DS Lite
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Band Hero's Nintendo DS Lite peripherals get pictured
Holding out for the family-friendly Band Hero on your Nintendo DS Lite? That wait just got a lot tougher. In a move obviously made to tease those already leaning towards purchasing the title when it hits shelves later this year, Activision has pushed out a smattering of renders that show a drum kit covering (ahem, Drum Grip™), guitar fretboard and even a pick to strum the touchscreen. Not much to go on, sure, but it's definitely good for keeping our attention while the dog days of summer drag on. The full, brief announcement is after the break.[Via Joystiq]
Engadget's recession antidote: win a Transformers Nintendo DS Lite Armor case and stylus!
This whole global economic crisis, and its resulting massive loss of jobs got us thinking. We here at Engadget didn't want to stand helplessly by, announcing every new round of misery without giving anything back -- so we decided to take the opportunity to spread a little positivity. We'll be handing out a new gadget every day (except for weekends) to lucky readers until we run out of stuff or companies stop sending things. Today we've got a Transformers Bumblebee Nintendo DS Starter Kit, which includes a protective Nintendo DS Lite Armor sleeve and universal stylus. We'll also be throwing in a Megatron strylus just for fun! Read the rules below (no skimming -- we're omniscient and can tell when you've skimmed) and get commenting! Hooray for free stuff!The rules: Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too. You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine. Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad. Winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive one (1) Transformers Nintendo DS Lite Starter Kit and one (1) Megatron stylus. If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen. Entries can be submitted until Friday, July, 3rd, at 11:59PM ET. Good luck! Full rules can be found here.
Nintendo selling puzzlingly vintage Professor Layton bundle in UK
That's the first Professor Layton game. And a DS Lite. Despite the current availability of a new DS system, and the impending launch of a new Professor Layton game, Nintendo is planning a UK release of a bundle containing a black DS Lite and the extremely popular first Professor Layton game, due in stores June 19.MCV suggests that it's being positioned as a Father's Day bundle, but we could see it selling well beyond the gift-giving occasion, due to two factors: first, the enduring hit status of Professor Layton, and second, wow, is that ever a classy-looking box design.
Nintendo rolls out lime green DS bundle just in time for Mother's Day
Talk about things you never knew you didn't want! If Mom hadn't much use for a Nintendo DS Lite before, do you think that throwing in some cooking software is gonna change her mind? Neither do we. That said, if you're really stuck for a Mother's Day present (or just want one you can play Nintendogs on), this bad boy hits the shops May 3rd. You are now free to go back to reading Garfield Minus Garfield and counting down the minutes 'til Happy Hour.
Nintendo phasing out white, silver DS Lites in UK
The UK will gain two new DS options in April, but two current options are on the way out. Nintendo has "ceased" production of the Polar White and Metallic Silver models, which have been available since launch and October 2007, respectively. We would expect those more "neutral" colors of DS to be the most popular, but apparently UK consumers like their DS Lites to say "Hey everybody, this guy's got a DS!""Nintendo can confirm that going forward, we will be focussing our supply of the DS Lite range on the range of exciting colours that have proved most popular since launch: Black, Pink, Red, Green and Turquoise," a Nintendo UK representative told CVG. The company also said that it would increase the number of DS Lite bundles.
Nintendo doubles up Sony's PSP, ships 100 millionth DS handheld
Nearly a month ago to the day, Sony triumphantly proclaimed that it had sold its 50 millionth PlayStation Portable. Now, Nintendo's making that figure look awfully small by shipping its 100 millionth DS handheld. The number includes original DS, DS Lite and DSi systems, and clearly, those sales are still going strong. The original DS launched way back in late 2004, while the totally hip DSi is slated to ship here in the United States in under a month. So, who's taking bets on how long it takes to hit the magical 200 million mark?
Video: Nintendo DSi browser dramatically outpaces the DS Lite
Good news for all you crazy kids waiting in eager anticipation for the Nintendo DSi's Stateside release. According to very scientistic benchmarks conducted by the folks over at N+, the up-and-coming handheld's Opera browser not only loads the New York Times website much faster than the DS Lite does, but it's clever enough to start with the text -- giving you something to read while you wait for pictures of the war torn Gaza Strip to materialize (and bum you out on an otherwise beautiful Monday afternoon). Unlike the DS Lite, Opera for the DSi is free, and it can be saved directly to the device's internal memory. No fuss, no muss -- right? But don't take our word for it, we've been kind enough to provide a video for your after the break.[Via Joystiq]
Half-price DSi when you trade in a console at GAME
Looking to pick up a DSi at launch, but not sure what to do with your old DS Lite? Brits will be able to trade it in at their local GAME and pick up the new model for half price. That's £74.99, in case you're wondering. GAME's operations director, Robert Quinn, claims that the company will "have plenty of stock and some fantastic launch offers to give customers the best possible experience."If you're not willing to part with your old DS Lite, the offer also extends to unwanted Xbox 360s, PSP-3000s and Wiis. To be honest, though, all of those are worth far more than the 75 quid you'd be getting in return. The DSi is released in Europe on April 3 and will retail for £150. That gives you plenty of time to hunt around the house for your old DS Lite box. You do still have it, right?
No charger required for the solar-powered DS 'Light'
If you're an environmentally conscious DS Lite owner with a proclivity for modding, you may want to check out a recent Instructable that shows how to craft a solar-powered DS "Light" using relatively inexpensive components. By attaching solar panels to the top and bottom of the system, you can get a sun-fueled trickle-charge which should keep you from ever needing to plug in your Gore-approved handheld ever again.Unfortunately, you have to leave your system lying on its easily blemished belly for a bit in order to get an adequate amount of power, but such is the cost of Earth's climatological salvation.[Via Engadget]
DS Lite solar panel mod lets you leave the PSU at home
If you've got some 60 x 60 solar panels, a few diodes, some scotch tape, and a little time on your hands, you may never need to plug in your DS ever again. According to "dark sponge," a poster over at Instructables, you can convert the Lite into a solar-powered wonder that will obviate the need for your standard PSU, and make your green leaning friends, er... green with envy. The mod involves slapping panels on both the bottom and top of the device which -- when wired in parallel -- get 6 volts of power at 80 mA, which is apparently perfect for a trickle charge. The only downside is you'll have to leave the device face down for a bit, and it's advised to keep it out of the sun all day. Still, it's an excellent mod that doesn't seem too difficult to execute, and ends up saving hassle and energy... and who can knock that? [Via SlashGear]
Rumor: DS Lite Onyx gets discontinued
It's pretty tough to be edgy and goth when so many people use you to pretend to pet dogs, but the Onyx DS Lite model has done its best to pull it off. Now, sadly, the black sheep of the DS Lite family is moving on to receive its greater reward, having been discontinued by Nintendo, according to a supposed Gamestop newsletter.Does that mean those of you who missed out will never own a jet black DS? No, of course not. You can just expect to pay more for one that has a couple of cameras attached.
DS sells 2 million in Korea
The Wii has had a tough time in Korea, but the same cannot be said of the DS. The little handheld that could has sold over 2 million units in the region since it launched little over a year ago -- a surprise considering the company only passed the 1 million milestone last month. Keep it up, Koreans. You have excellent taste![Via Go Nintendo]Source - Telecoms Korea (subscription required)
Brando's 7-in-1 USB charging cable is a handheld owner's dream come true
It's truly heartbreaking that this gem wasn't available for purchase back when you desperately needed a low-cost gift for that special gamer in your life, but considering how lame the chocolate box you got him / her was, there's still reason to snap this up and slap a belated label on it. Brando's ingenious 7-in-1 USB Charging Cable provides power for PSP, DS, DS Lite, DSi and Game Boy Advance handhelds, and all that is required is a powered USB port and $7. Oh, and the bravery to allow a cable made by Brando (or some random backwoods company in China that Brando is in cahoots with) charge hundreds of dollars worth of your gadgetry.[Via DSFanboy]
DS Lite breaks DS Lite's single-week UK sales record
Uh-oh, we've trotted out the "It Prints Money" image. That must mean DS Lite has sold well for the quadrillionth time; and it has. In this case, it beat its own record in the UK for single-week sales, set this time last year. MCV reports that the DS Lite was the best-selling system for the week of November 29 to December 6, with UK shoppers snapping up more of the handheld than they have any other games machine in a seven-day period ever. The site quotes GFK-ChartTrack director, Dorian Bloch, as divining, "We can now assume that if there is still some DS Lite stock in the land in the next couple of weeks, the record will go again." Go, DS Lite, go. After all, your status as the darling of hardware sales may only last until summer 2009.
British gov't warns parents about 'fake' DS Lites
In this case, the "D" in "DS" stands for "dangerous." BBC News reports that the British government is warning parents about the dangers of counterfeit Nintendo DS and DS Lite systems being imported into the UK. According to the BBC, these "fake" handhelds include power adapters prone to catching fire. Well, the DS' codename was Nitro ...HM Revenue & Customs rep, Claire Merrills, told the BBC that there could be something more sinister going on here than mere crappy adapters errupting into flames. She cautioned parents, saying that "When you buy these goods, you're not funding our economy, you're actually funding criminals in these far off places and it could be linked to terrorism." Yes, she went there.Her advice for avoiding these knockoff terror devices: Check to make sure they're real. Our advice: If it's half the price of a DS, advertised as "brand new," and called a "Nintando D-Light," pass on it, 'kay? We're dying (not by fire) to see one of these things, actually. UK readers: you have your mission. Pictures in comments if you can find one, por favor.
UK parents instructed about knockoff consoles
Knockoff electronics must be a big issue in the UK, because the BBC is airing a public service advisary from Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs that takes extra care to show parents and other potential gaming consumers the warning signs of counterfeit goods. Not only is it a danger to shoppers because it's not what they intended to purchase, but because these counterfeit devices could pose a fire hazard or some other danger to the child or children the gift is intended for. They provide a handy little checklist that allows consumers to know if they're looking at a legit Nintendo handheld or some knockoff.%Gallery-22256%
UK warns that fake imported DS handhelds could be hazardous
HM Revenue & Customs has put out an official report warning that "hundreds of imported counterfeit game consoles seized at UK freight depots were found to have been supplied with potentially dangerous power adapters." Most of the wares had been purchased at a deep discount from Asian websites claiming to sell "genuine Nintendo products" for over 50% off. The Big N has already stepped in to confirm that the DS / DS Lites are indeed counterfeit, and the accompanying power adapters were also deemed "potentially dangerous, since they had not been electronically tested and do not meet strict UK safety standards." C'mon parents -- even if the youngin' has been bad, we'd still say coal is more fitting than a stocking full of potential electrocution.[Via Pocket-lint, image courtesy of Infendo]
DSi sales surpass 500K in Japan
Nintendo's DSi has sold 535,379 units in Japan since its November 1 launch, according to a report from Enterbrain. The latest cog in the company's perpetual money-making machine was reportedly short on supply for the first few weeks, which most readers should know by now is the modus operandi. To date, the DS lineup has sold over 24 million in Japan since launching December 2004. The not-so-hack proof DSi should be launching worldwide by Summer 2009.[Via Gamasutra]
DS Lite 'New Super Mario Bros.' bundle unboxing and hands-on
Look, we know there's nothing especially fresh about the New Super Mario Bros. DS Lite bundle that's just been issued for the holidays, but we're absolutely a sucker for anything red and stamped with a big M. We have to say, after struggling with the packaging (c'mon Nintendo, it took a knife and a pair of scissors), we were a little disappointed by the lack of style inside the box. Hey, we can't all be the Omnia. Check out the really red action in the gallery below.%Gallery-37986%
DS Daily: What to do with you?
With the Nintendo DSi releasing to the public in Japan (and to some of us who wanted it too much to wait), we imagine many folk might still hold on to their DS Lite or Phat for homebrew or any other reason. It's not that there won't be DSi homebrew in the future, just, for now, the community isn't as diverse and robust as that for the original DS systems. And why get rid of such a sleek and sexy handheld?With that in mind, will you be haning on to your DS when you inevitably break down and get your own DSi? Or will you trade in, sell, or pass on your DS when you get a DSi of your own? Made any plans?
