Sony officially announces Skype support for end of January

by Jem Alexander { Jan 6th 2008 at 5:40PM }

Sony has now officially announced what we all knew was coming - Skype is coming to the PSP Slim. From what we can tell from the feature list on the press release, this is no "Skype Lite". All of Skype's PC/Mac features will soon be available for the PSP Slim. The service allows for free calls to PCs and other PSPs running skype but will also feature full support for SkypeIn and SkypeOut, essentially turning your PSP into a (rather bulky) cellphone - as long as you have Wifi access.

Skype for the PSP will be enabled via a firmware update at the end of the month, when a Skype icon will suddenly appear on your XMB. Don't have a Skype account? No worries, you can set one up straight from your PSP. Check out the full features, after the break.

- Free voice calls between Skype users
- Skype contact list management (view existing contacts, add new ones)
- Skype presence (see which friends are online and available to talk)
- SkypeOut™ calls to make calls to landlines and mobile phones anywhere in the world (requires the
purchase of Skype credit)
- Optional SkypeIn™ number that lets users receive calls on Skype from landlines and mobiles anywhere in the world (requires the purchase of Skype credit)
- View and modify Skype settings and account details (including username creation, SkypeOut settings, voicemail settings and call forwarding)

Tags: skype

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

John the Snake Man @ Jan 6th 2008 6:30PM

Makes me wounder if it will work on the Psp headset...
If it dos...THAT will be good news for me...

Hashbrown_Hunter @ Jan 6th 2008 6:36PM

Unless you have a Slim remote, than it won't work.

But I'm not sure, Skype might require a more powerful mic.

Dennis @ Jan 6th 2008 6:36PM

Wish we could use the psp camera(for those who imported) so we wont have to go out and pay 30 bucks(its officially licensed sony it will be high) for something not needed.

Hashbrown_Hunter @ Jan 6th 2008 6:41PM

Are you talking about the video chat? Well I think Sony would support the import camera, but no one knows.

The Sony Press Conference begins at 4pm (PST) so we'll probably get more details.

Hashbrown_Hunter @ Jan 6th 2008 6:32PM

AWESOME.

And Sony definitely needs to get a microphone out for the Slim.

merc25 @ Jan 6th 2008 9:33PM

Why? The mic out for the psp already works for it (along with every other mic). Plug random mic to the remote, plug remote into the PSP, va la a PSP microphone.

crazypenguin @ Jan 6th 2008 6:38PM

darn it, why can it only work on the psp slim! i don't understand, why doesn't the original have that capability. i guess i'm going to upgrade.......eventually.

Hashbrown_Hunter @ Jan 6th 2008 6:41PM

I think Sony just wants more people to buy the Slim.

AL7AIR @ Jan 6th 2008 7:01PM

I guess it's the extra RAM, to handle stuff like audio and video stream buffering, especially when it comes to multiple chat partners at once, that limits Skype to the PSP slim.

merc25 @ Jan 6th 2008 9:50PM

Sony hasn't exactly been honest with anyone including their investors(which is a federal crime), why should I believe them now? We knew Skype was coming since 3.10 FW, eleven months ago, several months before the slim came out.

Face it! Sony is making it a Slim only feature to get the 25 million Phat owners to buy the new model. Exactly the reason why they change their remotes for the slim to milk more money. Which is exactly why they won't introduce the PSP peripherals(GO CAm and the GPS unit) here, is they don't want those peripherals to work on the old model. It would cost them money if these items were widely available in NA, for Sony wants to make these items incentives for buying the Slim(thus making them more money).

Kspraydad @ Jan 6th 2008 10:03PM

At merc...

Um...they just announced the GPS unit for North America today.

Works on Slim and Phat.

There goes your theory I guess.

merc25 @ Jan 7th 2008 12:28AM

Curses and double drats, **** Sony for not being an entirely evil money grubbing empire! Happy? Now I have to fine faults with them some other way while somehow plugging that Noobz and Fanjita beat Sony to the punch with their Furikup. Noobz website is down, that makes me a sad panda.

http://pspupdates.qj.net/Fanjita-Noobz-release-Furikup-PSP-SIP-Phone-The-PSP-Skype-alternative/pg/49/aid/111126

James Stringer @ Jan 8th 2008 8:02PM

Kinda like how the iPod video 5.5G had search, but the some how couldn't put that on the 5G?

Wait for "PSP!" (PSP2)

Charles @ Jan 7th 2008 11:45AM

I dont understand either man, but what the hell, I guess I'm going to upgrade later on...didnt want too but this is almost too good to give up...

Jayme @ Jan 6th 2008 7:08PM

Will this be worldwide or only some contrys.

Dreadhead541 @ Jan 6th 2008 7:11PM

seems like it won't be very convenient if you can only use it at hotspots.

Hashbrown_Hunter @ Jan 6th 2008 8:24PM

...um...well hotspots include home networks so how would it be bad?

Dreadhead541 @ Jan 6th 2008 8:34PM

i never said it was bad, i just don't think that my psp will be replacing my cell phone any time soon

pjak @ Jan 6th 2008 7:13PM

This is GREAT news - just hope it works with the camera (both as a webcam and mic), cause the Slim's remote seems non-existant in Europe...and there are already TOO many fakes on the market!

Funny thing is the EU Playstation site has recently put out a news article mentioning "Go!Messenger". Surely Sony aren't going to rename Skype to that...or are we getting two similar apps (which sounds very unlikely to me).