Nintendo to Counter PSP Media Features

docdude316 writes "Gamespot is reporting that Nintendo has just announced a new media player add-on which is compatible with the Game Boy Advance SP and the Nintendo DS. The media player will let both the GBA SP and the DS play MPEG-4 and MP3 files off of a SD card. It will retail for 5,000 yen ($48 US), and will only be available off of Nintendo's website. There are currently no plans for a North American or European release."

Buy a 3rd-party one right now

[Rayonic]

Very similar devices already exist for the GBA. This one [lik-sang.com], for instance, does movies, music, ebooks, pictures, and even old famicom games.

All that and its cheaper too. (No, this is not a product endorsement.)

Re:SP only?

[Headcase88]

It runs on both GBA SP and DS. The question is: why it won't work on the orginal GBA?

Re:first post

[mausmalone]

Most likely there's just no plans for a NA release because they're trying to get it to market in Japan ASAP to counter the PSP. They have time to delay any plans to release it abroad because the PSP won't be released here for a while yet. At any rate, Nintendo doesn't region-protect their handhelds, so get the import.

Re:MS is probably happy

[mausmalone]

The WMV container has DRM built in, whereas AVI is too old for that. This is probably a move to keep them from catching the ire of the MPAA.

F2A vs. EFA

[tepples]

If you want to do this for real though get a Flash2Advance card, then you can do all KINDS of neat GBA tricks.

I agree, and I've written a couple tricks [pineight.com] myself. But don't get the F2A if you have a Nintendo DS, as writing to the F2A requires using the link port on a GBA or GBA SP, which the DS lacks. Get the EFA Extreme Flash Advance (kicktrading.ca sells it) instead, as it is written through a connector on the cart itself.