I gave this a 3 out of 5 stars simply because the bundle is not worth the high cost just to own it a week early. Had I known a few things, I would have waited until the 22nd to buy just the 3G version. So this isn't going to be a review of the Vita but rather the package. The Vita itself is a drastic improvement over the previous PSP releases and anyone looking for a home console-like experience on the go should definitely pick it up.
As for the package, things are hit or miss. The included case, although smelling like some type of industrial waste, is rather nice. It has enough space to hold 5 games (6 if you keep one in the Vita), the included USB cable, and the included AC adapter. Not much else is going in there as it is a tight fit. The case is sturdy enough to keep the Vita protected though I wish it had a little more padding around the edges. Overall, I give the case 4 out of 5 stars. I don't think it is worth picking up the early bundle just for the limited edition case.
Little Deviants is a game that isn't really required and will easily be $15 in a short period of time. It is nothing more than a game to show off the Vita's tech and things become boring rather quickly. This is something that should have been included with every Vita, it is that mundane. 2 out of 5 stars.
The 4GB memory card is really where things take a hit. 4GB isn't all that much especially if you plan on saving some money and buying games from the PSN. Some tend to be around $5 less than retail cartridge copies. That would be nice except that graphically intense games, such as Uncharted, take up a little over 3GB. You can essentially put Uncharted on here, some music videos, a handful of songs, and call it a day. That isn't a whole lot to get the most out of the Vita especially since you will want to playback 720p videos (which look great on the Vita's display). What irks me the most is that the 3G version coming out on the 22nd will come with an 8GB card. You would think that Sony would reward people for buying early. Instead they just offer more incentive to buy a week later. This isn't much of an issue if you plan on buying only cartridges but I wanted to save money when buying games, not pay more for the retail copies. Further memory cards are only another financial burden not to mention that they are extremely small and easy to lose. 2 out of 4 stars.
Lastly, I wanted to make a comment on the free game that you get when activating 3G service. I haven't received it yet but I have played it quite a bit. The game is great and easily one of the best Vita games out there. However, it is only a $10 PSN game. You cannot use the Vita coupon for free 250MB of data to get the game. You must PAY for the data service and that starts at $15 for 250MB during a 30 day period. You essentially lose $5 if you pick up the 3G version to get the free game. I don't plan on using the 3G data much as the "wonderful" at&t caps downloads to 20MB. That means you won't be doing a whole lot over 3G. That and transfer speeds are sticking around 1-1.5Mbps for me, that isn't something you would want to use for online video streaming via Netflix and would probably introduce lag during gaming.
All-in-all, this is an extremely disappointing bundle and not worth the extra high price for early entry. Save your money and pick up the two packages coming out next week.
Edit: I figured I would throw in some impressions of the actual Vita. It is a really nice handheld console and definitely offers the closest home console experience on-the-go. The graphics for most titles are near-PS3 though some (Marvel vs Capcom) look dead on for the home console release. That is likely due to the simpler graphical nature of the game. Don't get me wrong, it looks great but it isn't nearly as complex as Gears Of War 3 or even inFAMOUS 2. The Vita's system software is a huge improvement over the dated XMB but it still isn't perfect. Every app, game, whatever will have its own bubble that you must use to access them. It is somewhat annoying as you have to select a bubble and confirm your selection. It isn't like on Android or iOS where you select an app icon and that particular app opens. Furthermore, accessing the settings can be a pain as that has its own icon bubble. That means that you have to select Settings and then confirm your selection for Settings before you can actually change the Vita's settings. It is a little annoying having to go through this double process if all you want to do is select a wi-fi network to join. That is where the XMB actually excelled as you could easily pick the particular setting you wanted to adjust in a matter of seconds.
The Vita's firmware is all touch driven, the game controls and rear touch panel will do absolutely nothing when browsing the Vita. You have to use the front touchscreen in order to do anything with the Vita. Fortunately, Sony has incorporated easily one of the best non-iOS touchscreens out there. Touch input is responsive, multi-touch works really nice, and everything feels very fluid-like. So I have absolutely no issues that Sony has limited general usage to just the touchscreen since it really is a joy to use. Speaking of the Vita's software, it comes with some basic functionality out of the box. The built-in browser is easily one of the worst mobile browsers I have ever used. It doesn't work with HTML5 or Flash so multimedia content won't load. Mobile versions of websites were OK but anything more advanced would have a bunch of empty spots on the webpage. The browser is quick when initially loading a website via wi-fi but it stumbles when you are scrolling and has to constantly "reload" content. I don't think this is a major issue (even the PS3's browser is pretty bad) but it is something that Sony should fix if they want to push the Vita beyond its current labeled niche of being just a gaming console.
The Vita comes equipped with two cameras: one on the back and a front-facing camera. Unfortunately both cameras are limited to 640X480 for both image and video recording. Images are grainy and both cameras struggle with standard lighting conditions. A flip phone from 2006 will take a better still image. Fortunately though, the Vita is OK for video recording. A modern point-and-shoot digital camera will run circles around the Vita's video recording capabilities (same thing with an iPad 2, smartphone, or 4G iPod touch) but they aren't nearly as bad as the Vita's still images. It would have been nice for Sony to include a 720p camera on the back. I have a feeling than an updated Vita will be coming out featuring an HD rear camera. The front camera is also positioned to the right side of the Vita's display so that means you will never really look at the camera when video chatting. You will always be looking to the left and it is noticeable. That is why manufacturers often put the front facing camera right above a display in the middle.
The Vita's battery life, although better than I have experienced with the 3DS, still leaves a little to be desired. I normally get about 5 hours of usages (watching 720p videos, playing some simple games, and playing more complex releases) on a daily basis. Uncharted will drastically drain the Vita's battery and give you 3 hours on a single charge. People are complaining about the battery life. Although I agree that it could be a lot better, it is also on par with many smartphones in terms of gaming. My Droid X's battery will only give me about 6 hours of gaming before it dies. My 4G iPod touch will last even less than that (4 hours) if I am playing a complex game (GTA III). The battery life is what it is. I still think that Sony did a much better job than Nintendo with the 3DS. My Vita can actually go for a few nights without needing to be recharged whereas my 3DS can't go a single night without needing to be put into its charging cradle. Sony definitely nailed the standby battery life. Video playback could be a little longer too. Of course, 3G usage completely destroys the Vita's battery life but that is to be expected.
The built-in speakers are OK for gaming but most people will likely turn to headphones. An inexpensive $20 pair of headphones will give you a better experience than the Vita's built-in speakers. I don't think that is a major issue either as the Vita is a portable console. The built-in speakers for most handheld devices are rather bad anyway and the Vita seems on par with them. The speakers can get pretty loud but they don't really project their sound (if that makes sense).
The Vita is first and foremost a gaming console and that is where it really shines. As I said, the Vita often provides a near-PS3 experience (both in terms of controls and graphics) and these are just the launch titles for the console. I have no doubt that developers will be able to push the system and provide a greater level of detail beyond current home consoles. It may take them a few years but I could easily see that happening (especially since the Vita's display is lower in resolution). Uncharted is almost on par with the PS3 releases though some things stand out. Some objects are not as smooth as others, some textures are much lower in resolution than others (a trick often used with the PS3 as well), etc. It is easily the best looking portable game to date but it isn't quite on par with Uncharted 3 on the PS3. The jungle is also the main setting for the game and that gets a little old. The extra thumb stick on the Vita's front really allows gamers to play games as they should. It is nice that Sony didn't include this as an extra accessory after the fact, that would have annoyed me to no end. The AAA titles also fully take advantage of the Vita's touchscreen and touch pad controls (which work really nicely if the software developers implemented them correctly). Some games have issues with the touch controls though. Escape Plan is a prime example. It is a really good looking game but there are some issues with the touch controls that hold it back from being perfect. I don't think this is a hardware or software issue on Sony's part but rather the game developers. Some swipes across the game characters aren't fully registered and pinching (when you have to touch the screen and rear panel in the same places at the same time) doesn't always work. The first level in Little Deviants relies on the rear touch panel and their implementation is sloppy at best.
All-in-all, there are still somethings that Sony needs to do if they want the Vita to be an all-in-one device. Netflix was just released for it and the experience is fine but they need to come out with more apps. I also think that Sony needs to refine their PC syncing software. All of the syncing is done through the Vita. You essentially download Sony's software, tell it what folders to look in for music, videos, and photos, hook your Vita up to your PC, and then browse all of your media using the Vita's touchscreen only to select what you want to copy over. This doesn't feel natural and goes against what most other syncing programs do that allow you to directly look at your device and select what you want to copy over using the computer, not a small touchscreen. It can be a pain going through a large library of audio and video content just to select certain objects that you want on your Vita. The syncing process is pretty quick but the whole process needs a lot of work.
Sony definitely has a hit on their hands with the Vita hardware. It offers a much needed upgrade over the PSP and is able to provide a near home console experience. A few software improvements (both on the Vita and PC), new app releases (the Vita should have a dedicated Facebook app, Hulu Plus would also be nice), and more games will only make this a stronger mobile companion. The biggest issue for many people will be whether or not they want to carry a second or even third device around with them. I don't mind as I currently carry everything in a backpack so the addition of the Vita wasn't a big deal. However, if people already have a smartphone and tablet in a small bag, the Vita might be a big issue. Personally, I think it is worth carrying the Vita for that portable gaming experience.
I give the Vita itself 4.5 out of 5 stars. All new console releases have their issues and those seem to be very minimal with the Vita. Hopefully Sony fixes a few things as time progresses in order to make the Vita an all around better product (not just for gaming).
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