Sony to Offer Updated Portable Unit, New Keypad

Canadian Press brings good news for PlayStation 3 fans out there who are interested in something more than “buttoning” when playing games on the console - Sony Corp. will offer a wireless keypad that can be attached to the system's controller for typing and web browsing.

The company wanted to come up with a way to ease up the chatting during multiplayer games through the Bluetooth-enabled keypad (available from November). The interaction in this respect between players is currently done over headsets with microphones. Some of the gamers will welcome this way of communicating and through typing.

Additional features include a button on the keypad that will allow players turn it into a touch pad and use the whole surface as a mouse by “walking” their finger over the surface. Sony explains this is meant to make it easier to browse the web using the console.

There is an alternative - a wireless "ThumbPad" ($30) available for the PS3, offered byMad Catz Inc., but until now Sony didn’t have the feature. No price has been yet announced.

During a gaming convention held on Wednesday in Leipzig, Germany, the company also announced that it has updated its PlayStation Portable system. The new improved system will offer a new LCD screen with an expanded range of colours, antireflection technology and a built-in microphone that was not available on previous systems. Furthermore, players are able to use the microphone for Skype calls and talk to each other during multiplayer games.

The new PSP will be available starting with October 14 for the price of $200.