Sony PSP Unofficial Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) List

Q: How big and how heavy is the PSP?

6.7 in. wide, 2.9 in. high x .9 in. deep

It weighs approximately 280g = .62 lbs, which includes the battery.

Q: What is the processor in a PSP?

It has two MIPS R4000 processors that can run as fast as 333 MHz. These are:

the CPU Core, which has 8MB of RAM built-in.
the Media Engine, which has 2MB of RAM built-in.

It is believed that some of the time these processor run at half-speed to conserve power and prevent overheating.

Q: How much RAM does it have?

The system has 32MB of RAM.

Q: What is the screen resolution?

It's a 4.3 inch display. 480 by 272 pixels (total 130560 = 0.12MP), 24-bit color.

Q: How long does the battery last?

It various depending on what you're doing.

Q: How robust is the web browser?

Not very: it doesn't support Flash or SSL or complicated websites.

Q: Is there an external keyboard?

Yes, although it may already be discontinued. It is made by Logic3 and is being sold here. It's also mentioned here.

Additionally, an engineer has found a way to connect a full-size keyboard to the PSP. The story is here.

Q: Does the MP3 player support playlists?

Yes.

Q: Can you stow the PSP in its case while listening to music?

Yes.

Q: What video formats does it support?

h264 and MPEG4, same as the video iPod.

Q: What audio formats does it support?

MP3, AAC.

Q: Can I watch TV on my PSP?

There is something like that for Japanese owners. Info here.

Q: Is there a screen protector to prevent scratching?

Yes, there is an official screen protector that costs about US $8. However scratches are inevitable.

Q: How do I manage media files (music, video) on the PSP?

Originally you had to just copy files to and from the PSP. Now Sony has released PSP Media Manager, which is like iTunes. It's mentioned here.

Q: Can I connect the PSP to a TV?

There are 3 devices for doing this. Both devices are sold at Lik Sang online. See here.

PSP2TV requires that you open up the PSP which is a bad idea since it's a pain and voids your warranty. You could certainly do it, but if you ever had to get your PSP serviced, you'd have to remove it. Link here.
PSP-on-TV. This one just looks goofy. It's here.
The Blaze devices is cheaper and does not void your warranty.

Q: Where do I get PSP gear?

Besides retail stores, the best place seems to be online at Lik Sang:
lik-sang.com.
Here is their review at ResellerRatings.com. Not super, but not bad either.

Q: Has the UMD format been cracked?

It would seem so: Link.

Q: Is there a PSP Emulator available yet?

The PSP is really too new for an emulator to have been developed.

Q: Can I run Linux on a PSP?

Only on the first one or two versions of the PSP. Later firmware prevents it. The main site (psp-linux.org) was down last I checked, but here is a related one.

Q: Are there viruses that target the PSP?

Yes. Read this article.

Q: Is there a calculator program?

Here is a free calculator. As always, be careful about what you download to your PSP.

Q: Is Sony a bad company?

Well there's certainly incompetent from a business perspective. They insist on foisting their proprietary standards on the public, from BluRay to MemoryStick to MiniDisc, all the way back to Betamax, in a bid to control the market through intellectual property ownership. It's a perfectly legal but fairly heinous tactic that has continually backfired for them. Many people avoid Sony's products altogether because of their behavior.