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These are all taken from IGN sources following the announcement of the DS in January. IGN are keen to stress none of this is official.
Backward Compatible
Nintendo has remained very hush-hush about whether or not the DS portable, which will be positioned as the "third pillar" next to GameCube and Game Boy Advance, will actually be able to play current GBA software. However, insiders out of Japan have told IGN that the device in fact will be backward compatible with Nintendo's handheld and fully able to play GBA software.
Touch Screen
The Nintendo DS features not one, but two screens. According to insiders, at least one of the LCDs will in fact be a "touch screen," or capable of receiving and transmitting input from fingers and pens by the touch. It is not known if the device will also ship with a stylus for tablet-like functionality.
No More Wires
The DS will feature high-speed wireless support. Though it's currently unclear what standard Nintendo will adopt for the DS, we're certain that it will utilize technology similiar to what it has just released on the Game Boy Advance in Japan.
The Issue of Price
Nothing confirmed, but at least one source alleges that the Nintendo DS would retail for approximately $129 in Japan, just slightly more expensive than what the GBA retails for in that market. No word on American or European prices.
Contradictory Reports
It gets a little iffy here. We've heard both that the DS will feature N64-like graphics and that it will deliver mostly 2D sprite-based graphics. Both come from historically reliable sources.
Cartridges Quicker, Cheaper
The DS cartridges feature memory technology by Matrix Semiconductor. This will allow Nintendo to produce cartridges far more quickly and cheaply than what the company is able to do with the Game Boy Advance. Currently third parties must manufacture GBA carts at costs from six to 10 dollars a unit depending on size and save RAM.
No Kits in the US Yet
When Nintendo announced the DS in January most North American developers were as surprised to hear about it as everyone else. This week several developers told IGN that Nintendo said "kits are on the way."
Japanese developers have been working with DS hardware since last year.
IGN contacted Nintendo of America but the company had no comment
Backward Compatible
Nintendo has remained very hush-hush about whether or not the DS portable, which will be positioned as the "third pillar" next to GameCube and Game Boy Advance, will actually be able to play current GBA software. However, insiders out of Japan have told IGN that the device in fact will be backward compatible with Nintendo's handheld and fully able to play GBA software.
Touch Screen
The Nintendo DS features not one, but two screens. According to insiders, at least one of the LCDs will in fact be a "touch screen," or capable of receiving and transmitting input from fingers and pens by the touch. It is not known if the device will also ship with a stylus for tablet-like functionality.
No More Wires
The DS will feature high-speed wireless support. Though it's currently unclear what standard Nintendo will adopt for the DS, we're certain that it will utilize technology similiar to what it has just released on the Game Boy Advance in Japan.
The Issue of Price
Nothing confirmed, but at least one source alleges that the Nintendo DS would retail for approximately $129 in Japan, just slightly more expensive than what the GBA retails for in that market. No word on American or European prices.
Contradictory Reports
It gets a little iffy here. We've heard both that the DS will feature N64-like graphics and that it will deliver mostly 2D sprite-based graphics. Both come from historically reliable sources.
Cartridges Quicker, Cheaper
The DS cartridges feature memory technology by Matrix Semiconductor. This will allow Nintendo to produce cartridges far more quickly and cheaply than what the company is able to do with the Game Boy Advance. Currently third parties must manufacture GBA carts at costs from six to 10 dollars a unit depending on size and save RAM.
No Kits in the US Yet
When Nintendo announced the DS in January most North American developers were as surprised to hear about it as everyone else. This week several developers told IGN that Nintendo said "kits are on the way."
Japanese developers have been working with DS hardware since last year.
IGN contacted Nintendo of America but the company had no comment
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These are all taken from IGN sources following the announcement of the DS in January. IGN are keen to stress none of this is official.
Backward Compatible
Nintendo has remained very hush-hush about whether or not the DS portable, which will be positioned as the "third pillar" next to GameCube and Game Boy Advance, will actually be able to play current GBA software. However, insiders out of Japan have told IGN that the device in fact will be backward compatible with Nintendo's handheld and fully able to play GBA software.
Touch Screen
The Nintendo DS features not one, but two screens. According to insiders, at least one of the LCDs will in fact be a "touch screen," or capable of receiving and transmitting input from fingers and pens by the touch. It is not known if the device will also ship with a stylus for tablet-like functionality.
No More Wires
The DS will feature high-speed wireless support. Though it's currently unclear what standard Nintendo will adopt for the DS, we're certain that it will utilize technology similiar to what it has just released on the Game Boy Advance in Japan.
The Issue of Price
Nothing confirmed, but at least one source alleges that the Nintendo DS would retail for approximately $129 in Japan, just slightly more expensive than what the GBA retails for in that market. No word on American or European prices.
Contradictory Reports
It gets a little iffy here. We've heard both that the DS will feature N64-like graphics and that it will deliver mostly 2D sprite-based graphics. Both come from historically reliable sources.
Cartridges Quicker, Cheaper
The DS cartridges feature memory technology by Matrix Semiconductor. This will allow Nintendo to produce cartridges far more quickly and cheaply than what the company is able to do with the Game Boy Advance. Currently third parties must manufacture GBA carts at costs from six to 10 dollars a unit depending on size and save RAM.
No Kits in the US Yet
When Nintendo announced the DS in January most North American developers were as surprised to hear about it as everyone else. This week several developers told IGN that Nintendo said "kits are on the way."
Japanese developers have been working with DS hardware since last year.
IGN contacted Nintendo of America but the company had no comment
Backward Compatible
Nintendo has remained very hush-hush about whether or not the DS portable, which will be positioned as the "third pillar" next to GameCube and Game Boy Advance, will actually be able to play current GBA software. However, insiders out of Japan have told IGN that the device in fact will be backward compatible with Nintendo's handheld and fully able to play GBA software.
Touch Screen
The Nintendo DS features not one, but two screens. According to insiders, at least one of the LCDs will in fact be a "touch screen," or capable of receiving and transmitting input from fingers and pens by the touch. It is not known if the device will also ship with a stylus for tablet-like functionality.
No More Wires
The DS will feature high-speed wireless support. Though it's currently unclear what standard Nintendo will adopt for the DS, we're certain that it will utilize technology similiar to what it has just released on the Game Boy Advance in Japan.
The Issue of Price
Nothing confirmed, but at least one source alleges that the Nintendo DS would retail for approximately $129 in Japan, just slightly more expensive than what the GBA retails for in that market. No word on American or European prices.
Contradictory Reports
It gets a little iffy here. We've heard both that the DS will feature N64-like graphics and that it will deliver mostly 2D sprite-based graphics. Both come from historically reliable sources.
Cartridges Quicker, Cheaper
The DS cartridges feature memory technology by Matrix Semiconductor. This will allow Nintendo to produce cartridges far more quickly and cheaply than what the company is able to do with the Game Boy Advance. Currently third parties must manufacture GBA carts at costs from six to 10 dollars a unit depending on size and save RAM.
No Kits in the US Yet
When Nintendo announced the DS in January most North American developers were as surprised to hear about it as everyone else. This week several developers told IGN that Nintendo said "kits are on the way."
Japanese developers have been working with DS hardware since last year.
IGN contacted Nintendo of America but the company had no comment
sounds good, wonder when we'll see a UK release.
It would be cool if it has organiser functions - for example: built in calendar, notebook (for which you could transfer your writings to pc) and other similar features - it would make it more popular with the Japanese and American gamers and maybe even office workers will invest in one.
But that's just me hoping they include a stylus and possibly handwriting recognition.
But that's just me hoping they include a stylus and possibly handwriting recognition.
No it wouldn't.
Belldandy wrote:
> No it wouldn't.
Why?
Why wouldn't it be cool to reach out to a wider target audience, whilst keeping current Nintendo fans happy?
> No it wouldn't.
Why?
Why wouldn't it be cool to reach out to a wider target audience, whilst keeping current Nintendo fans happy?
Because the more functions they encorporate the less clear it becomes what it is. Look at N Gage. Is it a phone, a games machine, mobile internet? It's all of them but also a massive flop whatever Nokia tries to say.
If a machine is going to do game then it wants to just do them and do them well. Sure the PC does anything you want it to but that's down to customisation and the fact that for the money you pay you want options. Even so most people rarely use everything they could on a PC. I don't want a personal organiser and stuff like that in a handheld, consequently I would not buy one with features I do not want. I'll probably go for a handheld later this year though, either a GBA SP or a PSP. Probably get a Gameboy Player for my Cube first and build up some games before buying a SP if thats the one I go for. PSP looks good but I have a nagging suspicion it will be full of enhanced Psone conversion or toned down PS2 games.
If a machine is going to do game then it wants to just do them and do them well. Sure the PC does anything you want it to but that's down to customisation and the fact that for the money you pay you want options. Even so most people rarely use everything they could on a PC. I don't want a personal organiser and stuff like that in a handheld, consequently I would not buy one with features I do not want. I'll probably go for a handheld later this year though, either a GBA SP or a PSP. Probably get a Gameboy Player for my Cube first and build up some games before buying a SP if thats the one I go for. PSP looks good but I have a nagging suspicion it will be full of enhanced Psone conversion or toned down PS2 games.
You better not get the PSP - I've heard it plays DVDs.
So what is it? A games machine or a DVD player?
Oh no! Extras! Fear them!
So what is it? A games machine or a DVD player?
Oh no! Extras! Fear them!
There not exactly DVD's. They will have movies for them but on UMD discs.
Same difference - my point still stands.
Surely its better to have features you may not need, that to not have any extras at all? The more something has to offer, the wider appeal it can have to a market! If you don't need to use a function on a piece of hardware, you just don't use it. Its not really that hard is it? My phone has a calendar function on it, I don't use it to schedule anything on it since I've got a Lotus Notes database for that ... but hell, I'm sure SOMEONE out there finds it useful and a valuable addition to their phone.
Plus I'm liking the idea that its integrating lots of funtionality into one unit. Rather than ending up with loads of little devices that do all sorts of things, its nice to have it all in one unit.
And as for watered down PS2/PSone conversions. Well thats fine by me. I liked my PSOne games, I don't have alot of time to sit down at home and play through everything I've ever owned. But if I can have something like Final Fantasy 8 to play through while sat on the bus to work, while waiting for the ol' fiancee to get her hair cut ... well thats a bonus for me.
Plus I'm liking the idea that its integrating lots of funtionality into one unit. Rather than ending up with loads of little devices that do all sorts of things, its nice to have it all in one unit.
And as for watered down PS2/PSone conversions. Well thats fine by me. I liked my PSOne games, I don't have alot of time to sit down at home and play through everything I've ever owned. But if I can have something like Final Fantasy 8 to play through while sat on the bus to work, while waiting for the ol' fiancee to get her hair cut ... well thats a bonus for me.
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