Sony showcases next gen PSP, games for smartphones

Tokyo: Sony has showcased the next version of the PlayStation Portable, called the Next Generation Portable (NGP). The new hand held device will hit the markets by end of this year, revealed the company?s Gaming Chief Kazou Hirai at the Sony Computer event in Tokyo. It was also announced that Sony will launch PlayStation games for various portable devices, including smartphones. The NGP has a 5 inch OLED screen with dual touch pad on the front and rear of the device, which is a first in gaming devices. It also has two button controls along with 3G access. Two cameras are fitted on the front and back of the device. Sony will also ship a special memory card with the device that has been designed to curb piracy. PlayStation games for Android run smartphones and other certified portable devices will also be made available, informed Hirai. Designed on the lines of the Apple App Store, the PlayStation Suite will allow users to download PlayStation games on a range of devices. Sony is also keen on having independent developers to develop games for this new platform. However, there was no mention of the PlayStation phone, inspite of the rumors and images of the phone surfacing.