Flipnote Studio Rocks

It's certainly no game, so it won't be getting an "official" review - but that doesn't mean it doesn't deserve the same amount of attention. For the low price of nothing (yes, it's free), you can download one of the most interesting additions for the DSi since it's release.

Although the DSi is selling like crazy, some DS Lite owners aren't ready to make the switch - although the new system has two cameras, the abilty to upload pictures to Facebook, and the ability to download games and other features, the $170 price tag is a little much. While Flipnote Studio

certainly isn't a huge release, it might just be enough to make a few fans make the switch.

The free application allows DSi owners to create the electronic equivalent of flipbooks. There are plenty of tools, such as copy/paste, different paint brushes, and color inverting, the core of the app is drawing with the stylus. Once you finish drawing on a page, you can move to the next

simply by clicking the D-Pad, and you will see a gray version of what you just drew, allowing you to smoothly transition your "flipbook" to the next frame.

These cartoons can be very simple, with stick figures simply moving around, though with a little time and effort, you can create very intricate cartoons with complex drawings, and even sounds. If you're too lazy to make one of these yourself, you can view hundreds of cartoons uploaded by users of the app using Flipnote Hatena - and you can upload them yourself using the same service.

Another useful feature is the ability to share your flipnotes with friends that also have the DSi. Simply be within the correct range of them, and you can wirelessly transfer your creations to them, allowing them to save your flipnotes onto their DSi or SD Card.

While I do think the app itself is fun, the "selling point" (in quotes because it's free) of Flipnote Studio will be the sharing concept. It opens up an entire host of possibilities with the DSi that we are simply not seeing yet - and, knowing Nintendo, we might not for quite awhile.

Note: I'll be uploading a few of my own Flipnotes soon, but be warned - they are not good.

Image credit: play.tm (here), Nintendo Limited (here).

DSi Connects To Facebook

Just hours ago, a system update for the Nintendo DSi was released world wide. The signifcance? Owners of the DSi can now connect to the Internet and upload photos taken on the DSi directly to Facebook.

While it's not a huge event, it is definitely something that DSi owners will enjoy, and something to entice others into buying the DSi. A Facebook icon has been put in the "Album" section of the camera, making this new feature very convienent.

I have tried out this feature myself, and I can safely say, it works like a breeze. I quickly choose what pictures I wanted to upload, and, within moments, they had been uploaded to my Facebook in a new album called "Photos from Nintendo DSi". I definitely will be using this update in the future.

For more information, read the entire Press Release here.

Image credit: OICF (here).

Japan Gets Red DSi, Black Wii

Despite already receiving colors of the DSi that have not yet reached America, Japan is getting a new red DSi, due August 1. Unfortunately, there is no planned release date in America. Take a look at the DSi below.

In addition to the red DSi, Japan will also be receiving a black Wii

console - the first colored version of the Wii to be released in the world. The black Wii (coupled with black Wii accessories, such as a Wii Remote and Nunchuk) will also be released August 1. Although this has also not yet been set for an American release, it seems that Nintendo would want to release this to the world, as many fans have beenc clamoring for colored Wiis.

Image credit: examiner.com (here).

DSi Hands On

I've finally gotten a hold of the new Nintendo DSi, and I must say - it was worth the wait.

Although at first glance it seems the same as the Nintendo DS Lite, there are multiple differences, both big and small. Instead of a power switch, it now has a Power button on the inside of the DS, that can be pressed quickly to bring you to the new and impr

oved menu. Changing the volume is also easier, as "+" and "-" buttons have been added to the left side of the console.

Aside from these differences, the system now has two cameras - one on the inside, to take pictures of yourself playing, and a camera on the outside to use as a regular camera. The pictures are surprisingly high-resolution, and the Nintendo DSi can hold over 400 pictures without the use of a memory card.

Stay tuned tomorrow when I report on the new Nintendo DSiWare!

Nintendo Back On Top

After a bit of a "slump" in Japan, in which Sony sold quite well, Nintendo is back on top. With 7 Wii/DS games in the top 10 sold, as well as having the DSi sell higher than any other console (oddly, with the PSP coming in second, beating the Wii), Nintendo is doing well again. Another intersting note in the sale of consoles is the continuation of Japan's "hatred" toward the Xbox 360 - with the DS Lite and the PS2 beating out the seventh generation console.

"Wii Fit" continued to dominate sales (strangely, because Japan has little problems with weight) with a rank of 7, selling approximately 20,000 units, an impressive feat for a game that is getting old. "Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of The Sky" sold an impressive 45,000 units, topping the sales charts in the software department.

An old image, this does not prove that the Wii will come in multiple colors anytime soon

The Wii may never return to the amazing sales it had in it's first year, in which it sold literally every console produced, but that doesn't mean it will start to falter. If Nintendo sees a true problem in the sales of the Wii, they have the ability to release a hardware update to enable DVD functionality, or they could simply begin releasing multi-colored Wiis.

Wii Falters?

March seemed to be a good month for Sony - in Japan, anway. The PS3 sold nearly 150,000 units in the country last March, compared to the 100,000 units of the Wii sold by Nintendo.

Does this mean that Sony will usurp Nintendo's role as the top console seller? Probably not - the release of Resident Evil 5 was most likely the only reason that the PS3 sold so well, despite the fact that Resident Evil 5 also launched for the Xbox 360 (whose sales will never be impressive in Japan).

And although Sony might be confident now, the DSi sales in the U.S. will most likely continue to beat Sony's sales of the PSP.

DSi Hits U.S. Stores

After a long time waiting, and months in Japan, the DSi has finally hit the U.S. at the price of $170.00. Many units have already been sold, and even more pre-ordered. In just two months in Japan, Nintendo sold over 1,200,000 units, and the numbers are expected to be even higher here.


This new iteration of the DS has multiple changes, including the ability to switch games, change the lightning, or alter any other settings without powering down the system. The console also includes two cameras, and access to the DSi Shop.

Live Wire will have more info on the DSi soon.

Inside the DSi

The new "DSi", white (left) and black (right)
Nintendo of America recently revealed some more details on the upgraded Nintendo DS, the Nintendo DSi. It's North American release is set for April 5th, and will launch at the price of $169.99. To make it clear, this is not a brand new video game console. Like the Game Boy Advanced SP and Gameboy Micro, it is simply an upgraded version of the Nintendo DS.

The new DS boasts a wide array of new features and changes that set it apart from the Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite. I'll start by getting the one major fault in the new DS - the removal of the GBA game slot. This might not seem like a big deal, but this stops anyone owning the DSi to play games with added attachments that fit in the GBA slot - namely, Guitar Hero: On Tour.
There are a lot of minor changes, like the power switch being replaced with a button, which has been moved to the bottom left of the touch screen. The screens are both .25 inches larger, and the entire system is 12% slimmer. The DSi even has 5 brightness settings (the Lite only had 4); however, the battery life has been reduced, an unattractive feature in my book.
Then, there are the big changes. Two cameras have been added to the DS. One is on the outside of the DS, on the lower left side. The other camera is on the inside of the DS, and allows you to take a picture of yourself while using the DSi. Another big change is firmware - like WiiWare, this new iteration of the DS has DSiWare, a service that allows you to download original games onto your DSi (saved on an SD Card, which the new DS is compatible with).

A view showing the camera on the outside of the DSi.
The new DS, although lacking some features, has a great many changes that I hope will make it worth the $170 price. I'll post a hands-on review of the DSi once it hits the states.