Nintendo DS Lite Mini

I picked up a DS Lite today at Target as part of their "early release". Here are some first impressions. So a little background first: I've been trying to figure out how to integrate gaming in to my ever busy schedule. Historically I've been a big PC gamer, but I've found that a lot of PC games tend to lend themselves to long gaming sessions. Just the amount of time it takes to start up my gaming pc, load a game, and actually get to playing (and having fun) is ridiculous. So I've been thinking about going back to console gaming (the last console I bought was the PS1), but I want to wait for either the Wii or the PS3. In the meantime I decided to try the DS. I'm hoping that the games will be easy to pickup when I have a few minutes, and I'm also hoping that they'll be new and interesting. Size: Small when it's closed. Easy to carry around. Not small enough to carry around in my pocket (anything bigger than an ipod is too bulky for me to pocket). Finish/Case: The outside finish definately reminds me of Apple, nice and shiney but quickly gets smuggy. The plastic on the inside (around the controlls and screens) is different than the outside, it's a flat white that feels cheap in comparison to the outside finish. Screens: Nice and bright. The bottom screen doesn't look too much worse than the top dispite the fact that it's a touch screen. You can't change the screen brightness without going back to the DS main menu, so you can't change the brightness mid-game. The touch screen seems accurate and fast to respond. Sound: Great! The dual speakers offer much better sound than my GB Advance SP. Controls: They feel a little bit cramped. I only noticed it when playing Mario Kart where you have to hold down a single button for long periods of time. Not any worse than other handhelds I've played (haven't tried the PSP though). Definately not as comfortable as your standard console controller. Battery Life: Not sure yet... still going after a few hours of playing. So far I think I give it an 8.5-9 out of 10. The only things I don't like so far is the cheapish feeling plastic on the inside, the crappy screen brightness control, and the slightly cramped feeling controls when playing certain games. I'm curious to see how the bottom screen holds up. I've seen some regular DS's that have touch screens that look like scratching posts. So far I'm really liking it though.