The PSP goes to London

We visited my sister in London this weekend, and our trusty PSP went along with us. Here's a photo of 3Po playing on the PSP while on the Tube:




And here's one of 3Po and the PSP at the Tower of London. 3Po got tired of trying to get the guard to crack up (I think he's probably used to little boys clowning around to get a reaction) and we were in line to see the Crown Jewels, so I let him whip out the PSP to play a quick game -- and, I admit, to take this photo. Our PSP has been to quite a few places in the 6 weeks that we've owned it -- and we've got a lot of traveling left to do. Maybe I should start a whole "Where in the World Has Our PSP Been?" photo series!.




Which countries would you take your PSP to? Any comment you leave here counts as an extra entry into my $50 PlayStation Network gift card giveaway!


Disclosure: I am participating in Sony's PSP Summer Family Fun blogger program; I received a "Summer Fun" kit which included a Sony Playstation Portable (PSP-3000) , an assortment of content (games and movies) for the PSP, as well as a journal and videocamera to capture our summer adventures. I have not been paid or required to review the product or give my opinions. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Bonggamom's PSP Interview

A couple of days ago I asked The Pea to tape a video interview of me saying what I like about the PSP. The problem was, I happened to be getting a rare turn on the PSP and was busy improving my pathetic Rock Band Score. Here's a tip: never agree to be interviewed while you're playing Rock Band on a Sony PSP; who knows what you'll end up doing! I thought I'd get my revenge by interviewing The Pea while she was on the PSP. But I think she may have ended up getting the last laugh.


Disclosure: I am participating in Sony's PSP Summer Family Fun blogger program; I received a "Summer Fun" kit which included a Sony Playstation Portable (PSP-3000) , an assortment of content (games and movies) for the PSP, as well as a journal and videocamera to capture our summer adventures. I have not been paid or required to review the product or give my opinions. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Our videogame rules

Well, the World Cup final game was played yesterday, but football carries on at our house, especially on the PSP. I bought the kids the FIFA 10 football videogame for the PSP, and they are absolutely loving it. They would play on the PSP all day if I let them -- but what kind of a parent would I be if I let them do that?

I may have relaxed my attitude towards videogames considerably in the last few years -- I can see how entertaining the PSP can be for them during car trips and vacations when the inevitable downtime occurs -- but I still believe in moderation and a balanced lifestyle. I believe the PSP can enhance, but not completely dominate, their entertainment options -- so I have some rules that the kids have to follow if they want to play on the PSP or any video game. These rules also apply to watching television or getting on the computer, so when I say "video games", I'm actually referring to any and all kinds of screen time.

1) No video games during playdates. I'm happy to have my kids play with/against each other but I want to respect other parents' rules with regards to video games, and I don't want any child to feel left out during a playdate while one or two are crowded around the screen.

2) Reading comes first. I ask my kids to read a book before they start playing video games. This is one of my favorite video game rules because it has really helped 3Po and Jammy improve their reading skills, and it's a great way for me to take a break from blogging and spend some quality time with them.

3) Get moving. This is just like rule #2, but with bikes instead of books. My sister asks her kids to pedal around on their bikes or scooters before they can get any screen time, and I liked it so much that I adopted a modified version of her rule. I just make sure my kids get some kind of physical activity every day.

4) Set limits. Our official limit is an hour a day for each child, but I'm not draconian about enforcing it, especially when we're on vacation or we're traveling (in the car or plane, etc..) or a child is sick in bed. In addition, the kids love watching each other play videogames almost as much as they love playing the games themselves, so they do get quite a lot of game time and they know when they've had enough.


I don't think there's anything too complicated about these rules; they're just common sense. You don't want to tire your eyes out with staring at a screen for too long, you don't want to live a sedentary lifestyle, and you don't want to let your electronic life rule your real life. And despite my kids' love for the PSP, I have never really had a problem enforcing these rules, so I'm hoping my kids realize it too.



Disclosure: I am participating in Sony's PSP Summer Family Fun blogger program; I received a "Summer Fun" kit which included a Sony Playstation Portable (PSP-3000) , an assortment of content (games and movies) for the PSP, as well as a journal and videocamera to capture our summer adventures. I have not been paid or required to review the product or give my opinions. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Childhood Comics

For almost a month now we've been trying out the Sony PSP as part of Sony's PSP Summer Family Fun blogger program, and one of the most unique features I've discovered about the PSP is the ability to download and read digital comics (see my review of the PSP's digital comics reader). They have a whole bunch of comic books that you can download onto your PSP, and I got swept up in a wave of nostalgia just browsing through their online digital comic book catalog. I had such a great time remembering my old favorites that I wrote an Aloha Friday post about it on Finding Bonggamom!

I was happy to find a huge selection of digital comics available to download on the PSP, from Xmen to Mickey Mouse, even some of my favorites like Spiderman and Archie. Surprisingly, my kids weren't that excited about it. Or maybe not so surprising. Nowadays comics don't seem to be as prevalent with kids, maybe since they're all animated now on TV. Wow, I actually used the word "nowadays" -- I feel like an antiquated curmudgeon! Next thing you know I'll be talking about how we used to walk a mile in a tropical typhoon to get to the library and milk the cow borrow comics.

Which comics would you walk a mile in a storm for?


Disclosure: I am participating in Sony's PSP Summer Family Fun blogger program; I received a "Summer Fun" kit which included a Sony Playstation Portable (PSP-3000) , an assortment of content (games and movies) for the PSP, as well as a journal and videocamera to capture our summer adventures. I have not been paid or required to review the product or give my opinions or publish this post. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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PSP stands for Places you'll See us Play

Last week I posted a Dr. Seuss-style list of all the places my kids would love to play with their PSP's. The truth is, we've never actually used the PSP with a goat or with a fox, and although I'm sure they would like to, my kids have never really lived in a box. So this week I have a more prosaic, more practical list of places (or situations) we've actually used the PSP or plan to use the PSP:


1) cars
2) restaurants
3) trains
4) airplanes
5) airport lines
6) doctor's waiting rooms
7) soccer fields (while waiting for little brothers to finish their game)
8) skating rink (while waiting for big sisters to finish their lessons)
9) theaters (during intermissions at big sisters' dance recitals)
10) boring family reunions (but very, very discreetly)


Disclosure: I am participating in Sony's PSP Summer Family Fun blogger program; I received a "Summer Fun" kit which included a Sony Playstation Portable (PSP-3000) , an assortment of content (games and movies) for the PSP, as well as a journal and videocamera to capture our summer adventures. I have not been paid or required to review the product or give my opinions or publish this post. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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A PSP review by the BonggaKids

Last week I reviewed the PSP , the great portable entertainment device that Sony gave our family to play with this summer. That's all well and good, but this week I wanted you to hear from the real reviewers in my family -- my kids. After all, they're the ones that use the PSP the most!

It would take too long for me to transcribe everything they had to say about the PSP (and even longer to have them type it themselves -- have you seen a 6-year-old try to spell "entertainment"?), so I asked them to do a short vlog on the PSP while they were playing with it on a recent road trip (one of many that we've taken the PSP on this summer). So without further ado, here are 3Po, The Pea, and the PSP:




Disclosure: I am participating in Sony's PSP Summer Family Fun blogger program; I received a "Summer Fun" kit which included a Sony Playstation Portable (PSP-3000) , an assortment of content (games and movies) for the PSP, as well as a journal and videocamera to capture our summer adventures. I have not been paid or required to review the product or give my opinions. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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PSP Digital Comics Reader Review

One of the most unique things I've discovered about the PSP is that it allows you to download and read digital comics. I love this feature! Keep reading below for all the deets:

The Basics
Digital Comics puts some of the world's greatest comics and graphic novels on your PSP. You can download them from the Playstation Digital Comics site and read them on your PSP whenever you want. Comics cost $1.99 each (at least the ones I've checked), and they have several issues available for free.

Here's more information about Digital Comics on PSP:
Digital Comics has revolutionised the way fans enjoy comics and graphic novels. With Digital Comics and a PSP you can: Take your entire collection wherever you go Listen to music while you read Get loads of titles from major and independent publishers Access many new issues each week Download direct from PlayStation®Store, with no UMDs With AutoFlow, the page slides and zooms from frame to frame just as the artists intended. Simply turn it off and navigate yourself when you want to appreciate a scene for a little longer. The PSP's high-contrast screen delivers it all in vivid detail and vibrant colours, and you can even listen to music as you read.

photo courtesy of Comic Book Resources

The Bongga
With the ability to read digital comics, the PSP becomes even more of a one-stop-shop for entertainment on the go! Here's what I like about the PSP Digital Comics reader:

* They've got a great range of comics, from the Marvel superheroes to Transformers to GI Joe to Wallace & Gromit to Archie, Mickey Mouse, Toy Story, Judge Dredd and more.

* It's no hassle at all to get the comics onto the PSP, just browse the Playstation Digital Comics site to find what you want (beats driving your kid to all the comic stores!) and download it onto the PSP.

* The graphics are amazing, so sharp and colorful.

* Most important, at $1.99, the Price is definitely Right!


The Blah
Here are some things that don't have me jumping for joy:

* They do have a wide range of comics, but I guess I'd like to see even more variety. How about getting Tintin or Asterix there, guys?

* The panning tool is cute, but kind of useless; to see the whole page of the comic book you need to zoom so far out that the words get too small. Because of the small screen, the only way you can really read the words is with the AutoFlow feature.


The Bottom Line
The PSP's Digital Comics reader is a fun, unique way for kids to add to their arsenal of entertainment options on their PSP.


What digital comics would you like to see on the PSP? Any comment you leave here counts as an extra entry into my $50 PlayStation Network gift card giveaway!

Disclosure: I am participating in Sony's PSP Summer Family Fun blogger program; I received a "Summer Fun" kit which included a Sony Playstation Portable (PSP-3000) , an assortment of content (games and movies) for the PSP, as well as a journal and videocamera to capture our summer adventures. I have not been paid or required to review the product or give my opinions. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Ubisoft Petz Dogz game Giveaway

Yesterday I posted a list of our family's most wanted games for the Sony PSP. It's no surprise that Petz Dogz Family came at the top of my kids' list -- this game by Ubisoft is from their popular Petz series (the #1 pet simulation series on the market!), and my kids have been playing with their Petz Nursery, Petz Dogz Talent Show and Petz Hamsterz Superstarz (all on the Nintendo DS platform) for some time now. They really love adopting and caring for all their cute virtual puppies, and I love it because these dogs don't shed or need to be walked every day!

Here's some information about the game from Ubisoft:
In Petz® Dogz Family, players can raise and care for a family of dogs, for the first time on the PSP system! Adopt a pet dog from a variety of breeds, and watch them grow and develop their own unique personalities.

Key Features
Adopt your favorite dog from a wide variety —Choose your pet from popular, well-known breeds.

Raise your own Petz Dogz Family —Breed and cross-breed your own unique pets, nurture your dogz from baby to adult as you watch them grow, and influence personalities by the way you raise your petz.

Watch your dog play with other dogz —Let your dogz play together and watch them interact, or set up play dates with your friends wirelessly and exchange dogz!

Get rewarded as you play through the game —Unlock new toys so your petz can play with you, and fun outfits and accessories for you to customize your dogs' looks


Petz Dogz Family for the Sony PSP is pretty much like the Petz Dogz Pack for the Nintendo DS, so I know the kids would love it. The only problem is that we can't find it! It's like some kind of lost breed of videogame! So pleeez, Ubisoft, if you've stopped making Petz Dogz Family for PSP, re-release it, or come up with some new Petz games for the PSP, because there are a lot of PSP families waiting to adopt and cuddle these cute pets!


Win a Petz Dogz Talent Show game for the Nintendo DS
Unfortunately I don't have a copy of Petz Dogz Family for the PSP (and I if did, I'm really sorry but I'd have to keep it for my kids!) but I do have a copy of Petz Dogz Talent Show for the Nintendo DS, and I'm giving it away to one lucky Bonggamom Finds reader!


Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me which of the Ubisoft Petz line of games is your favorite, and really ought to be available on the PSP platform!


Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment on this post for each extra entry, with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, blog comment link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(1 entry).

2) Follow @ubimoms on Twitter (1 entry).

3) Follow @ubisoft on Twitter (1 entry).

4) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook wall (1 entry):

I entered the Ubisoft Petz Dogz Talent Show giveaway! http://bonggafinds.blogspot.com/2010/06/ubisoft-petz-dogz-game-giveaway.html

5) Write this on Ubisoft's Facebook Page wall (1 entry):

I entered the Petz Dogz Talent Show giveaway on Bonggamom Finds! You can enter too at http://bonggafinds.blogspot.com/2010/06/ubisoft-petz-dogz-game-giveaway.html

6) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Twitter and tweet this daily (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):

Enter to win a Petz Dogz DS game from @ubisoft @ubimoms and @bonggafinds http://tinyurl.com/2efm5fr #giveaway

7) Join my $50 PlayStation Network gift card giveaway (1 entry)






The Rules
This giveaway ends at midnight PST on July 20, 2010; I will draw a winner at random on July 21. I will post the winner's names in the comments section after he/she confirms acceptance. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. I received a product sample, but was not paid to review the product or give my opinions. Unless clearly stated, the views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Videogames on the PSP

Now that we have a PSP, we need to put some content on it! As a participant in the PSP Summer Family Fun program, we received four neat games -- Tetris, Style Bakery, Supermarket Mania and Rock Band -- but of course the kids are jonesing for more! We did a search online, and here are the top titles on our PSP Game Wishlist:


Kids' list -- the kids like games with characters that they know and love. They're familiar with a lot of the games that Ubisoft makes for other platforms, so they were delighted to find them on the PSP platform as well:
Petz Dogz Family
Petz Hamsterz Bunch
Petz Saddle Club
Shrek the Third
Toy Story 3: The Video Game


My list -- I'm not so into video games, but I love being able to play puzzles and games on the PSP. And I think using the PSP to brush up on my Spanish would be so, so cool. By the way, my first sentence wasn't entirely true -- I do have a soft spot for the old-school, classic video games (a true 70's-era child, that's me!):
Tetris
Scrabble
Atari Classics Evolved
Ultimate Board Game Collection
My Spanish Coach


Alfie's list -- it was so great there are PSP games that match Alfie's passions! (that last item isn't a passion, it's just the only videogame that he ever really got into)
2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa
FIFA Soccer 10
World Series of Poker
XS Moto
Tetris


Which PSP games would you get if you had a PSP? Any comment you leave here counts as an extra entry into my $50 PlayStation Network gift card giveaway!



Disclosure: I am participating in Sony's PSP Summer Family Fun blogger program; I received a "Summer Fun" kit which included a Sony Playstation Portable (PSP-3000) , an assortment of content (games and movies) for the PSP, as well as a journal and videocamera to capture our summer adventures. I have not been paid or required to review the product or give my opinions. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Sony Playstation Portable Review

My kids have been playing with their new PSP for several weeks now -- at home, in the car, at the airport, on vacation -- so as a participant of Sony's PSP Summer Family Fun program I think it's time I did a review of the PSP and shared with everyone what we think of this device. I think we've only just begun to scratch the surface -- we haven't even gotten into multiplayer games, WiFi connectivity, TiVoToGO and other cool features. But so far, we like what we see!

The Basics
The Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld entertainment device that you can download all kinds of content to, to enjoy wherever and whenever you want. Here are some of the things you can do with a PSP:

* Watch movies (you download the movies from the PlayStation Store; you can rent or own the movies).
* Access internet radio stations over a WiFi connection.
* Listen to music that you download from your computer or the PS3.
* Store and view photos, create slideshows from them and share them over a WiFi connnection.
* Store and view home digital videos.
* Watch your Tivo'd shows.
* Stream and watch live TV with Location Free TV.
* Play videogames.


The Bongga
My kids are loving the PSP! They're having so much fun playing the games we received -- Tetris, Rock Band, and more. I've already bought them Shaun White's snowboarding game for the PSP and they're eager to collect more!

Here's what I love about the PSP:

* The display is huuuuuge -- it's like the big-screen tv of portable videogames.

* The graphics are clear and crisp, no pixelation whatsoever.

* You can do so many things on it -- play music, play games, store photos, . It's sure to keep kids occupied during all those times

* You can download a significant amount of content from the web and from your computer directly onto the PSP, versus having to buy a physical product that you plug into the PSP.


The Blah
Here's what I would improve:

* The available games for the PSP are for older teenage boys. I wish they had more puzzle games or games with an educational slant, as well as more games geared for girls.

* I wish the game cartridges were compatible with the PS3.

* I find the game controls way too complicated and confusing. Buttons with x'es and o's, buttons with triangles and squares, more buttons on the sides and corners.... and some buttons differ in function with every game! Give me a touchscreen already!


The Bottom Line
The Playstation Portable by Sony more than just a videogame console! It's truly a one-stop, on-the-go entertainment system that will keep your kids amused for hours while you're out and about this summer.


Do you have a PSP? Do you want one? Do you have any feedback about the PSP to share? Any comment you leave here counts as an extra entry into my $50 PlayStation Network gift card giveaway!



Disclosure: I am participating in Sony's PSP Summer Family Fun blogger program; I received a "Summer Fun" kit which included a Sony Playstation Portable (PSP-3000) , an assortment of content (games and movies) for the PSP, as well as a journal and videocamera to capture our summer adventures. I have not been paid or required to review the product or give my opinions. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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