PSP

Today marks the launch of Sony's new "dynamic entertainment medium", the PSP (PlayStation Portable). I've had one on pre-order for about a week, and spent some time yesterday and this morning ripping a couple of shorts from my The Incredibles DVD. Using DVDDecrypter to rip the files, and 3GP Converter to do the conversion to the PSP's MP4 video format was painless, and worked flawlessly.

The PSP makes a great first impression. The screen is huge, vibrant, and just plain stunning. The glossy face is also attractive (but attracts dust like a magnet). All is not roses and Skittles for the PSP, though. The sound levels are low, and even if you crank the volume, you don't get much out of it. (Reportedly, high volume levels will reduce battery life as well ... perhaps Sony has artificially reduced the sound level on the US unit to preserve battery life?) I'm also not thrilled with the white accessories, which seems like a clear attempt to capitalize on the Apple "white headphone" phenomenon, which the PSP just doesn't need. Black and Silver would have fit better, and wouldn't clash with the glossy black PSP.

Anyway, the "out of box" experience is incredibly positive, arguably better than the the iPod. There is a ton of stuff crammed into the box, including an impossibly thick manual. The free copy of the Spiderman 2 movie on UMD was a welcome addition, and the video quality is outstanding. That said, it's not convincing me to buy movies on UMD, considering the battery drain the format causes. I think I might invest in a 1GB Memory Stick PRO Duo and just rip a DVD or two when I want to watch a movie on it.

I've picked up Lumines (made by the creator of Rez) and Wipeout PURE. Both games are fantastic, but my favorite so far is Lumines. The game is oddly relaxing and invigorating at the same time. The way the game interacts with the music and backgrounds helps put you in the zone.

I'm looking forward to giving it some quality attention in the next couple of days, but today I'm very busy. I have to go to the UW and take my Written Communication Skills assessment, the final part of my application process. If I do well on this assessment, I should have an excellent chance of getting into the Business Program.