Nintendo DSi, Nintendo's latest games console, went on sale in Japan on Saturday for 18,900 yen (S$179) which is an increase from the 16,800 Yen Nintendo charges for the current model, but still undersells Sony's PSP.

Nintendo DSi, which is slightly slimmer and lighter than Nintendo DS, keeps the trademark double-screen, only enhanced to 3.5 inches.

However, the major changes fans will mostly be excited about are the two built-in cameras, one on the inside and one, which is VGA capable, of the outside, an SD card slot for storage, internal memory plus wireless capabilities.

Users can download games from what is being called the "DSi shop" and can surf the Web through a built-in browser. The DSi will also come with software allowing users to play with their images and to slow or speed up audio files.

Additionally, DSiWare games can be bought by users through points. Titles on the store will be either free or will cost 200 points up to 800 points. As a promotion, Nintendo will be granting 1000 Nintendo points to new DSi owners until 2010.

Compatibility-wise, the new DS can run software specific to the DS Lite, but being unequipped with a GBA slot, the DSi will be unable to run games for the Gameboy Advanced. Also, the DS Lite will not be able to run software designed specifically for the DSi.
The package comes with DSi system, an AC adapter, two touch pens (extra length, as you can see in the spec sheet), a kind of guide, an instruction manual, and a support book.

On Friday, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata said that the company will start shipping Nintendo DSi in overseas market by the summer of 2009. He said that Nintendo hopes to sell 200,000 units of the DSi during this weekend for sales in the three-day weekend from Saturday, and plans to ship an additional 100,000 units in the week starting November 4.

In October, North American president of Nintendo, Reggie Fils-Aime explained that the demand for the existing Nintendo DS hardware is strong enough that the DSi will be put on hold until 2009.