A handheld game console is a lightweight, portable electronic machine for playing video games. Electronics refers to the flow of charge (moving Electrons through Nonmetal conductors (mainly Semiconductors, whereas electrical A video game is a Game that involves interaction with a User interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. Unlike video game consoles, the controls, screen and speakers are all part of a single unit. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, several companies--including Coleco and Milton-Bradley--made lightweight table-top or handheld electronic game devices. Coleco was a company founded in 1932 by Maurice Greenberg as " Co nnecticut Le ather Co mpany " The Milton Bradley Company is an American Game company established by Milton Bradley in Springfield Massachusetts, in 1860 Handheld electronic games are very small portable devices for playing interactive Games often miniaturized versions of Video games Today, these machines are not considered strictly consoles, since they often would only play a single game. The first true handheld game console with interchangeable cartridges was the Milton Bradley Microvision in 1979. In various types of electronic equipment a cartridge can refer one method of adding different functionality or content (e The Microvision was the very first hand-held game console using interchangeable cartridges Nintendo has dominated the handheld market since the release of the Game Boy in 1989, and is often credited as popularizing the handheld console concept. is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Kyoto Japan founded on The is a handheld video game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo.

History

Origins

The first handheld game console to use interchangeable game cartridges was the Microvision, designed by Smith Engineering, and distributed and sold by Milton-Bradley in 1979. The Microvision was the very first hand-held game console using interchangeable cartridges Smith Engineering/Western Technologies was a videogame company started by Jay Smith an engineer who was previously an employee at Mattel. A small screen and a minuscule selection of games (only thirteen) led to its demise only two years later. Today, working Microvisions are quite rare. The keypad could be easily damaged and the LCD technology of the late 1970s was poor, leading to liquid crystal leaking and darkening. In 1983, Palmtex released the Home-Computer Software Super Micro Cartridge System. However, only three games were made for it and it never sold many units. Nintendo also released its Game & Watch collection, which contained over 25 games, however they were to be sold in separate built-in units. is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Kyoto Japan founded on The (G&W series were Handheld electronic games made by Nintendo and created by its game designer Gunpei Yokoi from to.

Early 1990s

The early 1990s saw the relaunch of the handheld game console pillar of the video game market after the demise of the Microvision. As backlit LCD game consoles with color graphics consume a lot of power, they were not battery friendly like the non-backlit original Game Boy with monochrome graphics which allowed more battery life. During this timeframe, rechargeable battery technology was not yet mature thereby rendering the advanced game consoles of the time such as the Game Gear and Atari Lynx marketing flops in the handheld video game market. See also Rechargeable electricity storage system A rechargeable battery, also known as a storage battery, is a group of two or more secondary The Sega Game Gear is a Handheld game console which was Sega 's response to Nintendo 's Game Boy. The Atari Lynx was a Handheld game console released by Atari Corporation in 1989 As a hit-driven business the great majority of the Video games industry 's software releases have been commercial failures

Even though third-party rechargeable batteries were available for the battery-hungry alternatives to the Game Boy, they had to be discharged before being recharged since they were in Nickel cadmium format. The nickel-cadmium battery (commonly abbreviated NiCd and ˈnɑɪˌkæd "nye-cad" is a type of Rechargeable battery using Nickel oxide hydroxide NiMH batteries, which do not require discharging before recharging, would not be released until the late 90's, well after the Game Gear, Atari Lynx, and the original Game Boy had been discontinued. A nickel-metal hydride battery, abbreviated NiMH, is a type of Rechargeable battery similar to a nickel-cadmium ( Ni[[Cadmium Cd]] battery During the time when technologically superior handhelds had strict technical limitations, batteries had a very low mAh rating since batteries with heavy power density were not yet available. An ampere-hour (symbol A h or A·h, sometimes abbreviated as Ah) is a unit of Electric charge.

Game systems of today have rechargeable Li-Ion batteries with proprietary shapes, such as the Nintendo DS and Sony PlayStation Portable. Lithium-ion batteries (sometimes abbreviated Li-ion batteries) are a type of Rechargeable battery in which a Lithium ion moves between the Anode The is a dual-screen Handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. The PlayStation Portable (officially abbreviated PSP) is a Handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. Unlike the aforementioned current-generation consoles, the GP2X uses standard alkaline batteries. The GP2X is an open-source Linux -based handheld Video game console and media player created by GamePark Holdings Alkaline batteries are a type of disposable battery dependent upon the reaction between Zinc and Manganese (IV oxide ( Zn / Mn[[Oxygen Since the mAh rating of batteries has gone up to a high quantity, some lower end handhelds of today like the GP2X only need a couple of AA batteries for power.

Game Boy

Main article: Game Boy

The original Game Boy

Five years after the failure of Palmtex's Home-Computer Software Super Micro Cartridge System, Nintendo released the Game Boy. The is a handheld video game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Kyoto Japan founded on The design team headed by the late Gunpei Yokoi had also been responsible for the Game & Watch system, as well as the Nintendo Entertainment System games Metroid and Kid Icarus. Gunpei Yokoi, also spelled ( September 10 1941 – October 4 1997) was a long-time Nintendo employee creator of the Game The (G&W series were Handheld electronic games made by Nintendo and created by its game designer Gunpei Yokoi from to. The Nintendo Entertainment System (often abbreviated as NES or simply Nintendo) is an 8-bit Video game console that was released by is the first game in the ''Metroid'' series of video games It was released first for the Famicom Disk System on August 6, 1986 For the title character see Pit. For the series as a whole see Kid Icarus (series. The Game Boy came under scrutiny by some industry critics, saying that the monochrome screen was too small, and the processing power was inadequate. The design team had felt that low initial cost and battery economy were more important concerns, and when compared to the Microvision, the Game Boy was a huge leap forward.

Yokoi recognized that the Game Boy needed a killer app – at least one game that would define the console, and persuade customers to buy it. A killer application (commonly shortened to killer app) in the jargon of computer programmers and video gamers has been used to refer to any Computer program In June 1988, Minoru Arakawa, then-CEO of Nintendo of America saw a demonstration of the game Tetris at a trade show. (born September 3, 1946) was the president of Nintendo of America (NOA from 1980 to 2002 Tetris (Тетрис is a Video puzzle game originally designed and programmed by Alexey Pajitnov in June 1985 while working for the Dorodnicyn Nintendo purchased the rights for the game, and packaged it with the Game Boy system. It was almost an immediate hit. By the end of the year more than a million units were sold, and 25 million were sold by 1992. As of March 31, 2005, the Game Boy and Game Boy Color combined to sell 118. Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The is Nintendo 's successor to the Game Boy and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan and in November 19, 1998 69 million units worldwide. ^[1][2]

Atari Lynx

Main article: Atari Lynx

Atari Lynx

In 1987, Epyx created the Handy; a device that would turn into the Atari Lynx in 1989. The Atari Lynx was a Handheld game console released by Atari Corporation in 1989 Epyx Inc was a Video game developer and publisher in the late 1970s and entire 1980s It was the first color handheld console ever made, as well as the first with a backlighted screen. A backlight is the form of illumination used in a Liquid crystal display (LCD It also featured networking support with up to 17 other players, and advanced hardware that allowed the zooming and scaling of sprites. The Lynx could also be turned upside down to accommodate left-handed players. However, all these features came at a very high price point, which drove consumers to seek cheaper alternatives. The Lynx was also very unwieldy, consumed batteries very quickly, and lacked the third-party support enjoyed by its competitors. Due to its high price, short battery life, production shortages, a dearth of compelling games, and Nintendo's aggressive marketing campaign, and despite a redesign in 1991, the Lynx became a commercial failure. As a hit-driven business the great majority of the Video games industry 's software releases have been commercial failures Despite this, companies like Telegames helped to keep the system alive long past its commercial relevance, and when new owner Hasbro released the rights to develop for the public domain, independent developers like Songbird have managed to release new commercial games for the system every year until 2004's Winter Games.

TurboExpress

Main article: TurboExpress

TurboExpress handheld, TV tuner, and games

The TurboExpress was a portable version of the TurboGrafx, released in 1990 for $249. The TurboExpress or ( PC Engine GT in Japan was a portable version of the TurboGrafx-16 / PC Engine, released by NEC in 1990 for $249 99 (the price was briefly raised to $299. 99, soon dropped back to $249. 99, and by 1992 it was $199. 99). Its Japanese equivalent was the PC Engine GT. The TurboExpress or ( PC Engine GT in Japan was a portable version of the TurboGrafx-16 / PC Engine, released by NEC in 1990 for $249

It was the most advanced handheld of its time and could play all the TurboGrafx-16's games(which were on a small, credit-card sized media called HuCards). The, known as TurboGrafx-16 in the USA is a Video game console developed by the Nippon Electric Company (NEC and released in Japan on October It had a 66 mm (2. 6 in. ) screen, the same as the original Game Boy, and could display 64 sprites at once, 16 per scanline, in 512 (some say only 482?) colors. In Computer graphics, a sprite (also known by other names see Synonyms below is a two-dimensional/three-dimensional Image or Animation that It had 64 kilobytes of RAM. The Turbo ran its two 6820 CPUs at 3. 58 MHz in parallel. The hertz (symbol Hz) is a measure of Frequency, informally defined as the number of events occurring per Second.

The optional "TurboVision" TV tuner included RCA audio/video input, allowing users to use TurboExpress as a video monitor. The "TurboLink" allowed two-player play. Falcon, a flight simulator, included a "head-to-head" dogfight mode that could only be accessed via TurboLink. However, very few TG-16 games offered co-op play modes especially designed with the TurboExpress in mind.

Sega Game Gear

Main article: Sega Game Gear

Sega Game Gear

The Sega Game Gear was the third color handheld console, after the Lynx and the TurboExpress. The Sega Game Gear is a Handheld game console which was Sega 's response to Nintendo 's Game Boy. Released in Japan in 1990 and in North America and Europe in 1991, it was based on the Sega Master System, which gave Sega the ability to quickly create Game Gear games from its large library of games for the Master System. The Sega Master System is an 8-bit cartridge-based Video game console that was manufactured by Sega and was first released in 1986.

Like the Lynx and the TurboExpress, the Game Gear failed to make a significant impact on the Game Boy's lead in the handheld market. Nonetheless, it managed better sales than the Lynx and TurboExpress, with support from Sega until 1997 and Majesco manufacturing a reduced-price version in 2000. Majesco Entertainment is a Japanese / American Video game publisher founded in 1986. It remains the longest running handheld system not made by Nintendo, although the PlayStation Portable has achieved a larger market share. The PlayStation Portable (officially abbreviated PSP) is a Handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment.

Late 1990s

The Game Boy was nine years old before it got its first significant makeover. In 1998, the Game Boy Color was released. It used the smaller and lighter form-factor of the Game Boy Pocket, but featured a full color screen. It was also backwards-compatible, so that it could play not only games specifically made for the Game Boy Color, but standard Game Boy games as well. It did not have significantly more computing power than the Game Boy, however.

By this time, the lack of significant development in Nintendo's product line began allowing more advanced systems such as the Neo Geo Pocket Color and the Wonderswan Color to achieve moderate success. The Neo-Geo Pocket Color (or NGPC) was released on March 16, 1999 in Japan and was released in the United States on August 6,

Game. com

Main article: Game.com

Game. The gamecom (pronounced in TV commercials as "game com" not "game dot com" and not capitalized in marketing material was a Handheld game console released com

The Game. com (pronounced in TV commercials as "game com", not "game dot com" and not capitalized in marketing material) was a handheld game console released by Tiger Electronics in September 1997. Tiger Electronics should not be confused with the appliance maker Tiger Corporation, the electronics retailer Tiger Direct, or the producer of Gizmondo It featured many new ideas for handheld consoles and was aimed at an older target audience, sporting PDA-style features and functions such as a touch screen and stylus. However, Tiger hoped it would also challenge Nintendo's Game Boy and gain a following among younger gamers too. Unlike other handheld game consoles, the first game. com consoles included two slots for game cartridges and could be connected to a 14. 4 kbit/s modem. Later models reverted to a single cartridge slot.

Game Boy Color

Main article: Game Boy Color

The Game Boy Color was the first handheld by Nintendo featuring Colors

The Game Boy Color (also referred to as GBC or CGB) is Nintendo's successor to the Game Boy and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan and in November of the same year in the United States. The is Nintendo 's successor to the Game Boy and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan and in November 19, 1998 Events 1512 - Martin Luther joins the theological faculty of the University of Wittenberg. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the It features a color screen, and is only slightly bigger than the Game Boy Pocket. The is a handheld video game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. The processor is twice as fast as a Game Boy's and has twice as much memory. It also had an infrared communications port for wireless linking which did not appear in later versions of the Game Boy, such as the Game Boy Advance. Infrared ( IR) radiation is Electromagnetic radiation whose Wavelength is longer than that of Visible light, but shorter than that of

The Game Boy Color was a response to pressure from game developers for a new system, as they felt that the Game Boy, even in its latest incarnation, the Game Boy Pocket, was insufficient. The resulting product was backward compatible, a first for a handheld console system, and leveraged the large library of games and great installed base of the predecessor system. This became a major feature of the Game Boy line, since it allowed each new launch to begin with a significantly larger library than any of its competitors. As of March 31, 2005, the Game Boy and Game Boy Color combined to sell 118. Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The is Nintendo 's successor to the Game Boy and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan and in November 19, 1998 69 million units worldwide. ^[1][2]

The console was capable of displaying up to 56 different colors simultaneously on screen from its palette of 32,768, and could add basic four-color shading to games that had been developed for the original Game Boy. It could also give the sprites and backgrounds separate colors, for a total of more than four colors.

Neo Geo Pocket Color

Main article: Neo Geo Pocket Color

Neo Geo Pocket Color

The Neo Geo Pocket Color (or NGPC) was released in 1998 in Japan. The Neo-Geo Pocket Color (or NGPC) was released on March 16, 1999 in Japan and was released in the United States on August 6, It was a 16-bit color handheld game console designed by SNK, the maker of the Neo Geo home console and arcade machine. The Neo Geo is a cartridge -based arcade and home Video game system released in 1990 by Japanese game company SNK. It came after SNK's original Neo Geo Pocket monochrome handheld, which debuted in 1998 in Japan (and was released in the U. The Neo Geo Pocket was SNK 's first hand held video game system, released in Japan in late 1998 S. in 1999).

In 2000 following SNK's purchase by Japanese Pachinko manufacturer Aruze, the Neo Geo Pocket Color was dropped from both the U. is a Japanese gaming device used for amusement and prizes Although pachinko machines were originally strictly mechanical modern pachinko machines are a cross between a S. and European markets, purportedly due to commercial failure.

The system seemed well on its way to being a success in the U. S. Indeed, it enjoyed a greater success than any Game Boy competitor since Sega's Game Gear. is a multinational Video game Software and Hardware development company and a former Home computer The Sega Game Gear is a Handheld game console which was Sega 's response to Nintendo 's Game Boy. However, it was hurt by several factors, such as SNK's infamous lack of communication with third-party developers, and anticipation of the Game Boy Advance. The decision to ship U. S. games in cardboard boxes in a cost-cutting move rather than hard plastic cases that Japanese and European releases were shipped in may have also hurt U. S. sales.

Wonderswan Color

Main article: Wonderswan Color

The WonderSwan Color is a handheld game console designed by Bandai. is a Japanese Toy making company as well as the producer of a large number of Plastic model kits It was released on December 30, 2000 in Japan, and was a moderate success. Events 1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield. 1816 - The Treaty of St 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar.

The original WonderSwan had only a black and white screen. Although the WonderSwan Color was slightly larger and heavier (7 mm and 2 g) compared to the original WonderSwan, the color version featured 64KB of RAM and a larger color LCD screen. A kilobyte (derived from the SI prefix Kilo -, meaning 1000 is a unit of Information or Computer storage equal to either 1024 In addition, the WonderSwan Color is compatible with the original WonderSwan library of games.

Prior to WonderSwan's release, Nintendo had virtually a monopoly in the Japanese video game handheld market. After the release of the WonderSwan Color, Bandai took approximately 8% of the market share in Japan partly due to its low price of 6800 yen (approximately $65 U.S. Dollars). The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been

Another reason for the WonderSwan's success in Japan was the fact that Bandai managed to get a deal with SquareSoft to port over the original Famicom Final Fantasy games with improved graphics and controls. was a Japanese Video game company founded in September 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto. The Nintendo Entertainment System (often abbreviated as NES or simply Nintendo) is an 8-bit Video game console that was released by However, with the popularity of the Game Boy Advance and the reconciliation between SquareSoft and Nintendo, the WonderSwan Color and its successor, the SwanCrystal quickly lost its competitive advantage. The is the third and final version of Bandai 's WonderSwan Handheld game console brand succeeding the WonderSwan and WonderSwan Color. Competitive advantage is a position a firm occupies against its competitors

2000s

Game Boy Advance

Main article: Game Boy Advance

The Game Boy Advance was a major upgrade to the Game Boy line

In 2001, Nintendo released the Game Boy Advance (GBA or AGB), which added two shoulder buttons, a larger screen, and more computing power to the Game Boy Color. The Game Boy Advance (often shortened to GBA) is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed manufactured and marketed by Nintendo.

The design was revised two years later when the Game Boy Advance SP (GBA SP), a more compact version, was released. The, released in February 2003 is an upgraded version of Nintendo 's Game Boy Advance. The SP featured a "clamshell" design (folding open and closed, like a briefcase), as well as a frontlit color display and rechargeable battery. A frontlight is a means of illuminating a Display device, usually a Liquid crystal display (LCD which would otherwise be viewed in ambient light Despite the smaller form factor, the screen remained the same size as that of the original. In 2005, the Game Boy Micro was released. is a Handheld game console This revision sacrificed screen size and backwards compatibility with previous Game Boys for a dramatic reduction in total size and a brighter backlit screen. A backlight is the form of illumination used in a Liquid crystal display (LCD A new SP model with a backlit screen was released in some regions around the same time.

Along with the Nintendo GameCube, the GBA also introduced the concept of "connectivity": using a handheld system as a console controller. The, often abbreviated as GCN, is Nintendo 's fourth home Video game console and is part of the sixth generation console era. A handful of games use this feature, most notably Animal Crossing, Pac-Man Vs., Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventure, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, and Sonic Adventure 2: Battle. Animal Crossing, known as in Japan, is a life simulation Video game developed by Nintendo EAD and published by Nintendo. Pac-Man Vs is a Pac-Man Video game originally designed exclusively for the Nintendo GameCube that was included as an extra bonus disc with is a Video game for the Nintendo GameCube. It is the first Final Fantasy game on a Nintendo console since Final Fantasy VI The Legend of Zelda Four Swords Adventures, known in Japan as, is a Video game in Nintendo 's ''The Legend of Zelda'' series. The Legend of Zelda The Wind Waker, known in Japan as, is an Action-adventure game and the tenth installment in ''The Legend of Zelda'' series. Sonic Adventure 2 is a Platform game developed by Sonic Team USA and published by Sega in 2001 as a part of the Sonic the

As of December 31, 2007, the GBA, GBA SP, and the Game Boy Micro combined have sold 80. Events 406 – Vandals, Alans and Suebians cross the Rhine, beginning an invasion of Gallia. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. 72 million units worldwide. ^[3]

Game Park 32

GP32

Main article: GP32

The original GP32 was released in 2001 by the South Korean company Game Park a few months after the launch of the Game Boy Advance. The GP32 (GamePark 32 is a Hand held console built by the Korean company Game Park. Game Park is a South Korean company that was founded in 1996 and went bankrupt in March 2007 It featured a 32-bit CPU, 133 MHz processor, MP3 and Divx player, and e-book reader. SmartMedia cards were used for storage, and could hold up to 128mb of anything downloaded through a USB cable from a PC. SmartMedia is a flash Memory card standard owned by Toshiba, with capacities ranging from 0 The GP32 was redesigned in 2003. A front-lit screen was added and the new version was called GP32 FLU (Front Light Unit). In the summer of 2004 another redesign was made and a back-lit screen was added. It was called the GP32 BLU. This version of the handheld was planned for release outside South Korea; in Europe, and it was released for example in Spain (VirginPlay was the distributor). While not a commercial success on a level with mainstream handhelds, it made enough of a profit to keep its company afloat until the release of its successor the GP2X four years later. The GP2X is an open-source Linux -based handheld Video game console and media player created by GamePark Holdings Only 30,000 units were sold and it ended up being used mainly as a platform for user-made applications and emulators of other systems, being popular with developers and more technically-adept users. ^[4]

N-Gage

N-gage

N-gage QD

Main article: N-Gage

Nokia released the N-Gage in 2003. The N-Gage is a Mobile telephone and Handheld game system based on the Nokia Series 60 platform Nokia Corporation (pronunciation /'nɔkiɑ/),,) is a Finnish multinational Communications Corporation, headquartered It was designed as a combination mp3 player, cellphone, PDA, radio, and gaming device. The system received much criticism alleging defects in its physical design and layout, including its vertically-oriented screen and requirement of removing the battery to change game cartridges. The most well known of these was "sidetalking," or the act of placing the phone speaker and receiver on an edge of the device instead of one of the flat sides, causing the user to appear as if he is speaking to a taco. The N-Gage is a Mobile telephone and Handheld game system based on the Nokia Series 60 platform A taco ( is a traditional Mexican dish composed of a Maize or wheat Tortilla folded or rolled around a filling

The N-Gage QD was later released to address the design flaws of the original. However, certain features available in the original N-Gage, including MP3 playback, FM radio reception, and USB connectivity were removed.

Second generation of N-Gage launched on April 3, 2008^[5] in the form of a service for selected Nokia Smartphones. The N-Gage service is Nokia 's mobile gaming platform that is available for several Nokia S60 3rd Edition Smartphones It is a follow-up Events 1043 - Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Nokia Corporation (pronunciation /'nɔkiɑ/),,) is a Finnish multinational Communications Corporation, headquartered A smartphone is a Mobile phone offering advanced capabilities beyond a typical mobile phone often with PC -like functionality

Tapwave Zodiac

Tapwave Zodiac 2

Main article: Tapwave Zodiac

In 2004, Tapwave released the Zodiac. Tapwave, founded in Mountain View California in May 2001 introduced the Zodiac mobile entertainment It was designed to be a PDA-handheld game console hybrid. It supported photos, movies, music, Internet, and documents. The Internet is a global system of interconnected Computer networks The Zodiac used a special version Palm OS 5, 5. 2T, that supported the special gaming buttons and graphics chip. Two versions were available, Zodiac 1 and 2, differing in memory and looks. The Zodiac line ended in July of 2005 when Tapwave declared bankruptcy.

Nintendo DS

Main article: Nintendo DS

The Nintendo DS has two screens (one of which is a touchscreen), a microphone, and Wi-Fi connectivity. The is a dual-screen Handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo.

The Nintendo DS was released in November 2004. Among its new features was the incorporation of two screens, as well as a touch screen, wireless connectivity, and a microphone port. A touchpad (also trackpad) is a Pointing device consisting of specialized surface that can translate the motion and position As with the Game Boy Advance SP, the DS features a clamshell design, with the two screens aligned vertically on either side of the hinge.

The DS's lower screen is touch sensitive, designed to be pressed with a stylus, a user's finger or a special "thumb pad" (a small plastic pad attached to the console's wrist strap, which can be affixed to the thumb to simulate an analog stick). More traditional controls include four face buttons, a D-pad, and "start" and "select" buttons. A D-pad (short for directional pad) is a flat usually thumb-operated directional control found on nearly all modern Video game console Gamepads Game The console also features online capabilities via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and ad-hoc Wireless networking for multiplayer games with up to 16 players. Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection (commonly abbreviated WFC) is an online service run by Nintendo to facilitate free Internet play in compatible Nintendo DS and It is backwards-compatible with all Game Boy Advance games, but not with games designed for the Game Boy or Game Boy Color.

In January 2006, Nintendo revealed an updated version of the DS: the Nintendo DS Lite (released on March 2, 2006 in Japan) with an updated, smaller form factor (42% smaller and 21% lighter than the original Nintendo DS), a cleaner design, and much brighter, higher-quality displays (with adjustable brightness). Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. It is also able to connect wirelessly with Nintendo's Wii Console. However, the DS Lite lacks the backwards compatibility for Game Boy and Game Boy Color games.

As of December 31, 2007, the Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite combined have sold 64. Events 406 – Vandals, Alans and Suebians cross the Rhine, beginning an invasion of Gallia. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. 79 million units worldwide. ^[3]

PlayStation Portable

Main article: PlayStation Portable

The PlayStation Portable can play music, movies, games, view pictures and browse the web wirelessly. The PlayStation Portable (officially abbreviated PSP) is a Handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment.

Sony's PlayStation Portable (PSP) was first revealed at E3 2004, and was released in Japan and North America in late 2004 and early 2005, respectively. is a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato Tokyo, Japan, and one of the world's largest Media conglomerates with The E3 Media and Business Summit, formerly known as Electronic Entertainment Expo and commonly known as E3, is an annual Trade show for the computer The PSP, as well as several other handhelds in the seventh generation, is designed with an emphasis on convergence, with video and music playback functions in addition to game playing. In the absence of a more specific context convergence denotes the approach toward a definite value as time goes on or to a definite point a common view or opinion or As of March 31, 2007, 25. Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. 39 million units have shipped worldwide. ^[6]

The PSP features four face buttons with the distinctive PlayStation symbols, a directional pad, two shoulder buttons and several hardware control buttons along the bottom of the console's face. The PSP has a single analog control in the form of an "analog pad": a small plastic circle which can slide along the plane of the console's front panel. The PSP's screen is often considered one of its most obvious hardware advantages, an unusually large 4. 3 inch (11 cm) widescreen (16:9 aspect ratio) LCD. Unlike previous handheld games, PSP games are stored on UMD optical discs rather than a solid-state medium. The Universal Media Disc ( UMD) is an Optical disc medium developed by Sony for use on the PlayStation Portable. In terms of hardware connectivity, the PSP supports Wi-Fi for multiplayer gaming both locally and over the Internet, as well as a standard four-pin USB connector on the top edge of the console. Wi-Fi (ˈwaɪfaɪ is the trade name for the popular wireless technology used The system is designed to connect to Sony's PlayStation 3 console (There are noted similarities between the two consoles, such as the "XMB" user interface).

Sony has emphasized the PSP's non-gaming functions. The machine can play movies and music from the system's UMD disks, or from a Memory Stick Duo memory card (Sony's proprietary flash storage format). Memory Stick is a removable flash Memory card format launched by Sony in October 1998, and is also used in general to describe the whole family Some of the games for the PSP, such as Wipeout Pure, can use a wireless Internet connection to download new content, and as of firmware version 2. Wipeout Pure is a 2005 Video game in the Wipeout series for the PlayStation Portable. 0 the console has an integrated web browser. Later firmware updates have added more non-gaming functionality such as LocationFree Player support in firmware 2. s LocationFree is the marketing name for a group of products and technologies for streaming video 50; RSS Channel audio which can be streamed or downloaded to the memory stick in 2. 60, Video and Photo RSS Channel (Although users cannot stream videos or photo off the internet, they can only download) in 2. 80; Full PlayStation 3 connectivity in 3. 00 and the ability to use the Chotto Shot (Quick Shot) camera accessory without the Chotto Shot Edit Universal Media Disc software. The Universal Media Disc ( UMD) is an Optical disc medium developed by Sony for use on the PlayStation Portable. However, the success of the non-gaming functions, particularly the UMD playback, has been limited.

In 2007, Sony announced an updated version of the PSP at E3: the PSP Slim & Lite. The E3 Media and Business Summit, formerly known as Electronic Entertainment Expo and commonly known as E3, is an annual Trade show for the computer PSP Slim & Lite as it is known in the PAL territories is the current model of the PlayStation Portable Handheld game console released and manufactured by It was officially released in September 2007. The price for the Core Pack is US$169. 99. Firmware update 3. 90 added Skype functionality to the PSP Slim & Lite allowing users to use their Skype account to make and receive calls using VOIP, anywhere Wi-Fi in accessible. Skype (skaɪp is Software that allows users to make telephone calls over the Internet. Voice-over-Internet protocol ( VoIP, vɔɪp is a protocol optimized for the transmission of voice through the Internet

Gizmondo

Main article: Gizmondo

Tiger's Gizmondo came out in the UK during March 2005 and it was released in the U. The Gizmondo is a handheld gaming console with General Packet Radio Service and Global Positioning System technology which was manufactured by Tiger Telematics S. during October 2005. It is designed to play music, movies, and games, have a camera for taking and storing photos, and have GPS functions. It also has Internet capabilities. It has a phone for sending text and multimedia messages. Email was promised at launch, but was never released before Gizmondo, and ultimately Tiger Telematics', downfall in early 2005. The Gizmondo is a handheld gaming console with General Packet Radio Service and Global Positioning System technology which was manufactured by Tiger Telematics Users obtained a second service pack, unreleased, hoping to find such functionality. However, Service Pack B did not activate the e-mail functionality.

Game Park Holdings GP2X

Main article: GP2X

Released in November 2005, the GP2X is a handheld game console that uses the Linux operating system and is designed to support videos, music, photos, and games in an open architecture allowing any user to develop software for the device. The GP2X is an open-source Linux -based handheld Video game console and media player created by GamePark Holdings Linux (commonly pronounced ˈlɪnəks Expandability for future upgrades (new media formats, features, operating system, etc) has been made possible by flash upgradable firmware.

The GP2X natively supports codecs and formats such as DivX, Xvid, MP3 and Ogg Vorbis, but because the player is based on the open-source media player named mplayer, it is easily possible to add other codecs unsupported at the launch. DivX is a brand name of products created by DivX Inc (formerly DivXNetworks Inc Xvid (formerly " XviD " is a Video codec library following the MPEG-4 standard MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a Digital audio encoding format using a form of Lossy data compression Vorbis is a free and open source, lossy audio Codec project headed by the Xiph It can also emulate games for many systems, including the NES, SMS, PC Engine, SNES, Mega Drive/Genesis, GBA and PlayStation (but not full-speed). The, known as TurboGrafx-16 in the USA is a Video game console developed by the Nippon Electric Company (NEC and released in Japan on October The Super Nintendo Entertainment System or Super NES (also called SNES and Super Nintendo) is a 16-bit Video game console that was The is a 16-bit Video game console released by Sega in Japan in 1988 North America in 1989 and the PAL region in 1990

The current number sold is unknown, but 30,000 were sold by October 2006. ^[7]

A new version called the "F200" was released on November 1, 2007 and featured a touchscreen, among other changes. Events 996 - Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk Bishop of Freising which is the oldest known document using the name Ostarrîchi Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

List of notable handheld game consoles

Main article: Comparison of handheld game consoles

• Milton Bradley Microvision (1979)
• Epoch Game Pocket Computer - (1984) - Japanese only; not a success
• Nintendo Game Boy (1989) - First internationally successful handheld game console
• Atari Lynx (1989) - First backlit/color screen, first hardware capable of accelerated 3d drawing
• NEC TurboExpress (1990, Japan; 1991, North America) - Played huCard (TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine) games, first console/handheld intercompatibility
• Sega Game Gear (1991) - Architecturally similar to Sega Master System, notable accessory firsts include a TV tuner
• Watara Supervision (1992) - first handheld with TV-OUT support; although the Super Game Boy was only a compatibility layer for the preceding game boy. This is a comparison of the features of various Handheld game consoles General information Specifications Specifications (continued The Microvision was the very first hand-held game console using interchangeable cartridges The Epoch Game Pocket Computer is a Handheld game console released by Epoch in Japan in 1984. The is a handheld video game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. The Atari Lynx was a Handheld game console released by Atari Corporation in 1989 The TurboExpress or ( PC Engine GT in Japan was a portable version of the TurboGrafx-16 / PC Engine, released by NEC in 1990 for $249 A HuCard is a Memory card developed by Hudson Soft. It is the size of a Credit card and is used with the NEC PC Engine and SuperGrafx The, known as TurboGrafx-16 in the USA is a Video game console developed by the Nippon Electric Company (NEC and released in Japan on October The Sega Game Gear is a Handheld game console which was Sega 's response to Nintendo 's Game Boy. The Sega Master System is an 8-bit cartridge-based Video game console that was manufactured by Sega and was first released in 1986. A TV tuner card is a computer component that allows Television signals to be received by a Computer. The Watara Supervision is a monochrome Handheld game console, originating from Taiwan, and introduced in 1992 as a cut-price competitor for Nintendo's Game Boy The Super Game Boy is an adaptor cartridge for Nintendo 's Super Nintendo Entertainment System, as well as the Super Famicom in Japan. A compatibility layer is a term that refers to components that allow for non-native support of components
• Sega Mega Jet (1992) - no screen, made for Japan Air Lines (first handheld without a screen)
• Mega Duck/Cougar Boy (1993) - 4 level grayscale 2,7" LCD - Stereo sound - rare, sold in Europe and Brazil
• Nintendo Virtual Boy (1994) - Monochromatic (red only) 3D goggle set, only semi-portable; first 3D portable
• Sega Nomad (1995) - Played normal Sega Genesis cartridges, albeit at lower resolution
• Neo Geo Pocket (1996) - Unrelated to Neo Geo consoles or arcade systems save for name
• Game Boy Pocket (1996) - Slimmer redesign of Game Boy
• Game Boy Pocket Light (1997) - Japanese only backlit version of the Game Boy Pocket
• Tiger game.com (1997) - First touch screen, first Internet support (with use of sold-separately modem)
• Game Boy Color (1998)
• Cybiko (Around 1998)
• Playblock (around 1998, possibly earlier)
• Sony PocketStation (1998) - Japanese only PS1 memory card / portable mini console in one. ( or JAL, is an airline of Japan It is one of the largest Airline operators in Asia. Nintendo 's (also known as the VR-32 during development was the first portable game console capable of displaying "true 3D graphics" 3D computer graphics (in contrast to 2D computer graphics) are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer The Sega Nomad (Also called Sega Genesis Nomad or just Nomad) was a Handheld game console sold for the North American consumer market The is a 16-bit Video game console released by Sega in Japan in 1988 North America in 1989 and the PAL region in 1990 The Neo Geo Pocket was SNK 's first hand held video game system, released in Japan in late 1998 The Neo Geo is a cartridge -based arcade and home Video game system released in 1990 by Japanese game company SNK. The line is a line of battery -powered Handheld game consoles sold by Nintendo. The gamecom (pronounced in TV commercials as "game com" not "game dot com" and not capitalized in marketing material was a Handheld game console released Modem (from mo dulator- dem odulator is a device that modulates an analog carrier signal to encode Digital information The is Nintendo 's successor to the Game Boy and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan and in November 19, 1998 The Cybiko is a hand held computer designed for teenagers featuring its own two-way radio text messaging system The Sony Playblock was an 8-bit Minigame system developed by Sony. The PocketStation is a miniature Personal digital assistant created by Sony as a Peripheral for the PlayStation.
• SNK Neo Geo Pocket Color (1999)
• Bandai WonderSwan (1999) - Developed by Gumpei Yokoi after leaving Nintendo
• Bandai WonderSwan Color (2000)
• Game Park GP32 (2001) - first with full homebrew support
• Game Boy Advance (2001) - First 32-bit handheld
• Pokémon mini (2001) - The smallest cartridge-based system that includes a black-and-white LCD screen, and the smallest integrated gamepad ever created. The Neo-Geo Pocket Color (or NGPC) was released on March 16, 1999 in Japan and was released in the United States on August 6, Gunpei Yokoi, also spelled ( September 10 1941 – October 4 1997) was a long-time Nintendo employee creator of the Game The GP32 (GamePark 32 is a Hand held console built by the Korean company Game Park. The Game Boy Advance (often shortened to GBA) is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed manufactured and marketed by Nintendo. The range of Integer values that can be stored in 32 bits is 0 through 4294967295 or −2147483648 through 2147483647 using Two's complement encoding The Pokémon Mini is a Handheld game console designed and manufactured by Nintendo and based on Satoshi Tajiri 's Pokémon
• Bandai Swan Crystal (2002) - Minor redesign of WonderSwan Color
• N-Gage (2003) - Game system and GSM cell phone (first combination of the two); first included mp3 player and FM radio; used Bluetooth (first wireless multiplayer); first use of GPRS for online play
• Game Boy Advance SP (2003) - Redesign of GBA: slimmer, clamshell form factor; frontlit screen
• Gameking (2003) - first handheld developed by a Chinese company. The is the third and final version of Bandai 's WonderSwan Handheld game console brand succeeding the WonderSwan and WonderSwan Color. The N-Gage is a Mobile telephone and Handheld game system based on the Nokia Series 60 platform GSM ( Global System for Mobile communications: originally from Groupe Spécial Mobile) is the most popular standard for Mobile phones in the A digital audio player, more commonly referred to as an MP3 player, is a Consumer electronics device that stores organizes and plays audio files Some See also Frequency modulation, FM band FM broadcasting is a broadcast Technology invented by Edwin Howard Armstrong that Bluetooth is a wireless protocol utilizing short-range communications technology facilitating data transmission over short distances from fixed and/or mobile devices creating wireless General Packet Radio Service (GPRS is a Packet oriented Mobile Data Service available to users of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM and The, released in February 2003 is an upgraded version of Nintendo 's Game Boy Advance. The Japanese manga and anime series Yu-Gi-Oh! also translates to "Game King" China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National
• Tapwave Zodiac (2004) - First PDA/game handheld hybrid; Palm OS PDA with game-focused form factor and features
• Nokia N-Gage QD (2004) - Redesign of N-Gage, removed mp3 playback and radio
• Nintendo DS (2004) - First inclusion of dual screens, built-in microphone, and Wi-Fi for wireless multiplayer; touchscreen
• PlayStation Portable (2004/2005) - First use of optical media; uses Memory Sticks for saved data; plays movies and music and views JPEG pictures. Tapwave, founded in Mountain View California in May 2001 introduced the Zodiac mobile entertainment Palm OS (also known as Garnet OS) is an embedded Operating system initially developed by U Nokia Corporation (pronunciation /'nɔkiɑ/),,) is a Finnish multinational Communications Corporation, headquartered The N-Gage is a Mobile telephone and Handheld game system based on the Nokia Series 60 platform MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a Digital audio encoding format using a form of Lossy data compression The is a dual-screen Handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. Wi-Fi (ˈwaɪfaɪ is the trade name for the popular wireless technology used The PlayStation Portable (officially abbreviated PSP) is a Handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. Memory Stick is a removable flash Memory card format launched by Sony in October 1998, and is also used in general to describe the whole family
• Gizmondo (2005) - Uses GPRS network; first inclusion of GPS for location-based games, first built-in camera
• Game Boy Micro (2005) - Redesign of GBA; smallest Game Boy form factor to date, first transflective LCD screen in a handheld. The Gizmondo is a handheld gaming console with General Packet Radio Service and Global Positioning System technology which was manufactured by Tiger Telematics General Packet Radio Service (GPRS is a Packet oriented Mobile Data Service available to users of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM and Basic concept of GPS operation A GPS receiver calculates its position by carefully timing the signals sent by the constellation of GPS Satellites high above the Earth is a Handheld game console
• Game Boy Advance SP (Backlit) - A low key re-release of the GBA SP with a backlit screen. The, released in February 2003 is an upgraded version of Nintendo 's Game Boy Advance.
• XGP (2005) and Game Park Holdings GP2X (2005) - Successor units to the GP32 handheld, each being developed by the two companies that split off from Game Park. The XGP (Extreme Game Player was a concept portable Video game system created by the Korean company GamePark as the follow-up to its GP32 handheld The GP2X is an open-source Linux -based handheld Video game console and media player created by GamePark Holdings
• Ez MINI (2005) by Shanda
• Nintendo DS Lite (2006) - Redesign of DS, including smaller size, brighter screen levels, and other subtle changes. The EZ Mini is a Handheld game console developed by Shanda and manufactured by Mitac or Mio. Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited () is a Chinese operator of Online games based in Shanghai, established in December 1999
• VG Pocket Caplet Upgraded VG Pocket Max. The VG Pocket Caplet was created by Performance Designed Products and Pelican Products
• PlayStation Portable Slim & Lite (2007) - Redesign of PlayStation Portable (PSP), including smaller size, lighter weight, Video out capability, USB charge, and other changes. PSP Slim & Lite as it is known in the PAL territories is the current model of the PlayStation Portable Handheld game console released and manufactured by

References

See also

• Console emulator
• Handheld video game
• Calculator gaming
• Handheld television

External links

• Handheld platforms at the Open Directory Project