Nintendo @ E3 - DSpeak: VoIP via Nintendo DS

by Barb Dybwad { May 20th 2005 at 4:17PM }

This is still just a concept demo, but it is a working demo: DSpeak is basically Voice over IP calling using the wireless capabilities of the Nintendo DS. Using a connected headphone/microphone, DSpeak allows you to hold conversations with other DS users via WiFi, and the audio quality is reportedly "perfectly fine, as good as a mobile phone." Plus, you get little Mario and Wario icons moving their mouths when you speak — come on, Vonage, how you gonna beat that? The software itself will be available as a free download, and the booth boy told us that they'll be including headsets with DSpeak-compatible games (the headset will probably also be available for sale separately for some nominal fee). Otherwise that's about all we know—we couldn't squeeze a release date out of them, and no one at the Nintendo booth knew a damn thing about the actual technology they were demoing.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Jay Contonio @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

There are girls at E3? Holla

tony.phewklieng @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

yay someone might actually get to read my comments

Do you think they might have this technology downlod for the psp and how far would it be able to go

MooMix @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

I don't think the PSP has a download service comparable to the DS does it? I'm sure if DSSpeak takes off Sony will try to come out with something comparible for the PSP although the PSP doesn't have a built in Mic like the DS.

niko @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

too bad they didn't add wifi to the gb-micro. actually i wish they would have made the screen a little bigger and added an SD slot for mp3s.

psy @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

this functionality could really enhance the in game experience. turning it into a cellphone in its own would be pretty pointless... its a gaming device, not some multimedia loving pile of crap like psp. if you could talk to each other wirelessly while playing or have voice control in a way similar to mario party or that new odama game at E3 then online play could get pretty interesting.

strider_mt2k @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

Well done, Nintendo!

Now make that GBA Micro under 100 bucks, and you are SMOKIN!

Fuzmann @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

the said it was avalible for free download...
wonder what that means?

MooMix @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

I doubt Nintendo will charge over $100 for the GB Micro

Petrica @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

PSP has a download service comparable to the DS does it? I'm sure if DSSpeak takes off Sony will try to come out with something comparible for the PSP although the PSP doesn't have a built in Mic .

KD @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

It's innovation like like this that has me convinced to buy a DS.
Please make this work over the internet. Long distance voice chats and playing a game over the internet will make me buy one for me and one for my mom who lives 6 hours away. :)

Sheero @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

Yeah that might seem cool but its useless until the ds can access wifi but how will you get the update for the wifi if theres no way to update it without wifi? Oh you might think you buy a cartride os that it works, fine. Then the only way for the actual program to work is to use a cartride so basically you fork out $30 to talk to someone 20 feet away without having to walk up to them.

Great! Now its 60 bucks just to get that to work!

swarmster @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

The DS has built-in wifi, Sheero.

MrFloppy @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

Oh.... what a innovation... (insert sarcastic tone here).
Good feature, but I still prefer that "multimedia loving pile of crap like psp"

Scott @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

Yeah, seemed to be a pretty cool thing at the show. Except, when we went to go check it out their WiFi wasn't working :-
Poor techs trying to figure it out :(
http://e32005.textamerica.com/?r=2543570

Crappy Phone pic of the hardware they were messing with...
http://e32005.textamerica.com/?r=2542965

And #10, we got your booth babes ;)
Go to the upper left hand corner of this page, and look for Booth Babes in Categories ;)
http://e32005.textamerica.com/

Alex @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

Scott, Nintendo has put up their DS WiFi network, so it wouldn't work.
They are going to put it up soon, they just made a partnership with IGN's Gamespy to use the Gamespy network

ill trooper @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

Dane, Sheero et al, I think the idea is not to get up and talk to someone across the room, but rather to talk to someone in another part of the world via the DS game network they are setting up...

Dude @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

Why would you need to put up a WiFi network? I can walk down the street in any neighborhood and pickup a WiFi signal.

mike @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

Good feature, but I still prefer that "multimedia loving pile of crap like psp"

----

Let me guess.. you never feel the urge to show off your photos on the bus.. you never feel the urge to watch movies on a 4 inch screen, and you don't have jeans with pockets big enough to use the PSP as an iPod killer..

Multimedia indeed.

What's left? A portable disc drive with little marketshare and little battery life playing watered down PSone games.

Trejkaz @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

This makes the need for X-Link 100 times more pressing. :-)

Fischju @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

Sweeeeeet. This is gonna mean in game communications. Hopefully for cooperative hunters mode

Sheero @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

So your saying the Ds will fit in your pocket? Cause it definately DOESNT

Stylus112104 @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

The DS fits in my pocket, smarty. I would love to have all the features of the PSP crammed into my DS and that VoIP+WiFi thing. The beauty of it is that it comes OPTIONAL, lowering the overall price of the DS and satisfing people who could CARE LESS about the multimedia stuff. Anywho, how will the DS be updated permanently? The only thing I can think of is saving the firmware in a GBA-type cart.

Stylus112104 @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

LOUD HOWARD! @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

I THINK THEY SHOULD CALL IN DUAL SPEAK!

and incorporate a PDA/WEB/MESSENGING/VOIP/MP3 capable (with added storage from the gba slot) into a wonder of a warp-pipe killer all app.

jayson @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

They should also make an appointments calendar and tasks program to make the DS a PDA/Phone. Hehehe.

Belgand @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

While the headset is nice I have to say this seems like a really great use of the built-in microphone. Instead of having to worry about a headphone system I just flip the DS open, load up the appropriate game and start playing and talking. Highly convenient and highly portable.

Stylus112104 @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

Mabey a video conference hardware will join it soon. Then the DS will have a camera.

Zach @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

Quote:

Posted May 20, 2005, 4:26 PM ET by www.mygadgetbag.com
This is pretty cool, but not sure how useful it is, especially considering if you are playing locally, it would be easier just to talk smack to the person directly.

-----------

This is for when the ds goes internet hence "ip"

Dude @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

This is pretty cool. Imagine talking to somebody from across the globe and also sending them funny drawings, pics etc through Pictochat. Imagine war driving with this and using it to talk for free with your friends relatives.

Joobot @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

The DS is Wi-Fi enabled. Do you think this is possible. Download the DSpeak software onto your computer and like Activate DS Host on that software and if you have a Wi-Fi network, it broadcasts a Download Play signal that the DS can pickup and downlaod the software. You think a wireless router or a wireless card could do that? Broadcast a signal the Download Play software coudl pickup? If not, maybe the Wi-Fi enabled games will have a firmware update in them. So say... you can download the free software once you have Mario Cart.

Axel @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

I hope that you will be able to combine it with a internet and be able to call Cell-Phones
TAKE THAT PSP!

nick @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

the ds will be going online, so that's why it would not be easier to just get up and talk to the person; they might be 100 miles away. ^^

Dane @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

Why wouldn't you just get up and talk to them?

Dean @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

SWEET cant wait!!

hecatomb @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

So there's internal storage in the DS for a program such as this? Or is this going to be in some sort of a firmware update?

www.mygadgetbag.com @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

This is pretty cool, but not sure how useful it is, especially considering if you are playing locally, it would be easier just to talk smack to the person directly.

retro @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

Wow... this is going to be a great software update!

Hope they tweak the graphics though. Like a friendlier GUI for the DSpeak. Not to keen on the big green and red and white buttons of the current version they are showing. Hopefully it will be a slicker, cleaner version.

Plus, maybe they could eventually have a ptach that lets it connect through VoIP to other phones, ie. making it a portable phone.
Which is waht this program does, but only with other DS's.

Kuan @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

Sweet. It could be almost a free cell phone service, right? That would be pretty sweet.

phantomprophet @ Dec 18th 2005 10:15PM

So where is the software?
You mentioned something about "compatable games"
Is it like the browser in wipeout pure where the software would be on the game or are they going to use the old style gba cartrage slot for the software and the the DS ROM chip type cartrage for the game???