How often do you find yourself using you Sony PSP as an mp3 player? The reason I ask is I’m sitting here, head bobbing along to some music on my PSP, when I could just as easily open up winamp and play the music through my PC.

I guess the reason for using the PSP to play mp3’s rather than the PC is that is quite simply ‘because I can’. After all, the music is already on the memory stick, the headphones are out, the PSP interface is easy to use, and best of all, I don’t need to get down on the floor by my PC and try and work out which socket on the back of the sound card I should use for a set of headphones. and anyway, the leads not long enough to comfortably stretch to where I’m sitting.

On top of that, using the PSP means when I pop to the fridge to get another beer, the music goes with me.

[UPDATE]Ok, the following is written assuming that, like me, you have mislaid your Sony headphone remote adapter and the only way to adjust what you are listening to is to take the PSP out of its protective sleeve.[/UPDATE]

Other than sitting in front of the PC (either at home or work), using the PSP to play your mp3’s can be a bit of a challenge, especially while on the move. The main problem lies in the PSP’s physical shape. Because the PSP is quite long, you need a fairly deep coat pocket to put it in, and because you are carrying it in your pocket, it really needs to be in its case. And because you have it in its case, but turned on, you put the key lock on so it doesn’t interrupt your listening by rendomly pressing buttons while it moves around your pocket. Which is fine while you are listening to the current playlist, but if you want to switch to a different album it means the whole device has to come out of its protective case, taken out out of lock, new album found, and then locked and re-cased.

OK, so I’m being picky, and its a minor irritation rather than a reason not to use the PSP for listening to mp3’s on the move, but it can grate on you if you listen to alot of music on the move, and, more importantly, don’t wish to broadcast to everyone that you have a Sony PSP.