Not only is the DS becoming smaller, more streamlined, but Nintendo is making a TV Tuner AND an Internet Web Browser for it! Add a Play Yan with the system, and I don’t think you’ll ever touch your PSP again.

From IGN.com

Web Browser and TV Tuner for DS
The dual-screen handheld system goes beyond games.
by Anoop Gantayat

February 15, 2006 - Fueled by success in appealing to non gamer types with its Touch Generations lineup of alternative games, Nintendo has announced plans for two new applications that will take the DS even further beyond the gaming realm. At a press conference held in Tokyo today, the company unveiled a web browser and a television tuner for the system.

The web browser, imaginatively titled “Nintendo DS Browser,” has been developed as a cooperative project between Nintendo and Opera Software. The application, which is based off Opera mobile browser software, uses the bottom screen to display pages in their full and the top screen to show close ups of content. Users can also use the two screens as one tall vertical window. The touch pen is used for inputting characters, with ATOK Japanese recognition software built in.

Perhaps even more exciting is an accessory that converts the DS into a television. Starting in April, a service called 1seg (pronounced One Seg) will begin airing digital broadcasts for mobile devices throughout Japan. A number of cell phones capable of receiving the broadcasts have been announced, and now Nintendo is getting in on the action with the tentatively named DS Terrestrial Digital Broadcast Receiver Card.

This card turns your DS into a television capable of receiving 1seg broadcasts. Channels are switched using the touch pen, with the broadcast viewed on the top screen. The prototypes Nintendo had at the press conference were running via the Game Boy Advance cartridge slot, but the final version of the card will plug into the DS card slot.

Nintendo will release the web browser to Japan in June at a cost of 3,800 yen. The digital broadcast tuner card is currently without a date. Both products are, as of this writing, set for Japanese release only, but once we hear from Nintendo of America, we’ll let you know what’s up on our side of the Pacific.

Pictures of both products can be found in the media section.

Source: http://ds.ign.com/articles/688/688911p1.html

TV Tuner

Attached TV Tuner on new-designed Nintendo DS Lite

Web browser in use on Nintendo DS Lite

Now, how INNOVATIVE is THAT?!?!! Yeah!
Good bye, PSP

*Concura

More pics!!

President Satori Iwata holds up Nintendo DS Lite!

Nintendo DS Lite is much brighter than former DS model. As bright as PSP. And smaller!

Actual working prototypes of TV Tuner:

*Concura

No point buying it just a copy of the PSP and PSP has better games! And i dont want a game system that looks like a radio its funny that it can do that already

I will admit that this is really a nice step for Nintendo and will get even more people to buy the DS but I’m still a PSP fan, even though I still don’t even own one.  :(
I perfer a large widescreen over two small screens, even if one of them is a touchscreen.

For a diehard PSP fan, I am pretty impressed with this new DS and the TV tuner, congrats Nintendo!

How is it a copy of the PSP? Does the currently PSP have a TV tuner?

Also, the contention that the PSP has “better” games is merely subjective. I would certainly agree that the PSP caters to a certain type of gamer and games but you would have to agree that the DS also has it’s share of innovative games that caters to other market segments.

Ya but u can use location free tv

[quote author=“Gundam”]Ya but u can use location free tv

The DS TV tuner and Location Free TV are two entirely different products. Yes, they both “basically put TV” on your device but they do so in entirely different ways.

Location Free TV assumes you have a wireless internet connection. If you do, then you can watch TV. This assumes the connection is fast enough and that you properly setup everything right at your home.

The digital TV tuner allows the DS to pick up over-the-air broadcast signals. Of course, you’re limited to local programming but there’s no need to find a wireless signal.

Both have their merits and disadvantages but serve different purposes.

There’s always been games that appeal to Nintendo fans and Groovy’s correct that they kind of appeal to different markets/people. I think the graphics on the DS don’t really shape up to the PSP, but neither does the price. Also the fact is if you love a game and it’s only on one console you have to buy that console. Doesn’t matter what the features are.

I wonder if the theory is borne out that GBA and Gamecube users would buy a DS and PS2 users would buy a PSP.

[quote author=“japaneseimportscomau”]I wonder if the theory is borne out that GBA and Gamecube users would buy a DS and PS2 users would buy a PSP.

Considering how cheap both systems are (~$150 and ~$250 in the US respectively) I don’t know if it’s that big a problem. Getting both together would cost less than my last cell phone.