Today's portable gaming devices pack lots of entertainment into small packages. They offer a wide variety of games, plus fun networking and multi-player capabilities. In this article, we'll give you an overview of Nintendo's DS Lite and Sony's PSP — the current generation of on-the-go gaming options — and provide tips on getting the most out of each.

Nintendo's DS has become popular because of it's fun touch screen.

DS Lite

The DS Lite is the second iteration of the DS line — it's lighter and more streamlined than the original (though we'll still refer to it simply as "DS" in this article). This popular handheld is well-known for its sleek good looks and cool touchscreen interface. It comes in a variety of colors, and sports a clamshell design — when not in use, the DS presents a shiny, uniform appearance. It folds open to reveal two vertically stacked 3" screens. Using the included stylus, you can tap or draw on the lower screen to control game play with some DS titles. For example, tap an on-screen enemy to disable them, or write the numbers in a Sudoku puzzle grid.

The top screen may display the main gameplay area, or additional information, like a map. A built-in microphone enables voice and command recognition in some games. You'll also find more familiar gaming controls on the DS, including a directional pad, four round buttons, and left and right triggers.

Built-in Wi-Fi® connectivity enables multiplayer gaming with some titles, and an optional browser allows for web surfing.

DSi

Nintendo's latest version of the DS, the DSi, is nearly identical to the DS Lite in terms of styling, but adds a few new features. Perhaps the biggest difference is the addition of two cameras — one on the external body and one which faces the user when the DSi is open. You can take pictures of yourself or other objects and manipulate them using the built-in software. Facebook users can also upload photos directly to their Facebook profiles. Other additions include the ability to play AAC music files recorded on SD™ memory cards, and parental controls that allow parents to limit what games can be played on the system based on their ESRB ratings. And if you have a wireless high-speed Internet connection, you can also download unique and original games from Nintendo's DSi Shop.

The PSP's large widescreen display offers a crisp, detailed picture.

Sony PSP

Sony's PSP boasts a large 4-5/16" widescreen display that covers almost its entire front side. This handheld has earned a reputation for a crisp, detailed picture that makes the on-screen action easy to follow and enjoyable to watch. Its slimline design gives it a stylish, modern look. You'll find familiar gaming controls on either side of the screen, including a directional pad, four round buttons, two triggers, and a unique flush "joystick" control.

The PSP also offers cool networking and multimedia features. A built-in web browser and Wi-Fi connectivity offer easy Internet access. A side-mounted card slot lets you listen to music and view pictures saved to a Memory Stick®. You can also watch movies available in UMD (Universal Media Disc), the PSP's proprietary format.

Sony PSP Go

The upcoming PSP Go, due out in the fall of 2009, is smaller and lighter than the regular PSP. It also has a slightly smaller 3-7/8" screen, and features a sliding design — the screen slides up to reveal the controls. The biggest difference is the lack of UMD support. Instead, the PSP Go features 16GB of built-in flash memory and plays games downloaded from Sony's online PlayStation Network. The PSP Go also has built-in Bluetooth®. However, it is unclear at this point what this capability will be used for.