It has been announced that the new Nintendo DSi is set to get upgrades in line with what was rumoured, with Nintendo’s handheld now looking to be part of a wider plan to create a media distribution platform. The device will go on sale in November for ¥18,900, with an international release to follow in 2009.
In a boon to upskirt photographers, the DS will get an integrated .3 megapixel camera, a 17% increase in screen size to 3.25 inches so as to better scrutinise the quarry, and higher quality sound reproduction (useful if you happen to record their screams).
Software will also be included to allow manipulation of the gathered images, and convenient music playback.
To store the photos taken a high capacity SD card slot is included, which can, more importantly, also hold all the downloadable content Nintendo is planning to sell by way of the new “DSi Shop”, set to mirror the functionality of the Wii’s.
Finally, improved wireless networking and the addition of a tuned version of the Opera browser look to offer much improved Internet capabilities.
The source is the Nintendo Conference 2008 Autumn, where they released detailed information.
Coming not long after the news that the Wii is set to get a full TV content delivery system spearheaded by anime, it looks as if Nintendo have some interesting plans in store.
Less charitably, we could point to the kind of games developed, and wonder about the intended use of the camera…
Well, guess the rumors were pretty much spot on. I was hoping for more of a hardware power upgrade rather than add-ons, but I suppose that may happen later with a real successor to the DS?
to the admins o.o its a .3 megapixel camera not 3MP.
meh.. more reasons to upgrade from my fat NDS
Thanks, corrected.
Actually there are two cameras… A 3 megapixel on the outside and the .3 one somewhere else… (I’m assuming it’s the round thing next to the microphone.
I’m sure you’re correct since .3 would be pretty useless… strange they haven’t bothered to explain it properly in the press release or on the site.
There is a camera on the outer lid of the DSi, which I assume is the 3 megapixel camera.
The .3 megapixel camera is the interior camera, one the inner frame of the DSi.
Correction, both are .3 mp cameras (640×480), but the actual images will be 2.5x that of the screen.
http://askthephotographer.com/2008/10/02/new-nintendo-dsi-adds-two-cameras-web-browsing-to-portable-gaming-system/
http://www.nintendo-dsi.org/news/nintendo-dsi-announced-during-japanese-nintendo-media-summit/
“The device has a 3 megapixel on the outside and a 0.3 megapixel VGA camera located next to the DSi’s microphone, both have a 640×480 resolution.”
Sounds like fun :D
I want to get one of these ;p