Sony’s Next Portable: What We Know So Far
Despite Sony recently throwing massive support behind the PSP, which includes 70 new titles by the end of the year, along with a new marketing campaign which tells you to “Step Your Game Up”, they may be developing a new portable device. PlayStation LifeStyle takes an in-depth look at what Sony’s new portable could be…
Today, a report from Wall Street Journal was released, claiming that “Sony is developing a portable device that shares characteristics of handheld game machines, e-book readers and netbook computers, according to people familiar with the matter”. These claims have sparked interest all over the internet from people eager to see what Sony has in store for consumers. However, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard these rumblings and we’re sure this wont be the last.
Let’s go over what we’ve found so far…
It all started with a report from Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun, which is the second most circulated national newspaper in Japan. The report claimed that Sony was working on a device that combined aspects from many of the different branches of the Sony empire. The device, which is meant to go up against the iPad, was said to feature attributes from:
- Sony’s PlayStation brand, meaning it’s part gaming machine
- “Ekusuperia” which translates to Sony Ericsson’s HTC manufactured Xperia, a high end smart phone
- Walkman, Sony’s age-old line of music playing devices, that have long been in need of a reboot
To round out this amazing array of attributes, the report claims the new device would be based on Google’s budding mobile OS called Android. Android, for those of you unfamiliar with the OS, is featured on many of today’s smart phones and features a robust, open-source OS that rivals that of the Apple’s iOS and Research in Motion’s Blackberry OS.
This wouldn’t be Sony’s first foray with Android, as Sony has recently announced the first TV line-up to incorporate the Google TV platform. Google TV is based on the Android platform and runs Google Chrome web-browser. Sony’s Chairman, CEO and President, Sir Howard Stringer had this to say about the platform:
“I am delighted to announce the unique alignment of Google’s rapidly growing, open source Android platform with Sony’s unparalleled expertise in the field of TV design and technology.”
Sony also has their latest models of the aforementioned Xperia smart phones running on Android, so Sony certainly has faith in Android as a platform, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Android make it’s way to additional devices.
Although Android has been predominantly featured on smart phones, Android-based tablets will soon be hitting the market in droves to try and steal some of iPad’s thunder in what many are calling the “Tablet Wars”. One of iPad’s many selling points – especially to the casual consumer – is the fact that it doubles as an e-book reader, something that Sony knows a bit about, considering they released one of the first commercially successful e-book readers back in 2006. Since then Sony has encountered plenty of stiff competition from the likes of Amazon’s Kindle, Barnes and Noble’s Nook, iPad, among many others.
You may be asking “what does a e-book reader have to do with PlayStation”. Fast forward a bit to early June, right before E3. It was discovered that Sony had filed for the trademark “PlayView” on June 3rd. The name alone resembles the PlayStation brand. However, the name is not what is so significant here, it’s what the trademark covers. The trademark covers:
- Video game machines with television for personal use
- Computer software for transmitting, sharing, receiving, downloading, displaying and transferring content, text, visual works, audio works, audiovisual works, literary works, data, files, documents and electronic works via video game machines and Hand-held games with liquid crystal displays
- Computer game software recorded on optical discs
- Portable electronic device for receiving and reading text and images and sound through wireless Internet access and for displaying electronically published materials, namely, books, journals, newspapers, magazines, multimedia presentations
- Information providing devices, namely, computer terminals with encrypting software for transmission of messages via the internet web site and e-mail communication’ and ‘telephone apparatus
- Retail store services in the field of electronic games, videos, electronic publications and music
All that sure sounds like it could be covered by the device Asahi Shimbun was reporting on and that last bit, sounds a lot like the PlayStation Store combined with some type of music store and e-book store.
All this evidence points to a new device being developed by Sony, which would seem to be the all-in-one device the PSP was originally meant to be. Imagine switching seamlessly from gaming, to web browsing, to reading books, to text messaging, to listening to music, back to gaming, all on Google’s smooth running, open-source Android OS. That’s actually something that can be had on many of the Android based smart phones already, but wouldn’t it be even better if it was on PlayStation hardware?
Although the title of this article is “what we know so far”, until Sony actually announces the existence of such a device, we don’t actually know anything, and this is purely speculation based on evidence from extremely reliable sources. For now, we can only dream about the possibilities and how a device like that would consume our lives.
What do you think, will we see a device like this hit the market under PlayStation branding? Would you have room in your life for an all-in-one device such as this? Let us know in the comments below…
25 Responses to “Sony’s Next Portable: What We Know So Far”
All I really care about is: will it have a second analog stick?
Im not sure they should even touch this market. Pour more money into consoles
@PaulMicheal – Hear, hear.
Where do I pre-order?
I can see it now young Grasshopper PS3.5 running on Android OS for web browsing and internet gaming etc. Then maybe we could have a better running experience with the PS3 we already have. All it needs is a firmware update???? We can only dream.
But I would also look to a Tablet like device as a second portable computer/gaming hardware…
If they add these features then im sold +
2 analog sticks, Motion controll And a OLED pressure-sensitive multi-touch widescreen (the oled will be expensive but it will be worth it)
Memory Stick instead of umd’s, can be used to make the battery last longer and making the system lighter and smaller and making the loading times faster, The Memory Stick has to be larger then a normal 1 making them cheaper
Bluetooth 4.0, Usb 3.0, Wifi 802.11n, 4G and being Transferjet compatible
Able to lan via usb, bluetooth or 4g network if possible.
Voice recognition for mp3 player (if it’s in your pocket for example) and Games adding more options.
And if there will be a camera make Cypershot work on it and same for mp3 make Walkman work on it , Sony must use everything in their arsenal
‘Walkman, Sony’s age-old line of music playing devices, that have long been in need of a reboot’
the walkman brand has been rebooted in sony ericsson mobile phones.
2 Analog Sticks
Better Graphics possibly better than Wii Graphics
Built in Memory
Apps
NO touch screen(Even though its fun sometimes)
Camera for Videos and Pictures
Online similar to PS3.
Give me dual analog sticks,a dual camera (i.e. one pointing towards you and another pointing to whatever is in front of you) and make it what its suppose to be,not just a stand alone portable console but a portable console that complements the Ps3 a.k.a. The Mother-ship.Wheres the inter connectivity? Why cant I txt message my brother whos playing on his ps3 trough my psp , how about video messaging with my cousins in New Jersey PSP cam to Playstation Eye? Common Sony make the PSP what it was ment to be. All in one+extensive connectivity with the PS3=PSP2 A.K.A. The Handheld Killer!!
@Paulmichael Contreras
lmfao! all I care bout too.
1 million more like 600
All the tablet design needs is BT connectivity and you can use your DS controller. You may not get dual analog controllers on a portable computer/e-book reader/gaming device aimed at the i-Pad.
For those who think this will replace the PSP it won’t, it won’t have analog sticks for gaming either. Digital devices to take their place maybe but when you have Multi-Touch technology you just need to make an area of the screen where you would have analog sticks (maybe) and you can functionally have the same idea but with out the hardware cost and the problems with having them on a tablet designed as an entertainment device not just for gaming.
Will you people listen to yourselves!
“C’mon Sony, make it what its supposed to be! We want it to do everything…
…and cost $150.00–MAX!”
Has anyone noticed the the PSP ALWAYS had better tech than the DS. But the one thing it NEVER had was the better price point? Kids run this industry. Youth drives just about every industry, from fashion to popular music. You really think that the TECH of the PSPgo was the main issue? What parent drops $250 for their kids handheld? Oh, they’re out there…all 11 of them.
Oh, my point, lol.
What do you think your little wish list of tech is going to cost? Because the history says if it’s over $200, it’s dead on arrival. And I have this stuff. I had a PSP 1000, 2000, and go all on launch day. Same with the PS3 (and 360, for that matter). Whenever I searched the message boards, 98% of complaints were about PRICE.
The Phazer Effect
aps and touch screen would probally go together though. i want like touch screen menus , not games though. and use of physical controls for games.
@Odium_Generis
The PSP launched at $250. What do you mean by “dead on arrival”? Neither did the PSP or the PS3 “die” on arrival. Sure they had slow starts, but hey look at where they are today with their tech.
@skypeonps3
$600 for a handheld is suicide lol. OLED isnt nessesary, an HD screen will do.
i dont care about the details, it just better be good and worth the price.
hello …
i’ll go with a flexible OLED, that can be zipped into a smaller cylindrical device + some mini projector incorporated .. in HD siouplé
well i sure can dream.
cheers!
sounds like a portable PS3 to me , PS3 GO anyone ?
I can’t imagine the next PSP being a tablet / gaming device. Tablets are too big to appeal to people who want a portable gaming device, and a PSP is way too small to read a book on. I think they must be talking about separate products there.
I’d love to see two analogue sticks, preferably more robust than the psp’s attempt, maybe even two touch sensetive pads that act as ‘analouge sticks’… however for that to work it would need serious testing, and of course the pad would need to pack a serious processing punch
Also in hardware I’d like a large screen this time, one thats very IPad-esque, and tilt controls would be a huge bonus.
In terms of software I’m not familiar with android, however if its a smooth and reliable as it sounds, having music, gaming, and connectivity in one device would definately suit me just fine
An open OS like Android is an absolute must – allowing full application development, for free, removes all of the excuses and much of the motivation for piracy.
PSP+phone+Android – sign me up now.
It’ll probably just be a tablet that with the only games it can play are minis. A counter to the ipad is my guess.
I have a good feeling that the reason we haven’t heard Sony talking about the psp2 for the past 3-4 years is because they keep rethinking and retooling it. As the market has been evolving (thanks a lot to Apple), Sony has [i pray] been watching and really making sure they nail what the psp2 can really be- not just a successor with one new feature.