Guys Upstairs - Tech

The Nintendo Wii will soon be offering a video service in order to establish a new revenue stream. Nintendo will be partnering up with the ad agency Dentsu to offer cartoons and other entertainment programs. In order to differentiate it from existing content delivery services the two companies will be be offering programs created specifically for the new service. While this may help set it apart from competitors, they should still offer existing programs akin to Hulu in order to please everyone. The service will start early next year in Japan and will not be seen overseas until late in the year.

Nintendo has already raked in more cash than it knows what to do with, so why do they need a new revenue stream? Hopefully it’s in order to fund more R&D to creating more creative and innovative ideas.

[Yahoo]

Nintendo has just announced the new DS, the Nintendo DSi. The screen size has been increased to 3.25 inches and will include two built in cameras. The increased screen size has not added to the size - in fact, it will be 12% slimmer. While they are removing the backwards compatibility by removing the GBA slot, it will feature internal storage as well as an added SD slot. The system will also offer music playback and a web browser. Nintendo will also be using the DSWare system, an online store for games. [Full Specs]

It will be released in Japan on November 1 at a price of ¥189,000 (~US $178), offering both matte white and matte black versions.

[Joystiq]

There is talk abuzz about Nintendo showing early presentations of the next generation console. The next generation console will be set to release in 2011 and will have upgraded hardware from the current Wii. The aptly nicknamed “Wii HD” will feature high definition visuals and backwards compatibility. Nintendo will most likely make this similar to the upgrade from Game Boy to Game Boy Advance, where the main selling points are not changed. This means they will most likely keep the highly interactive style of the Wii.

While there is still no definitive evidence what exactly Nintendo is planning, Nintendo R&D has grown from $34 million in 2003 to $370 million. This figure was only $103 million in 2006 when the Wii was first released, meaning that it has at least tripled since then. There is also speculation about a new DS coming out which would include a camera as well as a music player.

[What They Play]