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PSP 2 Rumor: No UMD Drive?

umd_icon1%5D.jpg

A fairly credible source has leaked that Sony is already hard at work developing the PSP2, and has claimed that the new handheld will have no optical disk drive of any kind. Lead developer at Acclaim announced on Twitter: “I hear Sony FINALLY has the PSP 2. And thank goodness, they've removed the stupid battery-sucking UMD disc drive. I'm excited!" Besides raising the temperature or PSP fans, Perry has also confirmed the status of Twitter as the new ground zero for corporate leaks. Earlier last month, other game publications reported that the PSP 2 would come equipped with a hard drive, multi-touch screen and built in GPS. We also reported that Sony is in negotiations with a British hardware manufacturer to design the graphics chip for the new PSP.

As more and more third party developers are apprised of the new hardware and given development kits, we expect that Sony will have a difficult time keeping a lid on this new hardware.

If the decision to drop the UMD drive turns out to be true, it will free Sony from the problems associated with spinning disks: slow load times and short battery life. However, it will also present new problems for the company. How would someone that doesn’t have a broadband connection purchase a 700 MB game and install it on the device? In Japan, they have wireless stations in some places that gamers can use to grab new titles, but this system is far from having caught on in the West. On the other hand, the Apple iPhone has no optical drive, and users seem to have no difficulty downloading and using programs from the App Store. Perhaps by the time the PSP 2 is ready in 2010 or 2011, the idea of downloading a 700 MB file wirelessly will seem as natural as buying a packaged game from the shop.




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Comments

mapach3

 - February 26, 2009 5:57 PM

Awesome!!! It seems Sony read my mind :P

Reno

 - February 26, 2009 7:35 PM

Great news.

LDuB

 - February 26, 2009 7:50 PM

Not even...its tha WLAN that kills your battery

Larry W

 - February 27, 2009 12:40 PM

I like the current set up and have had no problems with it....I would be really pissed if the stop making UMD movies/games.....really pissed....

Reno

 - March 6, 2009 5:50 PM

Just like Cassette tapes the CD and Umd will go the way of digital its inedible.

Aaron

 - March 19, 2009 10:51 AM

i would have to agree with larry w. If they come out with the psp-4000 and make it so u dont need UMDs and stop making UMDs. what are us that still have psps that use UMDS movies/games going to do. sony dont do it big mistake

craig

 - March 29, 2009 1:54 AM

all i would like is dual analog stix and seeing as sony and music go together i wish i could have my tunes play while doing anything else on my psp i.e. playing games, web browsing, changing settings, deleting unwanted songs, ect. a small amount of multi-functionnality goes a long way ...

Anonymous

 - May 13, 2009 10:07 PM

craig has a piont in hearing music while still using other programs

Celtic

 - June 11, 2009 10:22 AM

I agree with another point from craig...dual analog stix

Carlos

 - July 5, 2009 10:50 AM

I love the sleak design and the upward moving screen. The umd down load and games are even better . Can't wait...

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