PSP Go (Piano Black)

Description

The PSP Go (stylized PSPgo or PSP go, model PSP-N1000 was released on October 1, 2009 in North American and European territories, and on November 1 in Japan. It was revealed prior to E3 2009 through Sony's Qore VOD service. Although its design is significantly different from other PSPs, it was not intended to replace the PSP 3000, which Sony continued to manufacture, sell, and support. On April 20, 2011, the manufacturer announced that the PSP Go would be discontinued so that they may concentrate on the PlayStation Vita. Sony later said that only the European and Japanese versions were being cut, and that the console would still be available in the North American market until the time of its discontinuation of PSP and its production.

Unlike previous PSP models, the PSP Go does not feature a UMD drive, but instead has 16 GB of internal flash memory to store games, video, pictures, and other media. This can be extended by up to 32 GB with the use of a Memory Stick Micro (M2). Also unlike previous PSP models, the PSP Go's rechargeable battery is not removable or replaceable by the user without removing several screws and breaking tape that voids the warranty. The unit is 43% lighter and 56% smaller than the original PSP-1000, and 16% lighter and 35% smaller than the PSP-3000. It has a 3.8" 480 × 272 LCD screen (compared to the larger 4.3" 480 × 272 pixel LCD on previous PSP models). The screen slides up to reveal the main controls. The overall shape and sliding mechanism are similar to that of Sony's mylo COM-2 internet device.

The PSP Go features 802.11b Wi-Fi like its predecessors, but no longer uses a standard USB A-to-Mini-B cable common with many devices. A new proprietary multi-use connector is used for USB connectivity. A suitable USB cable is included with the unit. The new multi-use connector allows for charging and USB similar to previous units, as well as video and sound output with the same connector (using an optional composite or component AV cable), unlike previous offerings which had TV OUT and USB functionality on separate ports. Sony also offers an optional cradle for charging and USB data transfer on the PSP Go, similar to previous offerings. The PSP Go adds support for Bluetooth connectivity, enabling the use of compatible Bluetooth headsets and tethering with Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones. This also enables users to connect and play games using a Sixaxis or DualShock 3 PlayStation 3 controller or Bluetooth Headset.

Because the PSP Go does not feature a UMD drive, games are downloaded from the PlayStation Store. While other PSP models have included the ability to run games and demos downloaded from the PlayStation Store, the PSP Go is the first for which this is the only means of distribution. The PSP Go has the demo version of Patapon 2 loaded onto the system and it also comes with an ESRB ratings guide, both preloaded into the internal memory in the games section. The removal of the UMD drive effectively region locks the unit due to the way in which a PSP must be linked to a single PlayStation Network account. Since each account is locked to a single region, this prevents the user from ever playing games from more than one region at a time (since games from accounts other than the currently linked account cannot be started). There are three ways to access the PlayStation Store. The PSP Go can directly download to itself, or users can also download then transfer the games from a PlayStation 3 or the Media Go software on Windows based computers. All current downloadable PSP and PlayStation games available for older PSP models are compatible with the PSP Go. Sony has also confirmed that almost all UMD based PSP games released after October 1, 2009 will be available for download, and a majority of older UMD-only games will also be downloadable at that time.

In February 2010, it was suggested that Sony may re-launch the PSP Go in the future, due to the lack of consumer interest and poor sales. In May 2010, it was revealed that Sony was then going to sell the PSP Go with ten free downloadable games in the UK. Sony began offering the free games in June 2010. The same offer was made available in Australia in July 2010. It was later revealed that Sony would also be offering three free games for the PSP Go in America. In October 2010, Sony announced a price drop for the PSP Go, bringing the price to $199.99