The DSi adds new features to the portable system but they probably won't appeal much to older gamers (Nintendo DSi)

Member Name: randomreviews

Product:	Nintendo DSi
Date:	27/08/09 (23 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: bigger screens, online capabilities

Disadvantages: slow internet, limited features, GBA slot removed

While the DS Lite was just a visual makeover of the original DS, the new DSi offers a lot of new features.

First off, lets talk about the specs. You've 2 LCD screens on the DSi, as with the other DS models, but this time the screens are even brighter and are 3.25 inches! The system itself is slightly larger than the DS Lite, even though this one doesn't even have a port for Gameboy Advanced games anymore.

The battery charges a bit more quickly with this model and depending on the level of brightness you select, you can have anywhere from 3-12 hours of gameplay before you need to recharge it.

You can use SD memory cards on this to store data. One cool thing about the DSi is that it has a built in browser if you have WiFi access. Previously you had to buy the DS browser, but sadly, either way, its very slow and unreliable. You won't be able to access many popular sites and in the end you'll probably only use it for the Nintendo store features. With Nintendo points which can be purchased at gaming or electronics stores, you can now download games through WiFi right onto your DS. These aren't exactly the same games you find on the shelves at stores, they're more along the lines of the flash games you tend to find while wandering around the internet - so in many cases it seems like a waste of money. But of course the DSi has only recently been released, so we should expect better downloable content in the future.

The DSi comes with two 0.3 megapixel digital cameras. You can take pictures and edit them. While that sounds low and you're probably think its poor quality, its actually pretty good. Similar to cell phone cameras - for instance I have a 1.3 megapixel cell phone camera and the pics seem to have equal quality. Through the DS you can also those pictures to include funny icons or warp the appearance.

Like the other models there is also a microphone and port for your headphones. You can actually listen to music on the DS if they're in the AAC format. Also, the DS has a voice recorder feature which you can use to store information or just mess around with to warp your voice.

It was sad to see the GBA port go but if you are a Wii owner, you know you can download all kinds of old games for systems like Genesis, SNES or N64 on the Wii.. so perhaps soon Nintendo will allow us to download all our favorite handheld games from the past on the DSi! And of course be on the lookout for DSi-exclusive games that take advantage of the system's new features.. but right now there's nothing out in the US.

Summary: DSi combines your gaming system with a music player, digital camera, and more.