John P. Falcone
Those rumours about a PSP redesign turned out to be true -- sort of. Demoed onstage at E3 by Sony's Kaz Hirai, the new PSP doesn't look all that different on the outside, but it's said to be 33 per cent lighter, 19 per cent slimmer, offer better battery life, faster game load times and video output to TVs.
Separately, the company will also offer PSPs in two new colours: 'ice silver' and a Star Wars-themed white PSP emblazoned with Darth Vader's visage. Both the coloured PSPs will be available in 'Entertainment Pack' versions for $200 each (UK pricing has not yet been announced). The silver model will include Daxter, a Family Guy Freakin' Sweet UMD video collection and a 1GB Memory Stick Duo, while the Star Wars version will include the new Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron game.
And... that's it. Looks like anyone waiting for a more robust PSP upgrade (with oft-requested additions such as onboard flash storage, a second analogue stick or a touchscreen, for instance) will have to wait until 2008 or beyond. That said, the promise of faster load times and video output may mean a lot of older PSPs may soon be finding their way on to eBay.
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