Skype coming to PlayStation Vita today

The Skype Video and Voice calling app for Sony's Playstation Vita will officially be available in North America through PlayStation Store later today.  For those in Europe and Asia, it will be available for download on the Vita tomorrow, April 25.  For all of you eager to download it, it may take up to 48 hours for the app to propagate in all local PlayStation Stores.

With this service you can enjoy free Skype calls on the PS Vita, keeping in touch with gamers around the world while you're on the go.  The Skype app is available for both the 3G/Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi models.

The Skype app includes free Skype-to-Skype voice calling, as well as high quality video calling that utilizes PS Vita's front and rear cameras. Best of all, it runs in "background mode", which means you won't need to end a game to make a call.  While playing, all you have to do is pause the game, conduct the call,and then return to your previous activity.  It should be noted that certain games/applications will not be able to "pause" during a call.  Skype credit will allow you to make low-cost calls to landlines and mobile directly from your PS Vita.

Finally, an app that makes the Vita worth purchasing!  Could you sense the sarcasm there?  In all honesty, the Vita is a great handheld, but is there really a mobile gaming scene anymore – at least beyond that of an iPad/iPhone?  Well, there is, but it's the Nintendo 3DS.