BREAKING: Nintendo announces the Nintendo DS i

As a press conference earlier today, Nintendo puts the rumors to rest with the announcement of the new version of DS. Here are the details:

General Info

• Name is called Nintendo DS i
  
• Release date: November 1 st, 2008 in Japan. 2009 for other countries. 
  
• Price: 18,900 yen (around 180 dollars)
  

Hardware: Smaller than the Lite with 2 cameras and SD card slot

• Form factor is similar to the Nintendo DS Lite. It is now 2.6 mm thinner.
  
• Both screens are now 3.25 inches (previous DS screens were 3 inches)
  
• Both screens are touch-compatible
• “2” .3 mega pixel camera – one on the inside and one on the outside
  
• Comes in black and white.
  
• SD memory card slot
  
• The GBA game slot is now gone
  

Software: Introducing the Nintendo DS i Shop

• built-in software to playback mp3 music files
  
• Nintendo DS i Shop (basically, the DS version of the Wii shopping channel)
  
• From this shop, users can download a Nintendo DS i browser (free) to browse the web. The other application that is free is the “Ugoku Memo Cho,” translated as toe “Moving Memo Pad" - an app for you to draw comic flip books. Users can also buy other apps called DSi Ware like calculator. Sounds like iPhone’s apps store.
  

Other stuff
At the press conference, there are also other announcements such as new DS and Wii games. For me the big news is Punch Out for Wii coming in 2009. You can find more coverage at IGN.

The Nintendo DS i sure has some similar things with the iPhone. Black and white color variation. Nintendo DS I Shop and App Store. Hmm… interesting ain’t it? Perhaps Miyamoto-san and Jobs-san are good friends.

Source:

• Nintendo Press Release (Japanese)
  
• IGN