By Craig Zammit & James Wells

SYDNEY: Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) Australia and PDA-manufacturer 02 have both released products this week in white versions of previously available black products.

The ceramic white version of the PlayStation Portable (PSP) will be released in Australia yesterday, after sales of almost 160,000 units of the black version since September 2005.

The ceramic white version, which is designed to appeal to a more fashion conscious demographic including females and gamers seeking a point of difference, will be sold as part of the brand’s Value Pack offer.

“Based on unit sales in the period since launch, PSP has been the most successful PlayStation product we have released in Australia,” said SCE Australia and New Zealand managing director, Michael Ephraim.

“The launch of the ceramic white PSP will stimulate further sales, encouraging a new wave of customers to discover the gaming, photography, movie and internet features available via the PSP,” said Ephraim.

The ceramic white PSP will come bundled with special white accessories, including a white headset with remote control, white wrist strap, white pouch, AC adapter, battery pack and a 32MB Memory Stick Duo.

The ceramic white PSP Value Pack will retail for $399.95 and for a limited time will include a free game of the consumer’s choice.

The Xda Atom Pure, which was released in Australia this week, is a white-skinned limited edition version of the popular black rimmed Xda Atom Personal Digital Assistant (PDA).

Retailers including Harvey Norman and Harris Technology will sell just 1,000 units of the product at a recommended retail price of $1,229.

According to a statement released by 02, the Xda Atom Pure is the perfect complement to this season’s fashion – crisp lace, stripes and spots.

“This new sleek white device will give the fashion-conscious and young mobile professional the opportunity to be stylish and co-ordinate their wardrobe without having to compromise on the functionality of their mobile device,” the release boasted.

“The Xda Atom Pure has the full functionality of its predecessor, the Xda Atom, and features all the programs and multimedia features users expect from a bigger PDA-phone.  Weighing a mere 140 grams and measuring only 58(W) x 102(L) x 18.5 (T) mm, this device can easily fit into the palm of all the fashion-conscious.

“The Xda Atom Pure is a mobile device which suits every user’s needs and wants.  Its small form factor makes this an appealing device for mobile professionals and the fashion-conscious.  There is no need to compromise on features with a small device like the Xda Atom Pure,” said 02 vice president of sales for South East Asia and Oceania, John Featherstone.

Users can create music playlists directly on the Xda Atom Pure, customise the interface and play downloaded movie clips and MP3 files.  The FM radio tuner can tune into any of the 120 preset stations, and with built-in speakers, users can listen to the latest chart hits and news.  Users can even enjoy and control their listening experience wirelessly via Bluetooth headsets with the A2DP and AVRCP technology.

A built-in 2.0 mega pixel camera with strobe flash allows users to capture photo and video clips day and night on the large 2.7” 262K-colour TFT-LCD QVGA touchscreen.

The Xda Atom Pure is powered by an Intel 416MHz processor, and comes with 128MB Flash ROM and 64MB RAM of on-board memory.  With the Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system and the latest editions of Microsoft Office programs for Windows Mobile (including Pocket Outlook, Word Mobile, Excel Mobile and the new PowerPoint Viewer) and ActiveSync, this new style icon ensures users can remain productive on the move.  Connectivity options including built-in Wireless LAN, Bluetooth SIG v 1.2 and triband EDGE capability, allows users to always be connected to family, friends and colleagues.

Users can keep their device in optimum condition with the Self Diagnostics and Auto Configurator utilities available on the Xda Atom Pure.  The Self Diagnostics utility offers a step-by-step guide for testing and detecting malfunctions.  Switching between networks and operators in different countries will be a breeze with the Auto Configurator utility, which detects operator settings on individual SIM cards and configures devices accordingly.