Anyone know what the heck the next PSP is supposed to have spec-wise? It doesn't look like it adds much of anything at all. No second analog stick. Not sure there is any memory upgrade either. And the CPU? Any indication it will be faster? Plus it won't play my current library of PSP games I have. This isn't like the DSi, which upped the CPU, memory, gave two cameras, and made the screen bigger.

Nobody knows because nobody has leaked any information on that matter. Most likely it won't be significantly changed from the current PSP as far as specs go. However, the whole point of the rumored system isn't to increase the specs of the PSP.

This is a problem I see with many people questioning the point of the rumored model. In many ways it's the exact same situation as to why Sony phased out PS2 backwards compatibility from the current PS3 models. With the new system, Sony is killing two birds with one stone which all are sending money back into Sony's pocket. First people need to realize that PSP games in Japan already get simultaneus digital distribution releases alongside UMD releases and Europe has already set a date forth for when they are going to follow. America is the only region lagging behind in this regard. Keeping that in mind, the new PSP would significantly reduce the cost of the system by removing the UMD drive which is undoubtably a big cost for the system. Secondly, it would signficantly reduce the used games market for PSP games which would lead to more profits from software sales going to Sony as well as significantly reduce lost profits due to used game sales.

The only way I could possibly see this hurting Sony is if big used game retailers such as GameStop stopped supporting or selling PSPs, which is highly unlikely because it would be business suicide for such large companies to spit in Sony's face like that. Also, if the new PSPs don't sell or if PSP software sales see a HUGE decline, then that could be a problem, however I don't see that as being particularly likely either.

Yup! This should hopefully be a big plus. I still remember the horrid battery consumotion of the PSP 1000 lol.

I think should have a sutep though for previous users of UMDs to allow them to insert some type of code to download for free if you already own a game. Though it would be too much effort and would never work properly. Ohhh well I can dream. ;)

Umm...maybe Gamestop will sell locked memory sticks at retail, DL alternatively available at PS Store?

This thread won't stop any rumors.

I sincerely hope the rumours are true. That would be the best thing Sony would have done in this gen.

I want the next generation of consoles to fully support downloadable titles (which doesn't mean you can't buy retail games), and this would be another step towards that.

Retailers can kiss my ass as far as I'm concerned. I'm sure many developers think the same given how much they encourage the trade of used games.

UMD was the source of most of the PSP's fundamental problems. The only reason to keep the format around with a legacy drive (adding cost and bulk) is if there is no way to implement a plan to transfer all those purchased UMDs into digital files to be transfered to internal memory or a drive based storage solution (PS3 HDD, PC).

While I'm sure the SCE engineers were thinking of a MD like game player, optical disk based portables make little sense in the age of inexpensive solid state memory chips. Of course the UMD was being designed back in 2004, possibly even earlier, before we are where we are currently.

Personally if I could transfer all my UMDs to digital file, I would in an instant for all the reasons why you wouldn't use an optical drive in a portable (spinning disc/moving parts, increased power consumption, slow access time/disc read speeds...). I'd much rather play off solid state memory for access speed alone and being able to travel with multiple games on a unit without carrying a wallet full of disks.

SCE could potentially sell an external UMD drive to transfer UMD games to a PS3 HDD which would then act as a game server to upload PSP games to internal memory (like iTunes/iPod), with security/piracy issues being the most difficult problems to solve. There's no reason why such a system wouldn't allow PSP users to access their entire PSP game libraries remotely on their PS3 either.

 Spot on.

Sigh i only dream about anything with download only in my nightmares.

it's on the front page of the website