New PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) Comes With Advanced High Contrast LCD Screen and Built-In Microphone

Tokyo, August 2008 - Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) today announced that it would 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 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”*4 to meet variety of lifestyle and preference of all ages.

PSP is gaining overwhelming support from a wide range of users from all over the world through its exciting lineup of software titles as well as the introduction of color variations and network services. Since the launch of “slim and light” PSP in September 2007, the expansion of the PSP platform has been further accelerated, and more than 41 million units have been sold as of June 2008.

SCEI will continue to expand the PSP platform and create a new world of computer entertainment with the new PSP, building on the strong lineup of new game titles launching through the holiday season.