Iwata Wants Increased Wi-Fi Capabilities For DS

[Shrygue]

via Kotaku


Nintendo aren't sitting on their collective asses with this DS and its inherent Wi-Fi capabilities. Speaking with Japanese news site Asahi, Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata says he'd like to expand the device's non-gaming capabilities. Like how? Like say you've got your DS, you get off at a train stop and don't know where you are. He'd like you to be able to whip out your handheld, download a map, get your bearings and turn geographical adversity into triumph. Sounds great to us, but we also know any such service would launch in Japan and stay in Japan.

[urherenow]

"but we also know any such service would launch in Japan and stay in Japan."

Now what on earth makes you say that? The IPhone does just that and it uses google maps and google earth to do it.

Not to mention the recent news about the PSP GPS coming to the States...

[zauberer]

They mean the functions that had launched Nintendo before.

Do you remember the GBC and internet?
The DEX Drive for N64?
More recently the TV for ND?

Where have they stay? Japan.

[Seven7]

Well, yeah. But if it's accessable via wi-fi, then in theroy you could access it from anyware in the world provided you have a ds. The TV tuner is useless outside japan due to the signals it's designed to receave. The other things...I haven't heard of, and probrably not too important for the sake of the thread.

But still, this may prove interesting. I for one will be keeping my eye's open...

-Seven7-

[masterchief929]

sounds interesting.... if it does launch in japan i hope it eventually comes here. remember how long it took final fantasy games? XD

[redsyrup]

I agree with zauberer, Nintendo supporting all 50 states isn't likely, meaning never. A GPS company is more likely to release something first.