Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) today announced that it will launch a new PSP (PlayStation Portable) handheld entertainment system (PSP-3000) featuring an advanced LCD that further improves the very popular, high resolution PSP display. The new PSP will be available in stores in Japan, Asia, North America and Europe from October 2008.

While inheriting the basic design and functionality of the current "slim and light" PSP, the image quality on the new LCD screen is dramatically enhanced, and a built-in microphone is added to meet the PSP users' demand to enjoy games and content with voice input functionality without the use of a separate microphone.

Offering the highest-level contrast ratio, response time, and wider color gamut possible on a portable LCD screen, the new PSP is capable of displaying movies and photos in more natural and vibrant colors on its high resolution 4.3 inch wide screen. The new LCD screen adopts an anti-reflection technology, which enables users to see the screen more clearly in well-lit places, even when used outdoors. The built-in microphone will allow users to easily enjoy games that utilize a microphone, as well as Skype and other communication tools. Through these additional and upgraded features, not only will the PSP user experience improve, but content creators also will have more flexibility to develop creative, entertainment content for the new PSP.

Further expanding PSP's entertainment capabilities, the video-out port(*3) is also expanded to output gameplay in interlace format, which will allow new PSP users to enjoy games on non-progressive TVs by using separately sold cables. With the current "slim and light" PSP, games can be displayed on progressive TVs only.

In addition to the basic "Piano Black" color, the new PSP will also come in "Pearl White" and "Mystic Silver" to meet variety of lifestyle and preference of all ages.

edited from Sony press release issued on Wednesday

It will be interesting to see how dramatic the upgrades on the LCD screen are. I didnt read yourpost hugh (having heard about this previously) but the announced Ratchet n Clank: Size Matters bundle with a 4gig Memory stick sounds like a great value at $199.

I have seen side by side images and the difference is quite profound.

Apparently it makes Strawberries much more edible.

http://www.vgchartz.com/forum/thread.php?id=38925

Seems doctored imo. The PSP slim looks way too washed out.

I only wish better games would come out for it. It's been a long time since Dexter and Ratchet & Clank released. My time on my PSP has been pretty much nill lately.

I do like the anti-reflective screen, and the price point is certainly dropping, but I don't know if it's enough to buy up on this. If it came with the rumoured solid-state HD, I'd likely be in. Memory Stick prices are also dropping, but can they match the access speed of a HD?

Well SSD's and flash drives are the same beast, just differing qualities of said beast. I said all along I was waiting until Sony dumped UMD and added a reasonable amount of flash but they are breaking my heart here :p

The only problem in Sony dumping UMD is that I would need to keep my old machine to match my movies when I travel.

Seriously.

Yup, I was the guy who bought some, mostly when they were on 2/$10 everywhere. Fifth Element, Donnie Darko, Ali G Show, etc. Good stuff.