The forthcoming series of PSP-exclusive city guides is set to transform the weekend break.

PSP is fast becoming even more essential to people on the move, and especially those visiting other countries. TalkMan brings an entertaining translation tool to the system, and the forthcoming arrival of the Passport To... series will make PSP an essential companion on your next weekend break.

Produced in association with the renowned travel guide publisher Lonely Planet, Passport To... is a unique, interactive guide to the world's most exciting destinations. The first six editions launch this September, with Passport To... London, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Paris, Prague and Rome. We spoke with Lonely Planet's Tom Hall to find out more.

How did the Passport To... series come about?

Sony's enthusiasm for communicating the appeal of the PSP beyond gaming led them to consider applications that appealed to the type of person using the device. Travel, especially city breaks, was one of the main activities that fitted the bill. Lonely Planet's ambition to provide travel information in new formats led to conversations on working together which have resulted in these products. We're very happy to be involved in the Passport To... series - bringing together the exciting new mediums of audio, video and interactive mapping in one place is an exciting development for us.

To what extent has Lonely Planet been involved in the development of Passport To...?

Development has been a joint effort - Lonely Planet shared our insights into traveller types, the different stages of the travel cycle, provided destination advice and generated content for the guides. This was a collaborative effort.

The six cities available at launch were chosen because they're the most popular of Lonely Planet's European city destinations, as well as being the most popular cities for short and weekend breaks.

What advantages do the Passport To... guides have over traditional guidebooks?

The guides are fully interactive, and include unique features like an itinerary builder, video content and sonic walks and a 2000-word phrasebook with audio content.

They maintain the essence of what makes a guidebook great - comprehensive, no-nonsense reviews tailored to the audience, and an easy-to-navigate layout that allows travellers to build their own guide based on their individual likes and interests, and connect with the place and people. As well as being easy to navigate, they feature fully interactive maps enhanced with photography.

How in-depth are the Passport To... guides?

Each guide has 250 reviews for eating, sleeping, nightlife, shopping and sights - they're full-feature city guides. The guides come complete with everything that you'll need for a spontaneous, contemporary, unforgettable weekend.


The Passport To... guides to Amsterdam, Barcelona, London, Paris, Prague and Rome are set to launch this September.