E3: PSP Revealed

Sony has announced the specifications of its new PlayStation Portable console to attendees at this year’s E3 in Los Angeles – we can confirm that the new console is indeed region-locked, so won’t play games from other markets.


Some prototype peripherals were also on display with the console: a keyboard, camera and even a GPS unit (presumably so that kids can answer that perennial question for themselves: are we there yet?).


With a launch in Japan by the end of 2004, followed by European and US launches Spring 2005, it won’t be long before consumers get their hands on these to see what they’re like for themselves.



PSP™ Product Specifications Product Name:  PlayStation®Portable (PSP)   Color: 		Black   Dimensions: 	Approx. 170 mm (L) x 74 mm (W) x 23 mm (D)   Weight:  		Approx. 260 g (including battery)   CPU: 		PSP CPU (System clock frequency 1~333MHz)   Main Memory: 	32MB   Embedded DRAM:	4MBDisplay: 		4.3 inch, 16:9 widescreen TFT LCD 		480 x 272 pixel (16.77 million colors) 		Max. 200 cd/m2 (with brightness control)  Speakers:  	Built-in stereo speakers  Main Input/Output: IEEE 802.11b (Wi-Fi) 		USB 2.0 (Target) 		Memory Stick™ PRO Duo 		IrDA  		IR Remote (SIRCS)    Disc Drive: 	UMD Drive (Playback only)  Profile: 		PSP Game 		UMD Audio 		UMD Video  Main Connectors: 	DC OUT 5V  		Terminals for charging built-in battery  		Headphone/Microphone/Control connector Keys/Switches: 	Directional buttons (Up/Down/Right/Left)Analog pad 		Enter keys (Triangle, Circle, Cross, Square) 		Left, Right keys 		START, SELECT, HOME 		POWER On/Hold/Off switch 		Brightness control, Sound Mode, Volume +/- 		Wireless LAN On/Off switch 		UMD Eject  Power: 		Built-in lithium-ion battery, AC adaptor  Access Control:  	Region Code, Parental Control  Accessories: 	Stand 		Headphone with remote commander 		Headphone with remote commander and microphone 		External battery pack 		Case 		StrapUMD Specifications Dimensions: 	Approx. 65 mm (W) x 64 mm (D) x 4.2 mm (H)   Weight: 		Approx. 10g   Disc Diameter:  	60 mm   Maximum Capacity:	1.8GB (Single-sided, dual layer)  Laser wavelength: 	660nm (Red laser)   Encryption: 	AES 128bit

Published by

Fraser Lovatt

Fraser Lovatt has spent the last fifteen years working in publishing, TV and the Internet in various capacities, and believes that they will be seperate platforms for at least a while yet. His main interests at the moment are exploring where Linux is taking home entertainment and how technology is conferring technical skills on more and more people. Fraser Lovatt was born in the same year that 2001: A Space Odyssey was delighting and confusing people in the cinemas, and developed a lifelong love of technology as soon as he realised that things could be taken apart, sometimes put back together again, but mostly left in bits or made into something the original designer hadn't quite planned upon. At school he was definitely in the ZX Spectrum/Magpie/BMX camp, rather than the BBC Micro/Blue Peter/well-behaved group. This is all deeply ironic as he later went on to spend nine years working at the BBC. After a few years of working as a bookseller in Scotland, ("Back when it was actually a skilled profession" he'll tell anyone still listening), he moved to England for reasons he can't quite explain adequately to himself. After a couple of publishing jobs punctuated by sporadic bursts of travelling and photography came the aforementioned nine years at the BBC where he specialised in internet technologies and video. These days his primary interests are Java, Linux, videogames and pies - and if they're not candidates for convergence, then what is?