoulder buttons.  The stylus (and spare) that ships with the DS is a short
plastic toothpick. The included hand strap that you can attach to the DS doubles
as a thumb stylus that helps to keep fingerprints off the touch screen. The
external expansion connector / AC adapter jack accepts the included AC adapter
and also the adapter from a Game Boy Advance SP. The two shoulder buttons are
spring loaded tactile buttons that are active depending on the game cartridge in
use.

Opening the DS reveals the dual screens. This is a new feature for handheld
gaming consoles, and has been the source of speculation and murmurings ever
since the DS was first whispered about. Both screens are color, 3 inches
diagonally, 256 x 192 pixels, backlit, bright, and vivid. The only difference
(apparently) between the upper and lower screens is the fact that the bottom one
is a touch screen.

For DS cartridge games, the main game view is in the top screen. The bottom
screen is typically used for menus, inventory, maps, etc. I wasn’t sure how
beneficial this feature might be until I actually started using it with the
first DS game (only game so far) that I purchased: Super Mario 64 DS. So far I
haven’t bothered to remove the stylus when I need to tap the screen. I just use
my thumb. Yes, the screen gets all fingerprinty after awhile, but it just feels
awkward to me to use the stylus or even the lanyard thingy. Actually interacting
with the touch screen is similar to a PDA, it is sensitive and does not have any
sponginess to it.

If you’re playing a Game Boy Advanced game, you have the option of either
playing the game from the top screen or the bottom screen.

The graphics and display quality on the DS is much better than the one on my
Game Boy Advance SP. For one thing it is way brighter. The DS is back lit
instead of front lit like the GB Advance SP. The difference is very noticeable.
Action on the display is crisp and clear. I’ve not noticed any blurring at all.
I haven’t had the chance to try the DS outdoors in full sunlight yet because
it’s been pretty gloomy here in good old Columbus, Indiana the past week.

On either side of the top screen are the speakers. Let me tell you, the sound
on the DS totally blew me away. It has a virtual surround sound mode that sounds
better than my PC. Maximum volume level through the speakers is not super loud
(parents will be happy for that!), but I think it is loud enough for all but the
noisiest environments. Through headphones, I notices sounds not evident through
speakers. For example, when I listened to Super Mario DS through headphones, I
could hear blub, blub water sounds when Yoshi was swimming underwater. This
sound is absent when listening with the built-in speakers.

On the left side of the lower screen there is the Power button and 4 way
joy pad. On the right side of the display there is the Start, Select, A, B, Y and
X buttons. All of the buttons are made of black plastic and have audible click
tactile feedback. Former Game Boy owners will notice the addition of two extra
buttons: Y and X. These new buttons function differently depending on the games
you install.

Below the lower screen you have the Microphone and two LEDs. The left LED is
the battery recharge indicator. It glows orange while the battery is charging,
and turns off when charging is complete. The right LED is the power indicator
status LED. It is green when the DS is turned on and turns red when the
batteries are getting low. This LED will blink rapidly when the DS communicating
wirelessly. The same LED will blink slowly when the device is in sleep mode.

As for battery life, I’ve not had the chance to test this out totally. But if
the battery is anywhere near as good as the Game Boy Advance SP, people will not
complain. This might be off topic, but I was very surprised the other day when I
turned on my GB ADV SP and it powered up. Why should I be surprised at that?
Ummmm, because I’d not recharged it in over a year! No, I’m not kidding!!!!

Speaking hardware only, the DS is impressive. Yes, it’s larger and bulkier
than any Game Boy to date, but you have to pay for the fact that it has the dual
displays and great sound built in. I’m not sure how kids will take to this
device since it’s not as portable as the GB ADV SP… Time will tell.

Let’s shift to software now. I’m not going to talk about specific games
though, just the software built into the DS. My first impression after charging
the DS and turning it on was that I was setting up a new PDA. It asked me to set
the time, date, my birthday, favorite color, nickname, etc. I also had to
calibrate the touchpad with the stylus. I was already wondering how long it
would be before someone released a PDA-type cartridge for this device. It even
has a built in alarm  to alert you after a predetermined time. Too bad all
you can do when the device is in alarm mode is wait for it to go off. You can’t
play a game or even turn the device off… It would be cool if you could set an
alarm to stop a game at a specified time. Parents might appreciate a feature
like that to alert them when game time is over for their little rug rats.

Another feature that is pretty useful is the Sleep feature. You can just shut
the screen anytime you want and the device will go into power saving sleep mode.
Open it back up and your game resumes where it took off.

The DS has two power on modes that you can choose from. You can either see
the menu with date/time every time you power on, or you can set it to
automatically load a game if there is one inserted in slot 1 or 2. If you have a
game in both slots, it will always load the DS cart. In the manual mode, you can
choose which game you want to play if you have both slots occupied. It’s pretty
nice to be able to carry two games with you all the time…

I guess this is as good a time as any to tell you all about my biggest gripe
about the DS. It’s not the size or the bulk. It’s not the price of the device or
the price of the DS cartridges either. It’s the fact that you can’t play
original Game Boy cartridges on this handheld! I was very very very disappointed
when I realized this fact. I still have several original carts that I enjoy
playing. Prince of Persia being one of my faves… The thing I don’t understand
is the fact that the GB ADV SP can play original carts just fine! So if the DS
has a GB ADV SP slot, then why the heck can’t we use that slot for original
carts too? Someone with more knowledge than me, please answer this question.
Since there are so many original
carts still out there, it’s a shame not to be able to play them on this system
too…

In addition to the alarm clock, time and date features, the DS also has a
applet called Pictochat built in. Pictochat is sorta like Microsoft’s Netmeeting
white board meets instant messaging. It uses the DS’s built-in WiFi to connect
to other DS’s in its vicinity to type and draw messages to other users. You can
type on a popup keyboard or draw pictures using the stylus. I’m not real sure
what the real advantage is for this feature, but hey, it’s there if you want to
use it. Of course, I didn’t buy two DS’s, so I was unable to test it.

A better use for the built in WiFi is the ability to play games with multiple
players. Depending on the game cartridge, you can either play games with all
users having the specific cartridge installed in their respective devices, or
games that only require a host to have the cartridge. Again, with only one DS, I
was unable to test this feature. What would be really nice would be the ability
to use the built-in WiFi to surf the web or use a real instant message program.

One little annoyance that I want to point out is that whenever you quit out
of the Pictochat or game download (WiFi / multi user) features, you have to turn
the DS off. You can’t just exit out of the application and start playing a game.

As of this writing, DS games are pretty scarce. There are only 12 games
displayed on the Nintendo DS website, with 8 of them supposedly available as of
11/21/04. When I was lucky enough to purchase my device, the only games
available at Circuit City were Super Mario 64 and Madden Football. Not really a
football kinda girl, I skipped that title and just purchased Mario. A demo
cartridge of Metroid Prime Hunters is included with the DS, so even if you’re
lucky enough to find a DS but unlucky enough to get games, you’ll at least have
something to play!

I guess it’s bottom line time… What do I think of the Nintendo DS? I love
the displays, love the sound, like having two cartridge slots, can deal with the
bulk, but hate that I can’t play my original Game Boy cartridges. With a price tag
of $150, and new games at $30-40 this isn’t a cheap toy to buy and continue
using. That said, I have found my short time with this device to be enjoyable.
My advice would be that if you already have a large collection of GB ADV games
and a GB ADV SP, don’t upgrade to the DS just yet. Wait till more games become
available or until the Sony PSP comes out. For those of you that don’t have a
handheld game system at all and just can’t live without the DS, go for it…
It’s a fun device that has a lot of potential… at least until the Sony PSP
comes out ;o)

Price: $149.99

Pros:
Dual screens
Great sound
Great graphics
Wireless capabilities

Cons:
Can’t play original Game Boy / Game Boy Color cartridges
Only a few games available as of this writing that take advantage of the dual
screen design
Bulkier than previous models

Filed in categories: Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged:

Nintendo DS Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 29, 2004 at 12:00 am.

Product Requirements:
Tapwave Zodiac1 or 2

Ever since I started using a Tapwave
Zodiac2, I have wanted a case that would protect and enhance its looks.
Perhaps due to the Zodiac’s curvy shape, landscape orientation, odd button
placement or maybe because this PDA isn’t widely available in stores, there just
haven’t been a lot of manufacturers rushing to create anything. I think it
really is a shame because the Zodiac has turned into one of the most dependable
workhorses I have ever owned. I think that the Zodiac deserves better protection
than the cheesy screen cover with which it ships.

Brando Workshop, a company that can
almost always be counted upon to introduce accessories for even the most
underappreciated  PDAs, has what I believe may be the only 
play-through Tapwave Zodiac
Case currently available on the market.

Comprised of a very finely grained, smooth black leather similar to Napa, the
Brando case has evenly spaced white stitching for a nice contrasting visual
effect. There is no branding on the exterior, in fact the overall effect is
quite subdued and businesslike. Not a bad way to cover what is still considered
by many to be a primarily a gamer’s PDA!

The case is kept securely closed with a magnetic snap tab.

While the empty case may cause you to recall a traditional book-style, the
Brando is actually more like a flip-style due to the landscape orientation of
the PDA. With that in mind, here is how the Zodiac is presented when in the
case…

The lid portion is also comprised of smooth black leather with contrasting
white stitching. It feels like it has been reinforced with a sheet of plastic
sandwiched between the layers of leather. There are two pockets for ID or credit
cards, as well as two recessed slots for holding SD cards. A deep slash pocket
runs the length of the organizer area. The Brando logo is tastefully embossed
between the sets of pockets.

If you are going to use these pockets, then it’s probably a good idea to also
use the included removable ID card pocket. This pocket is made of a soft
waffle-textured nylon in black, also with contrasting white stitching.

When this ID pocket is installed, chances of the Zodiac’s screen being
scratched by contents of the wallet are virtually nil. If you are someone that
can get by with only carrying a few ID and credit cards along with a small
amount of bills, then you might actually be able to use the Brando case as a
replacement wallet.

The bottom portion of the case is lined in a soft velvet-like material. It
also appears to be reinforced with a sheet of plastic between the layers of
leather and velvet. This should protect the PDA from any scratches and add as an
additional shock buffer. The holster is made of layers of stiff black leather,
once again with contrasting white stitching.

In order to insert the Zodiac into the holster, the stock screen cover will
need to be removed. Once the PDA is in place, it is immediately evident that all
buttons, ports, joystick, and slots are still easily accessible. Even the
inconveniently placed stylus becomes handy due to the way that the case flaps
back to expose it.

Because of the Zodiac’s curves and port / button positioning, it would most
likely be impossible to cover all of the exposed corners and still have such a
functional case. With that in mind, the user will just have to guard against
dropping the PDA as the Brando will not provide corner protection. Of course, a
naked PDA is even less protected, so don’t use that as an argument not to get
this case.

Since the Tapwave does not ship with a cradle, it will probably not matter to
many that the Zodiac has to be removed to sync or charge. If you are using just
the cable that shipped with the PDA then you will still be able to conveniently
do so.

The main con I can see concerns the considerable thickness that is added when
this case is used. Without the case, the Tapwave measures 5.6" long x 3.3" wide
(at widest point) x 0.5" thick. With the Brando case including the card
holder/screen protector, the numbers jump to 5.8" long x 3.4" wide (at widest
point) x 1.4" thick (on snap). If you are trying to keep this PDA in your
pocket, then this may be a deal-breaker.

Exposed corners and added thickness aside, the Brando is an excellent case
that offers good looks and excellent quality. It is still quite easy to use the
Tapwave as a gaming device while it is in the case, and to me, that says a lot
about the planning that went into its making. If you have been looking for a
protective case that can also double as a light day wallet, then you should give
the Brando a try.

Price: $32

Pros:
Allows access to every button and port
Very well made with attractive design
Can serve as a mini-wallet
Excellent screen protection
Allows syncing/charging with Tapwave cable

Cons:
Adds considerable thickness to Zodiac
Corners are not protected in case of drop
Will not work with Tapwave cradle

Filed in categories: Portable and Console Gaming

Tagged: Case, Leather, Palm, Palm OS related

Brando Workshop Tapwave Zodiac Case Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 20, 2004 at 12:00 am.