It wasn't exactly a well-kept secret, but Sony's new handheld is called the "PlayStation Vita." It was once code-named the Sony NGP, or "Next Generation Portable," but the company has decided the device will be called "The Vita."

Vita means "Life" in Latin, and was chosen, according to Sony, beacuse they feel the device "enables a revolutionary combination of rich gaming and social connectivity within a real world context. SCE is aiming to transform every aspect of user's daily life into an entertainment experience."

Along with the name, we learned that the Vita's internet provider will only be AT&T, and we learned the name of the device's connection suite. It will be called "Near."

"AT&T's mobile broadband network excels at delivering data with high speeds nationwide, which is what we need for powering the social and connectivity features built into the PlayStation Vita portable entertainment system," said Jack Tretton, president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America. "PlayStation Vita will give users the opportunity to engage and connect with one another while delivering the kind of rich and immersive gaming experiences unimaginable on any other portable device on the market today."

We'll have more details as they become available.