It's not quite the PSP 2 some might've hoped for, but Sony is giving its handheld console a serious refresh in the form of a slimmer, lighter and faster "updated" PSP. The new unit still includes the 4.3-inch LCD and UMD, but is 33 percent lighter, 19 percent slimmer, has sped up game load times and improved battery life. The only real "new" features is a video output capability to allow you to play your PSP games on a big screen TV. You can score one in September in the original Piano Black, a new Ice Silver color, and a Star Wars Battlefront special edition. The latter two PSPs come in $199 bundles with related games and a 1GB Memory Stick in the case of Ice Silver. More pics after the break.

Update: Also worth noting is the fact that this new model "is equipped with enhanced feature to temporarily store game data from UMD, reducing load time during game play." No complaints about that!

Sony has admitted that it sneakily upgraded the PSP's clockspeed to 333MHz (from 266MHz) in the version 3.50 firmware update that was released last month. This admission is confusing for a couple of reasons: for starters, Sony originally underclocked the PSP in order to increase the stated battery life of the console. Does that mean they'll be forced to decrease the stated battery life, so as to avoid false advertisement? It's also rather odd that developers are only now being granted access to the extra MHz oomph, prompting mutterings of a new PSP model which -- as one Joystiq commentator points out -- could take as long to appear as games that take full advantage of the 333MHz clockspeed. Or, maybe this upgrade simply enabled the PSP to cope with all that "remote play" malarkey that 3.50 enabled. That would be the logical assumption.

[Via Joystiq]

We're down to the last three, everybody -- the biggies. And sure, it may be 2007 now, but it's still entirely possible for you to cast your ballot for the Most Anticipated Gadget of 2007! Our Engadget Awards nominees are listed below, and you've got until 11.59PM EST on Wednesday, April 18th to file your vote. You can only vote once, so make it count, and may the best tech win! The nominees: Apple iPhone, Apple iPod (6g), Nokia N95, Optimus Maxiumus keyboard, PSP 2, SED HDTVs, and Vista / CableCARD PCs.

Just like plenty of other shady and shadier PSP 2 rumors, the PSP redesign story has been firmly shot down. For starters, Sony has come forward with the always popular cookie-cutter denial: "We currently have no plans to release another version of the PSP." Sounds similar to Nintendo's denial of a DS Lite, days before an official announcement, but we've got a sneaky suspicion Sony is serious about this one, especially with those GPS and EyeToy add-ons just around the corner. Apparently even the original PlayStation Magazine rumor was a bit shady, relying more on a fanboy wishlist than actual info, and the flash memory units were merely reported to have been obtained by Sony, nothing specific about them landing in a PSP. So, we're chalking this one up as a resounding defeat for the rumor-mill, but you know we've already got our ear to the ground for the next big PSP 2 story, we just hope it turns out to be a bit less sketchwardo than this one.

[Via Joystiq]

According to PlayStation Magazine -- and we suppose they would know -- Sony has a PSP redesign in the works. It's not a PSP 2, the rumored device resides squarely in the realm of redesign, but the supposed 8GB flash drive from Samsung, built-in EyeToy and a thinner, lighter form factor would all be welcome improvements to the current PSP. Actually, all the specs match up nicely with the PSP 2 rumors we were hearing earlier this year, but supposedly Sony wants to go with the Apple model of iPod upgrades, and stick with the single PSP name. In recent interviews, Sony's SCEA president Kaz Hirai didn't directly discount the idea of a PSP redesign, but he didn't really give it a lot of weight either. We're willing to give this rumor a fair shake, but we'll have to wait for more info and a real pic to see if this thing can have DS lite-ish success at its purported March 2007 launch -- Sony sure could use a hit.

UPDATE: Our original post was based on a fan-made PSP mockup from Joystiq's writeup that threw us off the trail, but now we've got a thumbnail of the magazine scan thanks to PSP Fanboy.

[Via Joystiq]