The word 'vita' in Sony's PlayStation Vita means 'life' in Latin, and is certainly a most appropriate name for the company's latest mobile gaming gadget, as it combines the power of high-performance graphics with augmented reality.
What sets the PS Vita apart from the rest of the mobile gaming pack is the fact that it offers rich, immersive gaming combined with social connectivity.
Slim design
At first glance, the Vita is much lighter than the PS Portable, which it replaces, and comes in a stylish slim design. It features two dual analogue sticks and the gamepad that PS3 gamers are familiar with.
The device has a five-inch, high-definition OLED touch-screen that can smoothly perform multi-touch gestures such as swipe. The screen is vibrant and it was a pleasure to play games on the move, even outside in full sunlight.
There is a touch-pad at the back of the gadget, which adds another interactive dimension to gaming. Gamers can use the touch-pad to navigate games and it also adds abilities in particular games.
There are two speakers located on either side of the Vita. For a small device, I was surprised by the high quality sound it produces. It also allows users to participate in cross-game chat.
Dual cameras
The Vita has built-in dual cameras for in-game augmented reality, as well as to snap photographs and take video recordings. However, I found the photos to be somewhat grainy and not as high quality as one would expect from Sony's mobile gaming flagship.
With augmented reality, the cameras take a video of the room that a gamer is in and integrates the visuals with the game dynamics. This creates the illusion that the gamer is being transported into the game itself. This exceptional experience really does put the Vita at the top of the mobile gaming league.
The interface is exceptional. Sony has stuck with user simplicity and it's easy to navigate between apps as well flick through to other games and processes that are working in the background. The interface comes with several apps and widgets as well as a fun tutorial that provides a few games to teach the user how to use the Vita. The gadget has a very short learning curve and within a few minutes, it was easy to play games, take photos and skim through multimedia.
Remote Play
Another highlight is the way Sony has used the PlayStation Network to combine gaming experiences between the Vita and the PS3 console.
Remote Play lets gamers battle it out on their PS3s at home, while connected to the PlayStation Network online. Users can then pause and save their games, and on their way to work, can continue playing the exact same game from where they left off, on the PS Vita. However, this is only applicable to certain games.
Connectivity
The PS Vita's Web browser is simple to use and connects via WiFi or 3G, depending on the model. The Sony app store allows users to purchase apps and games and download them directly onto the device.
It also enables users to access social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Users can access and share multimedia from their Vitas to social networks, and update statuses while playing 'Unchartered' or 'Little 'Deviants'. They can share game achievements and have video chats with friends while playing.
The PS Vita spells the beginning of a converged gaming experience where users can play whenever they want and from wherever they are, while expecting a high-quality gameplay experience, and having all their multimedia with them on the move.
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