LAS VEGAS--Over a year ago, the PlayStation Portable's camera and GPS receiver went on sale in Japan. The photo-snapping add-on also hit the market in Europe in 2006, and its global-positioning cousin has been confirmed to arrive in the territory later this year.
However, to the frustration of North American gamers, neither the GPS nor the camera have been dated for the region--until now, anyway. Today at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show, Sony Computer Entertainment America reps confirmed to GameSpot that both peripherals will be available on this continent by the end of the year. Unfortunately, they could not give a more specific time frame.
SCEA reps also revealed today a welcome surprise for PSP owners weary of its cell-phone-like text entry system. They confirmed that Sony is working on a first-party keyboard for the handheld gaming system for release in mid-2009. When asked if said keyboard will resemble the mock-up that was shown off at the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo, the reps demurred. "We're looking at several designs, but can't tell you anything more specific," a rep said.
Well?.. Where is it?.. Its Nov. 13 and still no word yet on a US release for the Cam or the GPS unit!.. Come on Sony!..
I wil get another PSP slim if this comes out and use it for my car, I have terrible memory. BTW psp games are really coming along god of war, crisis core, even devil may cry
Maybe we do get stuff before Europe but the point this is trying to make is that we didn't get it at ALL as opposed to you guys getting the camera (luckily; being an anime convention-goer I managed to snag the camera at a con last year and I just picked up the GPS system a few days ago at another convention).
I swear, if this stuff is only out for slim, im gunna be so pissed! ill buy a slim when somebody gets the 1.5 kernel on it!!!!!
Heh frustration for North American owners? Stop whining you guys get practically everything before we do.
sony has the annoying ability to keep us waiting for everything. i mean why do they tell us these kind of thing so early in the year so when they finally come out we already know everything about the damn thing.
just wait is finally paying off.
Thank God!!! Im sick of the stupid cell phone thing! To bad its coming an entire year from now.
"Keyboard revealed" and yet.. no screenie..
As I said, now PSP can Skype (with some new add-on). Check it out at the CES. To bad is only for Slim. Bad move from SONY. SONY will make its money from add-on not from games
Would I'd like to see is the Camera getting a size down, it's too large for me to carry around or keep in my soft case. Not to mention it'll probably be too expensive and too limited anyway. I got a good idea, how about you get me a Megapixel camera and a video recorder that can take videos at 320x240 in MP4 format with a decent framerate for as much time as my memory card can hold. Don't give me some stupid 177x144 limit on the resolution, a choppy ass framerate, and only give me 30 second clips like a camera phone. For the unit itself, shrink it a bit and make it a bit sleeker, price it at $40, and it's bought, otherwise I won't bother. As far as the GPS, I really don't need it, but the TV Tuner would definitely be cool. Even if it's just radio antenna broadcast or something I plug into my TV at a local distance, that would definitely be cool. I hope they bring the TV Tuner to the US, that'd be awesome. As far as the keyboard is concerned, I saw the prototype, I wasn't impressed, and I don't need it. Just give me a virtual keyboard on screen rather then the text message entry crap.
h4xx0rz , that keyboard sounds a lot like Batman's cape from "Batman Begins" :P The Camera sounds cool, dont really have much use for the other stuff
The more stuff for PSP the better.
I'm thinking if PSP 2 has a touch screen and downloads games to a solid state flash drive it will be the single coolest thing ever. Hmmm maybe I'll just buy an Eee PC.
I have waited for the keyboard forever....
one word: Finally!!!
No wonder I have not been able to find that blasted camera!
I believe the add-on is the right way for PSP to survival. Some will hate it, some will love it. In actual fact, which hard core gamer really play with a PSP. What I mean is that you can play games with a 32" LCD, good (and much more) titles to choose from and it have not dead battery issue. People who "use" a PSP just want a temporary entertainment (anyway the battery last 3 hr). It is built and design that way. Imaging if it wireless can Skype, it will become a free phone. If busnessman can see this potential, we will be seeing more add-on.
Cool! Lets see how many things they'll cancel out. :|
That's what I was thinking, theKSMM... how much longer will the PSP be "portable"? Especially the keyboard. Although, if memory serves, Sony applied for a patent for a fully compact-able, bendable keyboard that can become rigid after sending an electrical current through it with the push of a button... and can turn flexible again. That might make it portable.
Its nice we get all these add ons. I haven't actually used it for games in so long, which is really dissapointing. They need to get the games coming faster.
A camera, a keyboard, a GPS, and TV output...this thing is gonna be my new home console. The real question is: What will I use for portable gaming once my PSP has too many attachments to fit in my pocket?
wOOt! gps !
w00t! keyboard !
I hope I can get a PSP soon... I still want to wait until the Playstation Phone, though. Gah... what should I do!?!?
im getting it all. I love my PSP but i hardly ever play games on it
OBJECTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MGS: Portable Ops Love metal gear series but poor controls MGS: Portable Ops + again controls Loco Roco(maybe LR2 coming hopefully?) this game gets boring fast Grand Theft Auto Liberty/Vice City Stories great game but lags - Fifa meh who likes soccer Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core and FF: Dissidia coming soon FF Tactics Final fantasy? excuse me im not a nerd who played 24/7 games Plus PSone games via remote play - tell me games worth playing on the ps1? good games you missed Puzzle Quest - best game ever for the psp Siphon Filter : Gabe something - awesome game thats about it.
not bad at all
I think these add-ons are bad moves by Sony. Most PSP owners (myself included) just want more games. Some PSP owners are just running emulators or playing downloaded videos just to keep up value.
a first party keyboard sounds exciting, I don't know what to make of a camera, I really don't see that being of any use until Home is up and running, as I imagine it'll be the next wave of MySpace'ish narcaccism
The text ability PSP-to-PSP is a nice feature, but the keyboard will probably be an outrageous price though.
"All this stuff is real nice...now they just need some GAMES!!!" MGS: Portable Ops MGS: Portable Ops + Loco Roco(maybe LR2 coming hopefully?) Grand Theft Auto Liberty/Vice City Stories Fifa Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core and FF: Dissidia coming soon FF Tactics Plus PSone games via remote play What else do you want?
All this stuff is real nice...now they just need some GAMES!!!
I'm excited about the keyboard, but mid-2009? Damn, that's a while from now.
I was actually looking into buying a camera from playasia.com like some of my classmates had done, but now it looks like I won't have to, yay! :) I still need to get me a PSP Slim (preferably the white Darth Vader one). That Keyboard sounds really cool too. Dang, I need more moolalah! :cry:
STILL WATING for: GT4 mobile Playstation network cards THEN I MIGHT CARE but until then I have wipeout pulse and patapon :o
OBJECTION!!!!!!! HALF OF YOU CAN"T EVEN DRIVE!! YET YOU WANT A GPS UNIT? FOR WHAT? TO FIND YOUR WAY TO YOUR MOMMY'S WOMB?! LET ME GUESS YOU NEED GPS SO YOU CAN GO TO THE CANDY STORE?!
Maybe I'd pick up the gps if it was cheap, I have a car charger so battery life doesn't matter that much. I agree with the tv tuner suggestions, or at least add more media sharing capabilities. sure tivo2go sounds cool but i don't have tivo just a regular dvr in my parents house. What they need to do is up the media sharing capabilities with ps3? I want to stream dvds over remote play, and I want play tv to come to the US damnit. I can't use scype bc i have a fattie.
gonna be cool
The UK camera is compatible with the standard (ie not slim) PSP as I've owned one and enjoyed it for a while...It also has a built in mic which is cool for shooting short videos and clips.
I'm buying all of these!
I have the camera (it's out in the UK) and I was surprised by the quality, even though it is only 1.3 MP with the widescreen format it does not come off as blurry as a camera phone and
Good News from Sony for US. Nice. We need this stuff.
How much for the GPS? How about special price for meee!
cool!!!!!!!!!!!
All that is good, but please don't come with the same BS as the PSP Skype phone "only for the slim PSP", cuz I'll get mad... again.
Well if these peripherals are already released it means Sony doesn't have to develop them from scratch so why in the hell they need a year for GPS and camera to launch in NA I don't understand It's like waiting for these things forever
this is lame, I want games that are good. I DON'T want to carry around a dam keyboard and camera, GPS antenna, etc. what's the point? It's a game machine and Sony has forgotten that fact. I seriously doubt anyone is going to lug around a keyboard and all that equipment with them, it's ridiculous.
ive got a camera and a gps in my cell already. my psp will be dusted when god of war:COO is released.
The camera is not great, I know someone who has it and the picture quality is not as good as what you would get in a mobile these days. Plus does the psp have the battery life to be a GPS? A TV tuner would be good, the psp is about media capability, it has everything but the ability for the ability to watch tv live. And it would be such a good idea, the screen is perfect and with the dighital switchover coming (in the UK) we would all be able to get freevew on our psp's!