Sony Japan unveiled the PlayStation Portable PSP-3000, an improved version of the previous popular model, PSP. It will have an advanced LCD screen and a built-in microphone.
The PSP has been successful so far, especially in Japan where the sales are improving recently. The sales have doubled this year compared to the previous year. Many of them are using the PSP to listen to music, watch video and browse the Internet.
The new model PSP-3000 will push the sales even further. Sony plans to sell this new model on October 16 and will launch in the U.S. and Europe either at the same time or soon after, according to a senior Sony executive.
The current PSP is facing tough competition from Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii in Japan as well as worldwide; so Sony is expecting it can respond well with the new PSP-3000. The PSP-3000 will have an improved liquid crystal display with a built-in microphone, which the Skype users might like.
The price for the PSP-300 will be 19,800 Yen ($180) according to Shawn Layden, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Japan.
Layden told
reporters:
The PlayStation Portable can be called a PlayStation Personal...It has become a lifestyle tool for owners.
Sony also plans to introduce a service, which will allow users to play games against each other on their PSP’s via the Internet, according to Layden.
Sony has sold about 41 million PSP machines globally including 10 million in Japan. Nintendo has sold 77.5 million Nintendo DS handheld devices worldwide, nearly 23 million in Japan. Nintendo also has sold 100 million GameBoy series so far worldwide. The Wii console has been very successful, selling 29.6 million worldwide. PS3 sales are good but still lags far behind Wii at 14.4 million.
Microsoft is also competing hard in Japan; recently it cut prices for its Xbox 360 home consoles. It has sold about 20 million Xbox 360 machines but it didn’t disclose how much they sold in Japan.
Sony also previewed some games for the new PlayStation Portable such as “Gundam vs. Gundam” from Bandai Namco Games and “Dissidia Final Fantasy” from Square Enix Co. Both are supposed to be a part of games series very popular in Japan.
Here are some PSP-3000 specifications from Market Watch. For complete specifications, click
here.
1) Microphone function can be used on games that are compatible with headsets.
2) To enjoy Skype on PSP, users will need a Skype account, Memory Stick Duo(TM), a wireless Internet connection and a Headphone with Remote Control (PSP-S140) or Skype-compatible headphones. Users are recommended to speak closely to the microphone (approx. 10cm from the microphone).
3) Video output cables (AV cable/ S VIDEO cable/ D Terminal AV cable/ Component AV cable) are sold separately. Product lineup may differ by country/ region.
4) Color variations may differ by country.
5) It will have black, white and silver colors.
6) It has a high resolution 4.3 inch wide screen. The new LCD screen adopts an anti-reflection technology,
