It's not ‘PlayStation 3’ or even a new console. But it'll play DVDs, DVD-Rs, PS2 and PS one games, and even record to a hard disk… it's PSX, and it's coming from Sony.

At a high-level strategy meeting in Tokyo yesterday, Sony announced an entirely new kind of consumer electronics device that incorporates the Emotion Engine and Graphics Synthesiser chips used in PlayStation 2. Known as PSX - the original prototype name for PlayStation - the new high-end device will be launching in Japan in this fiscal year and in other territories in the next fiscal year, which means we may see the PSX in Europe in 2004 or 2005. Prices are yet to be announced, but PSX will be sold at a price that reflects its advanced technology.

So what sort of advanced technology are we talking about? Well with the PlayStation 2 chipset inside, you'll be able to play all existing PlayStation 2 and PS one games. PSX will also act as a DVD (or DVD-RW) player, DVD recorder, and DVR (or digital video recorder). Thanks to a built in TV tuner, you'll be able to record TV programmes to the 120GB hard disk or to a DVD-R. PSX will have a broadband Ethernet connection too, which means that PS2 network gaming will be available as soon as you plug in. Oh, and did we mention the USB 2.0 and Memory Stick compatibility - just like PSP? In other words, PSX is an electronic gaming and entertainment nirvana in one stylish looking box.

Speaking of that box, as you can see from the first images of PSX below it's designed very much as a consumer electronics device, and it'll look as sleek and stylish as any other bit of Sony kit you might have in your living room. Discs will load through a front-loading slot, with the PSX able to stand up on its side or lay flat (our main image shows it from its upright position) much like PS2.

PSX is certainly a new take on PlayStation 2 technology, but that does not mean that PSX is ‘PlayStation 3’ (development is still on schedule for the next generation PlayStation) and nor does it mean that PlayStation 2 is about to be discontinued or phased out. Rest assured, PlayStation 2 is going to remain the world's favourite computer entertainment system for years to come, and with the launch of PSP or ‘PlayStation Portable’ at the end of 2004, the future is looking even brighter for our favourite gaming system.

It's still very early days for PSX, but with this announcement Sony has made it very clear that PlayStation is no longer just confined to consoles that sit under your TV. PSX paves the way for PlayStation to become the home entertainment hub that's been talked about for the last few years. Rest assured, PlayStation.com will have more details on PSX as soon as they become available.

<a href="http://uk.playstation.com/news/newsStory.jhtml?storyId=103829_en_GB_NEWS&linktype=NTI“>Tekið Héðan</a> <br><br>Marge: An A+, how did you do it?
Homer: Oh lets just say I had help from a little magic box!
Marge: You changed your grade with a computer?
Homer: D'oh!
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