Griffin Adds PSP Lineup
Arguably the single best peripheral manufacturer for iPods is turning their attention to the PSP.
Published: March 16, 2006
Griffin Technology may not be a name you recognize, but if you're an iPod owner, it has to ring a bell. Here, we'll help you out: iTrip? No? Little white thing you attach to the top of your iPod to send the audio to a radio station? No? Nothing? Bueller? Well, it's awesome, and now, it's coming to the PSP, along with PSP-ised versions of two other accessories: the iFM and SmartShare.
The iTrip we've already described, but Griffin redesigned it so the PSP actually sits in the unit. With the iTrip acting as a cradle, the system beams whatever's pumping out of your PSP at the time out over a local radio channel that you can pick. Fancy, no?
The iFM adds something that Creative's MP3 players have had (and iPods should have had) for years: FM tuning. Along with a standard pass-through for attaching your own headphones, the iFM unit actually works like a breakout remote control (much like unit that comes with the PSP), allowing you to switch radio stations and control music playback without actually fishing the PSP out of your pocket.
The SmartShare is a cheap way to split the audio signal to two sets of headphones, though here you'll get independent volume control for each audio jack -- handy for when you want to watch a movie with your nerve-deafened grandfather without going deaf yourself.
"The PSP's popularity continues to grow and break new ground for fans of gaming, movies, and music," gushed Paul Griffin, CEO of Griffin Technology. "Griffin's goal is to make accessories that are as high end as the system itself. We want to genuinely enhance the playing, viewing, and listening experience for the enthusiasts of the system."
The iTrip and iFM both go for about $50 a pop, while the SmartShare is less than $15. We'll have hardware reviews of both here soon.
The iTrip we've already described, but Griffin redesigned it so the PSP actually sits in the unit. With the iTrip acting as a cradle, the system beams whatever's pumping out of your PSP at the time out over a local radio channel that you can pick. Fancy, no?
The iFM adds something that Creative's MP3 players have had (and iPods should have had) for years: FM tuning. Along with a standard pass-through for attaching your own headphones, the iFM unit actually works like a breakout remote control (much like unit that comes with the PSP), allowing you to switch radio stations and control music playback without actually fishing the PSP out of your pocket.
The SmartShare is a cheap way to split the audio signal to two sets of headphones, though here you'll get independent volume control for each audio jack -- handy for when you want to watch a movie with your nerve-deafened grandfather without going deaf yourself.
"The PSP's popularity continues to grow and break new ground for fans of gaming, movies, and music," gushed Paul Griffin, CEO of Griffin Technology. "Griffin's goal is to make accessories that are as high end as the system itself. We want to genuinely enhance the playing, viewing, and listening experience for the enthusiasts of the system."
The iTrip and iFM both go for about $50 a pop, while the SmartShare is less than $15. We'll have hardware reviews of both here soon.
