One of the reasons why it was a big hit is the major graphics improvements and raw power. However, PlayStation Portable has a memory card slot as well. Other devices use memory cards and cartridges. PlayStation Portable was the only console to use UMD or universal media disc to play games and all other media files. Nokia N-Gage and New Geo pocket were considered failures to poor sales figures. It is also the only console that was considered as the main rival to the Nintendo DS. It was significantly more powerful than Nintendo DS and all other consoles. First of all, it was introduced in 2003 and back then it was the most powerful handheld console in history. There are a lot of interesting and important facts regarding the PlayStation Portable. The unit we all know is actually the 7th generation of portable Sony console and the main rival was Nintendo DS. The following year, in 2005 it became available in the United States, Europa and other parts of the globe. The unit was developed and released in 2004 in Japan. It is the first handheld console made by Sony and it is one of the most popular, even today. PSP stands for PlayStation Portable and it is precisely as the name tells you.