May I have the envelope please?
by Ed Stasick 
{ Feb 27th 2006 at 11:00PM }
Ah,
awards season is upon us. After major upsets at both the Golden Globe Awards and the People's Choice Awards this year,
all eyes are on the 2006 PSP Fanboy
Redesign Awards. Who will win? Who will lose?Will a forbidden love between Sony and Sega steal the show? Will old-school, hand-drawn beauty be able to compete with fancy, pre-rendered alternatives? Will sequels of sequels reign supreme or will original new takes on the genre emerge victorious?
So, here's how it works. We've selected our Top 10 finalists, and you will help choose the winner. Your vote will count for half of the final score. Our celebrity panel of judges will account for the other half. Yes, we're stealing the formula from Dancing with the Stars. Minus the dancing (and yes, wrestling diva, Stacy Keibler, was robbed).
Vote now for your favorite PSP redesign! We'll announce the winner and runners-up (and their creators) next week. Remember, the winner will walk away with fame, glory and their very own copy of Archer McClain's Mercury.
1. Clammy
2. PSP/Genesis love-child
3. Slip-n-Slide
4. Portable Foldable
5. Groovy
6. You got iPod on my DS! You got DS on my iPod!
7. PSP Pad
8. Roll your own PSP
9. I have dual screens too. Sorta.
10. Slim Jim
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
king louse @ Feb 27th 2006 11:50PM
i really like number 6 - i know people are going to scream lame but i think the DS lite design is near perfect, coupled with the interface of an ipod...damn that would be a hell of a portable! i'd love to see a design like that.
PodMonkeys @ Feb 28th 2006 5:01AM
You guys can probably guess which one I like the best. :P
I like the PSP pad. That ones a simple, yet really good upgrade. Nice pic too!
And #9! Great minds think alike! :D
Adam Williams @ Feb 28th 2006 5:23AM
Well obviously I'm gona vote Psp Pad because I made it lol, i really think a touch screen would have made it the ultimate handheld, but the iPod-DS-PSP is really neat too... but mine's the only real photo non photoshop one :P so vote for it lol
B1gC72 @ Feb 28th 2006 8:21AM
aww come on man...Roll your own PSP? Portable Foldable? im sorry, the others look great but my entry was so much better than those 2. the photoshopping on Portable Foldable...well i dont even have words 4 it. and the Roll your own PSP...why? PSP G10! Come on it was perfect! how do i always get dicked in these redesign competitions? oh well guess ill get um next time......dammit.
Adam Williams @ Feb 28th 2006 10:29AM
hey #4 if you bitch about everyone elses entries and their photoshopping skills then its no wonder you dont win the contests.
p.s. i forgot to mention how much i love that on the iPod DS PSP, the UMDs are tiny and the MS Duos are huge... It's really cool lol
LaW @ Feb 28th 2006 10:45AM
I like #9. The design is great!
Bored @ Feb 28th 2006 2:56PM
Everyone is forgetting on the Ipod-ds-psp, there is a butterknife extensions. Because who wants to put down their game when they are making a PB&J sandwich. And the Two UMD slots were for movie on top, game on bottom. I shoulda explained more...
-bored at work
johnz @ Feb 28th 2006 3:22PM
After voting for clammy I realized that the screen would be so fat with the umd drive behind it. Oh well, I can deal with the hamburger psp.
lordroba @ Feb 28th 2006 3:56PM
I'm definitly going with number 1. The design is really well thought out and explained, and it also looks like it could take a major beating without sustaining much damage(this happens to be the number one concern I have with my psp right now).
gol @ Feb 28th 2006 5:22PM
i voted 4 the clammy psp it looks cool but i dont want a redesign anytime soon
SuicideNinja @ Feb 28th 2006 6:11PM
I like the merging of the DS and PSP designs, but I find it best to leave the PSP with its OWN identity. #3 + #7 would be excellent. Sure, the PSP pad would suddenly think that "Touching is good," but it would still be a PSP.
Punkuhr @ Feb 28th 2006 6:31PM
I went with the PSP/Genesis love-child due to the fact that it resembles the current at least. So far, the majority is for the Clammy, but I think its design is kinda retarded. The screen part of the system would be hella thick, which means the bottom would have to be at least the same thickness. Yeah, your talking almost double the thickness of the current. Also, why would I want my PSP to look like a gameboy SP/DS? I would rather go out and buy a SP or DS than to have my beloved PSP look like a red-headed stepson of a nintendo product.
Brad Twitty @ Feb 28th 2006 6:47PM
For this site to be PSP fanboy, a lot of these PSPs look like DS lite. Hmm, seems like ya'll dont have the sexy system anymore, don't worry I'm sure Sony has been working on the PSP slim with a harddrive and a camera and GPS and a touch screen and a built in mic and ohh so much more.
PodMonkeys @ Feb 28th 2006 9:26PM
Why is it, that we can't even have a fun contest without someone making attacks on other people? How about we make constructive comments based on the pros and cons of the designs?
Such examples could be:
#'s 1, 6, and 9, have built in screen protection, which is a plus physically and financially.
#1 would be a bit thick, but it's also not as wide. It'd still be smaller than a PSP in a Logitech PGP?
#2 looks really comfortable, but it'd also be larger than a normal PSP.
#7 would add a lot of functionality and ease of use with the touch screen.
Notice how nowhere in there is a statement attacking the design with a biased statement based on subjective taste? Only factual pros and cons.
Or how about making positive comments? Point out what you like about a design.
Whats the point in making statements questioning other people's ideas of sexy? Not everyone thinks alike. One person's "sexy" is another person's "ugly."
Do we really need a comment like "its design is kinda retarded." Is that comment in any way made in the spirit of everyone having a good time?
Can't we just have fun and vote for the ones we like without someone ruining it with name calling or stepping on other people's ideas and choices?
Thundercizzle @ Feb 28th 2006 9:55PM
I prefer my PSP to look more like an entertainment device rather than simply a gaming device.
Chris @ Feb 28th 2006 9:58PM
You are so right, #13. I've made so many mistakes in life, saying that the PSP is ugly. You're right. A ton of people say "sexy" and I say "ugly". I've got to stop saying it's ugly and appreciate it for what it is. The DS and the PSP are both good systems, and none of them deserve to be flamed.
A PSP remake seems very interesting, but I love the way the PSP is right now. So that's why I'm voting for the one that's closest to the current PSP. I vote #5.
Chris @ Feb 28th 2006 9:59PM
You are so right, #13. I've made so many mistakes in life, saying that the PSP is ugly. You're right. A ton of people say "sexy" and I say "ugly". I've got to stop saying it's ugly and appreciate it for what it is. The DS and the PSP are both good systems, and none of them deserve to be flamed.
A PSP remake seems very interesting, but I love the way the PSP is right now. So that's why I'm voting for the one that's closest to the current PSP. I vote #5.
Josh @ Feb 28th 2006 9:59PM
how unoriginal can you be to rip off the DS?
the roll out one is the best, that was my original idea when i first thought about entering this but didnt. Except it would have been better to make the screen a fiber optic tone one so it could be rolled up easy and only have to be supported in back with a little arm that flips down.
It would be compact, small and not as easy to break.
Jerome @ Feb 28th 2006 10:06PM
My design, the Slip-n-Slide, was entirelly made out of Switf 3D and I made this flash animation where you see the keyboard slide out! I'll try to figure a way to but it on the web...
gol @ Feb 28th 2006 10:09PM
i dont want another psp IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO SAVE FOR THIS ONE, AND NOW YOU WANT ANOTHER ONE??? shame on you i think im staring a petition....
guises @ Feb 28th 2006 11:42PM
Not one person swapped the analog and d-pad? Not one?
I can't vote for any of these.
sockatume @ Mar 1st 2006 4:23AM
Where's the option for "they're all completely awful"? Usability, practicality, backward compatability, aesthetics... if the goal was to design the worst possible handheld games console, you'd have some spectacular achievements here.
Could you post up the ones which didn't make the cut? I'd love to see those.
Gareth @ Mar 1st 2006 6:59AM
Clammy would have more votes if it weren't for the way he's blowing his own trumpet with those lame robots. Nice idea, poorly implemented.
I voted for the lovechild myself.
OSG @ Mar 1st 2006 10:24AM
The original EGM PSP concept should have been entered for nostalgia sake. #1 and #9 are similar to this one.
http://www.l-dopa.com/_1_pages_illo/EGM_PSP.html
T-4 @ Mar 1st 2006 2:19PM
How about #9 that is a slider? Let the thing shut normally for storage, but also have an open, and a slide so that you can flip the screen, and have it be just a screen and no controls? It'd have to be a touchscreen. That would be an amazing PMP style device with only the screen for controls. Open it up and flip it into lock position or whatever and it's a game system. Also you can use the large screen as a keyboard input for IM or text messaging via Wi-Fi. Just have the screen and have a small tab to bring up the software keyboard.
Me_Izme @ Mar 1st 2006 9:22PM
Ok. Here are my thoughts on the designs.
"Clammy" looks way too bulky for my tastes. I love how it implemented the robots and actually explained its functionality, but it seems big and clunky.
The "PSP/Genesis love-child" is curvier and better made, but really doesn't offer much else than the extra analog stick. Still, it looks comfortable as hell to hold. If I could see where the R and L buttons were located, and if they were easily accessible from the rest of the buttons, I would probably be sold. To bad.
"Slip-n-Slide" is... um...
"Portable Foldable", sorry to say it, look too flat and too flimsy. Plus, it decides not to add a second analog stick, like many (but not all) of the others do.
"Groovy" is a bit closer to the original design. I kind of like the way the D-Pad and the shape buttons are made, but I'm not totally sold on them. And what's with the nubs at the bottom?
"You got iPod on my DS! You got DS on my iPod!" Wow. This is a long ass name. As great as the touch screen on the DS is, and as cool as the iPod deals with musical interfacing, this particular design is just a merging of the two with a PSP interface inside instead of an original redesign. Two PSP slots and the butter knife options are great touches though. ^o^
"The PSP Pad" is... sorry, but no. I hardly have anything good to say about this at all. It's the original PSP, not neccassarily redesigned in how it looks, which I feel hurts this entry a lot. Other entries opt for a touch screen as well, so this one doesn't stand up to the competition, Un-photoshoped or not.
Hmm... "Roll your own PSP" is somewhat interesting, but I'm worried about how it will preform. I'm a bit confused as to where exactly the screen is stored. Is it scrunched up? Oh! It's a roll screen! ... wait... what? I'm a bit confused on this entry. The casing could have faired better with a new look instead of sticking with the original look, ..."roll out screen" or not.
"I have dual screens too. Sorta." It's sleek and white, adds an extra analog nub, has a very wide screen, a cool screen on the back of the big screen detailing the game that's being currently played... and it doesn't look uncomfortable to hold, like how Clammy looks. The flip up screen borrows a little too closly from the DS, might even be mistaken for one at first glance, but it isn't enough to put it down. This one gets my vote.
This last one. "Slim Jim." I'm, again, at a loss for words and as I don't want to spew out insults, I'm going to go ahead and say that a lot more effort could have been put into this. You explain some of the key features, but that's about it. Sorry.
*sigh* Woah. That's a lot to type. ^o^
Nick Lowe @ Mar 2nd 2006 5:11AM
Obviously too late for the competition, but I prefer my redesign much more :P
http://tinyurl.com/pojpj
Kyle Bork @ Mar 3rd 2006 8:55PM
I like the iPod/DS one though that could be because I'm a DS fanboy myself. My one fear is that it would end up being too thick with three screens, click wheel, umd, and the powerful PSP hardware.
If you're wondering what a PSP fanboy is doing on this site please don't.
mark @ Mar 5th 2006 9:07PM
I like both 1 and 2. They should have #7 too.
Punkuhr @ Mar 6th 2006 7:51AM
Thank you "Podmonkeys" (#14) for correcting me. I am sorry that I was sooo blantently mean in my comment. I will take it back and rephrase it as "I think the 'Clammy' design is not so practical, though a pretty good idea and well thought out/described." I still stand by my beleif that I dont want my beloved PSP to look like a "Redheaded-Stepson of Nintendo" though.
Ok, so now you have inspired me Podmonkey. I will give you my idealistic PSP. It will be designed similar to the current one. It will have a camera built in, preferably above or below the screen. It will have a second joystick, opposite of the original. It will have a microphone. A oool idea, as shown by Podmonkey (design #1) is light-up/glowing buttons. It will have a built in Hard drive or built in flash memory. One big thing is the sound. It needs better/louder speakers. Not necessarily needed, but GPS built in would be nice. As for the slimming effect, I think its size is fine. Too thin, and it will be fragile. A touchscreen would be nice, but it would have to have a design like the "Clammy", #6, or #9 to keep it fully protected.
I personally have had no problems with my PSP (besides things i consider design flaws, like the speakers), and I have had it since day one of launch. I have dropped it numerous times (inside and out of the pouch), even on rough asphalt, and all that has happened is nicks on the sides. The most damage to mine is that the plastic strap loop on the bottom left is busted (a hairline crack) from the strap getting stuck on a buses seat reclining bar thingy. I think the difference between me and my friends/other gamers is that I treat my PSP like a piece of $250 machinery, as it is. I have seen many (usually younger) gamers out there with not even the soft foam sleeve, no screen cover, etc. Laying it around, usually face down or putting it in a pocket with various keys, change, etc. I even say one bored 12 year old spinning it in the air as if it was a toy. (Yes he dropped it 3 times as i counted.) Or how about the PSP that I saw in a car, no cover, on the dashboard, in the sun, for about 6 hours. I can go on, but I chose not to.
Also, Podmonkey, I am ohh so sorry that I trashed your design, because everyone here knows how mean I was to you. How bad of me to target your design and say all those horrible things. Wait, that's right! I only said one thing when I called your design "retarded", which I firmly beleived at the time. Next time I will make sure to back my opinions up by "factual pro and cons". Oh,... wait again. That's right. They are designs! They have not been prototyped so there is not any facts based upon a real 3D design, only pictures. You can say that a design looks "comfortable", or say that a design adds ease, but until you hold it in your hand you dont know. All you can do is base this "facts" upon an idea. I think you only posted your comment because the fact that I "picked on" your design. If I said something bad about any of the others, would you have posted what you did?
Joseph Remy @ Mar 6th 2006 8:37AM
Yes I probably would have said something if you had called another design retarded.
I guess I should have used more precise wording in stead of "factual". I meant statements based on good judgement of physics and design. I also said besides using these statements, that constructive statements like comfortable or not would be good.
The issue I had was the "retarded" comment. I don't care who you directed it at. All I was trying to say is "Try to be constructive instead of making childish statements like "Thats retarded"". It just has no purpose in the world other than to piss people off.
On a different note. I was thinking about the Slim design. It would not be a feasable design with the current UMD case. The Drive opens/closes as it does so that when it closes, the UMD disc is lowered onto the drive motor and laser head. They've used this design since the 80's. If the UMD is to slide in, then the drive head and motor will have to move onto the UMD which means, that either the PSP will have to be the same or greater thickness as the current model, or the UMD case will have to be redesigned which destroys backwards compatibility.
That said, if they had made it similar to the Slim design in the first place, it'd have made many PSP accessories much easier to design and use.
bastardic utterance @ Mar 7th 2006 6:13AM
to all you bastards who voted for "clammy" you need something to grip, keep that in mind,imagine playing that on your back in bed, it would cramp you up. So I vote for the dual screen roll your own, it can be made to work awesome.
Trent Williams @ Mar 14th 2006 5:42PM
I Think That The "Clammy" Design Was The Best Simply Because:It Can Flip Open (Which Will Allow Me To Watch Movies Alot Better), The Symbols Light Up (Making It Easier To See In The Dark), And With A Flip Down Screen, My Screen Will BE Protected Much Better.