Sony PSP Go! Gets Official At E3

Sony have officially announced the PSP Go!, and as expected it's the smaller, entirely-digital sibling to the PSP-3000.  Rocking a sliding form-factor with a 3.8-inch LCD display, 16GB of onboard memory, WiFi and Bluetooth and a M2 Memory Stick Micro slot, the PSP Go! drops the UMD slot from previous versions and as such is 50-percent smaller than the original PSP and 40-percent lighter.Videos after the cut

From this point on, PSP games will be launched in both UMD and digital formats, through a new desktop app called Media Go that will sync with the PlayStation Network, as well as directly to the PSP Go! itself.  Video will also be supported, with more than 9,400 TV shows and 1,900 movies on offer, together with an automatic music playlist borrowed from Sony Ericsson's cellphones, called Sense Me.

The Sony PSP Go! will hit shelves in the US and Europe on October 1st, followed by a November 1st launch in Japan.  It'll be priced at $249 and €249, and available in white and black.

Press Release:

PSP go® PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) Evolves To Match the Digital Lifestyle

With an Ultra-Portable Design and Digital Content Focus, PSPgo to Hit the Worldwide Market This Fall, Further Enhancing the User Experience Along with PSP-3000

LOS ANGELES, Calif., June 2, 2009 –Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) today unveiled PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) go (PSP-N1000), a new evolution of PSP handheld entertainment system, specifically designed to suit the digital lifestyle of consumers who enjoy downloadable content on the go. PSPgo will become available in stores on October 1, 2009, in North America, Europe/ PAL territories and Asian countries and regions at a recommended retail price (RRP) of US$249 and €249, and on November 1, 2009, in Japan at a RRP of 26,800 yen (including tax). With both the existing PSP-3000 and new PSPgo, the company will further enhance the ultimate gaming and entertainment experiences on the go while providing consumers with the opportunity to choose the PSP system that's right for them.

PSPgo is ideal for today's on-the move consumers who prefer not to carry around disc-based content and are looking for on-demand entertainment. With the steady expansion of broadband network infrastructure, the number of users who download and enjoy digital entertainment content has been increasing remarkably. To address this growing trend, PSPgo replaces the UMD drive*1 with 16GB of flash memory to store a variety of digital entertainment content, offering users unlimited possibilities of portable digital entertainment delivered through PlayStation®Network. PSPgo, smaller and lighter than ever with a sophisticated design featuring an easy sliding display panel, is truly pocket-sized and can be taken everywhere. PSPgo will be available in Piano Black and Pearl White*2, two of the most popular colors since the launch of the PSP system in 2004. Along with PSP-3000, PSPgo will further enhance the unmatched portable gaming and entertainment experience by offering users more opportunity to enjoy their favorite entertainment content such as games, videos, music and photos anytime, anywhere.

In order to meet the needs of the growing number of PlayStation®Network users looking for digital entertainment content, SCE along with third party developers and publishers will continue to enhance the content line-up within PlayStation®Store for the launch of PSPgo, scheduled this fall. More and more new and attractive titles will become available for download from PlayStation®Store as well as on UMD™. This broad content offering across all genres includes new games, free-demos, PS one® classics for PSP, add-on items for game titles, and trailers.

In addition to accessing PlayStation Store directly from PSP using the built-in wireless LAN (Wi-Fi) feature or through the PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3®) computer entertainment system, users will also be able to access and download a variety of entertainment content via their PCs using Media Go*3, a new software application. Media Go will enable users to access and download entertainment content on PlayStation Store via their PCs as well to easily manage PSP content on PCs, including games, videos, photos, and music. This easy to use software application will be available on a CD-ROM bundled with PSPgo.

Also this fall, a new music application specific to PSP that uses the "SensMe™ channels"*4; music recommendation feature, developed by Sony, also becomes available for download on PSP. With this music application, users will be able to enjoy their favorite music stored on their PSP through a rich user interface, designed exclusively for PSP. "SensMe channels" is a mood based music recommendation system that categorizes music content into channels such as "Relax," "Dance" and "Upbeat," and recommends music playlists for users.

Other features are:

Easy Sliding Display Panel and Original Applications

PSPgo offers a variety of exciting entertainment options by taking advantage of the sliding panel. When the panel is open, users will be able to enjoy various entertainment content with the familiar button control as PSP-3000, when closed, original applications for PSPgo, such as a clock and calendar is displayed on the screen. Users can also enjoy video and music when the panel is closed.

Game sleep function

PSPgo has unique features such as game sleep function which enables users to operate XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) while pausing gameplay temporarily.

Bluetooth® function

Bluetooth function will also allow users to connect Bluetooth standard peripherals such as head-phones and head-set *5 as well as PS3 wireless controller (DUALSHOCK®3 and SIXAXIS®) *6 to be used when watching video content on TVs via PSP at home*7.

Peripheral line-up

One of the products within PSPgo's peripheral line-up is a new Cradle (PSP-N340) *7 that will become available in stores worldwide concurrently with the release of PSPgo. This new Cradle enables users to charge the PSPgo battery and also enjoy watching video and listening to music. Also included in the peripheral line-up are video-out port cables that enable users to enjoy games and videos on their TVs at home.

With the introduction of PSPgo, SCEI will continue to vigorously expand PlayStation Network's digital content and services and build a stronger software line-up along with various marketing measures that match each region, while creating the world of computer entertainment only available on the PlayStation platforms.

*1 Content on UMD cannot be played back on PSPgo.

*2 Color variations may differ by countries and regions.

*3 Media Go also supports PSP-1000/2000/3000. For those PSP users, the software is available for download from PlayStation Store official site (http://store.playstation.com)., "Media Manager for PSP" will not support access to PlayStation Store, and it is required to use "Media Go" for accessing PlayStation Store.

*4 SensMe channels also supports PSP-1000/2000/3000. Details will be announced at a later timing.

*5 Head-phone and head-set supporting A2DP, HSP, AVRCP profile can be used. Some head-phones and head-sets may not be supported.

*6 PS3 wireless controller can be used. To register PS3 wireless controller on PSPgo, PS3 is needed. Some buttons and rumble feature will not be supported.

*7 Video-out cables and Cradle are sold separately in stores. Details will be announced at a later timing. Video-out cable and cradle for PSP-2000/3000 cannot be used on PSPgo.