PSP: The "Gotta Have It" Gadget

By Anita Hamilton

If you thought handheld gaming devices were just for kids, Sony's new PSP (short for PlayStation Portable) could easily change your mind. With its slick, black-lacquer design, bright 4.3-in. display and ability to play movies and MP3s, the $250 PSP makes its main competitor, the Nintendo DS, look like a relic from the Ice Age. The PSP could be the hottest gizmo since the iPod. --By Anita Hamilton

VIDEO GAMES

At $40 to $50 each, the 24 titles initially available for the PSP aren't cheap, so it pays to choose wisely. Action-packed sports games like NBA Street Showdown and World Tour Soccer are good bets, as is Twisted Metal: Head-On, a demolition-derby title that you can play with others over the Internet using the PSP's built-in wi-fi. For a more cerebral thrill, try Lumines, a puzzle game with cascading blocks that's totally addictive.

MOVIES

Priced around $20 a pop, feature films such as Kill Bill Vol. 1, Spider-Man 2 and Pirates of the Caribbean are available for the PSP. In tests, the PSP played flicks for four hours between charges.

KID TESTED

This is so funky. The graphics are great ... I love this thing!

--NICK, AGE 15

This is perfect if you don't have a DVD player in your car.

--WILLIAM, AGE 9

The Nintendo DS is easier to control than the PSP.

--BEN, AGE 14