"Now you can make a pretty good argument that it is the best portable device for playing games on - and a whole new class of games"

You could make that argument, sure. I'd daresay Nintendo, Sony, and sales figures might have something to say about it as well, but feel free to make that argument all you want. Me? I'm still waiting for my Zune to blossom into a powerful gaming machine. *pokes Zune with stick and sighs*

iPod Touch is 'best portable device for games' says Jobs [Develop]

Paul K. over at controllercode.com has put together a nice little article outlining the history of portable game devices. The first half of the article which was published today (the second half is coming tomorrow) covers the period form 1979 and the Microvision to 1998's Neo Geo Pocket. Tomorrows half will deal with the newer systems including the PSP and the DS.

It's nice to see all this information in one place, put together in an easily digestible format. If your looking for some light weekend reading or would just like to brush up on your general knowledge of old portable devices, give the article a read and be sure to tune in tomorrow to controllercode.com for part two. Flynn De Marco

A Brief History of Portable Gaming: Know Your Roots [CodeController]

Bloomberg is reporting that Microsoft will start introducing video games for their Zune music player within the next 18 months to match what Apple is doing with their iPod.

``I love the interface, I love the screen,'' Peter Moore said at a dinner with reporters during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The story goes on to talk about the Zune's expected sales versus iPod sales. Blah, blah, blah. Interesting timing, since I just mentioned like 10 minutes ago that rumor I heard about Apple beefing up games for their iPod. Brian Crecente

Microsoft Will Add Video Games to Zune by July 2008 (Update4) [Bloomberg]

They aren't the giant, oh-my-god-size screenshots we normally get sent, but over at The Magic Box they've got some screenshots available from the upcoming Tenchu title for Nintendo's DS. The cutscenes totally remind me of Ninja Gaiden for NES - though in a good way!

Thanks, Psyclone

Tenchu: Dark Shadow [The Magic Box]

Jeux France has pictures up of the DS Lite in a store, all packaged and ready to sell. The packaging? Simple and sweet.

Thanks for the email bag and IM windows full of tips, folks.

The Packaging of the DS Lite [Jeux France]

A magazine scan that surfaced over at the official Nintendo forums coupled with the press release sitting next to the computer confirms that the long-awaited side-scrolling Mario game for the Nintendo DS is coming out May 7. Wooooo!

Mario DS Scan [Flickr]

Business Week confirms that Microsoft has formed a research team to look at the possibility of developing its own iPod-like digital music device. However, it's not all about nicking the iPod. The article maintains that were Microsoft to bowl into the .mp3 fray, "any Microsoft media device would have to leverage the company's most significant consumer strength, video gaming." You know what that implies, right? A handheld.

The Bug in Microsoft's Ear [Business Week]

Last week's PSP firmware update includes a gimped version of an RSS feed, and Slashdot links to a bit that has a Sony spokeswoman saying if enough customers ask for it, they'll unleash the RSS potential of the handheld. Want more progress? Ask for it.

Sony May Complete RSS Support for PSP [Slashdot]
Sony Will Consider Text RSS [Digital World Tokyo]
PSPodcasting

The PSP graffiti that Sony wasn't talking about earned mention at Wired. Finally, something more than just idle bitching, Wired snapped pics (see image) of people tagging over Sony's desperate, stupid marketing ploy. Sony finally loosened its lips on the whole fiasco, opening up a little bit to Wired. Spokeswoman Molly Smith offered the following: "With PSP being a portable product, our target is what we consider to be urban nomads, people who are on the go constantly."

Yet, Sony in their wisdom is overlooking the simple truth that the graffiti is pissing people off. Anyone have any data available that ties hating a company and its marketing to purchasing their products? It might be handy.

Sony Draws Ire With PSP Graffiti [Wired]
California Loveless: PSP Residents Pissed About PSP Promos
Sony's PSP Graffiti is Pissing People Off [Gizmodo]

For gamers, Tecmo's got Kasumi. For gamblers, they've got Rio. Even though Miss Rio has her own DS game, PS2 game and pachi-slots, she's nothing but a pretty face. I really wish Tecmo or Team Ninja would provide some half-assed rational for this flat-out sexploitation.

Order Rio Goodies Here [Tecmo]

The best part about iTunes, is how simple it is to get songs to your iPod. It's pretty brainless. The second worst thing about the PSP (the worst being Sony's relationship with hackers, is that there is no easy way to get TV and movies on your PSP. Well, there wasn't at least. Gadget Madness points at the Neuros MPEG-4 Video Recorder 2 as the $150 solution to the problem. The Neuros will take video and audio from any source with an RCA and convert it to a watchable format on your PSP. It gets no easier, I want one.

Neuros MPEG-4 Video Recorder 2 [Gadget Madness]
Sony Hates Hackers When They Should Love Them
Neuros Technology Homepage

Citing both the PlayStation 2's ability to be soft-modded to play burnt games, and the Xbox's ability to just flat-out be modded, an article at Insert 25 stresses what we all know - Sony must stop trying to ostracize PSP hackers. Anytime there is a breakthrough in hacking the PSP a new piece of firmware seems to come out. Sure, the updates offer morsels of utility, but they also keep sending the hack/homebrew community back to square one. Sony is isolating a large group of potential sales by constantly trying to squash the homebrew market. How much longer till they realize that?

Sony Must Embrace PSP Hackers [Insert25]

Cathode Tan directs readers to a Business Week feature on hacking the PSP. The piece focuses on Auri Rahimzadeh, author of the upcoming book, Hacking the PSP, and the tug of war between Sony's scrambling firmware updates and the homebrew/hack culture surrounding the hardware. I wish Sony would stop messing around with people improving their tech.

Business Week on PSP Hacking [Cathode Tan]
Attack of the PlayStation Hackers [Business Week]
PSP Firmware Update: WMA Support In, More Homebrew Out

We mentioned that the DFC looked at Nintendo's WiFi in their latest report, and their review of it was pretty positive. Similar to what they said about Xbox Live and the 360's Marketplace, DFC champions the ease of use for the DS. I can attest to its ease, having hooked it up in my own primitive, janky, WiFi-less apartment abode. DFC Intelligence points to the out-of-the-box connectivity as the separation between it and any other console's online capability out of the box. Their analogy: "The PSP we would compare to programming a VCR to record, the DS is more like turning on the television set and playing a movie."

In my own impressions, I found Nintendo WiFi to be a pretty incredible, streamlined system of playing games online. If it's as DFC Intelligence speculates, some of the seamless WiFi of the Nintendo DS' integration may also be reflected in the Revolution's architecture. It's funny to think now, but the company that was so far behind last gen with online play, might rapidly be moving toward the front of the pack with it this generation.

The complete DFC Intelligence Nintendo WiFi report and the conclusions they drew from the 360 and NiWifi are included after the jump [Warning, it's lengthy].

DFC Intelligence Recons the 360
Nintendo WiFi Impressions

The Nintendo DS Revolution

Compared with the Xbox 360 launch, the release of Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connection service was a quiet revolution. Nintendo launched the free Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection with Mario Kart DS the first title to make use of the new functionality. Playing a racing game online is not exactly a news flash. However, DS Wi-Fi connectivity is notable for its incredible ease of use. The Wi-Fi Internet portions of the game are seamlessly integrated into Mario Kart DS. Set up takes approximately 30 seconds in most cases.

There are several ways users can connect to the Wi-Fi service and play others online: 1) users that already have a home wireless network can simply turn on their DS and start playing others online; 2) home users with a broadband connection can buy a Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector ($40) and connect it to their home PC; 3) on the road users can connect their DS to Wi-Fi hotspots. As part of the launch, Nintendo also partnered with Wayport and McDonald's to create 6,000 DS compatible Wi-Fi hotspots at McDonald's across the U.S. They made similar deals in Canada and Europe. Of course, users can also play at their local coffee shop if it offers Wi-Fi.

What separates the DS's online functionality from the PSP's or any console is its out-of-the-box, simple wireless connectivity. The interface is streamlined and standardized so that an 8 year old (or even an 80 year old) can get on in seconds. Taken together, Nintendo's take on online gaming is to bring purity and simplicity to what has always been a somewhat confusing process for mass market consumers. We think it really has the potential to reach a whole new audience. The PSP we would compare to programming a VCR to record, the DS is more like turning on the television set and playing a movie.

In December Nintendo will launch Animal Crossing Wild World for the DS. Animal Crossing is basically the Sims for kids. The original version, released for the GameCube in 2002, actually was a precursor of some digital distribution ideas. Animal Crossing could link up to the GBA for item trading and scanning in new items from the e-Reader attachment and card packs bought at retail (very close to the prepaid card/virtual item trading concept). Animal Crossing for the DS will allow users to trade items and chat with up to 32 friends through Wi-Fi Connection.

It is clear that Nintendo plans to carry on many of its Wi-Fi ideas to the Revolution, even if exact details are scarce. Nintendo has said that the Revolution will focus on Wi-Fi online connectivity. At the 2005 E3 it was revealed that the Revolution would offer a digital distribution service for classic Nintendo products that would make the system a "virtual console" that would allow users to download games. Early in November, Jim Merrick, Nintendo Senior VP of Marketing for Europe, hinted at a possible user-friendly digital rights management (DRM) solution that could work for downloading multiple types of media, probably to flash memory storage. If the DS Wi-Fi service is any indication, ease of use could be the ace up Nintendo's sleeve.

Conclusion

Online connectivity for console systems is still very much in its infancy. Both a wired and a wireless connection have their challenges. The Xbox 360 will connect to wired Ethernet connection out of the box. Unfortunately, many television sets are not located anywhere near a wired connection and running cable costs hundreds of dollars. A wireless adaptor for the Xbox 360 costs about $100 (it appears wireless will be built into the Revolution). However, wireless is not without its problems and is very prone to inconsistent service, deadspots and higher latency. Furthermore, wireless standards are constantly changing.

Another big question that could be looming in the future is will console systems become easily hackable with online connectivity. As any PC user knows, the Internet has created a whole new challenge with anti-virus, spyware and firewall software. Are we heading towards a day when console systems face spam and virus attacks? Consumers are not likely to be very tolerant of this activity when it comes to console systems.

Xbox 360 and Nintendo DS owners probably did not purchase their consoles for their digital distribution capabilities, or even for online game play. There is no doubt, however, that in the future online capabilities will increasingly factor into many gamers' decisions. As many PC game developers have discovered over the years, online-play cannot be ignored. This is starting to be true for console games as well. What remains to be seen is whether the next generation of consoles will be used not just for online play, but also for digital distribution and payment. If one or more of the three consoles can unite those three components in a user-friendly and compelling package, we might be looking at a very different interactive entertainment industry value-chain by the time the next next-gen consoles roll around.

The red phone in the Kotaku office just lit up and EA let us know that their insanely popular Sims 2 was shipping a week ahead of schedule for Sony's handheld. Now instead of Dec. 13, the realish-life simulator ships Dec. 7 (omg next week!). It is a little disheartening that one of the biggest PSP titles of the holiday season is one of the biggest PC games - from last year.

Exit is a PSP title to get excited about. I've had several hands on with the software on different occasions, and I've always walked away from the game with a silly smirk on me face. Exit offers pleasantly simple thrills and good fun. While it sometimes seems that Sony's PSP commercials are better than the software, the Exit advert actually has a promising game behind it.

Exit Movie [Taito]

A vexxing price drop this is (if it sticks). Online retailer EBGames is listing Nintendo's mini GameBoy, the Micro, at $89.99. Considering the SP is listed at $79.99, I don't know if I'd really be into having a Micro, but for the niche crowd, the price has slipped. If only this had an NES faceplate. Then the nostalgia would suck the cash right out of my wallet.