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PlayStation Portable

technology Maturity 11-13 Next article →

The PlayStation Portable, known as the PSP, is a handheld game console.

Psp-1000
Psp-1000

It was made by Sony Computer Entertainment. This device was the first handheld in the PlayStation family. It was a very powerful machine for its time. The PSP could play games and watch movies anywhere. It could even connect to the Internet or a computer.

Psp-1000
Psp-1000

People loved it because it was a mobile entertainment device.

The PSP works using a special disc called a Universal Media Disc.

UMDDISCK
UMDDISCK

This is a small optical disc used for games and movies. The system also has a slot for Memory Stick PRO Duo cards.

To keep the device running, it uses a battery. The original battery lasted between three and six hours of gameplay. Later models were slimmer and used a smaller battery.

Psp-battery-types
Psp-battery-types

This smaller battery lasted between four and a half and seven hours. Sony even made an Extended Life Battery Kit to help.

Sony began working on the PSP before the E3 2003 event.

Psp-1000
Psp-1000

CEO Ken Kutaragi called it the "Walkman of the 21st century." This name refers to how it handles many types of media. Sony first released the console in Japan on December 12, 2004. It arrived in North America on March 24, 2005. The PAL regions received it on September 1, 2005.

Developing the device was a hard job for Sony. They had to find ways to manage the power used by the disc drive.

Many different versions of the PSP were released over the years. The PSP-2000 was a slimmer and lighter model. It also had more internal memory to help games load faster.

PSP Slim MS Slot
PSP Slim MS Slot

The PSP-3000 followed with an even better screen. This screen had anti-reflective technology to stop sun glare.

PSP 3000 Español
PSP 3000 Español

There was also a model called the PSP Go. The PSP sold over 80 million units during its ten-year life. Hardware shipments of the PSP ended worldwide in 2014.

You might recognize the famous PlayStation buttons on the device.

PlayStationTriangle
PlayStationTriangle

These include the Triangle, Circle, X, and Square shapes.

PlayStationCircle
PlayStationCircle

The console also has a directional pad and an analog "nub."

PlayStationCross
PlayStationCross

The PSP is like a tiny, portable version of a home game system. It paved the way for newer devices like the PlayStation Vita. The Vita can even play some older PSP games from the digital store. This shows how one great idea can lead to many more.

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🖼️ Images & Media (17)
File:PSP Logo.svg
PSP Logo.svg
File:Psp-1000.jpg
Psp-1000.jpg
File:PlayStationTriangle.svg
PlayStationTriangle.svg
File:PlayStationCircle.svg
PlayStationCircle.svg
File:PlayStationCross.svg
PlayStationCross.svg
File:PlayStationSquare.svg
PlayStationSquare.svg
File:Psp-battery-types.jpg
Psp-battery-types.jpg
File:PSP Slim MS Slot.JPG
PSP Slim MS Slot.JPG
File:PSP 3000 Español.jpg
PSP 3000 Español.jpg
File:PSP Go logo.svg
PSP Go logo.svg
File:PSP-Go-FL.jpg
PSP-Go-FL.jpg
File:PSP E1000 illustration.svg
PSP E1000 illustration.svg

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