@sandwiches:

*second

same here. I only play handhelds if im in the car or on a train

bird1988

I am curious as to how much sun it takes to charge one of these things. I used some solar stuff before, and anything that actually worked had to be specially wired to work on an absolute minimum of power.

Also, while it might be a charming notion in the Land of the Rising Sun, in the Land of the Falling Rain (Scotland) I fear it'll just get wet. Not that I ever game much outside anyway ^_^;

Darien_Shields

Does everyone only really use handhelds outside of the home? I almost never do. I love handheld games and play them almost exclusively in my own house.

Is that unusual?

sandwiches

@DCSimian: I thought the same thing!

But really, this is a good idea.

WiNGSPANTT

we used to use those exact solar panels where i once worked. you can DIY with a little research, soldering know how and for about half the price.

dafthero

Try leaving the (pitch black, heat absorbing) PSP in the burning summer sun alongside with that for, let's say, 2 hours. Try to touch it afterwards. Believe me, the chips inside like this even LESS than your, now probably aching, fingertips. I smell molten plastic.

Mendorian

Well, we all know what happened to Icarus...

marissa_melee

Huh... I think the crank power charger for the GBAsp was a bit more innovative

Xagest

HAHAHA solar power who does the PSP think we are Harvey Birdman?!!! the sun is our sworn enemy.

MURDERFACE

This is a great idea! and at only $28 it's kind of affordable! If it works I'd buy it...

auilix

Besides the fact that you could hardly see the PSP's screen, isn't the sun our natural enemy?

It is, truly, the last boss in the game of life.

doubtful

Umm... It has a built in Battery... You could always leave it, say on your windowsill and just plug it into your PSP when you need the extra power. It's great considering you can charge stuff at night due to the power storage. Plus you could also just grab it when you know your going to need a backup power source while gaming.

For the price it's nice, however there are better solar/battery products out there that can charge your DS/PSP/UsbDevices/Cellphone. That way you aren't limited to battery power for just your PSP.

Danjaranja

Saw the image before reading the title and thought 'holy crap, sony went dual-screen...'

DCSimian

@Mr. Fap☆Fap!: Nice way of putting for i thought for a split second Kid Icarus was coming to the PSP :P...
Just to correct an almost perfect comment though:
proceeded is actually prEceeded

Okinuza

OK, new rule for 2008:
Never use the word 'Icarus' unless it's proceeded by the words 'New Kid' and followed by the word 'Game'.

Otherwise you just dash everyone's hopes for a split second.
And that ain't cool, man. That ain't cool.

Mr. Fap☆Fap!

I just carry a spare battery with mine, slipped in the carry case (considering you'd be mad to take one out with you minus a protective case anyway) and it works just fine. It's rare I need that much power for my PSP away from home anyway.

TearsandScreams

Caution! The way these "solar chargers" usually work is the solar cell charges an internal battery, then you connect it to the PSP and flick a switch - at which point the solar cell is disconnected and the internal battery "charges" the PSP.

nemo20000

@Degreeless: Yeah and like others said sunlight + the PSP screen generally tends to = failure in visibility.

Granted perhaps it might have some sort of use, still though it is interesting. Perhaps if it had an extension cord it might be more useful lol.

Witzbold

@Witzbold: Rather takes away from the portable element of the PSP. It seems unweildy so you'd probably have to set it down and wait for it to charge... Perhaps on the window ledge in your office... Next to the plug socket where you could pop your charger in.

I'd rather just grin, bear it, and wait until I got somewhere I could plug my charger in. Those levels of Disgaea aren't going to run away while it's turned off.

Degreeless

Great so its like carrying around 2 psps!

Did they really find it necessary to make it that large? :x

Witzbold

For a moment, I thought the picture was a horrible mockup of the PSP, but that's actually what the charger looks like. So it's not a charger that you stick on your PSP, but rather a charger that you put your PSP battery in and leave it out to, uh... hope it doesn't rain?

MrPerson

Keep out an ear this summer and listen to the screams of thousands of PSP owners simultaneously howling upon returning with their cool glass of OJ to their "charging" PSP, merely to find a smoldering piece of black plastic stuck to their patio.

TheRedBayonet

@syl1985: I believe there already is one for the DS as well.

ampillion : works it harder, makes it better, does it faster, makes us stronger.

Now put it on the DS and you have a buyer!

syl1985

thats actually pretty handy

G_homes

I bet it only keeps it charged enough to keep playing.

Thassodar

How can you play a PSP in sunlight? You can hardly see the screen.

UnJamma6096

Oh man, this is rather hilarious. Although personally Id prefer to not leave my PSP out in the sun along with this thing.

Wonder how long it will take to charge.

Witzbold

There's also car chargers.

Anyway, I actually pretty much only use my DS when I'm inside. I get nauseous using it in a vehicle and... it's winter everywhere else.

dowingba

pretty sweet if it works :/.

theblade

That's pretty neat, especially if you're always gaming on the go. Would love to see something similar offered for the DS.

FatCatLim

My impulsiveness and curiosity drew me to this post, butu after thinking about it and thanks to an early-on-kotaku-poster, the practicality of this had some light shed on it. I mean come on, who the frick would want to leave their handheld in the sun? Much less play a DS or a PSP outside... I'm just going to post this rant and close the tab.

Zero2007