technabob » dsi

a true gentleman tucks his nintendo ds into classy accesories

alisha k. — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:46:33 +0000

The Professor Layton series may not be quite as big in the western world as it is in Japan, but that doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate a good puzzle–or a cracking good Nintendo DS case. This booklike case not only offers protection for your handheld… it intellectualizes it, too! Who says games can’t teach you anything? I’m feeling classier already.

Brown exterior, black interior, and cunning little pockets for extras. This is definitely a case fit for a gentleman… and you can top it off with a card case that holds several games and accessories, and these DS covers too, for the full Layton-look.

But, uh, one of these things is not quite like the others. A hot pink Layton case? I guess weirder things have happened.

[NCSX via Tiny Cartridge]

new nintendo handhelds pre-loaded with dsiware for the holidays

alisha k. — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:05:00 +0000

It’s a new take on the holiday bundle: according to Best Buy’s Black Friday ad, Nintendo DSi units are going to be available already loaded with DSiWare items to save new owners the trouble of downloading their favorites (and paying for them!) separately.

Nintendo’s traditional holiday handheld bundles have included retail games in the past (and sometimes unique systems!), but this new approach of download game packs is possible with the DSi.

The two bundles are decidedly different. The first includes Brain Age Express: Arts & Letters, Brain Age Express: Sudoku, Brain Age Express: Math, Clubhouse Games Express: Card Classics, Photo Clock and a white Nintendo DSi, while the second features a different theme: Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!, WarioWare Snapped!, Dr. Mario Express, Mario Calculator, and Mario Clock, all on a metallic blue DSi.

The best part? The bundles will be available for $169 (USD) – the price of a regular DSi all by itself. Considering those software packs cost almost as much as a retail title, that’s a pretty sweet deal.

[via Siliconera]

thrustmaster studio kit: fun with nintendo dsi photography

technabob — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:09:57 +0000

One of the main reasons to buy a Nintendo DSi instead of a DS Lite is the built-in digital camera. Now you can add to your creative photography options thanks to this new kit from Thrustmaster.

The DSi Studio Kit provides you with a variety of shooting options including a removable flash, and wide angle, macro/close-up and telephoto lens attachments. There’s also a set of 6 color filters you can use to create visual effects. Thrustmaster also includes a (shiny metallic) protective cover that holds the lenses and filter attachments in place.

While the packaging and styling appear to be targeted towards the Barbie and American Girl Place set, there’s no reason that we can’t all enjoy it. Although I might have to replace the shiny metallic carrying bag with something a bit more macho.

The DSi Studio Kit should be available any day now, and retails for $19.99 (USD).

stickers make for a simple mooninites mod

alisha k. — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:51:01 +0000

If you’re looking for a simple (and removable) way to customize a gaming system, vinyl stickers and clings can be a good place to start. The (likely) lack of permanent damage offers a safety net to the clumsy and un-artistic, and it doesn’t take much effort to produce something that looks slick and personalized, like this Nintendo DSi redone as a monument to the Mooninites of Aqua Teen Hunger Force, who do whatever they want, whenever they want, all the time.

I think my favorite part of this is that the DSi camera just seems like a part of the picture. Kind of balances out the round speakers on the boombox. Or maybe I’m just so in love with this sticker-fied handheld that I’m seeing awesomeness that isn’t even there.

But the stripes along the top certainly look good–and that would be difficult to pull off with paint.

[via TinyCartridge]

nyko zoom case is coming to make your dsi less portable

alisha k. — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:59:31 +0000

Sure, the Nintendo DSi is pretty nice (though apparently not big enough), but that camera just doesn’t have enough oomph for some people. You know the type: the folks who need giant thrusting accessories, be they useful or not. The Nyko Zoom Case is almost certainly useful… unless you’re concerned about that whole ease of portability issue.

Those concerned with the smooth aesthetic of the DSi need not apply, either. But if you can get past the look of your system, this accessory is sure to improve the look of your pictures. For $24.99, DSi owners can add an 8x zoom lens to this case (or detach it and just use the case). Nyko is promoting the attachment as perfect for social networking enthusiasts, but the case has a certain amount of spy-tech style, too. Useful… if you can fit it into your pocket!

[via Joystiq]

this dsi is all about brotherly love

alisha k. — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:35:48 +0000

…it’s just that this sort of brotherly love tends to be more about punching and less about hugging. Call it the Super Smash Bros. Call it domestic violence. But you know everyone wants to see this guy’s DSi when he whips it out in public!

It may just be me, or the black DSi shining through, but it really looks like Mario is slamming his head into Luigi’s eye, and that’s just taking things kind of far, don’t you think? Whatever started this, it must be serious business, because both brothers are wearing murder-faces. They really look sort of monstrous. Perhaps this custom DSi is a statement about the beast within, and how we can release that negative energy through the power of video games.

Or, it’s just a cool picture to paint onto a DSi.

[via TinyCartridge]

ds cases with monster faces

alisha k. — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:49:32 +0000

So you’ve got a Nintendo DS, or maybe a DSi. Maybe even something else, some other gadget with a similar shape. You’ve got to put it into something to protect those smooth surfaces. Why not shove it down the gullet of a friendly monster?

Seriously, this has to be the least-scary monster I’ve ever seen, even with those fangs. He’s got those big, friendly eyes and a sort of goofiness in the overall design. Perhaps the best part? The Etsy seller responsible for these cute creations is named wiggletiggy. Could that be any more adorable? Unsurprisingly, wiggletiggy’s shop is filled with all sorts of fantastic creatures, only some of which are protecting gadgets. The rest are just hanging out and being cool, waiting for someone to take them home.

This case is foam-lined–and if you’ve ever dropped a DS, you know how valuable that is. An extra layer of protection and an adorable design. How can you go wrong?

dysentery on the dsi

alisha k. — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:48:33 +0000

At last! The Oregon Trail, the pinnacle of depression in gaming (or should that be the nadir?) will be available on DSiWare. Just in case, you know, you couldn’t already play it on seven or eight other devices in your home, like your computer, iPhone, or toaster.

If you’re one of the thirteen people in the world not familiar with The Oregon Trail, here’s the quick version: it’s a game in which you’re probably gonna die, and if not you, then someone, and it will likely be from dysentery. Or maybe, I dunno, bears. The game was originally designed to teach schoolchildren about the horrors of pioneer life and travel. Somehow, I’m not quite as horrified when this cheerful interface is involved, though I’m sure it adds to the hilarity of death and berry-picking.

I must say, I prefer the old school interface.

Classic. This fancy new version will apparently be a port of Gameloft’s mobile version of the title.

[via Siliconera]

art academy: learn to paint on your nintendo dsi

technabob — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 13:53:46 +0000

Ever wanted to learn how to draw and paint, but don’t have the time or money to deal with real world art supplies? Well if you happen to own a Nintendo DSi, you can sign up for the Art Academy without so much as buying a tube of paint.

Art Academy: First Semester (do I smell a sequel already?) is a complete art training course in the form of a DSiWare app. Just download Art Academy from the DSi Shop, and you’ll be a junior Rembrandt in no time. The program teaches you the basics of pencils, paints, blending colors, basic light and shadow techniques and more. Plus, you can either start with a blank canvas or embellish photos from your DSi’s camera album. Here’s a video showing off what you can expect in the Academy:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

While it’s not as sophisticated as natural media PC apps like ArtRage (one of my personal favorites), Art Academy looks like a nifty way to express your creativity on the DSi.

nintendo ds, ds lite and dsi xploder cheats: god mode on the go

lambert v. — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:30:18 +0000

I love playing video games because they give me quantifiable proof of my progress, unlike in real life where sometimes (cue violins) you just don’t know where you are, what you’re supposed to do and where you’re going (stop music). Tactical RPGs are my favorite because in my opinion they’re the ones that provide the most signs of progress. Games like Front Mission, Final Fantasy Tactics and Super Robot Taisen dole out a pornography of numbers – the increasingly badass ranks, parts specs, weapons specs, skills (ZoomI. ZoomII! ZOMG ZOOMIII!!!Eject Punch FTW). I pore over ever-increasing specs like a philatelist admiring his stamps, remembering the hell he went through just to get that one piece of rectangular paper that would complete his collection. But, as Alfred puts it, “Some men just want to watch the world burn.” Some people just want to have it all. Right now. These are people willing to pay others to grind for them, until all that’s left to do is to wield that powah. That’s where Xploder Cheats comes in. Man that took a while.

Xploder claims that it’s the first to market a cheat system for the Nintendo DSi. From the product’s description Xploder Cheats isn’t like Game Shark where you enter codes to unlock items, characters, places or abilities. It lets users download saves with the cheats already unlocked, so you can fire up Pokemon and “start the game with a full bag of money and lots of items”.

Users download saves at Xploder’s website and then transfer them to their DS using the bundled software and cable. The Xploder website also allows users to upload and share their own saves to other people. Drooling yet? You can get the Xploder Cheats for DSi at Xploder’s online shop for £15 (about $25 (USD)). Xploder Cheats also works with the DS and the DS Lite.

[via Maxconsole]

the dsi has a camera? that means porn.

alisha k. — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:59:54 +0000

It was bound to happen. I’m actually surprised it took so long. The Nintendo DSi took the beloved handheld and added, among other things, an interesting feature: a camera (okay, actually two cameras). And we all know what cameras mean when coupled with Internet access: pornography.

Zoom in all you want–the naughty bits are all on the blurry side.

The Suicide Girls have long been known for going where traditional erotica does not–into the land of tattoos, little square glasses, and geekery, and now they’re using the handheld game system’s cameras for a nude shoot that shows off the system’s photo software (oh, and boobs–they’re showing those off, too). As though the Nintendo handhelds didn’t already sell like crazy.

[via Tiny Cartridge]

shmups come to dsiware japan, rest of world sheds bitter tears

alisha k. — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:23:33 +0000

If you were smart fortunate enough to have picked up a Japanese DSi, you’re going to want to check this out: Aa Mujou Setsuna, a bullet-hell style vertical shmup available on the serious cheap: 500 Nintendo points. That’s five bucks, less than most gutbuster combo meals, and they’re lacking two things this game has: serious quality and an even more serious developer.

So who’s behind it? Arika, makers of a wide variety of popular games–games often known for innovation and killer music. The other name on the label? Nintendo. That means those of us who don’t have a convenient Japanese DSi to get around those pesky region locks may be able to take heart and hope for a localization.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The shmup is available this week and, I hope, will herald a new age of killer DSiWare games for people who like to die brutally and often in games.

[via NeoGAF]

make your mark on the dsi with flipnote studio

alisha k. — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:05:51 +0000

Flip Notebook has been in this space before, only then it was Moving Memo Pad, and it was limited to the Japanese Nintendo DSi. Now, however, the free animation app for DSiWare is suddenly available, outside the regular release schedule. Someone had to know how much we wanted it!

Perhaps the best part of the app is Flipnote Hatena, the accompanying service that allows creators to share their work, and viewers to kill loads of time watching hilarious animations. When I checked last, there were more than 28,000 little features available. That’s a lot of time spent watching animations.

The app is available now, and since it’s free, if you have a DSi, there’s no reason not to get it.

[via TinyCartridge]

take note of takara tomy’s new dsi accessory

alisha k. — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:52:04 +0000

If you feel the need to ugly up your Nintendo DSi, Takara Tomy has a creative way of managing it: magic film note stickers. What? Exactly.

These Memo Film notepad stickers actually aren’t a bad idea; there’s definitely plenty of reason to take notes while grinding away at one of the DS’s lengthy RPGs. But for ¥399 ($4.19), you can’t really expect amazing quality.

Not that we’d get any potentially useful accessories in the U.S. anyway, and that includes these. Want ‘em? Import ‘em. And let me know what notes you’re so desperate to take.

[via TinyCartridge]

facebook and dsi: a match made in social networking heaven

alisha k. — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:10:17 +0000

Facebook has hit the Nintendo DSi–in Japan, at least–in a limited, if useful sense. The combo was announced at E3 with little fanfare, and no detail, but thanks to a recent update, Japanese DSi owners can now upload pictures they’ve taken with the handheld straight to Facebook. Convenient!

The service is slated for North America sometime in the fall, but there’s no firm release date yet. It’ll be interesting to see whether or not we see any DSi marketing tied to this. With the DSi’s built-in photo editing, this could be a fair selling point.

[via Joystiq Nintendo]

game boy swallows nintendo ds lite and dsi

technabob — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 03:21:24 +0000

These handmade cases may look just like an old Nintendo Game Boy, but they’re actually designed to keep your Nintendo DS Lite or DSi safe and sound.

Each one is handmade out of felt by crafter Janis13. While they’re designed specifically for the DS Lite and DSi, you might even be able to cram an original Game Boy in there if you wanted (no guarantees that it’ll fit). In addition to to original grey, these whimsical cases are also available in hot pink, lemon yellow, teal blue, lime green, orange orange and candy apple red too.

Each case has a soft inside to protect your precious gaming cargo, and Janis will take special orders for original DS and PSP cases too. They’re available over on Janis13’s Etsy shop for $14 (USD) each.

xcm eye candy shells give nintendo dsi a delicious coating

technabob — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:30:52 +0000

The Nintendo DSi is certainly decent looking all on its own, but there’s only so much black and white you can take, right? These cool new shells for the DSi let you add a little color to your pocket gaming system.

The new XCM Eye Candy replacement shell kit lets you coat your NDSi in luscious candy colors. And better yet, you can see through to the guts of your handheld and see all of its inner workings.

In addition to the bold candy apple red, emerald green, electric blue, there’s a clear shell and matte black and white if you really want to stick with the DSi stock colors.

Each kit comes complete with color-coordinated shell and matching buttons to complete the look. XCM even includes the proper screwdriver in the kit so you don’t need any extra tools to replace the shell. Of course, you’ll want to read over the detailed disassembly and assembly instructions before your break your precious handheld.

You can find all 6 colors of the XCM Eye Candy for the DSi over at Divineo for $25.99 (USD) each.

iplayer nintendo dsi homebrew cart specializes in video, prevents piracy

alisha k. — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:30:30 +0000

Piracy has been a rampant problem with the Nintendo DS, particularly since the simpler slot-1 flash carts became a factor. With the new DSi, Nintendo has been hoping to combat the problem. Enter the iPlayer: a flash cart dedicated to turning the DSi into a media machine.

Media playback isn’t new to the DS, and hence the DSi, but prepping video for the DS has long been an arduous process. The iPlayer, however, supports a variety of video formats (AVI, RVMB, MOV, DIVX, MPEG and FLV), so it brings an end to the tiresome file conversions that marked video-viewing on the handheld in the past.

As for the piracy issue? Illegal ROMs will not function on the iPlayer, though you can still play homebrew games. Conveniently, there are tons of great homebrew applications for the system.

The good folks at GBAtemp have been fiddling with the iPlayer and happily posted their impressions. So far? Largely positive.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

[iPlayer via Tiny Cartridge]

black nintendo wii, red dsi for japan

alisha k. — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:35:35 +0000

Rejoice (Japan)! New colors for Nintendo entertainment systems! And at last, new colors for the Wii. Well, new color, singular. Well, sort of a color. It’s black. Well, it’s different, anyway.

The new DSi is decked out in red, which is nice, but not a patch on this sexy black Wii.

While the matte surface is much more practical for a handheld, it just isn’t as slick as the shine on that Wii. Of course, they never look like that in my house. Five minutes here and it’s probably been colored on by sticky little hands.

No announcements yet for release of these colors outside of Japan, but it’s likely they, or other shades, will soon make the leap.

[Nintendo Japan via Tiny Cartridge]

six in one translator planned for nintendo dsiware

alisha k. — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:23:11 +0000

With so much bigger news pouring out of E3, it’s easy to miss the smaller, more interesting bits, like a mysterious DSiWare title that appeared on Nintendo’s official planned release lists. Six in One Translator–a working title, we’re told, along with a grand total of nothing else. But with a title like that, could it be anything other than a language tool?

Several language-focused games are available for the Nintendo DS around the world, but this sounds more like it might be a simple translation tool rather than an aide to support language study, as with games like My Japanese Coach. At any rate, for those looking to use a Nintendo DSi as a multi-purpose device, apps like this might be more intriguing than clock and calculator applications.

[via Joystiq Nintendo]