Company now accepting pre-orders for the handheld from the most eager "fans"
As we 
Handheld consoles don't seem to be the hot commodities that they used to be back before everyone owned smartphones, but don't tell Archos there isn't a market for such a thing. Not only does Archos believe there is, the company is betting big on it by launching its Android-powered 'GamePad' device with a 7-inch capacitive display and physical gaming control buttons and analog sticks.
It was a close call, but rather than leave the 5.8-inch market untouched, Samsung has come out with a media player that fills the void. The 5.8-inch category, if we can call it that, is one of the few screen sizes Samsung had been ignoring, a situation it addressed by announcing its new Galaxy Player 5.8 -- phew! It's the largest size Galaxy Player yet and is sure to test the elasticity of your pants pocket.
The Wii U isn't the only big console news coming from Nintendo's camp. On the mobile gaming front, Nintendo today revealed plans to launch an XL version of its 3DS console with a screen that's almost twice as large (90 percent bigger) than the original version. It will ship in North America on August 19, 2012 for $200, packing a new form factor and either red or blue digs.
Even as Sony’s latest handheld, the PS Vita, continues to stumble from one dismal sales week to another in Japan, Nintendo has achieved something truly special by managing to sell over 5 million 3DS units in Japan in little less than a year -- the 3DS launched on February 26, 2011. It’s quite an amazing feat considering that probably even the most die-hard Nintendo supporter would have ruled out such a possibility a few months back. Hit the jump for more.
So much for a smooth roll out. Sony launched its PlayStation Vita handheld console in Japan over the weekend and is already being inundated with phone calls from frustrated gamers dialing in to complain about various issues from system crashes and lockups, to unresponsive touchscreens. The number of complaints doesn't bode well for the Vita.
When the Nintendo announced that 3DS sales weren’t living up to expectations, 3D skeptics were quick pile on. The company responded by sharply cutting the price, and while I have to admit even we were skeptical, it seems to be 
Sony’s PlayStation Vita handheld console is just a couple of months away from making its Japanese debut, with its release scheduled for December 17, 2011 in that country. Gamers elsewhere, however, will have to wait a bit longer to get their hands on the PlayStation Portable (PSP) successor. But just how long a wait will it be? Hit the jump to find out.
Nintendo is as guilty as anyone of buying into the 3D hype, not because it released a 3D handheld console, but because it grossly overestimated how much mobile gamers would be willing to pay to see Mario and Co. jump around in a third dimension. There exists a market for the 3DS, just not a very big one at the $250 launch price. But what about at $170?
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