With the advent of the Nintendo DSi console in the gaming market, many people are toying with the idea of buying it. This new and improved third generation handheld Nintendo DS console varies from its older counterparts in more ways than one that makes it quite distinctive. One of the differences is that the Nintendo DSi is incompatible with the Nintendo DS web browser. This is the reason why the DSi web browser is produced as a version of the Opera 9.5 web browser for use on the Nintendo DSi.

This web browser powered by Opera is specifically made for the DSi structure and allows gamers to access the web. You can use the Nintendo DSi browser to surf the internet and then you can download new games and applications with the help of the DSiWare software. You can also check email, weather reports and latest news right from your console.

The DSi has additional memory which is used by the browser. The Nintendo DSi browser is not included in the system but can be downloaded from the DSi shop for free. The DSi shop is an online shop where users can buy both purchased and free content for their device. 
The Nintendo DSi browser passes Acid1 test. It nearly passes the Acid2 test. It receives 53% on the Acid3 test in Column mode and 44% in Overview mode. These tests are conducted to indicate the browser’s compliance to the web standards. 
The web browser supports CSS opacity. Still, its usage slows down the browser to a considerable extent. This is particularly conspicuous when you are using it with event – driven functionality like mouseOver and mouseMove. Inspite of this, the Nintendo DSi browser has been proven to be faster than the Nintendo DS web browser.

The Nintendo DSi browser supports character sets of Greek, Japanese (hiragana, kanji, katakana), Cyrillic and Western(including diacritics) languages. The browser also supports universal symbols like male, female, musical staffs, numbered bullets etc. Mathematical symbols can also be represented on this browser. However, italic and bold fonts are not supported. The text shadow styles are also supported.

Most of the websites that are not plug – in heavy will be at ease when displaying on the web browser. However, a need to disable image download may arise. Otherwise memory may be depleted.

Thus there are ample functions that Nintendo Dsi browser can perform. You can use to address all your gaming needs and even more than that.

The Nintendo DSi may look like a cute piece of gaming gadgetry, but behind its adorable exterior and functional features lie controversies about the propriety of its release.  The primary criticism about the Nintendo DSi is this: is it necessary?

Bear in mind that the Nintendo DSi was preceded by 2 iterations of the core system: the original DS and the DS Lite.  The Nintendo DSi isn’t considered as a new portable console.  Rather, it’s just an improvement over previous versions of the system.

Now, a few months after its release and with the aid of Nintendo DSi review from all over the internet, we can come up with an answer to the question posted above: is the Nintendo DSi necessary?

First in our list of Nintendo DSi reviews is Business Week Magazine, which believes that the DSi is “well worth the money,” a statement that is tantamount to saying that the DSi is something that people – DS owners and non-DS owners alike – should get.  Business Week Magazine gave the system the fantastic score of 4.5 out of 5.

But of all the Nintendo DSi reviews available, Business Week Magazine’s carries the least weight.  After all, Business Week Magazine does not specialize in video games.

But what do the video game websites say about the DSi?

IGN, one of the web’s biggest video game websites, can provide a more accurate opinion among the many Nintendo DSi reviews available.  IGN gave the portable a score of 7.8 out of 10, worth considering but not really a “must buy.”  According to IGN, the Nintendo DSi is a “worthwhile” upgrade to the previously released DS Lite.  The systems biggest drawback, however, is the removal of the slot for GBA cartridges, effectively removing backward compatibility from the handheld.

Let’s proceed to more Nintendo DSi reviews…

PC World gave the portable the score of 7.5 out of 10.  The website played it safe by saying that the DSi packed some nifty upgrades to an already impressive gaming system.

Bit-Tech refused to provide a numeric score, saying instead that though the Nintendo DSi comes with fantastic new features like dual cameras, improved audio playback, a more powerful processor, a sleeker design, better wifi connectivity, and the likes, it does not justify a purchase from existing owners of previous DS units.

And the most accurate of these Nintendo DSi reviews?

CNET summed it up best by saying that though purchasing the new Nintendo DSi remains a mere option for people who already own a DS or a DS Lite, the Nintendo DSi is still a marvelous piece of technological wonder that is very much worth considering.  CNET gave the system a score of 3.5/5.

It’s no secret that the Nintendo DSi has the deepest gaming library among the current generation of video game systems, portable and otherwise.  With more than 50 titles released per month for the Nintendo DSi, the system has amassed a list of gaming options that will enthrall even the most veteran of gamers.

It’s also no secret that Nintendo has the deepest library of first party properties, all of which are certified hits.  Can you name a Nintendo-produced game that wasn’t critically acclaimed and was a commercial failure? 

It comes as a big surprise, then, that there are only a few first party DSi Nintendo games planned for the remainder of the year and for 2010.  Most of the first party DSi Nintendo games are even sequels of existing – and established – franchises that have already appeared on older Nintendo DS units.

It seems that Nintendo’s new policy is about providing less competition to the third party developers that have supported the system since its inception.

First party DSi Nintendo games may be few, but each of them is sure to turn the software sales charts upside down when they are released.

What are the first party DSi Nintendo games we should look forward to in 2009 and 2010?

1. Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks.  A direct sequel to the Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, this first party DSi Nintendo game will be using the same graphic engine as well as the same control scheme that has made its predecessor a genre-defining title.  The first Legend of Zelda for the DS was hailed as the game that perfectly utilized all that the system can offer: full stylus control, dual screen optimization, and even microphone support.  Spirit Tracks is expected to continue with such innovations.  In Spirit Tracks, however, Link will be navigating trains instead of ships.  Considering that a sea adventure has been the motif of the past 2 Zelda games, including Windwaker, the new mechanics would be a welcome respite indeed.

2. Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story.  This first party DSi Nintendo game has a long and storied history.  The Mario RPG series started with the Nintendo and Square collaboration for SNES.  Square left and Nintendo continued the franchise with critically acclaimed installments like Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door for the Gamecube, Super Paper Mario for the Wii, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga for the GBA, and Mario & Luigi: Partners In Time for Nintendo DS.  And the latest game, Bowser’s Inside Story, is expected to be the most memorable of them all as the brothers are set to go back to their plumbing profession… inside Bowser’s body.

3. Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver.  Of all the first party DSi Nintendo games, none experienced as much commercial success as the Pokemon series.  With a long running anime series, manga series, and toy line based on the franchise, Pokemon has transcended being a Nintendo property and has become a cultural icon.  With the handheld games almost always being released in 2 versions, the next pair is scheduled to come our way very, very soon.

The Nintendo DSi is an amazing piece of technological marvel.  It is also quite expensive, with an SRP of $130 as of this writing.  Hence, many people are on the lookout for ways to buy Nintendo DSi cheap.

Here are such 5 methods worth considering:

1. Wait for seasonal and quarterly sales.  The most popular – and some say, the easiest – way to buy Nintendo DSi cheap is by waiting for the eventual sales to hit your local shopping establishments.  As a general rule, retail stores conduct sales every quarter.  They differ, however, when it comes to when such cycles begin and end.  The surest thing is to wait for end-of-summer sales and pre-Christmas sales, the latter being held in October or November of every year.

2. Shop online, but be on the lookout for special offers.  Many online stores conduct regular sales where items are given amazing discounts.  Online shops like Amazon and PlayAsia are popular for this, and so are other online stores specializing in electronic entertainment items.  It’s a great way to buy Nintendo DSi cheap.

3. Try the secondary market.  There’s nothing wrong with buying a used Nintendo DSi unit.  A Nintendo DSi is a sturdy gadget.  It can withstand the wear and tear of normal usage.  You can buy a used unit for as long as 30% of its original selling price, which is a great find if you want to buy Nintendo DSi cheap.  You just have to be diligent in purchasing a used unit.  Check if it’s in perfect working condition before committing to buy the same.

4. Trade for it.  Some people who want to dispose of their Nintendo DSi units don’t need cash.  You can win their interest by trading for their goods.  Offer them something you think they’ll like, which should be of similar value, and you might find yourself a good deal.  Want to buy Nintendo DSi cheap?  With this method, you may not even have to “buy” one, per se.  There are many swapping websites on the internet.  Established classified ads sites are places to start with your trading expedition.  Try Gumtree and Craigslist for this.

5. Win it.  The best way to buy Nintendo DSi cheap is by not buying one at all.  Rather, you can win a Nintendo DSi.  Because of the sheer popularity of this handheld gaming system, many establishments – online and offline – hold regular contests for the chance to win a Nintendo DSi.  Track down these contests.  Enter if it such entails no risks.  Who knows, Mother Luck might smile on you and you’d take home a unit and start playing New Super Mario Bros. and Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass by the evening.

Anyone above the age of 25 will have fond memories of the Nintendo Game Boy.  It is, after all, the very first portable video game console that allowed users to change games on the fly.  Before the Nintendo Game Boy arrived, gamers were stuck with “fixed” portable gaming systems, i.e. handhelds which only played one game. 

The Nintendo Game Boy was a technological marvel during its time.  Released in 1989, 4 years after its bigger cousin, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) took over the Western World and changed the way we lived, the Nintendo Game Boy possessed the same processing power as the NES, albeit, displayed grayscale tones because of the limits of its LCD screen during those times.  Cartridges were sold separately, with most games during the first few months of the system being downgraded ports of NES titles.

To say that the Nintendo Game Boy was a success would be an understatement.  The first iteration of the handheld, along with its second, improved version: the Game Boy Color, sold almost 120 million units all over the world.

This is, by no means, a small number.  If we are to find a comparison, 120 million Game Boy owners are as many as 2/5 of the population of the United States.

Indeed, the Nintendo Game Boy was a huge success.

To many, the handheld system even defined an entire generation.

But that was 20 years ago.

Fast forward to today, the age of Nintendo Wiis, Sony Playstation 3s, and Microsoft Xbox 360s.  Portable gaming systems in this day and age are more powerful than the home gaming systems of 1999, with the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP leading the way.  Since the Game Boy’s release in 1989, the handheld has seen many upgrades, from the aforementioned Game Boy Color, to the bigger leap that is the Game Boy Advance, to the current king of the hill, the Nintendo DS.

All of these advancements beg the question: is there still a place for the Nintendo Game Boy in today’s electronic entertainment world?

The answer, of course, is no.

Being rendered obsolete with the coming of newer technology is the fate of all video game systems, no matter how influential they may have been.  The Sony Playstation, for example, marked a dramatic change in the industry as the system and its games forced developers to create 3D titles.  Today, people don’t speak of the Sony Playstation as they are all preoccupied with its latest and most powerful iteration, the Sony PS3.

Is the Nintendo Game Boy still worth a purchase 20 years after its release?

Yes, but only for nostalgic purposes. 

As a gaming system, the Nintendo Game Boy’s time has passed.

As a legacy however, the memories made possible by the Nintendo Game Boy will live on forever.

When the new Nintendo DSi was announced by the company, it was met with a lot of criticisms and doubts.  It’s not that naysayers were just being, well, naysayers.  The critics of the new Nintendo DSi actually had some valid points with regards to their reservations about the version of the handheld gaming system:

- The core Nintendo DS system already has 2 iterations, namely the original DS and the DS Lite.  The market wouldn’t be ready for a new Nintendo DSi.
- Introducing a new Nintendo DSi to the market barely 2 years since the release of the Nintendo DS Lite can be seen as a betrayal of the trust reposed to the company by Nintendo fans.
- The new Nintendo DSi may not include enough additional features that will warrant sales from people who already own an older Nintendo DS unit… and DS owners are aplenty, shrinking the potential market for the new portable.

Fast forward to the here and now, a few months after the release of the DSi, and we are left with a question:

How well has the new Nintendo DSi performed?

The answer to this question will tell us if the naysayers are incorrect with their naysay, or if Nintendo should have listened to its loyal flock.

How well has the new Nintendo DSi performed a less than a year since its release in the Western World?
One word: amazingly.

The Nintendo DSi was released in Japan in November of 2008, and as of March 31, 2009, Nintendo has sold 2.2 million copies of this portable.  In the US, the new Nintendo DSi made its debut in April of 2009, and though it’s too early to compute the sales figures for the handheld system, retailers all over the country have been reporting more than 330,000 preorders and almost 1 million copies sold.  As of the end of April, 2009, total sales for the Nintendo DSi worldwide have reached 3.02 million.

This isn’t bad at all, considering the adversity that the new Nintendo DSi has to contend with.

For starters, the DSi is primarily targeting non-DS owners.  There are only a few avid gamers who don’t own any of the older iterations of the Nintendo DS, since the line has sold more than 100 million copies since its original release.

Secondly, the DSi is also targeting existing DS owners.  This would make the new Nintendo DSi a hard sell, considering that DS owners have gone through two previous iterations of the gaming system.
Thirdly, the DSi is likewise targeting casual gamers with the system’s more mainstream functions like wireless browsing, audio playback, and dual cam support.  However, the attention of casual gamers is also being wooed by other electronic gadgets such as mobile phone, PDAs, MP3 players and even a rival handheld gaming system.

Again, with all of these factors considered, we can say that – with the sales it has garnered – the new Nintendo DSi is a big success for the company.

Protect your Nintendo DSi from the elements with this Skin Cover. Made out of silicone, Skin Cover prevents scratches, dents, chips and dirt from accumulating on your Nintendo DSi. Nintendo DSi Skins are available in different colors. Fits Nintendo DSi. Keep an extra charger available at home or in the office for your Nintendo DSi. Dragon AC Adapter powers the Nintendo DSi and charges its battery at the same time. Enhanced internal circuitry to manage charging status and prevent over- and under-charging. Integrated electrical fuse to prevent damage to DS Lite or battery. Compatible with Nintendo DSi.

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With this Multifunction Battery charger for DS & DSi, there isn’t an excuse for your DS or DSi battery to run out of power. The charger contains a charging chamber that houses either a DS or DSi battery. You can charge it in your vehicle via the 12V charger (cigarette lighter) or with your conventional power outlet in your home through the AC adaptor. Use the retractable USB – DS/DSi charging cable to charge your device to the multifunction battery charger or connect it to your computer via the USB cable. So whether you are on the road, in your office, or at home you can charge your DS or DSi without ever experiencing interrupted game play due to a dead battery.

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This Officially Licensed Nintendo DSi stylus package features a set of three, so you have extras at hand in case you lose one. This replacement package comes in handy whether you’ve lost your original or just want to have an extra stylus. Product Features Compatible with the Nintendo DSi. Use the styli to access the touch-screen features Store easily in the slot on the back of the DSi. Package includes three stylus: Teal/Pink/White

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100% Brand New USB Power Charge Cable for Nintendo DSi. Convenient and easy charging of your Nintendo DSi lithium battery from any USB port. Light and compact design for easy portaibility. Nintendo DSi system not included. NOTE: For Nintendo DSi Only; NOT compatible with Nintendo DS and DS Lite.

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