Technology has shrunk what not! In spite of being such a big word “t.e.c.h.n.o.l.o.g.y”, it has managed to shrink everything that it comes across, to smaller sizes. For instance, take computers; who would have ever imagined that a machine which comprised of 18,000 vacuum tubes and 7,000 resistors would come shrink to the size of the palm? Now, we are able to access every bit of information available around the world from our tablets and Smartphone.
The same case is with the gaming systems. Hand Held gaming devices, which were just a dream a few decades back are now a reality. Nintendo, Sony, Atari, Sega and much more have offered people with their own versions of handheld gaming devices. And, Sony has been a successful company with its releases of Sony PlayStation Portable, the handheld prototype of the mega hit console. A few months back it rolled out the evolved form of Sony PSP named PS VITA (PlayStation VITA).
The First Look:
The very first thing you will notice in VITA is the screen size. On comparing the screen sizes of PSP 3000 and VITA, VITA has got a screen which is an inch bigger than its predecessor. It’s heavier, larger and wider than 3000 and has got an OLED touch screen with a resolution 960×564.
The Camera:
VITA boast of two VGA digital cameras (640×480), placed in front and rear part of the device respectively. The addition is quite commendable because every gadget now days come with a camera, irrespective of the quality. You can take some standard pictures with the camera and it turns out pretty good too. Apart from the camera, the device sports a Sixaxis motion sensor to provide the augmented reality gaming experience, a Bluetooth & Wireless connectivity and a GPS, which comes with the 3G version of the device.
The device body:
Weighing around half a pound (9.2 ounce and still lesser than its ascendant), the device is quite weightless. It has two analog sticks, a directional pad, the classic Playstation keys (triangle, square, circle and X), the left and right shoulder buttons, a select and start and PS button. On either side, there are the stereo speakers and a power button on the top left portion of the device. One minor issue with the device is the card slot which is painful to open specifically when you don’t have nails. On the lower part of the device are present the headphone slot, the USB port and the microphone.
The Graphics:
The device possesses an ARM Cortex A9 Core processor and a SXG543MP4+ graphics processor. A memory of 512 MB RAM and a video memory of 128 MB make it one of the best hand held gaming devices till date. If there is anything that lacks in the device, it is the video output, which is very uncommon to the PlayStation Portable series. So, that means you cannot connect it to your HDTV or any other devices to play or use any other features.
No support for UMD’s:
VITA does not support PSP’s Universal Media Disc; however it supports the PSP games which can be downloaded via the online store. If you want to play any game on your VITA, you have to bring them down to VITA memory cards (one of the other drawbacks). The built-in memory is very low and remains unknown, so there arises a need to use Sony’s memory card to play the games (a hidden cost).
Coming to the operating system; The OS is seamlessly fast and smooth. Navigation is kept simple and one of the interesting features of the OS is the card multitasking, which allows you to ‘Pause’ the app and then swipe them away. The device also has several other features that live up to the name of Sony’s brand name.
So, to sum it up, the device is just brilliant with its visually stunning display, controls, OS, camera and the sensors. The thing which will add up in the cons section is the lack of video output and the need to purchase an additional memory card. This will leave you spending more than you intended for the device. The antipiracy feature looks promising but difficult to get used to. Thus, the bottom line is, PlayStation VITA is one of the best handheld gaming devices till now and you are bound to achieve a better gaming experience than its predecessor (flaws are negligible).
This is a guest post by Lance Goodman of dishtvoffer, a site that offers savings and current information on dish TV click here, as well as dish.com services.