Sony on Tuesday unveiled the new evolution of its PSP handheld gaming device. Dubbed the PSP Go, the model hopes to compete with Nintendo’s market-leading DS and fend off Apple’s iPhone and iPod touch.
The PSP Go will come to market Oct. 1 and sell for $250. That compares to $169 for the current PSP-3000 edition, but Sony has added some bells and whistles it is betting will make up for the price hike.
Sony is positioning the PSP Go as the ideal solution for customers on the go who want on-demand entertainment. Sony is responding to a market trend for digital content in slimmer form factors by replacing the hard drive with 16GB of flash memory. Consumers can store games, videos, music and photos on the device.
Download on Demand
The evolved PSP is much smaller and lighter than previous versions. The pocket-sized device includes a sliding display panel. When open, users can interact with digital content via button controls akin to the PSP-3000.
When closed, applications designed specifically for the PSP Go, such as a clock and calendar, are displayed on the screen. Users can also watch video and listen to music when the panel is closed.
The PSP Go also features a game sleep function that lets users operate the Xross MediaBar while temporarily pausing game play. Users can even connect Bluetooth standard peripherals such as headphones and a PS3 wireless controller.
Sony Plans New Content
Sony said its in-house developers, as well as third-party publishers, will add new content to the PlayStation Store. Sony promised more new and attractive titles for download by the time the PSP Go launches this fall, including games, free demos, original PlayStation classics for PSP, add-on items for game titles, and trailers.
Beyond accessing content via the PlayStation Store directly from the PSP, Sony said consumers can also…