The original Nintendo Gameboy(refferred to as the DMG) was introduced by Nintendo in 1989, since then, many newer updated models have been released, ranging from the original DMG's dot matrix screen and lo-fi sound processor, to the most recent Dsi with dual backlit screens, touch screen interface, and ability to play back cd quality sound files.
An overview of the consoles specs can be found on wikipedia.org, but here are some of the more important features.
CPU: Custom 8-bit Sharp LR35902 core at 4.19 MHz which is similar to an Intel 8080 in that all of the registers introduced in the Z80 are not present.
Sound: 2 Square Waves, 1 programmable 32-sample 4-bit PCM Wave, 1 White noise, and one audio input from the cartridge. The unit only has one speaker, but headphones provide stereo sound.
Screen size: 66mm (2.6 in) diagonal
Communication: Up to 2 Game Boys can be linked together via built-in serial ports, up to 4 with a DMG-07 4-player adapter. More than 4 players is possible by chaining adapters.
The console itself is quite limiting in what can be done with it in this respect. 4 channels of audio, one of noise(generally referred to as a pseudo-random noise generator rather than specifically white noise), and such a tiny screen size make this a much less versatile and usable platform than a modern computer.
Usability becomes a further issue when forced to navigate menus and software using the simple controller layout of the console, which consists of a 4 direction pad, “a” and “b” buttons, as well as “start” and “select” buttons.
This layout however has proved itself quite usable in software such as LSDJ and Nanoloop, the most commonly used software for creating music on the console.
In 1995, the Gameboy Pocket was released, which featured hardware as the DMG, but in a slimmed down case, and with a black and white screen, instead of the DMG's “shades of green.” This particular console is notorious for having a noisier output than most others.
Almost 10 years after the DMG's release, Nintendo released the console's follow up, the Gameboy Colour.
The Gameboy Colour(GBC) featured a colour screen, capable of showing 56 colours simultaneously from a possible 32,786. It also made use of a processor twice as fast as its predecessors.
In 2001, the Gameboy Advance(GBA) was released. With an upgrade to a 32bit processor, as well as backwards compatability with older software and sound synthesis using an 8/4mhz Z80 clone as was used in previous models. It also featured a bigger screen, ability to show more colours, and two new shoulder buttons, allowing more control options. However, a new link cable port meant it was not possible to interface with older models. Like the DMG and Gameboy Pocket, the GBA received updates in the form of the Gameboy SP, with smaller size, and backlit screen, and the Gameboy Micro, which left behind backwards compatability, for a much smaller size.
The follow up to the GBA series, was the Nintendo DS (NDS) which incorporated a dual screen system, with one of the screens having touch screen capabilities. It also featured improved backlight, and dual processors running at 67 and 33mhz. By this stage, sound production was far beyond the simple hardware based synthesis of the DMG.
Sebastian Tomczak's comparison of sound quality of various Gameboy models can be found here (http://www.milkcrate.com.au/_other/gbc/content.html)
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