well the Vita is sort of a gaming tablet. Personally I viewed the 2DS as the glorious return of Game Boy which is kind of why I had wanted one.
That aside, this video review says the L button may be hard to reach while using the dpad:
Damnit Nintendo! Although that makes it basically no worse than other models. And it just makes me take a relook at the issues with the Vita. (such as X button being too close to the stick, baww) Maybe I am expecting too much from handhelds. After all I ended up liking PSP the way it is. It would be a shame to become glued to PSP's layout without giving other designs a chance.
p.s. Fun fact: in USA the original 3DS is only available in purple and pink.
I guess that model is meant for the ladies now...