Topic: Nintendo DS - 90% of users going online?

[Mario]

A few things that Reggie said during the press conference made me think about this. He mentioned that the percentage of people going online on their Nintendo DS could reach as high as 90%. That's absolutely HUGE! Then he went on to say how easy it would be, and that would be the reason why so many people would use it, but i'm still confused. How many people actually have a wireless router? I don't. Are people willing to go outside and search for a hotspot and play DS online in some public place?

I had to look up on the internet where the nearest public hotspots were for me, and the only two that are close to me are at McDonalds, and that's not really my ideal playing environment.

As well as hotspots, he said it would be ""free INSIDE the house, through your existing wireless router, or USB connection". What does he mean by USB connection? There's nowhere on the DS to plug it into the USB port, so i'm guessing you need something wireless to connect to the USB?

This is way too confusing to get 90% of DS users going online, I hope they explain it more or show us easier ways by the time the online games start coming out.

[TMW]

When he said "USB connection", I thought that meant you could get a USB connector from Nintendo somehow to tie into your existing broadband connection.  

If you don't have wireless, that is.

[Nephilim]

the revolution has a 2 usb ports
answers the question
1usb ds-rev, 1usb in router

but yeah no idea how there going to do it before the rev is released
maybe a specail pack, were u get the install cd and usb2router cord with a game

[TMW]

But the Rev is wireless capable outside the b...

Oh!  Holy Crap!  

I doth think I see.  

If you tie your Rev into your lan line connection, you might could access the net through it for your DS!  

[KnowsNothing]

When he says USB connection he means a cable that goes from the EXT port on the DS to a USB port on your computer or the Rev.  I've already got a cable like that, but I don't where it came from

[Strell]

I'll say the same thing I said in a chat when this was revealed in the conference by Reggie.

Nintendo> We don't think online is profitable, but we'll go for 90% userbase anyway

[vudu]

When he said 90%, I don't think he meant at any given time.  He just meant that 90% of DS users will use the online capabilities of at least one game at least once in their lifetime.  Whether they use it every day, or just try out once, it doesn't matter--it still counts towards that 90%.

[Renny]

And that's absolutely huge. Xbox has 8%, I believe. Sony is in the same ballbark. 90% is a very lofty goal, but if WiFi becomes prolific enough in public spaces it could happen.

[Draygaia]

People are willing to go online with the DS.  Its free!  They're not just going to search.  So I wait for my sister while shes shopping at the mall.  Bam!  I got online through the Apple store.  I'm on my college break and want to eat.  Bam!  I can eat at Panera Bread which has free wifi.  I'm waiting for my shift to start and people are breaking the rules in my college and using wireless routers.  Bam!  I just have to turn my DS on.

Mario do you ever leave your house?

"Are people willing to go outside and search for a hotspot and play DS online in some public place?"

You have to do something.  Work, school, job, friends, errands, exercise, etc