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After launching Skype for the PSP at the end of January, Sony has now created even more bonds between owners of its handheld, with the arrival of the long-ago promised Go! Messenger.

Sony's PSP is no longer just a simple gaming device, but a portable multimedia center that has even the capabilities of a phone or a portable TV. Besides the recently added Skype functionality, the craved gadget has now been endowed with Go! Messenger, an application that allows PSP owners to sent video, voice or text messages for free, using a free Wi-Fi connection and the Go! Cam that can be attached through the USB port of the console.

Go! Messenger has been developed by Sony in collaboration with British Telecommunications plc., so UK gamers will be able to use the latter's more than 2,500 Openzone hotspots to connect freely with their friends. Users will have the freedom of a mobile phone, except for the fact that they won't pay a dime for the calls...

"With Go!Messenger, the PSP is pushing new boundaries, adding unique communication features to all the existing multimedia experiences," said Stephane Hareau, PSP European Marketing Manager. "Enabling more than 8.5 Million PSP users across the SCEE region to communicate with each other, through Video or Voice chat, truly confirms the always evolving nature and potential of PSP."

Warren Buckley, BT Group Director Mobility & Convergence said, "By working with PlayStation, BT is helping to consolidate PSP as a communications and entertainment device that will sit at the heart of a PSP user’s digital lifestyle. For the first time, the PSP community can stay constantly connected through voice and video chat and instant messaging both in and out of the home. We believe that this exciting development will only help SCEE to attract even more customers for the PSP."

Until now, PSP's firmware has been enriched with Web-browsing functionalities, RSS readers, GPS navigation (through an app called Go!Explore), P2P calls (Skype) and even TV streaming (a pay-per-view service to be made available in the UK and Ireland following Sony's partnership with television giant Sky TV).

To enjoy Go! Messenger's features, firmware version 3.90 or above is required and a Memory Stick with at least 32MB. The software is available in English, German, French and Spanish accross PAL areas, and both PSP 1000 and PSP 2000 owners will be able to download it.