So floating around the other day, I noticed that Nintendo released another iteration of the DS, this time calling it the DSi.  Way back in the day I grew playing much of what Nintendo had to offer and it’s nice to see they are still pushing the limit while not alienating consumers (I’m looking at you Apple).  Heck they took chances with Robbie the Robot and now they’re pumping out products like the Wii Fit board to appeal to a whole new base.

I guess that’s what I like about technology.  When I was little, I sat amazed and in wonder about how a video game could be so interactive and so much fun.  Nintendo made interacting with the latest in electrical gadgetry an adventure.  They pushed the limits of what we could do both technically and creatively.  It’s what kindled the fire in my belly to get me into this whole shebang in the first place.  I felt working with technology was the perfect convergence of science and art.

Now when I witnessed the unboxing of the device, I could see they joy that I once had unboxing the latest game at christmas.  I’m looking very forward to seeing this baby drop in the United States.  Not just for the playability, but for the chances to homebrew some specific software for it.  What’s great about the evolution of technology is that the kids that grew up with Nintendo now take the time to pull apart devices and program it to their likes.

Think of it.  There’s a camera, a Micro SD card slot, better audio, touch screens, and a powerful processer.  The DSi could literally be the controlling media device for the rest of your appliances.  Did I mention that it also had wireless capabilities?  It tops the race for the most portability against the likes of the iPhone.  Hopefully homebrew pulls through and we see some creative new ways to use the device.

I think most game companies should take a cue from many of the web applications out today and provide an API or SDK for home enthusiats to build off of.  It’s the next step in the evolution of entertainment.  You go from passively watching a screen, to interacting with a screen, to building your own screen for you and others to play off of.  The common thread that pulls it all together is the wonder and adventure of technology.  Go Nintendo!