Waiting for a price drop on the Nintendo Wii or DS? Don't hold your breath. Nintendo's Satoru Iwata told analysts on Friday that there are no price drop plans for the hot-selling units. Iwata insisted this is because Nintendo doesn't want to annoy those who already paid full price, but it's pretty clear that there's also just no need to drop the price on something that's already selling like mad.

[Via Joystiq]

Nintendo's DS Lite tends to find itself intertwined in obscure MIDI projects fairly often, so it's no shock to see yet another enterprise linking the handheld to some fairly swank beats. By utilizing a homegrown DS MIDI apparatus along with dStep software, the DS Lite is able to transform into quite the potent little step sequencer. Of course, anything musically-related digests easier with video, so jump on past the break for a lengthy demonstration (and peep the read link if you're eager to replicate).

[Via MAKE]

According to reports (translated, possibly misunderstood, clearly speculative reports), come this year's E3, Nintendo could be rolling out a brand-spanking-new DS -- most likely very unlike the one pictured above. If you follow the text in a Bloomberg Japan article, Famicom magazine publisher Hirokazu Hamamura says that the timing of E3 would fall right in line with the two-year stagger the Big N has applied to other handheld releases. Of course, Nintendo is saying "no comment," though we find that's usually the last thing they say before introducing the Wii, Game Boy, N64, Harry Potter Wand, or Ultimate Doomsday Device.

[Via Joystiq; Image courtesy Kris/Rakka]

Good news, DS owners! You too will soon be able to shred just like those kids with stay-at-home consoles -- sort of, at least. According to a first look over at Video Games Zone, the summer-bound Guitar Hero on Tour title can be really enjoyed with the aptly-named Guitar Grip. As you can see above, it is limited to just four buttons, but nevertheless, it allows users to hold the DS upright and tap the buttons of the peripheral -- which is suitably fitted into the GBA slot -- and strum the touchscreen to take care of the pickin'. Sure, it's a far cry from wielding a full-fledged axe, but it's not too shabby for shredding on the run. Check out a smorgasbord of pictures and a promo video in the read link below.

[Via NeoGAF]

Quite frankly, we're a bit shocked it took this long for the paint gun-wielding gurus over at Colorware to start fancying up Nintendo's famed DS Lite, but just in case The Big N has yet to unveil a hue that floats your boat, look no further. As with most everything else it sells, you can send in your current unit in order to receive it back in a whole new outfit, but those who've yet to jump on board the bandwagon can acquire their very first DS Lite already modified. Best of all, Colorware lets you paint up the main frame, button pad, front port, bottom, L / R buttons and even the stylus separately (for a cost, of course), so those looking to relive the 70s can toss together some seriously groovy combinations. Go on, hit up the read link and exercise that artistic muscle.

[Via CNET]

Price fixing isn't ever fun -- unless you're the company doing it and expect to get away with it, and then it's like a total blast, dude. But hopefully that isn't actually the case with Sharp and Hitachi, whose offices were apparently raided by the Japanese Fair Trade Commission on suspicion of fixing display prices for the DS; Nintendo's throw its hands up in the air exclaiming that it was unaware of the supposed screen cartel, and something else about just when they thought were out, they got pulled back in.

Update: A spokesperson for Nintendo of America commented that "The Fair Trade Commission in Japan conducted on the spot investigations with Sharp and Hitachi Displays in Japan with the suspicion that these two companies formed a cartel regarding the prices of LCDs that they sold to Nintendo. At this point in time, Nintendo is not in a position to make any comments on this, except to confirm that Nintendo itself is not being investigated by the FTC."

It's not like there's any shortage of highly desirable DS / DS Lites out there, but we've all ideas this particular iteration will be one desired by many and acquired by (very) few. Japanese clothing company A Bathing Ape (Bape) has apparently signed on to put its spin on Nintendo's darling of a handheld, littering both a gold and white DS Lite with Milo characters. As for pricing, we'll just assume that those that need to ask should simply push this far from the forefront of their minds.

[Via DSFanboy]

It's hard to deny that Apple's MacBook Air advertisement is pretty catchy, and while the DS Lite doesn't exactly pull off the whole envelope exit quite as elegantly as Cupertino's latest lappie, it doesn't do a half bad job representin'. In the spoof waiting for you after the jump, you'll see a black DS Lite retrofitted into the MBA spot, and while the text, lighting and overall smoothness isn't on par with the original, at least the music is spot-on. Click on though to see for yourself.

[Via DSFanboy]

Update: Psh, thanks for pulling the video, YouTube and / or user. Well, trust us, it like totally existed. ... Ok, looks like we're back. Thanks EspadaUno.

Legitimate (read: legal) Famicom support for your DS Lite may seem like a dream come true for the retro gamer, but Cyber Gadget's Cyber Famulator Lite might be a little much to ask for all but the geekiest. You have to strap on a (barely) pared down "famiclone" system onto your cute little portable, but pulling out and blowing into a dirty old Metroid cart on the go will no doubt be a privilege for some.

[Via ExtremeTech]

You know how rough it is -- trying to procure a couple of those Duke Xbox controllers for your man-sized paws. Thankfully, for folks such as yourself, GAMETECH's busting out the Sound Shell, which takes the apparently dangerously small DS Lite and gives it plenty of fat. Besides adding on a pair of sure-to-be-booming speakers to the rear, this thing also provides a nifty storage nook for your earbuds and a totally necessary kickstand. You could blow ¥3,200 ($30) on this, or you could look a whole lot more hip by just picking up a similarly beefy Game Boy and kickin' it old school.

[Via DSFanboy, image courtesy of Technabob]

We already knew Nintendo's DS was quite the popular handheld, and while the PSP recently overtook it in Japanese hardware sales, the most recent numbers show that the Big N's famed DS has actually rocketed above the mighty PlayStation 2 in lifetime sales (in Japan). Notably, the numbers do combine DS and DS Lite units, but there's no mention of how the systems stack up worldwide. Nevertheless, the feat is a fairly impressive one when you consider how much longer the PS2 has been available compared to the DS, and unless Sony somehow lightens the PS2 load even further and starts bundling them in with cereals, we doubt it will reclaim the top spot anytime soon.

[Via DSFanboy, thanks J]

If you're still teetering on the edge of picking up a DS Lite for yourself, here's yet another reason to go ahead and pull the trigger. Dai Nippon Printing has partnered with AM3 in order to offer up a new way to get content / media onto Nintendo's handheld. The system, dubbed DSvision, will enable DS / DS Lite owners to purchase a variety of material through the web, including books, comics, movies, music, etc., and then transfer the files over to the DS for on-the-go enjoyment. The product package will reportedly include a 512MB microSD card, a DS cartridge adapter and a USB adapter (shown after the jump) for use with one's PC. It looks as though the hardware will hit Japanese shelves in January for ¥3,980 ($37), but the web-based content delivery system won't go live until March.

[Via SlashGear]

Sometimes those rumors are spot-on. Just like we heard, Nintendo is launching two special-edition Nintendo DS bundles for the holidays. The Gold edition ships with The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass while the Metallic Rose ships with the Best Friends version of Nintendogs. Each comes emblazoned with the series' signature logo, "a shiny nugget that any gamer -- girl or guy -- would be proud to show off." Right, 'cause all gamers love to show off their nuggets. Available on November 23rd for an undisclosed price, though expected to be $150 like the rumor said.