PSP V DS and the others??
Discussion
Hi, just joined and was browsing through when I found this area, which is a bonus. I'm looking at getting a PSP, but as they are not due in UK til Sept I'm looking at my options. PS2 man myself, so swayed by PSP, but also hearing things about the Gizmondo (what a name!) and the Ngage.
I've seen some threads on PSP but anyone got any experiences preferences on the others?
Ta
I've seen some threads on PSP but anyone got any experiences preferences on the others?
Ta
PSP is pretty much an out-and-out gaming machine. Nice big screen, but quite chunky and heavy, I feel.
DS is a nice little games machine, very much the next generation of GameBoy in all but name. Well priced and my 10 year-old son has one and likes it a lot.
Gizmondo is an interesting jack-of-all-trades that has gaming, camera, GPS, GPRS, SMS messaging and audio (which includes MP3s, unlike the PSP) & video playback. It's a little overpriced, but you can reduce the purchase cost enormously if you accept targetted advertising.
They all have slightly different target audiences, so which one is right for you is a personal choice really.
DS is a nice little games machine, very much the next generation of GameBoy in all but name. Well priced and my 10 year-old son has one and likes it a lot.
Gizmondo is an interesting jack-of-all-trades that has gaming, camera, GPS, GPRS, SMS messaging and audio (which includes MP3s, unlike the PSP) & video playback. It's a little overpriced, but you can reduce the purchase cost enormously if you accept targetted advertising.
They all have slightly different target audiences, so which one is right for you is a personal choice really.
DS is a cracker of a little machine but not so small any more - bordering on clunky in fact. The touch screen is a bit gimicky as is the microphone - no doubt someone will make good use of the facilities eventually. Project Rub is *not* good use. Battery life is surprisingly good and the screen quality is stunning compared with the old model. The built in ad-hoc local comms facility is excellent but you need other people with DS units in the local vacinity and they have to be in chat mode to use it - the only scenario I can think of is a classroom.
The PSP, as a gaming machine, is going to knock the socks of it but it is expensive (very) by comparison and has no inbuilt protection for the screens so not really viable as a pocket toy (not that the DS fits in your pocket particularly well but it is a clamshell design - very reminiscent of the old, original nintendo lcd games).
What the PSP doesn't have is any real innovation but it is a full on PS2 in your pocket (if you can get it to fit and avoid scratching it to hell). The PS3 is fast approaching though (and the xbox 2) so I suspect we will soon forget the big tech this represents.
Forget the gizmonodo - despite being the plucky underdog it is just an expensive paper weight. Battery life is very bad, titles at release (just 2) is a joke and is likely to stay that way for some time. The GPS system really is pure gimic as are many of the features tied in with it (same as most GPS based concepts). Construction is suspect, not least of all the 5 action keys which have no positive action so you can never tell if they've worked or not or if you've pressed one by accident especially as one of them is a panic alarm! The SMS/MMS is barely usable and the walled garden browsing (basically to download themes) is so flawed as a concept as to defy belief - more so given you are tied to a pre-pay sim.
So the choice really comes down to PSP or DS. Personally I am likely to buy a PSP as it offers a much more mature and varied gaming experience. The DS like every nintendo before it is firmly aimed at kids and that cuts both ways. Kids will love it and nintendo will get their precious sales but as a more adult proposal it is likely to be lacking (not that adults shouldn't play kids games - some are very entertaining)
The PSP, as a gaming machine, is going to knock the socks of it but it is expensive (very) by comparison and has no inbuilt protection for the screens so not really viable as a pocket toy (not that the DS fits in your pocket particularly well but it is a clamshell design - very reminiscent of the old, original nintendo lcd games).
What the PSP doesn't have is any real innovation but it is a full on PS2 in your pocket (if you can get it to fit and avoid scratching it to hell). The PS3 is fast approaching though (and the xbox 2) so I suspect we will soon forget the big tech this represents.
Forget the gizmonodo - despite being the plucky underdog it is just an expensive paper weight. Battery life is very bad, titles at release (just 2) is a joke and is likely to stay that way for some time. The GPS system really is pure gimic as are many of the features tied in with it (same as most GPS based concepts). Construction is suspect, not least of all the 5 action keys which have no positive action so you can never tell if they've worked or not or if you've pressed one by accident especially as one of them is a panic alarm! The SMS/MMS is barely usable and the walled garden browsing (basically to download themes) is so flawed as a concept as to defy belief - more so given you are tied to a pre-pay sim.
So the choice really comes down to PSP or DS. Personally I am likely to buy a PSP as it offers a much more mature and varied gaming experience. The DS like every nintendo before it is firmly aimed at kids and that cuts both ways. Kids will love it and nintendo will get their precious sales but as a more adult proposal it is likely to be lacking (not that adults shouldn't play kids games - some are very entertaining)
jimbro1000 said:That's very dismissive, and seems to have been pretty much regurgitated from the recent review on The Register (albeit as a precis).
Forget the gizmonodo - despite being the plucky underdog it is just an expensive paper weight. Battery life is very bad, titles at release (just 2) is a joke and is likely to stay that way for some time. The GPS system really is pure gimic as are many of the features tied in with it (same as most GPS based concepts). Construction is suspect, not least of all the 5 action keys which have no positive action so you can never tell if they've worked or not or if you've pressed one by accident especially as one of them is a panic alarm! The SMS/MMS is barely usable and the walled garden browsing (basically to download themes) is so flawed as a concept as to defy belief - more so given you are tied to a pre-pay sim.
Have you actually played with a Gizmondo?
>> Edited by JonRB on Thursday 14th April 14:08
I have access to both DS and PSP. The DS is a nice machine, good backward compatability with old GBA games, but the second (touch) screen can be a little gimmicky at times.
The PSP is more of a games machine, and less of a toy. I have a screen protector and case for it, as I do think there is a risk of damage to it.
Comparing the two, the DS has far better battery life, but the PSP seems to be superior in games quality and screen. The PSP still manages to blow me away sometimes with it's display. Also the PSP seems well suited with real wireless networking, and is upgradable via downloads.
HTH,
Fer
The PSP is more of a games machine, and less of a toy. I have a screen protector and case for it, as I do think there is a risk of damage to it.
Comparing the two, the DS has far better battery life, but the PSP seems to be superior in games quality and screen. The PSP still manages to blow me away sometimes with it's display. Also the PSP seems well suited with real wireless networking, and is upgradable via downloads.
HTH,
Fer
JonRB said:
That's very dismissive, and seems to have been pretty much regurgitated from the recent review on The Register (albeit as a precis).
Have you actually played with a Gizmondo?
>> Edited by JonRB on Thursday 14th April 14:08
I haven't got my hands on one yet - they appear to be something of a rarity. I did some reading on the subject over the last week and thus far I haven't seen too many nice words about them - including the register.
The unit is over priced by quite a margin although there is allegedly going to be a spam supported version at £100 off (still more expensive the DS) - the penalty is you have to watch 3 adverts spammed to the unit (at your cost over gprs).
What about the fact it runs on windows ce and has already gained a name for itself care of the wonder microsoft blue screen of death.
Sorry but this is one unit that everyone should be steering clear of. I don't care if it is a british product - they have tried to cram too much into one unit that is then heavily compromised with some poorly conceived notions of what people want from a games machine.
>> Edited by jimbro1000 on Thursday 14th April 17:41
there is simply no comparing a DS to a PSP.. it's like comparing an iPod to a tape-walkman!
gaming power is absolutely massive compared to the DS.. think PS2 vs ngage graphical quality..
it's not just a games machine.. you can use it as an mp3 player, and watch movies on it, buy a 1Gb memory-stick and fit a whole bunch of you favourite 24 episodes or whatever on it..
there'll be aps soon to enable PDA functionality, eg spreadsheet, wordpad etc.
it's a tough unit too.. how many times have you dropped/kicked/trodden on your dualshock controller? well the ones at work get kicked all over the place and work fine years later.. sony make tough products! It feels so much more solid than the (very plasticky) DS.
as for the gizmondo.. it's very obvious that first and foremost, it's a mobile phone, albeit with reasonably powerful gaming.. but it's just not going to get the software support that the PSP is... wipeout, GTA, GT4, MetalGear, RidgeRacer, Lumines, Mercury, WRC4... the list goes on....
gaming power is absolutely massive compared to the DS.. think PS2 vs ngage graphical quality..
it's not just a games machine.. you can use it as an mp3 player, and watch movies on it, buy a 1Gb memory-stick and fit a whole bunch of you favourite 24 episodes or whatever on it..
there'll be aps soon to enable PDA functionality, eg spreadsheet, wordpad etc.
it's a tough unit too.. how many times have you dropped/kicked/trodden on your dualshock controller? well the ones at work get kicked all over the place and work fine years later.. sony make tough products! It feels so much more solid than the (very plasticky) DS.
as for the gizmondo.. it's very obvious that first and foremost, it's a mobile phone, albeit with reasonably powerful gaming.. but it's just not going to get the software support that the PSP is... wipeout, GTA, GT4, MetalGear, RidgeRacer, Lumines, Mercury, WRC4... the list goes on....
jimbro1000 said:Yes, it does run WinCE and, yes, it does appear to be a little bit flaky. I'm sure that will improve though.
What about the fact it runs on windows ce and has already gained a name for itself care of the wonder microsoft blue screen of death.
However it does raise some interesting possibilities for a developer, provided you have a digital signing key for your executables of course.
jimbro1000 said:And therein is the problem. It is not a games machine. As I mentioned previously, it is a jack-of-all-trades gizmo that happens to play games. Having said that, I will readily agree that it is overpriced and and like many jack-of-all-trades does not excel in any area.
they have tried to cram too much into one unit that is then heavily compromised with some poorly conceived notions of what people want from a games machine.
It's all superflous anyway. Gizmondo is only a stepping stone for Bizmondo / Altio and that is definately going to blow away the competition. I can't say any more though as I'm under a NDA.
Pierscoe1 said:Are you totally sure there? I'd heard that the PSP will only accept proprietary-format audio and video files in order to 'reduce piracy' (and swell the Sony corporate bank account, presumably). I'm not 100% sure of my facts though, so I could be wrong.
[the PSP is] not just a games machine.. you can use it as an mp3 player, and watch movies on it
By contrast Gizmondo will accept almost anything you throw at it, including good old MP3.
The PSP will support both MP3 and MPEG4 files via the Memory stick. So he's right, you transfer your favourite vid clips and tunes to the memory and you can be sitting on the train watching last nights episode! It also has a slide show facility to display your digital photo's...
... and mine arrives today!!
... and mine arrives today!!
ks that you usually get from them!
JonRB said:
Forget the gizmonodo - despite being the plucky underdog it is just an expensive paper weight. Battery life is very bad, titles at release (just 2) is a joke and is likely to stay that way for some time. The GPS system really is pure gimic as are many of the features tied in with it (same as most GPS based concepts). Construction is suspect, not least of all the 5 action keys which have no positive action so you can never tell if they've worked or not or if you've pressed one by accident especially as one of them is a panic alarm! The SMS/MMS is barely usable and the walled garden browsing (basically to download themes) is so flawed as a concept as to defy belief - more so given you are tied to a pre-pay sim.
That's very dismissive, and seems to have been pretty much regurgitated from the recent review on The Register (albeit as a precis).
Have you actually played with a Gizmondo?
>> Edited by JonRB on Thursday 14th April 14:08
oooow.... Get you!!!!
I have my handbag ready. 
EvoBarry said:
For the record, PSP is not "PS2 in a hand held" its more like a PSOne and a half infact.
good deal more than the psone.. yes, it's not as powerful as the PS2, but it does have quite a few tricks up it's sleave to make it quite a powerful piece of kit.
how would you go about watching a movie on a DS?
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