Apple should take a page from Nintendo

[Smoke]

I was surprised to see this post on Ars Technica. I thought perhaps the author slipped up and it was meant to mean the opposite.

[A Black Falcon]

Nintendo is far from perfect... it's just better than the rest. Though Gameboy-wise, it definitely seems like the original one had the best, most durable construction, and none of the ones since come close...

[Dark Jaguar]

They did literally hurl the things from the top of Nintendo HQ to test durability... Wait, that sounds a little urban legendish...

[lazyfatbum]

I remember that.

The face plate/screen replacement thing is pretty shnazzy (a word that describes something to be smart and hnazzy at the same time). I hope more electronics adopt the idea too.

[A Black Falcon]

I remember Nintendo Power used to print letters from people who left their NESes out in the snow for the winter in Alaska and found it and it still worked and stuff like that...

Yeah, I don't think the Gamecube would pass that test... moving parts make things more fragile. Though I have heard that the GC is more durable than the PS2 or Xbox...

Oh yes, and that faceplate replacement idea is good. Of course, it's not really new... if you knew how you could replace the screen cover on a GB, GBC, or GBA (not sure about the others)... but this one is easier to do and fancier. :)

[lazyfatbum]

well thats just it, the 'easier to do' part is th best part. When you take a screen cover off any other GB you have to deal with a sticky mess and a collection of horrible things that make children cry and do this every time you want to replace the screen.

[A Black Falcon]

Yes, but you only do it if it's scratched badly, because the replacements don't actually look different...

[lazyfatbum]

I completely agree, but just the idea of snapping a new on on is great. Add to that the neato designs and you have yourself a weiner.

[Dark Jaguar]

Eh... All I know is that it's annoying that the ONLY GB that doesn't have replacements screens sold by Nintendo is the GBA SP, and that's annoying. Even the DS lets you replace the not so touchy feely screen.

[A Black Falcon]

But the SP folds so hopefully it's going to be less scratched...

[Dark Jaguar]

So does the DS, and they have a replacement screen for that.

[A Black Falcon]

That makes sense for the touchscreen, though, because you have to touch it and that could leave marks...

[Dark Jaguar]

Perhaps you didn't read what I said earlier. The only screen they sell a replacement for is the NON touchy screen on the DS. That makes sense though, because if you use the DS you will see that literally ripping out the touch screen simply would do a LOT of harm that simply doesn't occur on the other normal screen (or screen cover, as it actually is).

So yeah, the SP is the only one with no screen replacement, excepting the DS touch screen, which can't reasonbly be removed that way.

Oh yes, I've been reading about the Micro. Apparently, the nature of the faceplates isn't exactly a dust free zone. Dust apparently easily gets under those face plates and ends up under the screen. Also, if the system is dropped, the face plates will simply break off, exposing the innards to all manner of dirt depending on where you dropped it.

And from personal experience, every single handheld WILL be dropped at some point in time, on something hard. My PSP has encountered concrete no less than twice, prompting me to curse the design of coat pockets (why are they SIDEWAYS? Take gravity into consideration pocket designers!), fortunatly the PSP is a lot more sturdy than I had previously thought. I'm still certain that screen can't take anything stronger than a strong breeze, but impact shock doesn't seem to mess up the optical drive at all. That's great news.

But, the faceplates should probably be further tweaked if Nintendo is going to sell this gimicky idea any further. MS doesn't have to worry as much with the SAME silly gimic, because there isn't a screen involved and the system will usually stay put, but it's still something to think about. The thing should be more solidly installed and fairly air tight. I'm thinking they should be screwed on. It isn't like those things are going to be replaced every day or something. I don't think that would get in the way of anything.

Besides, I'll just stick with a very plain looking cover. I have no need of "cheetah skinz" or "insane crazy tiger stripes" or "polka dot madness" or whatever cheesy designs apparently have come back in vogue from the early 1990's.