Sony PSPs dished out to Royal Navy as study aides

Posted by Chris Smith on Fri 27 Nov 2009

Anyone fancy a game of Battleships?

The Royal Navy has begun handing out Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) consoles to seabound servicemen to help them study for exams in the confined conditions of a warship.

The handheld, pocket devices have been kitted-out with specially-designed programmes made-up of slides and commentaries to allow sailors to swat-up from the relative comfort of a bunk bed.

Marine warfare engineering technicians were the first to get the consoles, with around 230 dished out at a cost of £50,000. As well as a space-saving operation, commanding officers believe that the consoles will provide more incentive to study.

Commander Trevor Price said: "We are working on the premise that looking at a book is now seen as dull and boring,” he said. “When I was at school you sat at your desk and you did your work and that was it.”

The idea was developed by the maritime warfare school at HMS Collingwood in Hampshire and, if successful, will see more PSPs distributed among the fleet.

Link: Royal Navy (via Telegraph)