[ # ] New Nintendo DSi Announced for End of Year Release

/* Posted October 1st, 2008 at 11:39pm */
/* Filed under DS, Nintendo */

Satoru Iwata has just announced a facelift for the fast-selling Nintendo DS Lite slated to be released near the end of the year, most likely just in time for the big holiday season. The new DS, dubbed the DSi, will sport a camera to take pictures and support music playback functionality. The DS now takes a firm step into iPhone territory, long labeled a competitor to the DS when the App Store was introduced.

The DSi will also be capable of advanced wireless communication (note the three LED indicators on the left hinge) and from the looks of the comparison with the current DS model, a larger screen on top and bottom to boot. The new DSi is currently priced in Japan at $189, up from the current handheld console’s $129 price tag. Additionally, Nintendo is renaming its current “Wii Points” naming convention for points bought through the Nintendo Store via the Wii to “Nintendo Points,” the reason being that the Nintendo points might be used to get content also on the DS in the near future and the existing “Wii Points” would be misleading regarding its scope.