Hacking the PSP Blog

PSP-GPS Receiver Cables for MapThis!

Pc-Mobile now has cables available that are designed to connect the PSP with the Holux GPSlim 236/240 and other portable GPS receivers. Deniska has only confirmed that the cable for the Holux GPSlim 236/240 (GHPSP) works with MapThis! but surely others will work as well. If you're interested in connecting a GPS receiver to your PSP then you should definitely check these cables out for use with MapThis!

PSP GPS Cables @ Pc-Mobile

Via Deniska @ DCEmu

Expected PS3 price cut won't improve sales, says Bank of America

Warns of negative effect of shift towards Wii

Bank of America analyst Michael L. Savner has warned that a PlayStation 3 price cut may not be enough to boost "stagnant sales" of the console.

Savner also said that a sales shift away from PS3 and Xbox 360 and towards the Wii could be detrimental to third-party publishers.

"Despite growing anticipation that a USD 100 price cut for the PS3 is imminent this summer or early fall, we do not believe such a move would meaningfully improve stagnant PS3 sales," said Savner, speaking to Business Week.

"We are growing more concerned that a share shift away from Sony and Microsoft to Nintendo's Wii platform is incrementally negative of all third-party publishers."

For Savner, a USD 50 price cut on the PS3 would be "meaningless" - and even a USD 100 drop would still leave consumers facing the cost of buying peripherals and games. Sony's console would continue to cost between 20 - 25 per cent more than Xbox 360, and there is still a possibility Microsoft could cut the price of its machine.

These factors, combined with the issue of a lack of exclusive PS3 titles, have led Savner to conclude that Sony should introduce a price cut of USD 200 - but he said that such a significant reduction is unlikely to to happen in the near future.

"While Sony could cut the price by USD 150-200, we view that as less likely given that it is already losing approximately USD 200 per console based on our estimates," he commented. "Bottom line, we don't expect Sony to make up meaningful ground against the Wii this year."

Although publishers are currently riding on the success of Nintendo's home console, Savner is concerned that they will be trading wholesale profits on PS3 and Xbox 360 titles for the lower profits associated with Wii products.

"Viewed at a macro level, the share shift currently taking place where the Wii, and even PS2, are the share takers, our concern is that if software sales also begin to skew along those lines that publishers will be trading higher wholesale revenue for lower wholesale revenue," he said.

"This is coming at a time when publishers are continuing to increase R&D spending for the more expensive platforms."

Matt Martin
May 30, 3007

Source: GamesIndustry.biz

Off Topic: Microsoft unveils new touch sensitive computer

Surface to form part of Connected Entertainment strategy

Microsoft's entertainment and devices division - the same department responsible for Xbox 360 - has unveiled a new computer designed to be used without a mouse and keyboard.

Titled Microsoft Surface, the device looks like a coffee table with a 30 inch screen set into the top. Several people can interact with the screen at a time, using their hands to manipulate content - to stretch and shrink photographs, for example, or plan out a route on a map.

So far Microsoft has yet to demonstrate how Surface's unique features might be used with regard to videogames, but did confirm that it will play a key role in the company's 'Connected Entertainment' strategy.

"Entertainment and devices has a long history of bringing innovative product experiences to market - such as Xbox, IPTV and Zune. Today, E&D’s vision is anchored in delivering end-to-end hardware, software and services across different pillars of Connected Entertainment, such as music, video, communication and gaming," said E&D executive Tom Gibbons.

"That’s exactly what we’re doing with Microsoft Surface... The new hardware and software in Surface, along with a predominant focus on the consumer experience, support the Connected Entertainment vision - making entertainment more personal, more interactive and more social."

Gibbons added, "As a new product category, we see the Surface computing group as extending Connected Entertainment to new devices, categories and platforms."

Microsoft Surface will initially roll out through partners such as Starwood Hotels, T-Mobile and Harrah's Entertainment, plus gambling game company International Game Technology. It will be priced at between USD 5000 - 10,000, but Microsoft plans to produce cheaper versions to sell to home users within three to five years.

Ellie Gibson
May 30, 3007

Source: GamesIndustry.biz