Video/Voice chat might be in firmware 2.90... in October

[wraggster]

News from PSPVault

With all this talk of the Playstation 3, emulating PSOne games on the PSP, the upcoming GPS accessory, and the upcoming camera accessory, Grand Theft Auto Vice City Stories, homebrew on 2.71, and so on, it seems most of us have forgotten about some of the other plans Sony has for the PSP.

ITmedia didn't. In their most recent article covering the GPS accessory and the camera accessory, they make an important observation:

"Since the PSP camera as announced has an integrated microphone, there is a strong possibility that SCE's firmware update (version 2.90?) planned for Fall 2006 will support 'VoIP Phone.' If a 'TV Phone' function were also added, the PSP's possibilities as a digital device would expand even more."

It's not just speculation on ITmedia's part, either -- if you think back to the Playstation Business Meeting held earlier this year, you might remember that Sony outlined plans to add Voice over IP support, Memory Stick Boot, and Network support via a firmware update in October.

Thus far, Sony is sticking to their plans. The "Memory Stick Boot" certainly refers to the PSP's ability to play PSP and PS1 games via the Memory Stick, which is to be solidified with the introduction of the Playstation 3. Network support, though we're still not entirely sure, might refer to the PSP's mysterious DLNA client. You'd think Sony would publicize something like voice/video chat at Tokyo Game Show if they planned on introducing it so soon afterwards, but they have a tendency to keep rather important information a secret.

Whatever happens the next few months will be very interesting for PSP Owners.

[benh]

Umm the firmware that is coming out in october is 3.00 with the psone emulator, and i also belive the memory stick boot is the ps1 emu because you can boot stuff from your memory stick etc psone games

[SSaxdude]

If their was voice chat then people would have to buy the headset. Seeing as few people own it, it wouldn't be extremely useful then.

Doesn't matter to me, 1.5 forever!

[Veskgar]

Cool, so this may mean downloadable commercial PSP games. They won't have pad, dummy, or other junk files to take up space so they should be somewhat small in file size. This is a wise move for SONY considering I and many others prefer back up our UMD's to CiSO on the memory stick.

Finally some worthy features in an update. But I will never update my 1.50 - NEVER NEVER!

[saward85]

Umm the firmware that is coming out in october is 3.00 with the psone emulator

yeah, where did 2.9 come from, i come here every day and have never heard of 2.9

[zakusage]

If their was voice chat then people would have to buy the headset. Seeing as few people own it, it wouldn't be extremely useful then.

The camera has a mic built in.

[ICE]

that'd be nice and all, video chat, but not worth losing 1.5 over.

[Gene]

if its on devhook then, all i can say is yay. but if not then oh well...

[Video_freak]

Same. I'll use ONLY if hacked or Devhooked.

[-=me=-]

cool. i wont upgrade though. look, we have audio recording homebrew and it will probably be devhooked a moth after it comes out.