Sony’s already taken a pretty big shot at the used game market with the download-only PSP Go , and it looks like it might now be going some way towards taking physical media out of the equation as well. In what’s described as a “trial run,” Sony has added a new authentication measure to SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo 3 for the PSP that will require gamers to first register their game on PSN before they play online. Once that’s done, you won’t be able to use the UMD on another PSN account, and anyone buying a used copy of the game will have to shell out $20 for an additional voucher to play online. According to Sony, that’s being done primarily to combat piracy, but there’s no getting around the fact that it also makes used copies of the game a whole lot less attractive to potential buyers. No word on any future games that will employ similar measures, though we wouldn’t count on Sony giving up on this one too quickly.

A tiny but significant factoid in Sony’s earnings report from the WSJ : “Sony loses about six cents for every dollar of PS3 hardware sales.” Educated guesser of component prices iSuppli had deduced that Sony was finally eking out a little bit of profit on every PS3 Slim they sold, thanks to lower costs, but apparently, not the case! They’re hoping to cut production costs by 15 percent by March 2011. Hey, at least PS3 sales were up 44 percent. On the other hand, no one’s buying the PSP Go . Sony cut their sales estimates by third for the year. Sony did actually make money this quarter—the first time in a year—but it was by essentially ravaging the company to cut over $3 billion in costs: A fifth of its plants are gone, along with 20,000 jobs. [ WSJ ]

It most definitely takes longer than two minutes to take apart a PSP Go and figure out how to piece it back together, but this neat stop-motion video makes it look like it’s a quick and easy task. I wish every gadget teardown were done like this. Sound effects and all. [ Engadget ]

Oh sure, we’ve seen Sony’s UMD-hatin’ PSP Go splayed before , but never like this. Call us crazy, but we’re calling stop motion video the future of unboxings and tear downs. Seriously — this is one wild two minute ride that you simply have to take. Peek the video after the break, won’t you? Continue reading PSP Go disassembled in awesome stop motion video PSP Go disassembled in awesome stop motion video originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jan 2010 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds

Korean Air subsidiary Jin Air has a new trick up its sleeve for entertaining passengers going to and fro South Korea. The airline is now offering a 16GB PSP Go to rent for in-flight gaming. No clue what games are on the device, but it’s probably the best 4,000 won (about $3.50) you can spend — assuming, that is, there’s more than a sudoku app. Korean Air subsidiary renting out PSP Go consoles for in-flight gaming originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 16 Jan 2010 07:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .

Korean Air subsidiary Jin Air has a new trick up its sleeve for entertaining passengers going to and fro South Korea. The airline is now offering a 16GB PSP Go to rent for in-flight gaming. No clue what games are on the device, but it’s probably the best 4,000 won (about $3.50) you can spend — assuming, that is, there’s more than a sudoku app. Korean Air subsidiary renting out PSP Go consoles for in-flight gaming originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 16 Jan 2010 07:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Now this is interesting. Datel , which is well known for enabling all sorts of hacks on varying consoles, seems to have just introduced a refreshed version of its Action Replay PSP. What’s new, you ask? Why, PSP Go support, of course! In the item description, we’re told that those using this on Sony’s UMD-less portable console will have to install it directly on the inbuilt memory, but one of two things has to happen (in theory, anyway) for that claim to be true. The first is that Datel is now an official Sony partner, which is about as likely as you getting a Foleo for Christmas. The other is that Datel found a way to run unencrypted code on the PSP Go, and if that’s the case, we’ve got an idea that the homebrew junkies in the crowd will be all over this in search of further exploits

Yeah, this is about how I feel playing any portable gaming device. Tiny screens, cramped controls, no thank you. [ Gigazine via Kotaku ]

If you’re thinking about getting a PSP Go , then head to Amazon before midnight PST/3:00AM EST tonight. No, the PSP Go’s $245 price tag hasn’t changed, but you will get a $50 gift card for Amazon’s PlayStation Network store. It’s still a pricey gadget, but hey, at least the gift card will cover you for a few games. Anyone getting in on the deal? [ Amazon via Joystiq via Engadget ]

Hey impulse buyers, want a PSP Go ? Amazon is offering a $50 PSN card for anyone who picks up the portable tonight, in black or white. Seeing as you’ll be having to spend that much on digital titles anyway, it’s a pretty good long-term $50 discount, bringing the suggested value of the Go to about $195. It’s still not as financially sound an option as a PSP-3000, but if you value style over price figures and disc-based media, this might be one of the best incentives before Christmas. Offer ends at midnight PT / 3:00AM ET — after that, it turns right back into a pumpkin. [Via Joystiq ] Filed under: Gaming Amazon offers $50 PSN card with PSP Go purchases, for tonight only originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:24:00 EST