New PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) Comes With Advanced High Contrast LCD Screen and Built-In Microphone

Hitting the Market Worldwide in October 2008

PRNewswire
TOKYO
08/20/2008

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) today announced that it will launch a new PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system (PSP-3000) featuring an advanced LCD that further improves the very popular, high resolution PSP display. The new PSP will be available in stores in Japan, Asia, North America and Europe from October 2008.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020701/SFM066LOGO)

While inheriting the basic design and functionality of the current "slim and light" PSP, the image quality on the new LCD screen is dramatically enhanced, and a built-in microphone is added to meet the PSP users' demand to enjoy games and content with voice input functionality without the use of a separate microphone.

Offering the highest-level contrast ratio, response time, and wider color gamut possible on a portable LCD screen, the new PSP is capable of displaying movies and photos in more natural and vibrant colors on its high resolution 4.3 inch wide screen. The new LCD screen adopts an anti-reflection technology, which enables users to see the screen more clearly in well-lit places, even when used outdoors. The built-in microphone will allow users to easily enjoy games that utilize a microphone(*1), as well as Skype™(*2) and other communication tools. Through these additional and upgraded features, not only will the PSP user experience improve, but content creators also will have more flexibility to develop creative, entertainment content for the new PSP.

Further expanding PSP's entertainment capabilities, the video-out port(*3) is also expanded to output gameplay in interlace format, which will allow new PSP users to enjoy games on non-progressive TVs by using separately sold cables. With the current "slim and light" PSP, games can be displayed on progressive TVs only.

In addition to the basic "Piano Black" color, the new PSP will also come in "Pearl White" and "Mystic Silver"(*4) to meet variety of lifestyle and preference of all ages.

PSP is gaining overwhelming support from a wide range of users from all over the world through its exciting lineup of software titles as well as the introduction of color variations and network services. Since the launch of the "slim and light" PSP in September 2007, the expansion of the PSP platform has been further accelerated, and more than 41 million units have been sold as of June 2008.

SCEI will continue to expand the PSP platform and create a new world of computer entertainment with the new PSP, building on the strong lineup of new game titles launching through the holiday season.

  *1 Microphone function can be used on games that are compatible with
     headsets.
  *2 To enjoy Skype on PSP, users will require a Skype account, Memory Stick
     Duo™, 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/ region.


  PSP®(PlayStation®Portable) (PSP-3000) Product Overview

  Product name            PSP®(PlayStation®Portable)

  External dimensions     Approx. 169.4 x 18.6 x 71.4 mm / 6 3/4 x 3/4 x
                          2 3/4  in (width × height × depth) (excludes
                          largest projection)

  Weight                  Approx. 189g / 6.7 oz (including battery pack)

  CPU                     PSP CPU (System clock frequency 1-333MHz)

  Main memory             64MB

  Display                 4.3 inches (16:9) full-transparent type, TFT
                          drive,
                          480 x 272 pixel, Approximately 16,770,000 colors
                          displayed

  Sound                   Built-in stereo speakers

  Main input/ output      Wireless LAN (IEEE 802.11b)(Wi-Fi)
                          High Speed USB (USB2.0) (mini-B)
                          Memory Stick PRO Duo™
                          Analog Video Out
                          Microphone

  Main connectors         DC IN 5V connector
                          DC OUT connector
                          video out/headset connector
                          USB connector
                          Memory Stick Duo™ slot

  Key/ Switches           Directional buttons (up/down/right/left),
                           analog stick,
                          Action buttons (triangle, circle, cross, square),
                           L/R buttons
                          START button, SELECT button, PS button
                          POWER/HOLD switch, WLAN switch
                          display button, sound button, volume (+/-) buttons

  Power sources           Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery pack
                          AC adaptor
                          USB power supply

  Internal disc drive     Read-only UMD™ drive

  Supported profile       PSP® (PlayStation® Portable) Game
                          UMD™ Video

  Access control          Region code, parental control

  Wireless communications Infrastructure mode
                          Ad hoc mode (connects up to 16 consoles)

  Supplied accessories    AC adaptor
                          Battery pack (1200mAh)


  Supported codec (in Memory Stick)

  Video                -- Memory Stick Video Format
                          - MPEG-4 Simple Profile (AAC LC)
                          - H.264/MPEG-4 AVC Main Profile (AAC LC)
                       -- MP4 File Format
                          - MPEG-4 Simple Profile (AAC LC)
                          - H.264/MPEG-4 AVC Main Profile- CABAC only -
                            (AAC LC) / Baseline Profile (AAC LC)
                       -- AVI
                          - Motion JPEG (Linear PCM or u-Lau)

  Music                -- Memory Stick Audio Format
                          - ATRAC3™
                          - ATRAC3plus™
                          - MP3
                       -- MP3(MPEG-1/2 Audio Layer3)
                       -- MP4(MPEG-4 AAC)
                       -- WAVE(Linear PCM)
                       -- WMA(Windows Media® Audio 9 Standard only) (*5)

  Photo                -- JPEG (DCF2.0/Exif2.21compliant)
                       -- TIFF
                       -- BMP
                       -- GIF
                       -- PNG

  *5 WMA Playback feature needs to be enabled.


  PSP®(PlayStation®Portable) (PSP-3000) Color Variations

  Product name            PSP®(PlayStation®Portable)
  Color name              Piano Black
  Product code            PSP-3000 PB

  Product name            PSP®(PlayStation®Portable)
  Color name              Pearl White
  Product code            PSP-3000 PW

  Product name            PSP®(PlayStation®Portable)
  Color name              Mystic Silver
  Product code            PSP-3000 MS
  Design and specifications are subject to change without notice.


  About Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Recognized as the global leader and the company responsible for the progression of consumer-based computer entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) manufacturers, distributes and markets the PlayStation® game console, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system and the PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3®) system. PlayStation has revolutionized home entertainment by introducing advanced 3D graphic processing, and PlayStation 2 further enhances the PlayStation legacy as the core of home networked entertainment. PSP is an innovative handheld entertainment system that allows users to enjoy 3D games, with high-quality full-motion video, and high- fidelity stereo audio. PS3 is an advanced computer system, incorporating the state-of-the-art Cell processor with super computer level processing power. SCEI, along with its subsidiary divisions Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd., and Sony Computer Entertainment Korea Inc. develops, publishes, markets and distributes software, and manages third party licensing programs for these platforms in the respective markets worldwide. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. is an independent business unit of the Sony Group.

PlayStation, PLAYSTATION, PS3 and PSP are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. UMD (Universal Media Disc) is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, ATRAC3 and ATRAC3plus are trademarks of Sony Corporation.

Windows Media is either a registered trademark or a trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Skype is a trademark of Skype Limited.

All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

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Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020701/SFM066LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

SOURCE: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

CONTACT: Al de Leon of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.,
+1-650-655-7348

Web site: http://www.playstation.com/