PSP Go announced by Kaz Hirai

News - Priced with details

The 'worst kept secret of E3' was officially confrimed by Sony boss Kaz Hirai at Sony's E3 briefing. Older PSP models will continue to be sold alongside this device - which will focus on digital distrubution.

PSP Go is half the size of the original PSP, and is also lighter. 16 Gb of internal Flash storage is included. Built in go will allow access to PSN for downloading music and videos. The memory will be upgradeable.

In 2009, more games than ever will be released for PSP. A new application for the PC will launch today - Media Go - allowing users to access the PSN store and share content with the PSP simply.

The PSP Go boasts a sliding-front design (the controls revealed in this manner), and it will include the new 'Sense Me' software to further the console's accessibility for multimedia. All future PSP releases will be released in digital and UMD form.

An 80% price cut on development units is also likely to help boost the platform's games line-up.

Native video store support is also heading to the PSP - giving users easy access to the PSN's burgeoning content. Showtime, G4, E, HD Net, Manga and other content providers have signed up to deliver their wares to the PSP.

North American and European launches will arrive on November 21st, priced at 249 USD / Euro.