Nintendo DS Full Specs Allegedly Leaked

sarcastodon writes "Various sources such as GI.Biz are suggesting that detailed specifications of the upcoming Nintendo DS have been leaked. Surprising capabilities contained in the allegedly leaked Japanese-language document for the dual-screen handheld include 3D hardware acceleration, 802.11 wireless support, and the inclusion of a touch screen." However, GI.Biz notes: "Of course, a single leaked screenshot of a Japanese document doesn't constitute hard proof of any description, and this document should be taken with a pinch of salt - but if it is a forgery, it's a rather good one."

Comments

delusions of grandeur

[cgenman]

Nintendo needs to stop deluding itself. Saying "it's not a competitor to the GBA" a million times doesn't make it any less of a competitor to the GBA. You're talking about a standalone system with good specs and built-in screens. What are you supposed to do with the thing... leave it on a table? Strap it to your face? We all know it's competing with the GBA and the PSP, and on that note alone its release is questionable.

Sadly, it looks like this too won't be an adequate GameTessaract controller, as it lacks analog joysticks... which is really too bad, a touchscreen on a game controller would be quite convenient for inventory management. 802.11b would be a good networking standard for getting consoles to communicate, or for that matter just using the controllers wirelessly.

But the most important spec still hasn't leaked... The price. If this handheld is to compete with the PSP, it has to hit the target price sweet spot. If the PSP ships at it's current target of $250, it will be quite vulnerable to a $100 Nintendo portable. If the Nitro ships at anything approaching the PSP's cost, it will be eaten alive in the market, touchscreen or no.

Overall, this has Virtual Boy written all over it, though not necessarily. While I wish Nintendo the best of luck, I'm also looking forward to picking up one of these things for 15 bucks in 2006.