Long read: The beauty and drama of video games and their clouds

"It's a little bit hard to work out without knowing the altitude of that dragon..."

If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

Sony quiet on PSP email and GPS

US mag says both this year.

The US PlayStation Magazine's reporting that Sony's going to launch a PSP email service and release a GPS adapter - both before the end of 2006.

In a cutting scanned onto forums Stateside, the magazine claims that "Sony Mail" will be a built-in email program installed through a firmware update.

It doesn't sound like your average mess of POP3/IMAP setup pages and return-to address worries though; Sony Mail will apparently use a manufacturing ID unique to your PSP as an identifier, and then allow you to associate a name with that account.

Presumably it'll then communicate with the wider world using some sort of server-side mail voodoo.

GPS, meanwhile, will be available through a USB adapter - similar to the one shown at E3 2004. There'll be a UMD featuring software and street data, with updates to the data released on separate UMDs.

At least, that's what the magazine says. We know Sony's mentioned both email and GPS before, but right now the company isn't prepared to confirm PSM's report, which cites "sources familiar with the PSP's US product management".

"We don't have any further information at the moment on any further PSP services/peripherals. We'll make an official announcement when there is more news," said a Sony UK spokesperson.