Nintendo DS Lite vs. Nintendo DSi

It seems just like yesterday when Nintendo announced the release of its legendary portable video game console, the Nintendo DS. Believe it or not--but that was five years ago! Then a couple years later in 2006 we had the DS Lite. Now, in 2009 Nintendo has presented us with its latest creation: the Nintendo DSi.My guess is the "I" stands for interactivity because in its promotional videos for the new console Nintendo asks, "What will you and I do?"

If you're confused by all these different units you're not alone. It may seem like Nintendo is releasing all these different versions just to drive us crazy or so our kids can have one more thing to add to the Christmas list. However, if you're thinking about purchasing a new Nintendo DSi for either yourself or a loved one there's a few things to take into consideration before you buy.

The third generation DS console, the Nintendo DSi was released on April 5, 2009 on Amazon.com. There's a few features that make it different from its predecessor, the Nintendo DS Lite. Here's a quick overview:

1. Two Digital Cameras. Now don't get too excited! You won't be replacing your Nikon or Canon with your NIntendo DS--that's for sure. The unit has two cameras--one on the inner flap for taking pictures of yourself (how's that for modesty) and one on the outer flap for taking pictures of other people and objects. The quality of the photos aren't spectacular and would be comparable in quality to photos taken with your cell phone.

A cool feature of the DSi is an application that allows you to draw on your photos with the stylus and kind of have fun with them. There's also a couple of games that incorporate the photo feature.

2. DSi Sound Application Due to popular demand from previous DS Lite users the Nintendo DSi features the ability to play music as well as record sound using the microphone. You also have the option of listening to music stored on a SD card with headphones when the screen is shut. NOTE: the DSi does NOT play MP3 files, it plays AAC formatted songs. It doesn't really work the same way as an Ipod, but you can pretend to be a song producer and manipulate the tempo, voice, and pitch of your recordings to form your own unique creations.

3. Web Browser. Internet capabilities connect you to the DSi store so you can download new games and applications to your console as soon as they become available. If you're familiar with WiiWare for the Wii, DSiWare is very similar. As for browsing other websites, it's still a little slow and clunky. You can download the Opera web browser which is available in the DSi store but it isn't much better than the DSiWare browser that already comes loaded on the console.

Before you make your final purchase decision, here's a quick run down of the pros and cons of the DSi when compared to the DS Lite:

PROS

1. Ability to download games via the web browser and DSiWare creates lots of potential for future potential and updates.
2. SD slot enables you to store additional music files and photos. If you want to display some of your crazy photo creations online or print them out you can upload them to your computer.
3. Larger and brighter screen than the DS Lite.

CONS

1. The DSi does not have the ability to play GameBoy Advance games. If you're a Guitar Hero fan, this could be a total bummer. However, if more games are added to the DSi Store as promised, this could become a moot point eventually.
2. Larger and brighter screen creates a shorter battery life.
3. Sure, it has a web browser but how good is it? And yes--you do need your own wireless connection to use it!
4. The photos you take only really look good on the DSi screen.

Also, don't forget that with the release of the new DSi there will be plenty of cheap Nintendo DS Lite consoles to be found online. Now may be a good time to buy if you're interested in purchasing a new unit.