One would expect the release of a new games console like the
Nintendo DSi, the eagerly awaited successor to the DS Lite, to be wrapped up in all sorts of technological superlatives - the fastest this, the biggest that, the most megapixel other - but that doesn't appear to be the case with the DSi, in fact Nintendo certainly seem to have aimed for the creative over the technological with this release. How so? Mainly in two areas, the camera and the music player. To release a console (or any piece of gadget gear) these days with a camera resolution of 0.3 megapixels is a bit like Dr Evil proudly announcing a ransom of "One Million Dollars!" - it barely raises an eyebrow. Add to that a music player that doesn't support MP3 files (only AAC) and you wonder what Nintendo's angle really is, but the company have pre-empted these questions rather well.
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata said on the subject at the October launch announcement of the DSi;
"You might share the impression that since many of today's mobile phones already incorporate similar camera and audio player functions, this news many not seem to play any significant role in further expanding DS. Whilst these functions for mobile phones are offered as extra utility tools, we would like to propose with DSi the entertainment value of playing with and enjoying visuals and sounds by using these functions in more proactive and fun ways in your daily activities."
So the point with the DSi is not "How many megapixel is the camera?" but "It's got a simple camera (2, actually), now take a picture and we'll give you the ability to have some fun with it". There are 11 different effects you can use to play with and enhance your images, from stretching and mirroring to comparing and morphing two faces together. The point is not "The DSi will replace your iPod as your main music player" but "Take your favourite track or record something with the built-in microphone and see what you can do with it". The DSi Sound application lets you adjust speed and pitch of a song or other audio file independently, as well as adding effects galore.
These creative angles come together to make a fun mini media centre, as one site pointed out "the ultimate blogging tool", as the features described combine with an updated version of the DS Browser and (for the first time on a handheld console) firmware that's upgradable via the web to make for a new console that feels like it's of it's time - capturing the zeitgeist...
Who needs more megapixels - let's get creative.
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