So I posted a long blog on my fascination with genomic evolution but what really gets my juices flowing these days is the new console from SONY, the portable one, the PSP.

OF COURSE I own a PS2, but the PSP is just in another league. So while others spend a lot of time watching TV, I really invest a lot of free time at night in gaming. I am badly hooked on PS2's Gran Theft Auto, San Andreas. I LOVE the music on that game. For those of you that have it, check out SF-UR. SF-UR basically plays PURE techno from back in the days. See, growing up I would spend my summers in the baleric islands. From a musical taste standpoint, I grew up in Ibiza. Stay Techno :)

So SF-UR has many good oldies, even original versions I had not heard, it is a blast. So much that I have taken to driving around the city doing the taxi missions (which don't really count in the game) just to listen to the radio. Then I just stopped driving, I park in some part of the city where I won't get killed and just listen to the radio through the TV :) I know it is pathetic but I really like it.

But back to the PSP. It is partners from Japan (HP) that sent me the console, I was so excited when I received it, it was a week before the official launch in the USA. Then the official launch date was 10 days ago and I was there to buy my games. The first thing to jump at me was the DVD format screen, IT IS SOOO CRISP, it is really something to look at and hold.

From the first time you look at it, you know it is a fine piece of machinery. More slick than an iPod and as powerful as the PS2. I was actually expecting the PS2 experience, but it is actually something else. Not better, just different. The console feel like a pocket console under the thumb. I really like their thumb joystick, works for me. Do you guys remember the little nintendo games that were the size of a credit card in the mid-80? The ones with the preprinted symbols on it? Well it kinda feels like that, it could almost fit on your keychain. That is really nice given that the experience of the games is really rich.

So the games are actually PS2 quality. I bought Ridge Racer, which is a racing game and got lost in it IMMEDIATELY. 10 days later and something like 20 hours of game, I am at the 4th level (MAX) and the level of difficulty went from "really hard" to "stupid". I am about to give up. To me it proves this is a console for adults.

It has other features such as MP4/MP3 playing so you can put your favorite movie and music but frankly I don't intend to use any of it (well maybe the MP4 feature given my other addictions ;).

Many guys in our company bought one, and I offered one to Gavin and one to Sacha just to make sure we can wi-fi in the office for the racing games. Oh yeah I forgot that feature, the thing actually comes with wi-fi so you can connect to the net and game online or just game in a LAN setting by just coming close to each other. How cool is that? (probably very cool but I haven't tried it yet :)

Anyway, go get one, at 300 bucks it is a steal and the games are around $30 which is reasonable. Enjoy, I strongly recommend it, it is everything it has been hyped to be.

marcf