PSP vs DS Part 2 - Games

When it comes to games the two platforms are very different and will
probably appeal to different audiences.

PSP Pros:
Very good graphics are possible
Analog Thumbstick
UMD holds a lot of data/video
Good Multi-player via WiFi
Quite a few highly rated games
Download-able games from the PlayStation Store direct to memory stick
Game Save to Memory Stick Pro Duo - Can be backed up to PC
Great "suspend" mode

DS Pros:
Good use of Multi-Player from one or multiple cartridges (game sharing) via WiFi
Cartridge format is durable and very portable
Loads of games out there - plenty for younger players
Fairly good load times
A fair amount of highly rated games
Touch interface is very useful and fun in some games
Great "suspend" mode
Two screens are usually used well and add to the game play
Built-in PictoChat programs is neat

PSP Cons:
Not many titles use game sharing and those that do, don't do it as
well as the DS
WiFi play could be better
So-so Load times - seems to vary per game
No second analog stick
Usually you get a little noise from the UMD during game play

DS Cons:
All saving is to Game Cartridge - usually limits the saves and does
not allow for backup
Friend Code for WiFi play is time clunky
Touch interface is used in some games just because they could, even
though it deters from the game
So-so graphics
Loads of crappy games (there are good ones out there, but a lot of junk as well)
Blowing into the mic for game play, novel the first time maybe, but
usually annoying

Quick comparison, Puzzle Quest:
Even though I own PQ on both systems, it is nowhere near as enjoyable
on the DS. The quality of graphics and the speed of play just is not
quite the same as the PSP version. This is not to say that the DS
can't have good looking games, if fact some games look very good on
the DS. Puzzle Quest is NOT one of those games! :)

Look for my next post to wrap things up. -TTFN-

Call of Duty 4

What a great game! The only problem I have is when trying to get a party of more than two people into the same game. It is loads of fun and very addictive. Captain and clawing up through the ranks...

Test pic from phone

A picture to test mobile blogging. It work ok, but Alltel has some extras in there that I need to edit out...

Puppy Linux

I made the plunge on my old Dell Inspiron 3200 notebook and it is
fully running Puppy Linux now! So far very nice things like:

2:00 minutes to boot to desktop (30 seconds is the post)
jDarkroom and Java installed for clean no-frills writing (hopefully
this will spur me on!)
OpenOffice 2.2
A working LinkSys NIC! - This took a bit of digging.
SSH & rdesktop to get in to my work PC securely
Quick and dirty backup of my docs to a CF card

I will try to post some more experiences as the come...

PSP vs. DS Part 1

A few rambling thoughts on the differences between the Sony PSP and
the Nintendo DS. I believe that they are gaming systems good for two
different purposes, both doing thing well and both with a few
problems. I have been asked which one should I get for Mr. X. My
answer is, "Well, what does MR. X want to use it for?" I have a DS
Lite (Black) and a old style (Black) PSP.

Comparisons:

Portability:
The DS is definitely more portable than the PSP, it is self enclosed
and more durable which makes it a better candidate for a younger
gamer. I have broken my PSP twice, both times it was in the Neoprene
sleeve that it is sold with. One time the power switch snapped and
the other time the screen cracked. The screen crack was just bad
luck, it fell and hit the exposed side fairly hard. The power switch
on the other hand was somewhat unlucky, but really the plastic
connection is pretty cheap. Both the PSP and the DS are easy to take
along anywhere. The DS Games are smaller and more portable than
Sony's UMDs. With the new addition of the PlayStation store, you can
buy games and store them on the memory card which is nice because you
always have a variety of games with you.

Multimedia:
Not much of a fair fight here, the PSP is amazing in this department,
music, movies, pictures, podcasts, internet radio, Location Free TV,
the DS has none of it. The ability to play movies from a UMD or from
a Memory stick is wonderful. I can watch TV or movies anywhere I can
get a WiFi connection with the Location Free Player. It automatically
can download you favorite podcasts for later listening.

Battery:
Both batteries last a long time, the PSP has the advantage of being
removable so you could swap it for a fresh one if you like. Even
using WiFi the batteries hold up very well in my experience.

Internet:
I have not used the Internet browser for the DS, I did not buy it
based of lots of reviews that said it was slow and barely usable. The
PSP Browser is fair, it works in a pinch but you won't want to do any
serious browsing sessions on it. I use it with mainly mobile sites.

Charger:
Both chargers are ok, the DS one is a little more portable.

Connectivity:
I am not sure there is any reason to connect the DS to a PC because
there is no internal storage/memory card. The PSP is easily connect
via USB, then you can transfer pictures, video, music, files... very,
very easy to do. I is nice to be able to backup the game saves!!!

Next post will be Controls followed by a post on Games... -later on-