Portable Gaming Systems: Today And Tomorrow

Today’s portable gaming consoles are not just for games. Compared to the portable gaming history of the recent past, like the Game Boy and the Lynx, today’s systems should be called portable gaming computers.

A Portable Gaming Device Or A Portable Gaming Computer ?

While there is no confusing any portable gaming devices from Sony or Nintendo with a real portable gaming laptop computer, the PSP (Playstation Portable) and the Nintendo DS have many high-tech features that are more commonly associated with a home PC than a handheld video arcade center.

The Nintendo DS Games System

The Nintendo DS has 2 screens, one for gaming the other for touch screen controls, a microphone and wireless networking capability, utilizing VoIP technology. The console allows users to connect with each other using the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, allowing them to chat and draw pictures back and forth. Furthermore, users can play their old Game Boy Advance games on the new system. With over 14 million units sold, it is the number one portable game system in total worldwide sales.

The Sony PSP

The Sony PSP has more classic compatibility with personal PCs and allows players to do much more than just play Sony games—they can play music, movies, view pictures and even browse the web. It also has a USB port connection that allows data transfer from the PSP to your home or office PC. The Sony Playstation Portable has a larger screen and greater graphics power for PSP games. Yet, the system is still trailing Nintendo, having sold 10 million units worldwide.

What Tomorrow Will Bring

While such new systems as the Tiger Telematics Gizmondo and Game Park Holdings GP2X are not expected to rival the big players Sony or Nintendo, all of these systems share one common characteristic: gaming systems are becoming more multimedia and practical—resembling PDAs or laptops. Technology will undoubtedly improve as more VoIP technology is incorporated and it’s possible that very soon portable game consoles will be considered inferior products compared to lesser-priced portable PCs that can also run games. When considering tomorrow, remember that you can’t upgrade a PSP or Nintendo DS. By that time they will have another system for sale. But for the time being, they are the best available products in portable gaming and multimedia.