The DSi will have a built-in camera on the top lid, facing away from the player. This camera will have a resolution of 300,000 pixels (640x480). Additionally, the DSi will have a second camera located on the hinge pointed towards the player. As rumors have speculated, the new DSi will also have AAC audio playback capabilities, and Iwata mentioned the hardware's specific ability to adjust the pitch and playback speed of audio at will. Iwata gave an example of how this could be useful by explaining that users might be studying a language via this function, or learning a song by ear.
The DSi is 12% smaller than the DS Lite, trimming off 2.6 millimeters in width thanks to the removal of the GBA cartridge slot. However, the screens on the DSi will increase to 3.25 inches in size.
The DSi is compatible with SD cards, one use of which may be to transfer images from the DSi to the Wii. The DSi can have additional applications on the handheld, including a web browser application.
DSi owners will also be able to download software from the Internet, much the same way Wii owners can. In fact, Nintendo is naming this new service DSi Shop. It will be using Nintendo Points, which up until this point have just been referred to as Wii Points. Downloadable DSi titles will come in several cost categories: free, 200, 500, or 800 Points. New users will find that each DSi purchased before March 2010 will come with 1000 free Nintendo Points.
Nintendo will also be upgrading their Nintendo DS download stations in Japan to what it is calling the Nintendo Zone. This service will also be available at participating McDonald's restaurants in Japan.
The DSi will launch in Japan on November 1, for 18,900 yen (about $180), and will be available in black and white. Nintendo World Report will have more information and specifics about the Nintendo DSi at Nintendo's Fall Media Summit in San Francisco tomorrow, where Nintendo of America is expected to announce the portable for the U.S. market.
UPDATE: Nintendo's DSi flash page confirms that the DSi will have two cameras.
More like iDS, amirite?
AAC-only would be fail, everything I have is MP3 and OGG. Theonly feature I'm thinking about getting this over the Lite (I'm currently looking for an upgrade because my mother wants a DS) is the DS Ware thing but I wonder if that's really for games or only productivity apps.
I bet the 1000 points don't apply to European users who'll get 1000 stars instead (250 points)...
Jonny, the Blue Ocean phase 3 is "people who don't care about gaming at all".
The DSi is compatible with SD cards, one use of which may be to transfer images from the DSi to the Wii. The DSi can have additional applications on the handheld, including a web browser application.
DSi owners will also be able to download software from the Internet, much the same way Wii owners can. In fact, Nintendo is naming this new service DSi Shop. It will be using Nintendo Points, which up until this point have just been referred to as Wii Points. Downloadable DSi titles will come in several cost categories: free, 200, 500, or 800 Points. New users will find that each DSi purchased before March 2010 will come with 1000 free Nintendo Points.
Shame about the lose of the GBA slot (What about Guitar Hero on tour D:), but I'm eager to see what DSWare will bring.Not just Guitar Hero, but also the loss of the Rumble Pak.
2- Why is there no built-in accelerometer?
0.3 pixels is for inside camera. The outside is 3.0.This is an improtant bit of info if true... do you have a source?
Why is there no built-in accelerometer?Because games couldn't use it without being incompatible with older DSes. Unless they released an accelerometer Option Pak, I suppose.
The DSi will have a built-in camera on the top lid, facing away from the player. This camera will have a resolution of 300,000 pixels (640x480). Additionally, the DSi will have a second camera located on the hinge pointed towards the player.
As rumors have speculated, the new DSi will also have AAC audio playback capabilities, and Iwata mentioned the hardware's specific ability to adjust the pitch and playback speed of audio at will. Iwata gave an example of how this could be useful by explaining that users might be studying a language via this function, or learning a song by ear.
The DSi is compatible with SD cards, one use of which may be to transfer images from the DSi to the Wii.
DSi owners will also be able to download software from the Internet, much the same way Wii owners can. In fact, Nintendo is naming this new service DSi Shop. It will be using Nintendo Points, which up until this point have just been referred to as Wii Points. Downloadable DSi titles will come in several cost categories: free, 200, 500, or 800 Points. New users will find that each DSi purchased before March 2010 will come with 1000 free Nintendo Points.
To me this redesigned system with added features just seems like Nintendo is conducting a test to what it should add to its true next portable system.
1- The camera is more than enough for TV resolution, let alone DS resolution.
2- Why is there no built-in accelerometer?
oh and why no built in accel? then you have added a real feature and have limited games from DS and DSi.
I think what he was getting at is they could build it into the DSi but release an option so older DSs could still play the same games.
Do you think years ago Nintendo would EVER get away with this sh!t? Can you imagine some souped-up SNES or something with game related features that were incompatible with the old SNES? Never would happen in a million years. They would get eaten alive. But now that Nintendo thinks they're indestructible they just keep pushing it.
WTF, did some people here seriously suggest motion control for the device that the screen is attached to?It's good enough for the iPhone... :P
WTF, did some people here seriously suggest motion control for the device that the screen is attached to?It's good enough for the iPhone... :P
WTF, did some people here seriously suggest motion control for the device that the screen is attached to?Uhmm, there are a million uses for tilting in handheld games.
Aren't there 25 non-i letters in the alphabet just dying to be jammed into new technology names? Sure, X has been used to death with X Games, Xtreme games, Gen X, treasure map cartography, equations, etc but that still leaves 24 more to go!
I'm excited about this, but I wait to see the pricetag.
But I don't like the idea of not having a DS Option slot. What am I gonna do with Guitar Hero and my Rumble Cart?
Uhmm, there are a million uses for tilting in handheld games.
Early adoption always has a price, Pale.
Anyone else find the inclusion of "i" in the title going a little too far??
Anyone else find the inclusion of "i" in the title going a little too far??
Serious .3 megapixel. My God Nintendo is cheap. Apple Quicktake Camera in 1994 had equal resolution, really now using 14 Year old tech.
Anyone else find the inclusion of "i" in the title going a little too far??
iDon't know what you mean. But then again, iTend to be pretty slow on picking up on such things.
I may actually import one of these from Play-Asia if the price isn't too outrageous. Can you smell video blog entry? Maybe I could combine it with my never-completed Space Invaders Extreme paddle demonstration. That would be EPIC.
