The Playstation Portable, or commonly referred to as the PSP, is probably the world's most popular handheld and portable video game console. Ever since it was introduced for retail sale on March 24, 2005 (it was launched earlier in Japan and later in the rest of the world), it has been a consistent seller and the handheld gaming system of choice for serious and casual gamers alike. And why not? There is lots to love about this little guy!

First of all, the PSP can really do it all - it can play video games (one would hope so!), and the quality of games for the PSP are fantastic. Classic Playstation games such as the Madden brand of NFL games have made their way to the PSP. As well, some newer games such as Scarface are also available on the Playstation Portable. In terms of graphic quality and gameplay, there's not much to separate the PSP from the original Playstation or PS2.

Another thing that the PSP is capable of is that you can watch movies and videos on it. As well, the PSP can also play downloaded music and can even function and browse the internet! Not just a portable video game system, the Playstation Portable is truly a complete multi-media viewer that fits in your hand and goes with you wherever you are!

The Playstation Portable is the gold standard for handheld video game consoles. That's because, in addition to playing video games, the PSP can do so much more - which makes it a vital tool for any mediaphile to have! It will be interesting to see how other video game manufacturers respond to the innovation and popularity of the PSP. And it will be even MORE interesting to see how Sony, the makers of the Playstation Portable, respond to that!