SlashGear » DSi

Nintendo DS2 details leak: bigger, higher-res screens, accelerometer, late-2010 launch?

Chris Davies — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:33:09 +0000

Nintendo’s DSi XL isn’t even on US shelves yet, and already gamers are prodding developers to find out details about the next-gen handheld. News on the Nintendo DS2 was top of the list for RPad.TV when they hit up GDC 2010, and they’ve managed to extract a few choice nuggets in the process. The DS2 – the official name of which nobody would, or could, spill – will apparently keep its dual-displays, but the panels will be larger, higher-resolution and have so minimal a gap between them that titles will be able to in effect use them as a single, big screen.

Other hardware news is that the DS2 will have an integrated accelerometer, which RPad.TV aren’t too impressed by but which could indicate Nintendo are looking to leverage the larger panels and customer hunger for ebooks to better position the handheld as a portable reading platform (like a mini enTourage eDGe, though without the E Ink). The dev kit, meanwhile, is believed to be as powerful as that of the GameCube, and developers are said to find it straightforward if they’re experienced in creating GameCube and/or Wii titles.

In fact developers who claim to have experience with the dev kit say it has very little learning curve. Previous tips have suggested the next-gen Nintendo DS will use NVIDIA’s Tegra chipset. As for those titles themselves, development is expected to be completed before the end of the year, and in fact the DS2 itself is tipped for a potential E3 2010 announcement and late 2010 release. However, that could change if strong sales of the existing-gen DS variants continue.

[via Kotaku; image credit Phil Nolan]

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Nintendo touchscreen steering wheel patent application surfaces

Chris Davies — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:32:55 +0000

Nintendo have filed a patent for a new touchscreen steering wheel system, which could be used on their DSi handheld for improved racing game control. The patent describes an interface whereby “at least a portion” of the wheel would be displayed on-screen at all times, and rather than use the DSi’s hardware buttons the gamer could drag the virtual wheel left and right.

Nintendo reckon this is a nifty workaround for handhelds that lack an analog joystick for more proportional control, as well as maintaining a more “realistic” in-game feel than joysticks manage. The on-screen wheel could be pulled left and right, as is traditional, or it could be linked to other movements and gestures, such as dragging a stylus up or down the display.

There’s even talk of a new peripheral, a combination strap and thumb-stylus that the gamer could wear on their finger for closer, more precise control than the standard pen. It all seems a little too “obvious” for a patent, at least to us, but then we’re not the USPTO.

[via GoRumors]

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Nintendo’s Iwata: iPad just “a bigger iPod touch”

Chris Davies — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:44:29 +0000

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata doesn’t mince his words; asked about Apple’s iPad launch this week, the outspoken executive has told reporters that the tablet “was a bigger iPod touch”, and that “there were no surprises for me”. Meanwhile Iwata has also confirmed that while Nintendo’s engineers are currently developing new gaming machines, it’s unlikely that we’ll see a motion-sensor enabled DS or a high-definition version of the Wii.

“I question whether those features would be enough to get people to buy new machines” Iwata suggested, when asked about a DS that brought the Wii’s motion-gaming technology to a mobile audience, and he was similarly dismissive of 3D gaming. ”I have doubts whether people will be wearing glasses to play games at home. How is that going to look to other people?” he asked, before suggesting that more research was required into the longer-term health impacts of 3D gaming.

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Nintendo DS2 set for launch in next 15 months says analyst

Shane McGlaun — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 12:51:58 +0000

Portable gaming is traditionally dominated by two main players — Nintendo and Sony. Over the last few years, a very tough competitor has entered into the mobile gaming market with arguably the best mobile gaming platform around — the iPhone. With the tougher competition, it is no surprise that the traditional companies are looking to update hardware.

Sony recently introduced the PSP Go and Nintendo is set to launch a larger screen DS this year. However, Nintendo has a much more substantial update in mind according to analyst Jesse Divnich from EEDAR. According to Divnich Nintendo will unveil a new DS2 platform in the next 15 months.

We have already heard grumblings that the next DS platform would use the NVIDIA Tegra platform. According to the analyst, the new DS2 will hit the market in the next 15 months and we should hear an announcement of the coming platform in the next eight months. The new DS2 is also believed to be backwards compatible with existing games.

Divnich wrote, “We believe that due to the aging technology, the possibility of new competitors in 2011, a decline in publisher support and piracy, Nintendo will launch a successor to the DS within the next 15 months, and likely announce such in the next eight months.”

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Next-Gen Nintendo DS to boost graphics, get motion sensors

Chris Davies — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 22:15:33 +0000

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has dropped a few details as to the hardware capabilities of the next-gen Nintendo DS, though the executive wouldn’t go so far as to pinpoint when we might expect the handheld to be released. Speaking to Japanese paper Asahi Shimbun, Iwata confirmed that both graphical capabilities and alternative control methods were on the cards.

“[The new DS will have] highly detailed graphics, and it will be necessary to have a sensor with the ability to read the movements of people playing” Iwata is quoted as saying, though when asked about rumors of integrated cellular connectivity he said Nintendo are not considering such functionality. Instead the company is looking at increasing the number of WiFi hotspots DS owners will be able to use.

[via Kotaku]

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Nintendo DSi LL sized-up with PSP-3000: it’s vast!

Chris Davies — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:36:15 +0000

Nintendo’s DSi LL hit Japanese shelves this weekend, and we hope those who braved the stores to pick up the new, oversized handheld had been doing their arm exercises; as Game Watch’s comparison photos show, the “LL” moniker isn’t just there for show. Shown here next to a Sony PSP-3000, the DSi LL looks, frankly, huge.

Even closed, the DSi LL pretty much dwarfs the PSP still, and Sony’s console has never been the most compact of the breed. Still, that’s the payoff to having twin 4.25-inch LCDs, and it’s one Nintendo are expecting will be welcome to the sort of gamers – the elderly and sight-impared included – who they reckon will be clamoring for the DSi LL.

US and European gamers willing to make the same compromises will be able to pick up the DSi XL (the name for the DSi LL outside of Japan) come Q1 2010. Nintendo have also discussed the next-gen model of the DS having integrated 3G.

[via Kotaku]

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Tegra 2 confirmed for next-gen Nintendo DS say sources

Chris Davies — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:27:58 +0000

It’s almost as much fun speculating about new gaming hardware as it is playing on current-gen consoles, so color us intrigued at DigitalFoundry’s “credible sources” who are saying that the next-gen Nintendo DS will run NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 and that it’s “not unrealistic” that the handheld will out-grunt the current Nintendo Wii. Problem is, Sony’s next-gen PSP2 has also seen a few spilled details, and that’s looking even more impressive: think along the lines of potential GPU power in-between the original Xbox and the Xbox 360.

That’s thanks to the upcoming IMG SGX543, which is expected to drop as a four-core 45nm chip variant into the next-gen PSP: “a single core SGX543 should match and potentially exceed the performance of Tegra 2 clock-for-clock” says DigitalFoundry. Considering the potential of the Tegra 2, that’s quite a performance hike.

Unfortunately, there are caveats all round; the OMAP5-based dual-core SGX543 isn’t expected until 2011, and IMG have been critisized for their driver support, meaning that while the raw power may be there it remains to be seen whether game developers will be able to take advantage of it. Meanwhile NVIDIA are better at pushing out support, and the Tegra 2 is on course for a 2010 launch. That means the next-gen Nintendo DS could be on the market next year, potentially with integrated 3G with no subscription.

[via Kotaku]

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Nintendo next-gen DS could have free integrated 3G

Chris Davies — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:48:54 +0000

Nintendo may be facing a surprise dip in profits but they’re not resting on their laurels. The larger-screen Nintendo DSi LL (aka the DSi XL when it lands in the US and Europe in Q1 2010) is one such attack, but according to the Financial Times the gaming company are also considering adding integrated, contract-free 3G to their next-gen DS.

The idea, says Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, was prompted by the Amazon Kindle, which offers 3G connectivity but doesn’t charge an ongoing fee to the owner; instead, the cost of the 3G would be integrated into the initial purchase price. Gamers would be able to download new titles to their DS, even if they weren’t near a WiFi connection.

“I’m interested because it’s a new business model in which the user doesn’t bear the communications cost … Only people who can pay thousands of yen a month [in mobile phone subscriptions] can be iPhone customers. That doesn’t fit Nintendo customers because we make amusement products” Satoru Iwata, president, Nintendo

However Iwata also recognizes that if they were to incorporate the 3G price into the console “customers would complain about Nintendo putting prices up”; nonetheless it’s apparently a possibility they’re considering. It seems likely that the integrated 3G would only be for game downloads, rather than online gaming, as the latter would use significantly more data.

[via I4U]

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Nintendo DSi LL size comparison video with DSi & DS Lite

Chris Davies — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:02:54 +0000

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.

Running from left to right in the shot above are the new DSi LL, the DSi, and the Nintendo DS Lite. Given the DSi LL has a display almost a full inch larger diagonally, there’s obviously more to fit into your pocket; as far as we’re aware, the new handheld will go on sale alongside the DSi, rather than replacing it.

Japanese buyers will be able to pick up the new DSi LL from November 21st, when it will be priced at 20,000 yen ($220). No specific launch dates for the US and Europe; all Nintendo have confirmed is that the handheld will arrive in Q1 2010.

[via Kotaku]

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Nintendo profits down amid dreary Wii, DS sales

Chris Davies — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:40:47 +0000

We’ve obviously gone through the rabbit hole: Motorola’s income reaches positive figures while Nintendo turn around and report slashed profits [pdf link]. After a healthy last quarter, the Japanese gaming giant has announced a drop in interim net profits from 144.83 billion yen this time last year to just 69.49 billion yen this past six months, with a 43-percent drop in Wii sales.

In fact the company only sold 5.75m Wii consoles, while handheld console sales also fell by 15-percent despite the launch of the DSi in Europe and the US. Nintendo have tweaked their financial year-end predictions to more conservative figures, suggesting 1.5 trillion yen sales and an overall net profit of 230 billion yen come March 2010.

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Nintendo DSi LL with 4.2-inch displays official [Update: DSi XL for UK in Q1 2010]

Chris Davies — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:51:25 +0000

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.

The size of the DSi LL is obviously greater, with the new dimensions being 161 x 91.4 x 21.2 mm (compared to the DSi’s 137 x 74.9 x 18.9 mm) and it weighs in at 314g (the DSi is 214g). Battery life has also increased, up to 13-17 hours with the display at minimum brightness or 4-5 hours at maximum brightness; in contrast, the DSi manages 9-14 and 3-4 hours in the same conditions.

Ports, microphone/speakers and cameras are the same as the DSi, and as far as we know the internals are unchanged too. The Nintendo DSi LL will be priced at 20,000 yen ($221) and available in wine red, dark brown or natural white when it arrives in Japan on November 21st; no word right now on a US or European launch.

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Nintendo DSi to get screen size increase in Japan?

Chris Davies — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:02:59 +0000

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.

The new DSi would have no other differences from the existing model, which itself increased screen size compared to the original DS. The Japanese-language site suggests that the change is in part due to requests from older gamers, who find the smaller displays difficult to see; Nintendo have pushed the DSi to a non-traditional market with so-called “brain training” games that are promoted as helping improve mental agility and reactions.

There’s some confusion in the translation as to whether the new displays would be running at the same resolution or not, but what’s clear is that Nintendo expect the refreshed DSi to retail for the same price as the existing handheld it replaces: 18,900 yen ($206). It’s expected to hit Japanese shelves by the end of 2009, but there’s no word on what sort of delay we can expect before it arrives overseas.

[via Engadget and via Kotaku]

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Nintendo reminds DSi owners to claim free points

Shane McGlaun — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:35:07 +0000

The only game console that we don’t have in my house is the DSi. The portable system looks cool and the only real reason we don’t have one is that I can’t talk one of my kids into asking Santa for it. The DSi certainly has some cool looking games.

Nintendo is reminding those who are looking for a DSi or have recently purchased one to log onto the DSI Shop by noon Pacific time on October 5 to get their free 1,000 DSi points. The points can be redeemed for games or other applications.

Nintendo also says that once the points are claimed the user can keep them as long as they want, points never expire. Software offered in the DSi Shop is at four price points, free, 200 points, 500 points, and 800 points and up. Those getting their 1,000 points will be able to get one or even more games or apps for free, just for logging on before the deadline. Not a bad deal at all. If you need more points, you can grab 2,000 for $19.99.

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Black Nintendo Wii accessories coming to America

Shane McGlaun — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:42:46 +0000

When that sinister looking black Wii console showed up there were many geeks who were excited about getting the console in a color other than the white we have been offered. It wasn’t long before we found out that the black Wii wouldn’t come to America.

Nintendo COO and President Reggie Fils-Aime has announced new colors for the Nintendo DSi, Wii controllers and a launch date for the Wii Fit Plus during his keynote speech at the 2009 GameStop Managers conference. According to Reggie, a black Wii Remote and Wii Motion Plus bundle is coming to American along with a stand along black Nunchuk on September 13.

The Nintendo DSi portable will be offered in white and pink colors starting on September 13, with the same features as the other consoles already on the market. The Wii Fit Plus software is coming on October 4 and will be availed for $99 with the balance board and for $19.99 with the software only.

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Nintendo axed DSi alternative just before launch

Chris Davies — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:19:17 +0000

Somewhere, in a dark corner of a Nintendo lab, is the company’s own alternative to the DSi. According to the company’s global president, Satoru Iwata, Nintendo finalized the hardware on different handheld gaming system sometime in the past three years, but in the end decided to can the project rather than release it.

In fact, claims Iwata, there are “several such examples” where Nintendo have decided to mothball a new design despite R&D investment. The failing of the handheld console, like the other projects, seems to have been uncertainty within the company as to whether it would not just be a success but a runaway success.

“when we are launching new hardware, the most important is thing is to sustain the momentum. If introducing new hardware won’t do anything to do that, well…” Satoru Iwata, global president, Nintendo

Meanwhile, as to the ongoing rumors of a Wii price cut, Iwata claims that no such discounting is on the cards. Instead, Nintendo will be pushing out a “stronger” catalog of games over the second half of 2009, while keeping an eye on Microsoft’s Project Natal and Sony’s Motion Controller. The company describes the Wii’s motion-sensitive gaming as its push into a “blue ocean” - that is, a large, untapped market – and will now be watching closely to see whether its two key rivals turn that into a “red ocean” where a small customer base is over-contested:

“We have the greater potential to create the blue ocean market when people are skeptical. So when we realize that other people are coming into [this] market … there are two things we [can] do. One is trying to intensify the fun nature of something we are already doing. The other is try to create a new blue ocean” Satoru Iwata

[via Register Hardware]

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Nintendo black “KURO” Wii and Red DSi confirmed for Japan

Chris Davies — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 08:44:53 +0000

Nintendo have announced that they will begin selling a black Wii in Japan come August, shortly after their new red DSi goes on sale there in July. The black console will be the first time the Wii has been available in a color other than white, though Nintendo did initially demonstrate it in various hues.

Accompanying the black Wii – which will be officially known as the KURO Wii – are matching black peripherals. The red DSi will join the white, black, pink, lime green and metallic blue versions already available in Japan.

The Nintendo Red DSi will go on sale in Japan on July 11th, priced at 18,900 yen ($197). Meanwhile the Nintendo KURO Wii will land in Japan on August 1st, priced at 25,000 yen ($260); the matching black Wii Remote, Nunchuk and Classic Controller Pro will be 3,800 yen ($40), 1,800 yen ($19) and 2,000 yen ($21) respectively. No word on a US/European release.

[via Kotaku 1 & 2]

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Nyko Zoom Case for DSi is a bit bulky

Brenda Stokes — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:40:23 +0000

Well, isn’t this thing a sight to behold. One of the main marketing attributes of the Nintendo DSi is it’s svelte form factor and generally small frame. So, adding on the Nyko Zoom Case seems to be a bit counterintuitive. But hey, what do I know?

Apparently, this gizmo is meant to add on 8x zoom to the built-in 640 x 460 camera. So, I guess that’s pretty cool, but who on earth needs that much zoom power on their DSi. Is anyone trying to take good pictures with this thing?

It seems you can remove the lens from the Zoom Case. We don’t know any pricing or release date information just yet, but we’ll be sure to let you know when we do. Until then, we’ll just bask in the glory that is the photo of this very sizable accessory.

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Nintendo Personal Trainer: Walking headed for U.S.

Brenda Stokes — Wed, 20 May 2009 22:32:12 +0000

Video game companies continue to delve into the fitness-oriented aspect of games these days and now Nintendo will be launching their Personal Trainer: Walking game in the U.S. soon for both the DS and the DSi.

The game itself comes with two pedometers that automatically sync with your gaming system wirelessly. This way, the game can keep track of all the steps you take, no matter where you are. So really, you can play the game, even when you don’t have the game right in front of you.

You can then view your steps in the form of various stats to see how your exercising efforts are going. You can track your pet’s steps, even, by hooking the pedometer to a collar. The game itself lets you “walk” through various towns, cities and even in space for added fun. You can get Personal Trainer: Walking on May 26th for $49.99.

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Nintendo DSi gets broken down

Chris Davies — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:52:00 +0000

There’s one thing we love more than a new gadget, and that’s a new gadget in pieces. Latest to get splayed out across the workbench is Nintendo’s new DSi, freshly launched within the past few days and already broken into its constituent parts by the good people at iFixit.

As we already know, the DSi ships with a smaller battery than the Nintendo DS Lite. It’s down from 1,000mAh in the Lite to 840mAh, which is actually 10mAh less than the original DS. That reduced capacity helps the DSi to be 12-percent thinner than the DS Lite, but it also drops runtime by up to 50-percent, depending on screen brightness.

Still, you’re getting plenty more for your money in the new, sleeker case. There’s now an integrated SD/SDHC slot, together with the dual cameras. The Nintendo DSi launched in the US on April 5th, priced at $170.

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Nintendo DSi Shop looking for non-game apps?

Chris Davies — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:00:37 +0000

Nintendo have apparently been pushing developers to create small-scale applications that could be distributed through the DSi Shop, once it launches in Europe and the US. According to one unnamed developer, the suggestion came at the Nintendo Developer Conference in London this week.

“Nintendo is keen to have developers offering all kinds of software once the DSi store fully launches for access in Europe and America … Given the advanced functions in the DSi, such as the microphone and camera, the company told us that there are a variety of opportunities for a variety of apps, both in a games sense and a non-games sense, that we could offer” unnamed developer

Nintendo have previously denied that they consider the DSi Shop any sort of rival to other platform-specific download systems such as Apple’s iPhone App Store or the Android Market. However this week they promoted not only game-style downloads and add-ons, but standalone software that could take advantage of the DSi’s multimedia capabilities.

Some are now speculating that Nintendo president Satoru Iwata will announce the newly-broadened store during his Game Developers Conference keynote next week. The Nintendo DSi console itself launches on April 5th in the US.

[via TechTicker]

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New Nintendo DSi colors show up in better gallery

Chris Davies — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:58:11 +0000

Nintendo Japan’s DSi announcement this morning was all well and good, but the single picture they included to illustrate the three new DSi colors didn’t really do the news justice. Now we have new pictures of the three color versions, and they’re certainly strong shades.

More DSi images after the cut

The pink is perhaps the most eye-watering, with Nintendo obviously going for as vivid a shade as they could find. It’s the sort of color that would make you worry about it rubbing off on fabric. As for the green, it’s a little more insipid than the others, leaving the metallic blue arguably the most tasteful choice.

That’s good news for the US, as the metallic blue and the black DSi will be the only two versions of the handheld console to launch there. Nintendo plan to release the DSi in the US come April 5th, but the pink and green versions will be Japan-only, at least for the moment.

[via Kotaku]

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Nintendo Japan announce pink, green & blue DSi

Chris Davies — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 10:11:23 +0000

The rest of the world may be still waiting for the DSi, but Japanese buyers will soon have an extra three colors to choose from. Nintendo have announced pink, green and metallic blue versions of the DSi handheld, which will go on sale from March 20th.

The new color versions of the DSi will be priced at 18,900 yen ($195), the same as the original two models. The handheld adds a larger display and dual cameras to the handheld, among other things.

Nintendo have also confirmed the availability of the DSi in other regions, together with the color options they’ll have to choose from. Australia will get the console on April 2nd, in black and white, while Europe will follow the day after, April 3rd, also in black and white. Meanwhile the US will come last, on April 5th, with the DSi launching in black and blue.

Press Release:

Mobile gaming, “Nintendo DSi” released a new color

Nintendo Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Minami Ward, Kyoto, President: Iwata Satoru) is a portable game machine, “Nintendo DS” as a three-shot series in November 2008 released a “Nintendo DSi” for the body color The traditional “White” “Black”, plus the new “pink” “green,” “Metallic Blue” color to add 3, 2009 March 20 announced that it has released. Nintendo Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Minami Ward, Kyoto, President: Iwata Satoru) is a portable game machine, “Nintendo DS” as a three-shot series in November 2008 released a “Nintendo DSi” for the body color The traditional “White” “Black”, plus the new “pink” “green,” “Metallic Blue” color to add 3, 2009 March 20 announced that it has released.

The price is 18,900 yen (including tax) is equal to the past. The price is 18900 yen (including tax) is equal to the past.

“Nintendo DS” series is the total sales, at the end of last year, 2567 million units in Japan and sold worldwide after its release in 9622 and 10,000 units, a popular video game, the fastest in all major markets around the world The machine is, the software keeps track of memory like “My DS” carry the excitement of making a feature called “Nintendo DSi” to further expand demand by increasing the number of color, body color, ” to ownership of one person from one family, “aims to be one step closer to the ultimate goal of dissemination. “Nintendo DS” series is the total sales, at the end of last year, 2567 million units in Japan and sold worldwide after its release in 9622 and 10000 units, a popular video game, the fastest in all major markets around the world The machine is, the software keeps track of memory like “My DS” carry the excitement of making a feature called “Nintendo DSi” to further expand demand by increasing the number of color, body color, “to ownership of one person from one family,” aims to be one step closer to the ultimate goal of dissemination.

(Reference) (Reference)
Nintendo DSI, which is currently sold only in Japan, and other local conditions are as follows. Nintendo DSI, which is currently sold only in Japan, and other local conditions are as follows.
Americas: 2009 will release on April 5, “Black” “Blue” Americas: 2009 will release on April 5, “Black” “Blue”
Europe: 2009 will release on April 3, “black” “white” Europe: 2009 April 3 release, “Black” “White”
Australia: 2009 April 2 release “black” “white” Australia: 2009 April 2 release, “Black” “White”

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Nintendo DSi browser whups DS Lite in video speed test

Chris Davies — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 12:19:00 +0000

Although you’ve been able to browse the internet on the Nintendo DS for some time now, the experience has never really a been a good one. That’s something that Nintendo promised to change with the new DSi, and going by this browser speed showdown from the guys at N+, they’ve succeeded.

Video showdown after the cut

The test pits the Opera-designed web browser for the original DS Lite, that comes on a separate cartridge, against the new Opera Web Channel which is available as a free download for DSi owners. Unlike the cart solution, once you’ve downloaded the Web Channel to the DSi it becomes a permanent menu feature, and so you don’t have to carry anything extra around.

As the video demonstrates, the DSi gets to a readable version of the webpage – in this case the NY Times – before the DS Lite does, and the whole thing finishes loading well in advance of its older sibling. The Nintendo DSi is set to launch in the US on April 5th.

[via Digg]

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Nintendo DSi US launch gets a date

Satsuki Then — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:08:54 +0000

Last November Nintendo starts selling DSi in Japan, and promised US launch sometimes in 2009. That sometimes has finally gotten a date, April 5th. The DSi is a small step up from current Nintendo DS Lite, with slimmer body, addition of two cameras, SD slot, and larger 3.25-inch screen.

With the announcement of DSi, Nintendo also roll out DSi Shop, a commerce system that allows gamers to buy and download games or demos using DSi points. I’ve been playing with DSi for quite sometimes now and these features upgrades are worth paying for.The DSi will be priced at $170 when it hits the shelf.

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Nintendo DS Lite Onyx has been discontinued?

Chris Davies — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:01:48 +0000

According to a leaked GameStop internal newsletter, Nintendo have discontinued the DS Lite Onyx handheld. The GameStop daily newsletter suggests that no further stock of the black DS Lite will be delivered, and that once stores have sold their remaining on-site stock they should remove any Onyx boxes and promotional material from the sales floor.

“DS Lite Onyx hardware systems have been discontinued and stores will no longer be replenished on this product. Once your store sells through its current stock of this item, please remove any empty DS Onyx display boxes (onyx color only) from the sales floor and discard. Please continue to display the other colors of the DS Lite system display boxes on the sales floor (eye level and above perimeter of DS software section, above the DS accessory section, etc)” GameStop daily newsletter

The Nintendo DS Lite Onyx was initially launched in August 2006. If this talk of its demise is true, then it will leave only the silver, red and blue versions of the handheld on sale in the US.

Of course, waiting around the corner is the Nintendo DSi, currently only available in Japan but tipped to hit Europe and the US in Spring or Summer 2009. It’s entirely possible that Nintendo are ramping up to replace the DS Lite Onyx with the black DSi handheld.

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Nintendo change US/Euro DSi launch to Spring-Summer 09?

Chris Davies — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 14:44:56 +0000

Has the Nintendo DSi release date changed? Last month several sources claimed Nintendo were planning a roughly April 4th US release for the updated handheld, earlier than the company’s original Summer 2009 prediction. Now, according to a document [pdf link] on Nintendo’s Japanese site that details the 2009 release schedule, the DSi is expected in “2009 Spring-Summer”.

That range would allow for a release as early as March 20th (the first day of Spring in 2009), although it’s unlikely that Nintendo are timing their launch around the vernal equinox. Still, the April 4th date we heard so much about would certainly fit in there.

The Nintendo DSi takes the current DS and adds dual-cameras (one inward-facing in the hinge, for video chat, and the second on the outside, for photography) and an SD card slot for media files. It also has slightly larger displays, at 3.25-inches over 3-inches, and is region-locked.

[via electricpig]

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Possible Nintendo DSi price and release date?

Shawn Farner — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:34:28 +0000

If you believe the little rumor birdies (or the guys over at IGN), it seems that Nintendo’s DSi will be dropping much sooner than anyone had anticipated. On top of that, there’s also a rumored price for the DSi.

According to IGN, their sources put the DSi’s release somewhere on or around April 4. The price is supposedly going to be $179.99. The price is believed to be much higher than the DS Lite (at $129.99) due to the DS Lite’s popularity. Nintendo would like buyers to see the DS Lite as the system for casual gamers and the DSi to be seen as the system for avid gamers.

A few different sources confirmed the details above, but until Nintendo makes an official announcement, we can’t call this anything but speculation. We’ll keep you up to date on whether or not this story makes it out of rumorland and into factville when we learn more.

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Nintendo makes a deal with HarperCollins to bring books to the DS

Staff Editor — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:29:02 +0000

Japanese video game company Nintendo, has announced a deal with publisher HarperCollins to make classic books available to read on the Nintendo DS. This 100 Classic Book Collection initially will only be available in Britain for £20. Turning pages is made easy as brushing your finger across the screen.

Depending on the success of this service, Nintendo will expand upon the available choices for readers. This service will enter competition with reader devices such as the Sony Reader released in September, which holds about 160 book titles. If this service expands to other countries, it is going to be hard to compete with Amazon’s Kindle, which even offers subscriptions to newspapers.

There are already 2 million DS devices already sold in the Britain region making it easier to distribute the product. “We hope to encourage people to try books that they wouldn’t go out and purchase themselves,” said Nintendo executive, James Honeywell. The 100 Classic Book Collection is being released in an effort to broaden the audience for Nintendo’s products. This service is set to be released on December 26th.

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Acekard 2i flash-cart for Nintendo DSi

Chris Davies — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 09:40:19 +0000

Acekard have unveiled their latest flash-cart, which is compatible with the new Nintendo DSi. Unlocking the handheld for homebrew tinkering, such as running PMP software, ebook reader and unofficial games, as well as supporting cheats and game saves, the Acekard 2i is functionally the same as its DS predecessor but simply adds DSi compatibility.

Demo video of the Acekard 2i in action after the cut

Although commonly associated with pirated software, flash-carts also give console owners more flexibility in how they use their handhelds and legitimately-obtained games. The Acekard 2i can be used to store game save-files directly to a microSD card, removing memory capacity as an issue limiting save points, as well as running backups.

It will also let you use Action Replay cheat codes, if you’re not as impressive in a particular title as you’d like to be. The DSi is not yet available outside of Japan.

[via Hack-a-Day]

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SlashGear Week in Review – Week 45 2008

Chris Davies — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 22:00:30 +0000

It’s been all about the smartphones this week, with the long-awaited HTC Touch HD finally reaching our hands for one of the first full English-language reviews online. If our initial video demos last week whetted your appetite, head over to part one and part two of our full review to really gorge yourself. Meanwhile, to cheer up those in the US who are still smarting over HTC’s decision not to offer the Touch HD there, we reviewed AT&T’s newly released BlackBerry Bold.

Elsewhere, movement in the netbook and ultraportable segments showed once again that niche has the edge over mainstream notebooks, at least when it comes to interest. ASUS announced their N20a 12-inch ultraportable amid rumors of a ZX-series of 12-inch “grown up Eee PC” notebooks, while WiBrain’s I1 UMPC put a less-than-pretty face on some serious battery life. Meanwhile, we reviewed the Sony VAIO TT, more than four grands’ worth of Blu-ray and SSD-toting beauty.

In gaming, Nintendo’s DSi made a huge splash in Japan with just about every one of the 200,000 consoles the company had prepared for launch-weekend selling. Since everyone else will have to wait until Summer next year to get their hands on the DSi, we attempted to distract ourselves with a preview of the soon-to-released Microsoft New Xbox Experience for the 360, followed by a review of Gateway’s FX6800-01e gaming PC, one of the first machines to use the Intel Core i7 “Nehalem” processor.

Apple was no stranger in the headlines this week, for better and for worse. In the former category comes confirmation from AT&T’s CEO that an official iPhone tethering solution will be offered soon, together with word from Apple themselves that customers hoping for a new Mac mini should “be patient”. It won’t be this year, though, as the company is insisting their holiday line-up is complete. In the more worrying category is news that some new MacBook owners are experiencing issues with their trackpad missing clicks; it’s hoped a software update will address the problem.

Still, Apple are sitting pretty in the financial stakes, which is more than you can say about NVIDIA and Sprint. Both companies released their Q3 2008 financial reports this week, and both had little to crow about.

In other reviews, we took a quick look at the AT&T QuickFire, unboxed the Microsoft Zune 120GB Gears of War 2 Special Edition, and enjoyed some serious playtime with WowWee’s Rovio WiFi-enabled webcam. In fact, we had just enough time left over to make some holiday gift suggestions to TopTechGifts: if you’re stumped for some present ideas, make sure to check out their list.

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