Spotted @ Comic-Con: the PSP GPS peripheral

by Andrew Yoon { Jul 24th 2008 at 12:00PM }

It's really real. Trust us.After making a debut at CES earlier this year, the GPS accessory disappeared off the face of the earth, with only vague promises that the device will be coming within the next nine months. We don't know what the hold up is, but IGN spotted a working unit at San Diego Comic-Con. Of note, they saw that the device can give different directions based on whether you're in a car, bike or simply on foot. Can Sony please just release this thing already?

Tags: comic-con, gps, san-diego-comic-con

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

willxcore @ Jul 24th 2008 12:48PM

whoa. that thing sure looks hideous.

Lars @ Jul 24th 2008 2:12PM

How? A chrome flip-up GPS antenna looks nicer than normal ones IMO.

Nate @ Jul 24th 2008 12:49PM

Wow, foot, bike, and car based directions is awesome! I really want this thing!

Dr. Strangepork @ Jul 24th 2008 12:52PM

The price on this better be pretty sweet. I can hope . . .

After using a Garmin for a few weeks (it is officially my wife's) I fear that not having a touch screen on the PSP with take a tremendous on the usability of this. I can't imagine typing in info on my PSP while driving.

Good concept though.

Eric E @ Jul 24th 2008 1:05PM

If i ever wanted to go to europe and site see, a handheld GPS like this would be cool, plan out site seeing and get directions the whole time.
But does NTSC just have N. America? and how much is this agian?

Lars @ Jul 24th 2008 2:15PM

From what I heard, you can download maps for anywhere onto it. I'm curious about the price too... the price from importers is $60, but that may be without any kind of software.

HAAS599 @ Jul 24th 2008 3:10PM

yeah that is just for the gps unit.

The kit should be about $99.99 if sony is smart

additional maps for an additonal charge of course

bryansurvive @ Jul 24th 2008 1:33PM

"Can Sony please just release this thing already?"

Fo Real!

Bryan S. @ Jul 24th 2008 1:35PM

Sorry but, imho:

Gimmick!

Who would want a GPS without QWERTY/touch input let alone on the fairly gigantic sized PSP? (in respect to other GPS/mobile phones with GPS). Unless I'm missing some key feature that makes this worth it..

dave @ Jul 24th 2008 1:42PM

the thing that would have made it very useful, you already have the thing. As its just a the GPS receiver and software, if the price was right, its kinda cool if you dont have a satnav already.

plus walking about in major cities held its attraction for me as i live just outside london.

Lars @ Jul 24th 2008 2:24PM

I'm already carrying around my PSP everywhere... adding a GPS antenna would be less size/weight added than carrying a whole other device.

Also, I have never seen a mobile phone with real GPS. They are OK for getting your bearings on a large scale, but pretty terrible otherwise, and impossible to use for geocaching.

A friend of mine has an iPhone and the GPS on it is terrible, in his words. Actually, speaking of the iPhone, the PSP does a lot of what the iPhone can do, but with less cost up-front and without paying $100 a month in service fees. And most importantly, awesome games!

....and I COULD use it kinda like a phone with Skype, though no roaming away from an AP :( The next PSP needs WiMax or something.

dave @ Jul 24th 2008 1:39PM

us in the UK had a long wait for the system as well, the price originally listed at 28 quid (darn yank keyboard, no pound sign!) before going upto the insane 100 quid now its out and about at argos.

i was extremely excited about it but at about twice the price of the cheapest touch screen sat nav, it quickly lost any appeal :(

Wrathbringer @ Jul 24th 2008 2:09PM

100 quid?!?!?! That's frickin' $200 over here in Canada! I hope that Sony strategically prices the GPS over here, because there's no way in hell that I'm paying $200 for that.

rmjohnson124 @ Jul 24th 2008 1:54PM

For the walking directions, does it mark the areas in red where you are likely to have your PSP stolen out of your hands as you walk around using it as a GPS device?

theMediaman @ Jul 24th 2008 1:55PM

Over two years ( http://playstation.joystiq.com/2006/03/15/sony-spills-it-psp-to-get-camera-gps-voip/ ) since first announced, and we're still waiting. Since then, a decent GPS can be had for around $120. What is Sony planning to do to integrate and create new features other than standard GPS duties?

There's a tiny bit of video showing someone actually handling a PSP with the GPS unit at the Playstation Blog here:

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2008/07/24/take-a-tour-of-our-comic-con-booth/

Fast forward to the 00:30 sec mark. Weird that the guy doesn't talk about it.