PlayStation Vita was released this week in the U.S., Europe and Australia. This portable gaming device  gives you a “console-quality” experience on the go. The Vita is 7.2 inches long with a 5-inch OLED screen making movies, music and pictures astounding. It weighs a little more than half a pound and it is a little bit bigger than a smartphone but smaller than a tablet. Vita supports a multitouch screen and one on the back to match. The back touchscreen adds to the games “umph” however there are not many games out there that utilize it just yet. The Vita uses a Flash memory card called “The PlayStation Vita Card” that is similar to SD cards. These cards are available for storage of games and apps because the Vita does not have an internal SSD to support downloaded content.

Also, it is only compatible with PSP games purchased from the system’s store and has access to the PlayStations storefront for downloading new Vita titles as well as PSP and Mini titles. It also has a wide selection of movies and apps. The portable gaming device launches several first party and third-party games including Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Lumines Electronic Symphony, FIFA Soccer for sports fans, Asphalt: Injection and wipeout 2048. Its wireless capabilities can also connect 3G via AT&T, which does not require a contract.  The choices are $15 a month for the 250 MB or $25 for 2 gigs of data. The social features are dependent on a PlayStation Network ID to connect with friends on other Vitas or on the PlayStation 3.

Connecting thru 3G, AT&Ts model means having GPS and using the feature Near to see who is all playing nearby on their Vita or if they are playing the same games. Players can use the Party feature to text and voice chat on PSN. An example were a player may use the social feature  on wipeout 2048, where the player can challenge others and is able to track thru cross-play, but this feature only works with some PS3 titles. Cross-Play allows a player to save games on their console and pick where they left off on their Vita yet some games require you to purchase the game for each platform.

TheVita supports Flickr, Skype, Facebook, and Twitter, giving you the chance to update with your high score or attach pictures taken from the Vita’s camera. With Vitas Content manager app and Netflix app, players can rent and buy movies. The PlayStation Vita states it has a 3 to 5 hour battery life when playing games and watching movies and 9 hours for music. Some players say after testing the Vita that during an hour of play their battery life dropped by 50% and even more when watching a movie. With Vita’s battery being internal the player must keep the charger nearby. Several gamers have complained that during testing the Vita takes a long time to launch games proceed between levels and while trying to connect with the PlayStation Network.

The PlayStation Vita is expensive as offers 2 models to choice from, wifi-only model is $249.99 and the 3G AT&T/wifi model is $299.99. A 32-GB memory card is $100 and the games can range from $40 to $50 each. With this price you can buy the latest iPad. Is the PlayStation Vita and its apps right for you or is faster gaming speed with cheaper games plus apps for an iOS or Android device the way to go?