DSi Originally Had Two DS Slots

Check out this nice article. It basically explains that the DSi was orginally going to have 2 DS game slots.

The DSi will be arriving in the States pretty soon, and alas, it will be lack a
GBA port. But according to a new Iwata Asks interview, the DSi wasn't always a
one port system. While still in the design stages, the DSi had two slots for
DS games, said Nintendo development engineer Masato Kuwahara. The change was
implemented in response to fan requests, but as it turned out, it made the DSi a
great deal bulkier. In the end, they had to drop it.

"The response wasn't that great, and, to tell the truth, we'd sort of been expecting that," said Kuwahara. "According to the determined specifications, however, there was nothing we could do to stop it from turning out like that. We unveiled it to
them, all the while doubting that it was going to be all right."

Kuwahara also said that the relatively marginal changes between the DS
Lite and the DSi were a "source of frustration" for him, but that he hoped that
features like the larger LCD screens and new matte finish would make the fans
happy.

[via gametab.com]

Nintendo DSi Dated and Priced in the USA

Here's and officail press release from nintendo:

Nintendo pioneered hand-held entertainment in the
’80s and made it fully mobile with the Game Boy video game system. Now, Nintendo
is transforming the way people access, experience, create and share content with
the new Nintendo DSi system, the third iteration of the world’s best-selling
portable video game system. Nintendo DSi launches in the United States on April
5, 2009, at an MSRP of $169.99. The colors available at launch will be Blue and
Black.

"Ever since the arrival of the first
Game Boy, consumers worldwide have turned to Nintendo for their portable
gaming," said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of
Sales & Marketing. “Nintendo DSi builds on Nintendo’s commitment to bringing
fun and creative entertainment to everyone, and will allow consumers to
personalize and share their very own experiences.”

Some features that
will be built into the system and ready to enjoy upon purchase include the
Nintendo DSi Camera, Nintendo DSi Sound and Nintendo DSi Shop. The most
noticeable feature of the slim Nintendo DSi system is its two cameras – one
camera is on the external body, and the second one points at the user when the
device is flipped open. As the first truly interactive digital camera in a video
game system with 10 different interactive “lenses” that can manipulate your
photos, the Nintendo DSi Camera offers an easy way to take and share your photos
with family and friends. The cameras also present people with unprecedented ways
to interact with their games while giving developers a new tool to devise
creative games and experiences. If the touch screen gave Nintendo DS a sense of
feel and the microphone allowed it to hear, the two cameras give Nintendo DSi
the sense of sight.

Another enhanced feature is the Nintendo DSi Sound
application, which serves as both an interactive voice recorder and music player
that allows users to play with their music while they listen to it. Users can
access different audio filters or control the pitch and speed of recorded voice
or music files to alter voices or change the tempo of a song. The mic is located
between the two screens when the device is flipped open, and there is also a
stereo headphone output that lets users listen to music saved on an SD card,
even with the screen shut.

In the world of software, Nintendo DSi will
be the platform for the most relevant and fun on-the-go games and applications.
The Nintendo DSiWare application will populate Nintendo DSi with software that
can be downloaded using Nintendo DSi Points directly to the portable system,
just as WiiWare has with Nintendo’s Wii console. Developers big and small are
invited to create software that makes use of the properties and functions of the
hardware. Nintendo DSiWare games and applications will be available at a range
of values, starting at 200 points.

In addition to downloadable games,
Nintendo DSi is able to play games made specifically for the system and sold at
retail. The system can also play most Nintendo DS™ games, and will have access
to a library of more than 850 titles originally made for that system.

Also on April 5, a new Nintendo DS game, Rhythm Heaven, will
join this roster of games available for both Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DS owners
in the United States. Having sold more than 1.6 million copies since its July
2008 launch in Japan and still increasing sales today, this infectious game
challenges players to tap and slide the stylus on the touch screen in time to
original music created by legendary Japanese pop-star producer TSUNKU♂. Simple
gestures with the stylus combined with fun music and quirky visuals make Rhythm
Heaven a completely unique musical experience for players of all ages.

Additional features and news of Nintendo DSi will be revealed
as April 5 approaches. For more information about Nintendo DSi, visit http://www.nintendodsi.com/.