Good news portable fans, the guys in the PSP design team have been busy. During the Games Convention press conference over in Leipzig, Germany, Sony talked about the much-rumored PSP 3000. The new portable device has the same base functionality as the current Sony PSP – Playstation portable (known as PSP slim, also known as the PSP 2000), and in fact looks pretty much the same. However, there are of course a couple new features.

The Sony PSP 3000 will include a built-in microphone for use with Skype and Go Messenger. It will also feature an “enhanced” LCD screen, with more vibrant colors and reduced glare when using it outside.

The system will launch in Europe on October 15th for €199, with the PSP slim dropping to €169 Euros. The new system will be available in a variety of packages with single game bundles. Options will include the likes of Harry Potter, Buzz! Quiz Master, Go Messenger, FIFA 09 and more.

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Sony reveal there plans for a video and music download service for the PlayStation 3 called Vidzone. The service is scheduled to launch at the start of next year and will be available across 23 PAL territories.

The service will allow gamers to stream music and video through their PS3 and build a music and video library on the console, which users can then access through PSP.

Sony president David Reeves has stated the Vidzone service will be free of charge for PS3 consumers and will have an easy to use interface.

VidZone is one of Europe’s leading online music video services, streaming a full playlist of videos from hip-hop to punk and heavy metal to classics. Music lovers can build their own playlists and personalise their VidZone experience to be whatever they choose. All these features and more will be included in the PS3 service, including the option to download songs, music videos and ringtones to a mobile phone for a small charge.

SCEE will be launching a comprehensive film, TV and music download service at a later date.

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Sad news for Playstation 3 fans who are holding out for price cuts to the console ,SCEE president David Reeves has ruled out any move to drop the price of PlayStation 3 hardware this year.

“There is no price cut,” he said.

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Sony have launched the playstation 3 console a week early in the UK apparently to push sales. It was released on Friday the 22nd of August. The console goes head to head with Microsoft’s 120GB 360 Elite and newly launched 60GB Xbox 360 Pro. Sony’s announcements at the Leipzig Game Convention on the 22nd of August included SCE UK boss Ray Maguire saying that PS3’s “easily removable” hard drive sets it apart from its competitor, and claimed that PS3’s downloadable content is second-to-none.

“Our operations department in Japan managed to deliver the 80GB PS3 a week earlier than was originally anticipated in order to maximise the Bank Holiday weekend,” Maguire said. “In terms of demand, we expect this to increase.

As the battle of the consoles commences Sony plan to launch a 160GB version of the Playstation 3.

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