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.
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
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.
Nintendo Japan prepared 200,000 DSi consoles ready for the Japanese launch of the handheld this past weekend, but even that wasn’t enough. Sales figures released by Famitsu publisher Enterbrain indicate that, in the first two days of its availability, Japanese gamers snapped up 170,779 DSi’s.
Nintendo have confirmed that the DSi will go on sale in Japan from Saturday, November 1st, and in overseas markets by the Summer of 2009. The news, from company president Satoru Iwata, clarifies Nintendo’s previous statements that the DSi would not reach the US until “well into 2009″. In Japan, the Nintendo DSi will retail for 18,900 Yen ($192).
Portable gaming confusion abounds, as an unnamed Nintendo developer claims that an upcoming game from their stable has been refused release due to “being incompatible with the DSi hardware”. The DSi, Nintendo’s latest evolution of their handheld system, is supposed to be backward-compatible with all DS games (excluding those which require the GBA slot, as it no longer has one); however the developer is claiming that their new title, fine on the DS, causes system freezes on the DSi.
At the launch of the Nintendo DSi last week the company also announced their DSi Shop and the rebranding of its “Wii Points” digital currency to “Nintendo Points”. We now know that doesn’t actually mean the points are held in a universal bank; according to Siliconera once they’re loaded onto, say, a DSi account, they can’t be transfered to buy things for a Wii.
Nintendo’s DSi has been a surprisingly controversial gaming launch, but something a whole lot of people agree is disappointing is that the handheld won’t reach the US until “well into” 2009. Of course, that’s nothing particularly new when it comes to slick Japanese games hardware (or software for that matter), but Nintendo have laid a trap for anyone turning the usual salvation, the importer: DSi titles will be region-locked.
Nintendo’s DSi and DSi Shop aren’t the only new things coming for avid gamers; they’re also looking to bring some Wii-style “get off your fat cheeks and do some exercise” action courtesy of the new DSi Pedometer. Confirming the information gleaned from a trade document earlier this week, the Nintendo Pedometer will connect wirelessly with the DSi and be used initially with a new game title, “Your Life Rhythm”.
If ever there was a reason to move to Japan (not that I’d take much persuading) it’s the news that the US might have to wait even longer than initially expected for the new Nintendo DSi. According to Nintendo of America chief Reggie Fils-Aimé, while the handheld will make it to Japan in around a month, US buyers will have to wait until “well into calendar year 2009″.
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