Behold! The DS lite power switch

Is this all Nintendo is good for? I just got my DS for xmas, and now behold, a redesign. Damn it. Hopefully the redesign will bring games like Gran Turismo and Grand theft Auto to the DS platform.

@1: I really hope you have some brain cells otherwise you will be sorely disappointed.

It's news stories like these that remind me how useful my RSS feeds really can be. My night is complete, now knowing where I can turn the system on, considering they'll no doubt omit it from the instruction manual. Ignore the mockery, I'm in a funny mood.

This news story actually peaks my attention in a different way: Where did you get that picture from? And why do they get to take a bunch of pictures (perhaps even hold it) without me included in such a wonderous event?

I'm going to say this before it even gets started:
The final product WILL NOT be made of the same plastic, do not worry about the gross yellowy colour.

-Syd.

They got the picture from the FCC site, and photochopped it. Props to them for being on top of things but they are making it out as if they got some MAD EXCLUSIVE shots when in reality - anybody can pull them up.

https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/forms/blobs/retrieve.cgi?attachment_id=626995&native_or_pdf=pdf

Thank GOODNESS it has a power switch. What if Nintendo forgot to add one! Man that would be a mess wouldn't it?

Oh good, now that I know where that power button is, I can now sleep peacefuly.

The power switch will stay at that position. You slide it up and it turns on (obvious)but to prevent turning it off during gameplay you have to hold the switch up for 3 seconds.....sound familiar?

Wait, so does this mean it wont automatically turn off when you try to quit pictochat or when your done changing your options?

i get the hold 3 seconds thing but doesnt a switch on the side where you grip the unit seem like a bad idea having that switch rubbing in your grip would be annoying

if your finger is on the "R" trigger, then your hand wouldn't be against the power button. No worries... i hope it comes out soon. My DS from 11/21/04 is looking older by the second.

I've photoshopped the picture to make it look white. It looks a whole lot better than the yellow version!
Here's the picture:

http://img318.imageshack.us/img318/1560/dslitepowerswitchwhite3jk.jpg

Hope you all like it!

Does it really matter that much where they put the power switch? And I hope(to number 7) that you aren't about to suggest Sony came up with the delayed power off switch. Just about any portible electronic device does that. Cell phones, wireless headsets, mp3 players, pmp's, digital cameras, hell even beepers(remember those things?) and so on and so forth. It sounds familiar because it's a standard nowadays. Not quite sure who started it all though.

Pixels for my people,
Anticrawl

Well number 11, I am glad you got the point. I wasn't taking a stab at the Ds taking any ideas from the psp (I mean look at the charts...do they need any advice?)

I agree with #8. I dont know what the big deal is with the power button. I never accidentally turned off my DS, but it seems like you are more likely to accidentally turn it off while playing if the button is UNDER YOUR HAND!!! And I know it's a slider button, but it's very common to shift your hands while playing.

it's not just the power button that's changed. look closer. the stylus is in a different position now. instead of going to vertically, it goes horizontally.

> Seriously...I dunno why people made such a big deal
> about the freakin power switch.

You obviously haven't made the mistake of powering the system off before you saved. I slipped up once after a marathon session of Animal Crossing, pissed me off so bad I have yet to go back to the game.

The FCC needs to learn how to use "white balance" in cameras... then maybe the DS would actually look white. :)

thanks to commenter #5 (UO Guy) for the link!

http://www.ndsbbs.com/1127427440/Fid_2/2_10124_d6535b48cc6d8ed.jpg

http://www.ndsbbs.com/1127427440/Fid_2/2_10124_1cc69c4edc4f270.jpg

http://www.ndsbbs.com/1127427440/Fid_2/2_10124_ce65eadb57638a5.jpg

http://www.ndsbbs.com/1127427440/Fid_2/2_10124_786f156804c5299.jpg

http://www.ndsbbs.com/1127427440/Fid_2/2_10124_c49b2709533cc6a.jpg

http://www.ndsbbs.com/1127427440/Fid_2/2_10124_c996de6424cb7eb.jpg

http://www.ndsbbs.com/1127427440/Fid_2/2_10124_99e5a9517f9d167.jpg

http://www.ndsbbs.com/1127427440/Fid_2/2_10124_a6a88c5e37cdf67.jpg

You here that? Its the sound of Nintendo fornicating there fanbase.

This reminds me of the GBA, first one was less then they claimed. Then the SP came out and had a backlight, something that the Original was supposed to have... And a higher price point and portibility factor... They did it with the GBC too, just no backlight.

This is why along with cruddy tittles that I gave up on Nintendo and went with Sony, which I might add they created out of stupidity. Long story, look it up if you don't know it.

Meh I always new they would do this the DS was clunky hanf cramping and looked like a 80's kids toy. This is what they needed to release first. Not this crap they keep spewing and calling hardware.

The best things they ever made were the Nes and SNES. The 64 was okay but lacked a good controller design and games were highly priced. The GC suffers from the same flaws, bad controller, bad marketing and bad games, save for a space few.

People call the PSP overpriced and under developed (game wise) but I am much more happy with this, and sonys other products then any nintendo product save for the Nes and Snes. Hell the PSP even has a good battery life, and I have yet to see one with a dead pixel...

Well R.I.P. Big-N I new ye well.

#19: You crazy nut ball. The gamecube had the best games and controller ever! And also this isn't the end of the Big-N in fact this will boost sales like there is no tommorrow.

Anyways it looks awesome but I am perfectly happy with my current DS.

I like the new power switch. It looks like it shall be quite out of the way and a lot more difficult to accidentally trigger. I'm looking forward to using it!

"You obviously haven't made the mistake of powering the system off before you saved. I slipped up once after a marathon session of Animal Crossing, pissed me off so bad I have yet to go back to the game."

Same here, man.

Let's hope this new power switch setup will be a bit less confusing.

#1 Of course, it would make perfect sense that now that the DS has been redesigned, Sony will start publishing titles for it.

as for #19, I gotta say, I've had a PSP since release and there are only a handful of games worth owning. There's a lot more worth owning on the DS. The games Nintendo publishes for the DS have a higher quality than most PSP or DS games. PSP games seem to be all about graphics and less about gameplay. I think if there's anyone that's gonna make the PSP worth having it's Capcom, because at this point it seems like Sony doesn't give a damn about games on the thing.

The redesign does alot for the system. First, it creates a new price point. I'll use the GBA as an example. First we had the GBA. Then the SP. All of a sudden, the GBA is cheaper, and the SP takes over the GBA's former price point. The GBA is now accessible to lower income players. Some players who had the GBA decided to get the new model for various reasons, ie new look, compact design, addresses flaws of previous model. Same can be said for Refurb non-slim PS2's.

Of course, with the GBA, SP, Micro, GB player, DS, and the car player thing from CES, this will be the 7th machine on the market able to play GBA games. Kinda crazy...

Sony may or may not match this with PS1 games (there are 4 commercially available machines that play those, plus the PSX is that ever happened, the net yaroze, and PS3 if compatibility with ps1 games makes it in, that'll be 6 or 7)

I have accidentally shut off the DS while meaning to hit start to save. Whoops

Anyone want to buy a slighty used (albeit not very much) PSP that I've had since launch? D'oh....

Haha, well in reply to #19 Nintendo won't be going down for a long long time. They can't be bought out since they bought up their shares after they made enough money and they haven't had a net profit loss in over 50 years. On top of that they are the most profitable company in Japan as of now, and in the history of Japan as far as the last time I've looked it up. They are the only company truely making money right now or in the past few decades. I for one have never really cramped up on the DS and for comfort all handhelds have been extremely lacking in this department. The psp's design is as pisspoor as the ds's, it's just more athstetically pleasing. And yes I have accidentally powered down the system playing Castlevania for the ds and it did piss me off enough to put the game down for a good while. But I learned better and took care not to press it and save often. No big deal, live and learn.
Oh and another thing number 19. The GBA didn't come out with a backlit screen untill just a few weeks before the micro hit the market and Nintendo never promised the first GBA model to have a lit screen. Nintendo always goes for whatever is the most efficient at the time, power, battery life and cost all a factor. Once they were at a point to where they could get a lit screen gba to last as long as the old non lit one they would impliment it. It's all the whole 'evolution of technology' you hear and experience everyday. I for one love the fact that Nintendo puts so much time and care into each product even if it causes them to saturate the market with too much of the same thing as in with the handhelds. Never hurt me, always helps. The GBA SP model you are referring to had a frontlit screen and that is the model almost everyone has. The GBA SP frontlit model is pretty abscure and I'm not even sure they produce them anymore because you couldn't tell the difference other than a little caption on the box that said something like "Now with a backlit screen". In any case they probably took the place of the old SP's and took that logo off and no one knows there is a difference.

I don't have the time(and this isn't the place) to get into it with you about your post #19 but one thing you do have right is the horrible marketing for Nintendo, atleast in the publics eyes. But from a business standpoint, with all the money they make they must be doing something right.

Pixels for my people,
Anticrawl

THis debate is sad, I like PSP . I like the new DS lite. THere are 3 games on DS I would buy(Mario&Luigi,Animal Crossing,Princess Peach). On the PSP right now there are 5(Luminies,WipeOut,GTA,HotShots,Socom). I honestly prefer the PSP due to movies,music,browsing etc.Don't get comfy with the cool DS Lite.There will be another DS I am sure , just like Apple, Nintendo loves to have muliple machines out there. Sony seems to have a 10 year cycle on machines. I suspect the PSP may have a 5 year cycle though.

Dear kind, ignorant SargeMonkey, What you're failing to realize is that Nintendo has been around for... wait for it... over 100 years. Yea, it's true. Know your history. Also, by some odd reason, the DS continually outsells the PSP by a margin of over 2:1. I've had my PSP since launch and it's been the coolest $250 32MB MP3 player I've ever gotten. Nintendo's not going anywhere for a long time. And if you've got such a love for Sony and the PSP, why are you reading about the DS anyway?

@ #28
I respect the fact that you want more games on the PSP than the DS, but I doubt you know how to subtract. For some reason you got 2000 - 1995 (PS to PS2) as 10 years, and 2006 - 2000 (PS2 to hopefully PS3) as 10 years. Just wondering what you're talking about with that 10 year life cycle on Sony machines :).

Anyway, I find relating this article to the PSP as immature and ridiculous. It's just an article about the placement about the power switch on the DS Lite, and then BAM!, "omg PSP is better". You don't see me posting irrelevant comments about the DS on PSP articles.

Ok, finally, I held my DS as if I was playing it and as it turns out, where the DS Lite Power switch would be, the third piece of my index finger (the part connected to my hand) is far from touching that area of the DS. The power switch is in a pretty safe spot (unless you press the R button with the middle piece of your index finger, which I've never seen before, I usually see people use the tip of their fingers to press buttons).

The Nintendo 64 was the best system of that generation as far as I'm concerned... controller included. I never got hand cramps like with the PS2. Goldeneye, Ocarina of Time, Mario 64 vs. Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy VII... I'll take the N64. Though I clearly wasn't the majority. And even if you choose the Playstation you've got to remember that the Analog Thumb-stick is originally from the N64.

I've still got to give this generation to the PS2 though... if only for Devil May Cry and the first two Grand Theft Autos.

I really didn't understand the furor over the power button, were you guys worried that Nintendo had forgotten to add one?

wait, I must be dyslexic or something. I meant @ # 26, Jackal, sorry for whoever # 28 is.

# 29, in pointing out the 5-6 year life cycles of the Playstations, did not mention the redesigns of both consoles.

Also, it should be noted that the reason the N64 controller was weird was because Nintendo took a huge gamble with it. They wanted to try the analog stick, but wanted a failsafe in case everyone hated it. The analog stick was a hit, and was adopted soon after by Sega with the Nights controller and Sony with the Dual Analog controller, later Dual Shock.

While these facts in relation to a power button are totally unrelated...

Man I grow tired of these debates, REALLY REALLY TIRED. If you Like the PSP and you are mad cause you bought a DS just now and they are changing it, guess what? You got nobody to blame for that blunder but yourself, the DS has been out for more than a Year you should have picked it up for the games. It couldn't have been the price point since you were able to buy and or have one purchased for you a PSP.

That being said, what will it take to get rid of the sony fan boys trying to spread the PSP's superior gaming performance. THe System Plays movies, Music and occasionally games and now you want to say it is a better game machine than something that ONly Plays games. I don't even have to say look at the sales list in which handheld sells more games, it isn't even a competition.

Look PSP fans I am not trying to change you guys, or throw anything in anybodys face. Yeah I am alittle older and not a teen any more. I know it is hard to do what you like and be cool, but nobody loves posers I mean really come on now. The whole point of gaming is doing your own thing. SO you want to play a game system that is a media center; stand up for that and don't take no crap. But this is just making Proud PSP fans look silly when you guys come in here and yell "R.I.P TO NINTENDO THEY DON'T MAKE GOOD SYSTEMS OR GAMES." or Yell "NINTENDO IS ALL ABOUT GIMMICKS AND MASS PRODUCTION." When your favorite system makes its money on propritary software from its parent company on media that is not and does not have anything to do with games. Essential You bought a system that reeled you in with Music and movies, and DS fans bought a system that reeled them in with innovative game play and you are calling them fake for going with game play alone, then yelling it is all about games, and being a hardcore gamer? Now tak a look at that from somebody like a casual person trying to define a gamer. A gamer is somebody that doesn't buy a game system but a system that may play some games but is a Music, and media center that must look cool? Because anytime I hear PSP fans defend their superior hand held I never hear "THE GAMES ARE SUPERIOR" I hear "IT LOOKS COOL AND IT PLAYS MOVIES AND MUSIC! I AM A REAL GAMER I PLAY THE ONE GTA TITLE AND POP IN SPIDERMAN 2 When I am FINISH!"

I Don't get it you bought a system, that plays all your games and movies that you have on your home console and your DVD player on your larger tv. WHAT DOES ANY OF THAT HAVE TO DO WITH GAMES? Listen if you guys even defended the games I could Understand, but you admit You bought it cause it Looked COOL! Do you really want the industry standard to be a system that Looks cool but doesn't play to many games? I don't get it What are you PSP fans motives? What do you guys call a GOod gaming experience? I am not even flaming IF somebody was to Tell me this I would be very happy, because at this stage I don't know.

TO share I bought a Ds on the promise of new and interesting game play. I wanted to see how the innovation of the Touch screen in the handheld would be implemented in new games and old ones. I am not a nintendogs fan I like real life pets rather than virtual ones you can shirk your responsibilities on. Games like Castlevania dawn of sorrow and Mario Kart which makes use of the WIFI capabilities give me lots on entertainment value. My Girlfriend and most of my other friends have DS systems also so it is fun when we get together. For me Ds was a perfect choice. If any PSP fan wants to contribute to Why they like their PSP I am all ears, or since this is the Net all eyes. Becase I really don't get this bias.

capcom makes me want a psp, but only to play games i already have (megaman) with fancy new graphics. but capcom also makes me want a ds for the late Phoenix Wright and megaman again. also, if i get too many options to buy the same archtype of game, i get overwhelemed. this is probably the barrier that keeps me from getting a sony system. the only games i want for a ps2 are games i already have for the psone. dynasty warriors, parappa, klonoa, armored core, megaman x, ape escape, and, well, that's it. oh, and shmups. i never get sick of shmups, or inundated with choices. but with nintendo at least offers you probably 30% new stuff with the stuff you already bought in a sometimes weaker iteration. like, wario ware, or chibi robo, or golden sun (filling the rpg void i have since i also have a sony void), tales of symphonia, more sports mario hasn't done, super monkey ball, viewtiful joe, etc etc.
what has sony ever done so fantastically that ex nintendo fans hate them so? did sony give them a chance to think that they were all grown up? is that the entire allure? because sony hates it's game fans, i think, and it's music fans too. i don't understand it. that's really the barrier that keeps me from buying in. i just don't trust them.

Given that I was the guy asking about the power switch last time, I have to comment here.

Given how I hold my DS, I'd be constantly turning this version off. Good thing I'm going to stick with the original, then.

Honestly, know what seems to me to be the best location for the power switch? Above either of the speakers, on the top half of the system. I don't care how you maneuver the system, you'd be almost sure of never accidentally hitting the power switch.

Of course, there's still time. Nintendo did alot of tweaks which drastically improved the DS from its first publicly-shown prototype.

32, it wasn't just you! The entire internet erupted in a near simultaneous query.

Eek, that power switch seems like it is in a more precarious position then the orginal. If my hand rests on the Lite like it does on my orginal DS then the bottom of my knuckle looks like it will be pressing right into the power button

PSP is for people who like the thing. DS is the same. It's preference. Why do we argue? Some people like margerine, others butter. Why should you give a fuck if they don't like the same product as you?

I, personally, have had both systems. I will say this much... both systems were in a pretty sad state of affairs as far as software was concerned for a while. I've had my DS since its November '04 launch, and had my PSP right around summer of last year. I had more to play on DS, but at the time, most of what I did play were cartridges in the GBA slot on the device. Finally, after fall came around, there started being games worth playing on the thing. Granted, most were series I've seen before, but they felt new. And fun. I like fun games.

The PSP I had almost immediate fun with, when I picked up Wipeout Pure and Lumines. Problem was... the fun stopped there. I found nothing else on the system worth playing that I hadn't already played on a static PlayStation console before. Ports, ports, and more ports. And I wasn't keen to the idea of holding the system for two hours while watching a film. House of Flying Daggers was crystal clear, but wasn't a comfortable watch. It's a very aesthetically pleasing doo-dad, and it pained me to let it go for that reason alone, but I sold the thing last fall.

Having said that, I have no problem with Nintendo trying to wipe its "Fugly Duckling" image away with a new product. Seriously, if you don't like it, don't fucking buy it. If it wasn't announced, you'd be stuck with the same, old DS design and complaining about how ugly it was, so there's really no pleasing some of you. If you haven't learned after Game Boy pocket, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Advance SP, the new Game Boy Advance SP, Game Boy micro, and the countless color and theme variations among them all that this is what Nintendo does and has done for the last two decades...

...then you need to climb back under the rock you've been living under and continue playing your Game Gear/Lynx/TurboExpress/Game.com, since you've no place in this conversation.

Oh, and in my above comment, I'm not meaning to sound hypocritical. My experience with DS and PSP are just that... mine and mine alone.

Play whatever you like and be happy.

Oh, and to #29... the original PS (or PSX) came out on December 3, 1994. There are still games coming out for it at a trickle even today, so while I wouldn't consider it dead-dead, if the death knoll is considered to be the launch of the PS2, it happened on March 4, 2000. That's not five years, it spans six. May I once more bring up the fact that games are still being published for it... To This Day?

Also, we don't know that the PS3 will be out this year, so don't be so concrete in your statements. I, personally, see Sony do some cross promotional deal between PS3 and the premiere of Spider-Man 3, set for Spring of '07. Call it a hunch. They're Sony... they can do whatever they want.

I know I get winded with these things, so just one more thing... home consoles and handhelds are quite different. Just because there aren't as many different variations of the N64, or PS2, or Xbox as there are of Game Boy... it don't mean squat.

WTF? Are you on something #19?
"Cruddy titles"? (Nintendo)
"Hell the PSP even has a good battery life"?

Wow what world do you live on? I mean seriously...yea the N64 might have let people down, but some of the games on that system TO THIS DAY are highly regarded as some of the best designed and developed games (Zelda: OoT, SM64, etc.)

As for the Cube, there are PLENTY of good games on there as well. I own 35-40 games for the Cube and a good chunk of them were critically acclaimed, praised by the public AND industry professionals.

As for the PSP having good battery life? Sure when you're listening to music maybe (using a crippled and basic music player btw.) But when it comes to games the batter life varies from around 8-9 hours to as little as 3-4 hours. That is pretty sad and the games that really show off the power of the system are the ones that generally eat up most of the battery power. I own one btw (bought it a few days after it's launch) the only real title that has any real replay value is Lumines (and that came out almost a YEAR ago.)

The only things keeping me from selling my PSP are "Me and my Katamari" and any Square-Enix (mainly Final Fantasy) games. I'm a little worried about Katamari b/c of the control scheme though.

You are basically paying $250+ to play PS2 games (with reduced character models, etc.) I just bought Mega Man Maverick Hunter X (mainly b/c I loved the original Mega Man X so much) but before that the last game I bought was Burnout Legends (even that game had some major flaws with collision.)

/I'm reposting since my post was UNFAIRLY deleted.

Eek, this placement seems no better than before. Why move it from one place where people are likely to accidentally hit it to another?

They couldn't find anywhere on the whole unit to place it that wouldn't bother anyone?

And what about turning it on/off while it's in your pocket? What if you have NDogs in bark mode or something like that?

Why is it everytime Nintedo 'upgrades' they create just as many new problems at they fix? Sigh.