Nintendo has a DS Lite "Lite" redesign ready to go?

[wraggster]

According to at least one analyst, Nintendo's not just resting on its laurels while the DS Lite produces incomprehensible piles of cash. Evan Wilson, an analyst at Pacific Crest Securities, got word from his inside source that a DS redesign is actually already done, and Nintendo's just waiting around for DS Lite sales to cool off a bit -- which, unfortunately for those pining for new hardware, doesn't seem to be happening just yet. The redesign, which has been rumored before, supposedly is thinner thanks to the absence of a Game Boy Advance port, includes a larger screen and rocks some built-in storage, which we imagine could have some great uses in the right hands. Obviously, Nintendo's Game Boy Advance only made it through three hardware iterations, which begs the question of when we'll see a brand new handheld platform from Nintendo, though we can't say we'd blame them for sticking to this generation for another couple years of insane wealth and staggering stock price.

http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/15/nintendo-has-a-ds-lite-lite-redesign-ready-to-go/

[sukhi-2006]

If Nintendo are making redesign console they should also increase the processor and the ram.

[spinal_cord]

If Nintendo are making redesign console they should also increase the processor and the ram.

Why? Nintendo know what the others seem not to, games are about having fun, not having super fast hardware. The DS and Wii are top of the market even though they are seriously underpowered compared to the competition because THE GAMES ARE FUN TO PLAY.

[Sigma83]

Maybe the games are, but why not create a handheld that can adequately support a fast webbrowser or enough ram to allow programs to be run in a windowed mode or something to that effect :)

[Exophase]

Nintendo DS by design must have almost all of the hardware for playing GBA games. That means that this redesign removes the ability to play GBA games without really reducing the production cost. It's GB Micro all over again but worse. And although GB Micro got a lot of hype it didn't actually sell that well.

DS Lite was a good redesign since it did improve the quality of the platform (better screen, larger capacity battery, etc) but this one is just taking away stuff to make a relatively small handheld even smaller. I guess small sells but I think people need to get over it because the trend is leading to a lot of sacrifices, like small screens, small buttons, and removal of features like this.

[Shadowblind]

DS lite, lite, huh....

I didn't buy their first attempt at making more money from the same console, I don't plan on doing it this time either.

[crookedmouth]

Personally I think this would be a bad move for Nintendo. I'm probably wrong because even if a third of the people who already own the DS re-buy this version, thats still a Gizzillion people.(Alright, I made that up)
Removing the GBA slot might mean some sort of downloadable versions perhaps? I mean doesn't the GBA still outsell PS3?
I won't be buying this, if its for real. If I buy another hand held, it would be to grab a used PSP, or GP2x.

[kcajblue]

the lite is better than the first ds, but the first ds is still very playable.

what are they going to call this one?

[Napalm-Death]

Nintendo DS Slim + Lite.

[pibs]

Heard about this during the summer. Typical Nintendo updating every time. Im with Exophase on this one it seems kinda pointless.

[Duobix]

I'm wondering how they're going to do expansions whitout expansion port. It will be ok if there would be a SD card slot, but miss of GBA? That's extremaly stupid. the other thing is, if there will be bigger screens it means that it will be next gen DS rather than redesign.

[sboi]

The new ds will be release next year E3.

[Eyedunno]

Nintendo DS by design must have almost all of the hardware for playing GBA games. That means that this redesign removes the ability to play GBA games without really reducing the production cost. It's GB Micro all over again but worse. And although GB Micro got a lot of hype it didn't actually sell that well.

DS Lite was a good redesign since it did improve the quality of the platform (better screen, larger capacity battery, etc) but this one is just taking away stuff to make a relatively small handheld even smaller. I guess small sells but I think people need to get over it because the trend is leading to a lot of sacrifices, like small screens, small buttons, and removal of features like this.
I mostly agree with you, except that I think the Game Boy Micro is awesome. Aside from the fact that it's supremely tiny, and thus among the most portable of the portables, it doesn't have a cramped feel like the GBA SP, and it uses rechargable batteries and has a backlit screen, unlike the original GBA.

Plus the Micro is what got me into this whole portable homebrew/emulation scene, as the lack of original Game Boy support led me to buy a flashcart.

But having said all that, there seems to be little to recommend the new DS, if this rumor is even true.

[wiggy fuzz]

removing the gba port must mean things like the official ds rumble pak or the opera ram expansion pak won't work. and what about upcomming stuff like the slide controller and the camera? would they all be built in to the game?

this is interesting, because less than a month prior nintendo said something about making a virtual console style game pak that'll allow you to play some GBC games on the ds - legally. iyou don't reckon they'll expand on this to accomodate GBA games, too, hence the reason they're removing gba cart compatibility?

[Jeric]

not sure really, but i'm kindof on the 'wait and see' fence here as it just feels like they're torching their own current setu phere by excluding the possibility of addon paks. then again who knows, they might have an even better solution in the work that isn't hampered by the limitations of the gba cart design.

[Steely]

Uh, no GBA, bigger screen, built-in storage..?

How is this still a DS?