Playstation Vita: Savior for Sony?

Sony's had a rough year.  They've taken a beating from credit card numbers being stolen and low stock prices.  Die hard fans have sworn Sony off for good, and many people I know refuse to even consider buying a PS3.

Amid all the chaos, Sony has unveiled the PlayStation Vita:

This sleek looking handheld is the PSP on steroids.  It features a 5" touch screen, two analog sticks, two cameras and around the same battery life as the PSP.  You'll also be able to access all the social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Skype using 3G service from AT&T (not too happy about that decision).

Some big name publishers have also announced the development of games for the Vita.  Game-Candy reports Ubisoft is one of those developers, with games such as Assassins Creed and Rayman Origins to look forward to.

With a price tag starting at $249 for the basic version and $299 for the 3g/wifi version, the Vita is set to compete with the Nintendo 3ds.  But will this be enough to bring back Sony's disenchanted players?  Guess we'll have to wait and see.