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Nintendo Businesses Portables (Games)

Nintendo Announces DS Lite 314

Posted by samzenpus from the now-is-it-small-enough dept.
Conradq writes "Via Joystiq: 'Nintendo President Satoru Iwata today announced Nintendo DS Lite, a slimmer version of the best-selling Nintendo DS. Also featuring brighter screens, Nintendo DS Lite will launch in Japan on the 2nd of March. Nintendo DS Lite will be less than two-thirds the size of the original Nintendo DS and more than 20 percent lighter. Nintendo will announce more information about the availability of Nintendo DS Lite in North America and other territories in the future.'" Additional: by Z : Commentary available via Gamasutra, Next Generation, and The Game Chair. A good move, right on the heels of the news that Nintendo's profits more than doubled in Q3 as a result of the DS's sales success, and that they've hit 3 million online connections via their online component. Also, for the record, they snowed us earlier this month.
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Nintendo Announces DS Lite More

Nintendo Announces DS Lite

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  • Portable? (Score:5, Funny)

    by suso ( 153703 ) * on Thursday January 26, 2006 @11:59AM (#14568049) Journal
    So is this going to be a portable version of the DS? ;-)

    • YES YES YES (Score:3, Interesting)

      by aliquis ( 678370 )
      It looks 3 times more sexy, I wonder if it still takes flash cartridges =P

      In that case I might get one real soon now :)
      • I wonder if it still takes flash cartridges =P

        Good point. I wonder how many security blocks Nintendo put on this thing. The newer DS's being sold have a newer firmware that blocks PassMe, but PassMe 2 gets around it (but requires some annoying setup to use). I'd bet the new one will block PassMe 2.
      • What is it with Linux guys and blameing broken software on users not willing to fix it?

        Linux, and most of Linux software, is made by its users.

        If a commercial piece of software breaks, I think it's fair to complain to the maker. After all you paid for it, and you weren't given the means to fix it. Conversely, if a Linux application written by a volunteer breaks, you can try and fix it, and the least you can do is to report the bug, which helps others fix it.

        There's also commercial software for Linux

    • New vs old size (Score:5, Informative)

      by aliquis ( 678370 ) on Thursday January 26, 2006 @12:02PM (#14568112)
      From joystiq comments:
      New one:
      133.0 x 73.9 x 21.5mm, at 218g.
      Old one:
      148.7 x 84.7 x 28.9mm, at 275g.
      • I'm a PSP owner. I love it, but the thing is big. I've looked at the GBA Micro with quite a bit of envy because of it's small size, but it doesn't have the type of games I prefer to play (read:3d). I've ignored the DS because the device was relatively large as well and I prefered what the PSP offered for that kind of size (that screen is awesome. really.).

        This announcement actually gives me reason to look again at the DS. If they would have made it even smaller (think micro) I'd be ready to plunk down
    • Also, for the record, they snowed us earlier this month.

      No, they didn't. The rumor was that the redesigned DS was going to be released the week after MacWorld. Nintendo dismissed that rumor, not the news that they were redesigning the DS (which has been a rumor since last year).

  • Sex (Score:5, Insightful)

    by The Only Druid ( 587299 ) on Thursday January 26, 2006 @11:59AM (#14568054)
    See, now I might pick one of these up to complement my PSP. One of the things that kept me from getting a DS was how big and clunky it looked. I'm starting to think that Nintendo intentionally de-sexys their first version of any portable, so they can release a hotter version a year later.
    • I'm starting to think that Nintendo intentionally de-sexys their first version of any portable, so they can release a hotter version a year later.
      And it appears to be successful. I'm going to ditch my original DS for one of those babies once they're out. Anyone looking for a cheap deal on a DS in a couple of months time? ;)

      • Hell yes, I'll buy a cheap DS. The regular DS is almost too small for me. It cramps my hands to play it for any more than 20-30 minutes at a time. It fits in any of my pockets just fine as well.

        -Jesse
        • Yeah, that is a good point actually, I've noticed that too whilst playing. Though it goes away after a couple of weeks of playing... my thumbs just don't feel the way they used to now :)

          I am expecting the DS Lite to be better in this respect, however. Why? I don't know - but I think designers will have done their homework. Also, that foldable GBA didn't hurt either and it was pretty small too.
    • One of the things that kept me from getting a DS was how big and clunky it looked.

      I've read so many comments like this. I don't understand this obsession with image that so many so-called geeks have.

      Anyway, welcome to the party. It's a shame you waited this long.
      • I've read so many comments like this. I don't understand this obsession with image that so many so-called geeks have.

        Agreed, if you're playing a video game system in public, whether it's the original DS, DS Lite, GBA, or PSP, you're giving off a certain image. I'm not saying you should care about that image, but if you are worried about image in general, the fact that you're playing a portable game system on a bus or train says more about you than the looks of the system.
    • I just wish they could have done it a little later than a month after Christmas. My DS is still brand-new.
    • First off a disclaimer: I own a DS, no PSP and am a total Nintendo fanboy.

      That said....

      The PSP has its distinct andvantages. The screen is just brilliant and it lends itself to being a great media viewer _in addition to_ a game system. Now here a the point of contention. Which is its primary position? If it is truly supposed to capture the video game and not media view space then I think its fair to say Sony really needs to get their shit straight. If that means headhunting Nintendo employees and turning ou

    • Re:Sex (Score:2, Insightful)

      by KeiichiMorisato ( 945464 )
      See, now I might pick one of these up to complement my PSP. One of the things that kept me from getting a DS was how big and clunky it looked.

      I don't know if you would be in the market for a DS then.

      If you bought a PSP and the looks of the DS (which were fine, according to the huge number of sales), swayed you from buying one, then you were never really in it for the games.

      The DS is all about fun and games and the evolution of intuitive control. It's not a media center, mp3 player, etc.

      If you really a

  • What's missing? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Yahweh Doesn't Exist ( 906833 ) on Thursday January 26, 2006 @12:00PM (#14568064)
    is this just an improved version that will replace the DS, or is there something missing?

    • Re:What's missing? (Score:2, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward
      I can't tell you what's missing, if anything, but I can tell you what's added that wasn't mentioned in the recap above: the "Lite" is not only because of its reduced size and weight, but also due to the fact that the backlight is adjustable now to four different settings. Here's hoping that you don't have to reboot and go into the system menus to change the lighting every time.

      I can already say...I'll probably get one of these eventually. Once my current DS is more beaten up, I guess. I don't find the cu

  • Nitendo's press release. (Score:5, Informative)

    by AltGrendel ( 175092 ) <(su.0tixe) (ta) (todhsals-ga)> on Thursday January 26, 2006 @12:00PM (#14568076) Homepage
    Their press release can be found here [nintendo.co.jp].
    • Unfortunately, it's in Japanese. There doesn't seem to be much special in it beyond what's said in the Slashdot summary...

      Release date, March 2nd 2006.
      Projected cost, 16,800 Yen (compared to, I think, 15,000 Yen for the original)
      Dimensions: 133x73.9x21.5mm (compare to 148.7x84.7x28.9mm)
      Weight is 218g (compare to 275g).

  • Interesting (Score:5, Interesting)

    by GFLPraxis ( 745118 ) on Thursday January 26, 2006 @12:01PM (#14568087) Homepage Journal
    Considering that Nintendo just finished denying that there was no redesigned DS, [nintendoplayers.com] this came as a surprise.

    Perhaps that explains the DS shortages in Japan? Maybe Nintendo was busy manufacturing the new models?

    Anyway, it's smaller, thinner, lighter, brighter, and only $10 more. What's not to like? I wonder how much I'll get on trade-in with my current DS...

  • Does it support WPA yet? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by HerculesMO ( 693085 ) on Thursday January 26, 2006 @12:01PM (#14568090)
    If not, I'm not interested. I love Nintendo and the games they make, but if they can't adopt a given STANDARD for security reasons... I have no reason to buy their products.

    I am looking forward to Revolution though... and this coming from a PURELY PC gamer. I don't own any consoles.

    • Re:Does it support WPA yet? (Score:5, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26, 2006 @12:20PM (#14568380)
      Do a lot of online banking from you DS do ya?
      • If you want to be able to use your DS online, you have to turn WPA off on your router. Completely. Meaning all of your wireless devices are unsecured. You can use WEP, but the script kiddies next door can break it in a day or less.
        • If you cared about security, you wouldn't be using wireless. It can not be secured. WPA has already been broken, anyone that knows what they're doing can tear through it in minutes(as they can WEP). Security in wireless(in terms of access) is about detection and response, not prevention. Security of data in wireless is done at the application level via encryption. Just like it is for everything else.

          And if you're using an off-the-shelf-from-best-buy router and are complaining about a lack of WPA suppor
          • It may not be perfect, but WPA is more secure than WEP. More importantly, the hash for turning WPA passwords into keys is standardized. WEP has several different ways to do it. The upshot of this is that if you have both Macs and PCs, you have to use a hex number as a password if you use WEP. If you use WPA, you can use a real password and when your friends ask how to get on your network you don't have to ask what platform they are using or write down some difficult to remember hex string for them to type i
          • But if you're really, really, really worried about the lack of WPA support, buy the freakin' $30 USB adapter nintendo put out.

            Unless you have a Mac, in which case you're out of options, since Nintendo's USB Wi-FI adapter only supports Windows. Which makes no sense to me, considering that there is a large intersection of Apple fans and Nintendo fans.
          • Regarding WPA being broken: Are you talking about the dictionary attack possibility? If that's it, then using a good randomized passphrase does the trick nicely. If you mean something else, I couldn't find any reference to it.

        • Re:I get that it was a joke, but... (Score:4, Interesting)

          by Kman_xth ( 529883 ) on Thursday January 26, 2006 @02:09PM (#14569990)
          I had the same problem, but found a solution for it using vpn. The idea is to create a 'insecure' zone which only offers standard (64/128 bits) WEP encryption provided by a wireless router/accesspoint, and a 'secure zone' which can only be accessed through a vpn connection on that same wireless network. The vpn can be encrypted through IPSEC using a, for example, 2048 bits encryption.

          Right now my main (wired network) router is an old pc running debian linux. I've connected my wireless router to a nic on the linux box, and setup the wireless router to operate as an access point (thus only providing access to the wirless network, leaving the actual routing to the linux box).

          After installing openvpn on the linuxbox and fiddled with the firewall/routing rules, the insecure zone will only provide internetaccess to all adresses using UDP and a few adresses through TCP (needed to connect and play using Nintendo's WiFi service). The secure zone (accessed through the vpn connection) will get access to all udp and tcp addresses. This way, full featured network clients like laptops and desktops can install the openvpn client and use the internet with at least some decent security, while the DS can get access to its needed internetaddresses through the insecure zone.

          Because Nintendo's Wifi Service uses direct UDP connections with other players, you cannot effectively prevent people who cracked your WEP code (and managed to get past the MAC address filter) to use your internet connection for UDP connections. But I doubt they'll bother cracking it just to play games on your connection :)
      • Did you read the post? Of course he doesn't do online banking from his DS... it doesn't support WPA yet!
    • You should be thankful that Nintendo supports any standards whatsoever. This is a company that still expects you to pay $20 for two megabytes of flash memory [ebgames.com] when we all know you could get 32 MB for that much [ebgames.com] in an easily-read format [mwave.com].

      (Imagine that -- Memory Stick Duo is actually more cost-effective than something!)
    • if they can't adopt a given STANDARD for security reasons... I have no reason to buy their products.

      How about "they're fun"? That's a good enough reason for me.

      It's not like owning a DS means you have to disable encryption on your 802.11 access point altogether. WEP is supported, and it's still better than nothing.

      Don't trust WEP? Drop $30 on Nintendo's USB DS-only Wifi dongle (also Windows-only, but since you mentioned you're a PC gamer I assume this will not be a problem for you).

      Or play games over DS
    • The reason Nintendo doesn't support WPA isn't because they hate you. It's because, unlike 99.9% of the major corporations out there, they care about their customers and they don't pass the buck when someone calls in having problems with their Wifi connection. Have some byzantine $20 Walmart-special router? They'll spend a couple hours with you on the phone probing it and prodding it to do whatever it takes to get it working for you. Try calling Microsoft sometime to see if they'll help you troubleshoot your

  • Finally! (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Tenken ( 518324 ) on Thursday January 26, 2006 @12:03PM (#14568132) Homepage
    I'm an unabashed Nintendo fanboy, but I have to admit the DS struck me cold at first. Now that the DS has a far better game selection than the PSP, a lineup which is only getting stronger, it's a perfect time to catch all those hesitant buyers like myself. The PSP seems to be intent on being a media platform and not a game console, and this redesign will only help Nintendo cement their portable superiority.

  • Odd choice of name (Score:4, Insightful)

    by thelem ( 218540 ) on Thursday January 26, 2006 @12:04PM (#14568141) Homepage
    Nintendo seem to have chosen the 'Lite' name because it is smaller and brigher than a standard DS.

    It sounds to me more like a name for a cut-down version, rather than an improved one.

    • Re:Odd choice of name (Score:3, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward
      "lite" means that you can adjust the brightness(light) level of the screens; 4 levels of brightness in total, in fact. it's written in the press release. you can use babelfish to get a rough translation of the whole thing.

      i like the new mic position, too. it would discourage people from yelling directly into the microphone instead of speaking to it steadily from a good distance. it's more sensitive than you'd think.

      plus, they also removed the power button. it's always been an annoyance sitting there on the

  • Importage (Score:5, Funny)

    by minginqunt ( 225413 ) on Thursday January 26, 2006 @12:05PM (#14568160) Homepage Journal
    That sound you hear is that of a million DSes being dumped on eBay, followed by hasty Far Eastern importage of the Lite.

    Ooh, it looks like the Nintendo DS and an iPod have had sex babies.

    Nice.

  • A balancing act (Score:5, Insightful)

    by FidelCatsro ( 861135 ) * <fidelcatsro&gmail,com> on Thursday January 26, 2006 @12:05PM (#14568168) Journal
    On the one hand , I already have a DS , I love the form factor , the weight is perfect for me , it brings back nostalgic memories of Game and Watch and I have big pockets. So really I can't justify getting a new one

    On the other hand .. wow that thing looks gorgeous and would really go with my iPod and being perched next to the mac.
    Unfortunately I am not that shallow and unless I get an injection of cash I can't justify it .

    I really think that this could boost sales in the Gadget/ fashion conscious markets though

  • Lighter? No, Larger! (Score:4, Interesting)

    by kuzb ( 724081 ) on Thursday January 26, 2006 @12:07PM (#14568200)
    I'd trade 20% lighter in for 20% larger screens.

  • What the Press Release says (Score:5, Funny)

    by The-Bus ( 138060 ) on Thursday January 26, 2006 @12:17PM (#14568337)
    I don't read Kanji, but my friend does. He said Nintendo specifically mentions a smaller size and easier usability so that more women and seniors buy it.

    That's right. Your grandman's getting a DS.
    • That's right. Your grandman's getting a DS.

      ...if you're from Japan, that is. Seems in Japan, DS consoles are quite popular with the elder folks, since they like to play Brain Training on it. And I'm not kidding.

      Let's see what happens once Nintendo releases that game over here.

  • The existing DS's power switch was a face button, very similar to start and select, on the upper left. Seems to be moved elsewhere -- probably to a side switch? -- in the new model.

    (If they could get the two screens closer to each other, that'd matter more to me.)

  • Not adding an analog stick is a shock (Score:4, Interesting)

    by httpamphibio.us ( 579491 ) on Thursday January 26, 2006 @12:29PM (#14568508)
    I recently bought a Nintendo DS to pass the time during a long bus ride (I'm terrible at sleeping on busses/planes) and I've utterly enjoyed almost everything about it. However, the experience of playing Mario 64 without an analog stick was awkward. Since the release of the DS, even in some of the initial reviews, it has been widely speculated that Nintendo would release an upgraded version in the future with an analog stick.

    Now, we all know that Nintendo doesn't really listen to game pundits, but the addition of an analog stick, much like the addition of a backlit screen makes a whole lot of sense. I'll probably end up buying this upgrade anyway.

    Does it strike anyone else as hypocritical that Nintendo refuses to release small upgrades to their first party games (releasing sequels to games that just add new levels instead of totally redesigning the game engine which would mean having a new Mario/Mario Kart game each year instead of one every 3-5 years) but they release tons of incremental upgrades to their portable systems?

    (Big Grey GameBoy -> GameBoy Pocket -> GameBoy Color -> GameBoy Advance -> GameBoy Advance SP -> GameBoy Advance Micro & GameBoy Advance SP w/ Brighter Screen...)
    • it has been widely speculated that Nintendo would release an upgraded version in the future with an analog stick.

      Yeah because nothing makes your fanbase happier than forcing them not only to upgrade, but to BUY A WHOLE NEW CONSOLE. Not to mention it would be useless in the games that were released BEFORE the analog stick model came out. Either way, you're not going to be playing Mario64 any differently on the new machine.

      It does NOT make sense to include an analog stick. It is nothing like including a b
    • I really didn't find it awkward to play Mario 64 DS.

      DS + Thumbstrap = Analog Controller.

      Did you not look inside your DS box and see the thumbstrap?

    • Now, we all know that Nintendo doesn't really listen to game pundits, but the addition of an analog stick, much like the addition of a backlit screen makes a whole lot of sense.

      But then you'd have two different consoles, not only two different versions. Games would have to be made with both consoles in mind, and online gaming would become unfair since some players would be at an advantage.

      Significantly changing the functionality of the console in a new version of the hardware is most likely not somethin

    • the addition of an analog stick, much like the addition of a backlit screen makes a whole lot of sense

      Well, the DS already had backlit screens. The DS Lite merely has brighter backlighting. There probably wasn't even any electronics design work necessary to make this change.

      Adding an analog stick would have been a whole different situation. The case design would have to have been radically modified. There would need to be a new version of the control API. It wouldn't be worth the costs unless there was
    • "However, the experience of playing Mario 64 without an analog stick was awkward."

      So you would have Nintendo break the DS product line (only a slim minority will be trading in their current DS for a new one) simply because a game designed for a totally different console plays awkward on it?

      Everybody and their mother on Slashdot complaining about ports and sequels, and your problem is because it won't play a port of a sequel well?

      "it has been widely speculated that Nintendo would release an upgraded version
  • How come this is so familiar to the announcements of a new iPod.

    "Nintendo DS Lite will launch in Japan on the 2nd of March. Nintendo DS Lite will be less than two-thirds the size of the original Nintendo DS and more than 20 percent lighter."

    Also they prolly were a step away from calling it DS Nano, but they decided to be "original" instead (picking "LITE", which misleadingly suggests cut down features and price, oh well).

    Also see this picture which complements my statement perfectly:

    http://www.nintendo.co.j [nintendo.co.jp]
  • Normally those grammar/spelling nazis kind of piss me off.

    But here I find myself more annoyed at the writing, the story summary mixes terms like "Brighter screen" "half as small" and "20% lighter".

    The last one confuses me - is that a 20% brighter in luminance as it would imply from the "brighter screen" comment? Or is it 20% lighter in terms of weight, as might be deducted by the "half as small" portion of the description?

    Since it's not grammar or spelling exactly, perhaps I am a... Strunk & White nazi

  • For a while I've been looking into getting a new handheld (right now I have a pretty beat up GBA (original, with a custom made LED-backlight), but I haven't jumped yet. Why? Multimedia capabilities.

    In Japan, the big "N" released the Play-Yan (and more recently, the Play-Yan Micro) for the GBA/GBA-SP/GBM (it also works on the DS, from what I've read). This is a cart that includes a headphone jack (it has a dedicated audio chip) and a slot for an SD card (up to 1GB). It can play movies and music (MPEG-4

  • What I've been waiting for... (Score:4, Interesting)

    by RyoShin ( 610051 ) <<tukaro> <at> <gmail.com>> on Thursday January 26, 2006 @01:03PM (#14569063) Homepage Journal
    I don't own a DS yet because of two things: size, and game selection. Initially, the library only had one or two games that slightly interested me, and I rarely used my GBA as it is. Plus, the DS was just too large to easily fit in my pants' pocket. My coat pocket would work, but I don't wear my coat in the summer.

    Now, Nintendo has corrected both problems. Games such as Wario Ware: Touched, Mario Kart DS, and the upcoming Pokemon games with the ability to chat, trade, and battle via WiFi have made me drool for this system, limited only by size and money.

    When the big rumors hit the main gaming sites about a redesigned DS, I couldn't have been happier over a handheld console. Rumors they may be, but often they were predictive in some fashion. My hopes were actually hieghtened, not dashed, by Nintendo's subsequent announcement. I can't find a link now, but the wording was more that they haven't announced any new DS, not that they haven't made a new DS (first rule of gaming press releases concerning rumors: Look at what they don't say).

    So, now, both of my reasons for not getting a DS are dashed. I cannot wait for the Revolution.

    Well, there is one more reason. But I can eat Ramen for a month.

    So when are we getting a DS Micro?
    • WarioWare? I wanted my money back and I downloaded the ROM!
  • Am I the only one that finds the DS's buttons already uncomfortable to use? Making smaller would just compound the problem.
  • Given that there were 2 redesigns of the original Game Boy (Pocket, Color [yes it also boosted the specs but it really only proved to be the gateway into GBA land]), 2 redeisgns of the GBA (SP and now Micro), is anyone really all that surprised by the update?

    Also, I don't see why everyone is saying the D-Pad looks like the one on the Revolution controller. It looks like the same old Nintendo D-Pad that's been in existence since the Game & Watch... just white now, but it was white/grey on the N64 and Ga
  • Looks like Ivan256 didn't exactly get snowed in the original article: http://games.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=174126&c id=14483668 [slashdot.org]

    Boy deserves a cookie for his insight...

  • Diet DS (Score:2, Funny)

    by Drakin030 ( 949484 )
    Then we will have the Diet DS, then the DS Zero, then back to the Classic DS...WELL MAKE MILLIONS!!!!
  • Maaaaaaaan... I just bought a DS last week!

    Same stinkin' thing happened with the GBA, too. As soon as I acquired one, they announce the SP. Even as a kid, it wasn't more than a month or two after I got my NES that the SNES was all over Nintendo Power.

    This is getting rediculous.

  • Nintendo is the master of getting people to buy the same damn thing over and over.

    It's illogical.

    It's irrational.

    And they know damn well that I'll buy it despite what my left hemisphere tells me. I (hate|love) you, Nintendo!

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