Battle Of The Portables
With well over 15 million portable video game units sold since 2002, chances are you have a son or daughter who owns one or you know someone else who does. And if you've seen one of these units lately, you know it's not just about the games anymore.
These video game handhelds offer state-of-the-art 3-D graphics, wireless communication, and the ability to watch full-length feature films.
Janice Chen, Editor-at-Large for CNET.com visits The Early Show Thursday to help viewers navigate the ever-changing world of video game handhelds:
Sony kicks off the North American launch Thursday of the much-anticipated PlayStation Portable (PSP). For years now, Sony, along with a host of other tech companies, has been preaching convergence -- an all-in-one entertainment device -- with little to show for it. But with the PlayStation Portable (PSP), that elusive goal has finally been achieved. This is a most eagerly awaited gadget for video game hounds.
The PSP Value Pack will be available for a suggested retail price of $249.99. In addition to the revolutionary PSP hardware, the PSP Value Pack contains a 32 MB Memory Stick Duo, headphones with remote control, battery pack, AC adaptor, soft case and cleaning cloth, movie/music/game video sampler UMD, and, for the first one million PSP Value Packs shipped, a special UMD video release of the feature film "Spider-Man 2," from Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Features: PSP offers an unmatched 4.3-inch, 16:9 wide screen TFT LCD that displays full color (16.77 million colors) on a 480 x 272 pixel high-resolution screen. PSP also comes with built-in stereo speakers, exterior headphone connector, and diverse input/output connectors such as USB 2.0, and 802.11b (Wi-Fi) wireless LAN, enabling users to connect to the Internet and play online via a wireless network. Up to 16 PSPs in the vicinity can also be connected to each other directly in ad-hoc mode, enabling wireless head-to-head competition. In addition, wireless capabilities enable software and data to be downloaded to a PSP and saved onto a Memory Stick Duo. One more thing...it also plays movies!
Consumers can expect most software titles to come in at around $40 or $50.
Some of the other most popular portable gaming units on the market include:
Game Boy Advance SP
One can't argue with the success of the original Game Boy Advance, which has sold millions of units around the world. But anyone who has ever played it has lamented that the portable device doesn't have an illuminated display. Well, Nintendo listened to the critics, and with the $100 SP edition, the company not only includes a front-lit screen, but adds a rechargeable, lithium-ion battery. The whole package comes in a more compact, mature, flip-screen design that should appeal to both kids and adults.
Consumers can expect software titles for the Game Boy Advance SP to range from $20 - $30. The Game Boy Advance SP retails for about $80
Nintendo DS
What a difference a year makes. When Nintendo announced the DS handheld to mixed reviews in January 2004, all we knew was that it had two screens. Over the next six months, reports of a touch screen, stylus, 802.11b wireless capabilities, post-E3 redesign, and Voice Over IP compatibility trickled out from Nintendo, culminating in the announcement of the DS's $149 price.
Features: Dual Screen, touch screen, microphone, wireless gaming, 3-D graphics. Consumers can expect software titles to range from $30 - $40.
Nokia's N-GAGE QD
The all-in-one N-Gage device enables a game to be played over a cellular telephone network among several N-Gage users, Nokia says. The device also has a Bluetooth connection, so gamers located within about 10 feet of each other can compete for free without using a costly cellular network. To further entice gamers to try the QD, Nokia is cutting the prices of N-Gage games. As of March 16, the previous standard price of $34.99 for N-Gage games will be lowered to a variable price of $14.99 to $24.99, depending on the game.
Retail outlets sell its cell phone/game deck hybrid for just $99. (This is a recent price drop from $199.)
Features: Compact, rugged design; easy to change game cards; built-in Bluetooth and speakerphone; and synchronization with Outlook.
Apple's iPod Photo
Even though it doesn't have gaming capabilities, it's the hottest handheld device out today.
Remember the 64-color pack of crayons? Meet the 65,536-color pack. Everything looks better in color. With iPod Photo, everything sounds better, too. Choose from 30GB or 60GB models starting at just $349, and carry an entire library of music -- up to 15,000 songs and full-color album cover art -- or as many as 25,000 photos, in your pocket.