Your DS just got less cool. Sorry! We're suffering from the effects as well. What has de-awesomogrified the world's supply of DS Lites? Club Nintendo. From July 1 to August 31, Nintendo of Japan will give away 1,000 Premium Silver, 1,000 Premium Platinum, and 1,000 Premium Rose DS Lites to Club Nintendo members who register two new games in that period, with winners determined by random selection.

We don't even have the regular silver DS Lite, and Japan gets a super shiny version for free. Wiping off fingerprints every time you look at the thing is really the only downside.

Could this mean that Nintendo won't be announcing new hardware at E3 (since they'll be giving away Lites in that period)? We think it may mean just the opposite: Nintendo is clearing out some of their existing DS Lites by throwing shiny parts on the outside and making prizes out of them.

Nintendo has launched a slick new website based on their new DS ad campaign, which features celebrities America Ferrera, Carrie Underwood and Liv Tyler looking very much like people having fun with DS Lites. The site is called "I Play For Me" and includes new commercials (we thought Liv Tyler was way too excited about writing her own name in Brain Age, but then we saw her excellently looped "L"), as well as video interviews with the three stars about their DS-playing habits. Basically, the pick-up-and-play nature of the handheld fits well with busy people. Oh, and girls can play games too.

The real irony of this ad campaign is that if you played for you, you'd have a DS by now. This is for people who would ostensibly play to be like these famous people. Of course, to truly be like these three, you'd have to take money from Nintendo in order to play DS, instead of giving Nintendo money.

Turns out, the rumor is true: the Metallic Rose DS Lite will be available for standalone purchase starting later this month. So, for those of you that liked the look of the unit available in the Nintendogs bundle, yet didn't want Nintendo's puppy sim (or that big paw print on the unit), you're in luck.

Nintendo comments that you'll soon be seeing commercials for this new DS Lite color soon, stating that as of Monday, May 19th, you'll see celebrities America Ferrera and Carrie Underwood "featured in commercials for the Metallic Rose version of Nintendo DS."

Anybody interested in picking this model up, either for themselves, or as a gift?

[Via press release]

Go Nintendo is reporting a rumor that those of us here in the United States could be getting a new DS Lite model soon, in the form of the beauty you see above. Keen observers will notice that this is the same color that came in the Nintendogs bundle that released alongside the Phantom Hourglass bundle, only without the paw print.

This rumor comes from "a few GameStop insiders," so we're not sure we entirely believe this model is releasing. Until we get official confirmation, we aren't going to hold our breath.

See also: The DS Life: Puppies at play