Via: PSPFanboy

News that will surely have Sony cursing at the next baord meeting, news comes in that Datel have developed a new battery that allows the new PSP-3000 into service mode, opening up the ability to customise the firmware the latest PSP can run.

The Datel device is called Lite Blue, and is going to retail for $29.99. Unless of course this is some elaborate April fools joke that has come late. Or early. In which case forget I mentioned it. But the news is up on Engadget, so I have a small amount of hope that its not a big wind up.

If this is true, I wonder what software was used to develop the new device, and how have they managed to get it out before the PSP homebrew community managed to develop a similar device?

Via: Engadget

Edge Online have published a short report on the usage of portable gaming devices.

Apparently the top place to use a portable device is in the home, where 79% of those polled said they used their handheld gaming console. Without seeing the way the question was phrased, this is pretty obviously goping to be high anyway – I can’t imagine anyone buying any device (PSP,DS,iPod etc) and not using it in the home as well as out on the road.

While I agree that the handheld devices are competing with other entertainment services in the home – TV, consoles, PC’s etc, I tend to find that my PSP compliments my lifestyle at home, allowing me to play games next to my wife who can watch the TV. IF I’m playing on the Wii or the PS2, the television becomes tied up with my activity. If I’m on the PC, I’m in a different room completely.
As regards to specific activities that the PSP is used for, 84% stated gameplay was the key feature they used the most. Again, that doesn’t surprise me, its a handheld gaming device that happens to do other things. I very occasionally watch films on my PSP, but I can also do that on the iPod Touch, which works just as well. In fact if I’m watching something on the BBC iPlayer I do it via the iPod not the PSP.

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