Sony PSP2 – Hand-Held 3G Gaming Device

Last week, Sony unveiled the PSP2, the first hand-held gaming device that features 3G wireless connectivity. The 3G wireless capabilities enable the user to play other against gamers online through Internet connectivity. The device has been christened as Next Generation Portable (NGP) and it is an upgraded version of its PlayStation Portable (PSP) console.

According to an announcement by the company in Tokyo, the device will be available in market for sale later this year. However pricing details were not revealed during this announcement. The Company also declared that it would make PlayStation games available on other portable devices by the end of the year, through a system called PlayStation Suite.

Sony President and Group CEO Kazuo Hirai said, “We would like to introduce the new world that the PlayStation is about to realize.” At the conference, he also elaborated on the features of and business strategies for the NGP and the PS Suite. The NGP is a so-called “full-featured” portable game console, which is equipped with a variety of sensors and input devices to realize “ultimate immersion,” Hirai said.

As sensors that detect the user’s motions, the NGP has a three-axis acceleration sensor, gyro sensor and geomagnetic sensor. It therefore became possible to control a character or a viewpoint in a game by tilting the NGP. The NGP also has a camera that according to Sony was tuned for gaming on the front and back surfaces of the console. By combining those cameras with the motion sensors, it becomes possible to play AR games that capture the user’s motions, figures, etc.

The 3G wireless connectivity has been made available in a portable games device for the first time, The NGP will have following features:-

* Wi-fi and 3G connectivity
* Five-inch long OLED touch panel
* Rear panel touch pad
* Motion sensor
* Front and rear cameras
* Dual analogue sticks
* Oval design

Sony has declared that the new portable device will offer the same image quality and features that are currently available on home consoles like Sony’s PlayStation 3. According to Nobuo Kurahashi, who is an analyst at Mizuho Investors Securities pricing of the device will be a key issue. He said, “If the company prices it cheaper than Nintendo’s 3DS, it would be positive.” Nintendo is likely to launch a 3D version of its DS model next month.

Sony and Nintendo are hoping that their hand-held consoles will ward off rising competition from smart phones as well as tablets. The gaming device market share of Sony and Nintendo is currently facing stiff competition from smart phones and tablets from the likes of Apple that are denting the market for portable gaming devices, Sony and Nintendo are desperately seeking a super product to boost sales and profit. Nintendo’s DS sold nearly 136million units up to last September whereas Sony’s PSP has sold some 61million.
Source:http://www.islandcrisis.net/2011/02/sony-psp2-handheld-3g-gaming-device/