Sony has unveiled a prototype of its PSP during a presentation to U.S. investors in New York, with Ken Kutaragi reiterating the idea this console will be “the Walkman of the future”.

Kutaragi, Sony’s executive deputy president and head of its gaming business, also said the firm plans to eventually add telecommunications features to PSP, suggesting the console would also have mobile phone functionality.

The concept model displayed at the presentation was a one-piece device, with a bright colour screen roughly 4.5 inches (11.4 cm) in diameter.

“PSP will not be one kind of product,” Kutaragi told Reuters. It is a platform of related devices with the capacity to add or subtract features, he said, while stressing that final design details are not expected to be revealed until later.

The presentation also saw Sony reiterate plans to restore profitability at the company.

Above: Concept design of the PSP

Sony Europe’s recently-appointed head Chris Deering has given a global launch date target for the company's hotly anticipated handheld console, the PSP.

"The target date for its global launch is November 2004," Deering is quoted as saying in an interview published on Sony's own website, although he conceded that this was not an officially confirmed date. He described the PSP as the "Walkman of the next century; it brings TV quality of portable gaming into existence for the first time."

On the question of compatibility, Deering commented: "It's true that PSP is not directly compatible with PSone or PlayStation 2, but it may have several areas of compatibility, through the Memory Stick, with PSX."

He also commented on the approaching arrival of Sony's other new product, the PSX, saying: "The signs in Japan are that the interest in PSX is rapidly skyrocketing; the hits on the website, the pre-orders on the mail order side of the business, the .com delivery method, as well as pre-orders in stores would suggest that there's a revolution about to happen, and we're very excited that it's coming to Europe."

Sony has announced that the PSP, its new handheld console, won’t be released in Europe or North America in time for the Christmas shopping period, as previously expected.

However, a PSP prototype is set to make its debut at this year’s E3 in Los Angeles in May and it will ship in Japan before the end of the year.

Developers such as Activision, THQ and Electronic Arts have all pledged their support to the PSP.

Kuju Entertainment has erected a team specifically to handle development of games for Sony’s forthcoming PSP platform.

The team will initially be working on the development of technology, tools and engines which will underpin future Kuju PSP products. PSP is expected to launch in PAL regions in early 2005.

Jonathan Newth, managing director of Kuju enthused: “Kuju is always at the forefront of technology development and we are very excited to be working on PSP. We are working closely with Sony on the new platform and hope to unveil some early work in progress over the coming months.”

The PSP’s first major public appearance is scheduled at the Tokyo Game Show in the autumn of 2004. It will play games, movies, and music and perform other, as yet unconfirmed functions.

 

KEY PSP TECHNICAL DISCUSSIONS SLATED FOR SEPT By Ali Wood Posted: 16/7/2004 at 15:45:57 GMT Head to Austin Game Conference…   The PSP will go under the microscope at this year’s Austin Game Conference in September, with the “most detailed technical discussion yet” promised. Sony will hold a talk entitled Programming the PlayStation Portable, with key speeches from David Coombes, senior developer support engineer and Peter Young, developer support engineer. According to blurb from the Austin Game Conference website, the presentation will “detail the architecture and design of the PSP to as great an extent as possible. Key features that will impact game design decisions will be highlighted. “This is Sony’s most detailed public technical discussion of the PSP and developing for the PSP to date," it says. "Important product-related considerations will be discussed. Software APIs and example product code will be illustrated.” This week Sony announced the PSP will support Talkman, which translates spoken input into another language and plays it through the console’s speaker. Also, the PSP’s wireless technology will allow up to 16 players to compete simultaneously. The Austin Game Conference takes place in Austin, Texas September 9-10 2004

PSP  by Sony - the future of handheld gaming?