SourceCrowd.com

Sony unveiled the latest iteration of the PlayStation Portable at the Leipzig Games Convention in Germany yesterday.

Dubbed the PSP 3000, the new device will double as a cheaper Internet handset with a built-in microphone for VoIP. Sony has bundled Skype with its PSP firmware for some time and the new mic may negate the need for an additional headset, depending on the quality of the mic. Sony also says the new mic will be compatible for in-game chat.

The PSP 3000 will also have an anti-reflective screen that Sony claims will provide better colors and will be easier to see in well-lit places and outdoors. Sony also said the high-resolution PSP screen will be “dramatically enhanced.”

Perhaps the best upgrade, though, is a new video output that can display a resolution of up to 480i on any TV screen that can interface with a composite or S-cable. Video output has been a bone of contention with the PSP. Customers have been clamoring for video output for the device from day one, but Sony decided against it. When the PSP 2000 came out, we finally saw a video output, and the recent announcement is a significant upgrade in resolution quality. An output resolution of 480i is not quite hi-res, but it’s getting pretty close.

Sony has apparently not committed to a price, although in Europe it’s US$294.

Sony Cybershot DSC-H3 8.1MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Zoom with Super Steady Shot Image Stabilization.

An eight megapixel sensor, a special mode aimed at moving subjects, Sony’s proprietary technology Sony Dynamic Range Optimizer, image stabilizer and a compact body are the key points for this unique superzoom camera.

Somehow oddly shaped (just like other previous Sony prosumer cameras) mainly due to the robust grip, the Sony Cybershot DSC-H3 compact digital features a superb zoom in a truly compact body design (4.2 x 2.7 x 1.9 inches - 13.4 ounces, 106 x 68.5 x 47.5 mm - 380 gr).

The Sony Cybershot H3 - available in silver or black - has a 8 MP CCD but what really stands out is its Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar 10x zoom lens: a 35-mm equivalent of 38-380 mm, aperture F/3.5-4.4 definitely places this Sony offering near the top of this class of cameras. Macro mode allows for less than 2 cm (much less than an inch) focusing distance from the subject.

Super Steadyshot image stabilizer helps avoiding motion-blur in images for both newbies and consumed photographers; for faster shooting, Sony incorporates an Advanced Sports Shooting Mode along with a predictive, multipoint autofocus (9 points matrix).

The ubiquitous Face Detection technology is here too, though it still fails to recognize cool people from their faces…

Sony Dynamic Range Optimizer technology, developed for the company’s flagship Alpha DSLR and reused in this high end compact model, analizes CCD captured data and optimizes exposure and hue before JPEG compression and storing.

The H3 Cybershot has a 2.5″ LCD display, a Li-Ion NP-BG1 battery - rated at 330 shootings by Sony, uses Memory Stick Pro Duo as storage media and allows for VGA-resolution, 30 fps video recording with audio.

Last but not least, the HD output (1080 lines) provides spectacular photo viewing on your Sony KDL-40V2500 40″ Bravia V-Series 1080p LCD HDTV and other compatible HDTV screens (cable available separately).

This a recent (and welcome!) trend even for compact and point-and-shoot cameras: Sony already announced on February the Sony Cybershot DSCW200 12.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom and Super Steady Shot, which sports HDMI output.

Available for pre-order now, and expected to be in stores by November 2007, the price For the H3 will be around US$ 300.00.

Update: Additional lenses for the H3 are now available, both Super Wide Angle , tele zoom and Macro for close-ups.

Sony is rolling out firmware 1.80 for its PlayStation 3. This latest update will add resolution upscaling capability for PlayStation and PlayStation 2 titles, as well as bring DVD playback to full 1080p resolution when viewed on compatible HDTVs. Further enhancements include Remote Play functionality for the PlayStation Portable (PSP), which allows users to access their PlayStation 3 consoles remotely from its portable little brother using any available wireless connection. Moreover, Sony is boosting the PS3 as a media hub for the front room, adding the ability to network the console with home PCs to stream media content on to TV sets.

In related news, VoIP service Jajah has made an update to its website that streamlines it for use on the PS3. As voipstage.com reports, Jajah lets you register with your “home phone number, then when you want to call someone you enter their number into your browser and Jajah will dial your phone and connect you directly”, doing away with headsets as it uses your existing handset (or mobile phone). The service is free between Jajah users.

BT (British Telecom) and Sony have teamed up to offer users of the electronics giant’s PlayStation Portable (PSP) a VoIP option that will enable them to place voice and video calls to other PSP owners and some BT phones. The service, which is then set to expand to allow calls to PCs, fixed lines and mobile phones, will use a new camera and microphone PSP accessory called Go Camera, to be released in the UK on 25 May.

BT is taking care of the software side of the deal, while also offering its 2000 UK hotspots infrastructure to which the initial service will be exclusive. BT said it expects to then sell the software to telecoms in another 100 countries