Best New Technology
Sony PSP
Developer: Sony
Read our take from E3 2004 >>
E3 is a popular time for companies to show off new game-related technology. Epic Games showed off the latest Unreal graphics engine, offering per-pixel lighting and other features. We were also wowed by the tech demonstration for Criterion's Black, as well as Alienware's "luxury" ALX line of computers, featuring dual CPUs and dual video cards that work in conjunction to render a single game. But clearly, the highlight of E3 2004 from a technology standpoint was the introduction of two new handheld systems: the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP. Arguably the two are difficult to compare, since one is strictly a gaming system, while the other offers a more broad-based multimedia experience. It was a difficult choice, but we came away a little bit more impressed with Sony's new handheld.
While Sony certainly isn't the first to offer a multifunction gaming device (see Nokia's N-Gage and Tapwave's Zodiac), the PSP promises to be a device that will deliver on all aspects with no compromises. On the gaming side, the unit offers a digital pad, four face buttons, two shoulder buttons, and even a small analog disc to offer a choice of options for developers and players in character movement. The backlit 4.3-inch screen is bright, is high resolution for its size, and is in 16:9 format, so movies played on the unit will appear in the same aspect ratio as they do in the theater. The 16:9 format will factor into games as well, giving players the ability to see more of the court or field and allowing for more panoramic views in other games.
;)
Aside from playing games and movies, the PSP will also offer the ability to play music, probably via the unit's memory stick slot and/or its optical disc drive, which can read Sony's proprietary 1.8GB UMD discs. With Sony itself owning a huge array of music and film properties, and with many developers pledged to support the product, content does not appear to be an issue. The primary concerns surrounding the PSP have to do with battery life; it's still not clear how long the PSP will last under standard gaming conditions. In spite of that uncertainty, it's difficult to not be impressed with the potential of the PSP, and we're eager to see how the unit will perform once it's released later this year in Japan and in early 2005 in North America.
The other Best New Technology finalists:
Alienware's ALX line of PCs
Black (PS2)
Nintendo DS
Unreal Engine 3.0 (PC)
Previous PageNext: Best Trailer
