Help PSPworld pick its PSP winner

Following the overwhelming response we recieved to our "Why you deserve a PSP" contest, we are having a tough time choosing a winner. We are having such a hard time, in fact, that we have decided to let our readers help us pick.

How to help:
From the seven entries listed in the continued reading, pick the one you believe is most deserving of the PSP. Once you've decided, go to the official poll in the forums (free registration req.) and cast your vote. One vote will be accepted per user, and voting will be open until Wednesday evening. Thanks for your help!

thedeadcow

I was born on the icy tundra of the Western Arctic. My parents abandoned me there, leaving me to fend for myself. At first, I found myself eating various bugs, caribou droppings, and rocks that I made bite-sized by hitting them with larger rocks. Life was harsh, as was the weather. Come to think of it, that was one of the reasons life was harsh.

Over time, I learned how to slay wild animals for food, build shelters out of ice, and construct rudimentary laptop computers out of sticks. It was with one of these laptops that I stumbled across www.pspworld.com. The website fascinated me. When I was struggling through the cold winter nights, I had the specs of the soon-to-be-completed Playstation Portable to keep me warm. Now, with the PSP finally in its release stage, I feel it is my right to own one of these pocket-sized personal pleasure-producers.

HollywoodTX

Well this is not why I should have one...It is why my daughter deserves one. To make it short she is 12 and spends way to much time away from home (in hosp.) Most of the time the the 2 tvs on the ward w/game systems are already taken by the older kids or they are not working and she is forced to watch the tv in the wall that has one kids station (PBS) no nick toons or anything. We are a military family and if you know anything about that money is tight. I would love to be able to buy one for her but at this time it is no possable. Kay gives so much of herself in everthing she does she even tries so hard to make it fun for everyone while up in there (arts and crafts) that It would be so cool to honor her with such a cool gift. So from a mom who would be ever so thankful....Thank you for taking the time to read. Take care!

superpixel

OK, here goes. I'm an educator, teaching multimedia to adult students from all walks of life. We're hoping to get a gaming bachelor's too...

With 2 small kids (1 and 3) it's hard for me to keep up with my students on the latest games. Being able to tote the latest games around would help. (Think: greater good)

Also, the music/photo/movie sharing capabilities can be put to extraordinary use for educational purposes. I already build a large number of tutorials, video-based and photo-based for my students. I'd love to be able to throw (not really) a student the PSP, tell them to dial up a tutorial, so they can catch up on a trick or technique. Hey ,I'm just one guy with a class of nearly 30 sometimes!!!

It'd also be nice to show off pics and videos of the kids sometimes. And being able to listen to music on the 45 min. commute would be cool. Being able to watch a movie on the treadmill would be nice too...

Someday I'd like to design games as well. I've done a little, here and there, in Flash and Director, and use 3ds max on a regular basis. Wouldn't it be nice to know I could apply those skills to a very cool platform?

I gotta be honest, I was a Nintendo man for YEARS. But when two of my students came in with the PSP today... I was blown away. I'd be willing to get the PSP logo as a temporary tattoo on my head if I owned one. It's just that cool!

To recap:
1) research & professional development
2) educational purposes (maybe some game-based learning?)
3) family goodness/relaxation
4) game design (gotta know it to do it)
5) the forehead tattoo-- come on! (or maybe you'd like the PSPworld logo instead?)

Did I say please?

OK. PLEASE?

Best of luck to all!

DavidDraiman

Ok, why I deserve a PSP...

Well, I deserve a PSP because I always seem to pick the loser systems. I've been playing games since the Atari 2600. Then Nintendo, then Gameboy, then TurboGrafx 16, then Sega Genesis. That was my last correct purchase. Since then I chose the Sega 32X, Sega Saturn over the PS1, then the Sega Dreamcast over the PS2...

Now I've been looking at the PSP ever since I heard the rumors.

Here's the part where I try to pull at your sympathy strings.
I have Cerebral Palsy, I'm in a power wheelchair. - That's not the sad part. Don't feel bad for me 'cause I don't feel bad for myself.

You should never say, "oh, poor me" there's ALWAYS someone worse off than you are.

Now, I had some money set aside but not enough for the PSP. I said I'll wait until I get my bonus from work. I got it, then I almost had enough, but then my van needed work done. (Yes, I drive.)

So the Electronic Gas and Brake Controller stopped working. Right at the end of my driveway, all of a sudden, I had nothing. No gas, no brake, nothing...

So I crashed into a big snow bank across the street.

I'm also really lucky that it happened on a side street and not an intersection that's about a minute away from my house.

Luckily, my next-door neighbor sees me and comes out to help, and I'm able to shift to Park and let myself out of the van.

Long story short. $2200.00 later, I'm safe, sound & broke. It'll be a while until I can afford a PSP.

Thanks for reading & I'll let you decide.

Dave.

ecufan

Hello my name is Larry and I'm currently serving on in the United States Navy onboard an LHD ship in Middle East.  I don't have a lot of time to browse the internet for games and what not and since we work long days and TV isn't always available and when you get off you don't always feel like working on your required training or going to the gym to relieve some stress, having a game system of sorts I think would be fun and a enjoyable way to relax in my down time. It's would also be GREAT for size purposes.  You can listen to music, watch movies and best of all PLAY GAMES.  We don't have a lot of room in our racks for personal items (work clothes, bathroom hygiene products, undershirts and underwear) so to have something about an inch in width would be great seeing as how it's serves many purposes.  Thanks for your time and such a cool contest

Sincerely,

Larry

penfever

The Sad Tale of an Orphan Abusee
(Why I Deserve a PSP)

   Ever since I was -3 months, I have been beaten by my parents.  First Mom, then Dad.  They used broomsticks.  Furthermore, I have been an orphan since I was eight.  Mom was beating me and missed and killed Dad.  Then she died.  Somehow.  Now they return from the grave every night after I start saying my evening prayers to throw ectoplasm at me and distract me from the Word.
   My best friend is Fido the spider.  I met him when I woke up after the ghost of my mother pushed a clock radio onto my head.  He was crawling on my arm.  At first, I flicked him away, recoiling in horror, nearly falling off my pile of straw.  But all too quickly, I realized my mistake.  Just like my neigbors always said (they were hit by three buses, two taxis and a broken Calvin Klein billboard crossing Park Ave), I look like a bug, so I should act like one.  Then they got out the duct tape.
   But anyway.  So Fido and I became bosom buddies.  He would sleep with me almost every night.  I was so happy that the rancid pork flesh I ate from the wastebasket of the Chinese restaurant tasted like honey.  It got me through my hard day’s work of collecting 5 cent soda cans on the street (without a shopping cart; it was stolen by a man called “Shrieking Bob”).  Even the ectoplasm beatings became more tolerable.  At least, I said, I have Fido.
   NOT!  FIDO’S DEAD NOW!  HE CRAWLED INTO MY MOUTH LAST NIGHT AND I ATE HIM IN MY SLEEP!  THE AVERAGE PERSON EATS FIVE IN A YEAR!  FIDO, WHY YOU?  THERE’S NOTHING NOW!  I MUST FIND RELEASE!  LET THE GORGEOUS 480 x 272 16.77 MILLION COLOR SCREEN SALVE MY WOUNDED HEART!

Brilliantcrank

I don't know that anyone really deserves a PSP except for perhaps Al Gore, who did so much and lost a lot. If I could go back in the past, I would say give it to him because he could have used a nice little distraction at that time and I understand he likes gadgets as much as any of us.

Since he appears to have climbed out of a bad slump and is now onto bigger and better things I wouldn't mind having the PSP, but not just for gaming. Sure, I can't wait to get my hands on the new Wipeout, and who wouldn't, I mean come on, it's Wipeout!, but I'm just as interested in using the PSP to play music, watch movies, browse trip photos and just see how far the integration between a PSP and the Mac can go.

Funny thing is, when I told my iPod about this contest, it totally freaking out because it can only play music. I said the words 'free PSP' a few MP3s came out of it's sync port. Poor little thing.

Look, I'd go buy one myself but when the IRS is watching every purchase you made because of some small misunderstanding with insider trading, securities fraud, and stealing Herbert's cheese sandwich from the employee refrigerator, it would just be a whole lot easier if I could just 'win' one and have it 'arrive' in the mailbox.

And did I mention I didn't vote for Bush? That should alone should secure my victory in this contest of words.

Lastly, if the PSP is bestowed upon me, I'll be sure to give my favorite PSP site in the whole wide world a lot of love and lots of links -- I roll like that.

Go to the poll and vote!