DSi One Year Later

Roughly a year ago I decided to make the move from the original Nintendo DS to the new Nintendo DSi. Okay, it hasn't actually been a year, but I think I've had the new Nintendo DSi long enough to comment on the experience.

The best thing about this new machine is the new menu system, very simular to that of the Wii, that allows you to easily move from one application to another. And unless you have a very uninteresting life and never, ever take advantage of free things, you'll soon find out how useful this is.

For one reason or another, my old DS would frequently lose the wireless signal, making even getting the smallest of updates a challenge. Fortunately this is not a problem with the new DSi. When it finds a signal, it hangs on to it until your business is done.

What's cool about this is that when I'm stuck in a game, I can save my progress, open up the internet browser, and look for hints that'll help me get past my problem - without removing my game from the slot. Admittedly, the Opera browser on the DSi is not much better than the one made available for the DS. But it's free and whenever a better one becomes available, I'll easily be able to upgrade.

Because built into the DSi menu is access to Nintendo's online store where 3-4 new applications are added each week. These little add-ons range in cost from $2 - $8 each and reside in the system's memory. In other words, there is no need to get in your car and go to the store to spend $20 or more for a new game. You can purchase it from the comfort of your home. And since it's in the system memory, you don't have to fumble for cartridges - you can just browse the selections you've added and decide what you're in the mood for at that moment.

Speaking of cartridges, the DSi does not have a port for old Nintendo Gameboy Advance games. Rather, it has a slot for an SD memory card. I've not missed the GBA slot. I've found the extra memory very useful.

The DSi also has two cameras which I've had high hopes for, but have yet to deliver. Yes, you can use the cameras in exactly the same situations you've used a cell phone for, and you can use your pictures to customize your system, etc. But I'm still waiting for a game that really takes advantage of the cameras to create a new experience. There is a clever game that uses input from the camera to sense if you're moving the unit, but I've not tried it yet.

It also has an audio system that can be used like an MP3 player, but as it relies on an audio format that would require me to manually convert all of my files, I haven't even touched it.

The bottom line is, if you don't own a DS or (like me) your old DS system is getting a bit worn out, then you'll be very happy with the new Nintendo DSi.

Nintendo DSi

Hey folks, spring is here, the wildlife is abundant and the dog is chasing them.

My old Nintendo DS (not DS lite) was getting worn down, so I was looking forward to the release of the new Nintendo DSi.



Like the old DS and DS light, this little unit has two screens, a touch screen interface and wireless communication. What the new DSi lacks is a port for Gameboy Advanced cartridges - which frankly, I don't miss. What it has instead is a slot for SDHC memory cards, giving you the ability to augment the storage capacity of the machine by 2 gigabytes or more.

Why would you want to do that? Well, for one thing, this new DSi has a modular menu, similar to what you'd find on the Wii. You can add, subtract or rearrange your applications at your leisure. One of these applications, the DS store, allows you to download new games and applications directly to your unit (using the same points you use on the Wii). To make things more fun, they're giving you 1,000 points (roughly equal to $10) to play with right off the bat. Unfortunately, there's not a lot of selection in the store at the moment, but you'll want to get the free internet browser right away.

I had noted that my old DS, as of late, was very picky when connecting to the internet, frequently dropping connections. This new DSi has no trouble at all finding and keeping the signal and giving me good data. The browser still isn't as fast as my trusty computer, but it appears to be a lot better than the previous incarnation available for the DS and DS Lite.

Something else you'll want extra memory for is the built in cameras. The DSi has two cameras, one to look at you and one to look at the world around you. This promises to add some cool new features to upcoming games, but for now, you can take pictures with it. However, the DSi camera utility has some fun options that you won't find on most other mobile devices. You can distort, mirror, morph and have other fun with your pictures. I'll show some creations later - at the moment I'm too afraid that I'll break the lens with my ugly mug.

One more thing you can do with the added memory is turn your DSi into a music player. The drawback is that it only plays music in AAC format (MP4) but this is presumably so you can edit the music files in the same manner that it allows you to play with your pictures. I'm looking forward to playing with this.

For me, purchasing this new DSi was a no brainer, as I skipped the DS Lite and my original version DS was definitely showing signs of wear and tear. If you're in the same boat as me, I'm sure you'll have no trouble justifying this purchase. However, for the rest of you, your milage may vary.