http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/15/anothe...s-analyst/
Interesting, except for one thing:
"Pacific Crest Securities analyst Evan Wilson"
A security system analyst for some random company? What possible contacts could he have, and why does that title matter except to give a false sense of credibility? I'm not sure I buy it, certainly not just because Evan Wilson says so, even if he IS a great securities analyst for Pacific Crest themselves.
There's also the matter of the details. Bigger screens? As it stands those screens are as big as they can get without making the system bigger, and making it thinner at the cost of making it wider doesn't sit well with me. Removing GBA support? Aside from not being able to play GBA games on one any more, cutting into sales of GBA games that are still going fairly strong (though I do play the majority of my GBA games on my SP), that also removes support for the add-on packs Nintendo's been making for the DS, such as the rumble cart (supported by like 3 games and none in a good while actually), and more importantly the SD card slot. Would they just add native rumble to the thing and replace the GBA slot WITH an SD card slot? Further, doesn't the DS make use of the old GBA hardware as a secondary processor? It would essentially still be able to play GBA games but just lack the all important slot, which doesn't seem like that big a cost saver considering the money to be made from adding it through GBA game sales. Also, what's this "on-board storage" even supposed to do anyway? DS games don't tend to use memory cards as it is, and it seems like quite a bit to spend on a feature that games don't even use. Designing NEW games to access it would also segregate the market between older DS models and the new "hotness". Further, if the idea is to have it replace the SD card adapter, well it's pretty limited then because it would STILL have to have a slot to copy in data from an actual SD card to put pictures and MP3s and so on in there (if it's for stuff like some MP3 player software), and if you are going to plug in an SD card to copy anyway you might as well just USE that SD card.
The whole thing seems fishy to me. I mean the GB got two remodels (the pocket and the later "Lite" released only in Japan that was basically a Pocket system with a backlight), but generally they only remodel their systems once.
se·cu·ri·ty /sɪˈkyʊərɪti/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[si-kyoor-i-tee] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation noun, plural -ties, adjective
–noun
1. freedom from danger, risk, etc.; safety.
2. freedom from care, anxiety, or doubt; well-founded confidence.
3. something that secures or makes safe; protection; defense.
4. freedom from financial cares or from want: The insurance policy gave the family security.
5. precautions taken to guard against crime, attack, sabotage, espionage, etc.: The senator claimed security was lax and potential enemies know our plans.
6. a department or organization responsible for protection or safety: He called security when he spotted the intruder.
7. protection or precautions taken against escape; custody: The dangerous criminal was placed under maximum security.
8. an assurance; guarantee.
9. Law.
a. something given or deposited as surety for the fulfillment of a promise or an obligation, the payment of a debt, etc.
b. one who becomes surety for another.
10. an evidence of debt or of property, as a bond or a certificate of stock.
11. Usually, securities. stocks and bonds.
So you think it's that rather than computer system security (which is the way I'm used to hearing it)? Of course either way it changes nothing.
It's a securities company, as in a company that deals with securities. That's not the same thing as "security", as in a security company.
This guy deals with stocks and bonds, meaning its his job to find out what companies are going to do in the near future and analyse how these things affect their stock prices.
As for whether this is true or not...*shrugs*
That does change things. What do ya know. Maybe accountants AREN'T an old manilla envelope lost between the filing cabinet and the wall, discarded, forgotten, and dry.
I wasn't thinking security guard though. I mean computer system security, as in backing up data, encryption protocols, and user permission settings.
Analysts are rarely right...
As for this report, I agree that it doesn't sound right. The GBA processor is indeed the DS's second CPU, so they can't do like Sony with the 40GB PS3 and remove the GBA's CPU without impacting the DS. Would the amount of space saved by removing that port REALLY be worth it? I mean, they did that with the GB Micro (removing GB/C support), but the Micro didn't do as well as Nintendo hoped it would... and you're also right about the screens, larger screens would mean a larger unit, but they want it small... so yeah, this doesn't seem plausible to me. It could happen, for sure, but... I doubt it.
Dark Jaguar Wrote:That does change things. What do ya know. Maybe accountants AREN'T an old manilla envelope lost between the filing cabinet and the wall, discarded, forgotten, and dry.
I wasn't thinking security guard though. I mean computer system security, as in backing up data, encryption protocols, and user permission settings.
It doesn't really have much to do with accounting...
I just think it's interesting that two people that see the word "security", based on their own thingies they do, think of two totally unrelated jobs that could refer to. I can't speak for you but I myself hadn't even considered it could mean something else. It just didn't cross my mind.
It would be interesting if they came out with a DS that's one large screen like a jesusphone, thus completely destroying the terminology used in its own name and description. The plus side would be a larger, seamless screen with the entire thing being touch sensitive.
Also of consideration is Nintendo's recent patent on a touch screen that has multiple points of reference so you can use two fingers to manipulate objects. The example given was something like piloting an Arwing with two fingers, spreading your fingers to boost, closing them to brake, turning your fingers to turn, etc. It could have just been a version of the DS that was scrapped for the cheaper single point of reference design but who knows.
Next time I post i'll remember to bring a megaphone so Great Rumbler can hear me from his high horse.
I'd call it the SS. Wait...
Actually Apple uses a multi-touch screen on that iPhone. They recently opened up an "Apple Store" which has the design of a loading bay (no doors, no windows, you can drive right in with that car they are giving away near the fountain) so I got to try one out for a bit. Basically it lets you resize windows dynamically with two fingers and stuff like that. Neat if I wanted to waste that kind of money on a phone, but yes putting it in Nintendo's next handheld is a lock. A patent eh? I have to wonder if it's pending or just uses a different implementation than Apple's design...
I've said they should make it "just one large screen" for a while now as I never really saw the point in adding two screens, especially on the Lite where the touch screen does next to nothing to the image quality of the lower screen. Also the top screen would have full touch ability which would be cool. Yeah, it would be neat for all those old DS games to suddenly have no seam in the action.
Of course, the one hitch in this which I will admit is a big one is form factor of a system like that. Unless they manage to design a revolutionary screen as flexible as a fridge magnet calendar (now THAT was a reach for a metaphor), there will be an issue. They could go with the "tall" form factor again, or they could scrap having one above the other and just go with a widescreen display. The problem with that is since all the games are designed with the former, it'll screw with backwards compatibility. Really going with a wide screen thing like Sony only with their touch support is a move they kinda had to go with at the start. Now they are kinda "stuck" with this setup unless they can figure a way around the BC issues.
You're right. I also remember reading that the DS actually has two seperate graphics cpu's designated for each screen so it would be pretty intense to redesign it in to iphone-like single screen. So the next handheld could see it, but the next DS re-design will probably be a double screen design. As far as flexible screens that's totally doable and insanely expensive. Did you see the credit card screen? Oh I just remembered another patent - It was a single screen unit with a bubble on it, the effect was that when images are displayed thru the bubble it appears to be in 3-D like a floating hologram inside it. It seems extremely limited to certain game types so I think its going to be for a cheaper LCD game from Nintendo or something along those lines. But if it were a peripheral for the DS...... that could be interesting.
Built in rumble points on the touch screen could be interesting, or a wired stylus with rumble. Comes packaged with Operation: Butterfingers! "Dont touch the sides or you'll KILL A HUMAN BEING" (interacts with various 'Attorney-style' games when faced with malpractice suits!)
Close, but here's the details. The DS has two seperate CPUs, the DS one and the GBA one which it can also use. They are not hardwire designated to each screen though. They would have no reason to do that, nor would there really be a way to do something like that. Video output comes after the video processing anyway. They do however program it that way in practice, because a 2D display on one screen and a 3D display on another works out a lot better than half a 2D display on one screen and the 3D action split right down the middle. The processors can output to whatever screen they want, both, some of one, or whatever. In fact the two processors in and of themselves are totally unaware of the fact there's two screens.
One thing that helps is the homebrew games being made for the DS. Unfortunatly unlike the PSP hacking a DS is a lot harder for the average user. Some hardware is necessary. In other words, I just read up on what's been going on there unlike with the PSP where I actively update all my homebrew stuff all the time.