So along with lots of clothes, print books, and a lot of furniture from a desk to stainless steel sinks, the PSP I’ve owned since I replaced my drowned-one from last summer’s dip in the lake during a fishing vacation is now the property of GameStop, along with several games that my wife had no interest in.

Now, some people might say this was a savvy positioning move, what with Sony launching their new mobile gaming system, the PS Vita, this coming holiday season. But that’s not why I did it. Frankly, I’m just not interested in that type of game system anymore. Not when I have my Droid.

So, no more PSP reviews here, folks; and don’t expect any PS Vita reviews, either. I’ve officially moved on.

Put a nail in it. You’ll spend your time better in pursuit of ways to buy gold online.

Here’s the real reason, though; between my Kindle 3 and my T-Mobile G2 with Google by HTC Android phone, I have plenty of ways to game without hauling out my old PSP, which is bulky and simply not fun. Why pay even $20 for PSP games when I can hop on my Android market and get a free demo that might set me back $3-$5 if I really like it?

The good news for Sony is that they have seen the writing on the wall; that’s why they’re introducing the new Sony Ericcson Xperia PLAY line of Android-powered gaming cell-phones. It’s the company’s last-ditch attempt to become relevant again in mobile gaming. I have yet to see a unit, but I am given to understand that the Xperia PLAY has the PlayStation Store built in and runs games that are at least as impressive as anything ever released on PSP, if not moreso.

The trouble is that Sony seems intent on keeping their games aimed at the Xperia PLAY phones, rather than open to the entire Android Market as a whole. That’s not a good sign, as only a small segment of that market is going to be willing to jump over to the Xperia PLAY just to get Sony games. And if they don’t scale their prices to become “in line” with the rest of the Android gaming market, which means virtually nothing more than $9.99, Sony’s battle could be lost before they’ve even suited up for battle.

I suspect Sony’s time would be better-spent focusing on the PlayStation 4 than trying to break into the Android Market with overpriced games that only play on their own Android phones.

So what would reinvigorate my interest in the PSP platform? Good question.

First, it’s time for an all-new PSP with beefier stats all the way around. Forget about maintaining backward compatibility and focus on making the new platform as cool and modern as possible. Pay attention to what iPhone and Droid are doing that works, and then improve upon it.

In fact, I’d recommend Sony forming a partnership with Google on the next PSP, so that it can use the Android OS and have access to the entire Android market. Sony could then make their own game apps available not just to new PSP2 owners, but the entire Android market.

So what would make PSP a must-have if it had to compete against the Droid X and the emerging tablet market like the Samsung Galaxy? Simple. Make PSP2 the most gamer-friendly mini-tablet on the market. That way, the selling point can be that it is capable of everything a normal Android phone or tab can do, plus all these exclusive “Sony extras.”

For example, while Sony could make all their game apps available on the Android market, they could make feature-loaded versions available exclusively on the PlayStation Store, which only Sony PSP2 owners had access to. That way, the hardcore gamer gets something extra, but the casual gamer that owns a Droid X or a Samsung Galaxy is still a potential market for Sony apps … a market Sony currently has no access to, even through PSP Go.

In fact, instead of calling it PSP2, they could make the new product launch a clearer departure by calling it something related, but different. Like… I don’t know… The Sony PlayStation Tab!

And here’s the clincher; here’s what could really make a Sony PlayStation Tab a hot seller. Instead of going the cell-phone route, follow the eReader market model, and offer the Sony PlayStation Tab in two flavors: WiFi Only or 3G + WiFi. And cover the 3G bill for those who adopt the 3G+WiFi model, the way Amazon does for Kindle and Barnes and Noble does for Nook.

Imagine: the full Android OS and market, free wireless gaming (no data plan to purchase), plus access to enhanced games through the PlayStation Store. It could be an all-in-one gadget… eReader, app platform, gaming tab, and more.

With the data rates that wireless companies are charging consumers, suddenly a deal like that would make the Sony PlayStation Tab a really hot item on everyone’s list.

Much as I’ve loved PSP over the years, it’s just way behind the game compared to Android phones or even iPhones/iPod Touches.

I like having games that follow me on the go. I’m just not sure the PSP is doing the trick for me anymore.

I have been playing the same game in my PSP without switching it out for something new for over a year now.

I mean, sure, Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness is a great game, but not that great. No game is. And it’s sad because if my interest in PSP were any lower right now, I’d have to file for a disability appeal. Or something.

What does the PSP need, besides completely new hardware, reimagined from the ground up, and that doesn’t rely completely on electronic delivery? How about a coolness factor makeover? And most importantly… lots more games… not cruddy bloatware, but games that make gamers want to get something new for their system.

First up is Blazing Souls Accelate, by Arksys, a Tactics-style RPG that fits right into my particular tastes. It looks and feels like Disgaea, which makes it an intriguing title, but I’ll be sure to know more about it before I buy. You never can tell… or be too careful.

One of the better upcoming titles for sure – because it’s from Atlus – is Knights In the Nightmare, a true Tactics-style RPG in the Disgaea tradition. Now THAT’s what I’m talking about!

One miraculous upcoming release that I didn’t anticipate is the PSP-exclusive title, The 3rd Birthday, which is actually the long long long long long-awaited sequel to none other than horror RPG Parasite Eve! Yup!! SquareEnix is bringing back their classic horror RPG series that never lasted beyond the lifespan of the original PlayStation, because the primary creators behind it broke off from Square and became the team behind such independent horror RPG titles as Koudelka on PSone and the Shadow Hearts series on PS2.

The Aruze development group broke up after the third Shadow Hearts installment and I don’t know if the team has been reunited by SquareEnix for The Third Birthday, or if it’s an entirely new team, but anything that brings Aya Brea back to life is worth putting at the top of my PSP must-have list.

Looking into 2011, such titles as Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together and Lord of Arcana also give me hope, since that means SquareEnix, at least, is committed long-term to the PSP platform with some potential kick-butt titles.

I just haven’t been seeing much in the way of fresh, exciting, must-have PSP titles of late. The iPod Touch effect is finally starting to catch up, I think… and with inferior games, at that.

I’m not saying I’d trade in my PSP for a nice supply of fat loss supplements just yet; I still enjoy the games I have on it. But with new toys like my iPod (though I went nano, not Touch) and my Amazon Kindle… well, the ol’ PSP has just kind of lost some of its appeal, I guess.

Maybe at 44, I’m just not as interested in videogames as I used to be; I don’t know. Maybe it’s just a funk and it’ll pass.

Fortunately, I had the wherewithal to replace it with a shiny refurbished PSP-3000 without spending a ton of money. Yay! I did not opt for the slick PSP Go! because I hate the “Your UMDs Are No Good To Us, Buy The Games Again” business model Sony adopted with that platform.

So I now have a great, tidy PSP-3000 and couldn’t be happier with it. It charged quickly, the screen does indeed appear to be brighter and GameStop even had it updated with the latest system software. I’m ready to rock-n-roll again! Still, losing my old friend was a bit of an appetite suppressants for a couple days.

Trouble is, Item World is almost too addictive, like the appeal of setting money aside in a health savings account. I’ve leveled up weapons for all my party members, but in the process, found even better weapons that also needed leveling up along the way and, well, at what point does one say, “Enough’s enough! Let’s get back to the narrative already!”

Well, umm… I’m not there yet, even though I know I ought to be. After leveling up 2-3 rounds of weapons for my party members, I’m now starting on armor… OY, the endless power-up possibilities… I’ll never get past it to take on another Disgaea title!

That’s easy. As much as I love the two Disgaea titles on PSP, I’d have to say that the most overlooked RPG on Sony’s handheld system, the one least in need of stretch marks cream, is Shin Megami Tensei: Persona.

It’s so fun and so addictive and so loaded with gameplay and great music, that in the six months or so we’ve owned it, my wife hasn’t even let me go near it; that’s how much she loves playing it! And my wife is not normally a fan of turn-based RPGs, so that’s saying something.

Currently, I’m laboring away in Item World on Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness, leveling up my weapons and armor endlessly so that I can eventually advance in the storyline. Fortunately, Item World is fun.

The current unit I own is a second-generation PSP Slim, and while the PSP Go is available, I have no interest in giving up my UMD library, so screw that. Once this PSP Slim goes down, I will most likely go for a third-generation PSP instead, which is a PSP Slim on diet pills.

The Sony PSP has become a handheld favorite of mine due in large part to the heavy load of crap and kiddie titles that litter Nintendo DSi shelves, making it impossible to find the titles on that platform that I might actually like; PSP’s library may not be as massive, but there’s a lot more games I actually like and want to play on it.

I’ve owned two PSPs to date, not counting the two my wife has owned. I don’t necessarily look forward to shelling out for one again, but I use it so much, it’s to be expected. And since I chose iPod nano instead of iPod Touch this last time out, I’m in no danger of going app-crazy and forgetting my lovely PSP anytime soon.

First unleased in January 2000, The Sims is a “life simulator” that allows you to control electronic people from the comfort of your real-world TV. Just entering its third official iteration, The Sims 3, the series has been a huge and consistent seller for publisher EA Games, even though they never really put it on a discounted sale.

That’s because the game itself is just loads of fun; too many people get sadistic pleasure, for example, out of forcing a sim to pee itself, or leading it into a room, then removing all the doors and windows and sources of food, water or cleansing and watching the little thing go ape until it “died.”

Once EA realized this, they of course nurtured it by offering even more amusing “torture your sim” animations and scenarios. Sure, plenty of folks play the game more straight-up, but that’s the beauty of the franchise; there’s no “wrong” way to play it.