Arrived yesterday, got a chance to play around with it a little.
The first edition bundle is a waste, IMO. In terms of the "extras" you get with it. Getting it a week early is nice, but if that's not a priority for someone I think they would be much better off getting the 3G Launch bundle and saving that $50 dollars for some accessories. Namely the
headset (1st Edition doesn't even come with headphones),
charging cradle, an extra
charger, and an extra
USB cable. The cradle does not come with a charger, and the extra charger does not come with a USB cable. So, if you want to have your cradle plugged in all the time and connect your Vita to anything else (thanks to the proprietary data port), you'll need an extra USB cable at a minimum.
As for the hardware itself, I'm quite pleased. Has a solid, quality feel to it. A step above even the original PSP, which I always thought had a quality feel to it, especially compared to the later models. The GUI isn't as off putting as I thought it would be, but it completely lacks the elegance of the XMB, and the clean, simple look of ICS and iOS. I think some will find it's design to be excellent, but it's just not my cup of tea. The screen is excellent, as has been reported. I don't like the way Friends List and messaging are separate apps that you have to launch. They should be a better integrated part of the experience, IMO. But I don't know what happens if a friends contacts you if the app is not running. If it launches automatically, then its a moot point.
Haven't had the chance to play with it too much, but I'm pleased with it so far. I would just recommend anyone eyeing the remaining First Edition Bundles to pass on them, get the launch bundle and spend the other $50 elsewhere.