By Alex Zaharov-Reutt
PSP accessory pack (Pelican Starter Kit for PSP) $69.95
www.gvae.com.au
Ok, so you've bought a PSP. You've had the 'wow' experience. It is an amazing device after all. But how do you protect it from scratches and other damage? And what about protecting the UMD discs? They have a protective case, but there's that 'hole' which exposes the physical UMD disc.
This is where an accessories pack comes in handy. The Pelican Starter Kit for PSP has a few nifty accessories to make life a tad easier. There's a protective zip case that holds the PSP in place and has 'pouches' for storing UMD discs. There's a special screen cleaner to remove the inevitable screen smudges. Then there are four disc protectors which 'cover' the back of the disc, so no fingerprints can get onto the disc itself. There's also a USB cable so you can plug the PSP into your computer (or other consumer electronics device, such as the as yet unavailable PS3 or the Xbox 360) and finally there's a car charger cable that plugs into the cigarette lighter socket.
There are many different accessories packs on the market, so this one may not be your final choice. But it comes with enough goodies to make it a good value pack with everything you need to get your PSP protected.
PSP Stereo Station + $119.95
The iPod has a gazillion accessories available for it, and one of the most popular is the speaker attachment that turns an iPod into a 'boom box' of sorts. Now the PSP is creating a massive accessories marketplace of its own, and speakers are equally popular.
But as the PSP can also display movies, a standard external speaker system is not enough. What you need is something that belts out the sound, positions the screen in the right spot for 'you' to watch movies, and even something that positions the PSP properly so you can play it like an old-fashioned arcade machine.
Naturally'¦ that's what the PSP Stereo Station + does.
Place the PSP into the cradle, and move it to exactly the right spot - up, down, forwards or back. It reminded us of last season's iMac - the one that looked like a solar panel stuck on a bicycle helmet.
The sound it pumps out is nice and loud - great for music, movies or the audio you get from games.
Interestingly, it doesn't come with a power cable, even though it plugs into your PSP and charges it. That's because it uses the power cable that comes with your PSP. It's a nifty way of reducing costs and packaging.
All in all, this is a great accessory for the PSP. It's definitely better than getting 'just' an external set of speakers, and it also makes for a great spot to place your PSP after you've finished using it. It even looks good, too!
