Nintendo's DS Lite games handheld is two years old, so how about a competitive refresh that comes equipped with dual-digital cameras, a music playback feature, and loses a few millimeters and grams off its edges? That's what Nintendo just announced for around $179 (18,900 yen), coming November 1st to Japan and following in other territories at some point in 2009.
Our own Martyn Williams has a nice breakdown of what's what, which I'll quickly recap here:
- Screen: 3.25" (DSi) vs. 3" (DS)
- Size: 137mm x 74.9mm x 18.9mm (DSi) vs. 133mm x 73.9mm x 21.5mm (DS).
- Weight: 214g (DSi) vs. 218g (DS)
- Battery: 3-14 hours (DSi) vs. 5-19 hours (DS)
- Inputs: DS, DS slot (DSi) vs. DS, DS, and GBA slot (DS)
- Cost: $179 (DSi) vs. $159 (DS)
Of course you also still get power and headphones/mic connections, but you're reading that right: Goodbye Game Boy Advance compatibility, and DSi-specific content won't be playable on the original DS or DS Lite, which means gamers like me who tote around a dozen Square Enix carts in their mobile kit bag will want to hang onto their DS Lites.
That's because the DSi isn't a true successor to the DS, but rather a cosmetic makeover with a few "safe" tech updates to lure Apple iPhone and Sony PSP fans. Trouble is, it's such a nominal, barely incremental upgrade this time that I can't say I see the point. Where's the higher-quality, higher-resolution, higher color-depth screen? Improved speaker output? A more powerful engine under the hood and motion-sensitivity to compete with the likes of the iPhone/iPod Touch and PSP? Would you really use your DS as a camera? To listen to music? Will Nintendo include sync software along the lines of iTunes?
Most folks already have iPods and standalone digital cameras -- have had for years. I can see an increasingly youngish demographic going for this as a gateway gadget, but I can't say I'm personally all that excited about it.
