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]