GPS for PSP finally goes on sale

We've rumored, ogled, and previewed, but it's time to get official, folks. The GPS Receiver for the PSP launches Thursday in Japan, for the low price of $60, at least according to Play-Asia.com. No word on how much it'll cost you if you buy it direct from the source, although our previous post suggests a ¥5,000 ($43) price point. PSP News reports that it'll work nicely with a few titles, including "Minna no Golf-jou," "Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops," "Planetarium Creator Ohira Takayuki Kanshuu: Home Star Portable," and "Navigation Soft." How did we ever navigate the world without this GPS antenna perched atop our PSP before?

[Wattsy @ Dec 7th 2006 4:53AM]

I can hear the breaking of 1 million gps units as the PSP drops to the floor while running away from a mugger.

[LittleJoe @ Dec 7th 2006 5:19AM]

Or the sound of a million auto accidents as people mount these in their vehicles in hopes of making their psp a practical nav-unit.

[riggs @ Dec 7th 2006 5:44AM]

yall sure do have some great future hearing.

[scott @ Mar 15th 2008 9:48PM]

I read about this a while back ago in the gameformer mag and I am suprised to see that there continuing to make the psp better, gps sounds awesome. The thing is, is that I would also love to see them do something about the internet on the psp. Since the skype is out now why can't they have a wirless provider to get a connection everywhere you go like a cellphone, that would be alot better for psp fan's. Having to stand by a router or hotspot really sucks, I'd like to have connection everywhere I go not just at a hotspot.

[riggs @ Mar 15th 2008 9:50PM]

damn this was a long time ago...

[ScottMaximus @ Dec 7th 2006 7:36AM]

A Year Late and a Dollar Short

[Ihar `Philips` Filipau @ Dec 7th 2006 7:40AM]

Can anybody enlighten me why PSP needs a GPS unit?
What it does add to games?

I can understand (and would appreciate) touchscreen. Or motion sensor. But GPS?

[SomeGuy @ Jan 1st 2008 6:58AM]

There was a motion sensor made for the PSP... It's just not official. It was made by the PSP homebrew community, so it's not compatible with anything except homebrew games.

[Dan @ Dec 7th 2006 7:41AM]

I do use my PSP as an in car PC so having GPS funcionality is pretty sweet. Are they going to release Nav software?

[Jon @ Dec 7th 2006 8:08AM]

Hows is a GPS unit going to affect gameplay of Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops??

[matthew @ Dec 7th 2006 8:42AM]

The GPS, for Metal Gear, will allow you to recruit new team members. If you're not familiar with the new gameplay, the game lets you permanently recruit team members by finding new wifi hotspots, and so this will supplement that.

[Huleboeren @ Dec 7th 2006 8:14AM]

This is a pretty cheap and awesome GPS navigator for the car - giant widescreen and everything!
What maps will it use? Navteq?

[JinKazama @ Dec 7th 2006 8:22AM]

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEET definite buy for me. Saw this some months ago at a tech show and couldn't wait for it. I currently don't have a GPS in my car or a stand alone unit, but I have been wanting one. I'm not willing to pay a couple hundred for one but $40-$60 to add functionality to an item I already own...sold

P.S. - In metal gear using the GPS you can locate soldiers and recruit them to join your unit. It's actually a pretty cool application

[Will Design for Food @ Dec 7th 2006 8:32AM]

Any word, on if/when it will be coming state side?

[strider_mt2k @ Dec 7th 2006 9:49AM]

Time to hack this thing for general use!
GPS is wasted on the PSP, much like everything else.

[M Peterson @ Dec 7th 2006 10:50AM]

Yes...i want...chance u might need a firmware update to use?

[BFGdude @ Dec 7th 2006 10:56AM]

GPS is just gonna make dese guys want a psp even more.

http://www.alliwantforxmasisapsp.com/blog/

[Evan @ Dec 7th 2006 11:51AM]

I cant believe you people that say there are no good games to play. There are plenty. But when this comes out in the states im probably going to buy one bc im too cheap to buy a "real" GPS system and i already have a car mount which I use to play music with it.

[Glenn Lopez @ Mar 11th 2007 11:41PM]

actualy, I bought a PSP for this sole purpose. As A pilot, i wanted to have a backup hand held gps system incase the one installed in my plane fails or my DC systems short and rendered useless. Ofcourse I would never use the GPS on my psp as a primary source of piloting a plane but as a backup incase something goes wrong, then sure.. why not. Hell, its a psp... ill have my songs, my movies, and my games in the event where I find my self stranded in the woods... or more importantly... those long ass cross country flights. Just hit the AP,AT, kick back and let the plane fly it self & play some GTA.

[PJK @ Dec 7th 2006 11:22AM]

So now I'll know exactly where I am when I have NO good games to play on my PSP.

[Mac725 @ Dec 7th 2006 11:35AM]

I get lost going around the corner - so it they released this in the US with mapping software I would buy one for my PSP.

[JK @ Dec 7th 2006 1:12PM]

finally the wait is over...sort of. i wonder what the homebrew community can do with this add-on. hopefully they will make their own maps (with google maps?) so we can start using it before and if they release a US version.

[Ayle @ Dec 7th 2006 1:46PM]

Is this a Sirfstar III module?

[Evan @ Dec 7th 2006 4:45PM]

Wait wait wait... Home Star Portable? As in Homestar Runner?! Of homestarrunner.com?

Well, I'm sure its not. (I don't follow Sony) But I thought that was really weird when I saw Home Star Portable...

[Tim @ Dec 7th 2006 5:23PM]

Thats some somewhat lousy product design - having a thumbscrew is gonna result in many a destroyed psp. I forsee a lot of people putting way to much force into tightening that thing down, and either stripping the heads or ripping apart part of the case. Well, hopefully, most people are smart enoguh to avoid this, but i cant wait till this turns into a "omg what an awful product why isnt there a recall" oh well, it should be great on a software level at least!

[evilfixx @ Dec 7th 2006 6:59PM]

And some great Sony bashing...

[Longshanks @ Dec 8th 2006 6:52AM]

Hey Tim you can't use a screw but you can post your
360 back to Microshaft 8 times.

[asad504 @ Feb 11th 2007 11:02PM]

Hi,

When will the GPS be out in Canada any date?

[Clarkey @ May 1st 2007 5:03PM]

the psp gps is so sleek. it is amasing. it folds down the back of your psp to get out of the way. the gps also works so well if you have the homebrew

[christopher @ May 30th 2007 1:08PM]

when buying a gps system for psp can it go on the internet away from home?

[dutch_dree @ Jun 12th 2007 2:45PM]

Nope, for internet on the PSP you need the WIFI-connection.

[leon @ Jun 25th 2007 7:28AM]

Hi There,

Pretty cool with gps stuff connect to PSP,and make life easier. Hi there, just bought the PSP 290 GPS, need to know how to operate the GPS? Your favor are much appreciated


Thank you

Best Regards,
LEON

[jeff @ Aug 4th 2007 9:30PM]

what do u need to have the gps working for the psp cause i heard that u need a software for it

[PEDRAM @ Aug 12th 2007 9:14AM]

dear sir / madam
pls send me gps software for psp.
best regards
pedram khezer

[William @ Aug 19th 2007 11:59PM]

When is the GPS attachment coming to the US?

[Tim @ Aug 24th 2007 1:09PM]

I don't know, But does buying it from Play-Asia.com mean that it's useless unless you can read Japanese?

[Braddigan @ Sep 2nd 2007 3:46PM]

Theres no legal USA software for this unit released yet, and it's gonna be awhile. Europe will get their software before us it sounds like. However there is a homebrew program called "MAPTHIS!" made by the Deniska team that works great, but you need a homebrew enabled PSP and some knowledge to install it.

(Its not a cake walk, you need to do a few things and you download the maps yourself using another program. And yes, that means you need to download the map before you go there, I have a map for all of california on my MS right now, its not hard to download the maps once you know what to do.)

I personally got back into the homebrew scene just to use that piece of software and it works out nicely. Yes I do plan to cause car accidents because it's now in a carmount and it has around 6-7 satalites locked onto it while I drive. I just hope it isnt a year before we see software for this baby, and also that sony won't 'delay' release in the US while it respecs it...like the Camera for the PSP.

(No I will not link to the homebrew site, use a search engine.)

[Braddigan @ Sep 2nd 2007 3:49PM]

Also, the unit is a Plug&Play unit, no installing anything in japanese so english users can use it without a hitch if they can get the homebrew working. English users just won't know which way the face the damn thing...the diagrams show it in 3 different positions. (it can be pushed backwards to cover the UMD drive from opening.

[Oroz @ Oct 2nd 2007 9:43PM]

I ordered the Gps here http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-89uw-71-bh-49-en-84-j-70-1mij.html Anyone know a good link for the Legal software for it?

[joel chrisman @ Jan 10th 2008 1:48PM]

Just to clear up a misconception homebrew is perfectly legal, their is absolutly nothing that is "not legal" about it, yes it can be used for nefarous things, such as iso's but the worst tht can happen is you void your warante