Dixons PSP info 'speculative'

Sony has denied that a PlayStation Portable pre-order campaign run by UK retailer Dixons is using anything other than speculative release and pricing information as its basis.

UK retailer Dixons yesterday pre-empted Sony's forthcoming announcement of PSP's European release date and price point - due within the next few weeks - by kicking off a pre-order initiative online and on the high street.

For £10, future PSP owners can take a place in line for whenever the PSP comes out. Dixons doesn't specify whether it's selling the Value Pack or otherwise yet, presumably because nobody really knows what Sony is likely to offer, but it does suggest a retail price of £179.00 and a release date of August 1st.

Neither of these, Sony said yesterday, are any more or less speculative than those employed elsewhere.

That said; if you reckon the PSP will cost more than £179.00, you might well consider putting in an order anyway. Dixons can't increase the price of the unit once it's settled on a pre-order figure, although it can - and says it will - lower it if Sony comes out with a cheaper proposition.

The pre-order page also limits customers to a maximum of two units.