As the much-awaited video-game conference, known as E3, kicks off in Los Angeles next week, the focus is on gaming majors and the new offerings up their sleeves.

There is talk about Nintendo getting ready to offer a new platform with probably a touch screen controller. There is also buzz around Microsoft probably slashing prices of Xbox 360, besides offering several new titles.

But all eyes are on Sony, really. Of course the gaming major will have to do some damage control after recent hacking troubles with its PlayStation Network. But there are other reasons as well.

There have been rumors that Sony will use the E3 platform to name its Next Generation Portable, or PSP2, as ‘Vita’. An article on Kotaku.com discusses the possibility of Sony naming the NGP 'Vita', a Latin word for life. The report however admits that an original report that fuelled this speculation had been pulled off by the source who also offered an apology.

The reporter says it's not yet known if the new handheld will be called Vita. If it is, though, I like it! PlayStation Vita would be a fresh start for a console family deemed unsuccessful (despite its impressive sales) in the wake of the Nintendo DS' dominance... the article says.

Another report on Devicemag.com also lends credence to speculation over the naming of Sony's NGP. This report also testifies that a story based on leaked snaps from a marketing brochure had been withdrawn after the nomenclature debate lifted off.
So PlayStation Vita could be on show at E3, and may be, Sony will start endorsing the handheld in that name, Devicemag says.