AFP - Japan's Sony Corp. announced Tuesday it will launch its new PlayStation Portable in Japan on October 16 as it seeks to catch up with rival Nintendo Co.'s DS consoles.

AP - Sales are improving in Japan for Sony Corp.'s PlayStation Portable handheld video game machine, and a beefed up version with a clearer display is expected to add momentum, a senior executive said Tuesday.

Reuters - Global semiconductor sales rose 7.6 percent in July from the previous year, helped by strong growth in consumer electronics, personal computers and cell phones, an industry group said.

Reuters - Apple Inc is planning an event on September 9 in San Francisco with the theme "Let's Rock," fueling speculation that the maker of the Macintosh computers, iPod music players and iPhone cell phones will introduce new products.

Reuters - Russia's third largest mobile phone operator MegaFon said on Tuesday it had signed a distribution deal with Apple Inc. to sell iPhone 3G in Russia.

Reuters - Mobile phone maker Nokia said on Tuesday it would launch its "Comes with Music" package with an offering in Britain, signing a deal with Carphone Warehouse to sell the first model.

Reuters - Sony Corp's (6758.T) game unit said on Tuesday it would launch the latest model of its PlayStation Portable (PSP) handheld machine on October 16 in Japan to better compete with Nintendo Co Ltd's (7974.OS) market-leading DS.

Reuters - Microsoft Corp will slash the price of its Xbox 360 game console in Japan by about 30 percent, below Nintendo Co's (7974.OS) Wii and Sony Corp's (6758.T) PlayStation 3 in a bid to boost market share, the Nikkei business daily said on Monday.

Reuters - Microsoft Corp will slash the price of its Xbox 360 game console in Japan by about 30 percent, below Nintendo Co's (7974.OS) Wii and Sony Corp's (6758.T) PlayStation 3 in a bid to boost market share, the Nikkei business daily said on Monday.