Iwata posted:
This is why we now introduce you to Nintendo DSi as the new member to Nintendo DS platform.
For Nintendo DSi, naturally, we have added a number of new functions. Also, we have made some enhancements on the existing DS by listening to our consumers voices. I will explain about the latter point first.
First of all, so we can further improve the portable aspect that you can bring DS anywhere with you, we were challenged to make it as thin as possible without sacrificing its durability. As the result, DSi is 2.6mm or about 12% thinner than DS Lite. As the consequence of this effort, we have removed the slot for GameBoy Advance software. Even after the launch of Nintendo DSi, we will continue the sale of DS Lite as long as consumer demand continues. We will continue offering Nintendo DS Lite for those who enjoy playing GameBoy Advance software as well.
Next, we have tried to comply with the demands for the bigger screens. Since DS has two screens, and the weight of LCD naturally increases as we increase its size, we were challenged to adopt larger LCDs while maintaining the weight of Nintendo DS Lite. As the result, we have made little less than 8% increase over the current 3.00inch LCD to make it 3.25 inches. In terms of the dimension, approximately 17% increase was realized per screen.
We have also improved both the speaker volume and sound quality. They may sound unspectacular, but we recon that they are meaningful improvements.
Among the new features, we have incorporated a camera function and an audio player function. You might have heard about this already through some media reports. And as you listen to me, you might share the impression that since many of today's cell phones already incorporate similar camera and audio player functions, this news does not sound Nintendo-esque nor does it seem to play any significant role in further expanding DS.
While these functions for cell phones are offered as extra utility tools, we would like to propose with DSi the entertainment of playing with and enjoying visuals and sounds by using these functions in more proactive and fun ways in your daily activities. The Nintendo DSi will be a tool to enrich each of our daily lives.
For cell phones and digital cameras, manufacturers have been increasing the number of pixels in order to appeal to consumers. However, we have taken almost the opposite approach. We cannot boast about the resolution as the camera for DSi has the 300,000 pixels resolution.
On the other hand, the "DSi Camera" software included in DSi, of course, can take pictures and store them, but there are 11 types of special camera lenses included. This means DSi can take pictures by utilizing a variety of special effects on real time basis, change the whole picture to black and white images, color the portions you touch or exchange the existing color with new one on the area you touch, make a composite picture using preinstalled frames or make the frames for yourselves, draw variety of graffiti on the pictures, use the technology to recognize human faces and put glasses and mustaches on them, combine two people's faces with different degrees of one's features, and confirm to what degree two faces are resembling by utilizing face recognition engine. These functions can be enjoyed with the unique Nintendo user interfaces that you are familiar with.
In other words, for DSi, we have tried to use existing camera functions fully for the entertainment purpose in unique ways, by taking advantage of unique double-screen and touch-panel features of DS.
Nintendo would like to enhance your lifestyle in ways that enable you to enjoy playing with your photographs and bringing them with you wherever you go. The pictures will be automatically sorted by the dates they were taken.
As you can see, Nintendo DSi can function as a photo diary and can also be a photo stand to run a photo slide show.
For a number of small children, Nintendo DSi will be their very first camera. For the Japanese female junior and high-school students, DSi can be a digital photo notebook which contains the stamp-sized face seals that they can take with them when hanging out with their friends. It can also be a tool for college students and young-adults to have more fun at parties. For middle-aged and senior citizens, it may become a photo diary to keep pictures of their grandchildren and hobbies.
Another new function, "DSi Sound" audio player, is not meant to be an ordinary audio playback mechanism. Since it is something Nintendo offers, we have aimed to design it so that people can "enjoy playing with sounds."
Some typical functions include one that enables the user to change the pitch and the speed separately by using the touch screen
As you can see, you can freely change the speed by sliding the touch-pen vertically and adjust the pitch with the horizontal move.
The ability to be able to freely manipulate the audio pitch and the speed can expand how the audio player can be used in more practical way as well. You can fast-forward the recorded PodCast to economize the time. When you use the repeat-run function with touch-pen ability, it becomes easier to copy the music, to play a musical instrument or to practice foreign languages.
Also, since Nintendo DSi has a microphone, we are incorporating the DSi Sound function to make use of it. I believe Nintendo DSi can be viewed as a toy with music, that also be played with. I'm sure some of us will enjoy using DSi Sound to create a fun performance during a party.
Other than these, there are a variety of features such as the function to play back sounds with special effects and the reverse-run ability as well as an instrumental play back or a sort of Karaoke function which can erase the vocal data which are programmed to be generated at the center of two speakers.
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As the very first software title to be offered through "DSi Shop," Nintendo will start distributing "DSi Browser" free of charge simultaneously with the launch of DSi.
The "DSi Browser" is an internet browser, co-developed by Opera and Nintendo and comprehensively tuned exclusively for Nintendo DSi.
This tuning made the browser faster, and now that it can be incorporated into the device, the utility aspect has been significantly enhanced.
Furthermore, when we enabled faster communications for DSi Browser and DSi Shop, we also achieved faster WiFi communications for Nintendo DSi. When you use the WiFi function of existing Nintendo DS software, the speed does not increase. However, for the software specifically made for Nintendo DSi, it is possible to realize faster communications.
As the 2nd software to be downloaded free of charge through "DSi Shop", we will launch "Moving Notepad" this year.
"Moving Notepad" enables users to create hand-written memos. Of course, I am not talking about an ordinary notepad. For example, you can create cutoff animations, and this cutoff animation can talk.
You create this "talking cutoff animation" by utilizing the microphone to record voices .
Even after watching this footage, many may still say, "forget about cutoff animations as I cannot draw a picture." I can relate to you, but, ...
For some people like me, we will enjoy using the camera to create pictures. So, even if we cannot draw pictures, we can still create unique movie works.
We are also planning to provide the framework so you can exchange your cutoff animations with your friends. We are not yet ready to provide all of the details of this feature but we expect to be able to do so in the near future.
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When you enter a "Nintendo Zone", the icon of Nintendo DSi flashes to notify you.
When you use Nintendo DS or Nintendo DS Lite to use the same service, you will first need to download "Nintendo Zone Viewer." In the case of Nintendo DSi, that function is already preinstalled in the internal memory, so you can use the services more easily.
When you are inside Nintendo Zone, no connection setup activities are required.
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The most recent proportions are like this.
Wii has been on track to steadily expand into the Japanese market and the user base in each age demographic is becoming wider.
But on the other hand, we recognize that we still have a number of challenges with Wii.
One is, while we are expanding the lineup of services for Wii Channel and increasing Virtual Console and WiiWare software lineup, ...
...we are facing the challenge to comply with users who are demanding more data storage capacity beyond the existing internal memory.
Recently, SD memory cards have become inexpensive. However, how SD memory cards can be used when there is not enough room in Wii's internal memory is not convenient.
We have been listening to the customers, and we have been trying to come up with the solution that will not sacrifice the security nature of Wii but will cater to our customers' convenience. We will need more time to tackle it. But the basic direction has been decided, so I would like to update you on this today.
We will make it so that, when there is not enough room on the Wii's internal memory, you will be able to purchase and download Virtual Console and WiiWare software directly from the Shopping Channel to an SD memory card. We will also make it so that you will need to go through just one process in order to transfer Virtual Console or WiiWare software stored on an SD card to the Wii console and then be able to play it. We would like to deal with this issue utilizing two methods. Since the updates to realize these new structures will require significant revisions to the Wii system, and these changes need to be made by taking care of a variety of different angles, this method will become effective beginning next spring. For some of you, this may be considered late. But please know that we really appreciate your cooperation and understanding. We are working hard so we can begin the service as soon as possible.
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We will not end our quest until anyone and everyone who can play video games can say that Wii has a rich software library that can satisfy their demands.
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