Gallery: Sony PS Vita on sale now in the UK

A 21-year-old from Uxbridge was the first UK gamer to pick up the Sony handheld, which went on sale at midnight. Zohaib Ali had queued outside Game on Oxford Street since Sunday. Well at least the weather was a bit milder than it has been.

Gamers packed the shop, clamouring to be the first to get their hands on the eagerly awaited console. But don't be annoyed if you missed out, you can pick one up for a song without even leaving the house.

Yesterday we reported Asda was selling the Wi-Fi-only Vita for £197, which is almost £33 cheaper than the RRP. That deal's still on, and you can buy online without any of this queuing in the cold business.

The 3G version costs £259 at Asda, which is again cheaper than the RRP of £279. Vodafone is selling the 3G model at full whack, though this includes a 4GB memory card (worth £15) excluded from the Asda deal. The best Wi-Fi and 3G package I've seen is on Amazon though, where £259.99 gets you the console, an 8GB memory card, and the option of picking up a game for an extra £15.

We won't be getting a 32GB memory card over here, which is a bit of a disappointment. The Vita had a bit of a faltering launch in Japan, selling big numbers but with buyers complaining of units breaking. The console syncs with your PS3, letting you stream games without the TV on, and features a cool control panel on the back for a new way of playing. Not everyone is convinced it can compete with cheaper alternatives though.

Yesterday's story sparked a debate about whether it's fair to compare the Vita with the iPod Touch, with many arguing the Vita is a different gaming beast altogether. I'd say phones are the biggest threat to handhelds like the Vita, with the line between the two becoming increasingly blurred. The Vita has 3G for always-on connectivity, and Sony has already hinted it'll bring the Vita operating system to mobiles. With increased power and larger screens, I think it's only a few years until phones make consoles like the Vita obsolete.

I'd be interested to hear your views. Will you be buying a Vita? If you've already bought one, what do you think of it? Let me know in the comments below or on Facebook.