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24 of 28 found the following review helpful:
 Girls just wanna have fun, and they do Aug 10, 2009
By A. Dent
"Aragorn"
We've been a PS3 household ever since the 60GB version came about so, with two pre-teens in the house, we were ripe for a PSP adoption. We actually bought the Ratchet & Clank Pack a few months ago because one of my kids was a fan of the game. The Rock Band bundle followed shortly after. Now, a little girl in the house she needs her own PSP and she gets to keep it for as long as she does well in school. And, like must girls her age, she's Hannah Montana's hugest fan. It didn't really come to a choice between a HM live concert and the purple PSP. It turns out the show was sold out in our area before we had a chance to buy tickets so the HM PSP Entertainment Pack was the logical choice - because it was the only choice.
THE BUNDLE
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The bundle costs a few more than the 'clean' PSP-3000 but, in our case, the convenience of getting it together with a little game AND a memory card AND a few HM episodes on a second UMD disc justified the extra expense because she REALLY wanted a PSP of her own and she REALLY likes purple - the 'lilac' is a pretty good approximation of her favorite color.
The 'Pack' includes the following:
- The PSP 3000 itself in black
- 2GB Memory card
- The Hannah Montana: Rock Out The Show game
- A few HM episodes on a separate disc
- Stickers
- Manual, promos, registration card, etc.
Since this is our third PSP-3000, it was up and running within minutes but, trying to be objective, someone new to the PSP environment should be able to have it running with basic functions pretty quickly - half an hour to a couple of hours.
The Rock out the Show game appears to be interesting and fun - lets a girl practice her management skills and develops it develops her sense of rhythm. Our girl just started playing it and the general idea is that Robbie Ray is temporarily gone and HM is fully in charge with managing her ongoing world tour. The player can dress up Hannah, pick the songs, set the stage and so on. Oh, and there are about a dozen songs and Hannah sings while the games are being played. Pretty cool, or so my girl is telling me.
The HM episodes are... just that. She's watched each one many times already, on a big screen. She didn't show much interest in replaying them on the tiny PSP but they may come in handy next time we go on a road trip.
Note:
Given the PSP's built-in Wi-Fi and its PS3 integration you can do quite a few things out of the box if you have Wi-Fi or a PS3 but, for a better gaming experience we ordered a 16GB memory stick and will probably be using the included 2GB to archive photos - will hold over 1000 - because we are planning to store a few movies when taking it on the road. Movies take about 0.5GB each.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
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I was surprised of how good and versatile and elegant this little console can be. It has most of the PS3 buttons, including one analog joystick, the display is large and bright, the resolution is good (480x272), and it responds quickly to controls. It appears to be solidly built. Unlike prior models, this one comes with a built-in microphone while the sound output can be either through the internal speakers or headphones (not included). After charging the battery, my kid was up and running and happy in no time. It's worth noting that the Hanna Montana edition finish is more forgiving than the regular piano black PSPs when it comes to fingerprints. But, let me proceed with a more structured discussion.
STAND-ALONE OPERATION (DISCONNECTED)
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Once charged, the PSP 3000 will play games or movies delivered on UMDs or off a Memory Stick card. In addition, it will display photos and play music stored on the Memory card.
NETWORKING AND INTERNET CONNECTIVITY
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The built-in Wi-Fi allows the PSP 3000 to access the Playstation Netowork and Playstation Store directly. Off the box, there is an Internet browser, a Search (the Internet) function, several Internet Radio applications and the ability to use the PSP as a Skype phone for as long as one has a Skype account and the PSP happens to be within the range of a Wi-Fi hotspot.
PS3 INTEGRATION
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After the PSP is paired with the PS3, the PS3 can 'push' video, photos, music and even PSP games downloaded from the Playstation Store when connected through a USB wire. When wireless, the PSP can basically take over the PS3 - actually display the PS3's own screen and display photos stored on the PS3, play music stored on the PS3. Movie play is not supported. Amazingly, you can access your PS3 remotely from anywhere in the Universe for as long as your PSP can access the Net via Wi-Fi.
When playing music, it's possible to play it on the PSP's own speakers/headphones or have the PS3 play it itself, the PSP therefore acting as a remote control device.
PC INTEGRATION
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Through a USB connection, the PC will see the PSP's memory card as an attached drive. This will allow for music, photo or movie files to be transferred directly to the PSP.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
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The PSP 3000 comes very close to being the perfect portable game-playing (and more) machine, at least in the Sony universe. Perfection would be achieved if the 'keyboard' interface were improved - it's awful now - if it had touch screen capabilities and if file transfers from the PS3 were possible wirelessly. Also on the wish list, I hope that there were more legal 'digital copy' movies available for the PSP. And Bluetooth.
PSP 3000 vs. PSP GO
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The question begs itself: how about a PSP Go? Well, in our case, the Go was out of the question because it wasn't available for purchase when we ordered the HM pack, because the Go price is a little to high - we have 3 kids - and we would rather keep our games on disks so that they can be easily shared amongst our tribe and won't be depended too much on our memory card's limitations. Of course, our concerns may not apply to everyone.
MY RATING
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For anyone whose girl is a HM fan, this is the perfect bundle. Well... the only bundle. If HM is not your game, then you are probably better off with a 'clean' PSP and then get your own memory card, games, movies, etc.
For what you get, it's a 4.5 stars plus, rounded up to 5.
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Note:
It would be almost sinful not to protect your new PSP. We use PSP Logitech PlayGear Pocket - Slim. It doesn't have compartments to store UMDs or memory cards but it does wrap around your 3000 like a glove and, in my view, it provides the best protection.
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Great system & color Dec 12, 2009
By yowza3
I recently bought this PSP and have been loving it so far! The color is great, has a subtle sparkle to it, and is a nice tone of light purple/lilac. Plus, it's not a glossy finish, so it won't attract fingerprints. I bought this bundle once I saw the price had dropped from $199 to $159 -- over $40 in savings. You get a 2GB Sony Pro Duo memory stick, Hannah Montana game, 3 HM episodes on UMD, and some stickers for those who wish to decorate their PSP. I chose this bundle mainly for the price and especially because of the color. Besides the black, silver, and new white PSP 3000, there really is no "girly" color available in the U.S. I would've been happy with a white PSP, but at $159, buying this bundle was a no-brainer. As of 12/11 (date of this review), the price is still $159 + shipping. I'd definitely recommend getting this bundle at that price. It's definitely a "bang for your buck" purchase.
The PSP itself is fantastic. I've been very impressed with the titles offered. I recommend Little Big Planet, PSOne Classics like Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon, and Patapon. The PSP has great graphics and games are a pleasure to look at. The speakers of the PSP go up reasonably high so you'll be fine with that. In addition to gaming, the PSP does a ton of other stuff. You can play UMD movies (have played the Hannah Montana episodes and they look great), listen to music (I've loaded a few songs onto my PSP and it works fine), go online (have gone on Google and while it isn't the best browser, it's nice to have), make Skype calls (works perfectly when I tried this), listen to internet radio (lots of stations available), download comics from the upcoming digital comics store, as well as download games/videos straight from the PlayStation Network onto your PSP. Plus more! It is really an all in one device.
A few downsides, though. It's a Sony device, so they will make you use memory stick pro duo, not more common formats. I didn't really mind since we have a few Sony Cybershots at home, but for others, it can be a pain. On that note, 2gb won't cut it if you plan on downloading games and loading your memory stick with music, photos, and other content. I purchased an 8gb memory card for extra storage for games and saved data. It'll fill up in the long run, so it's best to get a bigger pro duo if you know you'll be having a lot of content on there. Another thing; right out of the box, you can't download games or go on the PSN. The firmware version of the PSP I got was 5.50, so you'll need to upgrade yourself to 6.20 to access PSN and use Media Go (think iTunes for PSP) to sync games and other content to your PSP. It's not a big deal, but a hassle in some ways. Media Go is real easy to use, but upgrade before proceeding to using it. Battery life is mediocre at best. I usually get a few hours depending on how much I play, but I guess I've just been spoiled with the amazing battery life of the DS. But on another note, if I play only about 1-2 hours a day on the PSP I can easily get up to 2 days without charging, so it just depends on your use.
In all, the PSP is buying. As for the bundle, I probably won't be playing the Hannah Montana game much, but it's nice to have, as well as the tv shows. Besides that, I highly recommend getting this bundle. The color looks great and the system itself is just as good. If you have been looking into the PSP, go for it. There are great games available, and with all that you can do with your PSP, you won't get bored anytime soon!
Here are a few recommendations for your PSP:
-Upgrade to firmware 6.20 right away to use the PSN and Media Go if you'd like to do that.
-Get a bigger memory stick. Pro duo's vary in price but I found an 8gb SanDisk pro duo for about $25.
-Get a screen protector. The screen is nice and bright, but can easily attract scratches and fingerprints without one. (recommend Hori brand)
-Find a good case for your PSP and UMD's. This is essentially for on to go gamers.
9 of 12 found the following review helpful:
 She Loved It Oct 23, 2009
By J. Hubbard
My daughter loved the system, she said she never saw a purple one. And the episodes incased were also loved. The game is extremely easy even for a 10 year old. Very good purchase. Keeps her occupied.
6 of 9 found the following review helpful:
Just as good. Nov 22, 2009
By Video Game History
"Gamer 4 life"
This DOES NOT say Hannah Montana on it! So you can get this with confidence!
Keep the system and TOSS THE HANNAH MONTANA STUFF IN THE TRASH!
I'm glad to have a system in another color besides the horrible black color.... and this is better
than the psp go that needs so much work.
THIS is the psp to go with as long as you remember to ignore and destroy all the HM items in the box.
Recommended! 5 stars!
Solid construction, no logos Nov 09, 2011
By HausFrau
Grabbed at an online clearance for just over a hundred (elsewhere), and as they bundle the 2GB chip in, this makes it a value buy. It is a second unit so the kids don't fight. The original black PSP we had was bundled with the Madden Football game, and NO chip. As DWales, the earlier reviewer noted, and I can confirm, the fit for the UMD door is significantly more snug and flush than the black unit. As of end of 2011, the PSP is aging out a bit, but the value and construction hold up.
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