7 Things You Didn’t Know About Nintendo DSi
With the 2009
release of Nintendo’s newest handheld superstar, much buzz has been generated
about Nintendo DSi. Most of these things
are public knowledge. But some of these
facts are not as popular. Here are 7
little known things about Nintendo DSi that are sure to capture your
imagination.
1.
Nintendo doesn’t have an official answer for
what the “DS” in the DSi stands for. When
asked, they only said that the “DS” stands for “developer’s system” for their
developers – which is the established meaning of the abbreviation. When asked what the letters stand for when it
comes to their consumers, all Nintendo said was that “DS” may stand for “dual
screen.” Please note that the operative
word there is “may.”
2.
Likewise,
Nintendo doesn’t have an official answer to what the “i” in DSi stands
for. There are so many things about
Nintendo DSi that are shrouded in mystery, and the “i” is one of them. Some say that the “i” is a shortened way of
referring to “eye,” which in turn refers to the 2 cameras found in the handheld
gaming system. Others say that the “i” actually
refers to the pronoun “I” which represents the individuality that is often
observed about Nintendo DSi.
3.
Early concept
sketches about Nintendo DSi reveal that the original design planned to
integrate 2 slots for game cards. Hence,
the original design was actually 3mm bigger than the Nintendo DS Lite.
4.
Here’s a
financial fact about Nintendo DSi – in its first 30 days in the market, it sold
almost as many units as the Nintendo DS Lite on its first month of
release. This was particularly relieving
for Masato Kuwahara, head of the engineering department, who previously feared
that the market won’t be receptive to a product that is a mere supplement to an
existing one.
5.
Development of
the Nintendo DSi started in 2006 when the Nintendo Wii was released in the
market. The original idea was to improve
the connectivity between the handheld and its console counterpart, much like
how the Sony PSP synchs perfectly with the Sony PS3. Things have changed since then and the DSi
evolved into an entirely different beast.
6.
One thing about
Nintendo DSi is that it was released primarily to expand on the DS’ existing
demographics. Nintendo wanted something
that was capable of other social applications so that the product may appeal to
more females and to the older crowd.
7.
Here’s another
thing about Nintendo DSi that few people know – its matte finish is more than
just for aesthetic flair. The Nintendo
DSi uses a special kind of industrial paint for its coating to prevent
fingerprints from ruining the finish.
