Sony puts GPS on PSP

Stephen Withers
Thursday, 23 August 2007 03:09

Your IT - Entertainment

Due in the New Year - just too late for the Christmas/holiday buying season - Sony's Go!Explore will combine GPS hardware with NavNGo software and TeleAtlas map data to turn the PlayStation Portable into a pedestrian or in-car satellite navigation system.

Seven geographic versions will initially be available, covering UK/Ireland, Iberia, France, Germany/Austria/Switzerland, Italy, the Benelux nations, and Scandinavia. Each provides spoken instructions in 11 languages (English, German, French, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, and Finnish).

Maps and points of interest will be upgradable - at a price - via the PlayStation network. The announcement also referred to "exciting WiFi features that will be made available in the future."

"Bringing GPS navigation to PSP is simply fantastic and shows again the unrivalled potential of PSP," said Stephane Hareau, PSP European Marketing Manager, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. "Go!Explore offers the best and most innovative in-car and pedestrian GPS navigation experience. With the ability to use 3D city maps and even 3D landmarks in certain key cities, GPS on PSP is a totally unique experience."

The price has not been disclosed, but Sony officials said the package will be "affordable".