New UMDs announced

As movie studios continue signing up to release movies on the UMD format, two companies have announced that US PSP owners can also look forward to a selection of music and anime titles.

Eagle Rock Entertainment will release a range of music videos for the handheld, from Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon to Nirvana's Nevermind. Rock fans can also enjoy Jimi Hendrix's Electric Ladyland, Iron Maiden's Number of the Beast, Marilyn Manson's Guns, God and Government and Metallica's, er, Metallica.

If you prefer your music with less geetars and more angry shouting, there's Busta Rhymes' Everything Remains Raw, Boozed, Broozed and Broken Boned from the Black Label Society, Snoop Dogg's Puff Puff Pass Tour and the Up in Smoke Tour, featuring Snoop Dogg, Dr Dre, Ice Cube and Eminem.

And that's not all - Eagle Rock is also offering one-minute MPEG-4 song clips, from the likes of Alice Cooper, The Cure and Dio, on its website.

Meanwhile, anime fans may be pleased to know that Geneon Entertainment is releasing the first two episodes of vampire thriller Hellsing and supernatural action series Gungrave. Animated sci-fi adventure Appleseed and hip-hopping martial arts series Samurai Champloo will also get an outing on the UMD format.

Eagle Rock's music titles are due out by the end of the year, while Appleseed and Samurai Champloo are slated to launch on July 5 in the States. Gungrave and Hellsing will follow on August 16.