Sony Debuts Slimmer PSP, Talks Up PS3

With the Nintendo DS now outselling the PSP, Sony said Wednesday that it will release a new model of the handheld console in September that is both thinner and lighter than its predecessor.

Sony Computer Entertainment president Kazuo Hirai said at an E3 presentation that the new PSP is about a third lighter and about 19 percent thinner. It is likely that the move is aimed at regaining the top spot in sales that it recently lost to Nintendo's DS.

Making the devices thinner and lighter is apparently a good way to do that, as Nintendo was able to do the same with the DS Lite and saw a bump in its sales as a result. However, in Sony's case the new model is a replacement for the previous one, although it will still retail for $170.

On the PS3 side, the effects of a $100 price cut have been noticeable, according to Sony executives. Sales have doubled at the top 5 retailers as a result. The console's high price has been cited as one of the reasons for its lackluster performance in the marketplace.

Another reason for the PS3's struggles was games, and Sony is prepared to tackle that criticism as well. About 50 games in all were shown to E3 attendees, although some of them will not be available until early next year.