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Nintendo's Media Summit has just thrown us its first juicy bone of the night, and it's a big one. As was previously rumored, Satoru Iwata has revealed the Nintendo DSi, the direct successor to the DS Lite which comes absolutely jam-packed with new features and trinkets, including two cameras, music playback functions, expanded screens, an SD card slot, and a whole new, DS-specific download service. Hit the break for the full list of improvements and adjustments, as well as the Japanese launch date and price!
- Overall size has been reduced -- DSi is 12% or 2.6 millimeters slimmer than the Lite.
- Comes with an external 0.3 Megapixel camera (for 640 x 480 pixel pictures) and a VGA camera located on the hinge, directed towards the user. You'll be able to edit pictures using the touchscreen.
- Full music playback functionality, including adjustable pitch and playback speed.
- Both screens have been expanded to 3.25 inches.
- SD memory card slot is included, and there'll be on-board memory also.
- Will ship with an built-in Nintendo DS web browser.
- DSi will allow users to download games from DSWare, a new service that operates with Wii Points -- or, as they are now known, Nintendo Points.
- Logging onto DSWare for the first time will grant users 1,000 free Nintendo Points.
- DSWare comes in four pricing categories: free (!), 200 Nintendo Points, 500 Nintendo Points, and 800 Nintendo Points.
- Will come in lovely matte white and matte black. Begone, foul fingerprints that have taunted us so!
- And finally, it launches on November 1st in Japan, and will cost ¥18,900, or roughly $179. Check out the official site at the "Source" link below!
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 6)
10-02-2008 @ 3:18AM
iofthestorm said...
There are a lot of good 2D games on the DS, and a few good 3D ones too, but I agree that the DS needs stronger hardware, and this doesn't look like it will have it. I'm kind of annoyed because this delays the true next gen DS.
10-02-2008 @ 2:18AM
Jetup said...
There is a full website guys...
http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ds/dsi.html
Tells you all!!
Cant read jp though...
Then sorry..
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10-02-2008 @ 2:40AM
BlackDS said...
Kotaku says it's 0.3 Megapixel (640 x 480), not 3 Megapixel.
http://kotaku.com/5057870/nintendo-announce-new-ds-the-nintendo-dsi
The bigger screens will help seniors. I know someone I gave Crosswords DS to complained about the screen being too small. So a bigger screen could help Nintendo expand their user base.
Peace.
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10-02-2008 @ 2:41AM
Puddles said...
Given that there's no GBA slot, I'm happy to stick with my DS Lite.
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10-02-2008 @ 2:42AM
Ershin said...
No GBA Slot, not interested
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10-02-2008 @ 2:46AM
HalcyonGT said...
Okay, so whats the point of this system? Really? I love my DS and was kind of hoping Nintendo would've offered a cool new design. Furthermore, I still get a ton of play from the GBA slot...and there's no way I'm the only person who does. Hell the sheer size of the GBA library has sooo many classics that I can't understand them eliminating it altogether.
Oh well, I'll stick with my DS Lite.
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10-02-2008 @ 2:46AM
Brent said...
!!!!!!Link above me to video is a virus!!!!!!!
WOW big improvements, kinda dissapointing really. Not worth upgrading for a little bit bigger screens and some shitty cameras.
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10-02-2008 @ 2:54AM
Mikhail said...
I have a question:
What time will the NA conference begin?
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10-02-2008 @ 3:03AM
Ry Guy said...
This is gonna be trouble if there's any games that will take advantage of new features. It'll mean new DSi games won't work on the regular DS.
And seriously, I just bought a new DS Lite. I'll keep my GBA slot and forget the camera, thank you.
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10-02-2008 @ 3:12AM
Carl said...
Someone of GameFaqs found this little comparison on GoNintendo...
http://gonintendo.com/wp-content/photos/compar.JPG
The section on Input and Output Terminal kinda Scares me... According to that, There won't be a DS card slot... Just an SD card slot... If that's true... this thing really isn't worth it... I don't want to carry around 2 DS's... I barely get away with 1 at work...
I hope that's not true...
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10-02-2008 @ 3:33AM
iofthestorm said...
I think MEMORIKARDISOTTU DS or whatever is DS slot, like the GEBASDASJDLKAJLKADS SLOTTU is GBA slot on the Lite. I hope that's not accurate though, lower battery life is not cool at all. Although realistically it won't make much of a difference for me since I don't play it for that long at a time anyway.
10-02-2008 @ 4:23AM
ViRGE said...
Relax, there's a DS slot. You can see it in some of the promo videos.
10-02-2008 @ 3:45AM
Nezrou said...
Carl, IGN has article about DSi specs and it states that DSi will be compatible with DS software -
http://ds.ign.com/articles/915/915510p1.html
The idea of DSi with it's minimal hardware changes being DS' successor is one of the smartest idea I've seen to suck money from DS owners because once new games will come out for it that use larger resolution of new screens they won't run on DS. Well games could be made for DSi that are stretched to size of it's screens that would run on DS as well, but as the article I mentioned states DS is not compatible with DSi software. Yeah, seems that Nintendo did sell some of their workers souls' to the devil for this idea. I'll wait and see what new games will come out on it and probably buy it, since it looks like a neat new/old handheld.
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10-02-2008 @ 4:19AM
Jace said...
I never wanted a camera in my DS, and I still don't. And I don't care about 2.6 millimeters. I would rather have the GBA slot.
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10-02-2008 @ 4:32AM
FifthE1ement said...
Nintendo always tries to rehash their products rather than release new ones simply to cash in on their loyal customers. They could have taken this time to release new information on a totally new iteration of the DS 2 or similar!?
Why release another updated DS which is larger yet thinner, has no GBA, and costs more money?! Why, to make them more money! I'm tired of Nintendo simply thinking about themselves and their pocketbooks. I wish the PSP was a tad bit cheaper and that Microsoft started a handheld because then the DS would be nothing but an old habit.
The current DS/Lite has been out for four years now and it’s time for something more than blocky 3D and 2D RPG's as even my phone now has better graphics. I know graphics aren't everything but damn we're at a point now in technology where we can have both!
Why not the DS 2 with larger dual wide touch screens, faster Wi-Fi, dual cameras, built-in browser, music capabilities, super fast processor, loads of RAM, small form factor, SD card slot, dual analog sticks, more buttons, downloadable games, plenty of color selections, and more! Arg Nintendo!
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10-02-2008 @ 4:54AM
ChibiKawase said...
"It will have memory for MMOs now:
Update 3: There's an SD slot also, built-in memory, an on-board browser, and game downloads that use Wii Points! The DSi will come with 1,000 free Wii Points."
The thing is, this means the previous models are rendered useless, or that the DSi is intended as a half-successor. I like the SD slot, and the camera'll be a nice touch if we see anything like the classic Game Boy Camera-- but ditching the slot that was still in use? Ugh.
But, maybe there could be some odd workaround through the SD slot to attach/use GBA carts. Unless they removed backwards compatibility entirely.
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10-02-2008 @ 6:43AM
Kimiko said...
So, are the new screens only taller, but not wider? That's not very useful.
And what use are cameras on a gaming device anyway?
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10-02-2008 @ 6:53AM
aj said...
Do consumers really want to be able to play MMORPGs while on the go?
God, I hope the DSi doesn't render the DS obsolete anytime soon. I like my DS. I like my DS games. I like not having a bunch of crap built in. I really do.
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10-02-2008 @ 7:23AM
marko said...
The first video example of how it works here:
http://tubedirects.net/index.php?q=nintendo-dsi
Very cooool !!!!
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10-02-2008 @ 7:33AM
Shin said...
I CAN'T AFFORD A NEW DS!!! I just hope that the camera's just an add on and won't be integrated into any new games yet...
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