The DS Lite U.S. Launch

Yesterday Nintendo began selling the upgraded version of their popular DS handheld system, and by all accounts sales are going very well. 1up has a look at the story of the DS so far, from somewhat rocky launch up through this last amazing Christmas season. From the article: "Nintendo had lost its collective mind. At least, that's how it looked back in January 2004 when the company announced its latest system, the DS. 'We have developed Nintendo DS based upon a completely different concept from existing game devices in order to provide players with a unique entertainment experience for the 21st century,' company president Satoru Iwata stated--a bold proclamation. But few were buying it." PC Magazine has details on what was upgraded, and Engadget has pictures from the NYC launch party.

Comments

DS Launch in Canada

[scrabbleguy]

I live in Toronto and the stores here open on Sunday at 12:00 noon. Not having pre-ordered a DS Lite I left at 12:10 to go buy one. I needed to go to 4 different stores before I found a store that was completely sold out. And every store I went to had about 5 other people asking if they could buy a DS Lite.

If that's how the early morning went, I can't imagine how the rest of the day went. Sounds like a pretty successful launch for a product revision.

Re:DS Launch in Canada

[NightRain]

They were launched here in Australia at the beginning of the month, and my wife and I walked in to the store after lunch, not even being aware that it was a launch day or that the DS was anything special (I'm not really up on Nintendo portables). We ended up just picking one up off the shelf though and buying it for a present for a friend.

There were no lines or stock shortages that I saw...

Best Way to Protect your DS Screen

[GenmaKun]

My wife just upgraded her DS to a DS Lite. On the DS we started out with one of the Nintendo screen protectors, but it quickly got scratched up to where you could not see the lower screen through the mess.

To solve the problem we simply bought some high quality Palm Pilot screen protectors, then cut this to the right dimensions for the DS. It works flawlessly with the DS and the stylus, and looks better after use than the Nintendo protectors do new. This pad hardly shows marks at all, even after playing stylus intensive games. They are less than $1 each at your local office supply store.

Yesterday we picked up a DS Lite and the first thing we did was throw a Palm protector onto the screen. Works like a charm.

Re:Best Way to Protect your DS Screen

[laxcat]

I know most techies get really protective of their gadgets, but I've been rockin' my DS Fat since launch with no lower screen protection whatsoever, and I still have no visible damage. The screen tends to get a little greasy from games that encourage you to just use your finger, but that's the only real loss in visibility, and is obviously easily remedied every once in a while.

The screen was built to be touched, and while I can't speak for sure for the new Lites (I can't imagine otherwise), you'll have the best, most visible experience just using the product as it was designed.

Take a deep breath! Take that cloudy plastic off! This is game system, after all. It's no fun if you're stressed about keeping it pristine for the next ten years.

DSLinux is available now

[tepples]

Zero.

And here's what you need to run Linux or other homebrew programs on your DS.

Re:Bought mine launch day

[nhaines]

This came up during the Nintendo DS launch in November 2004. Nintendo's offical policy on dead pixels was "We want you to be happy with our products and anything that detracts from your enjoyment is not acceptable to us. We invite you to play your DS for a day or two and see if the pixel bothers you. If you find that it is distracting, we'll ship you a new one free of charge."

If you can't exchange it at the place you purchased it, just call Nintendo Consumer Service (1-800-255-3700) as listed on the back of your DS. If you give them a credit card number as a deposit, I'm sure they'll ship you a replacement. Just open the box, grab your new DS, test it... then put your old DS back in the box, slap on the new mailing label, and drop it back in the mail.

But the point is, Nintendo Consumer Service has been superlative since as long as I can remember (1988 at least), so give them a try if the store gives you any hassles.

Re:stuck pixelies

[tuffy]

Apparently, Nintendo won't replace the unit unless there are three or more.

Where did you get that information? At the original DS' launch, any stuck pixel was enough to merit a replacement under Nintendo's 1 year warranty. Give them a call on their 1-800 number and see if they'll get you a replacement unit.

Re:stuck pixelies

[Gulthek]

Not so, Nintendo will repair (not replace) a DS Lite with even one dead pixel. I should know, my prepaid UPS label for sending my DS Lite in for repair is on its way.

From the Nintendo DS Lite Customer Service Page:

White (or Other Color) Dot on the Screen
With a small number of Nintendo DS screens, one or two dots on the screen may appear to be "stuck" on a particular color, such as white or red. This effect is caused when a particular pixel (the dots that make up the screen) is not working properly. Even with the high quality standards set by LCD manufacturers, you will find this situation is common in many LCD devices (PC monitors, televisions, cell phones, etc.), and is within LCD manufacturers' specifications.

It's important to understand that this issue will remain limited to the pixels you have already noticed. The problem will not get any worse and you should not expect to see the problem in any other areas of the screen.
We suggest you use your system for a few weeks to determine whether this interferes with your enjoyment of game play. If, after using your system for awhile, you feel that this tiny dot is too distracting, the Nintendo DS Lite does carry a one-year warranty. We are happy to inspect and, if necessary, fix your system at no charge within the warranty period.