New PlayStation is ‘next generation portable’

SONY said the successor to its PlayStation Portable machine will go on sale late this year, offering the quality of a home console in an on-the-go machine boasting a screen double the size of smart phones.

The announcement yesterday of the “next generation portable” underlines efforts at the Japanese electronics and entertainment company to ward off the formidable threat from Apple which is delivering one hit product after another, while also trying to get an edge over Nintendo, maker of the DS handheld game machine.

The popularity of smart phones, including the iPhone, is a potential threat to game machine makers as more people play games, watch video, send e-mail and chat on mobile phones. People are also using other portable devices, such as Apple’s iPod and iPad, to play games.

Sony’s new machine, known for now by its code-name NGP, comes packed with motion sensor and GPS location technology so that gamers can tilt and sway the machine to play golf games, kill monsters and experience other “virtual realities,” said Kazuo Hirai, who heads Sony’s gaming section.

It has a touch panel in the front and touch pads in the back to allow players to tap to move images, in addition to buttons and switches.

Also provided is a third-generation wireless connection, plus the already available WiFi, allowing for more social networking and downloads. Its five-inch screen is OLED for good colour and image quality about four times better than the current PSP.

Sony said gamers will be able to experience games they had been playing on the PlayStation 3 home console without any drop in quality.

Nintendo is introducing a new DS with glasses-free 3-D features next month. The NGP won’t include 3-D.

Microsoft is another major player with its Xbox 360 home console, but it does not make a portable. Microsoft has a cell phone business with its Windows Phone 7 software for games.