By Patrick Avenell
Sony Japan head office has announced that it will launch a new version of the PlayStation Portable (PSP) on 16 October. The Australian release will be more expensive than the Japanese, but the PSP-3000 is expected here next month.
The PSP-3000, as it will be known, will feature a high-resolution LCD display and a microphone. Various Japanese media sources report the local sales price as 19,800 yen, which is around A$220.
Despite this conversion, the PSP-3000 is set to retail in Australia for RRP $299.95. An October 2008 release date has been confirmed, though no specific day is yet known.
Other features of the PSP-3000 include an improved colour range, five times the contrast ratio; half the pixel response time, designed to reduce ghosting and blurring; and improved LCD technology to enhance outdoor gaming capabilities. The opportunity cost of these improvements will be greater power usage, resulting in reduced battery life.