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The PSP Show #75 - Some Thoughts on the PSP in 2008

Ewan — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 21:40:57 +0000

The PSP Show #75 - Some Thoughts on the PSP in 2008 (MP3 10.8 mb 15 minutes 42 seconds)
DOWNLOAD the podcast by right clicking on this link or press play and listen in your browser.

Not a news and review show this week, but my thoughts on how Sony and the PSP are faring in 2008. From a strong start to the year with Wipeout Pulse, Patapon and God of War, they’ve kinda let the side down. There’s some good vibes coming from Sony on the second half of the year (there would be, naturally), but I remain to be convinced.

My thinking detailed in more depth in the show, is we need more regularity to the market, over a four week cycle, that goes something like this…

Week 1: Release a big, flagship game.
Week 2: Release something cute, around $5, on the Playstation online store
Week 3: Release a second tier game, that’s quirky and fun, perhaps experimental.
Week 4: Add a new service to the PSP, either via a firmware update, or a utility app via the store.

Listen to the show (or subscribe in iTunes), and feel free to leave your comments.

PS: Switched comments back on…

Just In Case You Thought I Was Doing Nothing…

Ewan — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 22:33:22 +0000

…with all the fun on the server here at TPN, I wasn’t just sitting down playing every game solidly. No sirree. Idle hands make light work on the new Feisar design.

The PSP Show Slowly Recovering

Ewan — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 23:05:26 +0000

As you may have noticed, The PSP Show, along with a number of shows at The Podcast Network, has been suffering with some DDoS and other attacks on our server. We’ve got El PSP bootstrapped up for the moment, and we’ll be getting the God of War show out as soon as possible.

– Ewan

Back From The Summer Break

Ewan — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 16:38:52 +0000

While the interruption to the PSP Show was a touch unexpected, it does seem to have happened this year in exactly the same way (and at the same as well as last year. Next year I’ll make it official. BUt anyway, it;’s back and on with the show in the run to the festive period. Lots of games to chat about, new consoles, new peripherals, gonna be a fun few months.

As always, feel free to leave comments on the individual posts, or you can email me on ewanspence@gmail.com.

No I’m Not Dead

Ewan — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 21:22:15 +0000

Bouts of illness, covering events in other countries, and the family. Yep, they’ll come before you guys and gals, every time.

So, to answer a few things, expect the next cast to be up by Friday at the latest. I will address one issue, and that’s the length. I’m happy with the short burst format. PGRev may do an hour, and that’s great for them. I’m of the opinion that most of the listeners to this show prefer a short sharp shock of information.

And as to my Dad, he’ll be in front of a microphone in the New Year and he’ll tell you himself.

Till then, happy 2006 (what’s left) and see you in 2007.

HMV [UK] Supplying Loco Roco Demo UMD

Ewan — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 21:04:01 +0000

Thanks to listener Ed in Birmingham for pointing out that UK shoppers which make a purchase using their HMV loyalty “Game Card” can request a copy of the Loco Roco demo on UMD. The disc contains the single leve, and the (required) firmware update to 2.6.

[PSP Tricks #2] Listen to Podcasts

Ewan — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 10:58:43 +0000

Given that The PSP Show is a podcast, I’d hope all of you have worked out that the PSP is a great little media player for listening to podcasts. Unlike the Apple iPod, you don’t need a PC or Mac to get your new podcasts, the PSP can do everything (assuming you’re on firmware 2.6 or 2.7).

First of all, you need to get the URL to the RSS Feed. Most podcasts have websites, so you can go to them in your PSP Web Browser. Find the RSS logo, or a link to the Feed, and click that. You’ll be presented with an option to add the podcast to your RSS Application - say yes (obviously) and your PSP will store the details. To get you started, as well as The PSP Show’s feed (psp.thepodcastnetwork.com/feed) you could subscribe to my twice weekly Rock Music Podcst, TPN Rock (rock.thepodcastnetwork.com/feed).

Firmware 2.6 allows you to stream podcasts over the Wi-Fi link to your PSP speakers. Select the podcast from the list presented to you in the RSS Player, wait a few moments to get the network conenction, and then you’ll see teh available shows. Select one with the ‘X’ key, and away you go.

Go for firmware 2.7 and you can also save the podcasts to your Memory Stick so you can listen to them offline. Find the show you want to save in the same way as if you are going to stream it. Now call up the properties ‘triangle’ and you’ll see the save option. This will download the ‘cast, and place it into a folder in the music player. It’s also better on your battery life to save a podcast and then play it from the stick rather than streaming live.

Installing the Kazuo Demo

Ewan — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 13:58:38 +0000

Kazuo is the Japanese version of Sudoku, and the second demo that Sony has released for the PSP. As with LocoRoco it’s not a simple point and click install, but grab a beer and the following instructions to get started…

Upgrade to firmware 2.71 through the “Network Update” option in the menu system. There are currently differing accounts on if you need to update from 2.7 to 2.71. Firmwares 2.6 and earlier will definitly need to update.
Download the Kazuo file from Sony Playstation Japan.
Hook your PSP up over USB, and get to the root directory of the PSP in your favorite file manager (likely Windows Explorer or the Mac Desktop).
Go into the PSP folder, and then the Game folder. Create a new folder and call it UCJS10036. Copy the downloaded Kazuo file (which will be called eboot.pbp) into this folder.
Unplug the USB cable.
In the menu system, under the Game icon, scroll down to the very last icon (Memory Stick). Select this and you’ll see the Kazuo Demo waiting for you to open.

Tags: PSP, Kazuo, Demo.

[PSP Tricks #1] Play imported games

Ewan — Sun, 28 May 2006 12:44:39 +0000

The PSP isn’t just for games, as I’m sure a lot of you know. But from the comments and emails (ewanspence@gmail.com) coming in there are a lot of you that aren’t getting the full value from the PSP - and that’s before you look at the homebrew scene! So, alongside the podcasts, I’m going to run a series of blog posts of PSP Tips and Tricks.

So, #1, Playing Imported Games.

Yes your PSP has a region encoding, but this doesn’t apply to UMD games (except in one circumstance). While UMD Videos have region encoding similar to DVD (ie a US bought UMD video won’t play on a UK PSP), a US game will play on a UK PSP. The only catch is that you can’t play Multiplayer Wi-Fi between regions. So if you have a US copy of Ridge Racer, it won’t multiplayer to a UK copy - check with your friends before diving into the import market. To be honest it’s not a great loss.

Installing and Running the LocoRoco Demo

Ewan — Wed, 26 Apr 2006 17:31:53 +0000

The LocoRoco Demo, a platforming tilting Japanese systle game with a family of 20 space hoppers. And it’s the first free playable demo (I think) that Sony has released for the PSP. It’s not a simple point and click install, but grab a beer and the following instrucitons to get started…

Upgrade to firmware 2.7 through the “Network Update” option in the menu system. Alternativly PSP Updates has the file and instructions for updating the firmware without using Wifi. Note that if you use homebrew applications, then 2.7 will stop all of these running).
Download the LocoRoco Demo file from Sony Playstation Japan.
Hook your PSP up over USB, and get to the root directory of the PSP in your favorite file manager (likely Windows Explorer or the Mac Desktop).
Go into the PSP folder, and then the Game folder. Create a new folder and call it UCJS10041. Copy the downloaded LocoRoco file (which will be called eboot.pbp) into this folder.
Unplug the USB cable.
In the menu system, under the Game icon, scroll down to the very last icon (Memory Stick). Select this and you’ll see the LocoRoco Demo waiting for you to open.

How to Play LocoRoco.

Okay you move your little space hopper by tilting the world with the shoulder keys L and R. Holding down one shoulder key and tapping the other makes you jump. Your space hopper rolls downhill, and you ned to find the red fruits in the flowers. Each one you collect makes you grow - and if you need to be small again tap ‘O’ to fracture into little tiny hoppers (Hold down ‘O’ to recombine). The aim of the game is to get 20 parts of you to the end of the level - the rest you can discover yourself.

Tags: PSP, Loco Roco, Demo.

Some TinyURL Links For Your Browser

Ewan — Sun, 16 Apr 2006 19:18:25 +0000

BBC News (http://tinyurl.com/y0tn)
A text based version of one of the best news sites on the internet. Carries the same full content as the main site, but easily readable on the PSP.

Sky Sports (http://tinyurl.com/l6mxh)
All the main sports news, with a UK viewpoint mind you. More commercial than the sports section on BBC News, but usually faster with the stories.

Allack’s PSP Page (http://tinyurl.com/zdqkl)
UK retailer for PSP games, UMD video and hardware (note that Allack is a sponsor of The PSP Show).

Wired Magazine (http://tinyurl.com/cgpmh)
News section of the popular eletronic lifestyle magazine.

Slashdot (http://tinyurl.com/hza4h)
All the tech news (and bitching) you could possibly want, all in one place. That’s the eponymous “/.” site.

Listening to The PSP Show on Your PSP

Ewan — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 08:34:21 +0000

If your PSP has firmware 2.6, then you can listen to The PSP Show on your Playstation Portable, as long as you are in a Wi-Fi Hot Spot area. To have the podcast show up in the RSS Channel application, first open the Web Browser, and visit the following link…

http://tinyurl.com/kz3wj

…this URL will redirect the web browser automatically to The PSP Show podcast feed, http://psp.thepodcastnetwork.com/?feed=rss2/ (the Tiny URL saves you some typing), and you’ll be given the option to add the channel. Select yes. You can now exit the web browser, and the next time you go into the RSS Channel app, you’ll find the PSP Show icon, and a list of all the available shows.

[Press Release] Appearing on a PSP near You - The PSP Show from The Podcast Network

Ewan — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 02:44:31 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT
Ewan Spence, The Podcast Network
Telephone: +44 (0) 7966 152772
Email: ewanspence@gmail.com
Web: http://psp.thepodcastnetwork.com/

Edinburgh, Scotland, April 13th 2006 - Ewan Spence and The Podcast Network are letting PlayStation Portable owners hear the latest PSP news, game reviews and features about their device, on their device. “The PSP Show” is the latest podcast from The Podcast Network – the world’s first commercial network for Podcasting – and thanks to the PSP’s built in applications, anyone with a PSP can download it from the internet and listen to the latest weekly show.

“Providing people with information when they want it, no matter where they are in the world, is one of the key strengths of Podcasting,” says Ewan Spence, producer of The PSP Show. “Anyone can pick up the show on their home computer, or even download it to their iPod, but now PSP fans the world over don’t even need to put down their favourite console to find out all the latest news – they’re only a few buttons away from listening to the show.”

No stranger to the world of podcasting, Spence’s other shows include the long-running TPN Rock, and BAFTA nominated coverage of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The Podcast Network itself has been at the forefront of commercial Podcasting since February 2005 and has almost 60 shows, all freely available, covering a wide range of topics and genres, including technology news, sports, death and Napoleon Bonaparte.

Each edition of The PSP Show can be found at http://psp.thepodcastnetwork.com/. You can listen to it from the web page, by saving the MP3 file to your computer, subscribing to the show via iTunes, or adding it to any Podcast downloading application.

ENDS

Welcome to The PSP Show

Ewan — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 12:29:08 +0000

The PSP Show, the latest Podcast from The Podcast Network, is a weekly show all about Sony’s PlayStation Portable machine. The regular shows will feature news from around the PSP world, a look at the latest UMD games for the PSP, and a feature article. This could be a peripheral review, a how to, an interview with someone from the PSP world… who knows!

To get the show automatically delivered to your podcast client, you need to subscribe to the feed, which is http://psp.thepodcastnetwork.com/?feed=rss2. Alternativly, if you have iTunes installed, click here.

As with every podcast at The Podcast Network, your comments are very much appreciated. You can email them to me personally (ewanspence@gmail.com) or simply leave a comment on any of the blog posts.

Tags: PSP, Podcast, TPN.