psp

Party in your pants! Given excitement levels surrounding set-top systems like the Wii and Xbox 360, enthusiasts often forget several of today’s most advanced gaming platforms actually fit in your pocket. With spring here, it’s worth reiterating a few ways vacationers can enjoy a little fun on the run, even while braving the horror of direct sunlight.

Fresh on the heels of update 3.80, Sony has released System Update 3.90 for the PSP. While this update does feature expanded support for PlayStation Network titles, the big news is the inclusion of Skype. Skype will be newly lodged under the Network menu. Older PSP owners shouldnt flock to this update, however. The Skype portion is only available/visible/useable on PSP-2000 systems. Yet another reason to keep a vintage PSP steadfastly fixed on the ever-hackable system software version 1.50.

What: A sturdy way to prop up your PSP or other device

How: 1. Divide a business card into thirds vertically. Fold the ends forward. 2. Cut it according to the diagram below. 3. Stand the card up, and rest your PSP on it to watch a movie.

Have an idea for a 5-minute project? Send it to us at h20@bonniercorp.com.

A handful of two-megapixel camera phones hit the U.S. this year, but the fast, sharp Carl Zeiss lens on the Nokia N90 makes it an optical standout, delivering 5x7 photos good enough to print and hang on the fridge. Turn the lens in any direction and shoot using the dedicated capture button. View pics on the 2.1-inch, high-resolution display and store at least 140 high-resolution photos on a 64-megabyte expandable memory card. Built-in flash; 20x digital zoom; $700

With this SD (Secure Digital) flash-memory card, you can move photos, songs or any other files from your device to your computer without cables or a separate card reader. Just stick the built-in USB plug directly into your computer. $80 (512MB) or $135 (1GB)

The introduction of Sony's PlayStation Portable (PSP) was the moment portable game consoles stopped being toys. The PSP is a multimedia powerhouse aimed at gamers and nongamers alike.

The problem inherent to the digital video recorder (DVR) is that you have to be home to watch what you record. But this portable video recorder syncs with Dish Network's DVRs, so whatever is saved at home is copied over and ready to hit the road. Choose from a 2.2-inch screen with 20 gigs of space (20 hours of MPEG-2 video), a 4-inch screen with 30 gigs, or a 7-inch with 40 gigs. $330â€$600

At first glance, the N91 appears to be a full-featured MP3 player-with dedicated music keys, prominent volume controls, a 3.5-millimeter stereo headphone jack, an FM tuner and a USB port. Only when you slide the faceplate down to reveal the keypad do you recognize it as a phone. Drag and drop music (MP3, WMA, AAC and M4A files) onto its four-gigabyte hard drive, then create playlists directly on the phone. $700

Satellite radio's one great drawback is that it tethers you to your car or home. But with the palm-size MyFi, you can take your programming anywhere. The 7.3-ounce player receives live broadcasts and stores at least five hours of recorded programming on its 128 megabytes of internal memory. So if your signal drops when you go inside, you can continue listening. $300

This multiuse portable cellphone charger is a third the size of conventional chargers and far more convenient. Simply put any ol' AA battery into the aluminum canister, plug in your cellphone using the appropriate adapter (available for all phones except Sanyo and Audiovox), and a chip inside the device amps the battery's 1.5 volts to a voltage powerful enough to charge and run the phone. A two-hour charge provides up to three hours of talk time. $25

This 1.6-ounce thumb-size MP3 player packs unmatched battery life: 50 hours on a full charge. Even more notable, the quick-charge function gives you three hours of playback after charging for just three minutes. Sony bolstered the lithium-ion battery's life using software that allocates precise amounts of power based on what the player is doing (rather than operating at full power all the time). It supports MP3, WMA, WAV and ATRAC3 formats. $120 (512MB) or $150 (1GB)

Dept.: Hidden Talents
Tech.: Sony PlayStation Portable
Cost: Free ($250 for the PSP)
Time: 10 minutes
Dabbler | | | | | Master

I love the fact that more and more devices are sporting built-in Wi-Fi—the Sony PSP, smartphones, even Kodak’s EasyShare-One digital camera. The lone hitch: Wi-Fi is useless without a hotspot. Sure, thousands of spots are available, but few are free, and coverage is far from ubiquitous. What if you could marry the short-range power of Wi-Fi with the huge coverage areas of high-speed cellular services such as EV-DO to create a portable hotspot? You could use any Wi-Fi-enabled gadget anywhere you’ve got a cell signal.