Despite a higher percentage of broadband penetration in Europe, and the introduction of a PC-based PlayStation Store for the PS3-less, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has still opted to wrangle up the bits of some of the PSP's download-only titles for UMD distribution in themed "packs".

The first two packs (there are "more Collection Packs to be released throughout 2009") are the Puzzle Pack – cramming the mischievous Lemmings with the excitable Go! Sudoku and Go! Puzzle – and the Power Pack – an odd grouping of Syphon Filter: Combat Ops, the more contemplative stylings of flOw, and the rhythm-happy Beats. The Puzzle Pack is slated for a European debut in "mid" October while the Power Pack will come along right behind it, in "late" October. We've asked the fine folks at SCEA to comment on a North American release so, until then, let's just assume this is Europe-only.

PlayStation Store's PC portal will be updated today with an original PSP game, Beats. The $4.99 download serves as a rhythm playground for any tunes you've got stored on the Memory Stick, not unlike Harmonix's Phase for iPod.

Developed by SCEE's London Studio, Beats began as a UMD project to be loaded with licensed music and videos by British pop band Sugababes. Thankfully, the London team got the memo in time. As soon as the developers learned that the PSP Store (albeit a PC-to-PSP store) was finally transitioning from dream to reality, they dropped the Sugababes, rear-loading disc and bloated price tag, and opted for an inexpensive, downloadable game powered by its users. Imagine that, Sony did something right.

(Note: Beats is not currently available through PS3's PS Store.)

[Via PSP Fanboy]

The PlayStation 3 no longer exclusively acts as the eerily quiet middleman for your purchases from Sony's PlayStation Store. The PC-based online store (store.playstation.com) has gone live for the US and is ready to absorb your munnies in exchange for PSP games, demos, themes and PlayStation 1 games. Everything you need to get started is right on the front page -- software for transferring the downloaded content from your PC to your PSP, and the ability to create a free PSN account (your PS3 login will work too). Be sure to check out PSP Fanboy's step-by-step guide if Flash-based interfaces flummox you.

The store currently boasts an exclusive PSP game, Syphon Filter: Combat Ops, along with downloadable versions of some UMD-based games (we spy WipEout Pure), several familiar PlayStation 1 titles (also compatible with PS3) and some new themes, demos and trailers, all of which you'll find listed after the break. The amount of content doesn't yet prompt the use of words like "glut" and "avalanche", but it's a solid start. Let's hope Sony keeps the store updated and the content fresh in the coming months.

The ESRB has created a listing for a Sony Computer Entertainment Europe product called beats. for the PSP that, if one unconfirmed report holds true, could mean a quantum leap forward for the device's feature set.

Though the ratings board doesn't offer info other that the "E" rating of beats. one NeoGAF poster claimed over a month ago that he gathered details about the title with a little trademark investigation (the source of which is not revealed in the post). The feature set he turned up seems to be almost unfathomably ambitious, including "providing access to gaming, digital music and/or video web sites; providing wireless transmission of music, video and games, via the Internet and via communications networks; uploading and downloading of music, video and games, via the Internet."

It's difficult to cut through the jargon, but this sounds like it could be an extension of Game 3.0 to the PSP platform, allowing users to share different media or even games through the handheld. It could also be one of the company's efforts to help bring in the teen market. But with such a maddeningly vague description (and even less helpful title) this seems like more of a cause for speculation than celebration.

[Via PSP Fanboy]