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Sony PSP 2 will have 3G: PlayStation phone to be DOA?

The Sony PSP2 will include 3G for gaming on the go, which could mean trouble for the PlayStation Phone that's also heading our way.

Richard Trenholm Former Movie and TV Senior Editor
Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.
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Richard Trenholm
2 min read

The Sony PSP 2 will include 3G for gaming on the go. Japanese newspaper Nikkei has revealed details of the Sony sequel -- but will it kill the forthcoming PlayStation smart phone before that device even arrives?

The 3G and Wi-Fi connection will let you play games with friends, download software, and perhaps watch movies and videos. It won't be for making calls, though.

The PSP2 3G will be juiced by network NTT DoCoMo in Japan. It's unclear whether you'll get a slice of Web connection included with the handheld, or whether you'll need a phone-style contract to grab data from the ether. 

Nikkei also reveals that the PSP2 will sport an AMOLED touchscreen and be powered by a new processor. We'll know more when it launches, which is set to be this week.

This news leaves us scratching our heads. In less than a month, Sony will launch a second mobile PlayStation device: the Sony Ericsson PlayStation phone. The PSPhone, pictured above and rumoured to be called the Xperia Play, will be an Android-powered smart phone unveiled at phonefest Mobile World Congress in mid-February. 

The two PSPs face stiff competition from the Nintendo 3DS heading our way like Godzilla heading for Tokyo, and the iPhone 4 continuing to impress with cutting-edge mobile games. Should Sony concentrate on one device instead of two similar products? Does today's news mean the 3G PSP 2 ensures the Xperia PlayStation phone is dead on arrival? Let us know what you think in the comments.

For more gaming gubbins, including reviews of all the latest titles, check out our button-bashing buddy GameSpot.