Nintendo DSi system software
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|
| Developer |
Nintendo Nintendo SDD |
|---|---|
| OS family | Nintendo proprietary |
| Working state | Active; Discontinuation imminent |
| Source model | Closed source |
| Initial release | 1.1 / November 1, 2008 |
| Latest release | 1.4.5 / December 11, 2012 |
| Available in | German, English, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch, Japanese, Korean, simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese |
| Update method | Direct Download Game Card |
| Platforms | Nintendo DSi (XL) |
| Preceded by | Nintendo DS, DS Lite |
| Succeeded by | Nintendo 3DS system software |
The Nintendo DSi system software is a set of updatable firmware versions, and a software frontend on the Nintendo DSi (including its XL variant) video game console. Updates, which are downloaded via the system's Internet connection, allow Nintendo to add and remove features and software. All updates also include all changes from previous updates.
The user interface of the Nintendo DSi has been redesigned from the Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite. The DSi's user interface is a slideable single row of icons. Moving between programs is fairly snappy, and most icons are big enough on the new touchscreen to allow for navigation using fingers instead of the built-in stylus. When users load the DSi for the first time, the system snaps a shot of their faces. Their faces then fill the entire top screen whenever they are in the main menu screen. From the main screen, they can take a picture at any time by pressing the shoulder buttons. The camera to be used can also be selected. From within programs, the power button doubles as a Home button, bringing them back to the main screen with a soft reset.
The Nintendo DSi provides some built-in applications. Initially users are able to access the following programs from the main menu: DSi Camera, DSi Sound, DSi Shop, Picto Chat, and Download Play. The DSi's menu is akin to the Channel interface of the Nintendo Wii in that new programs can be downloaded and added to the interface. The DSi Camera application can do more than snap shots. It has all sorts of zany, real-time filters for users to put on photos to squish heads and so on. However, it is subject to the low resolution of the actual cameras (0.3MP). Additionally, the program cannot recognize shots that a users had taken on other digital cameras for editing. The DSi Sound application is thematically similar to DSi Camera, serving as a sound recorder and editor (along with an low bitrate AAC music player). There are some notable features here, like Excitebike and Starfox-themed equalizers, and modulators that make a user's voice sound like a robot or parakeet. The DSi Shop would serve as the DS version of the Wii Shopping Channel.
Unlike Nintendo's previous handheld consoles such as the Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite, the Nintendo DSi has built in music playback support. The DSi Music program is split into two modes: voice recording and music playback. Both offer plenty of entertainment value because of the tools and gimmicks Nintendo has included. The recording mode lets users record at most 18 clips of maximum 10 seconds length. Once they have recorded a clip, they can play around with it in various ways. For example, users can make the clip play backwards or forwards, isolate small sections using A-B repeat, and modify the speed and tone by dragging a pointer around on a 2D graph. They can also apply 12 effects to the clip, which can be used to transform the sound. The music playback mode also has many play options. Once a song has been loaded up, users can change the speed and tone just like with the recording mode. They can also overlay the recordings that has been made in the recording mode to songs at any point. In addition, Nintendo has provided a set of sound effects which can be selected quickly by using the stylus, then inserted freely using shoulder buttons.
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