Nintendo Reveals DS Lite Successor

As hoped, Nintendo have announced the replacement for their DS Lite in Tokyo during their Fall Press Conference, officially named the DSi.

Specs confirm that the new DSi will feature a slightly larger 3.25" screen (3" for the DS Lite) and small reductions in both weight and thickness. To follow the trend of PMPs now gaining more popularity in the market, the DSi will also incorporate multimedia enhancements with its new 0.3 megapixel (640 x 480) camera, mp3 player, built-in browser and a very useful SD card slot that would allow pictures taken on the DSi to be viewed on a Wii.

The DSi will also feature its own online store similar to the Wii. Users will be able to use the internal browsers to purchase and download DSiWare onto their DSi, where downloadable games and apps would be priced on a system similar to the Wii online shop.

However, the DSi is not without its flaws. The battery life is significantly shorter when compared to the DS Lite (DSi 3-4hrs vs DS Lite 5-8hrs; highest brightness setting), and a major complaint is the removal of the GBA cartridge slot and its backwards compatibility. 

Nintendo have announced that they will release the DSi in Japan in November, but will only arrive in other markets next year. Slight disappointment as Nintendo did not incorporate dual touchscreens into the replacement as many were hoping, but since sales figures show that the current DS Lite is indeed a success, maybe the small upgrades that Nintendo have brought to the table will truly establish the DSi as a true winner. 

Would DS Lite owners be enticed to upgrading to the new DSi? One exciting aspect that we can take away from the new handheld is how long it will take before the homebrew community finds a way to exploit the SD slot and bring new DSi owners big smiles on their faces.

[Source: Kotaku]