 The History of the PlayStation Portable
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Discover the History of Sony's Incredible Handheld Game System Written By: E. Thomas
01/22/2012
 ORIGINAL PSP TEASER IMAGE The PlayStation Portable was first announced at the E3 Expo in
2003. Sony greeted fans with the teaser image you see above. As you can see, the L and R triggers are missing from this unit.
That is because this image was created solely as a mock up, and was not intended to be the final design of the PSP. The prototype
unit also featured touch sensitive buttons and a circular D-Pad. As it stands now, this image is nothing more than a unique
footnote in this history of the PSP.
 PSP PROTOTYPE When the final PSP debuted just a year later it would look drastically
different from the prototype model you can see posted above. Sony may have shown the early design to the press in hopes of
gauging fan response to their new machine. Whatever their reasons, it was clear Sony was putting a lot of thought and effort
into their final design. The end product proves this device has come a long way since the first prototype.
 PSP 1000 Release Dates: - Japan 12/12/2004 - North America 03/24/2005 - EU/PAL 07/01/2005 The original PlayStation Portable, dubbed the PSP 1000, was
the first handheld to use an optical disc format, also known as UMD (universal media disc). With it's multimedia capabilities
and PlayStation 2 quality visuals, the PSP helped start a revolution in the portable gaming industry. The PSP 1000 was also an outstanding multimedia player. While earlier portable game systems had released TV and Radio Tuners, the PSP was the first machine to truly combine multimedia and games into one package. Gamers could enjoy all their favorite music, movies and photos, all on one glorious little machine. UMD movies were sold along side video games in most retail locations, further adding to the PSP's clout as an all in one media device. Features:
 PSP 2000 Release Dates: - Japan 07/20/2007 - North America 07/06/2007 - EU/PAL 07/05/2007 The PSP 2000, sometimes called PSP Lite, or PSP Slim and Lite,
was released in Hong Kong on August 30, 2007. This upgraded version of the PSP now features 64MB of RAM, along with an improved
screen, and a body design that is %19 slimmer and %33 lighter than the original model. This unit also has faster UMD loading
times. Other notable features include an improved D-Pad, and buttons that are slightly raised and more responsive than those
found on the PSP 1000. Finally one of the more noticeable changes relates to the position of the speakers. On the original
model the speakers were located on the bottom of the PSP, on the 2000 model they are on the face of the machine, to the top
left and right of the screen.
 Other cosmetic differences include a change to the position of the LAN switch, which is now on the top edge of the machine. The UMD tray latch found on the PSP 1000 has been removed, and now the UMD tray can be pulled open manually. The memory stick port cover was also redesigned, and is now a small, thin plastic cover. The original PSP also featured an IR port. (Infrared port) This feature has been removed from the PSP 2000. Along with the ability to remove the Analog Slider Pad. A new gloss coat finish makes this unit more resistant to fingerprints. The PSP 2000 debuted to record sales in Japan. The release of the PSP 2000 would also coincide with the rise of the Monster Hunter Franchise. The PSP greatly benefited from the popularity of the Monster Hunter titles in Japan. And it seems that the pairing of the Monster Hunter series with the PSP was a match made in heaven. Features:
 PSP 3000 Release Dates: - Japan 10/16/2008 - North America 10/14/2008 - EU/PAL 10/15/2008  The PSP 3000, which bears the nickname PSP
Brite, was released in Japan in October 2008. The system has an enhanced screen, with a superior color range,
5 times contrast ratio, and half pixel response time to decrease ghosting and motion blur. The screen also employs a new anti-reflective
technology to improve visuals during outdoor play. The PSP 3000 also has a built in microphone.
 Minor cosmetic differences include rounded buttons on the PSP media bar, and a smaller, thinner silver halo on the UMD tray. If you look closely you will notice the buttons and D-Pad now rest in a small "dimple" on the face of the machine. Fighting game fanatics have said the "dimple" helps improve the quality of gameplay on PSP fighters, especially when it comes to performing special moves on the D-Pad, which often require quarter and half circle movements. This is just one of those nice little changes that proves Sony engineers are paying attention to even the smallest of details. Features:
 PSP Go Release Dates: - Japan 11/01/2009 - North America 10/01/2009 - EU/PAL 10/01/2009 Features:
The PSP Go was the only PSP model to remove the UMD drive. Aside
from its obvious reliance on digital distribution, this system is a radical departure from earlier models. The entire unit
is a drastic redesign. It is significantly smaller and thinner, and it sports a nifty, slider design, allowing the D-Pad and
buttons to slide under the screen when not in use. While some might feel the smaller screen is a downgrade, others will see it as a necessary sacrifice to increase portability. Unfortunately, battery life was also decreased on this model, a puzzling change considering the machine has no UMD drive, and no moving parts. Some people consider the PSP Go to be the oddball of the PSP family. This negative reputation is greatly
undeserved. The hardware itself is very solid, and in the end what truly killed the PSP Go was a lack of a solid game library
(which the PSP series already had), along with higher prices for downloadable games. Had these two problems been fixed
before the launch of the PSP Go the system might have fared better in the market. (editor's note: I personally watched Shigeru
Miyamoto sample the PSP Go at E3 2009.)
 PSP E-1000 Release Dates: - EU/PAL 10/26/2011 (EUROPE AND PAL ONLY) The PSP E-1000 was released only in Europe and certain PAL territories.
This budget model removes several key features found on other PSP systems. Therefore it will be seen as a downgrade by some.
This model removes the wifi capabilities entirely. It also has a mono speaker instead of the stereo speakers found on all
earlier models. The overall weight of the system is lighter. And the media bar has been redesigned and simplified. Removing hardware features might seem like a puzzling move to some readers, but you must understand the motivation for the release of this machine. The E-1000 model was designed to capitalize on the continued strength of the PSP market in the UK, EU and other PAL territories. It was released right before the Holiday Season. It was also aimed specifically at a younger market, meaning kids probably would not care about or even notice the missing features. And best of all it was sold at a very reasonable budget price. (Around $99 US) The release of the E-1000 was as much a strategic move as it was a financial decision. You can read more about that story HERE. So while hardcore PSP owners
will stick with their 2000 and 3000 units, kids and budget gamers will happily enjoy the PSP E-1000. And ironically, since
this machine was only released in PAL territories, it may one day become a highly prized collectible, solely because of its
limited distribution.
Features:
About the Author: E. Thomas loves the Sony PSP.
He really, really loves it. Just check out this photo of his PSP collection. He has even been known to sleep with a PSP on the side of his bed, much to the dismay of his girlfriend.
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