Sony tells us that the PSP also comes equipped with input/output connectors such as USB 2.0, and 802.11b (Wi-Fi) wireless LAN, providing connectivity to various devices in the home and to the wireless network outside.

In addition, software and data can be downloaded through a USB or wireless network onto Memory Stick PRO Duo. Of course, we all were hoping Sony would drop the Memory Stick format, but obviously, that's not to be. Hopefully, with lots of these units likely to be in circulation, the "no one cares so it costs more" premium charged for Memory Stick cards will go down once this device ships.

And, because the world always needs another proprietary, restrictive storage format, the PSP uses a small, but high-capacity optical medium called UMD (Universal Media Disc), "enabling game software, rich with full-motion video and other forms of digital entertainment content, to be stored." The newly developed UMD, shown in Figure E, is only 60mm in diameter but can store up to 1.8GB of digital data.

FIGURE E

Want your Fair Use rights trampled upon once again? Support the UMD format. Click picture for a larger image.

Accoding to Sony, "A broad range of digital entertainment content such as music video clips, movies and sports programs can be provided on UMD." To protect this entertainment content (and insure that the purchasing public again has their Fair Use rights trampled upon, "A robust copyright protection system has been developed which utilizes a combination of a unique disc ID, a 128 bit AES encryption keys for the media, and individual ID for each PSP hardware unit." Yeah, it'll be cracked in about three weeks by yet another engineering student with too little social life and disposable cash.

Like the Nintendo DS, this is a very early showing for this device. There were no playable games demoed on the floor, and only a limited amount of interactivity at all (mostly limited to watching the in-game camera move).

Likewise, pricing hasn't been discussed, although the company tells us the device is due to be released in Japan at the end of this year, and sometime in early 2005 for the U.S. market. This means that the device is likely to be released in mid-2005 in Japan and somewhere near the end of 2005 for the U.S. market.

Personally, I'm thinking I can probably duct tape a small USB hard drive to the back and make it into my own personal rolling DMCA violation machine. Actually, to be honest, I'm really not all that excited by either of these devices. I think I'd be far, far more turned on by a Pocket PC or Palm with a small hard drive than I ever would by one of these toys.

Time will tell. I didn't think I'd be hot for my Xbox and now (after it's been heavily hacked), you can have it only after you've pried it from my cold, dead hands.

Kathy Walker has a degree in nursing and worked in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for seven years, transporting very ill children across the Pacific Northwest. She earned her private pilot's license in 1981 in Spokane, Washington and this year attained her Multi-Engine Flight Instructor rating and Airline Transport Pilot's license. She's now seeking employment as a corporate pilot.