Sony unveils Next-gen PSP2 codenamed NGP with Dual touchpad, Quad Core Processor and GPU!

After the great success of the Sony’s first-gen Portable gaming console which is the PlayStation Portable (PSP), now Sony has just announced their next-gen PlayStation Portable probably PSP2 with a codename NGP. Unlike its predecessor the new PSP will feature Quad-Core Cortex-A9 processor, a Quad-Core PowerVR SGX543MP+ GPU, a 5-inch OLED touchscreen display with maximum resolution of 960×544 (although not HD according to rumors), dual analog sticks, 3G/WiFi connectivity, GPS and the same accelerometer used in PlayStation Move for its motion sensing abilities. Also it will feature an electronic compass, front and rear cameras, and the latest CPU technology as compared to other portables.

Below is the image showing full specs of the new PSP:

Keeping in view all the above specs, the next-gen PSP(NGP) probably will be the most powerful and up to date handheld device, but from here on most probably or unfortunately, it will not be in our hands until this holiday season.

Sony’s NGP is built upon the following concepts: Stunning OLED and Revolutionary User Interface, Super Oval Design and Dual Analog Sticks, LiveArea™, Near(new Application), New Game Medium(small flash memory based card), Social Connectivity and Location-based Entertainment.

Now let’s have a look at LiveArea, a part of Revolutionary User Interface, a space which will be provided to every game title where users will have fun and excitement with other users, most probably the one in the PS3 or petty much the same like that. Most importantly you’ll be able to switch from current game to LiveArea interface without any progress loss.

On of the main feature that differ the NGP from previous version, will be the rear-mounted touchpad with exactly the same size as the front display panel. Controlling the both touchpad will be quit complicated to use but one will get used to after some trials. There’s no information available on the pricing yet, but the company plans it for the 2011 holiday release. Almost a year’s time left in release but right now we can only do is just sit back and see the following images available to us.

The Official Press release is as follows:

SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES ITS NEXT GENERATION PORTABLE ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM

Ultimate Portable Entertainment System Makes Its Debut This Year,
Further Expanding the PlayStation® Business in the Portable Gaming Market

Tokyo, January 27, 2011– Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) today announced its next generation portable entertainment system (codename: NGP), which delivers the ultimate portable entertainment experience. NGP will make its debut at the end of the year 2011.

NGP is designed to offer unparalleled interactive entertainment that is only possible on PlayStation®. This new system offers a revolutionary combination of rich gaming and social connectivity within a real world context, made possible by leveraging SCE’s experience from both PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) and PlayStation®3 (PS3®) entertainment systems.

Deep and immersive gaming is at the core of PlayStation’s DNA, and NGP is the latest embodiment of this vision. By having both Wi-Fi and 3G network connectivity, together with various applications, NGP will enable infinite possibilities for users to “encounter,” “connect,” “discover,” “share” and “play” with friends wherever they are. Within the device are a range of features that provide a genuinely cutting-edge, next generation ultimate portable entertainment experience.

・Stunning OLED and Revolutionary User Interface
NGP incorporates a beautiful multi-touch 5-inch organic light emitting display (OLED) as the front display. A high-performance CPU / GPU combined with OLED enables rich, visually striking graphics never seen before on a portable entertainment system, for both games and other digital entertainment content. The new system also incorporates a unique multi-touch pad on the rear, and together with the front touch display, NGP offers new game play allowing users to interact directly with games in three dimension-like motion, through “touch, grab, trace, push and pull” moves of the fingers.

・Super Oval Design and Dual Analog Sticks
While succeeding the basic design philosophy of PSP, NGP adopts the Super Oval Design form factor, created to fit comfortably in users’ hands. For the first time, a portable entertainment system will feature two analog sticks, which enable a wider range of game genres to be brought into the portable experience.

・LiveArea™
Every game title for NGP will be provided with a space called “LiveArea™” where users can share the fun and excitement with other players. Users will have access to the latest information of games provided from SCE and 3rd party developers and publishers through PlayStation®Network. Additionally, NGP users will be able to view an “Activity” log that is constantly updated with accomplishments from users who are playing the same game, which in turn can trigger active real-time communication among users.

・Near
SCE will also provide location-based services on NGP as part of the basic features utilizing PlayStation Network. The new application called “Near,” developed specifically for this service and the network, will be pre-installed in the system to let users find out what their friends in the vicinity are playing now or what they were playing recently. Users can meet their friends and new players virtually, regardless of what games they are playing, simply by sharing their game information across different dimensions of time and distance.

・New Game Medium
NGP adopts a new game medium, a small flash memory based card, dedicated for NGP software titles. Taking advantage of the flash memory feature, this innovative card can store the full software titles plus add-on game content or the game save data directly on to the card. By adopting flash memory based card, SCE will be able to provide game cards with higher capacity in the future, allowing developers to store more game data to deliver rich and immersive games.

NGP will also come equipped with two cameras on its front and rear, as well as three motion sensors, gyroscope, accelerometer and electronic compass, all of which are designed to enable users to enjoy the world of entertainment that is linked with real life experiences.

PlayStation®Suite (PS Suite), announced today, will also closely coordinate with NGP. The newly developed and released game content for Android™ based portable devices can also be enjoyed on NGP. As a result, users will have access to not only the most leading-edge content, but also some of the more casual experiences that typify the mobile market place.

SCE will vigorously promote NGP towards the launch as the next generation portable entertainment platform and deploy various measures to further expand the portable gaming market.