We already know that US and European gamers will have to wait until early next year before they can pick up a new Nintendo DSi XL, but with the Japanese launch of the DSi LL imminent the handheld has already had its first TV appearance. In the video you can see after the cut, TV Osaka demonstrate the new DSi LL and compare it against the existing Nintendo DSi. The outcome? Yep, it’s bigger.
Nintendo have officially announced their latest handheld console, and like the rumors suggested it packs larger displays than the DSi. The Nintendo DSi LL will drop in Japan on November 21st, complete with twin 4.2-inch displays (compared to the DSi’s two 3.25-inch displays); as before, the lower panel is a touchscreen.
Update: Nintendo UK have confirmed to Electricpig that the handheld will arrive in the UK come Q1 2010, as the Nintendo DSi XL. We’re guessing it’ll have the same name and launch schedule in the US, too, though nothing is official as yet. No word on pricing, either.
Nintendo are tipped to be readying a refresh to their DSi handheld, timed to coincide with the games console’s first birthday on November 1st. According to Nikkei, Nintendo Japan are readying a new DSi with dual 4-inch displays, rather than the existing 3.25-inch panels used in the current model.
Update: A Nintendo spokesperson has told Famitsu.com that “Our company isn’t doing any interviews [about this]. We think it’s a speculative article.” Neat sidestep, guys.
Remember all the furore back in August, when Microsoft announced they’d locked up Netflix movie streaming for the Xbox 360 and basically told us it was an “exclusive” partnership? Well, that exclusivity seems to have been short-lived; Sony have announced that from November Netflix subscribers will be able to stream content on their PS3.
One of the ongoing frustrations for Xbox 360 owners is the absence of a Blu-ray accessory; they keep pestering Microsoft for one, and Microsoft keep rolling out the same “we have no plans” excuses. Now, finally, the company appears to be changing its tune, though it takes some between-the-lines reading of outspoken CEO Steve Ballmer in order to fathom it. Talking to Gizmodo, Ballmer told interviewer Wilson Rothman that “you’ll be able to get Blu-ray drives as accessories”.
We’ve been waiting for a black Nintendo Wii to spread beyond Japanese shores for months now, and the company has gone one step toward that goal by at least promising the menacing console for a European launch. As of November 6th, UK gamers will be able to pick up the black Wii – complete with matching Wii Remote, Nunchuk and MotionPlus peripherals – along with copies of Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort.
It’s not just the Japanese getting some 250GB PlayStation3 love; Sony US have announced that there’s a 250GB version of the PS3 Slim incoming for their gamers too. The 250GB PS3 Slim will land on November 3rd, and be functionally identical to its existing 120GB sibling; unlike in Japan, there’ll be no bundled games or unusual color editions.
Sony’s PSP firmware v6.10 isn’t the only thing to go out today: the company has also launched the PSP Go. The new handheld – the first PSP from Sony not to include a physical UMD media slot – is available today in the US, with an MRSP of $249.99.
Microsoft have announced two gaming bundles for the upcoming holiday season, one including their Xbox 360 and the other intended for those who already own the console. The Xbox 360 Elite Holiday Bundle pairs the console with two games, LEGO Batman and Pure, and is priced at $299.
Having wowed us with a high-definition playback demonstration earlier this month, Android gaming/PMP manufacturer HardKernel are back with another video demo of their ODROID handheld. This time it’s on-device media playback being demonstrated, using the free album-art based RockOn app, on a prototype unit.
Video demo after the cut
JP
