Sony unveils new PSP and PS3 keyboard

by Stevie Smith - Aug 21 2008, 06:56

Using the international platform of the GCDC games convention in Leipzig, Germany as its media springboard, Japanese consumer electronics giant Sony Corp. has looked to wow fans with the introduction of a first-party PlayStation 3 keyboard and also a new version of the PlayStation Portable handheld console.

News of the keyboard will likely arrive as good news for those PlayStation 3 (PS3) users not overly impressed with using the powerhouse machine for Internet surfing and having to painstakingly navigate across an on-screen keyboard.

Sony is also keen to push a touch-sensitive feature on the keyboard, which will increase interaction and browsing efficiency by turning its entire surface into a touch pad, enabling the user to glide a finger across the keyboard and direct an on-screen cursor.

Bluetooth-enabled, the wireless PS3 keyboard is scheduled for an official retail launch this coming November and its arrival could also prompt a communication alternative for online gamers not comfortable with conventional headset-based chat, which often consists of trash talk and gaming insults, better known as ‘flaming’.

Sony has not yet issued a price for the PlayStation 3 keyboard.

Perhaps more notably in terms of industry impact, Sony has also announced a third-generation revamp for its popular PlayStation Portable that builds on the console’s existing Skype functionality.

The new PlayStation Portable 3000 comes equipped with a brand new LCD screen that will offer an even wider selection of colours and anti-reflection technology, while the console itself will have a built-in microphone that will allow gamers to enjoy direct Skype VoIP phone conversations while engaged in multiplayer action.

“We believe that this will establish the PSP as a viable communication device,” said David Reeves, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.

The new Sony PlayStation Portable is expected to hit the U.S. market on October 14 and will come attached to a price tag of $170 USD.

For $200 USD, prospective buyers can secure the new PSP along with Insomniac Games’ handheld sci-fi platform title “Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters”, while a separate $200 USD bundle offer will include a 4GB memory stick.

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