PlayStation Vita Handheld Console Unveiled by Sony

Sony unveiled its next-generation hand-held console, the Vita, at the E3 on Tuesday, according to media reports.

The device was unveiled in Japan in January and originally had the codename NGP. However, Sony decided to go with the name “Vita,” which means “life” in Latin.

“Vita means life,” said Kazuo Hirai, the president and group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, according to CNET. “And we’re confident that Vita will be the first product that blurs the lines between reality and interactive entertainment.”

It will feature a 5-inch touch screen on the front and a touch pad on the back that will enable more hand gestures to control the games. It will also feature two analog joysticks and the standard PlayStation buttons on the front.

The standard Wi-Fi model will cost $249 while a 3G and Wi-Fi unit will cost $299. The device will be available during this year’s holiday season.

The device looks to make use of social networking which will allow users to play each other when they are close by.

CNN reports that the Vita will offer cross-platform play, allowing gamers to pick up where they left off on both the PlayStation 3 and the Vita for titles supported on both consoles.

Jack Tretton, president of Sony Computer Entertainment of America, apologized to thousands of audience members for the hacker-caused outage and data breach that befell the PlayStation Network.

“You are the lifeblood of this company. Without you there is no Playstation,” Tretton said, according to CNN. “I want to apologize, both personally and on behalf of the company, for any anxiety we caused you.

“I know we took you away from what you enjoy most ... and it is you that causes us both to be humble and amazed at the amount of dedication and support you continue to give to the Playstation brand.”