Introducing the PSP Vita!!

So you may have probably heard that a new PSP (PlayStation Portable- the handheld gaming device from Sony) has been announced and people were, for a while, calling it an NGP and you didn't quite know whether it was out yet, what the difference was between the current one and the new version and most importantly, whether it's worth buying (yourself or your kids) one especially with so many other gaming consoles out in the market. Nintendo has the 3D portable console that they say does 3D without glasses and then there is the whole Xbox vs PS3 vs Wii thing going on.. and you're probably wondering whether you even need a console especially when "Angry Birds" keeps you entertained on your phone for HOURS.
Well, the NGP is finally now called the "PSP Vita" and instead of it just being a concept, the PlayStation boys allowed the press to touch, feel and play with the device at the E3 gaming expo in LA yesterday. The device was announced back in January so if you are confused of whether this is yet another device launch, it isn't... it's just been now given an official name and will have official reviews once the tech writers and bloggers and done playing with it.
Instead of making you read a lot of stuff about the features of the device, I think it might be more interesting for you guys to check out the video that gives you an idea of what this baby can do-


If you're not drooling yet and think this video just shows of clever angles and is an example of great marketing, let's see what the press has to say-
Gizmodo says that "the five-inch, 960x544 OLED display screen is uh-mazing. Super duper rich. And clear" It also goes on to say, "the claims of their amazingness and how they touch your eyeballs in special ways are not hyperbole, for the most part. It's easily a generation or two ahead of anything on iOS, and like half a gen or so ahead of most of the 3DS stuff I've played."
(Read the rest of the review here)


Engadget said in it's hands on review, "and how about the dual analog sticks? We're glad you asked -- they completely blow away the original PSP's analog nub, and we don't think first-person combat (or most any PS3 port) will be much of an issue"
(Read the rest of the review here)

USA Today started off the review with the line, "One word comes to mind when seeing the PlayStation Vita and some of its titles: gorgeous."
(Read the rest of the review here)


CNet summed up their time spent with the device with this to say- "From my time with the Vita, I was surprised at how crisp and large the screen was, how good the analog sticks felt (they're actual sticks as opposed to the PSP's stiff pad), and how lightweight the unit was to hold, although that's probably more because these dev units don't have batteries inside. Having all the control schemes and inputs that the PS Vita contains seems daunting, but the games I looked at did a decent job of picking the tools available and offering a variety of experiences. It still remains to be seen whether first-time players will be intimidated by all the buttons and touch panels, or feel liberated."

(Read the rest of the review here)

Since I haven't seen the device personally nor have I held it or played with it, I thought I'd give you a summation as to what the most popular gadget reviewers had to say. There is a lot of hype about this device and after all these amazing reviews, people are bound to be excited about its launch, that happens to be right at the end of the year, in time for the holiday sales. One complaint that I know users were posting about on the blog (just so you don't think I'm posting all the good stuff!) is that the people in the US were upset that PlayStation had chosen AT&T as their wireless carrier for the 3G version of the device, especially since the XPeria Go (the Sony Ericsson PlayStation phone) is on Verizon in the US. If you don't live in the States or don't really care about a 3G version of the Vita, this doesn't really apply to you. 

I can't WAIT to hold this device in my hands! I'll keep you posted as to when it's close to launching in the UAE and will be sure to snag a demo unit to give you guys a full review closer to time!

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