In the video-game world, loyal consumers root for one company over another, as if they were sports teams instead of hardware manufacturers and software publishers.
It’s currently in vogue, for instance, for Nintendo DS fans to ridicule any coverage of Sony’s PlayStation Portable, on the grounds that DS sales dwarf those for the PSP. But I’ve spent part of this week testing a smart PSP accessory that I’d buy as a consumer, despite a relatively steep price of $100.
The item is a new extended battery for the PSP from Blue Raven
Technology, promising 8 to 15 hours of extra power. The exact
amount of time is influenced by what type of game is being played or what other kind of PSP functions are being used.
The selling point, however, is the design. The battery comes as part of a rubberized, five-ounce half-shell that the PSP slips into easily, leaving the back of the device encased in a manner that offers a comfortable, balanced grip. It was a bit of a squeeze, but the enlarged PSP still fit into the zippered protective case I use (and which I would have been annoyed to give up).
Now, some quibbles: There’s just a single sheet of instructions for the battery, and that’s just a clumsily written installation guide.
Also, there’s nothing directing users to the charging port on the bottom front left of the extended battery, as opposed to the
yellow-rimmed port built into the bottom right front of the PSP
(where you would charge the device’s own battery). That’s a problem, because the extended battery port is hard to see, but the PSP port remains conspicuous, yet slightly obstructed by the lip of the extended battery shell. Some people are going to make the damaging mistake of trying to force their charging plug into the PSP port.
When I pointed out my concerns, Blue Raven was extremely receptive, indicating it would use the feedback in developing a new set of instructions.
On balance — and speaking as a heavy PSP user — the battery is a good buy, if somewhat pricey. It’s $99.95 at www.blueraven.com and $105 at www.pcmall.com‚. It will be available through Amazon.com‚ but it’s not yet on the site.
A couple of tips if you decide to buy:
— The danger advisory on the instructions sheet refers to the
battery’s “terminals.'’ Users may be confused unless they realize that the terminals are the same thing as the “battery pins'’ depicted in the first of four illustrations on the sheet.
— A red light goes on when the extended battery is charging (using
the port on the bottom front left). It turns green when the charge is
full. The extended battery also slowly charges the PSP’s own battery.
Via Mercury News