Today is the official release in Europe of the Playstation Portable by Sony. It happened much later than i.e. in the USA, but there’s always a positive point about receiving things later than being first. Overall, you receive a product that has been tested already by the large mass of consumers, and you might find important system and security updates already on the internet. Another big bonus for scheduling the product’s release later than in the USA is the by now easier accessibility to more co-branded products (games, dvds, tools, toys) relateed to the PSP.

But I don’t really understand the hype about the product since it’s just another console with nothing else but limitations. Of course it is portable, but the whole thing is small and just for the entertainment of one person. What about your friends – do all have to buy a PSP to enjoy themselves now, or will they rely on their old Playstation 2 or the X-Box?

Further, you need to have special disks for playing games and movies, and you end up buying a totally new consumer product line that simply binds you to the Sony company. Why spending money for music and movie disks if they’re not compatible with your home cinema entertainment system? Do you plan on watching a love movie on the PSP instead of snuggling with your beloved one? I don’t plan on using the PSP for moments of romance, hah!

The games itself are much more expensive than for the counter-products of Nintendo. On top of this, the fact that the display looks dirty by just touching it while playing – this kills every fun off. So where’s the logical sense to reason buying that product except the „I want that now“-factor? I see none to waste approx. 250 Euros for that gadget! I rather choose to play games on that large beamer in our living room ;)

I would only buy such a gadget if it would offer me a combination of a mobile phone, organizer and game console. Anything else is way off the scale for both technology-centered and usability-centered users.

[via Golem and again Golem Test]