NTT DoCoMo looks to sell handheld game manufacturers on 3G
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted July 7th 2010 3:37PM
posted July 7th 2010 3:37PM
Japanese telecom operator NTT DoCoMo is apparently in talks with heretofore unnamed manufacturers to get its 3G modules embedded in handheld game consoles. "We are discussing this with various players," said company president Ryuji Yamada. The Wall Street Journal makes an educated guess that Nintendo might be one of the "players" (or "ballers," if you will), which sounds pretty good to us: we know that the upcoming Nintendo 3DS handheld is still being tweaked, and including 3G would be a pretty big deal. We can dream, right? Either that, or move to Mexico City and get a Zeebo (sure, it's not a handheld, but whatever).
App store competitor!
@Ninetysix
For some reason I can't explain, their logo really frightens me...
dude you suck
@a dumb cat
I believe that's an old logo. They changed it in 2008, but yes, I agree the old one is hideous.
http://www.japanprobe.com/2008/04/22/ntt-docomos-new-logo/
@deepdigits Typical Engadget crafty update.
@d0mth0ma5
Yay, they changed it!
That'll be cool, then you can pay AT&T for another data plan...
Nintendo? 3D? 3G??
3 A's.
As long as they don't try to jam a phone in there then I think this could be amazing. Use the 3G to download games, MAYBE video chat while playing, but I don't really want to walk the streets talking into a 3DS.
This will be an interesting foray into 3G based gaming... lets see for Sony, Nintendo and ???
that would be awesome to have, i've actually been in situations when i wasn't near any wifi so it would be pretty useful, just hope if nintendo does it they have it on a paid subscription service and not like some tiered program
No way in hell I'd want to pay another $30/month for a data plan just to play 3DS games on the go. Wifi is just fine, thanks! Especially if you have the ability to tether off your existing data plan.
This would be very nice. Hopefully they can make it free, like the Kindle. It would be just one less thing separating the handheld from the home console (being an always-connected device).
SONY RULZ
If we got a PSP2 with HSPA, that would be pretty sick, not gonna lie. As long in the US it's the same Pentaband receiver as the Nokia N8 is, ie: 850/900/1900MHz for AT&T and 1700/2100 for T-Mobile, then we're good. Don't lock it down by carrier, and don't even bother messing with CDMA. Verizon really doesn't need to monopolize the 3G on my handheld gaming.
Oh, cool. Like that Beach Boys song.
"Way down in DoCoMo..."
Zeebo is a smarttop (smartbook components + desktop form factor) with a gaming OS
As long as they don't sign exclusivity with AT&T, this sounds pretty excellent.