DS Internet, or lack of it

[A Black Falcon]

http://cube.ign.com/articles/530/530147p1.html

Miyamoto: DS Wireless Internet Access Possible
But Nintendo will only pursue DS-to-DS connections for the time being.
July 13, 2004 - In an interview with Earthbound creator Shigesato Itoi, Nintendo game development guru Shigeru Miyamoto said that, with the proper software, the Nintendo DS system could be used as an Internet terminal via wireless LAN. But, he added, Nintendo's main focus would be to use the DS' wireless connection capability to link multiple DS systems for multiplayer gameplay.

The interview, which is being posted piece-by-piece on Itoi's personal home page, http://www.1101.com, covers various topics like first-person shooters and Yuji Naka. In the most recent update, Itoi asked: "This is more of a technical question than a game-fan question, but when Nintendo announced the DS, they said that it would use the Wireless LAN (IEEE802.11) standard. So, for example, does this mean that you would be able to connect to the Internet?"

Miyamoto replied, "That's right. Well, what Nintendo has always been pursuing is mostly the connection of DS systems. But, if you had wireless LAN in your home, and an application or an OS was released that connected to it, it would be possible to use the DS as an Internet terminal."

Miyamoto went on to add that Nintendo generally tries to avoid situations in which the user is faced with too many potential snags in setting up gameplay. "We don't want to be telling users, 'If you don't connect that, it won't work' or 'If you don't have one of these, too bad.' If we can, we want you be able to just buy the machine itself, and have fun with a new type of play."

The DS' designers, noted Miyamoto, were thinking of cramming even more functionality into the unit. But ultimately they realized that they had to sell the hardware at what would be considered a reasonable price, eventually settling on the announced specifications.

http://www.planetgamecube.com/news.cfm?a...em&id=5440

News Article: Miyamoto speaks on DS WiFi
News Date: 07/13/2004
Source: GameSpot
Link: http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/07/13/...02407.html

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Find out what Nintendo's doing with the wireless internet functions on the DS.

In an interview recently posted on the website of Earthbound creator Shigesato Itoi, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto made some comments about the Nintendo DS's 802.11 (also known as WiFi) wireless functionality. According to Mr. Miyamoto, the possibility of a wireless internet connection on the Nintendo DS is there, but Nintendo is not currently developing any software that will enable to DS to access it. Apparently, Nintendo is leaving this part up to third-parties. He said that Nintendo is not interested in developing internet software for the DS. The company is very interested in keeping the DS an "out of the box" experience that will require no accessories, such as a wireless router to link systems over the internet via broadband connections.

Mr. Miyamoto was quoted as saying: "We added the wireless LAN (IEEE802.11) to the DS mainly for the handhelds to communicate between each other, but if someone releases appropriate software that allows it to connect to wireless LAN access points, it could also be used to connect to the Internet."

Update: There has been a lot of confusion surrounding Mr. Miyamoto's quote. Apparently Miyamoto-san is only saying that Nintendo will not be making an application to browse the internet over the DS. They are only interested in using the WiFi to link DS systems in remote areas. According to a close friend of PGC, independent gaming journalist Chris Kohler, "If you look at the questions that Itoi asks, he's talking about using the DS as a web browser. He says it's a 'technical' question, not a 'game fan' question. And he asks if the 'specs' of the machine would be enough to support its use as an 'Internet terminal,' as Miyamoto puts it." Thanks to Chris for clearing this up for everybody.