The PSP, with its large, wide aspect-ratio screen and Wi-Fi
support, appears to be a good combination for some sort of a video download
service. Sony is finally fulfilling some of the PSP’s potential with the
announcement of a special video-on-demand (VOD) service for the handheld.
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe revealed
at the Leipzig Games Convention its joint venture with Sky Broadcasting to provide
the PSP in the UK and Ireland downloadable video. The joint venture between the
two companies will be branded as “Go!”
Go! will offer similar content to that which is available
through Sky Broadcasting, such as sports, entertainment, movies, music,
animation and content from third-party channel brands. Also a part of the VOD
system will be pay-per-view movies.
Users of the Go! system will be able to choose between
downloading content directly onto their PSPs with the Wi-Fi connection or to
download first to PC and then transfer onto the handheld.
“Sky and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe have
complementary strengths in content, marketing and technology. Together, we’re
ideally placed to make portable, on-demand TV a reality,” said James Murdoch,
CEO of Sky. “Alongside our existing services for PCs and mobile phones, this is
another example of how we’re working to give more choice, flexibility and
control to customers. The quality of the PSP's screen and its substantial reach
among 2 million users in the UK and Ireland makes it a natural extension to our
multi-platform strategy.”
Just as with the PlayStation 3 PlayTV DVR system, such a VOD
feature for the PSP may never make it to North American shores. Phil Harrison
of Sony Worldwide explained to Kotaku
that PSP VOD would not be possible in the U.S. due to the lack of content
delivered over-the-air via subscription.