Nintendo issues a non-denial DS denial

Nintendo seems to be tripping all over itself denying the rumors that broke over the weekend of a new camera-packing DS, but it's not exactly doing the greatest job -- "While Nintendo is always working on new hardware, we have not made any announcement about a DS and we cannot comment on the Nikkei story" is exactly the sort of not-quite-a-no that has our new-hardware piggy bank cowering in fear. We'll see soon, hopefully -- Ninty prez Satoru Iwata is scheduled to give his fall presentation on Wednesday.

[Via Joystiq, Image courtesy of Fami Blog]

[msm @ Sep 29th 2008 11:11PM]

LOLJK

[who? @ Sep 29th 2008 11:16PM]

Unless they up the resolution and add media playback, I'm not getting one. Even if it has a 999 megapixel camera built-in.

[thrillchuckles @ Sep 29th 2008 11:25PM]

is there some apparent cap made for megapixels that wont let it go to 1000? sorry, i have an ocd against uneven numbers. but if it were 1000, would it be a gigapixel?

[Paulmichael @ Sep 30th 2008 3:05AM]

AFAIK, there's no cap; pictures have been "taken" in the gigapixel range for a while now. Also, some people just prefer 999 to 1000, 999999 to 1000000, or other odd numbers.

[who? @ Sep 30th 2008 1:59PM]

Guess I should have said 666 megapixel camera...

[bo @ Sep 29th 2008 11:18PM]

this cat needs to be the official mascot of ds from now on

[Tony @ Sep 29th 2008 11:18PM]

A non-denial? The same way this is a non-story?

[G @ Sep 30th 2008 7:20AM]

come on, how long have you been reading engadget?
Just ordered a DS lite online 2 days ago, and now I'm major PISSED.

[Flashpoint @ Sep 29th 2008 11:29PM]

LOL a camera.

What the hell does this underpowered piece of crap need a camera for?

What it should come with is a white flag so we can surrender to the growing Asian economies and let them know, our American children will be no competition for them in the future.

And I know I'll be low ranked, but this post will still be seen - although dimmed. WAKE UP AMERICA.

[Shane @ Sep 29th 2008 11:51PM]

If Nintendo puts a camera on the DS, there's no doubt in my mind they'll create a use for it where you maybe have not envisioned one before. Nintendo is good like that.

As far as the rest of your comment, no one knows what you're babbling about so feel free to STFU.

[Chuck @ Sep 30th 2008 4:01AM]

Wait, I missed your solution to the economic problem. All I saw was a pessimistic post and something about breakfast.

[Wwhat @ Oct 1st 2008 4:45AM]

Camera would indeed require a lot of processing to use in games and not be practical in a DS, but for a kid2kid communication it might have a selling factor maybe.
It's a good point though, would it be really the thing they'd go for for a DS?

[PhoenixAvatar @ Sep 29th 2008 11:30PM]

I can just see that that cat's expression on Ninty's faces when they were asked to confirm the rumor.

[Einhanderkiller @ Sep 29th 2008 11:30PM]

I HATE THAT FUCKING CAT!

[The Dude @ Sep 30th 2008 12:54AM]

Thur muzt b sumthin wrong wit u cuz evreewun luvz teh lolcatz

[artie Lange @ Sep 30th 2008 1:01AM]

Ninjacat readz teh internetz. Ninjacat knowz were u livz. Ninjacat waitz for you to sleep.

[giuliop @ Sep 30th 2008 5:03AM]

I suggest you get this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T13J-A1ATQ

Works beautifully.

[brandon @ Sep 29th 2008 11:36PM]

A wii ui improvement would be nice, this took forever to type on the stupid little keyboard!

[Ridgecity @ Sep 29th 2008 11:50PM]

Did you know you can connect any usb keyboard to the Wii? I bought a Logitech Wireless for $19 and works great...

[Kspraydad @ Sep 30th 2008 12:27AM]

If you had a HDD in that keyboard you'd be on to something.

[brandon @ Sep 30th 2008 12:27AM]

USB keyboard support for the Wii??? I didn't think Nintendo knew how to! I swear all this Nintendo BS is making me want to bite the bullet and just get a PS3

[Paulmichael @ Sep 30th 2008 3:07AM]

You should, for LBP. :)

[Ozzman_79 @ Sep 30th 2008 1:05PM]

Except for the fact that that game sucks

[Artie Lange @ Sep 29th 2008 11:49PM]

MAI NU GAMEZ IZ 4 REEL!

[GON @ Sep 30th 2008 12:37AM]

Perhaps it's best that they didn't say anything at all.

[Charbax @ Sep 30th 2008 1:18AM]

I think they should add HSDPA option, as a module which you could swap out with WiMax or White Spaces module if you prefer.

Camera should be for video conferencing. This would be the first mass market video-conferencing option. Video conferencing could be used in games as well.

It should provide large storage such as hard drive based storage option, and download games wirelessly. There should be a wireless DS games store, as well as all the NES, SNES and N64 games should be available on that online store. Starting at $0.50 per game per day. With limits of $5 or $10 per game, after which you own the game and can play it as much as you want without having to pay anything more until they release updates for the game such as new levels.

It should play all the video codecs and have a cool web browser as well. And of course, it should run all the Android applications and have built-in GPS, electronic compass and Wii-like gyroscope detectors.

$189 they should be abole to reach that price for the basic flash memory model. But to make more money, they should have more expensive options with hard drive capacities.

[Charbax @ Sep 30th 2008 2:22AM]

All the options should have built-in SDHC card reader, USB2 host and mini-HDMI output.

The 1.8" hard drive should be removable such as using the iVDR solution. So the $189 model could have such empty iVDR slot, and you could then later decide to buy any 1.8" hard drive on the open market from 30GB to 240GB and then just insert it and reboot and there you've got lots of storage for downloading games, music, movies or other stuff.

It should provide automatic wireless firmware upgrades for new features.

The GPS, electronic compass and Wiimotion-like gyroscope detectors would provide a new interface for new kind of games that can also be location based.

If the new DS supports Bluetooth, the Wiimotes should be compatible with it so you can actually use Wiimotes to play certain games for it. Connect it to your TV using mini-HDMI and it actually transforms into a pocketable Wii console.

[Jon Nelson @ Sep 30th 2008 2:36AM]

And I'm sure this'll happen when me shit turns purple and smells of rainbow sherbet.

Not saying it wouldn't be AWESOME if it DID happen, I'm just saying it won't eeever happen.

[Paulmichael @ Sep 30th 2008 3:15AM]

Would be cool, but this is Nintendo we're talking about. You have a better chance of getting Microsoft or Sony to make such a handheld. Nintendo has all but forgotten people like us.

[Wwhat @ Oct 1st 2008 4:49AM]

We are still talking about nintendo right? and about DS's?
What you guys describe is not what nintendo is about, they'd have to sell the company then fire all of their management and replace them with a bunch of people that have a completely different outlook.

[Bones3D @ Sep 30th 2008 2:29AM]

It's highly unlikely that any new handheld system from Nintendo will feature the DS name. Especially if the hardware changes to the point that the consumer will be expected to start looking for a "system requirements" section on the back of any given game to verify whether or not their handheld meets the minimum requirements.

If anything, a handheld that deviates this far from the current DS design will likely end up carrying a different name entirely... possible a throwback to the Gameboy line. It'll also likely end up being a PSP-like device with a single, high resolution touch screen (not unlike several recent devices sporting 800x480 displays).

This doesn't necessarily rule out backward compatibility to the DS though, as many DS titles could probably function just fine using a single screen by employing display swapping or picture-in-picture. This would also pose an interesting dual purpose for the device's purported SD card slot.

Depending on how iPhone-ish Nintendo goes, you could see such a device sport a portable version of the virtual console similar to iPhone's App Store setup, containing both handheld and console titles, as well as a portable version of WiiWare. For any game developer's out there, such a feature would be huge as it would open up access to Nintendo's portable gaming market to almost anyone, rather than having to go through the whole process of having cartridges manufactured to reach end users.

[Charbax @ Sep 30th 2008 5:31AM]

I agree with your suggestion of a single touch-screen 800x480 device with a new name and picture-in-picture DS compatibility.

Or perhaps an option with again two screens but two huge 4.3" or 5" 800x480 screens.

[RC @ Sep 30th 2008 2:31AM]

Man, that cat's head makes me think of a baseball. I'd just like to cup my hand around its head. Not hurt it or anything, just to hold it softly....like a baseball. That would be so satisfying.

[AJ in the East Bay @ Sep 30th 2008 3:01AM]

Nintendo needs to clam up. They already f-ed up the first non-denial so their bad attempt at damage control is worse. They need to go in "no comment" mode.

[Paulmichael @ Sep 30th 2008 3:08AM]

I really hoped the cat meme would die a long time ago, but alas I have given up on that pipe dream...Note I said given up, not given in.

[XenoX101 @ Sep 30th 2008 5:44AM]

Says the guy with the companion cube avatar.

[wootman @ Sep 30th 2008 6:00PM]

Still alive.

[XenoX101 @ Sep 30th 2008 5:41AM]

Awww...

[Ihar `Philips` Filipau @ Sep 30th 2008 7:36AM]

Considering they actions against R4, it would be logical for them to try to thwart piracy not only in court... I personally expect new model to be incompatible with R4 or something.

Though mentioned in rumours camera in DS is least asked feature (frankly I have never seen anybody even thinking about the possibility) by fans. Instead of improving battery life or grip or adding embedded memory/organizer, they add something nobody ever needed...

[Byron Jacob @ Sep 30th 2008 10:17AM]

does anyone remember the camera that came out for the Nintendo gameboy colour? It was a massive craze when they came out but after a while it got pointless and silly and didn't do very much except take low fuzzy photos for you to add silly objects onto.
I can see this happening cause thats what nintendo do with the stuff.
Although the cat looks funny as!!!!
I can'ts top laughing at it

[Khaos @ Oct 1st 2008 10:43PM]

I should have a unit in my hands this friday to start testing. From what I hear it will just have a new insta-charge battery or something like that that will make it so you only have to charge it for FIVE minutes.