First Looks// PS Vita Experience: The Interface

The final thing to do is to activate the Vita as a registered device so that you can play games and content downloaded onto your PlayStation 3. Once done, you can simply use the console’s transfer cable (which doubles as your USB charger) and the Vita’s Content Manager app to move things around. At time of writing, I have only been able to transfer PlayStation Vita games, but PSP games downloaded from the PlayStation Store and save data can also be transferred come launch day.

While the built-in Content Manager app does make things rather simple when it comes to transferring content - you simply get to see a list of compatible apps from your PSP on your Vita’s screen, check anything you want to move over, and send - it’s all a bit of a slow process. And during transfer, both your PS3 and your Vita are out for the count, so you need to find something else to occupy your time as you load games onto the portable. Maybe switch on the Xbox?

System Applications
A lot of the system applications on the PlayStation Vita seem like a great step forward over its PSP and XMB predecessor. Group Messages are a much better take on the current Friend messages that can be sent on a PS3 - taking a few lessons from Apple's conversation-style approach to SMS messaging, any chats you have (which can be with one or more contacts) will be listed on the one screen, with an option to refresh for replies every 15, 30 or 60 minutes.

The Web Browser is still by-the-numbers, but is a quantum leap ahead of the dodgy PS3 and PSP browser that we currently have to endure. Scrolling is quick, but it takes a while for the application to load up the page as you navigate. YouTube videos try to run in the browser, but they can’t - a notice appears stating that either Flash or an HTML5-enabled browser is required. Something to work on, eh?

Welcome Park is a quaint series of minigames exploring the use of the Vita’s unique features, and is stylish and classy to boot. PSN Trophies and Friends are separated apps for some reason - you can see your online friends and compare trophies in the Trophies app, while Friends doesn’t offer much else but a list of people who are online. It would have been more efficient to include the features of the Friends app into the Home screen or LiveArea somehow.

All of the basic applications use the front touch screen. Nothing uses buttons. But to be honest, it's easier to touch to activate a setting than it is to select it with a d-pad. Just like turning the device on and off again, the transition in switching between applications to the home screen is instant.

Most applications on the system have a button in the bottom right corner which can be pressed for additional options that don't fit on the screen. You can usually refer to this button for the app's settings. When you scroll down lists, there's a screen stretching effect that mimics the iPhone's 'reach the end of the page' rubber-banding. It's quite nice.

Perhaps the most impressive app on the system software is Remote Play, which finally accomplishes what the PSP tried (and failed) to do - connect to a PS3 system and stream whatever you’re doing on your home console onto your handheld. First of all, you’ll need to register the Vita as a Remote Play device on your PS3, then once paired you can choose to connect using an internet or private connection.

The only thing you can do at the moment is faff with the XMB and play PSOne Classics, but Sony says that title updates could be rolled out for certain PS3 titles to allow Vita owners to play console games on the go. The lack of latency while Remote Playing in the house is pretty good, so the potential to play console games is huge.

Of course, most of these applications and functions have been tested in an office, with a pretty good wireless internet connection. The Vita is a portable games console by definition, so while the interface is generally quite positive, the final (and ultimate) question for Sony’s new handheld is in its portability.

You’ll notice that I left out a crucial application in my roundup too - Near - which will also be covered in the final part of SPOnG’s Vita Experience. Don’t miss it.