if that's true, I may pay. but there are taxes on apple songs here..

My mistake, I'm not an Itunes user so just imagined you could do it in any program. I can't think of anything off by hand, but I'll check with the other IT people at work next time in in.

There are apps which strip the DRM off the file but I have noticed there is a distinct difference in tone when people refer to their Ipods and DRM to computer games and DRM.

IMO there is no difference in argument but it is more acceptable even though there are just as many limitations from Apples satanic overpriced DRM system and overpriced MP3 players but people just overlook it.

PSP > iPod touch.

Correction: SOME people overlook it. I don't. If someone ever gave me an iPod, I'd take it back to the store, if possible, or give it to somebody else if not. I don't want to touch that iCrap.

I had a 2nd generation iPod, but never used it.
I suppose I have an iPhone now, but I'm not much of a listen-to-music-on-the-go kind of guy.

I really don't like looking at the PSP as a portable media player, because as one it lacks one of the most basic features that come with nearly every PMP.
a sync cable.
Certainly it is just a mini-usb cable, but the system itself does not come with one, meaning of course if you don't have one, in order to use your PSP as a PMP you have to spend extra money on that cable.
It's a great media player, and I love the screen, but the fact that it requires that purchase before you can use it as a media player, really limits it imo.

Don't you also have to buy a memory card to store media on though? Surely its basically the same deal. Or even irrelevant to some people, I know I never sync my PDA to transfer data, my memory card reader is faster & easier to handle than sync software.
I suppose it was a bit annoying to have to buy the adapter so I can plug headphones into my touch cruise (it's only got a mini-usb) but it was hardly a long term annoyance.

It's a standard micro usb cable... pretty much everyone has dozens of them at home, so why include another one. And if you really don't want to, then many memory stick packages include an USB adapter.
Yes, you have to buy the memory sticks separately (although there's one included with some psp packages), but for me that's really a big plus and a requirement that I have for every media player I own: external memory.
On the other hand, if you don't intend to play any games, then there's little point to buy a PSP, as there are many good smaller players around. But if you carry the PSP anyway, the media player is a nice addition.

Technically you don't need a sync cable, it's true, you could just use a memory card reader, but still can constitute as another purchase for some people.
this is a generalization that I can't agree with. The only reason I have a single miniusb cable is because of my sony digital camera i got years ago, they aren't as plentiful as you think.

What about PipBoy? Nobody wants to PipBoy here? :P

Well actually I am planning to get a leather case for my PDA and modify it so it can be strapped to my wrist and I DO plan on calling it my pipboy...

Also, there is more than one standard. At least two different miniUSB plugs, as well as a microUSB plug. Add to that that not all cables with compatible plugs are wired the same internally. At least I've had the experience of using a cable from another piece of hardware that did fit, but did not work.
Standardization, damnit! I hate the fact that hardware manufacturers can't just agree to a fucking standard and then stick to it. I don't buy anything that uses memory sticks either. SD, all the way.

Never had any issues with cables fitting but not working (although that's something that wilol happen with USB 3.0). As far as I know, there are two mini (as in smaller than a normal usb plug, bot necessarily names mini usb) usb standards, the one with the square end, the other with the thin end (never bothered to look up a name). Sony always using the one with the thin end, for everything from cellphones over PDAs (Clié for the win) and PSP to PS3 and cameras.

I think it's actually miniusb-b.. the actual name..
I mean, sure if you're a sony fan boy, you got bajillions of them, but if you're a neophyte, you probably don't.
hahaha. my brother got himself a psp and he didn't even know what the cable was that he needed, after living with me and watching me hack my own psp.