Sony NGP - It's coming...


View Photo Gallery

Gallery: It’s only at codename stage, but here are some shots of Sony’s next big portable gaming device.

… And at first glance, it’s looking a bit like a PSP, to be honest.

Sony are very quick to reassure us though that the NGP (which is just a codename and stands for Next Generation Portable) is a very different beast. For a start, it features a very pretty multi-touch screen, 3G, wi-fi and a whole range of apps. The aim, according to Sony, is to offer a “revolutionary combination of rich gaming and social connectivity within a real world context”.

It’s this rich gaming we’re most interested in – given we already have smartphones for the social connectivity – and so, of course, the first thing we’ve notice is the addition of two cute little analog sticks, one on each side. They make the whole thing look a bit like a flattened out, rectangular PS3 controller. With a screen. And speakers. And shiny bits.

There’s also the multi-touch screen. No, the… other multi-touch screen. The one on the back, which – combined with the one on the front – promises to let you “interact directly with games in three dimension-like motion”.

On the social side, the NGP will give you access to a “LiveArea^TM” as well as letting you find friends near you with NGPs, using GPS in the form of a little app Sony are calling “Near”.

And of course there are two cameras, three motion sensors, a compass, a gyroscorpe, an accelerometer, access to the PS Suite Sony have announced this week, and even a kitchen sink, should you need to do the washing up while out and about. Ok, maybe there’s no kitchen sink. YET.

Sony tell us to expect a release date of some time at the end of 2011 – probably just in time for Christmas – and we’ll keep an eye out for developments (and a name). The big test, of course, will be in how games released for the NGP – it uses a whole new flash-memory based medium, so PSP games won’t work – make use of the technology on offer. Time, as usual, will tell.

In the meantime, check out our gallery here for a closer look.

Aliens: Colonial Marines in depth; Z-77 Motherboard round-up; strategy gaming special; Home Server tutorial. PLUS MUCH MORE - ON SALE NOW!

Ads by Google

9 Comments

hectorbustnuts Jan 28, 2011 11:45 AM	And they're bring a new "Uncharted" game to it. I'm sold just on that fact alone.
tunksy Jan 28, 2011 2:30 PM	'it uses a whole new flash-memory based medium' color me intrested.
hectorbustnuts Jan 28, 2011 2:56 PM	Why's that particularly interesting? I just assumed it uses a Sony specific flash card in a similar vein to the Nintendo DS carts.
moofactory Jan 28, 2011 3:31 PM	android?
majestic975 Jan 28, 2011 5:37 PM	I thought the codename stood for: No Gaming Possible. After all the things Sony will do to it to lock it down.
majestic975 Jan 28, 2011 5:39 PM	PSP games won't work??? WOOOT? Thanks Sony. What about all the ISO's I spent time downloading.? Now I'll only be able to play them on my outdated PSP.
somemadcaaant Jan 28, 2011 7:28 PM	Drool... Finally a hand held to emu coughN64cough. Quad core arm cpu?! Not sure about the powervr option tho, more Ps2 quality games and no directx is what I see, hope they prove me wrong.
Acintai Jan 29, 2011 12:00 AM	fat ass phone wont fit in your pocket, low-quality console wont fill your satisfaction. Still it might be fun, I had a whole lot of fun on my ipod touch so.
Dread Emperor Jan 29, 2011 2:36 PM	Apparently it will be backwards compatible with PSP games... Just only those bought via DDL on the PSN. :/

Comments have been disabled on this article.

Atomic Magazine

Issue: 137 | June, 2012

Atomic is a magazine aimed squarely at computer enthusiasts, gamers, and serious PC upgraders.

Every month we bring you the latest reviews of new technology and PC components, in depth features on everything from overclocking to console hacking, and gaming previews and interviews.

What's in this issue?