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Nintendo DSi - Source: Breakfast -
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Nintendo releases the new DSi handheld game console on Thursday April 2. Gadget Guy Ben Gracewood got a sneak preview...
Nintendo DSi
Price: $399
Product website
Where to buy: Most electronics retailers and dedicated game
stores.
Rating:4/5
The DSi might look like an evolution on the previous DS console, but it is more like a revolution. The screens are bigger and brighter, and the dual cameras are more than just a gimmick. The removal of the Gameboy Advance game slot has allowed Nintendo to slim the console down by a barely noticeable 13%.
The built-in camera software is great fun, but doubles as a fairly serious photo archive too, with a calendar to show you when the photos were taken. The 3 megapixel external camera is never going to out-shoot your regular digital camera, but it's more than enough to capture memories. The 0.3mp internal camera will no doubt spawn some interesting new games, with at least one Wario title already announced: you leave the DSi on a flat surface, then wave your body around in front of the camera to play.
I personally prefer to use dedicated devices for photos, music, and gaming, but I'm sure a large number of DSi buyers will appreciate its ability to store and play music files. The downside is the DSi doesn't support normal MP3 files: you'll need to convert music to AAC.
Nintendo have stepped up their online game with DSiWare: an online shop that you can use to browse and purchase games and add-ons right on the console (assuming you have access to a Wifi network). If you've used the Nintendo store on the Wii console, you'll be familiar with the approach.
Of course you can play all your old DS games. The removal of the GBA slot means you won't be playing any old GameBoy games, but there is a huge back catalog of DS games available.
