If you live in the United Kingdom, then yesterday marked your first opportunity to get your hands on Tiger Telematics'  new handheld gaming/multimedia platform, the Gizmondo. That is, assuming that your hands weren't already thoroughly occupied with a brand spankin' new Nintendo DS, which not only launched just eight days eariler, but also broke sales records across the board.

Poor timing aside, functionality-wise the Gizmondo seems more akin to the N-Gage rather than the DS. Aside from the requisite gaming fuctionality, the Gizmondo also features music and movie capability, as well as an integrated digital camera, GPS navigation, and the ability to wirelessly send messages, audio, and video clips over the Gizmondo's GPRS network. So far the lineup of games seems a bit lackluster, but if the N-Gage is any idication, that may improve as the system gains longevity. Unfortunately, with the imminent North American launch of the PSP just days away, how will Tiger's spunky handheld hold up? Is the Gizmondo more likely to compete with the N-Gage than anything else, and are its camera and GPS functions a suitable tradeoff for the N-Gage's cellphone capabilities?

[via Engadget]