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DS Lite or PSP? Want to game + surf...

AdimaxAdimax Registered User regular
edited January 2008 in Help / Advice Forum
I want a gaming device primarily, but all the extras of the PSP (web access, movies, music, streaming) are kind of drawing me over to it.

My question is: can the DS Lite get online using standard 802.11 hotspots (Chick-Fil-As, Starbucks, hotel rooms, etc) and browse the Internets?

For that matter, can the PSP? Can either be modded to do this?

I know the DS is selling like crazy, but the price difference is small enough and being able to use the gaming device for other stuff, like a really small and crappy web-enabled laptop, would be nice.

I've poured over DS info here and on Nintendo's site, but I am getting no solid answer.

TIA.

Adimax on

Posts

  • taliosfalcontaliosfalcon Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    The DS can, but you need to buy the browser for it, and its crap. Actually calling it crap is probably unfair to crap, its literally the worst browser ever made. The PSP browser is awesome though, and works out of the box.

    taliosfalcon on
    steam xbox - adeptpenguin
  • Al_watAl_wat Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    If you want all that functionality get a PSP.

    Although I have to say, personally I never use it for anything but games. I toyed with the browser at first but its a big pain in the ass compared to a computer.

    The music and video playing are actually decent though.

    Al_wat on
  • tony_importanttony_important Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    taliosfalcon wrote: »
    The DS can, but you need to buy the browser for it, and its crap. Actually calling it crap is probably unfair to crap, its literally the worst browser ever made. The PSP browser is awesome though, and works out of the box.

    Yes, the DS browser is pretty much the worst thing ever. If you want a hand held for browsering the DS is not it.

    tony_important on
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  • MichaelLCMichaelLC In what furnace was thy brain? ChicagoRegistered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Come to the dark side....

    The PSP browser is pretty good. Not throw-your-laptop-away good, but I use it as an instant-on surfer, and most sites work fine. A lot of sites have mobile versions, especially news, so you can load up mini versions designed for small screens.

    MichaelLC on
  • panksea06panksea06 Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    The PSP browser is damn good all things considered, so if it is a web/media device primarily to you go for that.

    I have both but never used the DS browser. The DS had such a lead in titles for so long I ended up putting my PSP aside, but soon after moved away from handhelds entirely, so its kind of a moot point, but my understand is the PSP is much better in terms of titles now.

    BTW: Realize you will of course need to buy a nice memory card for the PSP because it ships with one of like 16 MB. I bought mine with a refund on a broken product and spent all my money on it and games walked out with it all only realized I should have bought a card after I had opened everything.

    panksea06 on
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  • contrabandcontraband Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Does anyone know what networks the PSP browser works under? Call me crazy, but I believe the DS browser accepts all networks, while the PSP one accepts only 802.11b....

    contraband on
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  • seasleepyseasleepy Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    I'm pretty sure the DS hardware only does 802.11b, and it looks like via Wiki that the PSP is the same in that respect. (Routers that do 802.11g typically are set to operate in a back-compatible way, so 802.11b devices should still work with them.)

    However, while the wireless for the PSP supports WEP as well as WPA, the DS only supports WEP. This may or may not be an issue for you, as hotspots in restaurants and things tend to be unencrypted, but it's worth keeping in mind in case you do run into one that runs WPA.

    If casual browsing is high on your list of priorities for your handheld, the DS browser is probably not what you're looking for. (I think the DS browser is best suited for the odd situation where you really need to check/send email or something and you don't have anything else available, eg if you're at the airport and your flight is delayed.)

    seasleepy on
    Steam | Nintendo: seasleepy | PSN: seasleepy1
  • SilvoculousSilvoculous Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    contraband wrote: »
    Does anyone know what networks the PSP browser works under? Call me crazy, but I believe the DS browser accepts all networks, while the PSP one accepts only 802.11b....

    You can set the PSP to accept 802.11b/g mixed, and in response to the first post, it can connect to any wireless hotspot. While it can scan and find networks easily enough, you have to set up separate interfaces for each one. So you'll have to configure one for your home network, one for the coffee shop down the street, one for the hotel, etc. It's not that hard and doesn't take long, but I probably made it sound more arduous than it is.

    Silvoculous on
  • wunderbarwunderbar What Have I Done? Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    the DS is far and away a better system right now. Simply put, it has the games. the PSP cannot hold a candle to the DS in games. That being said, the PSP is a better overall device. And if you *must* have web browsing, you must have a PSP. while the PSP browser is not terrible, honestly, I have not used it in about a year, simply because it is too much of a pain in the ass to really use for any length of time.

    wunderbar on
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  • coelacanthcoelacanth Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Adimax wrote: »
    I want a gaming device primarily, but all the extras of the PSP (web access, movies, music, streaming) are kind of drawing me over to it.

    The extras are nice, but I'd still recommend the DS for the gaming. You really can't beat the title selection. Maybe get a phone with a good web browser :-)

    coelacanth on
    http://steamcommunity.com/id/ohayorisa
  • vonPoonBurGervonPoonBurGer Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    coelacanth wrote: »
    Maybe get a phone with a good web browser :-)
    Yeah, I was going to say something like this. A smartphone or palmtop (either with built-in wifi or the capability to accept a wifi card) will probably offer a much better browsing experience.

    vonPoonBurGer on
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  • AdimaxAdimax Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Thanks for the information all. Thats a lot to consider in favor of the PSP, and I've been off Nintendo products for so long... may go with it.

    Cell phone/handheld isnt an option. I do want to game with it, and I dont need a cell phone right now. ;)

    Adimax on
  • KhavallKhavall British ColumbiaRegistered User regular
    edited January 2008
    I had a similar decision for Christmas for myself. I ended up choosing the PSP because it had more games that I wanted to play that fit the type I was looking for. I have never regretted getting the PSP. The browser is great, the games are great, the graphics on the thing are gorgeous for a handheld, plus I've got beats for short gaming sessions, the ability to swap out music/videos to watch on trips, and the power save is glorious. 'Course the DS has power save too, but still, it's worth mentioning on the PSP.

    You'll need to get a screen protector, but yeah. Brilliant, brilliant system. And even though some people are still living 3 years in the past where the PSP didn't have any games, this is no longer even close to the case.

    Khavall on
  • SilvoculousSilvoculous Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    wunderbar wrote: »
    the DS is far and away a better system right now. Simply put, it has the games. the PSP cannot hold a candle to the DS in games. That being said, the PSP is a better overall device. And if you *must* have web browsing, you must have a PSP. while the PSP browser is not terrible, honestly, I have not used it in about a year, simply because it is too much of a pain in the ass to really use for any length of time.

    There are a ton of good games now. It all depends on whether you're more into Nintendo's classic staples (Mario, Metroid, Zelda) or Sony's typically broader lineup (Jak/Daxter, Ratchet and Clank, Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy, etc.) I've got a wish list for PSP games that's long enough to rival the massive amount of PS2 games I'm still hunting down. I haven't had my PSP for very long but I haven't been bored with it yet - and I still haven't even gotten around to the primary reason I bought one yet (homebrew).

    Silvoculous on
  • MinjaMinja Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    The web browser for the DS makes children cry...and grown men. :x Maybe if it freaking could support java it would possibly maybe be an acceptable application for like 12 year olds to check their Neopets account...I love my DS though, but I only use it for gaming and I've become a social gamer and the DS is defiantly a social system.

    Minja on
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  • Al_watAl_wat Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    You know what I said about using the PSP only for gaming earlier, pure BS.

    Lately (I've been traveling; probably responsible for this) I've been using the shit out of the MP3 and video playing.

    Southpark on a handheld = win.

    Al_wat on
  • ArcticMonkeyArcticMonkey Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    The PSP is a pretty good browser. Just make sure you look at the help for all the shortcuts and use the tabs for more efficient browsing. Also be sure to turn off images, flash, sound and java script for sites that you don't need it on, because it's not the fastest browser. As a gaming machine the PSP is fine, but the list of upcoming games is pretty slim. Final Fantasy 7:prequel , God of War, Gran Turismo and Star Wars Force unleashed are the only big titles coming I see on tothegame.com. I can't remember a platform this screwed by piracy since the Amiga 500.

    Another great use of a PSP is as a portable text reader. Either through the browser with file:/<name of file on MS duo> or with the homebrew program Bookr.

    ArcticMonkey on
    "You read it! You can't unread it!"
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  • GooGoo Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Get a PSP. All of the internet and multimedia stuff is awesome, and it has a slew of incredible games. Personally, I've played it quite a bit more than my DS this holiday season. It's a terribly underrated system and deserves more credit in general.

    Not that you could really go wrong with either, but for all that you want, the PSP seems like the more intelligent choice, anyway.

    Goo on
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