PSP Firmware 3.90 Arrives in North America, Europe; Adds Skype Functionality for Slim PSPs

8
The latest firmware update for the PSP has arrived in North America and Europe, bringing the popular internet voice chat software Skype to the recently redesigned handheld.

The chat software, which is only compatible with the slimmer model of the portable due to its increased internal memory, permits users to call other Skype members for free and traditional telephone numbers at a cost.

In addition to the slim PSP, other requirements for Skype include a wireless internet connection, memory stick, and microphone headset.

The 3.90 firmware can be obtained by selecting Network Update from the PSP's settings menu. It should also be available from Sony's official system update page later today.

Chris Faylor was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    January 30, 2008 8:52 AM

    Why must early adopters be screwed over :(

    Just because they do it with blu-ray users doesn't mean they should do it to us PSP users.

    • reply
      January 30, 2008 9:24 AM

      From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_Portable_Slim_and_Lite

      "Although dubbed "PSP Slim and Lite", the PSP-2000 offers several other tweaks and improvements from the older generation. To target the original PSP generation's poor load times for UMD games, the internal memory (RAM and FlashROM) was doubled from 32 MB to 64 MB, which also improved the web browser's performance."

      It's this addition RAM that prevents the older model from running Skype. Your certainly free to sell your older one and buy the newer one if Skype is that big of a deal to you :)

    • reply
      January 30, 2008 9:32 AM

      The chat software, which is only compatible with the slimmer model of the portable due to its increased internal memory...

      • reply
        January 30, 2008 10:23 AM

        I did read the article and know why it can't be on the big PSP. I don't know everyone thought I was asking them to make Skype for the old PSP. I'm just saddened that they will seemingly be adding more and more features that ignore the first user base.

    • reply
      January 30, 2008 9:32 AM

      I'm still waiting on GT4.. fuck Sony, I'm not buying any more of their lies or products

      • reply
        January 30, 2008 11:59 AM

        yeah, i also don't see sony in a good position here
        come on, they showed the psp, before the release with the picture of gt4mobile...
        and that was exactly when?

        and besides, i don't need skype, i don't like this exclusion of the old customers
        skype maybe the only program in the moment, but there will come more which won't run on the older systems

        • reply
          January 30, 2008 12:01 PM

          ...no, there won't. It's not hard to believe that it needed the extra 32 megs of RAM. I love how people have to make everything regarding sony into this huge fucking conspiracy.

          More so, it would be utterly fucking retarded on almost every level of business and marketing to alienate your customer base on games, where you actually MAKE money.

          And in regards to GT4, console manufacturers show prototypes all the time when they show new technology; i mean jesus some people take shit pretty fucking literally, it's not like they put out a release date or anything

          • reply
            January 30, 2008 12:51 PM

            [deleted]

            • reply
              January 30, 2008 1:51 PM

              I can't think of a time where they've changed hardware and forced people to buy new to play the same generation of games.

              Didn't happen with the PS1. Didn't happen with the PS2. Hasn't happened with the PS3.

              Oh wait, I forgot, LOL SONY IS EVIL!!!! LOL 111111!!!one

    • reply
      January 30, 2008 11:15 AM

      oh jesus

    • reply
      January 30, 2008 8:56 PM

      How did they screw early adopters of Blueray? Very solid reasons were given why Skype isn't on older models. They do not have sufficient memory to run Skype. So the choice is no Skype for any PSP owner or Skype for slim owners. I traded up months ago.

Hello, Meet Lola