Sony Corp. officially announced Wednesday the launch of a new version of the PlayStation Portable. The company presented its new version of the console for handheld games at a video game convention held in Leipzig, Germany.

That’s very good news for gamers who will certainly be delighted by the new console which can be also used as a telephone. The new PSP version features a built-in microphone and a new screen specially made for better outdoor use.

The current PSP version supports Skype, which means that current users can make free phone calls over the internet. The PSP 3000 makes the process easier due to its built-in microphone. The new version will hopefully make PSP a “viable communication device," as David Reeves, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, stated.

Sony announced that PSP 3000 will be released on the market in Europe and the U.S. in mid-October. PSP 3000 will be available in stores for €199. The current model sells for €169.

However, to convince its customers to renounce at their PSP 1000 and buy the then-new version, the PSP-2000, Sony worked to improve the latter console’s ports design and doubled its RAM. Will customers change the PSP 2000 with the PSP 3000 just for a new screen and a built-in microphone? We’ll just have to wait and see.

At the Leipzig convention, Sony also talked about the release of a new PlayStation 3 (PS3) model that will feature a 160GB hard drive and will cost gamers about €449 including 70 euros credit for downloads. The launch date is October 31.