Europe Gets a PSP Release Date

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe issued a press release yesterday afternoon announcing a September 1, 2005 PSP release date for our European friends. Europe's PSP will launch as a "Value Pack" bundle, similar to what we saw (and are still seeing) in North America. The Value Pack will include "the PlayStation Portable system with a pouch, 32MB Memory Stick Duo™, Battery Pack, Headphones with Remote Control, AC Adaptor, Wrist Strap, cloth and a video/music/game sampler Universal Media Disc™ (UMD™) including several non-interactive game demos". The bundle will be priced at €249 in Europe and £179 in the UK. For you currency nuts, that's about US$322 in Europe and US$340 in the UK.

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SCEE Press Release

Portable To Launch Across Europe on 1st September 2005

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) today announced that its highly anticipated PlayStation Portable™ handheld entertainment system will be launched in Europe on 1st September 2005. Following the success of the PlayStation Portable launches in Japan and the USA, PlayStation Portable will go on sale in the European PAL territories on 1st September 2005, available in a single version Value Pack, priced at €249 (£179). The PlayStation Portable Value Pack contains an added-value package of accessories and entertainment content, including the PlayStation Portable system with a pouch, 32MB Memory Stick Duo™, Battery Pack, Headphones with Remote Control, AC Adaptor, Wrist Strap, cloth and a video/music/game sampler Universal Media Disc™ (UMD™) including several non-interactive game demos.

A copy of Spider-Man 2, on UMD Video will be available free of charge to early purchasers of PlayStation Portable, who register their PlayStation Portable and order their Spider-Man 2 UMD Video through http://www.yourpsp.com, the official SCEE web portal for PlayStation Portable.

PlayStation Portable features a 4.3-inch, 16:9 widescreen TFT LCD that displays full colour (16.77 million colours) on a 480 x 272 pixel high-resolution screen. PlayStation Portable also comes complete with built-in stereo speakers, exterior headphone connector and a range of input/output connectors such as USB 2.0 and 802.11b Wireless LAN, enabling users to connect to the Internet and play online via a Wireless Network. Up to 16 PlayStation Portable systems in the vicinity can also be connected to each other directly in Ad Hoc Mode, allowing for Wireless head-to-head competition. In addition, Wireless capabilities will allow software and data to be downloaded to PlayStation Portable and saved onto a Memory Stick Duo.

PlayStation Portable uses a newly-developed proprietary storage medium named Universal Media Disc (UMD). This high-capacity optical disc is the next-generation compact storage media, and although only 60mm in diameter, a UMD can store up to 1.8GB of digital data – more than three times the data held on a CD-ROM. A broad range of digital entertainment content such as high quality 3D games, music, movies, video clips and other media can be distributed on UMD.

“PlayStation Portable will revolutionise portable entertainment, giving users the freedom to play full 3D games, watch movies, listen to music and connect wirelessly on their terms, wherever and whenever they wish to do so,” said David Reeves, President of SCEE. “More than ever, today’s consumer demands access to their personal entertainment outside the home, without compromising quality. With more than 100 PlayStation Portable game titles currently in development worldwide, and the ability to download and listen to music, and view feature films with breathtaking screen quality, PlayStation Portable lets users control their entertainment options, all in a single package.”

PlayStation Portable™ Basic Specifications and Features Product Name PlayStation Portable™

Colour Black Product Code PSP-1003K, PSP-1004K Dimensions Approximately 6.7 in (W) x .9 in (H) x 2.9 in (D) Weight Approximately 280g / .62 lbs (including battery) CPU PSP CPU (System clock frequency 1 - 333MHz) Main Memory 32MB Embedded DRAM 4MB Display 4.3 inch, 16:9 widescreen TFT LCD 480 x 272 pixel, 16.77 million colours Maximum luminance 180 / 130 / 80cd/m2 (when using Battery Pack) Maximum luminance 200 / 180 / 130 / 80cd/m2 (when using AC Adaptor) Sound Built-in stereo speakers Main Input/Output IEEE 802.11b Memory Stick Duo™ High Speed USB (USB 2.0) IrDA

Main Connectors Memory Stick Duo™ slot USB connector DC OUT connector DC IN 5V connector Headset connector Power Lithium-ion Battery AC Adaptor Disc Drive UMD Drive (Read only) Profile PSP Game UMD Audio UMD Video Codec [Video]: “UMD”: H.264/MPEG-4 AVC Main Profile Level 3 [Video]:“Memory Stick”: MPEG-4 SP, AAC [Music]: “UMD”: linear PCM, ATRAC3plus™ [Music]:“Memory Stick”: ATRAC3plus™, MP3(MPEG1/2 Layer3) [Photo]: JPEG (DCF2.0/Exif2.21) Security (Encryption) 128bit AES (Copyright protection technology) MagicGate™ Access control Region, Parental Control Wireless communications IEEE802.11b Infrastructure Mode Ad Hoc Mode (connects up to 16 PSP systems) PSP Value Pack supplied accessories AC Adaptor Battery Pack Memory Stick Duo™ (32MB) Pouch (Black) Headphones with Remote Control (90dB limited*) (White) UMD In-pack Sampler Wrist Strap (White) Cloth (Light Grey) * conforming with European standards

Note to editors:
About PlayStation Portable™ PlayStation Portable is a new handheld entertainment system that allows users to enjoy 3D games, with high-quality full-motion video, and high-fidelity stereo audio. With graphics rendering capability comparable to that of PlayStation®2, PSP features a 4.3 inch widescreen, high-resolution TFT display. PlayStation Portable also adopts a newly developed compact but high-capacity (1.8GB) optical disc, Universal Media Disc (UMD), as its storage medium. With a wide range of accessories and connectivity options, including Memory Stick Duo™, USB 2.0, IR port and Wireless LAN. Images of the PlayStation Portable system are available from the SCEE Virtual Press Office at www.scee.presscentre.com

About Sony Computer Entertainment Europe as at 26 April 2005

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE), based in London, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and sales of PS one®, PlayStation®2 and PlayStation Portable® software and hardware in 102 territories across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania. SCEE also develops, publishes, markets and distributes games software for the three formats, and manages the third party licensing programs for these platforms in the PAL territories. At the end of December 2004, over 39 million PlayStation® units had been shipped across these PAL territories, over 101 million worldwide. Between its European debut on 24 November 2000 and the end of December 2004, over 29 million PlayStation®2 units have been shipped across the PAL territories, over 81 million world-wide, making it one of the most successful consumer electronic products in history. PlayStation and the PlayStation logo, PS one and PS2 are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. PSP and UMD (Universal Media Disc) are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. More information about PlayStation products can be found at http://www.scee.com , http://www.yourpsp.com and http://www.playstation.com. or visit the Virtual Press Office at http://www.scee.presscentre.com.