I was reading through different posts about the new model of the DS, many debating whether or not the rumours about it's new Camera capability and larger screen/resolution, etc, really justify a new model release. Most comments laughed at the idea of the DS including a music-playing function.
But then, though Yuuenchi's site(its on my blogroll), I found this site in the comments.
So I found the Japanese Site.
I know most people can't readily read Japanese(who am I kidding, I can barely read Kanji...), so here's a basic list of the new features, as far as I can tell;
- It is called the DSi, for now. [we all remember the Nintendo Revolution, don't wii?]
- The screen size has gone from 3.0 to 3.25.
- It has an "SD Memory Slot" on the right side, next to the ABXY controls.
- There's an "Inside"(self-facing) and "Outside"(view-facing) Camera, called the "DSiCAMERA" [This is where it already pwns the PSP.]
- You can "make" music, and there IS a music player; "DSiSOUND." [Sucks to the PSP. Which I just bought. Damn.]
- Much like the Wii, the DSi will have a "DSiSHOP" and a "DSiBROWSER," on which you can download "DSiWARE." [the PSP officially fails now.]
- The "colour variation" for now is slated as "White" and "Black."
- As far as I can scrounge out of the Kanji, it will come with the System itself[dur...], an AC adapter, 2 touch-pens, an "easy start guide," some kind of book[gth, kanji], and a "support book."
- You can "make" music, and there IS a music player; "DSiSOUND." [Sucks to the PSP. Which I just bought. Damn.]
- The Touch Pen is like, a few mm's longer.
- The DS itself will be a little bit bigger(width and length) and thinner(height from back to front).
- The power button is inside again, but at the bottom left of the screen. The SD card slot replaces the old power button.
- Instead of the DS's double-screen design on the front cover, it will be blank with a little camera lense on the outside.
- It weighs 4 grams less. Wow. >.>
- It takes 2and a half hours to charge, instead of 3. 30 mins, nowai...
- The running time is like 2/3 of what is once was, but that makes sense, with all this new stuff. (9-14 hours compared to 15-19...which it never reached anyway, lol...)
- The camera, btw, is 3 megapixels. Meh, not good, not bad.
Also, the menu design is new (I think it says its more like the Wii...can't tell...). It looks like you can set an image as a desktop on the upper screen's home/menu. It still hase pictochat and stuff, and here's the thing I really hope I read correctly; I think it said you can SAVE YOUR PICTOCHAT TO MEMORY. YES. I CAN ONLY HOPE. No more deleting...interesting convos...and my picto-arts. Yey!
The Camera itself has an editing feature, just like the Wii, that allows you to draw on/add clipart to/mangle the person's face in an image. And I'm pretty sure the SD slot capability comes into this camera part. SUCKS FOR YOU PSP WITH YOUR NON-SEXY SPECIALIZED MEMORY STICK!!!
The sound player is, of course, way cooler than just a sound player. It has "visualizations," two of which are shown to be a bike-racing and baby-chickens-hatching move-with-the-music applications(ill link the site, since I really don't know how the explain this...). Also, the Sound's menu shows buttons with the words "KARAOKE," "RADIO" "8BIT(with a pic of the ancient nintendo controller)" "3PEOPLEHARMONY(with 3 faces on it...hmmm...)" "TRUMPET" and some other stuff I don't understand. Also, the Microphone will play a big part (finally), and I THINK allow you to do the KARAOKE and voice recording etc. Sweet.
In the SHOP area, it shows an art-like program that says you can make "paraparamanga" which I assume means an Animation(sweeeeeet), and an Internet LAN capability, which it says in pink, "You can download these at the DSiShop!"
The last page on the site shows a comparison of the new DSi (on the left) and the "old" DSLite(I'm still living with my retro, TYVM). They seriously had me at the SD card capability....It's not good to be this excited while I'm still sick...Damn you Nintendo, you've done it again!!!
So here's the link again, now that I've fished out what I could from my somewhat useful Japanese Skills;
"NintendoDSi. She'll pretty much have to."
It will supposedly be released Nov. 1st (Hah. Hahah. HAH.) and go for 18,900 En. (less than 189$).