Whoa, it's true: the
rumor of a bigger screen DSi was just validated by Nintendo. Shipping November 21st in Japan, the 4.2-inch DSi LL is priced at ¥20,000 (about $221). The above comparison is straight from the Big N showing the DSi LL vs. the white DSi. Besides the obvious increase in height and width, the 21.2-mm handheld is chubbier than the 18.9-mm DSi but slimmer than the 21.5-mm DS Lite when it ships in your choice of dark brown, burgundy and natural white. The battery seems to be roughly on par with the DS Lite going for about 4 to 5 hours on maximum brightness and intensity or 13 to 17 hours when dialing back the display to its lowest settings. No word on US or international shipping yet but obviously they'd be smart to get this out in time for the holidays. A few more pics and a full spec-by-spec comparison with the DSi and DS Lite after the break.
Update: Listen up Europe, Nintendo
issued a statement saying, "a new Nintendo DSi XL console is launching in Europe in the first quarter of 2010." Note the change in name from LL to XL. Unfortunately, no price was announced.
[Via
Joystiq and
Impress]
posted Oct 29th 2009 4:12AM
honest? your not kidding?
your avatar frightens me.
I'm surprised by this new console out of nowhere. Nintendo is turning into the Apple of gaming.
there were rumors about it
"there were rumors about it"
Farts mostly.
I don't get it.
First they come up with NDS.
They felt it was too big.
So they came up with DS lite.
Then they thought it lacked a camera, an added a camera.
But then they felt it was too small.
So they made it big again.
It just feels like everything in between was an unnecessary transition phase to sell 2 more generations of consoles.
"It just feels like everything in between was an unnecessary transition phase to sell 2 more generations of consoles."
You hadn't figured this out yet after ten generations of Gameboy hardware?
All these reiterations better make the wait for the next-gen portable gaming system worth it. We're coming up on the 5 year anniversary of the DS launch in North America :(
omg duh. Why did they make the footprint bigger? Why couldn't they just get rid of that goddamn bezel on the sides of the top screen?
Nintendo ftl.
MS, get your act together and release a portable Xbox. You will absolutely TRAMPLE over the PSP and DSi, given the shenanigans they pull.
There is nothing to get beyond simple greed. Keep making the same device with minimal changes so your fanbase will feel the need to repurchase it and you will ooze money.
Bilking us for short term gains is something they have somehow successfully turned into a long term business plan.
@duke:
Are you kidding? Did they put a gun to your head and force you to buy it? I mean gosh, how DARE a company release new models of their product with different features. Those BASTARDS!
The people whining about this would probably be the same ones whining if Nintendo only stuck with the original DS model and didn't make any changes.
Either buy it or don't, it still works with all your old games, and practically all new games still work with your current DS. Its not greedy to make new/updated products, its called staying in buisness.
Wow! Where can I buy??
The story says in Japan.
If this will be the same as Nintendo has done in the past, it will released outside of Japan during March.
ebay
If other sites are anything to go by, there is going to be a lot of senseless complaints about this slightly updated handheld.
It's just a DSi with a larger stylus and larger screens, primarily aimed at the older people who may have trouble reading small text and/or using a tiny stylus. It in no way impedes on the functionality of any existing DSi or makes your current DSi worthless.
Yeah, and though not mentioned in the article it looks like its made to be sold along side the DSi not a further replacement like the DSi was to the DS lite.
thank you for turning the formless miasma of directionless, crosseyed confusion into reasonable fact, clear as day.
three adhesive gold stars for you sir.
yeah, grandpas will be lining up on launch day to get this for sure
The thing is, I like my portable gaming consoles to be well, portable. The GBA SP is a perfect compromise of portability and fun, but the entire DS series, as well as the PSP, are just too damn big. Not helping, Nintendo.
Why? I have never wished that my PSP was any smaller. In fact, I often wish it was bigger. The DS is a okay, but it's small size and squarish corners makes it hard to play for long stretches. One of my favorite handheld consoles of all time was the Atari Lynx. Just perfect ergonomics, easy to play for hours on end, and small enough to put in my backpack for plane trips, etc. The only reason to want a smaller console is to be able to put in your pocket, but is that something you even want to do? I admit that I'm a gadget nerd but at least I have the presence of mind to not exacerbate the situation by having a Nintendo in my pocket at all times. Seriously, how do you ever expect to meet girls that way?
Because if I'm riding the train or the bus, waiting for anything it's nice to have a portable console in your pocket. Any time I would be willing to drag a DS or a PSP around, since they can't fit comfortably in my pockets, I'd probably be busy actually doing something else OR be in reach of a PC or home console. The whole point of portable consoles is to bring them with you, and if that's inconvenient, then they don't have much of a point.
haha, and the controls are just as small as on the dsi!
And are they going to bother increasing the resolution at all, or is it going to be the same mind-blowing HD quality 256 x 192 pixels? Seriously, I love that dot pitch.
256 x 192 for a 4.2" screen... Ain't it just amazing?
And we complain for a 480 x 320 on a 3.5" screen XD.
I imagine for the target audience of people who need a large screen and a giant arthritis friendly stylus, the pixel structure won't be as visible.
I think it's fine. Some of the games you really have to look close. I don't think it's too good for our children to look at things so small for a long time anyways. It makes their face glued to the game.
Are they also planning a bigger Wii?
I want my girlfriend to say: "Oh my God, thats a HUGE Wii. And its black too!"
"Yah! I bought it used!"
It's.... big.
That thing is beastly! Although games are gonna start looking like crap stretched across those gigantic screens.
I gave my mother my original DS when I upgraded to the Lite, and although she loves the system, she's constantly fumbling with the tiny stylus. That large pen is just what the doctor ordered, especially if it can fit inside the console without slipping out like the stylus in her DS constantly does. I do question the need for a new DS so soon after the last one, but I can certainly understand its purpose.
a larger pen justify a new entire handheld design?
So stupid....
So it's just a DS for old people or people with poor eyesight. (DS Seniors edition)
Kind of makes sense - but this could qualify as the most uninteresting console product update ever.
It's lovely that they are truly committed to making their consoles accessible. I would've hoped for a more ergonomic GBA-like design though.
if you got a pair of size S jeans, and the company starts selling XL sized jeans, will you complain to the company that they've got enough size S jeans and shouldn't make XL ones?
I'm a pretty short/slim guy, and they NEVER have enough small jeans. Where do you shop?
Well.. now the stylus is fat and long.. :) can be used for multiple purposes
Has the pocket become irrelevant, I honestly thought that people where neglecting devices that where too big to put away in one's pocket but at the same time didn't want to carry around something bulky and cumbersome. I just don't see this devise fitting in the average pocket and as we know the umpc market is never going to work, I think its strange that companies are even considering tablets with very little interest from the public and that portable consoles should stay within the smart phone dimensions and keep things portable.
Nintendo should just release an even smaller DSi in America just to dominate the handheld market.
Damn, they better up the resolution (if even just a little bit to like CGA or something). I have my original plat DS in front of me and according to this calculator ( http://thirdculture.com/joel/shumi/computer/hardware/ppicalc.html ); the screens dot pitch is .2381 and from as far as a foot (and depending on the background sometimes two feet) I can clearly see the pixels and lines between them. I can't imagine how crappy the screens are gonna look when the dot pitch goes up to .3334 on these.
I am happy with my DSi thank you very much,.. just imagine how the pixels would look on that!
Ill wait for the new Nvidia Tegra based DS...sounds more appealing,.
Meh, DS Lite is still the best of the three, its got the Gemuboiadobansukatorijjisurotto!
Game Boy Advanced Cartridge Slot! ;)
Well we know the Japanese will buy these in their millions, because anything with Nintendo on it is worth buying to them, I'm 100% sure on this. (I hope)
"We ahhh heaia in Japann wit-ooo the rerease of de new ds-er-er and de crowduu is makin its ewey heaia in to de moll . . . . wat is dis the crowdu is goring krazy! Dey aw smashing everiiting! OOO nnoooooo it is becasuu de horribo skrrrreen! Ahhhhh . . . .. Kamachi-San u getu camerra drun drun drun!!! Benchu chin desu chi tsu !!! AHHHHHH ds-er-er for me nooooo!! dser-er for me noooo!!! Not my bat!!. . . . . . "
No offense Japan FTW. . .lol
WANT!
I play my DS/PSP mostly on the crapper anyway. Slightly less portability doesn't bother me. On the go I just play or browse on my phone.
so grD eBay officials.
clarks shoes
That screen looks gigantic! Almost netbook like.
IMHO it would make much more sense to get rid of the gigantic bezel on the upper screen, hence making the screen bigger while maintaining the same overall size.
Then there would be a bezel around that screen as well.
priced at ¥20,000 (about $221).
That seems rather steep to me just for a little bigger screen.
Oh when will they have Dsi SS for hamster?????
Zomgz it's hyooge!
But seriously, I dunno, I don't think it's that much bigger per se. I mean I know it is taller and wider, but it's not that much thicker, it'd be kinda like having a small net book in your pocket (or bag).
8.4 inches vs 6 (on the lite) and 7 (on the 'i'). Interesting, Movie player on the side maybe? But then again the hinge would be annoying...
Now that I think about it, why doesn't the big 'N' release a 3.0", 3.5" and the 4.2" Worldwide, then like Apple is in Pro Notebooks, Nintendo will have three sizes I suppose they could find markets...
Nintendo, I am disappoint. Making a bigger screen, fair enough. Just making everything bigger (inc. bezels) is missed opportunity to sleek-up the design for 2010 (rather than rehash a design from Jan '06)
this with that lens - lol. i think i'll stick to a dslr instead
...the games are just going to look worse on those bigger screens. does anyone really want a bigger ds anyways? this makes no sense.
This is why you have a freaking marketing department. Dah!
I want Android on a DSi LL!
seems like the last ds push before they release there next gen handheld next year (late next year).
It only does...nothing different.
Is this just to allow the fat sausage fingered kids play the DSi too? Or maybe for grandad and grandma?
Best feature ever: Gemuboiadobansukatorijjisurotto
I work in a hospital in Holland. You'll be amazed at how many elderly are playing with a DS. This is probably made especially for them. Larger screen and thicker pen. For kids the normal lite or DSi will be sufficient.
dammit, we just bought my uncle a dsi for his upcoming bday from dell.com, i wonder if they do refunds....anyone here know?
All I wanna know is - CAN THE BROWSER FINALLY PLAY VIDEOS?! WHAT'S A BROWSER WITHOUT FLASH VIDS??? (WHAT'S A ZEBRA WITHOUT IT'S STRIPES?... AN ORDINARY DONKEY!)
I can't help but think this is just an update for anti-piracy besides of course the size of the handheld console. LOL.
Just like what Sony are doing annually. Every year they release a different version of consoles. Thinking about it. It's just another battle against piracy. ROFL.
But they could just release a firmware update if they wanted to fix it...
Maybe it's a response to the iPhone's assault on the gaming sector? Bigger screens, more versatility (internet browser, SD slot, etc). I think that could be where Nintendo's going with this. Just a thought.
Nice translation, Europe.
Am I the only one who thinks DSi (old and new) look ugly and awkward? I understand that it's fun gaming device with some impressive specs, but those bezels, buttons and overall shape are so 1995...
This is just Nintendo up to their regular games. My girlfriend birthday is mid December. I wonder if i should get her one of these or just the normal one.
I would say just get an iPod touch because it's available now and supports hand gestures. Plus, it is easily the best portable gaming console ever, with its thousands of apps in the app store, and generous multi-touch screen. I have one and I love it.
So the screen is bigger.
The Stylus is bigger (looks like a fatty ;)
But they couldn't make the button and dpad bigger? :(
The one thing thing that annoys me aout the NDS is the buttons.
Too bad they didn't take the extra size to fit a GBA slot there.
It would be the perfect DS. But I'll fetch one anyway ;)
Nintendo will not survive the console war if they are keeping to change only some little details on exsisting (relatively old) hardware.
Who cares about a black Wii, or a DS v.1, v.1.1 etc.
But that's also true for the Xbox 360, and PS3 / PSP I guess...
the said price is not true. when it hits japan on november 21st, expect it will be higher than the said price of 20000yen. trust me i live in japan and i know how they sell gadgets here. i'm getting one of this DSi LL/XL and i'll make a review of it on my youtube account. aspire5583wxmi is my youtube channel. check my channel for upcoming video of the Nintendo DSi LL/XL.
What i need is holographic display, surreal environment, 1:1 action, and a whole lotta fun.
So out of topic, looks like a perfect Pocket Netbook! Two 4.2" screens, the bottom one could be used for data input and the upper one is vice versa. Wish it could happen!
I also wonder if this is the DSi with NVIDIA's Tegra processor. ;)
DS Lite- Fits in my jeans pocket nicely
DSi- A little tight in the pocket.
DSi LL- Barely will fit in my pocket. This thing is huge and bulky. What happened to portability?
Instead of modifying the screen size, the DSi LL should have kept the same screen size, add WPA 2, and a GBA Slot.