Ultimate Nintendo DSi Coverage

[Sonicpro]

A new (Japanese) Nintendo DSi trailer! This also is a tour of the main applications in the DSi. I’m surprised by all the image manipulation features, though I doubt I’ll be using them much. The audio stuff is, uh, interesting. It shows improved Pictochat, The DSi Shop, and some other interesting things.

With the Nintendo DSi’s Japanese launch due November 1st — and with the influx of media and information Nintendo has put out to promote the release — we’ve published a lot of posts about the system lately.

Our goal isn’t to convince you to buy one; we just like write about the things that interest us, and right now, one of those things is the DSi. Here’s our recent coverage of the portable, for those of you who share that interest:

Close-up of the Nintendo DSi’s SD slot.

Close-up of the Nintendo DSi’s SD slot.

I think this is the first good shot I’ve seen of the DSi’s SD slot cover pulled open. It looks like it could break off easily if you’re not careful. I think this is the first good shot I’ve seen of the DSi’s SD slot cover pulled open. It looks like it could break off easily if you’re not careful.

Five new Nintendo DSi details that may or may not blow your mind

We’ll not dilly-dally with an introduction; we came to lay it down, so let the down-laying commence:

1. You can hotswap carts with the Nintendo DSi, pulling out one game and dropping in another, without having to turn your system on/off. Stan64 mentioned this feature last night, but we dismissed the idea as crazy! Then we saw this short video:

2. The power button may have more power than before. Unless we’re totally reading this wrong, the power button will bring up the menu in DSWare applications, similar to the Wii’s Home button. It may also act as a reset button in DS games.

3.You can use the DSi camera to make a daily calendar album of pretty much whatever pictures you want. The idea is to create a visual diary of things you see while walking around with your DSi.

4.Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has a few random ideas for future DSWare applications, such as “a Zelda calculator, an Animal Crossing clock, street maps for various large cities, or possibly a simple Tetris.” This is stuff off the top of his head rather than confirmed holiday releases, but it’s interesting to see what he has in mind for DSWare.

5.Two more visualizers have been revealed: one featuring tapping feet, and another featuring a wireframe globe surrounded by constellations. The Mario one shown below is the same visualizer we detailed not too long ago!

5 audio-related things that you might not know about the Nintendo DSi

Yes, another one of these random DSi lists! It’s the only handheld-related thing that’s actually more exciting to us than Wonder Pets DS, right now.

1. You will be able to listen to music while the DSi’s lid is closed, so long as you have a pair of headphones hooked up. I wonder if you can use the shoulder buttons for basic playback functions?

2.The DSi will not only have “improved sound quality,” as we’ve mentioned previously, but it will also have higher volume settings. Play it loud!

3.DSi Sound’s recording function will allow users to record only 10 seconds of audio, max. Unless you’re the Micro Machines guy, don’t expect to tape a podcast with your DSi.

4.One of DSi’s Sound’s music visualizers will allow you to play a simple sidescroller with Mario. We’re not sure about the specifics, but you’ll be able to press the L and R buttons to change the song’s tempo and running speed. You can also jump and collect coins.

5.Shigeru Miyamoto helped develop DSi Sound, which makes sense when you consider the program’s wacky features and his work with Wii Music.
Great stuff, right? Oh, and here’s a photo of the DSi’s Japanese packaging, if you haven’t seen it yet:

Nintendo DSi will use WPA, WPA2, and WEP

From GameCyte, quoting Nintendo CEO and president Satoru Iwata about the DSi’s WPA encryption:

“Though the new browser and those programs designed exclusively for the DSi will use a high level of security, existing DS software will use existing encryption.”

5 questions posed by the DSi region-lock statement

According to, uh, somebody, “DSi is region locked because DSi embeds net communication functionality within itself and we are intending to provide net services specifically tailored for each region.”

So some portion of DSi software is region-locked. Okay. But that doesn’t really tell us in any concrete way what is region-locked. And, in fact, it leaves me confused about some more things.

Does the DSi use a different style of networking?

If the net services for the DSi are specifically tailored for each region, then it would follow that they are somehow different from the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection we currently have. Hopeful fanboys would assume here that Xbox Live-style friend lists and the cessation of friend codes will be part of the new service. But I would never go that far.

I’m just thinking that there may be some new net functionality outside of the DS Shop. Certainly the parental control that is supposedly the reason for the region lock suggests expanded online features. Unless…

Does this refer to DSWare only or to DSi retail games as well?

I’d expect DSWare to be region-locked— all console download services are, if not locked, designed to discourage region-swapping. But retail games? No Nintendo handheld has ever been region-locked. Of course, that leads to the question:

Will there even be DSi-specific cartridges?

Cammie Dunaway said there wouldn’t be in an interview with Wired, but didn’t sound as if she had been specifically informed. Certainly some developers will want to make use of the camera and onboard storage for their retail games, and Nintendo doesn’t seem to mind splitting the market in such a way, making some software unusable on some hardware. Just ask Activision.

CVG indicates that Nintendo did specificallly refer to future DSi-only cartridges, but of course Nintendo has yet to show any such cartridges, and they certainly would have done so last week. I’ll wait for a firsthand, clear statement before I call anything “confirmed.”

Will it be possible to buy games on a DSi from outside that region?

Buying Japanese VC/WiiWare games from anywhere in the world is as “simple” as buying a Japanese Wii and a prepaid Wii Points card. Will it be the same for the DSi or will the lockout be more stringent, due to an increased emphasis on saving the children?

Do I want to buy one?

This question has much less far-reaching impact than the others, but it’s still important to me. I initially wanted to get a Japanese system not just because it would be out several months sooner, but because I want access to the Japanese DSWare games. But if I wouldn’t be able to play US-region cartridges on the thing later on, I would be a bit annoyed.

Things you may not know about Nintendo DSi

By now, most of you know about the major improvements behind Nintendo’s DSi hardware — bigger screens, slightly longer stylus, an SD slot, two cameras, digital audio capabilities, improved speakers, a built-in browser, and a content download shop. There are obvious flaws, too, such as the missing GBA slot and lack of MP3 support.

The volume slider is now a rocker switch, like the GBA Micro, and has been moved to the left side.

Two Brain Age titles will debut with the online shop — a “literature edition”
and a “science edition.”

“Moving Notebook” software allows you to scrawl out memos and create small animations. You can even use the mic to record some audio for the clip.

The DSi uses a unique AC adapter incompatible with the DS Lite’s adapter or other portables adapters.

DSi Sound, the system’s music playing feature, has different visualizers to accompany your songs.

The DSi has five brightness settings compared to the DS Lite’s four brightness settings.

While the DS Lite takes 3 hours to charge its battery, the DSi takes only 2.5 hours. Unfortunately, the DSi also has a shorter battery life by an hour.
And a bonus! If you look at the DSi’s two speaker holes and its hinge camera, you’ll totally see a “face in a place.”

Videos

For more on Nintendo DSi click here!

Main Source

[virustsunami]

WO WO WO WO WOOOOOOOOOWWW

AWESOME find, SonicPro!

Apart from the Great Wall of Text, the info is GREAT! Nice videos. And the SD slot is just BEGGING to be HAXED into.

Thanks again for awesome info. Better start saving my....uh... Rupees!

[Unfraggable1]

I'm gonna miss the GBA slot. If they still had it, I'd buy this.

[Sonicpro]

Originally Posted by virustsunami

WO WO WO WO WOOOOOOOOOWWW

AWESOME find, SonicPro!

Apart from the Great Wall of Text, the info is GREAT! Nice videos. And the SD slot is just BEGGING to be HAXED into.

Thanks again for awesome info. Better start saving my....uh... Rupees!

As from what I've read, system updates will be available, which means you will be putting up a good fight with Nintendo.

As for your Rupees.

They've gone up to $300+ on eBay and Play Asia.

God knows what happens this April/May!

[M3Fox]

$300?! Well, there is a LOT more than a regular video game handheld. The first video was actually very cool, especially with the camera features and the DSi Shop. The only disadvantage is, of course, the reduction of the GBA slot, but that's what my SP is for. I was skeptic about this in the beginning, but I'm really looking forward to the DSi's release. Nice grouping of info, Sonic.

[SpiralHeroZ]

Even Though this is expensive, i would definitely buy the DSI. a lot of new features with it.

[mjwild89]

The DSi is something else. I want one now even though I have a DS Lite. With all the features it has it should be expensive.

[Sonicpro]

For those who still play gameboy games and would like a Nintendo DSi, use the links I've provided! Also for those willing to preorder.

Nintendo DSi: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ory=139971null

Nintendo Gameboy Micro: http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trk...=Gameboy+Micro

Nintendo Gameboy SP: http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trk...nkw=Gameboy+SP

[Kakashi Hatake]

The DSi is that expensive? Makes me want to forget about it seeing as it's a hand-held and not a console but still, I guess it's worth all the new features and DSware. I'll be hoping that it has a small price drop when it hits retail stores (if it comes on a holiday to the US that is)