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]

Nearly a year after the innovative (albeit not-entirely-practical) Nintendo Fan Network went live at Safeco Field in Seattle, the powers that be have decided to nix those pesky access fees and give every DS-toting guest access gratis. That's right, folks who show up to catch a Mariners game can now check out other MLB scores, dig deep within player stats, order up grossly overpriced grub and even watch a terribly pixelated version of the game they're currently at without handing over one red cent. The nosebleed section never had so much potential.

[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]

There's already been quite a few musicians (and would-be ones) brought into the Nintendo DS fold thanks to apps like Jam Sessions, but it looks like there could soon be another wave flocking to the popular handheld, with the official, Korg-approved DS-10 synthesizer from AQ Interactive now headed for the DS in Japan. As you can see for yourself in the video after the break, like Jam Sessions, the synthesizer is anything but a game, with it boasting two patchable virtual synths with two oscillators each, a drum machine, a sequencer, and a full range of effects, to name but a few features. You'll also apparently be able to wirelessly link up several systems to play together or simply exchange sounds and songs, although you'll apparently have to make do without MIDI support. Needless to say, we'll keep you posted on any word of a release 'round these parts, but in the meantime, you can look forward to this one hitting Japan in July for ¥4,800, or just under $50.

[Via Create Digital Music, thanks to everyone who sent this in]

It's not enough that the Wii Fit is trying to cajole you into getting off your couch and actually engaging in physical activity -- now the DS is worming in on the action. Developer Ubisoft is rolling out My Weight Loss Coach for the handheld, and going the extra mile (ha ha!) by including a pedometer add-on which interfaces with the system. Apparently, the idea is that you'll keep the pedometer in a pocket or on a belt buckle during the day, then plug the unit into your DS and let the software calculate how much fat you've burned -- thus keeping track of your daily regimen and adjusting accordingly. The game / device combo is launching in one-croissant-too-many Europe this summer, no word on when it hits the morbidly obese States.

[Via DS Fanboy]

Although this is far from being the weirdest union (or proposal, for that matter) we've ever seen, Xanga user p3ng decided to throw tradition to the wind (at least momentarily) when proposing to his now-fiancée. Put simply, he built a custom version of Bejeweled (the lady's favorite game in the whole wide world) in which a pixelated engagement ring scrolled onto the screen once a certain score was hit. Needless to say, his awestruck girlfriend could barely contain her excitement as she uttered "yes," and we absolutely expect the Guitar Zeros to be the house band at the forthcoming reception.

[Via DSFanboy]

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."

Back in our day we had to use these things called "laptops" to make music, but now it seems like any kid off the street can rock out with a jailbroken iPhone and some Red Bull. Put two of these ADD-addled youngsters together with a DS Phat-toting friend and you've got New York avant-garde out the wazoo. We hear Matthew Barney is designing the iconic cover art as we speak. Video is after the break.

[Thanks, Basar]

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.

We're always a little skeptical of piracy impact numbers, especially when companies try to factor in things like "lost sales," which can't be adequately measured, but it's still interesting to hear how large the hit is estimated to be -- like Nintendo's recent filing with the US Trade Representative that piracy cost it and its partners some $975m worldwide in 2007. Saying that the popularity of the Wii and DS makes Nintendo an "attractive target" for counterfeiters, the big N broke the problem down by region, highlighting its efforts to stem the tide and proposed solutions and regulations. We'd say that with profits soaring and plenty of people clamoring for hard-to-find systems, Nintendo could probably get back a little of that cash by finally getting some boxes on shelves instead of pushing for new laws, but hey -- even Mario's lawyers probably get sick of being paid in mushrooms.

[Image courtesy of Nick Cueva]