14 DAY TRIAL // It seems that Sony, even after denying that plans for such a device even existed, is in fact working on a PlayStation Phone, which will incorporate elements from the current Sony Ericsson mobile phones and from the current, and maybe even the next PlayStation Portable handheld consoles.
A PlayStation Phone has been rumored for quite some time, but now, thanks to the guys at Engadget, it has been finally pictured, and you can even find a few hints aimed at another oft rumored device, the PSP2.
Our Softpedia Mobile section already covered this new PlayStation Phone prototype, revealing many of the technical details, but it seems that the mock up device also shares a few features with the next iteration in the regular PSP lineup.
As you can see, instead of the regular analog nub found on the normal PSP and the newer PSP Go version, the PlayStation Phone prototype has a trackpad in place, which will take on the role of the often criticized nub.
According to a previous report from Kotaku, the PSP2 will sport the same trackpad, but it might be placed on the back of the device, as the front will get two analog nubs, in order to finally satisfy fans that have been demanding such an addition.
Besides the trackpad, the PlayStation Phone still sports shoulder buttons, and has the same slide out form factor seen on the PSP Go.
Instead of Sony's own software, the Phone will sport the next big Android mobile operating system version, 3.0, and besides the applications and games developed for Android, will also have a "custom Sony Marketplace which will allow you to purchase and download games designed for the new platform."
The hardware specs, a 1GHz Qualcomm CPU, 512MB of RAM, 1GB of ROM are better than the current PSP devices, the screen, which is "in the range of 3.7 to 4.1 inches.," is roughly the same as the one on the current handheld consoles.
There isn't any concrete release date for the PlayStation Phone, but it will most likely appear next year, while the PSP2 is scheduled, at least according to the most recent rumors, to appear in fall of 2011.