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DS Daily: Who's got their skin on?
GelaSkins' awesome range of DS skins got us thinking about decorating our handhelds all over again, but who out there has already skinned their DS, and which design did you opt for? Better still, have any of you customized your own DS skin? If so, now is your chance to show it off (pictures are a must for this DS Daily, obviously), and perhaps even earn yourself some internet fame!** Amongst the people who read DS Fanboy comment threads.%Gallery-20794%
Slap some Escher, Kandinsky, or van Gogh on your DS
Opinions on DS skins are quite evenly divided around these parts, but GelaSkins' latest range may influence a few of you naysayers. Having formerly specialized in producing extra layers for iPods and laptops, the company has turned its attention to Nintendo's ubiquitous handheld, by offering a range of 57 skins featuring prints by a wide array of artists.The selection on offer is pleasingly diverse, featuring both classic works from the likes of Kandinsky, Hokusai, Escher, and van Gogh, as well as pieces from a number of (largely lesser-known -- well, by us ignoramuses, anyway) modern artists.If you think any of the nine above are too gaudy for your tastes (though we personally love "Red Robot Leaving The City" by ExplodingDog), then check out our gallery for the full line-up. These aren't cheap at $20 a pop, but they're unquestionably unique, and if you buy three skins, you'll get a fourth free. Any of you anti-skin types converted by these?%Gallery-20794%
The DS Life: Nintendobama
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/The_DS_Life_Nintendobama'; The DS Life is a weekly feature in which we scour the known world for narrative images of Nintendo's handheld and handheld gamers. If you have a photo and a story to match it with, send both to thedslife at dsfanboy dot com.As a rule, we don't trust any politicians, especially the ones we want to trust, so it's rare that you'll ever see us championing the merits of any particular presidential candidate. Besides, the electioneering scene just isn't something we want to be a part of, like the straight-edge scene or the liking-music-that-no-sensible-person-should-ever-enjoy scene. We're too laid back and cynical to involve ourselves in the passionate debates these conversations often require.Still, when one gamer goes to the extreme to express his devotion towards his favored statesman by decorating a Nintendo DS Lite with the politician's face, we take notice ...
Dost thou love DS? Then do not squander skins
When we look to our DS, we hardly ever think of important figures in history. Sure, just about anything on a DS automatically ups the value of the handheld (certain things just do not), but we never thought about how important individuals of the past would look upon Nintendo's handheld unit.Ben Franklin, a man who is very well-known in these United States in which DSF has decided to set up shop, would most likely love the bold direction in which Nintendo has taken their handheld. Of course, he would probably be more worried about the strange picture tubes and curious garment of dress of which modern society has become accustomed to. The idea of putting images other than cute cartoon characters or other pop-culture references on our DS gets us inexplicably excited, though.What kind of notable figure in history would you like to see on your DS? Personally, we'd love a Gandhi skin.
Show and Tell: From wallpaper to DS
We haven't seen a lot of custom skins made by our readers, so we were pretty excited when That Girl sent in pictures of her skin, adapted from a wallpaper. The colors and design really suit her DS Lite perfectly, and it's always nice to see someone tastefully customizing their handheld while giving a nod to another fandom. It's not just the outside that's prettified, either; hit the jump to see the inside of the DS.Have you made a custom skin or anything else Nintendo-related? We'd love to know about it! Show us what you've got and we'll tell the world -- just take a few pictures, scribble a few lines, and send it all to showmeit [at] dsfanboy [dot] com. We'll take care of the rest.
Olympus skins up the Mju 1020
Olympus pushed out the Mju (that's the Stylus over here) 1020 in a lackluster pre-PMA update back in January, but the company is trying to spice up the 10.1 megapixel shooter with a trio of custom skins designed by Romanian artist Matei Apostolescu. The skins are bundled with a special white-bodied 1020 and are apparently available now, but you'll have to act fast -- only 5,000 are being produced. Check the other two designs after the break.
Show and Tell: Safety first
Your DS is important -- and that means it needs to be protected. It needs extra protection if it's pretty, of course, and so it makes sense that reader Tracy has a whole system to ensure the safety of her DS Lite. Since she also has a toddler who loves to find the DS (wherever it may be hidden!) and "play" with it, that safeguarding system is even more important. But why is this one so special? Well, other than the obvious (it's a DS!), Tracy's handheld is dressed for success in a skin from DecalGirl that matches her iPod. Such a beautiful combination simply has to be protected, so it's also wrapped in a crystal case. When not in use? It lives safely in its own armor. Listen, protecting hardware from toddlers is serious business. But this is one safety system that also manages to look good, so we couldn't help but show it off.Got something that makes you particularly proud? We like thingamabobs and doohickeys and swag of all sorts, as well as food and furniture and anything fun ... so long as it's related to Nintendo! Just take some pictures, tell us what's up, and send it all to showmeit [at] dsfanboy [dot] com. We'll take care of the rest.
Cellphones are dangerous/not dangerous, hodgepodge edition
Lest the danger (or non-danger) of cellphone use stray too far from your mind, here's a trio of recent studies to get the juices flowing again. First, the best news: an Australian researcher has come up with a five-point ranking system to lay out the likelihood of getting cancer from partaking in various substances and activities, and if that system has any basis in reality, cellphones are "unlikely" to cause cancer -- so take it for what you will. The second study, thrown down by the Cleveland Clinic, showed a significant decrease in sperm "quality" (as determined by a number of stats) as average daily cellphone usage increased; not necessarily a short-term problem for the users themselves, but a finding their future children (or lack thereof) might take issue with. The third study brings more bad news, showing that human skin exposed to cellphone radiation altered the cells' protein expression, a potential (though by no means definitive) precursor to cancer. As always, your mileage -- and your body's mileage -- may vary.[Via textually.org]Read - "Cell Phones No Cancer Risk, Study Says"Read - "Effect of cell phone usage on semen analysis in men attending infertility clinic: an observational study" [Warning: PDF link]Read - "Mobile phone radiation might alter protein expression in human skin"
Toughen up your DS with a pudgy bunny
MashiMaro could be described as Korea's answer to Sanrio, Japan's heavily-merchandised community of Hello Kitty characters. The adorable, chubby rabbit sits atop a mountain of plushies and other branded products that are too cute for many to resist. Unlike his Sanrio colleagues, however, Mashimaro can be a jerk. In the Flash animations where he made his debut, he can be seen stealing food and pushing a pig off a cliff. He's a bad bunny to the bone. Joytron recently put out a line of cases decorated with MashiMaro scenes, and they're just as cute as the thuggish cottontail himself. The shells slip over your DS Lite, adding an extra layer of plastic protection to your handheld. Joytron will even throw in a pen stylus with each order. Hop into the gallery below for more shots of the different "System Skin Cases" now available in Korea.%Gallery-16302%[Via Ruliweb]
Snakeskin DS cover probably not the ideal Valentine's gift
To be honest, my reaction to Mayumi Hasegawa's snakeskin DS cover was pretty much the same as JC's response to the matching Wiimote sleeve: it's kinda gross. Fashioned from the skin of a diamond python, this DS skin -- while obviously ... unique -- is just about the creepiest accessory we've ever encountered for the handheld.Coating your beloved console with dead animal remains isn't a cheap exercise, either: the full set costs ¥12,800 ($120), but you can also buy just the top half for ¥5,800 ($53). Then again, if you're going to put something totally disgusting on your DS, why do things by half?%Gallery-15599%[Thanks, Dhiram!]
Cutest cases EVAR
Australia-based Paper Plane Products is selling the cutest DS Lite pouches we've ever seen, their flaps fashioned after fattened cats and bunnies. Just look at those button eyes! And that pink nose! In addition to the cute mug, each case has a convenient handle, three cart pockets, and a button snap to keep everything secure. You can check out more photos past the break.You'll pay a premium for this handmade look -- $49.99 per case. Shipping from Australia will also eat into your wallet, but the online shop has a lot of other adorable accessories that you can load your order with, like Lamb Lamb skins and card holders. You can buy kitten stickers to match your pouch cat!
Nanotube-infused synthetic skin for artificial limbs
Call us crazy, but one of the most attractive parts of having an artificial limb is the decidedly robotic aesthetic (and potential super strength), but we totally understand why some people would be interested in having something a little more ... natural. Cue the Pentagon-backed researchers who are "creating patches of synthetic skin that'll provide direct feedback to the brain" for inclusion in artificial limbs as early as 2010, reports Danger Room. The "skin" is made of a "rubbery polymer called polyimide" and infused with carbon nanotubes (think we can upgrade our skin with this stuff?). Check out a video of double amputee Jesse Sullivan demonstrating a prototype of the bionic arm after the break.
Pleo goes under the knife in astonishingly long video
Yeah, we gave you a plethora of hatching photos to ooh and ahh over when we received our first Pleo, but considering our inexplicable fear of needles and prehistoric blood, we never considered taking things any further. Apparently, the folks over at Pleo Dreams completely disregarded our recommendation to not de-skin the dinosaur, and proceeded to remove every square centimeter of Pleo's covering on video. Believe it or not, things get pretty interesting once the garb comes off, but you'll have to endure a near-24 minute clip in order to say you saw the entire procedure from start to finish. You ready? It's waiting after the break.
Piyotama gets free Christmas skin
Still have that puzzle game Piyotama on your hard drive? For Halloween, SCEI gave fans of the game a special treat by offering a free Halloween skin for the game. Now, they're doing the same for Christmas. Currently, the skin is available on the Japanese PS Store, but we won't be surprised to see it hit other territories quite soon. Luckily for us, the game never left our hard drives -- simply because it took so little space on our hard drive.
DS Fanboy Poll: The verdict on skins
Last week, we talked skins, and while the overwhelming verdict was anti-skin in general, a fair percentage of DS Fanboy readers could be (or have been!) tempted by the right skins at the right time. In fact, taking all the possible factors into consideration, in the end, it looks like the readership is about split! Of course, determining the "right" skin is a bit more complicated. A few popped up in the comments, but we'd love to see a few more examples of just what readers would consider plastering to their beloved game systems. Got skins? Feel free to show them off.
Skinning, from sports to little green pups
DS and Wii owners seem split on the subject of skins, but one thing seems universal -- if you're gonna do it, you want to be able to remove it later. Etsy seller NoveltyGallery offers just that feature in this array of Wii skins. What's more? These skins are customizable. Prefer DS skins, or maybe something for your phone? No problem. Just contact the seller with your choice.
DS Fanboy Poll: To skin or not to skin
While we've seen some skins that we like from time to time, it's hard for us to fathom slapping something that isn't a screen protector onto the sleek shape of the DS Lite. The Phat model, maybe. But that's just one opinion. Today, we want yours. Would you consider skinning your DS? Never? Maybe? Let's compare notes.%Poll-5667%
Treo 500v sports a revamped Windows Mobile interface
For all of you fervent Treo fans chomping at the bit to get your hands on the 500v, here's an interesting piece of information which may stir "things" deep inside your mind and body. Apparently, the Windows Mobile-equipped smartphones will be touting a UI that's a pretty big step away from Microsoft's staid and standard operations. According to a slow, yet detailed video we've seen, the new interface will be pulled together using a completely revamped "start menu," (similar to the UI which Samsung is employing on its SGH-i620) which gives you much faster access to applications and settings, and has a completely new look. Menus and application icons also appear to be a departure from what we've seen in other WM devices, giving the interface a wholly unique aspect. Check the video after the break and see for yourself.[Via pocketnow]
Wii Warm Up: Matched set
We actually think the Manhunt 2 Wii is pretty cool. It looks fairly realistically bloody, and in general reminds us of Silent Hill. We like it in a "we can appreciate it on the Internet" kind of way. Similarly, we've seen amazing custom jobs from Morpheon Mods, made in Zelda and Metroid themes, and appreciated them on the Internet (though we passed mostly for financial reasons in those cases). The proliferation of such game-specific mods leads us to a two-part thought question for today: what game theme would you want for your Wii, and how would that look? Painted a certain color? Lights? 3D elements? For some of you, that white side panel must look like an empty canvas.
One way or another, your DS Lite is getting Zelda stuff on it
Even if you don't preorder the game from Wal-Mart (in the U.S.) or EBGames (in Australia), Nintendo-- or whichever unidentified accessory maker this is-- still wants your DS to look all Zelda-y. The latest option for giving your DS an air of high-seas adventure requires no preorder at all, and is (in our opinion) the nicest one yet. The Zelda Phantom Hourglass Kit includes a DS skin, a "modified Zelda pocket" which appears to be a DS case, two silicone game sleeves made to be attached to the system, and three styli.All of this is emblazoned with the vivid, colorful art that so many people hated about Wind Waker, and which we happen to enjoy. The skin has a bit of a black/red scheme going, which would go well with the new DS Lite color scheme. We haven't seen this for sale anywhere but Canadian retailer Future Shop, which is a bit inconvenient for us. Canadian gamers can Link up their DS Lites for CAD$18, while all we can do is dream.[Via GoNintendo]
