Nintendo DSi media player combo in US April 5th
updated 08:50 am EST, Wed February 18, 2009
Nintendo DSi US April 5th
Nintendo this morning gave the DSi its official release details for the US. The console will reach the country on April 5th for $170 in light blue and black color options. This undercuts the original Japanese pricing and sets up the device as Nintendo's response to increasing pressure from combination game and media devices like Sony's PSP and Apple's iPod touch. It expands the DS Lite with an SD card slot for music playback and audio recording, and carries both back and user-facing cameras that allow self-portraits as well as traditional photography.
The system is also notable for adding an online app store, known as DSiWare, that will let users download games and other software directly to the system over Wi-Fi. Nintendo says the DSi continues to support "most" physical DS games with touchscreen input on one of its two signature displays.
Nintendo hasn't explained its timing for the launch, though the company says it sold nearly 10 million DS units within the US in 2008; this easily beat numbers for Sony devices but faces competition from the iPod touch, which is now frequently Apple's second-strongest iPod in terms of sales and is being regularly marketed as a gaming device.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Nov 1999
US release
People here are anxiously awaiting this release. I expect that it will continue to get good reviews, since it already and for note even being released yet.