The Nintendo DSi.

It's been a while since an entry and this one probably is not what you might have been expecting. My Nintendo DSi arrived yesterday. I used Amazon to take advantage of no tax and free shipping. So I paid exactly the $169.99 asking price. I chose the matte black over the blue. Where is my Luigi green Nintendo? The first thing one will notice is the box is both larger and heavier than one was probably expecting. The manual itself is three-hundred and thirty pages over the three North American languages. It's oversized and in full color on glossy paper. It's closer to a users manual for a new car than a handheld system. The system itself is surprisingly solid feeling. More so than the previous Nintendo DS and DS Lite. It's also surprisingly heavy. You all should know the deal by now. The DSi adds two 0.3 megapixel cameras. One on the inside pointed at the player to act as an Eyetoy level device and one on the outside so you can take regular digital photos. The DSi upgrades the WI-fi capabilities by offering a couple of higher level encryption formats. The DSi also offers larger screens by adding another quarter of an inch. The DSi also adds a SD card slot. They've improved the d-pad and shoulder buttons. They've both altered and moved the power button and the volume control. They've taken away the gloss casing and replaced it with a matte finish which results in no fingerprints. The system has a faster clock speed and more RAM. That's a lot of additions. They did however remove the GameBoy Advance backwards compatibility of the DS and DS Lite entirely. The system also features a much more complex operating system. One that brings it further into current gaming standards. The operating system allows for upgrades and applications. The DSi will feature an online shop just like the Wii. You'll be able to buy DSi Ware and presumably virtual handheld titles from systems past. The system allows for the potential of expansion level content to portable games. The DSi does expand handheld gaming's potential quite considerably. The question becomes will they justify it? Will they make you need one? I think the answer is yes. It's just a matter of how soon will they make you need one. We already know that there will be DSi enhanced cards. Meaning the DSi version of a DS title will have extra content. But will they go all the way and offer DSi exclusive titles? That remains to be seen. I bought the DSi so that I can be prepared for whatever justifies the system to me. I'll be there day-one. I wouldn't suggest you rush out and buy a DSi until whatever justifies it for you arrives if you have the DS Lite. Those of you who own the original DS probably should upgrade for the superior image, sound, and control as well as the better ergonomics.