Rob Browning wrote:

> Sorry, but it's physically impossible to make a system that's both
> portable enough to fit well in a pocket and at the same time is as
> comfortable to manipulate as a console controller 

You've obviously never played a Jaguar or Intellivision...
The original DS doesn't quite fit comfortably in a pocket (well, in
cargo shorts or a jacket it's fine), but its traditional controls are, I
think, as comfortable as the SNES controller or the original Genesis
controller. The stylus interface can in many ways be more comfortable
than a normal controller or a mouse and KB (depends on its use; it can
be painful if implemented wrong). 
As for the monitor, it's possible that near sighted people may prefer a
small but close screen compared to a larger screen that would
necessitate distance.