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Portable Disaster: Surviving Worst-Case Scenarios
Written by Robert Falcon on Thursday, January 11, 2007
Here at Modojo, we tackle the big issues. Like which system would survive if attacked by wolves...
Sure, your precious Sony PSP and Nintendo DS systems might be good for playing games and even taking part in some online/Wi-Fi contests. But here's a question that you should probably consider - how would they fare during a natural disaster? We decided to put these two systems to the test against a series of disasters to see what could possibly have the better survival rate. NOTE: no actual systems were harmed during these tests. We asked Justin if we could use his and he refused. Bummer...this would've been real fun with actual systems.
Earthquake
Both systems are built with durability in mind, with the PSP housing discs carefully in tightly-built UMD trays and the Nintendo DS able to handle an occasional drop or two. But say you said the two systems out in the middle of a San Francisco street and it began shaking furiously. The PSP would probably be the first to crack, getting knocked about against the asphalt and eventually ceasing to function. The Nintendo DS would probably fare a better chance, however, especially if the system was closed. Expect some bumps and bruises on the casing, but also expect operations to continue on the system. Poor, poor PSP - its back UMD holder would eventually rattle loose after a few knockabouts.
Arctic Storm or Blizzard
These systems aren't exactly built to handle hours of massive cold. Sure, you could take these systems with you on a trip to, oh, Anchorage when you're going to see some Eskimo friends. However, if you're going somewhere cold for the long-term, you might want to consider bundling these two systems in order to avoid long-term damage. The components within each of the systems would eventually get cold, resulting in the heavy possibility of dead pixels on screens and maybe even some button malfunctions. The casing would remain strong on each system, although the PSP would run into the problem with the disc tray being frozen shut. Do yourself a favor and stay somewhere warm.
Volcano
Forget it. Both systems would eventually melt under the extreme heat - same goes for any kind of nuclear explosion. Probably the first to cave would be the Nintendo DS Lite. As strong as the casing may be, its material is slightly lesser than the PSP's, which would result in faster melting. The PSP's front face, however, would probably melt as well, rendering the system unplayable. In a matter of minutes, both systems would be reduced to melted piles of electronic mush. Maybe you ought to leave them behind if you go to Hawaii anytime soon...?
Attack By Wolves
Wolves have very, VERY sharp teeth that could easily rip both systems to shreds. However, the Nintendo DS Lite would probably fall victim first. The top and bottom halves of the DS Lite can rip apart with a great deal of force, such as a sledgehammer blow or hard, sharpened teeth gnawing away at the materials between the two halves. The PSP would eventually fall victim to such teeth as well, but its casing provides a little bit of a better chance against the likes of fangs. We would prefer that the wolves tear apart the N-Gage system first, but they probably hate the N-Gage worse than we do.
Stampede
Closed, the Nintendo DS Lite stands a better chance against the stomping of animals' hooves. However, the PSP might stand a chance as well, depending on where the stomping of the hooves come down. If it comes down right on the back of the system, where the battery can be smashed into pieces and the disc tray can be knocked out of alignment, forget it. The DS Lite would fare somewhat better, even though the weight of the animals would eventually cave it in. Both systems lose in the long run, although the DS Lite survives just a bit longer.
Flood
Both systems don't really have good preparedness for water. See, they're ELECTRONICS, so if they get wet, it's probably not a great idea to plug them in and turn them on. (This is why playing games in the bathtub is pretty much a no-no.) If either system do get submerged in deep water from a flood, there's a great possibility that they could be done for - UNLESS you let the systems dry out over a period of a few weeks. This means letting them sit in front of a fan or something like that and maybe even unscrewing them and taking them apart to dry the components. The DS Lite would probably have the highest survival rate due to its durability, although you're bound to have dead pixels aplenty. As far as the PSP, nah, the architecture is too complicated to survive water.
Your Kids
Forget it, both systems are done for. You're better off just buying new ones.
posted January 18, 2008