Redesigned Nintendo DS Revealed
Jan 26, 2006 21:57:56 GMT -5
Post by Link on Jan 26, 2006 21:57:56 GMT -5
Redesigned Nintendo DS Revealed
Nintendo announces release date, price and look for a new Nintendo DS system.
by Craig Harris
January 26, 2006 - After weeks of rumor and speculation, Nintendo today finally revealed its expected redesign of the Nintendo DS handheld system. Called the DS Lite, this new design will be released in Japan on March 2, 2006 and cost 16,800 yen (about 140 bucks US.) The redesign retains all the functionality of the standard DS, but makes things smaller, lighter and brighter.
The modified dual screen handheld has been tweaked into a smaller chassis. The new unit measures up to 133 mm wide by 73.9 mm tall by 21.5 thick. (that's compared to 148.7 x 84.7 x 28.99 mm in the original.) DS Lite weighs 218g, compared to the 275 g of the original.
DS Lite's biggest new technical feature is its updated set of backlit LCD screens. The system is brighter overall, and will give the user the ability to select from four different levels of brightness for viewing and/or battery consumption. A few other cosmetic changes were made to the new DS Lite -- there's a new hinge design, the power light was put on the left side of the hinge and is visible while the clamshell is closed, the mic is moved to top/center while the speakers are more centered, the Select and Start buttons are set on the bottom instead of top, and the power button is no longer on the front, and all of the dark button colors are changed to whites and grays. The cute DS logo is also placed on the front. Basic functionality, otherwise, looks to be identical to the original DS.
Nintendo has not yet revealed any of its US release plans, but expect an announcement in the next few hours from Nintendo of America. We'll keep you posted.
DS Lite Set For America
Nintendo plans for release outside of Japan after Spring.
by Anoop Gantayat
January 26, 2006 - Following the earlier announcement of the new "DS Lite" revision to the DS hardware, Nintendo's Japanese parent has cleared up a few issues.
Although the product was announced in Japan, with no details given for international market, DS Lite will indeed be released in Europe and America. The company hasn't given a specific release date, only stating that the western markets can expect a release following Spring. This seems to suggest that a simultaneous release with the Japanese version (set for 3/2) is out.
There were also some questions about the fate of the current DS model. In Japan, Nintendo will continue to produce and sell the original model. The price of the original model will remain at its current 15,000 yen, 1,800 yen less than the 16,800 yen new model.
The DS Lite will be initially released to Japan in three colors, Nintendo reveals. In addition to the white color shown in the first pictures of the system, the company will release two yet unannounced colors.
Nintendo expects the DS to continue to perform well this year, both in old and new forms. Referring to the Japanese market, company president Satoru Iwata said to the Japanese press, "Taken as a whole with the current version, we're aiming at total domestic sales of 10,000,000 units not too late in the year." At the end of 2005, the DS had sold 5.7 million units in Japan.
We expect Nintendo's US division to provide further details on the US release of DS Lite in the not-so-distant future.
Source
Nintendo announces release date, price and look for a new Nintendo DS system.
by Craig Harris
January 26, 2006 - After weeks of rumor and speculation, Nintendo today finally revealed its expected redesign of the Nintendo DS handheld system. Called the DS Lite, this new design will be released in Japan on March 2, 2006 and cost 16,800 yen (about 140 bucks US.) The redesign retains all the functionality of the standard DS, but makes things smaller, lighter and brighter.
The modified dual screen handheld has been tweaked into a smaller chassis. The new unit measures up to 133 mm wide by 73.9 mm tall by 21.5 thick. (that's compared to 148.7 x 84.7 x 28.99 mm in the original.) DS Lite weighs 218g, compared to the 275 g of the original.
DS Lite's biggest new technical feature is its updated set of backlit LCD screens. The system is brighter overall, and will give the user the ability to select from four different levels of brightness for viewing and/or battery consumption. A few other cosmetic changes were made to the new DS Lite -- there's a new hinge design, the power light was put on the left side of the hinge and is visible while the clamshell is closed, the mic is moved to top/center while the speakers are more centered, the Select and Start buttons are set on the bottom instead of top, and the power button is no longer on the front, and all of the dark button colors are changed to whites and grays. The cute DS logo is also placed on the front. Basic functionality, otherwise, looks to be identical to the original DS.
Nintendo has not yet revealed any of its US release plans, but expect an announcement in the next few hours from Nintendo of America. We'll keep you posted.
DS Lite Set For America
Nintendo plans for release outside of Japan after Spring.
by Anoop Gantayat
January 26, 2006 - Following the earlier announcement of the new "DS Lite" revision to the DS hardware, Nintendo's Japanese parent has cleared up a few issues.
Although the product was announced in Japan, with no details given for international market, DS Lite will indeed be released in Europe and America. The company hasn't given a specific release date, only stating that the western markets can expect a release following Spring. This seems to suggest that a simultaneous release with the Japanese version (set for 3/2) is out.
There were also some questions about the fate of the current DS model. In Japan, Nintendo will continue to produce and sell the original model. The price of the original model will remain at its current 15,000 yen, 1,800 yen less than the 16,800 yen new model.
The DS Lite will be initially released to Japan in three colors, Nintendo reveals. In addition to the white color shown in the first pictures of the system, the company will release two yet unannounced colors.
Nintendo expects the DS to continue to perform well this year, both in old and new forms. Referring to the Japanese market, company president Satoru Iwata said to the Japanese press, "Taken as a whole with the current version, we're aiming at total domestic sales of 10,000,000 units not too late in the year." At the end of 2005, the DS had sold 5.7 million units in Japan.
We expect Nintendo's US division to provide further details on the US release of DS Lite in the not-so-distant future.
Source
