As a parent it can be stressful trying to decide from the smorgasbord of gadgets on offer and what to buy your child these days. It can be more stressful still trying to work out which is better for the young developing brain; especially given children spend endless hours using them.
 
Right now I have a seven-year-old eager to get his hands on a Nintendo DS portable handheld device. Having caved in to pester power I am currently sizing up what’s on offer.
 
Let’s face it, we are constantly in transit these days, whether it be driving children to and from extra curricular activities before and after school or on much needed weekend getaways and holidays up the coast. The handheld console can be a great solution to boredom and avoiding the dreaded ‘Are we there yet?’ mantra emanating from the backseat of the car.

What’s on offer?
One type of product category that has taken the Australian entertainment market by storm is the portable handheld device.

Undoubtedly the two main players dominating the category are Sony, with the PSP (PlayStation Portable) and the Nintendo DS, with its third generation model, the DSi, hitting Australian stores next month.
 
The Sony PSP is more expensive ranging in price between $239 and $400 depending on which model you get. They come in cool colours such as metallic blue, rose pink, deep red, lavender, green, silver and pearl white. The latest device, the PSP-3000, has been enhanced with a larger screen and slimmer ergonomic design. It comes with a host of additions including built-in stereo, exterior headphone connector, other connectors such as USB and wireless gaming capabilities.
 
The PSP can be used for playing 3D games, full-length movies, music and viewing photos. It also has wireless capabilities for multi-player gameplay as well as inbuilt browser for accessing content downloads.

You can buy them from specialist electronics retailers and major department stores.

The Nintendo DS is a neat little unit. Once again in the race to get gadgets looking as sleek and slim as possible, the latest DSi has foregone its Gameboy Advance cartdridge slot in this latest version, but DS software is compatible.

The device has also been enhanced with 17% larger dual LCD screens than on the conventional DS, SD memory card slot, and improved speakers. The DSi also has a camera and is only available in matte black or white. Once again you can connect wirelessly to the DS and play games against people anywhere in the world. It features touch screen technology and voice recognition and the dual screens are a handy aspect.

The DSi will retail for $299.95 but if you shop around there are some discounts to be had. Myer is currently selling the Nintendo DS Lite for $188 until March 27.

Latest games available
While the DS supports many games, it is also well known for its educational material for children, a huge selling point for the DS. There are items such as Big Brain Academy for kids which can test logic, memory, math and analysis. There is also a suite of ‘Brain Training’ activities which adults can use on the device. Nintendo DS games can range from $20 upwards to $80.

The Sony PSP meantime is more of a die-hard gaming platform featuring games such as Patapon 2 and Loco Roco 2, which involve music activities. Sony has also come out with the Buzz Brainbender for March release, filled with trivia. The games retail for $49.95.