Spanish journalists, Jorge Hernandez Valinani, left, and Emilio
Gallego Zambrano play with a Nintendo DSi handheld game
machine prior to a press conference by Nintendo Co.
President Satoru Iwata and Nintendo Senior Managing Director
Shigeru Miyamoto at the Foreign Correspondents" Club of
Japan in Tokyo, Thursday, April 9, 2009. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

Long time video game pioneer Nintendo has sold an incredible 435,000 units of it's new handheld device the "DSi" in it's first week.  The DSi is a overhauled version of the popular DS Lights which sold a solid 226,000 units it's debut week in America. 

The new DSi sports dual cameras to match it's popular dual screens.  The screens are larger, but to most a larger selling point is the DSi can play and alter music.  The keyword is "alter", users will have an option of not only hearing their favorite songs normal or done in classic 8-bit sty-lings. 

While this might seem good, it is hard finding a song that sounds good in 8-bit.  I believe it is because something in the 8-bit version isolates a bass track that causes most songs to sound too strange (anyone know of any good songs to listen with the 8-bit converter?).

Currently Ipods dominate most of the portable music players market, the DSi might be stealing potential market share with their latest handheld device.  The larger lower screen is also not only bigger but it is a touchscreen and higher quality. 

While things seem good with the DSi the device also has some drawbacks.  One being the cameras are hardly a megapixel, the battery life is shorter (9-14 hours), an SD card is needed for most of the cool stuff and it is not back wards compatible with Gameboy Advanced Game Paks.  For the most part the device is very impressive and it ensures Nintendo's place in the video game world despite the recession.