Phone calls for free from your portable console are finally possible

Jan 30, 2008 09:47 GMT  ·  By

It was no secret that the Skype PSP was going to happen as soon as possible, so here it is: the Firmware Update Sony has just released (version 3.90) allows PSP Slim & Lite owners to receive phone calls for free, using Skype and, of course, a headset and remote control. Things will be as easy as they can get, you will soon realize that!

Because now, with Skype being made available for the portable gaming console, we're a step (or, rather, a giant leap) closer to what we could call "free phone calls all over the world". Really, that is what Skype does: it allows its user to make free calls to any other Skype users in the world, as well as paid ones to traditional landline and mobile phones. But who would do that, since they have the "free" option, right? So, the PSP has just become more than a great entertainment device - it is now a really cost effective and accessible... mobile phone. And things are going to get even better, but we'll talk about that a tad later.

Because right now, all you have to do is to grab the firmware update 3.90 and give us a call, just to see how cool this whole thing is. However, have in mind that the Skype functionality is only available for the newer models (PSP Slim & Lite or the PSP 2000 series) and not for the older versions (PSP 1000). Also, in order to enjoy Skype features on PSP, users will need Memory Stick Duo, a wireless Internet connection and a Skype-compatible audio input device. And everything else is just the good ol' Skype you already know.

Together with the Skype compatibility, a new option will be added: actually an icon, "Go!Messenger", highlights the commitment shown towards communications on PSP. This actually means that you will be able to start video and voice chat, as well as other things that are kept secret for the moment. But we'll have details soon, since this is planned for a February release. Uhm, now... just rewind a little bit: did somebody say video? Yes, they did!