Nintendo DS is on the way

[Zeraphin]

Stolen from my Game forums:

Nintendo held a press conference to show the final version of the DS. Below is an article from gamespot with specs. Make sure you check out the wireless section that shows 802.11B and internal microphone. It will cost $149 and comes out Nov 1st (The US before Japan, unusal). I forget if it's offical or not but more then rumor has it that you can use your DS to talk to other DS owners for free over the net. Even better you can call REAL PHONES and talk to them over the net for free. You can't recieve incomeing calls though. The DS will come with a Metriod Demo.

Nintendo DS official specifications revealed

Handheld to feature "virtual surround sound" system, six language options.
TOKYO--At a press conference today in Japan, Nintendo announced the official Japanese launch date and pricing for the Nintendo DS. The machine will be priced at 15,000 yen ($137)--about 50 percent more than the 9,800 yen ($89) Game Boy Advance--on December 2. Nintendo's unexpected announcement came only hours before Sony opened its press conference, which caused many to speculate that the surprise timing was a calculated maneuver.


In the announcement has also released an updated specifications chart for the DS, which has now revealed a few new points about the system. The Pictochat text and drawing software that was shown at the E3 will come pre-installed in the DS’ hardware, meaning that you can communicate with other DS owners nearby without the need of any cartridge. The handheld will feature a virtual surround sound system, and what’s more, the machine lets you choose between six different languages.

Nintendo DS Specifications

Size / Weight (when folded)
Height: 84.7mm
Width: 148.7mm
Thickness: 28.9mm
Weight: 275 (including battery & stylus)


Display
Top Screen:
3 inch color TFT with backlight
256 x 192 pixel resolution, .24mm dot pitch
260,000 color display


Bottom Screen:
3 inch color TFT with backlight
256 x 192 pixel resolution, .24mm dot pitch
260,000 color display
Transparent analog resistive touch panel


Main controls
Directional pad, A/B/X/Y buttons, L/R buttons, Start/Select buttons
Touch panel
Internal microphone (voice recognition possible with software)


Input/Output
DS cartridge slot
GBA cartridge slot
Stereo Headphone jack
Microphone jack


Wireless capabilities
IEEE802.11 and Nintendo propriety protocol 2 format
Radiowave distance: 10 - 30 meters depending on environment
Multi-player game possible with one cartridge
Voice chatting with the internal microphone while playing over Internet is possible


CPU ARM9 and ARM7 (With new graphic engine)


Sound Internal stereo speaker (virtual surround sound possible with software)


Other features
Internal Clock w/alarm
Touch panel calibration
PictoChat pre-installed (Text and graphic drawing application that can be used to communicate with up to 16 users via wireless capability)


Configurable settings
Startup mode switching
Language: Japanese, English, German, French, Spanish, Italian
Screen selectable when playing GBA games (top or bottom screen)
User Information display


Power and Battery
Internal Lithium battery (Runs approximately 6-10 hours from full recharge, depending on application)
Full recharge time: 4 hours
Power management systems, such as sleep mode, included
Comes with AC adapter

By Hirohiko Niizumi -- GameSpot
POSTED: 09/21/04 11:33 AM PST

[Quintos]

Sorry for not just looking on google, but what does DS stand for?

[Zeraphin]

Dual Screen. Its a pretty cool idea. Its sorta of like the original GBA (Which was sorta like the old Sega Game Gear), but it has two halves instead of just one. The top half is your speakers and the primary screen. The second bottom half has your normal directional pad and buttons, and a second screen that is touch sensitive.

[Quintos]

Hmmm....sounds pretty cool. If i was interested in portable games then I'd check it out.

[weems]

I am completly dissastisfied with the next generation of portables. Of course, the Nintendo one is the only option, anybody who thinks that the PSP will last is deluding themselves. But dual screens? Sure, kinda cool. New. Unique. But to me it just seems like an unnesceserriy piece of hardware thats tacked on, and makes me pay more money for it. Sigh.

[Guest]

I feel kind of indifferent about the whole thing. I just got my GBA SP this year and well (which I love), and I really don't want to go out and get the DS when it is introduced. There will be bugs and problems with it, and I am just as happy waiting a bit until they are all cleared out and then jump on the bandwagon. But then again, I am just wierd.