Sony's PSP Already A Megastar

Sony's PlayStation Portable hasn't even hit the shelves in the lucrative U.S. market, and it has already been proclaimed as a 'lifestyle device' by some. Proof of its demand is that the European rollout has been pushed back to allow production of more units for the U.S.

With features like WiFi, a 16:9 screen, USB port, and memory stick slots, PSP will be used for more than just playing games. The unit will be capable of playing digital music files, viewing digital photos, and playing movies.

Sony is also introducing a UMD, believing that mini hard drives are too limiting, and that the Universal Media Disc will allow interoperability between multiple devices, much like a CD or cassette. PSP has been available in Japan since the last quarter of 2004.

CeBIT Showcases New Gadgets

The world's largest electronics show is in Hanover, Germany this week, and next season's toys are being introduced to the public. Among them is a 7-megapixel camera phone, and a number of Bluetooth headsets, the latter a necessity when cutting the cord on wireless phones, PDAs, and MP3 players equally compatible.

New HDTV plasma screens are on display, although still pricey, and many internet phone products (VoIP) are ready to hit the streets.