Last night, I took my own advice and brought the DSi with me on the bus. I had an age-old question to answer: What happens when you use a game system to secretly take photos of hipsters and bums?
Unlike I’d assumed, the little red light on the front doesn’t tip anybody off (but that may have more to do with how few people have heard of the DSi). More obnoxious is the loud shutter sound the DSi belches when taking a photo—even when the rest of the volume is turned to silent. My guess: Nintendo’s Japanese execs added this to prevent a DSi underskirt phenomenon.
Nobody noticed either of those on loud buses—my victims assumed I was playing a game, because you don’t have to “aim” the system to get the shot you want. But being clandestine didn’t matter. You can’t document a flailing, screaming bum or a crying, on-the-phone dad with 0.3 megapixels.
But the Kid Pix effects-cam was a hit with groups of friends, and if you’re the kind that can’t help but snap photos of pals, this portable version of Mac Photobooth may be up your Facebook-addicted alley. I’d post sample photos, but they were all sullied by a certain Slogger who drew rainbow-pen penises next to my distorted face.
A few optimistic revisions to yesterday’s review:
When using the music player, audiophiles will appreciate that the audio processing on the DSi is robust—I hooked it into my stereo to test, and the low end appeared to be pretty well preserved. Would be nice if I had more audio files that worked with it.
I did a second web browser test at a house with a better Internet connection, and I switched most of my web browsing to iPhone-friendly sites. Much improved. I like browsing on a portable device when I’m waking up and don’t want to deal with a laptop in bed, and the DSi proved handily superior to my dinky phone in that respect. Sony’s PSP does this as well, and its browser is currently a bit more robust, but I’m a fan of the DSi touchscreen. It’s a tossup.
I’ve already found a likable game in the DSi downloadable store, ArtStyle: Aquia. For $5, you get another twist on the “match 3” puzzle archetype (Columns, Puyo Puyo, etc). It’s not incredibly deep, but Aquia’s stylish fun is a good sign of the experimental ideas to come. I’ll probably test the Wario Ware camera game soon—I’ve seen a few outlets say it’s “fun when it works,” which seems about right for a game that tries to sense motion on that crappy 0.3 megapixel camera.
I still don’t believe these little games are reason enough for DS owners to re-buy at this price—especially since the comparably priced PSP has superior store/multimedia features. But I have definitely enjoyed the total package of the DSi as I’ve spent more time with it, and I’ve come around on the feature set. It’s meant for non-owners who would naturally lean toward the DS instead of the PSP anyway.
Why are poor or distressed people always the subjects of amateur photographers? It’s the elite who are least documented.
What sort of scoundrel would draw a rainbow penis on your face?
It has actual Kid Pix on it? Now I’m intrigued.
@1: The elite aren’t interesting unless they’re bludgeoning the help in a crowded lobby or sodomizing their wife’s sister in a tawdry hotel on the edge of town.
The so called elite come from a factory owned by Dick Cheney …. and are just cookie cutter boring.
One exception, often reported in fact, when they get raving sloppy puking pig faced DRUNK.
At that moment they become interesting as in The Fallen … Dan would liken it to the fall of youth pastors.
Skid Row was the best for real pix of real people … new down town is barren.
Phones and handhelds with cameras almost UNIVERSALLY make camera noises when taking pictures. This wasn’t always the case but became a de facto standard for the exact reason you mentioned shortly after they appeared on the stage. Nintendo, Nokia, and the rest aren’t going to sign up for some sort of class action suit because you want your camera quiet.
Does it work with the CycloDS?
iPhones don’t make sounds when you take a picture (in the US). Why would they be sued?
@7: No, the CyclosDS currently doesn’t work with the DSi.
@8: Japan has kind of an upskirt epidemic. Also a subway groper epidemic.
So does North America, Greg.
wtf? You’re taking a picture of a guy crying and hiding his face on the bus and putting it on the internet? What if the person on the phone told him to come identify his son’s body? How are you not a total fuckwad? What am I missing?
@12: Yeah, go ahead and pick that guy out of a lineup.
The photo doesn’t identify the person. For all I know, that could be a picture of me.
While you’ve been “walking on the wild side” on seedy urband streets with your technology, today in sun drenched exurbia, I packed up my little Dell mini 9 powered by Ubuntu and took it bike riding.
I did my usual routine of heading to Jersey Mike’s in Covington to pick up a capicolla, ham, and provolone and then brought it to eat and lounge at Kent-Meridan park. (Still too cold for the emergence of bikini clad Ukrainian girls, but soon…)
Luckily some kind (or technologically illiterate) person left his linksys wireless router open so I could surf while soaking up the rays.
BTW — I made sure not to order the video option on my mini 9. I hate the things.
@14: Don’t blame you. The following was the result of a similar nice-day bike ride: http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…
I love how current devices make a shutter sound when many of the people using the devices have no idea what a shutter is.
@16 – aren’t shutters those wood things nailed to the sides of some windows on some houses somewhere?
is #14 John Bailo?
@13 – the lineup scenario is not the right comparison. There are people who would recognize who that guy is, even though an unknown person might not.
Sam is being an asshole and so are Slog editors if there are any.