GPS on PSP: More than just a gaming add-on

Sony stops at nothing when it comes to marketing gimmicks. We are already aware of the GPS and camera capability that will come soon on PSP — something we think that Sony does only to make the PSP more appealing even to non-gamers. Consider, for example, the golf players. They won’t normally buy a PSP just so they can play Hot Shots Golf, but the PSP’s ability to actually provide all the golf data that they need in a real Japanese golf course may be indispensable to them. The PSP then turns into a personal golf assistant.

 
In Homestar: 21st Century Navigator, the GPS lets you get night sky data. Again, this function may appeal to stargazers and astronomy hobbyists and not just to players. But about the most gaming use we can find from the GPS system can be found in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops. The GPS function allows you to take advantage of Wi-Fi hotspots to earn powered-up bonus characters that you can use in the Comrade system. Then again, Konami has mentioned that the GPS can be useful in other fields as well, such as education and services.

These “other” uses will more likely help those who are out on the road since the automatic route guidance will tell you how to get to a location which you can use both in the car, and when walking on foot. Moreover, anyone can take advantage of the console’s wide screen that allows you to view maps in multiple ways.

The GPS is one thing. The PSP is another. Put these two together and you got something original, and it’s a laudable effort from Sony. But the question is: will it sell?

Sony stops at nothing when it comes to marketing gimmicks. We are already aware of the GPS and camera capability that will come soon on PSP — something we think that Sony does only to make the PSP more appealing even to non-gamers. Consider, for example, the golf players. They won’t normally buy a PSP just so they can play Hot Shots Golf, but the PSP’s ability to actually provide all the golf data that they need in a real Japanese golf course may be indispensable to them. The PSP then turns into a personal golf assistant.

 
In Homestar: 21st Century Navigator, the GPS lets you get night sky data. Again, this function may appeal to stargazers and astronomy hobbyists and not just to players. But about the most gaming use we can find from the GPS system can be found in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops. The GPS function allows you to take advantage of Wi-Fi hotspots to earn powered-up bonus characters that you can use in the Comrade system. Then again, Konami has mentioned that the GPS can be useful in other fields as well, such as education and services.

These “other” uses will more likely help those who are out on the road since the automatic route guidance will tell you how to get to a location which you can use both in the car, and when walking on foot. Moreover, anyone can take advantage of the console’s wide screen that allows you to view maps in multiple ways.

The GPS is one thing. The PSP is another. Put these two together and you got something original, and it’s a laudable effort from Sony. But the question is: will it sell?