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"PlayStation Vita: First Look\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPlayStation Vita\nThe PlayStation Vita is quite big when you first unbox it. The system is 7.2 inches wide, and 3.2 inches tall, with the 5-inch screen smack in the middle. It also weighs in at  9.2 oz. -- over half a pound.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTop View\nThe top of the Vita has two bumpers, a power button, the slot for PSVita cards, an accessory port and volume controls.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nVita Bottom View\nThe bottom of the Vita features the USB port where you also charge your device, and a headphone jack.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnalog Controls\nThe Vita has a rounded oval shape, with two analog controllers compared to the PSP's single one.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPSVita\nFrom the front, you can also see the PlayStation branded home button in the bottom left corner, two speakers, start and select buttons at the bottom right corner, and the front camera, which is above the PlayStation classic four buttons.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nVita's Back\nThe back features a multitouch pad that will be used for games.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nVita vs. iPhone\nThe Vita, side by side with an iPhone 4 for size comparison.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nVita vs. Galaxy Note\nThe only thing we found in the office that could compare to the Vita in size was the just-released Samsung Galaxy Note, which is a beast of a phone itself.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOut of the Box\nAside from the model's date being wrong, this was the screen you are greeted with when you first turn on your Vita. It can be customized with your own images. Peeling back the right corner brings you to the home screen.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHome Screen\nThe home screen has bubbles representing your apps, with apps on multiple pages. This one features many social features such as group messaging, Party, Friends, and Near. It also has the web browser and the PS Store. It's a shame that here the pictures do very little to capture the brilliance of the OLED screen.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHome Screen\nApplications and Options appear as bubbles. You can access music, videos and photos you have downloaded with the Content Manager tool, as well as Google Maps. You can even remotely connect with your PlayStation 3.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWelcome Park\nThe first feature you encounter with your Vita is \"Welcome Park,\" a set of games intended to familiarize you with your new system. While these might be a good idea for some users, they are somewhat basic for anyone who has had a touch screen device or used a gyroscopic system.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAlerts\nA handy alert appears in the right hand corner when you have messages from friends.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMaps\nSony partnered with Google Maps for the Vita, and the 3G version has working GPS.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTwo Cameras\nYes, it's a photo of a photo in progress. The Vita features a front- and rear-facing camera, with a maximum 640 x 480 resolution. While that's not a lot to write home about compared to many smartphones, it's nice to take photos on a 5-inch LCD.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWeb Browser\nThe Vita features a web browser, and the keyboard has some very clever word recognition software to help type faster.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLiveArea Screens\nWhen apps or games open, they have what Sony calls a LiveArea Screen, where options are listed. Even when you leave an application with the PlayStation button, the LiveArea Screen will still be open until you pull on the folded top-right corner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nVita Store\nCurrent Vita titles can be purchased from the store instead of from a retailer, and are then stored on the Vita memory cards.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nVita Store\nPSP and Mini titles can also be downloaded from the store.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNear\nNear is a feature that uses your Vita's location to find nearby PlayStation Network friends, as well as the location of others who have chosen to share where they are.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe new PlayStation Vita, the portable gaming device, launches Wednesday in stores across the U.S., Europe and Australia. For gamers who haven't already pre-ordered their device, here's what you need to know to decide if it's right for you.\nHow big is this thing? Pretty darn massive. The Vita is 7.2 inches long with a 5-inch OLED screen dominating the front of the device. It also weighs a little more than half a pound. It's not pocket-sized in the slightest. That may deter those interested in something that isn't bigger than their smartphones; for others, it's still smaller than a tablet.\nHow do I play it? The Vita added an analog stick from its predecessor, the PlayStation Portable. Along with the dual analog sticks and the familiar shape buttons, the Vita supports a multitouch screen on its display, and a matching one on the back. The back touchscreen hasn't been utilized by a lot of games yet, but it adds an interesting element to the ones it does. \nThe Vita also supports a Sixaxis motion system that includes a gyroscope and accelerometer that can be incorporated into play.\nWhat type of game cartridges does it take? The Vita uses a proprietary Flash memory card called \"The PlayStation Vita Card.\" While they are very similar in form to SD cards, the Vita can only run the Sony branded cards. The games are available on these cards, along with blank ones to store games and apps. The Vita does not have an internal SSD to support downloaded content, so anything downloaded must be stored on a Vita Card.\nSo what does this mean for my PSP games? Sadly, the Vita is only backwards compatible with PSP games purchased from the system's store. Universal Media Discs have been axed, but that isn't good news for players who invested in the previous system.\nHow does the store work? The Vita has access to the PlayStation storefront, where players can download new Vita titles instead of buying them in a retail store, as well as PSP and Mini titles. It also has applications and a wide selection of movies. It's important to note that you'll need a Vita proprietary memory cards to download and store your content.\nWhat games are available? Lots. What would a new system be worth without a strong group of titles to support it? Thankfully, Sony didn't skimp here, and brought plenty of first-party and third-party offerings at launch. \nThe strongest titles are Uncharted: Golden Abyss, which seems to be a full-fledged entry into the popular action-adventure series; Marvel vs. Capcom 3, a perfect port of the console version; Lumines Electronic Symphony, a sequel to the game that was an essential puzzle title for any PSP owner. There are a slew of titles to appeal to different demographics, such as FIFA Soccer for sports fans, Asphalt: Injection and wipEout 2048 for racing fans. \nWhat about games to look forward to? There are a few interesting titles coming down the pipe that may help propel Vita sales. Hideo Kojima, the creator of the Metal Gear Solid series, says his studio is working on an untitled Vita game, as well as a Metal Gear Solid HD Collection. LittleBigPlanet will arrive on Vita on March 31; horror fans will see Silent Hill: Book of Memories on March 27. \n\nSEE ALSO: PlayStation Vita: 15 Games You Can Play at Launch\nHow does internet connectivity on the Vita work? The Vita has wireless capabilities, but also can connect to 3G via AT&amp;T. The data plan does not require a contract. It's $15 a month for the 250MB option, and $25 for 2 gigs of data.\nWhat are the social features of Vita? The Vita is dependent on a PlayStation Network ID to access many of its features, but it boasts many ways to connect with your friends on other Vitas or on the PlayStation 3. On a Vita, players can access their friends lists to see who is playing what, use a feature called Near to see if any of their friends are nearby playing on their Vita (or find other nearby players playing the same games as they are), and use the Party feature to text and voice chat with any of their friends on PSN. \nThe social features will work with some PS3 titles; currently wipEout 2048 players will be able to challenge wipEout HD players to tracks cross-console, for example.\nWhat about other social networks? The Vita app store promises to support Facebook, Twitter (through their own client called LiveTweet), Flickr and Skype.\nCan I use the device as a media player? Yes. The OLED screen looks amazing when playing movies. The Vita allows you to import your movies, music and pictures with its Content Manager app, while the Vita store allows players to rent and buy movies. Additionally, the ubiquitous Netflix has a Vita application.\nWhat's the battery life like? Sony promises a three- to five-hour battery life when playing games or watching movies, nine hours for music. In testing the unit, I saw even shorter times. After an hour or so of gameplay, I would see my battery drop to half power. What makes the short battery life problematic is that the Vita's battery is internal, unlike the PSP's, so you'll need to always keep your charger handy.\nShould I buy the Vita? If games alone are enough to satisfy you, and you wanted release titles that pack a punch compared to games on mobile phones and tablets \u2014 plus better control options \u2014 then the Vita might be for you. Hopefully the Vita Store will be as easy for smaller developers to ship to as the Apple or Android markets, to keep a wide variety of games available. \nThe proprietary cards and short battery life are a little frustrating, as is the lack of deep integration into existing social channels. Having apps is one thing, being able to update Facebook with a high score is another. \nThe Vita is a gorgeous, fun system to use, but it may have a hard time standing up to upcoming mobile games and systems."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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