New PSP redesign details emerge

Nothing's official yet, but we've known (and have been reporting) for a while that a redesigned version of the PSP was coming. We expect it to be unveiled at this year's E3 event.

Today, the first wave of specifics regarding the system began trickling through. According to gaming site Kotaku, sources close to Sony have confirmed that the system is nearing completion. The design (still black) is said to be a slimmer version of the current PSP as a result of a new LED screen taking up less space, and the new display will also help boost battery life, which is said to last up to four times longer than the current PSP's.

The revised handheld will continue to use UMDs, but makes them faster thanks in part to 8GBs of internal flash memory to assist in load times (something that could also have gameplay implications).

Other than that, the internal hardware should remain identical to the current set up.

Externally, though, there are other changes. The buttons have apparently been reworked, along with a significant alteration to the D-pad. Hardly a tweak that will surprise anyone who has spent significant time with Sony's handheld (see our One Year On review for more).

According to the site's sources, Sony is still considering whether to include a built-in camera as part of the package, which we find unlikely given the proposed $170 price point (not to mention the August release date, which sounds more than a little unrealistic, not least because the hardware would have to be finished and into production by now).

Similarly extremely unlikely is the oft-rumoured inclusion of touchscreen functionality. This has apparently been confirmed as not forming part of the redesigned PSP (after all, how would Sony and developers then cater for the considerable installed base of non-touchscreen PSPs?) and is more likely to appear in PSP2.

As mentioned above, expect further (official) details at this year's E3 event. First remote play, now PSP Lite, soon we'll run out of PSP rumours to watch!