Courtesy of last week's E3 show in L.A. a wealth of new information, on Sony's upcoming PSP handheld console was released. This information included the final hardware specs for the unit, the first images, the names of the first new titles to appear for the console and some gloomy predictions on the console's profitability during its first few years, from Sony.
More importantly we also got a more specific glimpse at Sony's launch schedule for the handheld. PSP is scheduled to be launched in Japan in the end of 2004, followed by the North American and European launches in the spring of 2005.
We also found out that Sony did not succumb to developer pressure and stuck to the 32 Mb RAM it had initially announced.
By following the Screens tab above, you can view the latest full-sized images of the console and of the game packaging.
We have put all the new information on the PSP together in one concise report in order to prepare the ground for PSPs arrival. Follow the link below and to the right to find the full detailed specs of the unit.
PSP Hardware :
PSP comes in a black color, with a 16:9 widescreen TFT LCD centered in a sleek ergonomic design with a high quality finish that fits comfortably in the hands. The dimensions are 170mm x 74mm x 23mm with a weight of 260g. PSP features a high quality TFT LCD that displays full-color (16.77 million colors) on a 480 x 272 pixel high-resolution screen. It also comes complete with the basic functions of a portable player such as built-in stereo speakers, exterior headphone connector, brightness control and sound mode selection. Keys and controls inherit the same operability of PlayStation and PlayStation 2, familiar to fans all over the world.
PSP also comes equipped with diverse input/output connectors such as USB 2.0, and 802.11b (Wi-Fi) wireless LAN, providing connectivity to various devices in the home and to the wireless network outside. The world of gaming is further enhanced by enabling users to enjoy on-line gaming, or by connecting multiple PSPs to each other, directly via the wireless network. In addition, software and data can be downloaded through a USB or wireless network onto Memory Stick PRO Duo. All of these features can be enjoyed on one single system.
PSP adopts a small but high capacity optical medium UMD (Universal Media Disc), enabling game software, rich with full motion video and other forms of digital entertainment content, to be stored. The newly developed UMD, the next generation compact storage media, is only 60mm in diameter but can store up to 1.8GB of digital data. A broad range of digital entertainment content such as music video clips, movies and sports programs can be provided on UMD. To protect this entertainment content, a robust copyright protection system has been developed which utilizes a combination of a unique disc ID, a 128 bit AES encryption keys for the media, and individual ID for each PSP hardware unit.
SCEI intends to aggressively promote PSP and UMD as the new handheld entertainment platform for the coming era.
PSP Product Specifications
Product Name: PlayStationPortable (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: 4MB
Display: 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 IN 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
Strap
E3 Prototype Exhibition: USB Camera for PSP
USB GPS for PSP
USB Keyboard for PSP
UMD 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
Profile: PSP Game (full function)
UMD Audio (codec ATRAC3plus, PCM, (MPEG4 AVC))
UMD Video (codec MPEG4 AVC, ATRAC3plus,
Caption PNG)
