DSiWare

Overview

Released on December 24th

2008 in Japan, and to be released in Europe and the US on the 3rd and 5th of April respectively, the DSi is the latest version of the Nintendo DS. It keeps the overall shape/look of the DS lite, but is 12% thinner, due to the loss of the Game Boy Advance slot at the bottom of the system, and both screens are slightly larger at 3.25 inches. It also features two 0.3 Megapixel cameras. One is located externally, pointing outwards from the player, the other one located on the hinge, pointing inwards. Additionally it features an SD card slot and 256MB built in memory. This new memory will be used to store games from the new downloadable service for the DSi - DSiWare.

Features

The Nintendo DSi includes add features earlier versions of the Nintendo DS iterations did not have.  However, many features were removed from compared to the original Nintendo DS consoles.

Added Features

• 0.3 Megapixel camera located on the surface of the clamp shell, pointing outwards.
• 0.3 Megapixel camera located on the hinge inside the clamp shell, pointing inwards.
• SD card slot (SD/SDHC, up to 32GB).
• 256MB built in memory.
• Music media player via SD card.  Allows audio filtering.
  
• Photo Manipulation Program.
• Audio Recording (Earlier versions of the Nintendo DS had Microphones but did not have the ability to record audio)
• Installed Web Browser (Previous versions of the Nintendo DS required a game pack used in slot 1 and a memory card inserted in slot 2/Gameboy Advance slot)
• The ability to Hotswap games
  
• Downloadable DSi applications
  

Removed Features

• Gameboy Advance Slot, also known as slot 2.
• Compatibility with rumble packs
• Compatibility with Guitar Hero peripherals (due to lack of GBA slot)
  

DSiWare US Launch Line-up

5 games plus 1 app will be released the April 5th 2009. These 6 are:

• Brain Age Express: Math
• Warioware Snapped
• Art Style: Aquia
• Bird and Bean
• Master of Illusion Express: Funny Face

• Plus Nintendo DSi Web Browser (runs off Opera)
  

Downloadable Content

DSiWare is the new downloadable service for the Nintendo DSi. Since DSiWare is stocked on the SD memory card it can not be played on a regular Nintendo DS. All products can be downloaded from the DSi Shop directly on the DSi, when connected to a Wi-Fi hotspot.
 At the moment only two titles are confirmed to be released on DSiWare at launch, a free Web browser, and a free notebook app. Products will be payed for using Nintendo points (formerly known as Wii points).  Much like the Wii, a virtual console will be available to download games from older handheld consoles. 1000 points will come with the DSi. Products will be priced at 0, 200, 500 and 800 points.

Nintendo is planning on have a weekly downloads. New titles or applications will be released every Monday.